Going on a 3 Month Makeup No-Buy

I said I’d never do it, yet here we are. 

For over a DECADE I’ve been a beauty blogger. I started my blog in 2009 as a stay-at-home mom of two who just needed an outlet. As someone who always worked (sometimes 3 jobs at once) but who now wasn’t working and needed something for themselves. Because I always loved makeup since I started wearing it in middle school. Because I was a member of the LiveJournal makeup groups and Specktra, as well as some other forums. Because I was heavily inspired by Temptalia and Makeup and Beauty Blog (who wasn’t?!). 

While I wouldn’t consider myself an OG beauty blogger I do consider myself there at the (mostly) beginning. The way things have changed over the years, honestly, has made me sad. Right now what you guys see is a beauty community that is up in flames, where people are only friends for show and claw each other in the back as soon as the other isn’t paying attention. It’s all about the drama because the drama brings views.

Back in MY day (lmao, love that) it was all forums and Facebook groups of support. We linked each other and shared each others posts on what little social media we had. When new social would pop up we would help each other learn it and understand it. These groups still exist but they’re few and far between with a lower number of active members. The ones I’m currently active in I consider these women my “tribe”. IDK how the kids are surviving while still keeping up with the changes that seemingly happen daily.

In the beginning there was NO PR (hell, we weren’t even called “influencers”). Those products were only being given to magazines and other forms of media outlets as well as actual makeup artists in the hopes they’d use the products on a celebrity to be talked about on the red carpet or used during a photo shoot or movie. My first PR was actually China Glaze nail polish. Though I don’t receive a lot of packages from them anymore I still do still get one here and there and that always brings back fond memories for me of the beginning.

The changes in this community make me beyond sad. Selfishly it’s made me sad for the death of my blog traffic (which has seen around a 75% decrease in the last few years) but mostly it’s made me sad to see the women and men that I loved to chat with and follow move on to other ventures. As their blog traffic slowly died other things became more important to them, other avenues of income were investigated and grabbed on to. I myself have let my blog slide due to, not only burnout, but need of income. 

I don’t know if this post makes any sense. I kind of just woke up this morning, feeling even more sad, and went on to YouTube (which I haven’t had time to watch in months). The first video that popped up was Samantha Ravndahl announcing the end of her no buy. I remembered when she started thinking “WOW IDK how people do this”. Watching her announce the end and listen to how much it inspired her inspired me.

I know a makeup no-buy isn’t going to help my income by leaps and bounds, but it will a bit. I’m using this New Year to push away all negativity and do better with what I have the power to do better with. December 2018-December 2019 was the literal WORST year of mine and my family’s lives for so many reasons. Every time things started to look up they came crashing down again even harder. Even as I type that I start crying again remembering all of the things that have happened. In your head you know it can be worse. You know people have it worse and you know the things that happened definitely could’ve ended worse. But it’s hard to get out of that “why me” mindset that you get because things started to look up but then the universe decided to play some tricks and beat you down again.

Anyway…..

Today marks the beginning of my 3 month no-buy. It will end on April 1, 2020 (the irony…. April Fool’s Day lmao).

During this time there will be exceptions. Replenishing skincare (because I break out way too easily to want to mess with that much) or actual HG’s (meaning my powder or something like cotton rounds – other than that I have enough backups where I should be good). For purchases I do have some gift cards that will only be used on HG’s so that I am not dipping in to any of my own dollars. I will be keeping track of what I buy that is considered beauty as well as what I WANT to buy that I pass on. Keeping track of everything will help hold me accountable as well as make me see how much I’m spending on beauty (or WANTING to spend on beauty) that isn’t necessary vs. how much I’m spending on beauty that is necessary to me (like my holy grail products that I use every day).

I don’t think this will be easy for me but it will be the easiest time of the year to try. I generally am not a fan of Spring beauty releases lol so I will hopefully not have too much temptation. One thing I’m a little bit worried about is when Tati Beauty does their next release. I know I’ll want it and I’m not on her PR list (and have no chance of ever landing on it). Hopefully whatever it is it isn’t limited edition. 

Speaking of PR I will still be accepting and reviewing it. During the last few months it’s kind of piled up a bit. Some things are holiday and won’t make sense so I’ll leave those out, but there are some permanent products that are really beautiful that I think you guys will love seeing some looks. Speaking of looks I think this will help me to share more makeup looks from permanent beauty products. The sky is the limit, right?!

I hope you’ll join me in this no buy and let me know how you did at the end of the 3 month period. We can do this!

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Bloggers that have joined my no buy are linked below!!!
Let me know if you’re joining us, I’d love to link to your posts as well!

• Getting Fit Fab – 4 Month No Beauty Buy (you are a STRONG woman, Renee lol)
• Phyrra – A Months Long Makeup Low Buy 
• Glamorable – No buy til July! 
• All Things Beautiful XO – Low Buy & Purging!

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HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

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