Contrary to what my recent haul posts may lead you to believe, I am still working hard to reign in my spending. In fact, this past May I started my first Yearlong Beauty Low Buy. In total honesty, I wasn’t in a mental state where I could have handled a total Beauty No-Buy. Nevertheless, I’m stoked to see how my strict beauty low buy budget will work out for me. Please keep reading for 2019 Beauty Low Buy May Update.

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2019 Beauty Low Buy Rules Recap

• I cannot spend more than $75.00 on NEW cosmetics in a given month
• Exclusions: haircare (I have a sensitive scalp), skincare, repurchases (if I have no suitable alternative ex. concealer)
• Dollars not spent in a given month can roll forward, but cannot be pulled forward
  • Ex. If I want to buy a $90.00 eyeshadow palette in May, I cannot pull $15.00 forward. I need to wait until June to buy the palette.
• Exclusions: Items received via influencer networks, as gifts, or purchased via gift cards do NOT count against the dollar value

What I Wanted to Buy This May (but Didn’t)

Certifeye – Affinity 1 & 2 Eyeshadow Palettes

Certifeye has been on my list of brands to try since the end of 2018. This brand’s vivid, colorful eyeshadow palettes draw me in. The Affinity 1  and Affinity 2 are the two palettes I long to try. Given the brand’s high price tag, I’ve been hesitant to place an order.

ColourPop – Colour Me Pretty Gel Liner Kit & Color Outside the Liner Collection

ColourPop is one of my favorite beauty brands. The brand’s affordable prices and quality are unbeatable. When I saw the brand’s relaunch of its Gel Pencil & Pot Liners, I seriously contemplated picking these up.

However, refrained from buying both of the relaunch kits that contained each shade in the lines. First, I don’t want to invest a ton of money in formulas that I never tried. Second, if I were to buy all of the pot liners, I guarantee that I’d never use up all of them before they dried out.

ColourPop x Makeup Shayla Proceed with Caution Collaboration

When I saw ColourPop’s latest collaboration with MakeupShayla launch, I lusted after everything in the range. Also, I like the story behind the palette. As Shayla explains, she felt like she’s been under construction with her recent fitness and health journey.

As a graduate student undergoing so many drastic life changes, I related to the idea of “being under construction” or being a work in progress. From a product perspective, the bright yellow packaging, and bold neutrals caught my attention.

However, I don’t need anything in this collection. I own many similar-looking blushes, liquid lipsticks, and eyeshadows.

[July 2020 Edit: LOL I own the now discontinued deep neutral palette. Check out my ColourPop Monochromatic Palette ranking.]

Melt Cosmetics – Smoke Sessions Palette

I actually gasped when TrendMood announced that Sephora now carries Melt Cosmetics. Since the announcement, I’ve gone back and forth on whether I should pick up the Smoke Sessions Palette.* Ultimately decided against purchasing this palette.

[July 2020 Edit: Now, I own the Smoke Sessions Palette. See where it lands in my Melt Cosmetics Palette ranking.]

Nabla Cosmetics – Secret Palette 

As an Italian-American, I love supporting Italian brands. I love seeing Italian brands shining on a global stage. Needless to say, as an indie, Italian beauty brand, Nabla has been on my list to try for quite some time.

When I saw the swatches of the Secret Palette* online, I was immediately drawn in by the rich pink, gold, and teal colors. Read my Nabla Dreamy 2 Palette review or my Nabla Skin Glazing Highlighter review.

What I Actually Bought This May

ColourPop – Super Shock Shadow & Heavy Metal Liner Bundles

My name is LP and I have a ColourPop obsession. The ColourPop Swatch Parties on YouTube will be the death of me! The Super Shock Shadow is my makeup crush – I literally own 57 Super Shock Shadow shades. Needless to say, I JUMPED at the chance to pick up this limited edition bundle of the brand’s most iconic shades.

Also, I purchased the brand’s limited edition Heavy Metal Eye Liner set, too. I don’t own any metallic liners and these are so dang affordable! Check out my updated eyeliner collection.

MAC x Disney’s Aladdin Collection

Ever since TrendMood sneak peaked the MAC x Aladdin Collection, it was a must-buy. I LOVE Aladdin and my heart honestly skipped a beat when I saw the beautiful, Aladdin-inspired packaging. Read my  MAC x Aladdin review here.

Melt Cosmetics x Sephora Launch

I freaked out when I saw that Melt Cosmetics was being sold at Sephora. Moreover, I lost it when I saw that the Gemini* and Twenty-Seven* Palettes were being brought back!

Did I ~need~ these palettes? No.

Have I been lusting after these palettes for months on end? Yes.

Even though I duped the Gemini Palette with a bunch of unique indie eyeshadow singles, I’d be lying if I didn’t say I still wanted the original release. Needless to say, I snagged both of these hyped palettes.

Planned Low Buy Budget for May: $75.00

Total Spent in May: $282.00

Remaining Budget: –$207.00

Beauty Low Buy May Update: Learning to Shop with Intention

Stress fueled most of the purchases featured in my 2019 Beauty Low Buy update. Although it sounds cheesy, beauty remains my escape. However, this past Winter & Spring my “escape” became detrimental to my financial well-being.

Online shopping became an unhealthy means of coping. In fact, I began to spend beyond my means. If something caught my eye, I bought it without hesitation. In the immortal words of Ariana Grande, “I see it. I like it. I want it. I got it.” My impulse shopping is out of control.

Realistically, this month of my Beauty Low Buy was sort of a wash. I didn’t stick to my own rules and spent more than 3X my goal budget. Nevertheless, I KNOW I saved more money than I would have if I weren’t trying to follow a Beauty Low Buy.

Although some may feel that I’m already failing at my own Beauty Low Buy challenge, I view this May as a win. Despite going over budget, I’ve set the good groundwork for future success.

Questions to Ask Before Shopping

In the past, list-making was a great tool in helping me to determine what new releases (or hyped products) I’d most like to own. Now when I think about making a purchase, I pause to consider the following:

• Will I still love this product once the initial hype or fervor dies down?
• If this product weren’t on sale would I still purchase it? Am I spending more than my budget just because of the sale?
• After this product is no longer available, will I still want to reach for it?
• Will this product fill a gap in my collection or do I already own this product (in another form)?
• Am I buying this product because I love the packaging or the product inside?

The key is to pause. Stop and think before shopping without hesitation. If you like content like this, please check out my 2020 Project Pan Introduction.

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Enjoy reading my 2019 Beauty Low Buy May Update? Want to follow along with my Low Buy Journey? Check out my Low Buy Introduction.

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Did you pick up any of the products featured in my 2019 Beauty Low Buy May Update? Have you ever partook in a Low Buy or a No Buy? Please let me know in the comments below.

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