Makeup and Beauty Blog | Makeup Reviews, Swatches and How-To Makeup

A beauty blog blooming with fresh makeup reviews, swatches and beauty tips from your friendly neighborhood beauty addict

Have You Ever Hidden Your Beauty Purchases From Your Partner?

by 93 Comments

110209-do-you-hide-your-beauty-purchases

Sometimes, when I go shopping for makeup, I bring along my “BIG PURSE.” That way I can sneak my purchases back into the house without hearing El Hub ask, “Do you really need more lipgloss?!?”

On the phone with a friend the other day, I found out that she does the same exact thing (except that her BIG PURSE is way bigger than mine, LOL!).

Are we the only ones?

Have you ever hidden your beauty purchases from your partner (or your parents, if you live with ’em)?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. Yup. All the time. And sometimes I feel bad because he thinks I’m broke at the end of every 2 weeks because of basic expenses, not splurges. Karma will get me.

    Reply

  4. I absolutely do!! The hard thing for me is hiding packages that come in with my various online purchases. I don’t live anywhere near a Sephora (the closest one to my little Canadian province is a plane ride away), so I tend to do a lot of online purchasing. And just today I was out running errands with my father (still living at home while I wait for a full-time teaching position to come along), and when we were at Shoppers Drug Mart, I pointed out the clearance Halloween candy so he’d go check it out while I dashed over to the cosmetics section. I came away with $60 worth of Twilight Beauty makeup, and pretended that I’d just bought some meds for my current cold/flu. Isn’t that sick?? I actually think it’s a sign of addiction….

    p.s.. Has anyone checked out any of the products from the Twilight Beauty collection?

    Reply

  5. Haha no, I don’t… But my best friend does. I’ve accidentally given her away in the past, so now her husband gets suspicious when he sees the big purse. Oops!
    .-= Christina’s last blog post… I Don’t Swagger =-.

    Reply

  8. I don’t need a big purse because I just stick the stuff in my jeans pockets or coat pockets! I managed to conceal a brand new MAC 131 brush in a small Louis Vuitton pochette once that was stuffed with two mobile phones, a lipgloss, a lipstick and a card-holder =D

    Reply

  10. Oh YES! From My Mom! But she checks my account invoice every month and I got my head shout off @_@ Now that I’m on a partly independent budget, it’s a bit easier to buy whatever I want, but sometimes I still go and show her some stuffs. “look how pretty! and the brand….and just how cheap I found it?! Didn’t I save a lot?” and puppy eyes are necessary too! Such tricks and I’m fine for a week or two.
    Anyway, I could hang myself when she tells me to use up my current lippies/parfumes/etc. Don’t buy more until then. Is she crazy? You can’t use the same stuffs forever? You need more to match them to your mood, clothes and the occasion!
    .-= maryinwonder’s last blog post… Albion EXCIA Make Up Serum =-.

    Reply

  11. Yes I do… if they knew how much makeup I actually had, they’d kill me! :s I’m slowly realising its an addiction, but its so difficult to come out of! 🙁 I guess that’s what makes it an addiction in the first place.
    .-= Livia’s last blog post… TAG: Colour Tag – Grey!!! =-.

    Reply

  12. haha thank goodness! i feel like a drug dealer sometimes!! i make sure no one is around when the ups guy comes, in fact i dont even let the ups guy see me…i hide behind the couch till he drives away LMAO. and i definitely use the big purse when buying things…but i usually use it to hide what i bought from mcdonalds lol.

    Reply

  13. I think I’m the lucky one here. My boyfriend says as long as I can cover the rent and bills every month, what I do with the rest of my paycheck is my business. And now that I’ve paid off my car, and it’s actually cheaper to live with him in a big apartment than live alone in a medium apartment… no sneakiness necessary!

    Reply

  14. I mostly hide nail polish, mascara and lipstick. The boyfriend rolls his eyes when he sees me with a new polish, but my parents tease or rant for ages if they realize how much I have of the 3. I live alone, but my Mom comes round oftener than Dad and she’s never very happy about the amount I have.

    Reply

  15. I TOTALLY DO. It’s bad, and I know I learned it from my mom, who hides A LOT of purchases from my dad. But I have a HUGE purse and can hide MANNNNNNY nail polishes in it when I come home, and my boyfriend never knows. I have so many polishes, he doesn’t know which ones are new. Ooops!

