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How Has the Pandemic Changed Your Beauty Shopping Habits?

by 27 Comments

caraa mask
Smile with your eyes

Obvs, most people aren’t going to department stores to swatch things on their arms or the backs of their hands anymore!

Do you find that you’re spending more or less on makeup now than you were before March?

I’m still buying and wearing makeup, but I’m purchasing and wearing more drugstore products for sure — hair, body and makeup. I still have the itch to try new things, but it’s less of an itch to drop $$$ on high-end stuff by mail order, you know? So I’m spending less.

As stressful as it can be to go to Thunderdome Target sometimes, depending on how aggressive and dismissive some shoppers have been with masks and social distancing when I’ve been there, at least I know I can pop into Target to get something or process a quick return if need be (they even have a separate, usually shorter, line for returns).

I’ve also tried perfumes without smelling them…which I never would’ve thought to do before (I’m looking at you, Demeter Kitten Fur!).

How about you? How has the pandemic changed your beauty shopping habits?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF! 😊

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. I am spending less on makeup but I am making a conscious effort to do that. I recently had a couple days off of work, and I tried to organize all of my products and makeup, even going through stuff I had got during last Black Friday (!) and realized I have way too much! So when I’m in the mood for a new lipstick, I try and shop my stash. When I need thicker moisturizer for winter, I see what’s in the closet.

    Reply

      • I would say it’s a work in progress! So no, not totally done yet! I am having a hard time figuring out how to group things – like do I put all my travel sizes in one thing or all my face lotions together? I am giving myself permission to toss out old things, or things that are less than half full that I know I won’t use.

        Reply

        • Well I’ve been reorganizing for what feels like years now so you’re not alone!

          I would do the travel size things together, because then you have them all in one space which will make it easier for packing.

          Reply

  2. I’m trying to curb it, but I wouldn’t say it’s going welllllll.

    I like getting the packages and honestly there’s been some pretty awesome things I’ve gotten in this time frame. I would say I’m hesitating more on things I would usually just order and return if I didn’t like them.

    There’s been some big ticket items during quad I’ve been waiting for that are more $$$ but so worth it IMO.

    Reply

    • You know what, if it doesn’t break your budget and it makes you happen, why not?! Enjoy those little things, you know? That’s what 2020 has definitely taught me.

      Reply

  3. For me its definitely been way less for makeup. Though when Marc Jacobs had the closet sale, I did pick up several sets that were very well priced. I too have been shopping my stash when I get an urge to buy lipstick. Although, I did purchase two lipsticks from Bite Beauty Lip Lab (spent an hour with the consultant for a sheer pink and autumn red lip).

    Other than that, I’ve definitely spent on skincare. Serums, treatments, masks and cleansers. I’ve only given myself a haircut and I’ve let my grays grow out for quite sometime and no spa days or thai massages so I’m not overboard on anything. My skin hasn’t looked this well for me in a while.

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  4. I’ve spending the same or maybe even a bit more! In some ways it makes no sense because I only wear a full face of makeup at home. (Wearing makeup under my mask = mascne) But, I figure if it gives me joy to wear a beautiful lipstick that only I see that’s still worth it!

    As far as how I buy, I have bought mostly online, which I never did before. Surprisingly, it has mostly worked out well, even for complexion products. YouTube, Instagram, and your blog have been super helpful for figuring out shades!

    Reply

  6. I haven’t worn lipstick in six months, which is sad because I love it, but because of the masks, I just wear lip balm. I have been moisturizing like a crazy person lately though, the dry Central Valley CA air is awful, so it’s all moisturizer/sunscreen all the time. My skin is so happy! I have been buying a lot of nail polish though, five bottles this month! So far…

    Reply

    • Ooh, what polish did you get? I just got back into the habit of painting my nails again. (I can’t believe that I wrote that. 2020 has been kicking my butt, for sure.)

      Reply

  7. hi, karen!
    oh my. even before the pandemic, i was trying to cut down my spending for higher end makeup, and shifting to quality skincare. i’m a SAH, and i barely go out. if i do errands, i’ll skip makeup & just make sure i have sunscreen & moisturizer on. *sigh* i’ve definitely purged my stash/backups. i crave getting new stuff, but now i’ll think about it a lot longer, than before. it’s a bummer because i want to swatch colors instead of doing a tedious return process.

    you’re right though! target & walmart have been my go-to stores (one stop shop!) and i’ll pick up a few new things once in a while. although, the internet is way too convenient to browse skincare. 😂

    Reply

    • I know what you mean about skin care. I just watched a video a couple weeks ago (AOC’s skin care routine on the Vogue) and at the end I wanted the toner, the sunscreen… the whole kit and caboodle. LOL!

      Have you ordered from Target.com yet? They can be hit or miss, I’ve noticed, when it comes to beauty products. Once I ordered a conditioner and it didn’t make it to my house at all. And another time I ordered a lipstick from The Lip Bar and it arrived broken. I do have to say they do an excellent job with sending replacements.

      Reply

  8. Definitely less, although I’ve been sticking to what I like/know in terms of beauty products and not trying/experimenting with new things anymore. I did buy 3 limited Chanel blushes recently (very happy about that) and 3 Chanel nail polishes (my fiancé was shocked at the price, Ba ha ha!) but I told him that it’s cheaper than getting my nails done, which is true. I still have my eye on a few more, but I’ll have to restrain myself.

