Update On My No-Buy Ban

Hello and Happy New Year all! Here's to more good vibes, good healh, and happiness. Ironically, I'm nursing a mild viral cold now (There must be a bug going on), so with this occasion forcing myself to go into a yin state, I thought I'd check up on myself two months post declaring my No-Buy Makeup Challenge. I haven't done any impulse or panic buys or unecessary makeup shopping or hoarding for myself in two months and I am happy to tell you that I didn't go into chills, have my body split into two or foam at the mouth when I see a new collection on display. Nothing. I'm alive you guys and if you set yourself in this challenge as a 2018 New Year Resolution, I, along with many others in the challenge are living proof to tell you that yes, it's possible.

Still human two months after not buying any makeup!
Photo by Alfred Mendoza

So how was it during Christmas shopping when you see all the Holiday collections popping up? How was able to resist to buy? Well, sometimes, I noticed that I usually buy out of curiosity. So what I did, I satisfied my curiosity by swatching. When I swatch the product, I get to experience it if it's nice on me. Better yet, I also get to realize that I may have a similar (or an exact dupe) shade in my kit. Then I walk away. If ever that I still want to buy, I gave it usually as a gift. I did that once though and gave a lip kit for my friend as a gift. Buying makeup as a gift is still allowed as well as buying to replenish what you super ran out of. Actually, with most of my gifts, I settled for DIY and followed my own advice.

Remember what I said about having a support or a buddy to check on you? Well it really helped. Azaza added me in a Facebook group where girls all over the world participate in a panning challenge, where they would pan out products. These girls are based all over the world and I get to see their emptied out and panned out makeup and skincare products for the month and their list of already panned-out products from their kit.

cream makeup hitting pan

hit pan with the Cream in my lorac Pro palette.
Seeing a hint of pan in my base color

panned-out contours and blushes

When one girl is having shopping withdrawals, there was a batallion of encouragement and support to stay strong. I posted a couple of photos of my panned-out powder and blush products and I'm actually getting more likes there than a twisty, splitty yoga photo or an adorable photo of my cat.

brow products were the easiest to pan out

I also noticed my makeup habits - that lately, I go by my brow products very fast. Maybe because #kilayislife. I've practically squeezed out my Make Up For Ever Aqua Brow colors and finished up a K-palette eyebrow pencil. I'm almost done with another eyebrow pen and this along with lash glue was my only repurchase for self. Maybe I ought to do more eye makeup just to pan out the shadow palettes and assign lip colors for everyday to pan out several other lippies.

Joining that group also got me more tips so that I can lessen my makeup spending.

1. Unsubscribe. Sometimes, email notifications of stores can be tempting. If you're the type who would want to rush and order the newest product when you see it pop in your mailing list, best to unsubscribe from several email notifications first until your stash significantly reduces. You can re-add yourself to the mailing list back when your goal has completed.

2. Have a theme per month. This will help in your project panning. For people who wear makeup everyday because of work or hey, because we just like to (nothing wrong with that), gather a few products and place it on a small (or smaller) makeup pouch you have on hand and have this on your dresser. Your objective is to pan them out for the month.

Rocker chic smokey for the YogaHive Denim and White Christmas Party.

A post shared by bambi kitty 🐱🐯 (@bambikitty) on Dec 6, 2017 at 3:15am PST

3. Find other places to hang out aside from the mall. I try not to spend a lot of time in the malls during Holidays unless errands. I took up coloring so I don't stay bored during idle times, attended classes, focused on meal prepping (helps control Holiday bingeing too). If you find yourself bored at home, whip out your makeup kit and create a look.

4. Find ways to maximize your palette - I panned out Shadowplay from my Kat Von D Shade + Light Contour palette while the other shades were barely used. Azaza taught me how to maximize the palette on how other shades can be used to contour other areas (I used to always rely on Shadowplay entirely), create dimension in contour, or act as an eyeshadow. I swear, now I don't need to buy more matte browns! There was even a girl in the Project Panning group page that used old eyeshadow palettes as paints and created artwork! To each her own I guess.

Actually, blogging about this puts me back on track. Maybe I can wear just a tad more makeup on some days or when I have time, create quick looks I can do to maximize things even more. I can even do a theme lipstick for the week or month. Since ultraviolet is the color for 2018, I can gather purple makeup that I should use for the first two months or something.

Are you also in the panning or no-buy challenge for 2018? If you've done this last year, how's your progress going? Let me know too in the comments below.

