How to talk yourself out of buying all the pretties.....

I don't need anything....
You have enough makeup....
But it'd be nice to add to the collection...
Amy, they are colours you won't even use....

HELP!!!! IT'S SITTING IN MY CART AND I DO NOT NEED IT haha

What do you do to talk yourself out of a non essential item?

currently the thing stopping me the most is the fact that I want a new sofa :P so i'm saving my money and then I should be able to get one after 4 months, which really isn't that long :D 

- I look at the pretty things I've already got (especially eyeshadow palettes) that are needing lots more use.

- What's not in the drawer and is waiting to get pulled out and used is in boxes (that's where I store my bodycare, facewashes, vitamins, moisturizers, etc. that hasn't been opened) which I keep a list on my laptop of everything in those boxes and expiry dates for items that I really wouldn't want to use expired. At the bottom of list is the number of each type of item I have in stock if I have a lot of them. That way I know at a glance if I need to cut back on purchasing something.

- Focus on bigger ticket items that I really want and are saving up for.

- This year when it comes to makeup I started imagining myself in all too familiar scenerio when it comes to deciding whether makeup purchase are necessary.

  The scenerio is I got up early had my shower, did my skincare, got dressed, had breakfast and then lo and behold I glance at the clock I have 15 minutes to do my makeup at get out the door. Do I in my rush to look presentable and put a full face together with winged liner (I need my winged liner) grab that particular item that is currently in my cart beckoning to me or does it lose it's luster in my drawer in favour of something that is more reliable and easy for me to apply? If the answer is no then it stays in the cart or gets removed from the cart.

   This works especially well for pretty, shimmery eyeshadow shades in a variety of colors but I know that when I'm in a rush, creativity goes out window so I can go out the door on time. And so neutrals, smaller palettes with fewer choices, a well laid selection and something that I can put together a full eye makeup look (or almost, since my palettes are predominately matte) will most likely get chosen over that pretty shimmery palette with bright eyeshadows.

   This also works well for liquid lippies, they're tantalizing but I don't have the hang of getting that nice sharp application so I do have to use concealor and tidy up the edges and when I'm in a rush I'll grab a neutral lipstick shade and something I can apply and blot and reapply in 20 seconds. 

Oh Amy, this is such a dilema for me! Working where I do amonst all the pretty things, they truly taunt me.  However, I am totally into panning at the moment, but it is hard. The only new things that oI bring home now is new products that reps have given me to try.  Today I received a serum and a mask.  Last week I got a new lippy. I havent purchased them so in my mind, its ok :)

Erm..well..I don't really...

I have a few tips around this as I have been working on not purchasing as much for a long time now!

I like to shop online then leave it in the basket online but just shut down the page.
I also like to then spend time playing with my current makeup, it reminds me what I have and means I have fun and forget about wanting things.
I have also stopped watching as many hauls and things on YouTube. It is kind of like getting junk mail... if you didn't know you needed it why are you buying it? I have found since stopping getting junk mail and stopping getting e-mails about sales I have stopped buying stuff!!!

Also watch some anti-hauls on YouTube. People talk about why they aren't buying things and it has helped me think more critically about what I'm buying and stop buying crap.

Oh Amy I have many carts that I haven't ever purchased. I call them dream carts lol It's fun to pretend :D I know a lot of them aren't in my budget. But I compromise with something smaller so I still get my beauty fix but It's not gonna break the bank lol 

I try to look at it from the perspective of do I have another product that can achieve the same look.

There is actually some handy help in here!

I had this paticular palette in my cart all day. I looked through my makeup several times and have decided I really didn't need it because we'll I have a few that will accomplish what I'll get from the 'want' palette.....

However I went on to spending money in a sale online. But! And there is a but, the one palette I wanted was $41 + $10 shipping, in the sale I spent $16 + $3 shipping. Although I may not of needed anything I bought right now it was all stuff that I would need to buy eventually once I had run out of already owned items :) Justified? Hahaha I think so.

Spending less is always justified Amy haha x

I'm on a panning journey this year so it's easier for me to say no to pretty things. I stick to my rule of only purchasing a new item if I'm willing to part with 2 of the same items in my collection. I also find that better and prettier things keep coming out that I would want more than what I'm ummming and ahhhing over right now so I just hold off until I know it's worth the spend.  This of course doesn't stop me from playing pretend with what Macs calls dream carts - always fun!

My miracle is "It'll probably break you out".

I think the first few times are difficult to say no but then it becomes easier. I resisted a heap of suggestions at the beauticians today. I'll have a good think first if I really need them - although I already know that I don't!

Oh, lots of good suggestions!  That's a good idea Koni, about getting rid of 2 of an older item. I'm swimming in extra products atm so I need to get hard on myself about aquiring more!!

And Tanny, your spreadsheet is SUPER organised!  I did something similar with my wardrobe when I lived overseas to stop myself buying more because I knew I would have to throw away most of it before I came home. 

my most common reasons for saying no to myself are if i'm saving for/just bought something big (eg a holiday!), if I already have a few options, or if I can't swatch it. I rarely buy online because of the last one, I don't like not being able to test things so I'll only buy online if I've tried it before or I'm sure I'll like it.

I also have a 'not on impulse' rule for items over $50. I rarely break it, I have for one thing recently and that's the KVD palette I got in Melbourne in October. If I'm overseas the rules are different though.

In NZ it's see it, take a pic, go away and think, if you're thinking about it a lot and you want it then buy it, otherwise you don't REALLY want it.

  Sara I originally ended up boxing and numbering everything because I moved back in with family and I had a younger sister with eyes for pretties and sticky fingers. I used to keep everything in those clear boxes with snap lids.
   But when you room with someone with sticky fingers and you have limited space you have to improvise so instead of labeling the boxes as cleansers, moisturizers, body moisturizers, etc. I numbered the boxes and so I would know which box had I what I took the time to make a spreadsheet on my computer with exactly what was inside it box.
    It also worked out well because those boxes were smaller and fit under the stairs at my family's former home and instead opening one large clear box, clearing out a space to lift the lid, pulling out all the stuff on top and rearranging to put things back in. I only had to go to that one box and get what I need and tape back over it. 
    We did move houses again last year and I no longer room with her but I did find those boxes fit in the top cupboard really well so kept that system. Plus it saves space in my drawers.