Beauty

[Oshare-girl]

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@just bee wrote:

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@rnmom wrote:

justbee- I need to break the habit of buying more than one item too if I don't even know if I like it! Especially the super sizes! When I was on my cruelty free tangent I bought Kenra liters on sale at Ulta, 2 shampoos and 2 conditioners, because it was such a good deal. The shampoo is okay but I'm really not loving the conditioner, I definitely like the Suave better. But I figured it had to be better because it's salon quality right? I'm just about done with one of the liters of conditioner, still have a full liter left. Ugh. Never again. 

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I will break my own hands if I reach for a second bottle.  Worst habit ever.  Well, maybe not the worst, but it's pretty bad.

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LOL, well said!  DItto that.

[aprilskies]

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@geezerette wrote:

I find it interesting that so many of us seem to have the same problems, and have come to the same or similar conclusions. Like stockpiling, experimenting, and spending to "save" with free shipping.  Knowing ourselves and yet going against what we know about ourselves.

But those things are not going to be my main concern this New Year. I have to concentrate on HEP. For me, that is what has gotten completely out of hand in the last few years. I simply cannot afford to continue to abuse my body any longer by not eating correctly, and also by not exercising properly. I've already blown my determination to quit the junk and it's not even the end of the first week of the new year. I'm giving myself a pass this time on that because I actually was very good about ten days before the end of last year, so I'll just tack backsliding on to this week. (My first excuse...)

The good thing about those ten days was that I felt so much better after the first few days that it does give me hope. But that seems to be my problem--I start feeling better and then I start eating poorly again because I feel good. Logically, it doesn't make sense. But my mind and taste buds are not governed by logic.

I used to have self-control. Really I did. I've got to find it again and keep it. There really is no trick to it. "Just say 'no'."

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I could of written this myself.  I can TOTALLY relate.  Time to get serious.  No more excuses.   ...but they are so easy to come up with.  And just say no, I agree.  JUST SAY NO.  Maybe I will make that my mantra for the year. 

And I am really making an effort to use my products this year but I will be darned if something else doesn't always catch my eye. Sometimes I just feel crazy. 

[aprilskies]

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@just bee wrote:

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@KaySD wrote:

Everyone has such nice goals for the year. I don't think I have any. By the way, why 42 books? Not 40, not 48, exactly 42?

@aprilskies, your post made me laugh--at myself--especially #4. Hard to resist a great bargain, right? 25% off if I spend 25% more than I intended in the first place. Wait, what?

Well, I had one minor breakthrough: I actually need to go buy a bottle of body lotion. It's been so long, I don't know what to buy!

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Let's see... wanna take a dozen unopened bottles and tubes of Vanilla Bean Noel off my hands?  Sitting in a closet since 2011...

Yes.  It was on sale.  Yes.  I wanted free shipping.

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Omgosh, you better get cracking.  And I don't mean your hands. 

[aprilskies]

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@KaySD wrote:

Everyone has such nice goals for the year. I don't think I have any. By the way, why 42 books? Not 40, not 48, exactly 42?

@aprilskies, your post made me laugh--at myself--especially #4. Hard to resist a great bargain, right? 25% off if I spend 25% more than I intended in the first place. Wait, what?

Well, I had one minor breakthrough: I actually need to go buy a bottle of body lotion. It's been so long, I don't know what to buy!

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ROTF.  Exactly.  It is almost like we go into a trance. 

[aprilskies]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:

Isn't it interesting when one obsession replaces another?  I thought I liked variety in my lip products so I had several different products in each shade, which were all slightly different upon close inspection, but to everyone else, was practically identical.  This past year, I have been picking one lipstick and one tinted lip balm to use for each 4 month "season".  I find that I can finish a whole lipstick in this time.  I have the tinted balm for the weekend or when I want a change.  Funny thing is, I end up sticking with the lipstick almost everyday because I'm so obsessed with finishing it.  And I know that it looks good so I don't want to take the chance on using another lip product that might not be as flattering and I don't want to hurt my chances of using up a lippie.  LOL, I trip myself out.  I could be satisfied with just one of each color (mauve, berry, coral, sheer red), but at this point, I have triple that amount.  So I really will try to not buy any more lip products this year.  I am happy that the products I do have are current, as in bought within a year. I have used up the ones that were over 1 year old.

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At least with this obsession you are finishing products.  But, yes, kinda how one replaces another. 

With my skincare products I get a bit lost.  I make baskets so I can focus on certain things but then get squirrelly and start adding too much so this time I am making it a point to stick with what I picked until they are done. Mu though, I think I will throw myself a little party if I ever finish anything. 

[aprilskies]

Alright, I think it is time to hang up my keyboard for the night.  I am having trouble sleeping and am getting a bit frustrated.  Anyone have any good remedies that don't include taking a pill?

