My “No Buy/Low Buy” Journey – September to December 2020 - Plus Product Empties!!
It hardly feels like five minutes since I was writing the last part of this No Buy/Low Buy series and here I am nearly four months later writing the next. Time was a strange thing in 2020, both felt like it lasted for centuries while also flashing by like lightning - it’s not looking like 2021 will be much better, but at least I can make some progress in my more sustainable journey.
September 2020
While trying not to buy too much, I somehow ended up with three pictures worth of stuff. There was a fantastic sale on at Boots with most items I got under £5 - including the NYX items. I’ve enjoyed using the Born To Glow Foundation I got back last January and so trying the concealer and highlighter from the same line seemed like a good idea. I’ve been after a silicone brush for a while but could never justify spending a lot on one brush, but for £5 I’m glad I picked it up.
Love the Beauty Bay X NikkieTutorials palette and the pastel palette and brushes which the MUA palette pairs well with -The MUA brush was a free gift.
Skincare wise, the Beauty Bay own brand skincare was a bit of a gamble, but I’ve been impressed so far. The blemish stickers are good, and while I haven’t opened the Dots For Spots yet, I’ve heard they might be even better.
The Holland & Barrett calendar was a great purchase. I won’t say more about it on this blog post, but you can find my full review here.
October 2020
October was a much better month for my low buy, starting with a smallish order from Boots. The Barry M eyeliners seem pretty good - I bought the pink version back in August, although I’m not so keen on the XX Revolution eyeshadow palette or lipglosses. Beautiful packaging, but they just don’t feel the same quality as the other products I’ve got from the brand.
The Mylee 5-in-1 Builder Gel is good although I absolutely hate the smell, the Precious Gems set is fantastic, and while it was supposed to be a Christmas collection, I will be using the green shade throughout the year.
Had to get the new Revolution Eye Base as I have heard some very good things about it and the Sainsbury’s Source of Nature has now become a bit of a staple for me.
November 2020
November was the month I bought Christmas presents for my family - but I also bought a bit for myself. The first picture mainly comes from the free Cult Beauty Gift Bag. I got one of these last year and was so impressed I waited to get everything I wanted when this offer was on. I then divided the free gifts between myself and my family - giving them all the non-Cruelty-Free items.
Next was a small order from e.l.f when they had a 40% off sale for Singles Day (November 11th if you’re wondering for this year!). Decided to get the last of the Bite-Size palettes as I love them so much, along with some more of the SRSLY Satin Lipsticks including a backup of my favourite colour “Persimmon” - at £1.80 how could I not!
The Revolution Disney items I have absolutely no regrets over. Beauty and the Beast is my favourite ever film, and I will literally buy anything they make for that film (as long as it’s cruelty-free!)
There is a bit of a mixed group in the last picture, a Huda Beauty Nude Gift Set in Light which I got from Cult Beauty, and a Sweet Chef Sampler set. The Eyeko Mascara and Stilla Eyeliner are from the M&S Beauty Box which my mum bought and gave me those. Finally, the Huda Beauty Khaki Haze was bought with Boots points when it was on sale for cheapish.
December 2020
December is a mixture of items I got for Christmas and a few things I got from Holland & Barrett in the Boxing Day sales.
The e.l.f SRSLY Satin Lipsticks completed my collection and were in the same 40% off sale as the ones I got in November - as was the Liquid Glitter Eyeshadow Vault. The glitters are stunning, especially the shade “Dancing Queen”. I know products like this dry up quickly, so I’ll be making a point to use them up a lot throughout the year. The Sigma palette and NYX lip topper was from my Nan.
The box sets all come from Holland & Barrett (all for under half price!) apart from the Becca gift set from Boots. Always wanted to try a Becca Highlighter and heard so many great things about their Backlight Priming Filter and to get them both full-size with two other products for £35 is amazing!
The Real Techniques brush set was from Boots during their Black Friday sales for half price, and the e.l.f brushes came from the same deal as before.
My Beauty Empties
The goal for 2020 was to use over £100 worth of products, and I’m sure nobody is surprised to hear that I didn’t achieve it - but I do personally feel happy to have used sixteen items worth nearly £60!!
I started this round with an empty of the Superdrug Gel Nail Polish Remover. Back at the start of 2020, I was using this all the time, it did, however, start to become less effective as it aged. Since this has been used up, I have been really liking the Mylee Magic Gel Remover - over double the price but is much easier to use.
Love this micellar water from Botanics, probably the best I’ve tried. While I am hoping to phase out Micellar waters from my routine and use cleansers, I will still be repurchasing this for a first cleanse and for days when I’m lazy.
I did really love this brightening solution, and after using my second bottle up, I was disappointed to find out that Superdrug had discontinued it (the same way they have with many products I’ve loved in the past few years!). I’ve since replaced this with the REN Ready Steady Glow Daily AHA Tonic, which is significantly more expensive on the surface but cheaper on price per millilitre.
This hand cream is fast becoming my favourite, unlike the Body Shop one, which was far too oily this one soaks in quickly while still moisturising my hands. I already have two backups in my stash!
The last two items are from Superdrug and have also been discontinued (I’m really not having much luck with them at the moment). The clay mask was okay, nothing special, the fragrance was maybe a little too strong. I’m also swerving away from shine control and mattifying lotions in my skincare routine at nighttime, so I wouldn’t be repurchasing this serum - even if it was still available.
There was also another Superdrug shower gel empty, but I stupidly threw the bottle away before taking a picture.
Overall in 2020, I used 16 items from my stash that added up to a grand total of £59.00, just over half of my goal but much better than I thought I would do when I was writing my last update.
Goals for 2021
My goals for 2021 are very similar to last years - use up at least £100 worth of products and buy substantially less. I need to be stricter with the items I use and actually finish things that I start - unless I don’t like them! I’m on a complete ban for buying any new hand cream as I already have enough to last me the next few years, same for shower gels/bath products. Makeup is much harder for me not to buy, but I am slowly starting to look at things I have before buying more.
If you haven’t yet read Part 1 and Part 2, check them out at the links here, and I will see you guys in the next post. Thanks once again for reading!