Makeup no buy / low buy 2014 ... reigning in my makeup addiction

So I might have a slight ... hmmm ... okay, perhaps more than a slight makeup addiction and I just *LOVE* makeup.

I love using makeup.

I love shopping for makeup.

I love collecting makeup.

In the last couple of years, my makeup collection has grown massive and I have more makeup than I would use up in a very long time.

This year, my best friend Tessa and I have decided that we will both go on a makeup no buy / low buy, where we only buy what we use up, with a few exceptions.

Tessa is way more strict with her no buy than I am, as her exceptions are only 10 makeup items for the whole year. I am allowing myself $50 per quarter of makeup items, which I will spend at Sephora, which probably doesn't end up more than 10 or so items anyway, just because things at Sephora tend to be a bit more high end, unless I time it with a sale. I'm going to save my exceptions for the special gift sets and any snazzy new palettes that come out during the year ... or something. I really don't know what I will do right now.

Straight off the bat, I'm going to say that this is going to be tough and challenging. Already, I'm seeing things on Youtube videos and thinking "Oh, that's interesting, I'd like to try that" or "I'd like to own that". A lot of the time, it's not even about using it, it's about collecting it. I have some things in my collection that I haven't even used yet, and I really need to change that.

Both Tessa and I have made a video about our rules for the no buy / low buy and I will link our videos below.

Here's my video on the no buy / low buy:

And here's Tessa's video on her no buy / low buy. I'm sorry, I tried to post it as a video, but for some reason, it would not come up in the search, so here it is in a link.

For those of you who prefer to read the rules, here's what I've said for me:

1. General - only replace if there is none left in the stash wherever possible
2. Foundation - no new foundations or BB creams until I've used up at least 5 of each, buy only 1 new one
3. Powder - no new powders until I've used up at least 3 of each, buy only 1 new one
4. Eyeshadows - no new eyeshadows at all (this one is going to be hard)
5. Eyeliners - only get new eyeliners if the color I need runs out, eg, like if I'm all out of black liners
6. Mascara - only replace when run out, using no more than 3 mascaras open at a time
7. Lippies - only get new lippie if the color I am using runs out and there are no other close alternatives in what I own, ie, like if I've used up all my reds
8. Blushes - no new blushes at all (this will be hard too)
9. Bronzers and highlights - only replace when I run out and there are no alternatives left in the stash (which would be highly unlikely!)
10. Nail polish - 5 new colors every 3 months, plus replacement of base and top coat when they run out
11. Hair care - replace as used up
12. Body care - replace as used up
13. Skincare - replace as used up, including makeup remover wipes, cleansers, etc.
14. Perfumes - use up samples and what I have. No new ones until I use up at least 3 oils and 1 bottle of perfume

And most importantly, of course, I will need to SHOP MY STASH!!

If you plan on doing something like this, I would love to hear from you. Like my facebook page and we can chat about it and encourage each other. I will plan regular video and blog updates on the subject.

Wish me luck!!!


Find me around SOCIAL MEDIA:
Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/langshipley
Makeup and beauty blog: http://langshipley-deannasworld.blogspot.com.au/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/langshipley (this is the best way to reach me, I will always respond to this the fastest).
Twitter: @langshipley https://twitter.com/langshipley
Instagram: @langshipley http://instagram.com/langshipley
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/langshipley/
Cooking blog: http://dazinthekitchen.blogspot.com.au/

There's a lot of eating ahead ... my strategy to stick to the diet

So, you all know I'm on a diet and I'm counting my calories and it has been going well. I've lost 3 lbs so far, just under halfway of my goal. Yes, I know, it was not a huge goal to begin with, but it's still taking effort to get there.

I'm just reflecting on my coming month and I think that my dieting might be a little challenged in the coming weeks and month.

This Saturday, we are heading to a wine masterclass where we will be tasting wine and having that paired with chocolate. I estimate that there will be about one small glass worth of wine to be had and several pieces of chocolate, so I estimate that I will clock up about 300 calories there.

Then we are going out with friends for dinner and we are planning on 2.5 bottles of wine between the 4 of us, plus likely a 3 course meal. I can't even begin to count how many calories there will be there.

Following that, in the next week we are having a big managers get together over two days and there will be a fancy lunch in a very nice restaurant on the first day, which will be 2 courses - starter and main or main and dessert, and a really, really fancy dinner in the evening. That will be 3 courses and a whole bunch of wine. Again, the calorie counting is going to be challenged.

Then the next day, we are having a catered 2 course lunch in the office, cooked by a friend of ours who is a Masterchef. The food will be awesome and again, many, many calories.

After all that, a week later, we have signed up for 2 degustation wine tasting dinners which are both I think 4 or 5 courses each of meals with matching wines. Lots of food, lots of wine, calorie count indeterminate.

Honestly, I don't even know how to begin counting the calories in a fancy meal.

I don't want to not eat and be a total downer for everyone, but I also don't want to blow my diet.

I am thinking hard about what to do so that I can enjoy the evening but also not set myself back after all the hard work I've put in to lose the weight and be able to keep it off.

I think that I will probably be leaving a lot of food on the plate, just eating part of the meals and where I have choices of what to order, I will do my best to order meat and vegetable dishes, staying away from any carb laden meals or meals with lots of creamy sauces.

With the wine, one small glass, which is 120ml is 82 calories. If I sip, and only taste, I can space out my drinking and stick to just one or two small glasses.

Another strategy I will employ too is when there's going to be one big, fancy meal in the day, I will make sure that any other meal I have will be very, very low in calories, such as perhaps an apple and a slice of cheese and keep the calories under 150 for the meal, so that I have a lot more calories to "spend" when I am at the fancy meal. That would, of course, be hard when I have the day where we are having two fancy meals, lunch and dinner, but I will try to be careful.

I guess the point that I am trying to make here is that life happens and there will be events that can throw a spanner in the diet works. The trick is not to deny or deprive yourself, but to work out how to best enjoy yourself, enjoy the event and not totally blow the diet.

I don't think it will be easy, and I'm pretty sure that there will be times when I am going to be over the calorie count for the day (and many times when I just won't even know how to count the calories since I didn't prepare the food myself!).

I'm thinking watching portion sizes is going to be key and in a lot of instances, just "tasting" rather than consuming everything.

All that said, I don't want to be a party pooper either, so I will do my best to order wisely, eat what is put in front of me and be as gracious about it as possible. I definitely will not be reciting calorie counts to everyone at the table and spoiling their enjoyment of a very nice meal.

And when it is all over ... hope and pray that I have not put back on any of the weight I have lost.


Find me around SOCIAL MEDIA:
Youtube channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/langshipley
Makeup and beauty blog: http://langshipley.blogspot.com.au/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/langshipley (this is the best way to reach me, I will always respond to this the fastest).
Twitter: @langshipley https://twitter.com/langshipley
Instagram: @langshipley http://instagram.com/langshipley
Pinterest: https://pinterest.com/langshipley/
Keek: http://www.keek.com/langshipley
Cooking blog: http://dazinthekitchen.blogspot.com.au/