Welcome back to another update on my spending challenge journey! In this post, I’ll be sharing the outcomes of my Q2 (aka April to June) beauty spending challenge. This new post will be considerably longer than my previous ones as not only does it cover a longer period of time, but also a very difficult time in my life. The details on the latter, or some of the details will be covered in the comments so until then it is safe to read if you wish to see what piqued my interest in terms of beauty product during this period.
Let’s dive into the details of my experience over the past quarter.
April’s Purchases
- MediHeal Watermide Toner Pad, 100 Pads – £21.57
- MediHeal Watermide Toner Pad, 100 Pads – £21.57
- Style Korean Happy 9th Anniversary Box – Purple Edition – £30.64
- Skin1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule 30ml – £0.79
- Be the Skin Heartless O2 Bubble Wash Off Mask – £7.07
- Style Korean Happy 9th Anniversary Box – Pink Edition – £30.63
- Cult Beauty The Ready For Radiance Edit – £80.00
- Cult Beauty The Set For Sun Edit – £40.00
In April I ended up spending a total of £232.27 on beauty products.
May’s Purchases
- Biodance Bio-Collagen Real Deep Mask Set (4 masks) – £14.15
- Tocobo Cica Cooling Sun Stick – £13.84
- VT Cosmetics VT Reedle Shot 300 – £29.08
- Belief Super Knight Multi Vitamin Lipcerin 15mlx2 – £14.93
- Needly Daily Toner Pad (60 pads) – £18.00
- Skinfood Carrot Carotene Daily Mask – £12.18
- Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Balm Sunscreen Stick SPF 30 – £27.00
- BYOMA Liptide Lip Oil 5ml – £9.99
- NARS Cosmetics Pencil Sharpener – £7.65
- Olehenriksen X Cult Edit Box – £40.00
- The Cult Beauty x Glow Recipe Edit – £39.00
- Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mist Discovery Set – £40.00
- KINOMEGUMI – Natural Beauty Foot Detox Patch [Chili – 30 pcs] – £14.09
- SKINFOOD – Carrot Carotene Calming Water Pad – £10.64
- Anua – Heartleaf 77 Clear Pad – £9.59
- numbuzin – No. 3 Super Glowing Essence Toner – £8.21
- numbuzin – No.1 Pure-Full Calming Herb Toner – £12.20
- Naturie – Hatomugi Skin Conditioner – £11.32
- PUREDERM – Collagen Eye Zone Mask 30pcs – £1.94
- AIPPO – Expert Hydrating Ampoule [30ml] – £15.51
- the SKIN HOUSE – Natural Balancing Toner [130ml] – £8.57
- MACQUEEN – The Big Waterproof Pencil Gel Liner – £2.68
- Mary&May – Niacinamide Vitamin C Brightening Mask [30 sheets] – £12.92
- Isntree – Ultra-Low Molecular Hyaluronic Acid Serum [50ml] – £12.91
- Shiseido – Senka Perfect Whip Collagen In A Beauty Face Foam – £6.60
- innisfree – No-Sebum Mineral Powder – £5.98
- APLB – Glutathione Niacinamide Eye Cream [20ml] – £7.14
- numbuzin – No.5 Vitamin Concentrated Serum [30ml] – £15.95
- numbuzin – No.5 Vitamin-Niacinamide Concentrated Pad [70 pads] – £15.67
- UNLEASHIA – Don’t Touch Glass Pink Cushion – £10.45
- numbuzin – No. 9 Secret Firming Serum [50ml] – £17.09
- numbuzin – No. 3 Pore Reset Ampoule Shot [25ml] – £20.05
