No-Buy Month ... Round Two

Now that the holidays are over and things are (not willingly) getting back to normal, I wanted to start this year off with a clean slate.  I spent my New Year's Day doing a little lounging and a whole lot of cleaning.  I pulled a lot of pieces from my closet to get rid of and make room for the new goodies from Christmas, and it felt so good to avoid the cluttered mess I'm usually left with this time of year.  Because the next couple of weeks are going to be incredibly busy for me at work, this was really my only free day to get this done and kick off the month right.  I'm not going to lie, I totally still have my Christmas decorations up, though, and they're going to stay that way until at least the middle of the month.  This is the only time I allow myself to be a couch potato in the evenings, and you would too if you were working these hours.

Last year, before I had started the blog, I did a no-buy month for January.  Let's face it, who really needs to go shopping for more stuff right after you receive a bunch of gifts?  Plus, the crazy work hours make it easy for me to avoid the mall, although I have been bitten by the online shopping bug recently so that might make for a bit of a challenge this go around.  I also don't want to blow through any gift cards or money I may have received as gifts, even though the stores don't make it easy.  Since when did everyone do a semi-annual sale in January?  Ugh!  I really want to save more and spend less this year, so what better way than completely cutting myself off?  Am I right, or am I right?  I'm talking everything from beauty products to clothes, but not the necessities of course.  We can't get carried away now.     

So that brings me here, to the decision to embark on another no-buy month for January.  Instead of worrying about shopping and scoring the latest deal, I am excited to focus more on meaningful content for the blog, spend more time with friends and family and even start back on an exercise routine!  Hooray for the gym at my apartments finally being completed!  I've also got a few new ideas up my sleeve, but you'll just have to wait for those ;)

Here's to a month of saving!  Are you planning on trying a no-buy month to kick off 2015?

PS - A trip to the salon is definitely in my near future.  Can you say roots for days?  Not pretty.  I'm thinking about changing things up a bit when it comes to my hair color, but then again maybe I just like the idea of change.  I guess we will have to wait to and see how I feel on the day when I walk through the salon doors.

xoxo,
Amanda 

No-Buy Month Update - My Top 5 Wish List

Hey there blog-land, long time no speak.  Things have been a bit crazy on my side of the world, but in a good way.  My Etsy shop has been booming, things with The Brunch Club have been progressing at an amazing rate, and I'm still managing to squeeze in a bit of a social life as well.  Unfortunately that meant no blog posts this week, but I have some great ones coming up, so stay tuned (thank you three-day weekend)!

As of today, we will be down to single digits with the whole no-buy thing - single digits, people!  I'm going to be honest, this has been so much easier than I anticipated.  The thought of shopping really hasn't even crossed my mind, even with a couple of trips to Target for necessities.  We are even missing out on Memorial Day weekend sales - such a tragedy.  So, to be sure that we don't completely undo all of our saving in May, Chelcey and I have decided to share our top five wish lists of things we want to buy on June 1.

These are some of the things I have had my eye on throughout the month:

BaubleBar Statement Necklace
Just look at this gorgeousness.  Statement necklaces have been my obsession this month, and while I love the ones I have, I am looking forward to expanding my collection.  Also, following BaubleBar on Instagram and seeing all of their pretty new jewelry daily has been my biggest temptation with no-buy month.  Don't worry though, I stayed strong.

Paradise Persimmon Collar, $44

Express Portifino Shirt

These shirts are my absolute favorite.  I have seven different colors and I want need more.  You can pretty much pair them with anything - shorts, skirts, skinnies - and it'll look fabulous.  My favorite effortless look for a summer night out is one of these babies, a cute pair of shorts, and wedges.  Throw on Mr. BaubleBar necklace above and you're set.  I think I smell a blog post coming ;)

Express Convertible Sleeve Portifino, $49.90

Capri Blue Volcano Candle

If you could bottle up the smell of Anthropologie, this candle would be it.  Thanks to Chelcey, I am in love with this scent.  I purchased a small version back in April, and now that I've burned through it, I think it's time to upgrade to the monster version.  

Capri Blue Volcano Candle, $28

Hot Tools 1 1/2 Inch Curling Iron  

Since I went ombre with my hair about a month ago, I've really liked curling it more often than straightening it.  I've been making do with the 2 inch Revlon iron that I currently have, but I want to try a slightly smaller barrel and see if it helps my curls to stay longer.  PS - another upcoming blog post may or may not involve curling my hair.

Hot Tools Ceramic TI Tourmaline Curling Iron, $52.99

Lush Jasmine & Henna Fluff Eaze

That smooth and silky hair that some girls are blessed with...yeah that's not my hair at all.  I have very thick and naturally dry hair.  On the plus side, I can get away with washing it less often.  On the other hand, I have to work with it a lot to keep it pretty and shiny.  Enter this hair hair mask treatment from Lush that I've been wanting to try for a while now.  Here's to hoping it can tame even my frizzy, unruly hair.