    Reply

  16. Yes! I totally do. I come home, go straight into the bathroom and while he’s doing something else, I quickly get rid of the boxes in a bag, and unpack everything. Then I go shove the bag into the bottom of the recycle bin!

    Oh and I don’t just do it with beauty stuff, I have been known to sneak shoes and clothes home also. If he’s ever noticed, he’s never said a thing 🙂

    Reply

  19. I haven’t hidden anything, but I usually don’t point it out either. For the last few years, I have put my kids and my husband first, so over the last few months, I have decided to get some new makeup, try some new looks, etc., so I have been on a makeup buying spree (MAC, drugstore, Sephora). Hubby has been really understanding, but I hate it when something I bought ends up not working and I spent a lot of money on it, especially when we really need to tighten the budget. I just did a swap on Makeup Alley for some stuff that I am sure I will use and I can get rid of the stuff that doesn’t work.
    .-= Toni’s last blog post… Downsizing My Stuff =-.

    Reply

  23. I usually don’t hide it from my fiancee because he sees my makeup and shoe addiction as part of being a woman. He’s sweet:-) my mom yes i used to hide shoes and makeup from her all the time. When she’d see me in a new pair of shoes i’d pretend it’s old! Heehee *evil laugh* she couldn’t tell the difference because i have so many shoes.

    Reply

  25. Oh yeah, I try to hide as much as possible. And then when my husband walks in the bathroom when I’m getting ready he just kind of looks at all the makeup but never says anything. And he sees the statements but never questions me on what I buy – I do love him for that.

    Reply

  26. I don’t, but as someone else said, I don’t point it out either 😉 I work hard, and have a pretty high stress job, so my husband doesn’t really mind 🙂

    Reply

  27. Ah, YEAH!!! And don’t you be tellin’ him now either!!!

    This is the reason that I:

    A- Carry a BIG purse and/or tote bag
    B- go to Sephora or Ulta on Saturdays (he works from 8am to 8:30 pm)
    C- get my shipments sent to me at my work address

    BTW, the same works with clothes shopping too….

    Reply

  29. I don’t hide my make up purchases from my bf. In fact I tell him I’m going to Sephora or ordering from them online and he’s ok with it. I even show him what I get. He might not understand the obsession but he knows it makes me happy even though I somehow always end up spending about $200 at each transaction. No one ever said being/feeling beautiful was cheap.

    Reply

  31. Yes on sneaking items, no to carrying oversized bags. I usually just sneak them in when he’s not around, LOL. Such a risque motion!

    I definitely show off most, if not all items but I’ll fib about a few of the prices if he asks. Some things he just doesn’t understand 😉

    Reply

  32. … I admitt I do this but only once in awhile! This reminds me of an episode of True Life: I’m A Compulsive Shopper. I think everyone should go on MTV and watch that episode!

    Reply

  36. This reminds me of those check lists you see in magazine articles about addiction…. “You might have a problem with alcohol if you hide bottles around the house.”

    So, the equivalent here is “you might have a makeup problem if you hide it, smuggle it in large purses, etc.”

    I do it too! But I prefer to call it a hobby, a very serious hobby, not a problem 🙂

    Reply

  37. omg – i hate to say but yes I have.. But then sometimes, i show him.. more often – I don’t.. I feel so guilty but i look soooo good!!!

    XOXOXO love you guys!

    Reply

  39. Yes, and with clothing too. If it doesn’t fit in my purse, then I put it in the closet when I get home, and wait til he isn’t around to put it away.

    I’m not broke, nor do I over spend, but it just makes me feel better somehow. Like it never happened because we don’t talk about it or see it!! haha

    Reply

  40. Haha, yes I do! From my mom. I try to grab the mail before she gets home so she won’t see my Sephora packages, lol. And if I go shopping in store, I leave the bag in my room so she won’t see it. If I do show her, I make sure I got it on sale, so I can brag “Hey look, wasn’t this a great deal?” Usually she agrees (it’s the Chinese in us!) but she still scolds me and tells me to save money. But I’m powerless against the words “sale!” and “limited edition!”

    Reply

  42. I have to hide purchases and gifts from Mama Puff! Sometimes I get samples to review for my blog, and she always says “WELL since I’m MOM I should get this and this and this!” 😛

    Oh, and last night, I was gifted a Pixi lip stain from a friend, and she walked in OOing and AHHing and asked what it was. I decided to pick on her and tell her it was a vial of crack.

