Hello again YouTube friends! After my video on my Makeup No Buy & Low Buy, so many of you got in touch and said you were planning to buy less makeup too, so I thought I would share some tips with you that really helped me stop buying makeup so often. Hopefully some of these tips to buy less makeup will help you!
Be sure to add any tips to reduce makeup spending of your own in the comments!
I really hope you enjoy these Tips to Buy Less Makeup! Don't forget to subscribe!
Some of you who have been with me for a long time may recall a similar video I made back in 2018, I wanted to recreate and make it more concise and relevant, hope you will still find value in it.
Did you know I also have a written blog? You can find me at www.kirstykirby.com
Find me on Instagram – @kirstyloukirby
MAKE UP WORN:
Estee Lauder Double Wear Foundation
Tarte Shape Tape Concealer – Light
Laura Mercier Translucent Powder
Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil
*Browcote Brow Gel
Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara
Violet Voss Matte About You Palette
Bourjois Bronzing Powder
Zoeva Coral Spectrum Blush Palette
MAC Cosmetics Highlighter – Soft & Gentle
By Terry Click Stick Bare Me
Items marked with an asterisk were gifted.
DISCLAIMER:
All products were purchased with my own money and this video is in no way sponsored. Should a video ever be sponsored, or should I receive goods for free to review I will always aim to disclose this either in the video or in the video description. My views will always remain honest and my own.
57 Comments
Hello! Can you do a video on what you’ve learned about specific product categories like foundations, blushes, mascara, etc? I know I’ve really narrowed down what I truly like and use. I think that would be helpful:).
Oooh I’ve not thought about that, I’ll give it some thought. Do you mean ingredients or just what I’ve found I look for etc? I’ve definitely narrowed down what I want to use/what I like and it certainly helps to ensure I make less ‘mistakes’ when shopping. X
Kirsty Kirby hello! Just what you look for in ingredients, textures, favorite formulas, etc. I am sure you’ve really narrowed down what you like. Thanks!
Ok hon, thanks for clarifying. I’ll give it some thought about how I could best present something like that – I’ve been thinking about perhaps doing something on ingredients anyway 😊
Kirsty Kirby thanks! I trust your judgement. You’ve been putting out some great content so I’m sure you’ll hit the nail on the head no matter what you do:). Have a great day!
Thank you! I’m trying to improve and also create content that can be helpful in some way. Hope you have a great day too! Xx
Hi Kirsty, I don’t go out cause have no friends here so can’t have that excuse, travelling only when going on holidays to see my friends and family and it’s not every here cause very busy here in summer with the motorbike races, so no excuse there as well… I just started to buy less cause I got overwhelmed with so much launches at the same time… especially you know from who 😉 Guess I can thank them for that but don’t think they will notice my absence =D Hahahahha But my love for makeup didn’t die and now I’m more focused on high-end/luxury like we talk when you started your no buy and intend to buy a couple that are really really over the top and been years I want to do the splurge…but them I prefer to spend on makeup rather than in the pharmacy or something worst 😉 But great tips no doubt 🙂 xxx
Yes I know what you mean, it is overwhelming. I’m finding much more enjoyment in just having a few things I love even if they are expensive than having a big collection that I can’t even use up in my lifetime! Oh and don’t feel down about going out, my friends live locally for the most part but they have kids so I don’t get to see them half as much as I’d like! Xx
@Kirsty Kirby Oh I don’t feel down about going out or in this case not going out 🙂 I just need to do 2000km to go out with my friends cause here I just have co-workers and as your friends they have their own families 🙂 I wont use my current makeup collection in 10 lifetimes =D Hahahha Am I going to stop buying? Nop, just buying less 😉 xxx
Great tips, thank you 😍
You’re welcome! Xxx
Agree with everyone else, great tips. It’s so refreshing to have someone on youtube giving advice about controlling our consumerism. Thank you so much for taking the time to encourage us to rethink our spending. X
Michelle J Hi Michelle! I never used to buy so much makeup but got into YouTube and all the beauty videos and quickly started to feel overwhelmed and almost addicted. I don’t think buying makeup (or anything else for that matter) is inherently bad but when it’s out of hand its just not good. Doing a no buy has really made me question a lot of my spending, for example with clothing I now buy less but potentially don’t spend less – rather than having lots and lots, I just want to have things I LOVE and will wear until they almost fall apart, the cost (to a certain extent) matters less. Better to have just a few things you love and use/wear than to have cupboards full of what is just clutter essentially xx
I have gone through all my stash and given away probably almost half my collection; we moved into a 44 ft toy hauler rv that is just a bit less than 400 sq ft, so I just dont have the room! I am hoping to start a no buy year for makeup, clothing, and housewares in 2020 and see how long I can go without spending on anything new. Right now we are getting a few things for the rv, but by Jan we gotta be done and put every extra penny I would have spent on frivolous things to paying off our new home!