Lush Cosmetics Jasmin & Henna Fluff Eaze, $22.95

I think that's enough for now.  It was actually a bit of a struggle to just come up with five things I wanted to purchase.  I suppose that's what happens when you avoid online browsing and promotional e-mails at all costs for a month!  If you participated in no-buy month, what's on your wish list for June?  And if not, what are you looking forward to buying during all of the Memorial Day sales?  You know I'll secretly be jealous.

 

No-Buy Month Update - We're Halfway There

Happy Friday Eve!  I can't believe that no-buy month is halfway over.  It's actually been much easier than I thought, and it's been great being able to focus on other things like my blog, Etsy shop, and the Brunch Club.  Having two weekends in a row jam-packed with things to do has helped, too.  This weekend, I plan on having a girls' night with Chelc and Whit, going out to celebrate my sister's college graduation, and spending time with my family.  So far I've rediscovered some old beauty favorites and dusted off clothes I had forgotten about in the back of my closet.  I've also had time to reflect on the past year of my life, and it really got me thinking.  I normally wouldn't write such a deep post, but when I found this quote, it just hit me.

Retail therapy.  The thing I've been avoiding this month.  My go-to for when I have a rough day at work, when I had to deal with my life being turned upside down.  Last year, I went through possibly the worst heartbreak I have ever experienced, and I really lost sight of myself for a while.  I became mildly depressed and lost any desire for social interaction with friends.  I turned to shopping to give myself a high and feel better, if only for the moment.  I'd come home with pretty shopping bags full of new things, but once I settled back onto the couch, I still felt alone. 

Now I don't want to go into too many details, because I am stronger now than I ever have been, but seeing this quote made me realize that I don't have to depend on retail therapy anymore.  Sure, it's perfectly fine to treat yourself to a new bag or new shoes every now and then, but it is so much more rewarding when you do treat yourself if you know that you don't have to depend on shopping for a high.  If I go shopping, I want it to be for a positive reason, like my recent promotion at work, rather than trying to compensate for something that is making me feel sad.  Going through no-buy month has really opened my eyes to this.

With my new found outlook on shopping, I've been able to channel inspiration and positivity from other, more meaningful things happening in my life.  I had been neglecting my Etsy shop for a while, partially from lack of interest and also because I just got so busy at work.  But then, a few weeks ago I received my first review (and five stars at that), and that really lit a fire under me.  Reading my customer's kind words has motivated me again to create new pieces, and this craft time has become my new retail therapy. 

Also, Chelcey, Whitney and I have been having regular meetings for The Brunch Club, and it is amazing how far we have come with our ideas.  I can't even believe that just a couple months ago, this was just a thought being tossed around in Chelcey's kitchen, and now things are really coming together.  I couldn't be more excited!

The moral of my story is, you don't need shopping or retail therapy or whatever your crutch is to get you through the rough times.  Rather than leaning on material things to make you feel better in the short term, turn to your friends, help someone else going through a difficult time, or find a creative outlet like I did.  It is so much more rewarding for me now to ship out an order to someone on the other side of the country instead of running to the mall to buy the latest and greatest bag, and that's something I never thought I would say.

What are some of your coping mechanisms through tough times?  Have you tried something new instead?  I encourage you to share your thoughts below - after all, writing is yet another form of therapy.

Rediscovering Old Favorites - My Current Makeup Routine

No-buy month is going strong.  Chelcey and I haven't even stepped foot in Target or a mall in over a week - quite the accomplishment.  I promise, we aren't addicted or anything though.  It's just the first thing we think to do when we hang out.  My whole perspective on spending and saving money has really changed since I moved into my own place a couple years ago, but we can dive into that some other time.  Today, I wanted to share my current makeup routine, since I've brought out some old favorites that hadn't gotten any love in a while.

After I wash my face and apply moisturizer, I put on Clinique Superprimer Face Primer (the formula that color corrects redness) and let it sink in while I make my coffee.  For foundation, I actually like to mix a couple of different products - Becca Ultimate Coverage Complexion Creme and Tarte Amazonian Clay Full Coverage Foundation.  I do this partly because I am very fair and have a hard time finding a perfect shade match, and partly because I have not found a holy grail formula that I absolutely love.  I finish my base by concealing under my eyes with the Maybelline Dream Touch Lumi concealer.  Because the foundation mixture I use has such full coverage, I rarely use extra concealer on blemishes.  If you want the extra coverage though, I recommend the Pro Longwear concealer from MAC.

