I started this year by taking an inventory of all of my beauty items—makeup, skincare, and hair care. I realized quickly that I have more moisturizers than I know what to do with, considering I have been using the same day and night moisturizers for a decade—where did these extras even come from? Makeup that I need to use up and some that I know I will never repurchase, but hate throwing away because it cost a pretty penny. I have hairspray for days, even though I do not use hairspray daily. I started the Project Pan last year as a way to hold myself accountable for the overflow in my drawers. This year, the accountability has expanded beyond beauty. It’s about being intentional across the board, especially with money.
I reviewed my budget tracker from last year to see how much I spent in total on all three of these categories, and the whopping total was $2,009.54.
Holy cows. I was shocked.
I knew going into this year I wanted to be more mindful of the items I purchase, one because of the cost and two because my drawers were already full, but mostly because of the money. I did not need more makeup or skincare. I am dedicated to doing a low buy year for all things beauty. So far, it has been working; I have only spent $437, and $231 of it was on a skincare restock I did.
My Low-Buy Rules
- No backups unless I’m completely out or replacing known loved items
- No trying new skincare “just because.”
- Replace-only policy for makeup
- No free samples
How I have been using up skincare:
I’m using up a lot of the skincare on my body instead of my face. Face washes, lotions, moisturizers, serums, they all go on my body instead of my face. As I mentioned above, I have been using the same day and night moisturizers from Clarins for a decade now; these are the day and night creams I use. Clarins was running a 25% off their whole website, so I stocked up on the moisturizers and will not need to purchase them until closer to the end of the year.
Also, I realized I was getting a lot of samples in full and mini sizes with my orders, and I no longer opt for those. I also have been getting better at giving away skincare items to colleagues, my extended family members, and friends. I no longer hoard travel-size items. I know what works on my face, so I use the same five items. Therefore, it doesn’t make sense to hold on to travel-size items when I pack my daily skincare routine into these reusable containers.
How I have been using up makeup:
Makeup is tougher to use up because I do not wear it daily. I’ve been more mindful of what I bring into my collection. Unless I have completely used up a product, I am not purchasing another one. It doesn’t make any sense for me personally to have a backup of a backup of makeup products. I already have more than enough blushes; I do not need more.
The only makeup item I’ve purchased so far this year is a concealer—and only because I lost mine, I think, in California when I traveled for a wedding. No clue, but I am traveling again and knew I wanted to repurchase it. This is the exact concealer I use, and I’ve now purchased it twice because it works.
I’ve been using up my eyeliners and lipsticks more than any other makeup item. Tightlining my eyes and throwing on a lipstick makes me feel like I have my life together, especially on the days when I’m feeling out of whack.
How I have been using up hair care
Due to swimming twice a week now, I’ve been going through hair care items quickly. I double cleanse my hair every time with Redken All Soft Shampoo and use the Amika deep conditioner. Depending on the day, I’ll put in a leave-in conditioner or a curl mousse to give my curls definition. So this is an area that I am not too worried about because I am going through the products at a faster pace than I am with makeup.
I’ve been keeping a bag of all the empties I’ve gone through, and it’s become a physical reminder that all of these things cost money. It’s also reminded me not to “save” things for a special day. Today is a good day to wear the Chanel perfume. Today is a good day to use the bougie skincare.
Doing a low-buy quarter has helped me move closer to my financial goals. I talk about this often, how important it is, especially as women, to know, grow, and maintain our finances. It’s one of the most crucial skill sets we can learn.
It’s a reminder that being intentional with money, even in small, everyday categories, adds up.