2020 most expensive purchases

Reviewing My 2020 Beauty Expenses

Hi Everyone!

Today, I’m reviewing my expenses for 2020! I bought makeup in January before our first lockdown happened. So I have some unopened makeup sitting in my drawer. The rest of my beauty purchases were all skincare or hair related.

Check out my previous beauty expenses posts:

2017 | 2018 | 2019

My 2019 Beauty Budget

CategoryBudgetActual
Skincare500230
Primers1500
Foundations/Powders/Sprays1500
Concealers1200
Eyeliners500
Brows5045
Mascara500
Lips10020
Blush600
Highlighter600
Bronzer600
Miscellaneous250
Makeup Tools10
Makeup Remover30
Haircare105
Perfume/Deodorant15
TOTAL1600460

As you can see, I spent just over a quarter of my planned 2020 budget. I only purchased makeup in January and I also spent less on skincare. I’m not exactly sure why the skincare expenses went down too. I am still using skincare on a daily basis whereas I haven’t used my makeup in a year.

My 6 most expensive beauty purchases of 2020 (all products purchased from Sephora during VIB sale at 15% off, prices are approximate):

  1. Volition Beauty Snow Mushroom Water Serum – $75
  2. Volition Beauty Helix AM/PM Eye Gel – $62
  3. Clinique Even Better Eyes Dark Circle Corrector – $52
  4. Briogeo Be Gentle, Be Kind Banana + Coconut Superfoods Shampoo & Conditioner Hair Pack – $53
  5. Briogeo Scalp Revival Soothing Travel Kit – $29
  6. Glow Recipe Papaya Enzyme Smoothing Cleansing Balm – $28

Out of the products listed above, I would repurchase the Volition Snow Mushroom Water Serum, Clinique Even Better Eyes Darck Circle Corrector and Glow Recipe papaya Enzyme Smoothing Cleansing Balm. You can read my review on the Helix AM/PM Eye Gel.

 For the Briogeo products, I didn’t like the Scalp Revival Soothing Travel Kit and ended up sending the products to my friends. The Banana + Coconut Superfoods Shampoo & Conditioner are nice, but I’m not the biggest fan of the scent. I might consider trying the Be Gentle, Be Kind Matcha + Apple Replenishing Superfood Shampoo and Kale + Apple Replenishing Superfood Conditioner.

2018 was the year I spent the most on beauty products. I bought a lot of makeup at Winners back then. In 2018, I had 340 makeup items (including nail polish, perfumes and makeup remover). The majority of those were eyeshadows (I counted each pan instead of the number of palettes). I decluttered a bunch of makeup/nail polish by the end of 2018. Since 2019, my makeup inventory has been under 100 items. I’m hoping that I can get my inventory down to 30-50 items by the end of this year. I know it sounds counterintuitive as a beauty blogger, but I’m just not as drawn to new launches as others. When new products launch, I don’t HAVE to have it immediately. I actually prefer to read the reviews on products and wait until the hype has died down to see if others actually like the products and continue to use them in their daily makeup routines.

For 2021, I hope to spend the same amount on beauty products (around $500). I doubt I will buy much makeup this year, but maybe I will buy a few items just so I can have some new reviews on the blog. I know last year, I didn’t write many blog posts and I’d like to get back into it again.

Love,