Beating The No-Buy Blues

By BR Kellie

T'was around the middle of last year whilst I was rearranging my beauty space when I realised something... The thought hit me like a wrecking ball in the gut, leaving me discombobulated and really rather ill feeling. This grand revelation?

I had too much makeup.

I know, I know. Who knew that was even possible? I'm still not sure it is. But yet, there I was staring at enough eyeshadow, blusher, highlighter and lipstick to last ten years. And that stuff has expiry dates. I had enough mascaras unopened that I wouldn't have to buy another for two years. 

I knew what I had to do. The two words I swore would never pass my lips.

No-buy.

I promised myself that day that come this year I would not buy a single piece of makeup unless I'd gone through my stash and needed to replace something because there was nothing else available.

Full disclosure - a no-buy is made a little easier when every now and then a little somethin'-somethin' is handed my way thanks to my wonderful job as a Beauty Review Beauty Editor, BUT I haven't spent a single cent on makeup (apart from a green colour corrector, but in all fairness my existing one was five years old and well past its use-by date and I just couldn't go there anymore.).

Six months in I can say this no-buy gig has been hard. Like, really hard. I've seen Maybelline Color Jolts come on the market, and I REALLY want them. L'Oreal has a new mascara out overseas that apparently is amazing and I REALLLLLLLY want to get my hands on that if and when it hits our shores. My beloved Tati was playing with a MAC highlighter and the need to purchase it was real. So how does one stop herself from handing over her credit card when beautifuly beauty products are tempting me? 

1.  The virtual cart. This is dangerous territory. I mean how easy is it to load it up, hit the buy button, input your credit card details and go about your day? SO easy. Yet, it's a way to ease the temptation. I load up the cart, look at it, remind myself I have everything I need, and then click out. Which brings me to...

2.  Window shopping. I swear I'm that person the security guards at Farmers and Countdown zero in on, because I go there at least once a week and peruse the beauty aisles. I tell myself it's part of my job to see what new goodies are on the market, but really I'm just bathing in the glow of all the pretties.

3.  Shop the stash. Even after gifting a bunch of makeup to family and friends I still had a tonne of used makeup left over, and it's been fun rummaging through and rediscovering old favourites like Za's gorgeous Cheeks Groovy Blush in Glowing Pink and my Urban Decay Naked 2 palette. 

4. Housework. I'm not going to lie, there have been times I've nearly cracked. When Nicole Guerriero's Glow Kit came out I virtual carted that baby up about six times. My credit card numbers ran through my head begging to be used. So I shut my laptop, picked up the lux and got vacuuming, all the while reminding myself I have seven highlighters all of similar shade sitting in a basket in my beauty room.

5. The guilt trip. Never has being raised Catholic been so handy. At my 'need to buy' worst I remind myself how lucky I am to have what I do (not just in makeup, but in general). How there are people out there who would love to have my stash. What an ungrateful toad I am for wanting more. It's a pretty harsh way to go, and I don't advocate beating up on oneself, but sometimes tough measures must be employed - and for me this works. 

So what has six months of a no-buy taught me? That I really didn't need to buy all the makeup in the world. That I could get by happily with just my ABH Mario palette, my Becca Jacqueline Hill blush/highlighter palette, one mascara, MAC Twig lippy and my new favourite Max Factor Miracle Match foundation (thanks BR!). So I'm doing alright, in fact I'm going good - I just hope L'Oreal don't release the new Voluminous Lash Paradise mascara until next year... because the raves are real and that may be the one thing I can't resist. Time will tell!

So do tell... have you done a no-buy? Cut yourself off. Gone cold turkey. Unhooked from the impulse to spend? What are your tips? How'd you get through? Did it change your buying habits for good? Get chatting!