Urban Decay X Gwen Stefani Eyeshadow Palette: A story of temptation, fall from grace, and redemption

I like stuff.  I like to buy stuff.  I like to own stuff.  However, I DO NOT like the guilt I have when I buy stuff.

I recently watched a video by the FABULOUS Kimberly Clark about the "Anti-Haul" and it got me thinking a lot more about being a better consumer.

As a result I have been much better about researching products, looking through my collection of clothes and makeup before I buy, etc.

Lately, I've been much better about my clothing purchases.  This summer I've only purchased a small number of items to fill gaps in my summer wardrobe: items such as plain t-shirts, a pair of shorts, a couple new bras to replace old ones, and one solitary dress.  Of all those items, the dress is really the only thing I would consider non-essential.  But it was like $10 and I'll wear it a lot.  If you know me, this is a huge accomplishment and a step in the right direction as far as being a smarter consumer.  

I thought I was doing ok with makeup--researching carefully, looking for dupes in my collection, reading/watching reviews, trying products before I buy online, etc.

For instance, way back in December I had wanted the Anastasia Self-Made eyeshadow palette.

Image from Temptalia.  Look at those COLORS!  

For one reason or another I never bought it and it went out of stock.  I was disappointed and I lamented the fact that I had waited too long.  Lo and behold, it came back in stock in May.  I had a gift card to Ulta and after reading reviews and watching videos and swatching stuff I already I have I decided to buy it.  No regrets.  It's an exciting and unique palette and I can use it a lot of different ways.

There have been quite a few recent launches and Past Courtney would have blindly bought a lot of them.  The Lorac 3 for instance; it's full of beautiful nudes with a pop of a rose gold and burgundy in there to shake things up.

Pretty, right?  Just look at all those nudes that are ever so slightly different from one another.

But after looking through what I've already got, reading reviews, and looking at swatches I decided this is something I essentially already have.  As Kimberly Clark would say, "I don't need it and I'm not going to buy it."

Another smart consumer moment?  The Anastasia Modern Renaissance Palette.

Image from Temptalia.  

It's lovely, and I don't have any of those gorgeous orange and burgundys in my collection.  Which is why I'm probably not going to buy this, at least not right now.  I don't wear those colors, so why waste my money?  If someday those colors become by jam, then maybe we will become friends.  Until then "I don't need it and I'm not going to buy it."

Sounds like I'm doing pretty good, right?  WRONG.

I am a sucker for a good deal.  There is something about saving money on a product that I just can't resist--even if I don't need that product.  Forgive me Kimberly, for I have sinned.

urbandecay.com

This is the Urban Decay X Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette.  It recently was marked down to $25.  The following is the thought process that went through my brain when I saw the discount on this.

TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS.  It was $58.  FIFTY EIGHT!!  This palette is LESS THAN 50% of the original retail cost PLUS WOULD YOU LOOK AT ALL THOSE NUDES THAT SURELY I DON'T ALREADY HAVE PLUS BLUE AND PINK I COULD WEAR BLUE AND PINK  I COULD AND I SHOULD.

Yes, I think in all caps and run-on sentences.

So I bought it.  I caved.

This will never get old. 

I got the palette in the mail on Wednesday.  I opened it and immediately I knew it was a mistake to purchase this, even if it was only $25.  I decided I needed to find ways to justify this purchase:  It looked good on me, the colors suit my coloring well.  I don't have a pink or a green-y gold.  I can have all these lovely nudes in one place rather than three or four different palettes.  I bought the blush palette months ago and love it, use it at least two or three times a week.  Surely if I love and use the blush palette, I will love and use the eyeshadow palette.

Then I started thinking about what I could do with it and watching YouTube videos and tutorials.   Surely there had to be cool and new and different things I could do with this palette!  After two solid hours of watching videos of people using this palette, it dawned on me that this is really a one-trick pony for me.  My eyes looked something like this, no matter what combination of shadows I tried.

Sure, I could deepen it up, or add a pop of pink or gold (or heaven forbid BLUE) in there, but essentially this is the way I would wear it.  I am a teacher for crying out loud.  School starts at 7:45 in the morning.  I do not have the time or energy to utilize BLUE EYESHADOW at 6:30am.  Let's be realistic here.  There are videos of people doing some really cool things with the pops of color in here, but it's just not for ME.

I found two colors to be rather unique, the deep chocolate-burgundy color in the top right and the shimmery grey below it.  So I started swatching my existing collection and lo-and-behold, I found colors so similar that on the eye they are essentially the same.  The lovely rose golds in this palette?  Got 'em.  The perfect nude in the center?  Have that EXACT color in the UD Naked2 Basics I bought two years ago and love.  Same for the perfect brown crease shades.  UGH WHAT HAVE I DONE?!

At that moment, I knew my initial feeling of this being a mistake was correct.  I had to return it.  Past Courtney would have simply kept it, but the New and Improved Courtney knew this was a bad consumer move.  So I packed it back up in the box, stuck the receipt in the box, and it is in my purse waiting to leave my house forever when I return it to Sephora today.

TL;DR: I made a bad impulse purchase because it was a good value.  It was exactly like things I already own, so I decided to return it.

Moral of the story: a good deal does not a good purchase make.

The End.

Cheers!