- Lador – Perfumed Hair Care Keratin LPP Shampoo – £17.70
- mixsoon – Galactomyces Toner Pad [60 pads] – £26.34
- mixsoon – Centella Toner Pad [120 pads] – £22.10
- VILLAGE 11 FACTORY – Collagen Ampoule 50ml – £6.70
- ViCREA – &honey Herb Smooth Shampoo – £20.48
- MEDI-PEEL – Power Aqua Cream – £12.59
- numbuzin – No.4 SOS Icy Soothing Sheet Mask Set – £7.78
- numbuzin – No.2 Water Collagen 65% Voluming Mask Set – £8.38
- numbuzin – No.1 Pure Glass Clean Tone Up – £9.80
- medicube – Zero Pore Pad 2.0 – £17.68
- MEDI-PEEL – Peptide 9 Volume All In One Essence – £19.24
- MEDI-PEEL – Peptide 9 Volume And Tension Tox Cream Pro – £11.89
- MEDI-PEEL – Peptide 9 Volume Biotox Ampoule Pro – £16.18
- ETUDE – Dear Darling Water Tint [Cherry Ade] – £3.40
- COSRX – Advanced Snail 92 All In One Cream – £12.87
- COSRX – Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence – £9.86
- COSRX – Centella Water Alcohol-Free Toner – £8.05
- COSRX – Full Fit Propolis Synergy Toner – £8.93
- romand – Zero Matte Lipstick – £6.46
- Torriden – DIVE-IN Low Molecule Hyaluronic Acid Skin Booster – £10.87
- TIA’M – Anti Blemish Body Lotion – £7.81
- MEDI-PEEL – Mela+ Tox Ampoule – £10.43
- MEDI-PEEL – Aqua Mooltox Sparkling Pad – £18.38
- ETUDE – Dear Darling Water Tint [Grape] – £3.40
- numbuzin – No.4 Hydrating Glow Mineral Toner – £11.76
- Anua – Peach 77 Niacin Essence Toner – £16.15
- MEDI-PEEL – Eazy Filler Ampoule – £11.39
- CARE:NEL – Aqua Night Mask 15ml – £3.29
- numbuzin – No. 6 Deep Sleep Mask Serum – £14.45
- KSECRET – Calamine 30 Days Secret Toner – £10.97
- KSECRET – Eye Gel Patches – £11.14
- MAMONDE – Blue Azulene Cloud Toner – £15.59
- BRING GREEN – Tea Tree Cica Trouble Soothing Toner Pad – £13.73
- Dr. Althea – 345 Relief Cream – £8.42
- bye od-td – Amino BHA Gauze Pads – £15.06
- MAMONDE – Pore Shrinker Bakuchiol Cream – £15.44
- BRING GREEN – Artemisia Cera Calming Moisture Toner Pad – £13.73
- THE LAB by blanc doux – Oligo Hyaluronic Acid Deep Toner – £8.53
- MAMONDE – Flora Glow Rose Liquid Mask – £14.89
- MAMONDE – Pore Shrinker Bakuchiol Pad – £15.16
- Dr. Althea – Pure Grinding Cleansing Balm – £8.56
- numbuzin – No.1 Pantothenic B5 Active Soothing Cream – £12.63
- GOOD MOLECULES The Hero Regimen for Oily Skin – £60.23
- Bath and Body Works Mango Papaya Paradise Gentle Foaming Hand Soap – £4.95
- Bath and Body Works Champagne Toast Dry Shampoo – £8.69
- Bath and Body Works Champagne Toast Shampoo – £10.89
- Farmstay, Collagen Water Full Moist Toning Peeling Pad, 70 Pads – £11.31
- Lalarecipe, Yuzu Vita C Ampoule Pad, Illuminating Beauty Mask, 80 Pads, 5.07 fl oz (150 ml) – £14.91
- Dr. Oracle, Centella Biome, Cica Pore Pad, 75 Pads, 4.76 oz (135 g) – £17.10
- Dickinson Brands, T.N. Dickinson’s Witch Hazel Cleansing Pads, 60 Pads – £6.20
- Prescription Lab May Box – £14.23
- Blissim Box Fr May 2024 – £15.04
In May I ended up spending a total of £1254.03 on beauty products.