I’ve let lots go too, it was just ridiculous to keep it all in the hope of using it up. Would have taken forever! I’ve barely bought any for 18 months now and I’m still using the stuff I kept up, including stuff I’m not that in love with 🤦♀️ Positive of that is whenever I see something I think of how annoying it’s been using stuff up and I just move on. I’ve barely bought any clothes for over a year now and it’s been enlightening too! Fingers crossed I’ll be buying the house I’m currently living in soon and one of my plans is to regularly overpay the mortgage. The prospect of being mortgage free really appeals to me, so much so it would definitely curb my spending!!! X
Thank you for this message, it is a really cringe worth sight to see Youtube Beauty Gurus swimming in mounds of unopened plastic bottles and compacts.
I just got completely sucked in to it all a few years ago. When I began looking for storage options so I could have more I thought what on earth am I doing? I was so far from my actual values. I knew something had to change. I’m currently working through a lot of what I previously purchased and looking forward to having a much smaller more curated makeup collection. Preferably one that isn’t drawers and drawers full! X
I’d also say that it’s good to find more affordable dupes for your staples especially items that you go through quickly. I’d give brow whiz as an example, there are sooo many dupes available there is no reason to keep rebuying the high end option. I even found a more affordable dupe than I used before. Even though the one I used to buy was already pretty cheap, the savings add up when I go through 3-5 of those on a yearly basis.
I’m not saying all ‘dupes’ are bad, and in all honesty I think the word dupe is overused in the beauty community especially on YouTube. Personally there are items where I feel a cheaper product is more than good enough for my needs and other cases where I feel the premium product is worth the money. Eyeshadow palettes are my biggest bugbear especially brands that have built their business on creating dupes. Many I’ve found are just straight up bad in comparison to the real deal.
Yeah well I agree, just thought the word dupe would resonate with more people. By dupe I just meant a cheaper version of something you like that performs similarly. Palette rip offs that underperform badly is such a pet peeve of mine too haha. I want to cave in finally and get myself a nice neutral mid-range palette at last. Cheap eyeshadow is still not that great unfortunately.
Sorry just realised my previous comment might have come across as having a go at you. I meant that the word dupe is over used by the beauty community (not you) as every product that ever is released, there’s always this ‘its a dupe for this or that’ etc etc. Often it’s just a mascara or a concealer that’s cheaper – doesn’t mean it’s a dupe for anything lol! X
@Kirsty KirbyI totally got what you meant, no need to worry 😉
I did an inventory of my make up and I now know I have enough to last me thru next year. So I will be doing my best attempt to do a no buy in 2020
Good luck with it! It gets easier the longer you resist spending x
You can free your mind now. You are a free woman now.
Good luck!
My inventory helped me so much.
I am so glad I came across this video – I needed a reality check! Thank you for making this video, Kirsty!
You are welcome, glad you enjoyed it x
Thank you for the tips. I will be doing a no buy this new year.
Good luck with your no buy xx
Me too
One really good advice from me. Stop watching brainless YouTube “beauty gurus/influencers” pushing products they get paid to advertise.
Ha ha there’s definitely some truth in that! X
Some are good but some… Oh heck no. A guru said yesterday one one of their reviews “this foundation has SPF, which means you don’t need to use SPF underneath your makeup”…… What? I was shook.
One very small thing I’ve discovered helps is being brand loyal. We all have our favorite products and there’s something to be said for the “if it’s not broke don’t fix it” mentality. Now instead of buying whatever new lip gloss I see PLUS my old favorite. Now I just buy the old favorite and I’m actually happier for it.
@Kirsty Kirby I think it can work both ways. Cause you’re right, there are some people who really won’t be able to say no to a full launch. For me, I can walk away. Right now I just really like Hourglass and YSL. HG doesn’t have a massive line or do huge releases so that helps. And I agree, that’s exactly what I’m doing when I buy something new. I’m comparing it to a favorite product and if I’ve used and rebought that product for a decade, then odds are not much will top it!
knm_plans yes I understood what you meant completely. If you like a product, stick with what works. I just mean I wouldn’t encourage someone to be brand loyal – I used to speak to a lot of people on here who wanted to ‘support’ Makeup Revolution. They would buy every release and want to have the entire collection. Maybe that was ok a few years ago when they only had a smaller line, but these days they release something new almost every week, if not daily. Someone I spoke to had gotten themselves into an awful lot of debt wanting to be ‘brand loyal’ to makeup revolution – it wasn’t a criticism of your comments just explaining why I wouldn’t encourage being brand loyal, but more product loyal x
Kirsty Kirby I didn’t view it as a criticism! I agree because I for sure buy from more than one brand. But just reducing the brands I buy from helps. It is tough when brands release things constantly or have big LE collections. So I agree there, being product loyal helps as well. For me personally, knowing I don’t buy from X brand helps me avoid an impulse purchase. But what works for one is not going to work for another! As you say there are some who will interpret loyalty as owning an entire line, so such a blanket strategy backfires. 😢
That’s good then, it’s hard when speaking online sometimes. I don’t always interpret comments with the tone that was intended, and I’m sure that people sometimes read me wrong too xx
Kirsty Kirby I was going to write the same thing, lol!