    ….bad mistake >.>
    .-= sarahPUFFY’s last blog post… WIYB: Puffaloo =-.

    Reply

  43. I hide them most of the time, except if he’s shopping from me.
    But soon I’m gonna get caught because I need new boxes to put my new snucked in make up and he’s the one making the boxes :s

    Reply

  44. I really don’t have to hide makeup purchases from my boyfriend since he and I shop together when he needs more man creams. But I do have to hide the other beauty product purchases….my shoes!! I work part-time at a shoe store and the SOLE reason why I work there is the discount!!!! So it’s only natural to spend money on shoes when I work surrounded by shoes. He doesn’t like it though since I have shoes stacked in my closet and in the spare bedroom, shoes stored in his apartment, and until a couple of weeks ago, shoes stacked in a storage unit! So what I do after purchasing yet another pair of shoes is stick them in my trunk and, as many girls have mentioned, sneak them upstairs when the coast is clear. ;D

    Reply

  45. Too funny. I usually stick stuff in my purse because I don’t see the point of getting a shopping bag when I’m already carrying a bag — save the planet, right!? But, I don’t get as many questions about what I’ve bought as an added bonus.

    Reply

  46. Nope. Nor do I hide my other indulgences, like Louboutins, designer purses, cashmere sweaters, etc. The way I look at it, it’s my money, and as long as I’m paying my fair share of the bills, putting money in my retirement fund, saving, and giving charity, what I do with the rest is nobody’s business, not even my hubby’s.

    Thankfully we no longer live in an era where we have to ask our husbands/boyfriends for money. We’re educated, independent women and I say as long as we’re fiscally and morally responsible with our money, let’s spend it how we like it and celebrate our ability to do so! Men don’t get makeup anyway :).

    Reply

  47. No way! But like someone else said – I don’t point it out either. My Hub just rolls his eyes when I talk makeup anyways lol. I’m the more “money minded” person in the relationship too so I think that’s a part of it. I buy alot but I also work my little tush off to be able to do so (pd off both cars! woot woot!) so I’m gonna enjoy it!

    Got a snide remark from my MIL once about my stash (when it was small and not out in the open!) so I warned my hub that next time she visits there will be floor to ceiling mu! ha!

    Reply

  49. Unfortunately, yes, I do. My husband has no problem eating out a lot with his co-workers, and buying games and electronics without consulting me as long as they’re under $20, but he gets peeved whenever I buy a new eyeshadow. I try to point out that I don’t eat out, and it costs less than his games, but he says my purchase is a waste, and that he’ll actually use his (often doesn’t btw). Doesn’t help he doesn’t like makeup on people (blue eyeshadow is the same as only eyeliner in his book… and his mom wore makeup! WTH!)

    *Sigh* It’s a thing I’m slowly working on…

    Any case, I don’t use a big purse, I just leave it in the car until the coast is clear ;D.

    Reply

  51. Well,not really,however I am not sure if my husband realizes how much I can spend or how much these things cost.
    Since he uses Chanel only (from deodorant to shave and the rest of the stuff – whatever guys use),he actually encourages me to use i.e.Chanel or other high end stuff (not that I don’t 😀 ).The problem(?) is that he doesn’t know (or rather he is not aware at all) my potential – I can go from MAC to the Bay to Holt Renfrew to Sephora and a grant is gone,just like that and one hour is not even gone – (just think what I can do in the next hour -ha,ha).So,I don’t hide.

    Reply

  54. Yes I have. I’ve even gotten home early just so I can stash away my makeup mail orders before my boyfriend comes home. =)

    Reply

  55. I do it all the time! My boyfriend nor my Mum have no idea how bad my nailpolish collection has got! I now have over 30 Chanel polishes as well as lots of essie and opi too!

    Sometimes I feel guilty about spending so much money on make-up but that feeling doesn’t last long when I look at my new pretties!

    Reply

  56. Yeah…but he is very observant…he recognizes when I wear something new or do something different with my makeup…which, come to think of it, I should be super happy for that.

    Reply

  57. YES! my boyfriend hates when I bring home new beauty products, especially make-up. He always critizies me, saying “Did you REALLY need another mascara?!” … Men, they’ll never understand! lol

    Reply

  58. YES!! I have to hide what i buy from my mom. She doesn’t understand why i buy so much makeup. She’s always like “Use what you have.” Whenever i order something online, i steal it from the front door before my mom can get it, lol. It’s terrible, but i hate being scolded.

