Monday is the new Friday

Black Friday has already started, and it's only Monday. Over the years the sales have inched earlier and earlier, with the lines blurring between what's actually a Black Friday deal and what's not. There's such a buildup leading into Black Friday nowadays that it's easy to feel obligated to buy something, anything.

I found myself today idly scrolling through the Ulta Black Friday ad. I would zoom in to look at a product description more closely and google the names of products I didn't know to make sure I was matching the caption to the correct product. It was easily a process that I did not need to be doing, especially considering I had already told myself earlier this month that there was only one product I wanted: the Clinique cleansing balm for at least 25% off and free shipping.

So why was I staring intently at Real Techniques brushes and looking up other stores' discounts on the Temptalia master list? Sydney Grace doesn't sell Clinique, so why do I care what sales that company is having?

Today Lauren Mae Beauty posted a YouTube video about abstaining from the Black Friday sales and touched on how much time is spent on looking up multiple sales because one little thing interested you. This is exactly what happened to me today. I could have easily keyboard searched the Ulta ad for Clinique and see if anything popped up. But instead, I was half-heartedly enjoying the hunt for something I was never going to find.

I highly recommend you check out Lauren's video. She makes some really good points about the Black Friday sale and other sales in general.

Tired of This, Tired of That

Sometimes it feels like the more I try to get involved in the makeup community the less I'm interested in it. There are days when I check Reddit repeatedly, hoping that an interesting discussion will be posted, but then nothing will feel worth reading.

I'm tired of posts asking about favorite products. I'm tired of posts "antihauling" new releases. I'm tired of posts bashing YouTubers. When you take away those three categories there aren't many left.

I've stopped seeking out new YouTube channels to watch. The number that I do watch has dwindled over this last year. I've stopped trying to learn about makeup from YouTube and instead treat it as catching up with friends (who have no clue who I am or that I'm there, but that's another issue for another day).

My Sephora Coupon Expired

Today I let my Sephora sale coupon expire.

I could have gone to a Sephora where I'm currently vacationing, but I decided against it. A few years ago I would have been so excited to "remember" a vacation by buying a lipstick or some other small makeup item. I even remember buying my Hourglass mini blush in Mood Exposure last time I was here. My, how things have changed.

I don't need to buy makeup to remember something. A picture frame maybe but definitely not something that's going to expire in a few years.

When I first got here, I thought the Sephora sale would tempt me to make a purchase. But I feel like it had the opposite effect. A 10% discount just feels like nothing, so lackluster.

So today I'm happy, and I will be tomorrow too. Even though I didn't buy anything. And I'll still remember the fun I've had on this vacation.

How I Prepare For Black Friday

November is finally here, so that means Black Friday and other holiday sales are right around the corner. Even the latest Sephora sale has already started for Rouge members.

Just a few years ago I would have been eagerly anticipating multiple Black Friday ad leaks, wondering where the best beauty deals would be found. But here's the thing I've learned over the years, not just with Black Friday but other expected sales as well: I don't want to be told what to want, whether it be from a company meticulously designing print circular or even a YouTuber listing their holiday wish list or current favorites. No, instead, I want to choose what I want.

So instead of waiting to see what is going on sale during the next two months I'm going to go ahead and list the ones I'm willing to participate in:

• Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm with at least 25% off and free shipping.

And that's it. Seriously. Even I expected there to be more on this list, but after a 30-second Google search I was able to narrow it down to just that one item. (Turns out I am once again not interested in the annual Lorac palette; I haven't been interested in it for at least four years, so I'm not sure why I eagerly look it up every year.)

Now that I have my list, if any company announces say a 40% off sale on Thanksgiving, I already know that I'm not going to participate and it. (Unless they sell that Clinique cleansing balm, of course.) I have found that it is so much easier to avoid a sale when it doesn't adhere to your standards. I'll check the ads to see if the balm is going on sale anywhere, but skimming the ads for a circular purple container will be so much easier than combing each one meticulously for each cosmetic product.