Products of September '10 - Not, due to Shopping Ban

Sorry dear readers, but there are no new products of September, because I have been on a Makeup & Skincare shopping ban since the last one month.

Lately I have been feeling a little overwhelmed at the rate at which new products launch and been taking stock of what I have. It is time now to cut back on my excesses of the year. Hence I have decided not to purchase new makeup as far as possible. I now try and rationalise every purchase, by reading lots of reviews online, as well as comparing it what I already have.

I made an excel sheet database of all the products I have. Turns out I have quite a bit for my own comfort and I could very easily do the makeup of all the women in my society (there are 3 wings in my society) and easily have enough left over to do a second and maybe even a third round. 

My only purchase planned right now is from MUFE sometime around Diwali. That too I have decided I will get only 3 things. Not more. Haven't made up my mind though on what those 3 things will be.

Btw, this ban also includes skincare (face washes, face packs et al). The only thing I got new during this period was The Body Shop Facial Buffer as the older one had gotten run-down. I had been using it for more than 6 months now & I felt it was only hygienic to change.

It has been quite difficult, it is very tempting to get the new Lakme Fruity Facewash or try out the Aloe Vera line from Body Shop. Even more as I go through other blogs all loaded with the latest hauls. But I have managed to make it through a month. When I began this, I was pretty sure I would succumb in a week's time.

I don't know how much longer I will do this. The ultimate plan is to pare down my collection to a size smaller & more manageable.

I think I am just feeling the need to de-clutter, I have also been eating only home cooked food since the last one month. So if I feel like eating Chinese, I make it at home. Anamika's site Wise She has been super useful as she has tons of simple recipes.

Are any of you on a similar cost cutting spree? Any tips?

Comments

  1. hmmmmmmmm i am trying to cut it down. somehow am on a shopping spree mainly due to the fact tat we dont hav many of the brands back in kerala so i wanna stock up as much as i can before i head back this nov. does the twisted idea make any sense to u ???? hee hee

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  2. Well I think I'll haul once more for MAC"s venomous villains collection and then not shop till I get a job (and I am not even actively looking for it lol). I still have to keep my blog going though, so I'll just review the stuff I already have and try to be more innovative with the posts. I have so much stuff, that I don't get tempted for shopping for make-up. In fact I keep ignoring buying clothes/shoes/bags because of make-up.

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  3. I think once you start blogging, yr makeup expenditures start rising as well..im going to buy the maybelline gel liner cos i think its a worth it purchase and then stop till venemous villains is out here. Iv actually cut down quite as bit last 2 months...everytime im drawn to something i think: Do i need it? Is it drastically different from something i already have? Is it a bargain buy? Only when all three o those are yes do i go pick it up..

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  4. u know i have so much of make up with me which i haven't reviewed also till now...
    but i so love your reviews ..will be missing them :(

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  5. @Anks: Awwww... tht is so sweet Anks :)

    Like you, I also have a ton of products that I have been using for the last few months but I haven't reviewed them as yet. So I will be reviewing those regularly! :D

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  6. hey Tanveer, I am also trying to cut back on my shopping that includes everything clothes, shoes, bags, makeup.I have put myself on a tight budget and that has really helped :)

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  7. My only tip is to leave the credit and debit card at home. If you only have a limited amount of cash in your hands, you're less likely to spend it on unnecessary items. And if you have 1 big shopping day every month, then take your husband or friend along. I feel a little silly fawning over 'yet another' lipstick, if I know my mom is watching.

    But I can completely relate to going on a ban. I've tried some in the past (and failed :P).

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  8. Thankfully I am able to put some rationale behind all my purchases and can control my spontaneous tempatations...thats the reason I have not picked up soo many blushes I've liked recently since most of thm seemed quite similar to the colorbar peachy rose I have...I have put such bans on my self in the past and glad I got thru thm...all the best Tanveer...this de-cluttering will surely help

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  9. @IMW: So are you headed for Kerala for a long time? Yea, in that case it is better to stock up so that all the other girls there can envy your collection :)

    @AOYV: You echo my thoughts. I was so lost initially when I started this. I was wondering how do I keep the blog running if I am not buying new stuff to review all the time! Then I realized that I have a lot of stuff I am yet to review and by then I also started to be able to come up with new ideas on what to write. It is not so tough. & even I had started to splurge on makeup to the exclusion of shoes/bags..