June’s Purchases
- Cult Beauty The Travel Essentials Edit – £42.00
- Milk Touch – Glossy Moisture Cream – £2.54
- Milk Touch – Green Apple Pore Collagen Ampoule – £2.25
- numbuzin – No. 4 Collagen 73% Pudding Serum – £2.44
- numbuzin – No.1 Centella Re-Leaf Green Toner Pad – £2.26
- Glint – Glow Lip Balm – £1.76
- d’Alba – Daily Mild Cica Calming Pad – £3.05
- colorgram – Tintin Dory Jam – £0.92
- numbuzin – No.1 Pantothenic B5 Active Soothing Serum – £1.90
- SOME BY MI – Cica Peptide Anti Hair Loss Derma Scalp Tonic – £10.18
- Anua – Birch Moisture Boosting Pad – £13.59
- ROUND LAB – Birch Juice Ampoule – £18.19
- B.READY – Cicaffeine Trouble Reset Serum – £21.29
- BIOHEAL BOH – Probioderm Collagen Remodeling Serum Pads – £19.35
- Bath and Body Works Mountainside Mist Gentle Foaming Hand Soap – £4.23
- Bath and Body Works Lavender Vetiver Gentle Foaming Hand Soap – £4.23
- the SKIN HOUSE – Aloe Fresh Emulsion – £7.34
- SKINFOOD – Shea Butter Hand Cream – £2.73
- SUNGBOON EDITOR – Green Tomato Pore Lifting Ampoule – £10.94
- SUNGBOON EDITOR – Blackhead Melting Clear Pad – £13.13
- Farm Stay – Citrus Yuja Vitalizing Ampoule – £10.11
- APLB – Hyaluronic Acid Ceramide HA B5 Facial Toner – £6.71
- ONE THING – Witch Hazel Blackhead Cleaner – £8.63
- d’Alba, Professional, Scalp Therapy Serum Shampoo, 9.29 fl oz (275 ml) – £20.22
- Dr. Oracle, 21;Stay, A-Thera Peeling Sticks, 10 Pieces – £13.70
- Nature Republic, Fresh Herb Cleansing Foam, Peach, 5.74 fl oz (170 ml) – £3.22
- Nature Republic, Good Skin, Collagen Ampoule, 1.01 fl oz (30 ml) – £8.10
- Nature Republic, Body Peeling Mist, Cotton, 10.14 fl oz (300 ml) – £6.32
- Nature Republic, Good Skin, Niacinamide Ampoule, 1.01 fl oz (30 ml) – £8.17
- Nature Republic, Soothing & Moisture Aloe Vera, 8.45 fl oz (250 ml) – £4.73
- Prescription Lab Box Set – £17.34
- Prescription Lab June Box Offer – £8.34
- Blissim Box Fr June – £15.04
In June I ended up spending a total of £314.95 on beauty products.
Q2’s Empties
- Ren Skincare Ready Steady Glow AHA Toner 250ml – £30.00
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- SKIN 1004 Madagascar Centella Probio-Cica Intensive Ampoulen 50ml – £24.62
- Sachajuan Styling Cream 125ml – £29.00
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Champagne Toast – £2.49
- Bath and Body Works Hand Sanitising Spray in Aromatherapy Lavender Vanilla – £2.54
- 7even Chakra Foot Pads – 28 pieces – £7.99
- KLAVUU Blue Pearlsation 8 Hydra Marine Ampoule 50ml – £7.89
- Nature Republic Super Aqua Max Moisture Watery Cream, 80 ml – £6.95
In Q2 I ended up emptying £123.93 worth of products. This resulted in an allowance of £61.96.
Allowance from posts
Allowance from Reviews – £20
- MediCube Triple Collagen Serum
- MediHeal Collagen Toner Pad
- LalaRecipe Yuzu Vita C Ampoule Pad
- Sol de Janeiro Perfume Mist Discovery Set
Allowance from Social Media – £2
- Instagram – £2
Other – £44.47
Total allowance from posts & other: £66.47
£61.96 (allowance from empties) + £66.47 (allowance from posts) – £1,801.25 (Q2s Spending) – £2,991.26 (previous closing balance) = -£4,664.08
Wow, where do I even begin? I knew this situation wouldn’t be easy, but I never anticipated it would feel this overwhelming. I realize now that my earlier reluctance to address your questions about advent calendars was a way of sidestepping the truth. While I still have July, August, and September to cover, I can promise those months will be a bit brighter. Let’s just say there’s only so much a woman can hide when it comes to her finances.
For those of you who read my recent article about where I’ve been, you know things have been tough. If this topic is triggering for you, please feel free to skip this part; my intention was always to create a space for positivity and community around our favorite beauty products. Unfortunately, I’ve been navigating an unexpected health crisis since April, and it has turned my world upside down. Although I’m on medication now, the recovery process is taking longer than I hoped.
