I feel like I've been avoiding this 'no buy' blog post for the last few weeks because I knew that the moment I started writing this post, I would have to commit to anything I wrote here and published on the site. And in my typical fashion, I decided to procrastinate instead of actually sitting down and writing "the thing" that I've been thinking of for the last few months.

Throughout 2017 I was pretty happy with myself for paring down my belongings by utilizing a part of the KonMari method, and cutting down my expenditures on things I don't use or need. I was able to save up enough money for a great 10 day trip in Portugal, and recently just returned home from an extra long weekend in New York that we'd prepaid for throughout the year!

But at the end of December, while I was consolidating some old boxes under the bed, I 'rediscovered' a box FULL of excess beauty items. It's not abnormal for a beauty blogger to have unused things kicking around, but I had actually FORGOTTEN about this box, precisely because it was under the bed, a place where I obviously don't spend a lot of time when I'm doing my makeup. And it was tucked under the bed because all my vanity space, drawer space and bathroom space was full!

Almost immediately I tried to take matters into my own hands and did a big purge of expired, close-to-expired, unloved or extra beauty items, giving some to friends and family, but it was still nagging at me about how MUCH I still had. This box bothered me. It just reminded me about how, without even thinking about it, I mindlessly bring home things I'm rarely going to use or finish.

For example? A lipstick I bought because it was a trendy colour and it made me happy for one night, the eyeshadow palette I got because it was 50% off that I've used twice, a skincare set that I haven't even opened from Boxing Day.

And while I know, once again, I don't really have nearly as much as people with entire rooms dedicated to beauty or makeup, that box JUST. KEPT. GRATING ON ME.

So I'm finally doing what I said I'd do (offline) for awhile. I'm going to properly enact a 2018 Makeup No Buy Challenge as I work my way through the products in my collection that I have, because I have MORE THAN ENOUGH AND TRULY DON'T REALLY NEED ANYTHING ELSE RIGHT NOW. This includes lipstick, blush, bronzer, highlighter, foundation, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, powders, primers, nail polish, lip gloss, lip liners, you name it, I'm pausing!

General Rules

1. MOST IMPORTANT: No more mindless buying!
2. Every month I need to get rid of at least five full-sized things. Traded, used up or tossed.
3. Replacement items (toner, primer, foundation) will be purchased with POINTS (Shoppers Drug Mart, Winners, etc) instead of cash.
4. Upload a Monthly Check-In & Thoughts

Those are generally the only rules I'm going to have at this time. I haven't quite decided if this is going to be a three month, six month or yearly challenge. If I feel that I've moved to a good place with my belongings, I might naturally end it early, but if it's proving to keep me accountable, maybe I'll stay on it through the end of the year! We'll see :)

Next steps? Even though I already did a small purge of my makeup and skincare in December, I have let the largest collections of mine grow like weeds. I'm talking about my lipstick and nail polish collection. These need to be culled, and soon! And no worries, this doesn't mean I'm not going to blog, just that I won't buy things that I FORGET I'VE PURCHASED that you wouldn't see on the blog anyway!

Have you ever done a no-buy? How did you fare? Any wisdom to bestow on me? :D