It's Been a Long December
And there's reason to believe (budget issue #4)
I’ve been on a de facto no-buy since December 15th, when I spent the very last dollars of my 2023 beauty budget. It’s been a really good year in beauty for me.
If I may be permitted a small aside, I think what I’m most proud of is the actualization of Ordinary Beauty as a place where I can create something beautiful. I’m learning how and why I want to write about beauty. I’m learning how to do photography that matches the vibe I want. I feel really good about all the recommendations I have made this year. So far, they have stood the test of time.
I set out to write a site that I would like to read, which is to say: not sponsored, not fueled by PR, thoughtful, with product recommendations (mostly) one at a time. I wanted to write from the perspective of being a regular person, not someone who works in the beauty or fashion industries. Ordinary Beauty is about codifying that feeling I get every time I buy something and want to tell people how good it is.
So I’m doing a victory lap today, feeling great about this project and where it’s headed in 2024. But the official purpose of this post is to report on my December beauty spending, so let’s get into it! We’ll use the same order as I used in November: clothing, skincare, makeup, candles.
What did I buy?
CLOTHING
I bought two pieces of clothing this month. The first was a long-sleeve tunic top from Amazon. The second was a pair of black, bootcut leggings from Pact. I’ve been really happy with both pieces ($77.93).
SKINCARE
I bought several replacements, including deodorant, body wash, and curl cream for my hair ($25.30).
MAKEUP
After buying two pieces of makeup in November, I didn’t buy anything this month!
CANDLES
I bought two new candles this month, the same ones I recommended recently: Chesapeake Bay Cranberry Dahlia and Luna Tigre Christmas Tree. Both are absolutely beautiful candles for wintertime ($33.53).
TOTAL SPENT: $136.76
What did I want to buy?
I was tempted AGAIN to buy the new Vuori leggings, but I’ve decided to put that decision off until at least January.
I threw a few things on my December wish list, including a purple baked blush from Essence, a Lou & Grey pajama set, square or rectangular hoop earrings, and a new comb. The nice thing about a wish list is that you don’t have to make a decision about anything! Items can hang out there indefinitely. You can look at your wish list and say, “Yeah, I still want that. But I’m not ready to commit.”
Since I am out of money until my budget renews in 2024, I’m just letting my wish lists1 mellow like fine wine. No money = no buy.
How I’m feeling
I’m feeling good!
I absolutely love the black leggings I bought. They have filled a long-vacant hole in my wardrobe. I’m happy with everything else I bought too, and I’m content to be on my de facto no-buy as I finish up our Christmas shopping.
Admittedly, receiving a lot of lovely gifts for my birthday and Christmas makes this month very exciting. I would be hard-pressed to say I’m deprived, even though my personal beauty budget for December was smaller than any other month this year.
Finally, I have a mega summary of my 2023 beauty budget coming up soon, so stay tuned for that!
Title reference: the best end-of-the-year song, “Long December” by Counting Crows.
Image courtesy of Myriam Zilles via unsplash.
I started a wish list for January too, mostly as a nod to the fact that I am absolutely not buying any of these things in December.