Great video, thank you. I’ve realized that the last couple months my purchases spinned out of control and I don’t really need any new blushes, highlighters, lipsticks etc. I have more than enough to last me couple years or even longer. So I decided to stick to what I already have and purchase only if I run out of a certain product like foundation or mascara, skincare included. I don’t want to feel like being in Sephora when I’m choosing products to use for the day.
It’s crazy how quickly you can fall into buying so much, especially when you see all the ‘gurus’ showing off the new releases. But I’m with you, I’m using things up and whereas previously I dreamed of having a room like the beauty gurus, full of products, now I’m looking forward to curating a much smaller collection that truly works for me, otherwise it’s just collecting dust! X
Interesting. I’m just starting to think about this. I spend a lot of money on makeup and probably have enough to last me a lifetime. I chucked out 5 foundations yesterday because they had gone off. Mainly I want to stop/reduce buying stuff so I can use the things I have and like! I find I buy a palette, love it and use it for a wee or 2 then buy the next one. I might not like the new one as much but feel I have to buy it, then I get the next one and the cycle continues. All the while I am thinking about the palette I got 3 palettes ago…It isn’t even the money for me it is feeling overwhelmed by stuff. I spend too much time and money trying to organise all this makeup. I actually even thought about turning a spare room into a beauty room… Will consider what ‘rules’ I am going to use – no buy/low buy or just actually having a budget that I stick to. Unsubscribing from certain Youtubers will probably be key for me as there are already 2 eyeshadows palettes I’ve seen today that I want to buy! I feel like I need a support group, lol!
You’re definitely not alone. The beauty community was sooooo big and beauty rooms seemed the norm, but I’m definitely speaking to a lot of people now who like us both thought this is crazy, what am I doing?!? When I started looking at buying storage so facilitate buying more I thought this is just too far, it has to stop. I’ve barely bought anything for almost two years and still have loads and loads. It’s madness. Xx
I’m right there with you!
If I may add the following:
– Weigh your makeup collection, either the entire collection or just the stuff that you don’t like or that doesn’t work for you. It is a quick way to get a wake-up call when you realize how many pounds or even kilograms you have to part with. For me, that shock was very painful and helpful.
– Declutter on an “as you go basis”: whenever you come across a product while using it, that does not work and you have given it a certain amount of “I’ll make it work” tries, give it away. That way you’ll know what works for you and you will enjoy your makeup collection much more than being overwhelmed by a number of products that you don’t use anyway, because they don’t work for you.
– Exchange with girlfriends, colleagues and family. And yes, you can do that with used products even during a pandemic. You just have to sanitize everything thoroughly with alcohol (The type you can purchase in pharmacies).
I’m loving your channel and I love your purple shirt too!! I have a shopping addiction especially with makeup and skincare am addicted to Boxycharm and Ipsy subscription boxes.
Thanks Angela! It’s super old, Karen Millen from about 7 years ago I think! I used to be terrible with makeup after falling down the YouTube beauty rabbit hole. Have sort of gone the other way now, still love these things but try to buy carefully and only buy things I really want.
I’ve just calculated how much I’ve spent on make up, then compared it to the price of my everyday face. Shocked me into doing 18 month no buy.
Its really quite sobering isn’t it? I made a point of starting to work through everything already open and I have bought almost no makeup in the last few years! Things take so long to use up and I’m so glad I hit a wall and woke up to my crazy spending.
@Kirsty Kirby absolutely! Im doing the same thing. Do you think calculating yours would be a good video idea? It may feel too vulnerable to give an exact number, but maybe you could give it another quantification e.g. a Holiday to Spain, 2 new washing machines, a new Xbox etc.
@Flamingo Williams You know its been so long I wouldn’t be able to I don’t think. I gave a lot away to friends and family, sold a lot etc and to be honest I don’t think I could even recall how much it was. I have no doubt it was a truly disgusting amount though! Easy would have covered a very nice holiday. I used to do makeup content on here, so I would justify a lot of the spending at the time, but it was ridiculous.
Great advice! I am so glad i found you!
So glad you enjoyed it Eva! Xx
Hi love, I’ve been doing project pans for 5 years now and it’s very helpful as you use up things you have in your collection. I also write on a notebook every makeup item I buy, so I see where my money goes. I really managed to downsize my collection and to save money. I also do a monthly inventory and a weekly rotation, so I don’t have anything that stays at the bottom of any drawer, I change my makeup drawer according to a list. I started doing this in 2016 because I had to throw away things that were not half used and it made me mad to have the impression to lose money. Great video, thank you for the tips, I’m a new subscriber 👏👏👏👍👍👍👍🥰🥰
Hi all, Hope you are having a great Monday! Fingers crossed some of these tips might come in helpful for those of you wanting to buy less! xx