Sunday, August 23, 2009

the flipside - thoughts on our love for make-up

Hi my lovely followers.

This will be a more serious blog post about the flip side of our love for make up and pretty things and it was triggered by yet another online purchase of mine. (Keep in mind please, that I am not a professional, nor a freelance make-up artist.)

As you can probably tell I am feeling slightly guilty about my online spending and rightfully so.
In the past 2 days I have ordered quite a few things, that I don't really need, but that I really wanted.

But you know how it is, once you want something, you will convince yourself, that you do need it. Hey, we all "need" that shade of green eye shadow even though it is almost identical to another green eyeshadow that we have. It is different tho, right? The texture is better, the undertone is different, it's matte, it's satiny, it's frosty. Bottom line is: We want it. And I will keep convincing myself that I need it until I get my hands on it. And then I will move on to my next item of obsession and wanting.

I think, and I am speaking for myself only, my love for make-up is turning more and more into a shopping addiction. And it scares me, yet I can't seem to stop myself.

Let's take a look at my feelings during the last purchase: I knew it was unwise to purchase those items, I started feeling that rush through my blood with a slight feeling of excitement and...guilt. However, that greedy little voice in my head was telling me to push the button "confirm payment" already. It was telling me to ignore all those feelings of guilt and really common sense!

It's gotten to the point where I start hiding the fact that I made yet another unnecessary purchase from my loving boyfriend, because I know he'd be disappointed in me.
What happened to all my promises to myself that I was going to spend my hard earned money more carefully? Yes, what did happen to them?
I need to save up to go back to University and we're planning on leaving the country. We need the money. But that little greedy voice in my head kept telling me how I needed 10 more eye shadows and 2 more blushes.

And even now, with all my realizations I am still trying to trick myself into buying two more liners (hey LE, right? We must get our hands on them, before they're gone...), and a Mineralized skinfinish and two more eyeshadow refill pans so my palette is full and then, yes, then I will go on a no-buy. Right.

Needless to say the beauty and make-up brands know exactly what they're doing. Clever marketing. MAC in particular keeps coming out with a gazillion collections each month. And it poses a real danger for those of us who really need to watch their spending.
And as much as I love the beauty community online - it doesn't make resisting any easier. Yes, I do admit, it is wonderful to meet so many like-minded people. But watching youtube haul videos and reading reviews about that new green eyeshadow from the new xyz collection doesn't help. I am not blaming anyone but myself here, just want to make that clear.

I am just really frustrated by my own lack of diszipline.

How do you girls feel about this topic?
Do you feel you spend too much on make-up and beauty products? Is it getting out of hand? And what about all the time you spend on it?

Let's get the discussion rollin'...

11 comments:

  1. I must admit, that I have never fallen for the mac collection hype. I only ever buy the odd brush or shadow that is really special. I'm of the mindset that if the L.E stuff is that great it would be part of the permanent line. I also find it severely irritating when I buy two colours that I think are different but end up being identical. That's why I refrain these days.. :))

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  2. I spend entirely way to much on makeup. I useto buy everything from every mac collection just like you said. have that color this is blue has a bit more sheen to it. etc. I have stopped following the collection hype and it has made things so much easier for me. I dont have the crazy obsessive feelings as I did. I have been purchasing from more makeup brands lately. Its a good feeling I dont have to order due my purchases because those items arent le and arent going anywhere... i still shouldn't be buying anymore makeup. but now when i do i feel like its in moderation..

    Great Post!! Im right there with you!

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  3. I think I will have to stop following the collections and new releases for a while.

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  4. Great post! I been feeling like this these days. There are so many thing that I want but don't need and I'm finding it doubly hard because I'm always on the hunt for something new for my kit. I've never been one to purchase everything from a MAC collection; just one or two things that have caught my eye. It was never this bad until I found out about PayPal and being able to purchase things online. I think that I need to make more of a effort to actually get off my but and trudge my way down to the store as I usually find that once I'm there, I don't want it as badly any more.

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  5. I also never buy every single item from each collection, but a couple of items from this collections, couple of items from that collection and of course I also "need" to get some things from the permanent line.
    Now, imagine you can't get your hands on most things, except for when you walk into a local MAC store (waaaay overpriced - I'm talking almost double the price as it would be in the States or in Canada) or you have the option to order things online, which then will include shipping. And obviously when you already have to pay shipping you end up thinking "well I might as well get a few more items than planned" - coz that way the shipping costs won't feel as bad. Catch 22.

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  6. This is a great post. And it is so TRUE. It wasn't until about a year ago until I discovered the beauty blogging community. I never wore much makeup. Just basic, REALLY basic stuff. Then I started to buy some more eyeshadows, blushes, lipgloss, mascara, foundations... you get the point. I saw so many nice tutorials on different blogs that I thought I needed more colors to choose from. BUT being stingy as I am I usually buy drugstore brands. So I don't spend that much money on single items. And I know which colors suit me and so I just miss out on clours that I know don't suit me. So up to day my collection of makeup and nail polish has grown. But I am still aware that there are other things I need to spend money on. So when I stand in front of a makeup display and am not sure whether I should get THIS SPECIAL ITEM i just turn around and leave. Because if I am not sure about something I DON'T NEED IT.

    Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts.

    I think everyone should think about this from time to time. When I see young women or girls on YT talking about various hauls I always think of how they can afford this. And much worse - how will the later on keep this level of buying stuff? There just isn't a millionaire for every girl to marry!

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  7. I steer myself toward drugstore products to spend less, but still more than I should :-) I guess we all have some issue with self-control in makeup shopping. My bf said, as long as I use them, they are good for something :-) So use the ones you like, resell or giveaway the ones you don't

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  8. Thanks for sharing your thoughts with me, girls. Glad to know, that I'm not the only one who's feeling this way.

    @ Chrissy: I don't understand how these really young gals (11-13) afford all this make-up and spend so much time and money on it either. I was shocked to see these girls talk about their hauls.

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  9. I spend a lot of money on makeup I didn't know how to use a few years ago. Now I just buy things I really, really want like eyeliner and foundation. Or something unique and different from every item I own. I hate having doubles because if I'm not using one of them up then what would make me want to use the other basically the same thing?

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  10. I totally feel you. Makeup is such an emotional purchase, we shop when we aren't even the slightest bit happy. I know that I can't even justify buying anymore makeup and I'm a makeup artist!

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  11. So true! Make-up is an emotional purchase most of the time, like any other purchase of non-essentials.

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