    Reply

  59. I do, once in a while, especially when I have a huge purchase. My Mom scolds me for spending too much money on makeup, but then she never wears them 😀 And my dear bf, always inquires why do I need new lip gloss or eyeshadow. Oh well, men!

    Reply

  62. Ssssshhh…but I do it too. And I even have a hubby who is supportive of my beauty habit. For me it is my own little voice inside my head asking if I *really* needed that lipstick, or eyeliner or nail polish…and the worst is when I go into Walgreens or the grocery store to other non-make up shopping and I walk out with one or teo make up items. I mean really, did I need to spend an extra $8.99 on a Revlon Colorstay eyeliner or Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick when I have a whole pencil cup full of MAC and Urban Decay eyeliners and a drawer full of lipsticks….no….it’s those purchases that I sometimes feel guilty about. I’m lucky that I don’t have to hide my purchases, but I definitely do sometimes anyway!

    Reply

  63. I do! And I feel bad! He does not mind, he’ll just start saying do you need that much make-up? But my mum’s worst! haha.. sometimes when I do online shopping I would just shipped it to a friends place just so my mum doesn’t nag me all the time. haha…

    Reply

  66. Oh yeah, all the time. And I try to pay cash if at all possible so he doesn’t see the bills. I try to hide it in the house too but that’s harder to do, since I need to get to it easily.

    Reply

  67. All the time! Men just don’t understand the need for more makeup! And he always says the right thing, that I look great without any makeup. But it’s still fun, no? Most of my makeup purchases are made online, so it’s easy to stash away the boxes/padded envelopes in the recycling before he comes over. It doesn’t help that he’s SO CHEAP! Drugstore makeup purchases are a whole ‘nother story! And he just doesn’t get that $7 for a blush is actually a great deal!
    .-= Celine’s last blog post… maravi: Was going to cook for Anthony tonight… just not feeling it right now. Burgers! =-.

    Reply

  69. YES I do this too! My problem is getting to the mail before my husband does, since I buy a lot of stuff online. Also, we share a bank account so I try to buy things at places that take Paypal so he won’t be able to tell what the money went to.

    Reply

  70. I used to tell my boyfriend not to let me buy anymore lip glosses because I own so many of them. His response was, “Why would I do that? I could tell you not to buy them, but then you would just get mad at me.” So now I buy whatever I want (with my own paycheck) and show it to him. Though I do feel guilty at times. I like to spend my money on makeup and clothes, and he’s saving for the future!

    Reply

  71. Of course I do!! I live with my mum and she would kill me if she knew exactly how much i spend on MAC (here it’s rather expensive), she doesn’t understand my facination with make-up. But she gets suspicious when i take out my store box, because it gets bigger every time!!.. jajaja
    Never underestimate a mother’s ituition, you might think you fool them but you really don’t.

    Reply

  72. I actually don’t hide purchases from my boyfriend, in fact I usually am really excited to tell him all about it (much to his dismay) when I get home! He does sometimes get exasperated at my spending… but as long as I pay my part of the rent & bills and I’m not putting myself into CC debt he sees it as a fine if somewhat silly hobby. LOL.

    I do however, definitely hide my purchases from my mom (though being 2000 miles away helps). I mean, I’m not quite financially independent yet (undergrad, with loans and a part time job) since she helps out with my rent & cosigns my loans and I don’t think I spend *THAT* much, especially as I’m able to cover a good bit of my tuition myself (though… that was before the projected increase coming Winter ’09 =/). But she would just never, ever understand. She’s very low maintenance herself and disapproves of bright lipstick as “making [my] mouth look too big.”
    .-= Catherine’s last blog post… NOTW & Zoya Order 3 Swatches =-.

    Reply

  74. Wow, I had no idea so many of us were doing this. I do it, too. And then feel (slightly) guilty about it. But only slightly…lol.

    Reply

  75. That is EXACTLY what i do every single time i go shopping!! I think its hilarious~ But a great way to avoid any of those “youre wasting your money on all this makeup!” sayings.

    Reply

  77. Hi Karen! Actually I did it, because one more perfume was just way out of line. I’m addicted to perfumes (more than makeup if u can believe it) and when I was taking one trip in Greece and after buying like 3 perfumes already, I just saw the Rock’n’Rose by Valentino and I couldn’t resist the temptation of having it. It happened another time too, Secret Obssession by CK which I hide it long enough from my bf. He knows that I like perfumes, but he said more than 30 is way crazier….I was clean clean for more than 6 months, when my nose couldn’t take it anymore and 2 weeks ago I had the La Prairie perfume – Life threads Silver.
    .-= Tavia’s last blog post… Jimmy Choo for H&M =-.