To set the foundation in place, I love Urban Decay's All Nighter.  My skin has actually been pretty dry recently, and I can still use this without worrying about it drying my skin out even more.  I put on my makeup around 7:30 every morning before work, and when I get home 9-10 hours later it still looks just as fresh and not completely worn off of my face.  Next I dust a little bit of Rimmel Stay Matte powder on my face, followed by Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Radiant Light to give my skin some life.  I love this stuff because it's just the right amount of bronze for my fair complexion.  For a pop of color on the cheeks, I've been loving Hourglass Ambient Blush in Luminous Flush.  I contour my nose ever so slightly with Nars Laguna Bronzer and my face is good to go.  This little bronzer guy is one of those old favorites - I purchased it a couple of years ago in a holiday set and somehow it was buried in the bottom of my drawer among blushes and powders and highlighters - oh my!

Now with the eyes, we are really getting into old favorites.  I don't know if anything can top the Naked Palette in that category.  This was one of my first major beauty splurges when I first started getting into makeup several years ago.  It's treated me well through the years, and I'm happy to be using it again.  Can you tell which shades are my favorite?  

I like to prime my eyelids first, and lately I have been using the Lorac Eye Primer, another little guy that had gotten lost among other goodies.  From the Naked palette, I apply Sin all over the lid, Toasted in the crease, and Virgin as a highlight.  I'm not usually one for eyeliner, but when I do wear it I reach for the L'Oreal Lineur Intense.  I just apply a thin line on the outer part of my upper lash line, stopping right before the pupil.  I think I always shied away from liner because I would apply too much, and it made my eyes look smaller and closed off.  By only lining the outer edge, it actually creates the illusion of your eyes being wider and the lashes fuller, which is very flattering.  

My go-to mascara at the moment is YSL Babydoll.  I usually don't go for high-end mascaras because there are so many affordable options at the drugstore, but I splurged recently on this baby and I love it!  The last thing I do is fill in my brows with Benefit Brow Zing.  Again, I never used to bother with this step until I tried it once and saw what a difference it really makes.  If I only had time in the morning for a couple of steps and not this whole routine, I would definitely apply mascara and fill in my brows.  I think those two things have the most impact on making you look polished and put together in the least amount of time.

To complete the look, I use Bite Beauty Lipstick in Fig.  This stuff is ahh-maz-ing.  It's not a true nude, but it's not crazy bright pink either.  It's just perfect for everyday wear, especially since I work in an office environment.  The color lasts all morning until it's time for lunch.  Then I can just re-apply once more in the afternoon and I don't have to give it a second thought.  Forgive me for forgetting to take a picture of it!

All in all, this routine takes me about 20-25 minutes in the morning.  That may seem like a lot to some people, but for me I love makeup as a form of self-expression so it's totally worth it.  And trust me, that's nothing compared to the weekends when I know I'm not under a time crunch to get out the door.

What is your makeup routine like?  Have you rediscovered any new products you had forgotten about?

xoxo,
Amanda

April Showers Bring May Challenges?

I got the brilliant idea to try a no-buy month in May recently while doing what else - shopping.  I realized that I had gone to the mall every weekend for the past month, and I was starting to feel a little bit of buyer's remorse.  Now don't get me wrong, I am a smart girl when it comes to managing my money (hello, accountant over here!), but I wanted to see how much I could really save up in a month if I wasn't shopping every weekend.  Plus, I knew I had a closet full of clothes and drawers full of makeup and beauty products just waiting to be loved again.  At the same time, I knew if this was going to be successful, I would need my partner in crime Chelcey to embark on this journey with me.  Luckily for me, she reluctantly agreed to take on the challenge.

 We both agreed to close out April with a bang, so we had a sushi dinner date and headed to Target to see what we could find.  Chelcey scored this adorable little black dress (every girl needs a LBD) on the clearance rack - the clearance rack - for less than $20.  I found this striped top tucked in among the sweaters and had to have it.  As we made our way to the home decor section, I decided to splurge on this pouf as well.  I had been eying it every time I came in the store, just waiting for it to go on sale, and tonight it was!  

Finally, we wound our way to the office section where Chelcey grabbed a notebook, and then the beauty department where I picked up a new concealer.  Does anyone else have a specific route they take through Target like we do?  Anyway, as we finished at the checkout, we both realized we wouldn't be able to set foot in Target for a month, for risk of breaking our no-buy challenge.  While that may seem like a difficult task, I am so excited to rediscover the hidden gems that have been hiding in my closet and bringing out old beauty favorites I had pushed to the back of the drawer.  It's the perfect way to channel some creativity, by re-imagining things that you thought you would never use again.   

Chelcey and I will be documenting this journey on Instagram, and we'd love to have you take the challenge with us!  Just use #nobuymonth and/or #savingmoneyishard when you post your own Instagram photos.  Show us how you breathe new life into the pieces you had completely forgotten about, and we will feature our favorites in our next post in this series.  Also, be sure to check out Chelcey's blog - she has some great tips for getting through the month, including avoiding all e-mail ads that stores may send to you ten times a day.

Good luck!

xoxo,
Amanda