    @Mehak: Yup, you just get exposed to so many products.. & there is just want, want , want everywhere..

    Actually if I were to adopt your questions, my answers all the time would be:
    Do I need it – Of course! I so want this..
    Is it drastically different from something I have: Of course, see this is more silvergrey and that is more bluegrey, so I neeed this liner.. You don’t see the difference? You must be colorblind (I actually had this conversation with my hubby once)
    Is it a bargain buy: Hell ya, Where else wld I get such a gr8 combination of price, color, quality … I want want want..

    Just Kidding!

    On a serious note you are right, I have begun to ask myself more often – Do I need this or do I want this? I almost always want something, but I don’t really need it. When ever a prdt falls into want category, and not need, I don’t get it

    @Shuchita: I guess it is the season before Diwali, everyone is busy cost cutting! Yea, budgets help. I used to have a budget earlier too, but I would just get stuff coz it was the latest thing. Not because I needed it. Now I have gone cold turkey!

    @Poohkie: Good tip, although I must tell I always tend to shop in cash for this very reason. & I have begun to do your second tip too. I take my hubby along now. Like you say I do feel silly about going gaga over a another dusty rose lipstick, when I already have 3 at home from different companies :).. Start small you know, and take each day as it comes.. When I started this, I didn’t set out with a month in sight. I started with a day goal – today I will not buy makeup/skincare stuff. Once I had that small day victory, my next day goal was today also I will not buy makeup.. Since it was a daily goal I was able to last for a month. I don’t think I wld have been able to do it if I started with a long time frame in mind :)

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  10. @HD: Well, you sure have nerves of steel to be able to have been through a number of bans successfully. You must share with us the secret of your success :)

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  11. ha ha...i just dont try stuff...coz if I try and it looks good on me then I feel sad for not buying...be it clothes or makeup...if I dont try only then its just a guessing world for me...wud it have look good or no :) and ya a little bit of will power does help

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  12. Starting with a very small goal is a good point. I have normally had long-ish goals, but I will try taking it day by day.

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  13. Congrats on making it one month! I have tried in the past but it just doesn't work for me! I'm too much of a shopaholic and succumb to the new collections. My biggest weakness? MAC. And they seem to have new collections out every 1-2 weeks!

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  14. hey im sailing on d same boat Tanveer.. Since I got heaps of gifts from my sis I ve planned not to get anything until Jan !!!!! Can you share the excel sheet with us? Or at least the way u have distinguished things?

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  15. dats gud..m controlling my urge 2 wait till my exams n den buy everythg saath me...!!
    i hav a huge list..hehe..m gonna b bankrupt den...
    bt nice u manage thgs well..i really lik dt bout u...

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  16. Girl! I totally relate to this! Sometimes I feel like I fixate on shopping so much that I end up actually looking forward to the act of shopping more than the act of actually using the products! This happens a lot with books for me, I end up buying (or being tempted to buy) all these books, even though I have a backlog of unread books at home!

    I think the best way to check shopping is by making sure you buy only what you will use, and use what you already have bought.

    It helps me stay sane!

    Good luck,
    Love
    S

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  17. @Poohkie: I learnt this during my MBA days. There is a saying, - How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. I find this is very good practice when dealing when any kind of goals. & also if you fall off the wagon. Don’t go into a negative spiral, understand what triggered it in the first place and avoid that trigger.

    @Kajal: I personally think MAC comes out with too many new collections, but with people lapping it up like manna from the heavens, any other company would do it too. It’s all about the money.

    @Aarthi: Sure, I’ll share the excel sheet in an upcoming post.

    @Bhumika: Heheheh, I hope you have fun. Shopping is a gr8 thrill!

    @Simran: Thks :)

    @Ash: I do that too!!! I almost savour the moments upto the purchase. The act of going to the store, I am so excited during the trip, then the atmosphere, the swatching.. It used to happen with me for books, until makeup took over. Somehow I don’t feel as guilty when I buy books as compared to makeup. Coz I do end up reading them on my way to office. I am planning to get a kindle now, for all my ebooks! :)

    Thks :)

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