    Reply

  78. Ha! Ha! Ha! I do it all the time. But much to my exasperation, my hubby has the week off from work and my Fun in the Sun Mineralize kit was delivered yesterday. When asked what was in the box I casually replied a lipgloss:-D

    Reply

  79. Yes. XD I used to hide beauty purchases from my mom all the time when I lived at home and now I hide them from my roommate. XD He just doesn’t understand why I need so much stuff, so it’s easier this way, since he never notices once it’s in my room. The only problem is I get excited over my purchases and always want to tell him what I got! I don’t lie about it though. I just…hope he doesn’t ask. XD

    Reply

  80. I don’t have a partner, but I do hide my 3 MAC 15 palettes from my mother when she comes to visit (although, last weekend only she asked if I had some makeup to spare). This is a classic trick with clothes, too. You buy f.ex. a new blouse, let it hang in your closet for some weeks, and then claim to your partner that it is an old one. (I suppose only men could buy this.)

    Reply

  81. I do not have to, but sometimes I really feel ashamed when I count my stashes… He was about to buy me the Guerlain Voyage de Lux Powder, then we headed to a jewelery-store and I tried some pearls on (and they were expensive, Jesus!). He was like – yes, might be something for Christmas. He is crazy, and I feel now guilty spending money on make-up or else. Jewels are forever!
    But I do not hide my stuff, I sneak around him: Honey… honey… I bought something! He also says as long as I pay my bills I can buy whatever I want. He is always interested in hwat I bought, I mean – not really but he knows it’s my hobby and I am happy to look with him together at the
    stuff.
    I would even allow him to buy make-up for me!He knows what suits me…
    .-= Andreea’s last blog post… L’ORÉAL Professionnel play ball Extreme Honey im Männertest =-.

    Reply

  82. are you kidding me?!? I RACE home to get the UPS/Fedex/USPS packages before my husbands gets home. Sometimes my kid rats me out. Sometimes I distract him with snacks so I can run to the front porch and snatch my package. But either way, I think my husband only knows about 1/5 of my actual beauty purchases. Not telling is NOT the same as lying 🙂 Not by my rules!

    Reply

  84. lol right away, I cracked up when I read this. Yes, oh my goodness. I definitely do. He doesn’t get the whole makeup thing. When we go to the drugstore, he says you only got minutes, so no looking at makeup. I could spend hours in the beauty department, like some men spend time watching or playing sports. this is too funny.

    Reply

  85. ALL THE TIME. If my parents or S.O. knew how much I spent they would make me have an intervention. I work at a large makeup store and my coworkers even notice how much I spend but they don’t know about my makeup life outside of work and how I have to have every single MAC collection. *hangs head*

    Reply

  86. The small items he never sees, but the bigger ones (parfum, shampoo, palletes) I hide in my gigantic purse, so my husband does not see.
    When in home, I put the new item among the others, so he never knows qhat’s new and what was already there.

    Reply

  87. Oh my god, I had no idea that others hid their (beauty) purchases too! I don’t carry around a big bag for this case, but I usually have enough space in my bag anyways. Sometimes i admit buying something, but mainly if it’s something that I know they’ll notice anyways. Makeup- they only notice it looks good, but they don’t question.
    I think I inherited this from my mom as well, who did the same thing with clothes.
    When i moved back home for a month, I constantly had to hide my makeup after getting ready, so that she wouldn’t find it after i left the house.I just know i couldn’t justify a Guerlain quad or Mac lipstick to her. And yes, i often feel guilty and ashamed. Guilty for the purchase of something not necessary, and ashamed for the hiding. But it’ something i enjoy, and i do cherish my products,and try to make good use of them. (That just sounded even more ‘addict-ish’ 🙂 )

    Reply

  88. Yes that’s me! My husband is the frugal one. I have an obsession w/eye make-up and nail polish. I definately don’t use up what I have before I try new ones!

    Reply

  90. my day to day purse is BIG, so i stash all my purchases in there {clothes, make-up etc.}….my parents have no idea!…{atleast i don’t think they do}!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

CommentLuv badge

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Copyright © 2020 Makeup and Beauty Blog. Get in touch.