[just bee]

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@Sherrilz wrote:

I was a member of this thread a long, long time ago.  I just came across it again and thought "boy did I need that".  After reading all of the posts, there are a lot of common concerns/thoughts.  I did decide on 1/1 to stop the madness and try and use up some of my stash.  My weekness is makeup always looking for the new, next best thing. I also have quite a bit of bath/body products to use up.   So here's what I hope/plan to do. A lot of these are on your lists too, but I think it helps me to write them down for comittment's sake.

1.  No more new makeup purchases till I'm dow to opening the last item.  So for example, mascara... I have some brands that were GWP or part of sets, I haven't used at all and I will try to work those into my normal routine.  But my favorite is still Maybelline Great Lash mascara.  Last time it was on sale at Target I bought like 10-15... Why?  You're right, there is always another sale.  So I probably have like a couple of years work of masacara at least.  The same goes for some of my lip products, eyeliners, foundations and eyeshadows.  I have multiples of my favorites that could carry me well past 2017. 

2. Stop trying new stuff just to try new stuff. This is related to the one above. I have a few favorites which ironically are drugstore brands.  For example, my favorite lip product is Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain in shades Honey and Rendevous.  I have probably 20 of each.  I wear Honey alone sometimes but love the shade when they are mixed togehter.  I also love Maybellie 24 hour lip color on continuous coral and have close to 20 of those.  This in addtiion to all the other lip shades I have.  I probably have enought to last years.   My other favs, of which I have multiples in my stash, are CoverGirl Outlast 3 in 1 Foundation, Maybelline unstoppable eye liner and Cover girl ink it eyeliner.  Plus more.  I truly could go without buying a single piece of makeup for probably a couple of years.  I know expiration dates come in play and most have dates that go into 2017-2018 so I'm good there. 

3. So if I committ to 1 and 2, then I should be able to avoid the pitfall of just buying more to get free shipping or buying multiples to stock up (because I shouldn't be shopping for makeup at all)

4.  As I add items into my routine, I do really need to commit to tossing items that seriously dont work. This week I did try to combine some products to see if blended they could work.  Like mixing a tinted moisturizer and a foudnation that was kind of thick.  Same with lip products,,, mixing two shades or textures together to see the result.  So I liked the results the couple of days I did it when first applied in the morning.  But most don't have the staying power of my favorites.  So do I continue to try and work these in and maybe bring to work and reapply (since I have makeup to last years) or do I toss and just stick with favorites? I haven't decided that yet.

5. The other thing i have enought of is Bath products.  I have some super size phiolosophy shower gels, lotions etc. And a number of BBW gels and products.   I did control myself from buyint new stuff over the holidays when sales were going on.  So I didn't add to the stash but I need to chip away at it and committ to not buying more.  I probably have well over enought to get me through 2017.

6. Another thing (that isn't as bad as it used to be) for me is buying handbags.  I love Coach purses... That's really the only brand.  I used to go to the outlet store and/or their outlet online and buy bags a few times a year.  I never pay full price, which is guess is good. But even outlet prices are $100-200 each.  I didn't do crazy bad this year, but I probably bought maybe 7-8 new bags.  When I think I spent $1000 or so on these and I can only use the one at a time I think why???  It's crazy.  Some of the bags I own still have tags on them.  I did buy a few from ebay this year since there was one style I loved and wanted it in a few different colors.  I also sold some of the ones I had on ebay.  I didn't break even on that, but it did help me justify the new purchases.  I want to commit to not buying any new purses at all in 2017.  For some that may be easy. But I have loved bags since I was a little girl.  My dad has a photo of me building a snowman with him at 3 and I have a purse on my shoulder as we are making it.

7. Lastly I need to watch clothing purchases.  This is probably my least problem.  But I still tend to buy multiples when I shop.  I buy online and will add more to get free shipping or buy stuff in different colors and sizes.  I have gained a lot of weight this past year and I also am trying to commit to a diet and exercise plan.  Right now I don't want to buy new clothes because I don't want to buy the bigger size I need.  I have enough to wear now.  I also have a lot of stuff that still works once I loose weight.  I would like to commit to not buying any new clothes for at least 6 months, maybe longer.  I'd really like to loose the weight and get down the the size I want to be around 7/1.  I think I can do it.  So I don't want to buy any clothes till after then and maybe later.

Thanks for letting me write this long, long post.  I do think it helps formally setting goals and discussing them.  I hope to keep up with this message board to help me stay focused on my goals.

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Welcome back.  For our little group, ComPacting is forever.  It's like being in recovery for alcoholism or drug addiction.  Gotta keep working at it.  As for eye makeup, I think I finally learned my lesson.  I thought I was pretty clever when I bought a year's supply of mascara and liner from drugstore.com when it was on sale.  For a while that worked for me.  It kept me out of the stores because I didn't need to look at eye makeup.