    Reply

  9. I’m spending way less. Since I’m now working from home, I only wear foundation, blush and eye brow pencil most days. I keep a lipstick on my desk, which I use before a meeting. With masks I don’t even put on lipstick when I go to the grocery store.
    I’ve only been in the office twice since March 13 and those are the only times I’ve put on eye makeup except for maybe four Zoom meetings.
    I miss wearing more makeup, so maybe I’ll start wearing more on regular work from home days.

    Reply

  10. I’m buying less; picking up an item here and there that really appeals to me. I’m not a fan of most drugstore makeup so I can’t say that the pandemic has moved me from high end to low, but overall I’m spending less because I absolutely hate to buy and then return—so wasteful and such a nuisance. I’m pretty much sticking to brands I know work well for me and to color stories that suit my esthetic. In general I’m wearing a more muted, natural look so I just don’t need the variety of colors, finishes, and textures that would normally grab my attention. As for basics, I haven’t bought mascara since Nordstrom’s mascara madness eons ago and I still have an unopened tube. I have naturally long, black eyelashes anyway so it really is optional for me. As for eyeliner, I use one of my very dark eyeshadows to line my eyes rather than buying new products. As for lipstick, I’ve only purchased one Rouge Coco Flash since the pandemic hit. Most days I don’t wear foundation, blush, highlighter, and finishing powder so I really don’t need to replenish my stash. So, yeah, I’m saving a bundle on cosmetics. I’m still a big spender on skin care, though.

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  11. Thunderdome Target” Lol. You have a way with words. Bur seriously, why does Target have to be that way? What is it about that store that brings out the weird and worst in folks? It’s been several years since I’ve worked up the courage to go to Target. Mostly I just order what I want from them on-line and have it delivered.

    I’ve sort of shifted my spending to skincare. My hair and skin seem so stressed and I keep thinking I’m handling this well, why is my skin, hair and body going to pot?
    So I’m just been concentrating on gentle skincare.
    Although I did buy the NARS Vacances eye and cheek palette during the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale, mostly because I wanted the Behave blush.
    There are several shadow palettes I’ve been wanting, but I hesitate to spend the $$$ on them. And it’s hard deciding which one to get if I just get one.

    Reply

  12. Hi Karen.
    Think I’ve been spending less on makeup although like you, I pick up things at the drugstore. I miss the in store shopping experience. For me, it’s an escape and I like seeing products in person. I have done a little online shopping but sometimes it’s hard to tell the true shade of a product like lipstick or foundation. I may make a trip to Target to check out the hair products you mentioned in your previous post.

    Reply

  13. Actually, it hasn’t! I’m already a careful and deliberative shopper, only buying things I’m reasonably sure I’ll like. I already buy a lot of makeup, skincare, and fragrance online. I didn’t do much swatching even before the pandemic, and I generally buy fragrances either blind or semi-blind (semi-blind means that I read the fragrance’s scent profile, usually on Fragrantica, and decide from there whether I’m interested in the fragrance).

    Reply

  15. I’ve really changed my spending habits this period as the pandemic settled in, and I realized I don’t need new makeup at all. I do need to use what I already own (currently)!

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  16. Hi Karen,
    Interesting question, but an embarrassing one for me nonetheless.
    I am a bit of a stress shopper, which is no big problem -anymore!-, because nowadays I spent within my financial means. (If i can say so, english is not my first language…)
    But I recognized this pattern about four years ago: stress at work – i bought two lipsticks / being sick – I bought two bottles of bubble bath / had an argument (luckily that does not happen very often) – bought half of the beauty isle…
    So I started making an inventory and a „bought, used up and thrown away“ List in 2016… That helped me a lot to see, what my problem areas are (lipstick, blush and body wash!) and to see how much money I spent and how much I threw away in the end. So I got better every year, but I still have a lipstick I bought in 2010 and all my blushes are from 2013…. Who needs 12 peach coloured blushes?
    So that is the pattern I found, that made me really try hard to switch my mind: I only wear the same colours over and over again and I don‘t change the product itself often, but I BUY al lot of similar things and they sit in my collection. I happily use the same eyeshadow palette, powder, mascara etc… and for blush I change between an intense coral an a soft peach colour. And for my cryptonite lipstick: I use a lipstick for three to six month straight before I change it with another one from my collection…
    So my attempt to buy less stuff I would throw away in the end, because I DO not wear berry blush etc was going more or less well, but I am so stressed with Corona (luckily not financially!) and at work I am working crazy hours since march and there is no end in sight. So for this year I tend to buy more – classic retail therapy -, because I am stressed AND it is so hard to find time for sports and yoga… Not really to find the 10 minutes, but to come down and switch my mind off working mode and stop worrying, if you know what I mean.
    So until now: This year I gained weight and spent about 700§ on beauty stuff that is worth about 1.500§ – I am a bargain shopper 😉 – (and used up things worth about 500§) which does not sound too shabby, but I wanted to buy nothing to reduce my collection. AND a big warning sign for me is that I bought 15! lipsticks or glosses inspite of wearing face masks..
    Take care,
    Carina

    Reply

  17. Oh…. I got carried away with my shopping habits and forgot to say: Coincidently I got off birth control in february and my skin is going crazy with breakouts like a teen, so I concentrate a lot on skin care. Perhaps this is making me feel uncomfortable, too.
    But it is not good for my wallet that everyone seems to concentrate on skin care at the moment although I try not to get lured in a 10 step korean skin care routine. Ain‘t nobody got time for that… But I buy new serums and creams, because my trustworthy old ones do me no good anymore and I try new actives like niacinamide etc…
    And I try to buy mostly online, because i find it easier to stop myself from overspending that way… and I try not to go to the mall with the pandemic…

    Reply

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