Ten Things I am Saving for

 Hello!

Writing my last post made me remember how much I love taking the time to write and publish posts. Today I'm hitting you again with a new post. I thought I would share with you things that I am saving up for. 

Growing up, I was always taught the value of money and saving for a rainy day. I am also a minimalist and believe in quality over quantity, however, this is a value that I sometimes struggle to hold onto in a society that is so focused on consumerism and materialism. It seems like there is always something new to have and something better to strive for, when in reality we have everything we need around us. 

During lockdown I have been guilty of poor online shopping habits and accumulating more clothes than I need. However, most of the clothes that I do buy are from Depop, which is a sustainable way to buy clothes that don't contribute to fast fashion. 

For lent, I decided to give up clothes shopping and appreciate what I have more. I have realised that I have way more than enough and that I am very content with everything I already own. As I mentioned in my previous post, this has however resulted in spending on skincare, which is another area that I am beginning to see excess spending. My focus over the coming weeks and months is to save as much as I can, so that when I do next make a purchase, it will be something that I truly love and enjoy.

The first thing I am saving for is a birthday present for my mum. It will be Mother's Day in the UK this Sunday, and unfortunately lockdown restrictions mean that I won't be at home with her this year. I have made her a card and sent some items in the post, but I would have loved to have seen her. However, it is her birthday a few weeks later, and I will be at home then, so I am saving to buy her a nice present.

The second item is the Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil. I have heard such amazing things about this hair oil and I think that it would be amazing for my dry, bleached ends.  It is however £26 (!!) for 30ml, which is a lot more than I would usually like to pay. This is something that I am going to put aside money for and purchase when I feel I am in a position to spend that amount of money. 

The next thing I am saving for is a facial sculptor, like the Mount Lai Rose Quartz Gua Sha one from the Beauty Bay. I know that these aren't particularly necessary to a skincare routine, but I would love one for the experience. Again, this is a luxury item and not something I feel like I can justify purchasing at this moment!

Next, I am saving for the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser and The Inkey List C-50 Blemish Treatment . These products are both on the highstreet and are on the more affordable end of the scale, but I am waiting to finish my current cleansers before I buy another. I am also using quite a few new serums at the moment and want to get used to them before I purchase another treatment. 

The next two items are recommendations from friends and I am really looking forward to purchasing. The first item is an eyelash serum. One of my blogger friends recommended this to me after she had good results, and I would love to give this a try. I am still researching which one to buy and want to make sure I purchase one that won't cause any irritation. The second is re-usable cotton rounds. These are so much better for the environment than single use cotton wool and don't cause the daily waste. Again, I am still researching these and will purchase when I run out of cotton rounds.

The next skincare product that I am really excited to use is the Paula's Choice 0.3% Retinol + 2% Bakuchiol Treatment. This is so, so expensive and out of my price range, but I have heard such great reviews and am really interested in trying retinol. Instead of paying £53 (!!) for the full size, I have seen that there is a travel sized version for £12, which definitely feels a lot more manageable. 

The penultimate item is not skincare related (hurrah!) and is the Sweaty Betty Gym Leggings. I have heard such good things about this brand, but it is just so expensive. I have recently been running and exercising more and would love to have another pair of high quality running leggings. At £75, these are an item that I have been considering for a very long time and will continue to consider for some time longer. 

The final item is a trip somewhere! Honestly, after this last year, I would be happy to go anywhere and am saving for this very thing. 

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know what you are saving for!

Marti