by Ashley
You know how I’ve been trying to save money by making do with items that we’ve already got instead of buying new ones? Well I’ve been wanting to talk about this one for awhile….make-up!!!
I’m not a big make-up person. 99% of the stuff I wear is whatever is on sale at my local grocery store. I never rarely (like, once every 2-3 years) go to Alta or buy make-up from the make-up counter in department stores.
Even so, make-up can still be expensive. Since I started blogging I’ve been avoiding buying any make-up. This never started as an intentional challenge, but (similar to my DIY hair dye and cuts, which are still going strong), its kind of morphed into a challenge over time simply because I’ve now been doing it so long that I want to see how long I can hold out!
Have I just been skipping make-up entirely?
No. Though, to be fair, I don’t wear a lot of make-up to begin with so it’s different for me than it would be for someone used to wearing a full face with base, powder, blush, etc. on a daily basis.
So what have I been doing? Make-up eventually runs out, right?
Yep. And I’ve gotten creative!
First, I’ve looked around the house for make-up and been surprised to find a ton stashed away in various places! I started by looking under my sink (side note: anyone else’s under-the-sink a total jungle? Yikes!) Just from cleaning that out I was able to find all kinds of old make-up that had fallen out of rotation and was lost in the “under-the-sink” stash of crap. My Mom used to always give me her Clinique gifts (she buys their moisturizer and would give me the free gift whenever it was “gift time”), so a bunch of the stuff I found was even brand-new!!!
Next, I decided to go through and organize my purses. Again – I’m not a big purse collector, but I’m a bit of a packrat so I always hang onto old purses. Most are from Target or Kohl’s so they’re not fancy brands, but they’ve been hanging around forever. Lo and behold, I find more make-up! In the pockets of many of these purses I found some variety of lipgloss or lipstick. I also found concealer and make-up brushes! Another score!
And, finally, I got creative. When I ran out of eye shadow I started using blush as an eye shadow. I broke out of my shell a bit and started using colors I normally wouldn’t touch. And I figured out ways to blend different colors of concealer to create the “right” color out of two “wrong” colors (e.g., by mixing one that’s too dark with one that’s too light).
There are some things that I miss. My ONE, SINGLE name-brand product that I use ran out about a month ago and I miss it (for anyone interested, it’s by Laura Mercier and it’s a bronzer. It’s incredible and my last one lasted literally 3 years). Even though it lasts forever, its pricey (I think about $50), and I do not think it’s big enough of a deal to spend the money on right now.
Oh how vanity goes in the name of saving a buck (remember when I also confessed to stopping botox??). It’s a bit of a sacrifice, but it’s worth it to see those debt numbers continue to be chipped away.
So that’s my latest contribution to the “making do” series.
What have you chosen to make do with in order to save some money?
Also…I challenge you to clean out underneath your sink sometime this week. I would bet you find something that you could use to save some money by making do, too!
Hi, I’m Ashley! Arizonan on paper, Texan at heart. Lover of running, blogging, and all things cheeeeese. Freshly 40, married mother of two, working in academia. Trying to finally (finally!) pay off that ridiculous 6-digit student loan debt!
I cleaned under my sink once and collected all the mini-toothpastes from the dentist office. I filled a medium sized vase to the top and stuck it next to the toothbrushes (and hid the full size toothpaste). It took us almost a year to use up all those things! Definitely better than having them in the junk box under the sink.
So smart! I should do this next, I know I’ve got a stash of toothpastes (and even toothbrushes) too!
Makeup does go bad eventually so make sure you’re not using too old makeup- especially around your eyes (so you don’t face an eye infection).
I am a big couponer and can get new makeup at cvs or rite aid for free or almost free (ie. mascara for .50 each or foundation for $2 that will last 4 months). You may want to check out a coupon matchup site- if they have a deal for makeup you use, it only takes a few minutes to clip the coupon and go to the store! That way you get new makeup but don’t spend $$.
As for Laura Mercier – that’s where I’d draw the line for now- no “high-end” makeup nut I don’t think you need to forego buying any makeup and settle for using blush for eyeshadow!