Why I Put Myself in a No-Buy Makeup Challenge (and tips that can get you started too)

There comes a time when I asked myself if I really need that much makeup. Lately, I've been evaluating my rituals and observed that my routine has been simplified singificantly. I'm practically makeup-less most of the time since I spend most of my days teaching or practicing, and I really tend to sweat a lot. I used to surprise people when I appear without makeup. Now, people actually get surprised whenever I wear even just red lipstick.

Back then,  I kept justifying my makeup shopping as being a makeup artist, I need a whole lot because I work on different people with different looks and I need a separate stash for myself, one for clients, and one for practice sessions. Looking now at how my makeup collection has blown up to gigantic proportions that definitely needs intervention, I need to put myself in a makeup shopping ban, which I started at the beginning of the month. It's been a few weeks into this month and it has been quite liberating. Besides, even the busiest pro artists are also trimming down their kits.

Yes, there is such a thing as too much makeup
(Photo by Alfred Mendoza)

This No-Makeup Buying or Makeup Shopping Ban or No-Buy Ban has been going around for quite some time. Some girls I know are on that challenge (like for a year even) and there are some girls who even blogged about their own challenges to motivate them. There are those who even upped the challenge by including a Project Pan challenge, where they not only not buy new makeup but they have to empty out palettes or hit pan before buying anything new. The description of this ban is exactly what the name means: that I do not buy any makeup for a certain period of time (I'm doing a few months. I will see how my life fares after the first month. So far, I'm not foaming at the mouth yet). This, however does not include the makeup I buy for gifts to friends and loved ones or if I need to really replenish something (like I ran out of toner, sunblock, mascara, etc). This also does not include makeup that I receive as presents, presskits, or gifts (but before I get started, I will not ask for makeup as Christmas gift to go around this loophole).

I admit the first few days was hard especially when there are new collections coming out left and right just in time for the holidays. I actually thought that by the first week I might go into like a shocking withdrawal phase especially when I see all the reviews coming up. However, after getting over the first few days of withdrawal phase, I can now walk at the beauty section of the department store with a straight face and not even care or leave with a bag of purchases. I think back to what a blogger said after her challenge - that she ended up saving a lot of money. And more money in your bank account is a good thing, right?

So I thought as well, that while I'm in this no-buy challenge, I also learn to maximize what's in my current collection. I throw in a bit of a modified Project Pan challenge. This encourages me to appreciate what I have and challenges me to be more creative with my stuff - learn how to mix, be more resourceful and creative. Oooh now my mind can do somersaults - just like what I do in real life.

Now how did I survive the first month without foaming at the mouth or breaking into a hysteria everytime I'm in the beauty section of a deparment store? Here are tips that can work:

Empty out what you don't need

You might have had a clumpy mascara there in your kit, or lipsticks that have turned rancid. Throw out expired items and give away items that are still good but something you don't really need or like or probably just bought out of a whim.

Have a buddy

My friend Azaza is on a Project Pan challenge. She has a palette of the month where she uses to play around looks. Having a friend who's into this challenge or something similar gets you motivated. Instead of seeing this as a punishment, I'm seeing this as an opportunity to also get creative, exploring colors I don't usually use and looks to do because let's admit, we all have a go-to look.

Look for Dupes in Your Kit

Sometimes, when a collection comes up, they're actually just recycling old shades and repackaging them in new limited edition packaging. That super duper limited edition lipstick which costs like a week's worth of coffee may have a very similar shade that exists in your kit. Hey, when the color is on your lips, no one would know the brand.

Stop, Breathe, and Think

Sometimes when we buy, it's usually on an impulse. Think if you really need it or if you're just after the hype. Read reviews or watch vlogs first before buying, even super limited editions. If the product suddenly becomes out of stock because you didn't buy in a heartbeat, it's okay. You will survive without it. At least you are a few hundred (or thousand) bucks richer.

Have an encouraging goal

Think that for the money you save, you have money to for a trip or for a class you would want to take. I'm telling myself that the money I get to save can be used for future masterclasses, workshops, and teacher training programs. Education is an investment with no expiration date. Remember, you are not doing this to punish yourself.

Document your progress

It's like pole dancing where you take photos of your progress. If it helps to blog about it, then go. You can even blog together with your co-shopping ban buddy so you can monitor each other's progress. Post photos of the palettes you used that hit pan or the creative looks you come up with from the palettes. Sometimes when a goal is out there, people are more encouraged to stick to their goals because other people are watching.

Two weeks into this ban and so far I'm doing great. I'll let you know my progress. If you are in this no-shopping ban too, let me know your tips on how to get going on this challenge.