In the past, I could always justify my spending, but this time, I genuinely had valid reasons. For much of June, I was in a fog, and post-surgery complications affected my short-term memory. I found myself forgetting that I had placed orders, which sounds almost surreal, but it was my reality. Like many women, I had a hidden stash of cash, but this time, it didn’t work in my favor. I wish I had confided in someone about where I was “hiding” those emergency funds. Once I started feeling better, I took the step to block my accounts, but the damage was already done.
After learning about my illness and spending a significant portion of our savings on surgery, I felt compelled to treat myself. In moments like these, it’s common to seek comfort through shopping, especially when everything else feels out of control. While it’s easy to excuse my choices, I fully acknowledge my responsibility in this. Perhaps I didn’t feel “owed” something, but rather I craved the chance to explore new products that I might not have otherwise tried nor gotten the chance to try ever again?
Moving forward, things will definitely change. I’ll still indulge occasionally, but I’ll approach it with much more caution, especially since my beauty collection is already overflowing.
The biggest mistake I made came from a place of fear. I wasn’t sure if I would be able to work again (still am not, not like before anyway), and it sent me into a panic. My mom jokingly suggested I open a skincare store, and I took that joke too seriously. While the thought excited me, I now realize that I didn’t have a solid plan, nor did I consider the logistics involved. I obviously was not going to go about it this way, but I was still way too confused for things to truly make sense.
On the bright side, I’m looking forward to sharing more reviews with you all, and I’ve surprisingly managed to finish most of my Christmas shopping ahead of time! Okay, no surprise there, but a girl’s gotta do what a girl’s gotta do :D.
A quick note: the lower prices for June reflect a birthday gift card I received, but I also tend to go a little overboard during my birthday month, which has nothing to do with my health struggles.
I got free reign at YeeStyle so went overboard, like I sometimes tend to do. It was way easy to shop there after the reality check that was Style Korean and having to fill in customs forms while I was still really out of it. Otherwise, I wholeheartedly recommend Style Korean as well! YesStyle was more convenient and not extra payments nor forms involved.
Shop at YesStyle and use the code BLUSHSUEDE24 for up to 5% additional discount.
As for the advent calendars, I haven’t responded to your comments because I’m unsure which ones to get. There are many i would love to see in my not so beauty room (aka bedroom), but I’m trying to hold off on purchases in case they sell out (and I am free!) or go on sale. This year, I feel is better to risk it, especially given the above lists. Thankfully, I had cleared out some of my collection before this all happened, but now I’m left with a new “beauty station” overflowing with products (aka a Janga style collection of boxes). It’s become a bit chaotic, as I struggle to reach higher shelves and organize everything like I normally would.
I’m embarrassed about how I failed this challenge, but I recognize that it has brought me to this point. The small joys of unboxing packages—delayed though they may be—have been one of the few things that reminded me of normalcy during this time. The first normal activity I was able to do by myself after the whole ordeal was open the door to the courier. Sounds insane, I know, but everyday activities felt so foreign to me for a while there. It is quite scary to think about the stuff that I could no longer do shortly afterwards.
In closing, yes, things have gone awry, but this challenge has also illuminated the need for me to tell family certain things before things go wrong… Financially, I’ll be tightening my budget and avoiding unnecessary expenses (sort of – do game packs count?). At least my beauty collection is well-stocked!
This experience has taught me invaluable lessons about self-control and financial management. Life can throw curveballs, but it’s essential to have a plan for unexpected events. However, as embarrassed as I am, at the same time I cannot bring myself to regret my choices as much as I would have in past years. It has been incredibly difficult and if this is what got me through some of the worst moments, then so be it. I do not advise becoming a hoarder and yes, I would do things differently given the choice to prepare in advance but I am going to focus on the positive which is me being here able to write this and more content in the future.
Thank you for being on this journey with me. I look forward to sharing my passion for beauty products in a more mindful and responsible way. Remember, self-care is important, but it shouldn’t come at the cost of our financial health. Here’s to finding balance and making smart choices together!
How did you do in Q2?
*This article is not sponsored. This article contains affiliate links which means that Blush Suede might receive a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make any purchases by clicking the links included in this article. Thank you for your support. It is you that keep us going.
Looking forward to the reviews!