Lol, I loved the last part! I swear, this wasn’t an intentional challenge and I don’t feel like a martyr or anything, it’s actually become kind of fun to try to get creative and make things work! : )
On another note, I am so envious of the couponers! I’ve watched that “Extreme Couponers” a couple times and totally think, “I want to do that!!!” How do you find these deals??? Also, where do you get your coupons? We don’t get the newspaper, but I’ve been told Dollar Tree sells them for a buck (instead of 1.50, which I think is the normal rate in our area). I just don’t know that I’d stick with it enough to really make buying the paper worthwhile.. Give me tips!!!
I use Krazy Coupon lady’s website but there are others you can use too. They do all the work- matching up the sales to the coupons available out there. There are a lot of Internet printable coupons (the website links you right to the specific one for whichever product they reference) and so if you have Internet and a printer you can get the coupons that way! I get my coupons free, just put out the word to my family and friends who already receive the paper but throw away the coupons and they give them to me!
You don’t have to be an extreme couponer- you could start with just finding coupons for the makeup you need and start small!
I am also using up what I have (all of it is new stuff I bought with coupons in the last few years). I have enough eye shadow and mascara to last me at least another year or two. I currently just finished up all the free gift moisturizers I had. I also agree with Christine though, if there is a product you love and it makes you feel good don’t forgo it. I don’t mind buying discount (Target, Walgreens) eye shadows, mascara, etc. (with coupons of course), but I use a moisturizer and foundation by Clinique. It’s not super expensive (about $50 every 6 months) but I have tried other things I do not like as well for my skin type. BUT, I always try to buy when there is a Friends and Family sale and/or a free gift. I recently got my moisture (which is about $25 and lasts 6 months) 10% off at Lord & Taylor online with free shipping and free gifts-including a full size eye liner (which I wear daily). Score!
Score!!! You get free makeup with coupons, too?? How does this happen?? Tell me your ways!! We don’t get the paper but even when we used to, I’d see coupons for like 50 cents or a buck off, but mascara is pricey!! Even drug store brand stuff can be easily 10 dollars! How do you get it for free?????? (share your secrets!!!!)
I lucked out when I went to Walgreen’s yesterday and the powder I use (just CoverGirl) was on a 50% clearance mark-down! Instead of $9.98, I only paid $4.98! Such a score! I always check out the make-up section of drug stores because there clearance sales can be awesome!
Grocerycouponguide.com and Southernsavers.com are two sites I frequent. I’m sure there are other good sites as well. I would steer away from using the older makeup, especially mascara. There have been numerous warnings that makeup doesn’t stand up over time and is dangerous in some cases. How about using your reward points from your neighborhood drug stores to purchase your makeup. Drug store deals are not quite as generous as they once were, but I think you can accumulate enough rewards for basic makeup fairly quickly. Watch their sell by dates though. I know CVS has been dinged several times for selling out of date merchandise.
I wear alot of ELF make up. It is at Target and is a fraction of the cost of high end makeup, even though it is comparable.
One other note — we have always found that the amount of money we save by redeeming the coupons found in the Sunday newspapers always more than pays for the price of the subscription.
I find that hip2save.com is the easiest couponing site to use – lots of great deals to be found with coupons! I don’t remember the last time I actually paid for toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant,etc. I’m cringing slightly thinking about you using old makeup you found under your bathroom sink lol
In my past, I worked in luxury sales…. I would sell, spend, and continue the cycle over and over again. Regarding makeup and skin care, you shouldn’t skimp, use bad products, or products that have expired. Here’s my advice, go to the luxury department stores, try products in the store, and then ask if they have a sample for you to try over a week or 2. I can assure you that many women and a few men do this. I guarantee that they won’t remember you, as long as you aren’t going to the same person every week or act difficult. You can even make it a game and try every luxury available for a year or 2 or 3… Personally, as a man, I don’t wear makeup, but I am addicted to Fresh products, which I haven’t purchased in almost a year, as I have been using samples. Good luck!
My trash stash is in my cabinet behind the bathroom door instead of under the sink. I’ve found tons of shampoos and conditioners, plus samples of them and makeup and bodywash. I won’t need to buy most of that stuff for years now!