Problem: I really don't use that much makeup.  I stopped carrying a purse so I don't have cosmetics with me to do touch-ups.  I put it on once (except for lip balm) and that's that.  I started noticing that my year's supply of mascara and liner was problematic because the products seem to be getting old and the formula is somewhat dry.  I wasn't getting that "wow-you-can-tell-this-is-a-new-tube" application feel.  This year I'm just buying two new tubes of mascara -- on sale -- at a time.  That's six months' worth and that's enough.  It means I have one tube to use and one back-up just in case I drop the wand down the drain.

I still have too many eyeliners from 2012.  I bought three packs of Maybelline Expert Eyes Twin Brow & Eye Pencils (each twin-pack was $2.39), but I use up liner very slowly.  Haven't made a dent.  Not a huge financial commitment, but I didn't really need to stockpile it (probably wanted that free shipping).

I replace a tube of mascara every three months.  How much, then, do I actually need in the house at any time?  Great Lash is always on sale and it's easy to find.  You don't need to squirrel away 15-20 tubes.  I use Full 'N Soft -- harder to find a sale, but I know I can wait for one.

My prescription for you is the same one I used myself:

STOP THE FLOW!

Don't buy it, don't bring it into the house.  Shop your stash until you can get those numbers down.

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

I find it interesting that so many of us seem to have the same problems, and have come to the same or similar conclusions. Like stockpiling, experimenting, and spending to "save" with free shipping.  Knowing ourselves and yet going against what we know about ourselves.

But those things are not going to be my main concern this New Year. I have to concentrate on HEP. For me, that is what has gotten completely out of hand in the last few years. I simply cannot afford to continue to abuse my body any longer by not eating correctly, and also by not exercising properly. I've already blown my determination to quit the junk and it's not even the end of the first week of the new year. I'm giving myself a pass this time on that because I actually was very good about ten days before the end of last year, so I'll just tack backsliding on to this week. (My first excuse...)

The good thing about those ten days was that I felt so much better after the first few days that it does give me hope. But that seems to be my problem--I start feeling better and then I start eating poorly again because I feel good. Logically, it doesn't make sense. But my mind and taste buds are not governed by logic.

I used to have self-control. Really I did. I've got to find it again and keep it. There really is no trick to it. "Just say 'no'."

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I work with psych patients and this is precisely what they do.  They take their meds and as soon as they start feeling good they decide they don't need their meds and stop taking them.  And that's about the time they're being picked up and brought to the hospital to start all over again.

I say food is medicine.  And it's one area I can't feel guilty about.  I don't beat myself up for spending more on better quality food because it's an investment.  How you feel affects every other area of your life.  When I start feeling bad, what do I do?  I start thinking I need to buy something that will make me feel better.  That's when you really start wasting money because there's nothing out there that will fix that problem.

A better diet will make you look and feel better.  Think rainbow.  Go for as much color on your plate as possible.  I go through periods when I realize that most of what I'm eating is brown or beige.  That's when I start feeling sluggish.  Too much starch.  That's when I have to ask myself why I need starchy comfort food (bread, pasta, potatoes, cookies).  No color.  And that's when I have to have a big colorful salad.  Or a piece of salmon and steamed green beans or asparagus.  Or green, red, yellow and orange bell peppers.

Go for color.  But remember that the sprinkles on a cookie or donut don't count.

[just bee]

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@aprilskies wrote:

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@geezerette wrote:

I find it interesting that so many of us seem to have the same problems, and have come to the same or similar conclusions. Like stockpiling, experimenting, and spending to "save" with free shipping.  Knowing ourselves and yet going against what we know about ourselves.

But those things are not going to be my main concern this New Year. I have to concentrate on HEP. For me, that is what has gotten completely out of hand in the last few years. I simply cannot afford to continue to abuse my body any longer by not eating correctly, and also by not exercising properly. I've already blown my determination to quit the junk and it's not even the end of the first week of the new year. I'm giving myself a pass this time on that because I actually was very good about ten days before the end of last year, so I'll just tack backsliding on to this week. (My first excuse...)

The good thing about those ten days was that I felt so much better after the first few days that it does give me hope. But that seems to be my problem--I start feeling better and then I start eating poorly again because I feel good. Logically, it doesn't make sense. But my mind and taste buds are not governed by logic.

I used to have self-control. Really I did. I've got to find it again and keep it. There really is no trick to it. "Just say 'no'."

---

I could of written this myself.  I can TOTALLY relate.  Time to get serious.  No more excuses.   ...but they are so easy to come up with.  And just say no, I agree.  JUST SAY NO.  Maybe I will make that my mantra for the year. 

And I am really making an effort to use my products this year but I will be darned if something else doesn't always catch my eye. Sometimes I just feel crazy. 

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Well, the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders)

is now calling addiction a psychiatric problem, so maybe we are!  But, for me, a lot of that addiction is choice.  Channeling Nancy Reagan really does help.  People scoffed at her when she said, "Just say no," but sometimes it takes just that.  I still can't believe I said no to a pair of owl shoes.  But I did.  Made it easier to say no to the elephant shoes and the dog shoes, too.

[just bee]

Speaking of addiction, I've got to get up and start boiling water for tea.