No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries May 2015

dolly84
dolly84 Posts: 5,851
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Here we go again for another month! As usual this initial post has been shamelessly copied from the many previous months. A big thank you to Deleted_User for starting us off last month.

Welcome all newbies and regulars to this very friendly and chatty thread where we give lots of lovely tips on how to use up your stash and lots of support and encouragement if you need them.

Keep up the pampering and keep down the spending: let’s make the naughty step an empty and lonely place this month (rather than one so long that it can be seen from space)! Will this be the month when the "usual suspects" rein it in a bit? Let's see..... (but I doubt it!)

Remember - those products do nothing for you while they are stashed in drawers, boxes and cupboards!

We are eternally grateful to Katie Clampet who set up this fab challenge in January 2010. Here's her original challenge post:

"No buying any new toiletries, cosmetics, perfume etc... until I have used up ALL the ones I already have. I got a huge amount of (really nice) stuff for Christmas but I am going to resist the urge to browse Boots, Asda, Superdrug etc, and pop another tub of cream, face scrub, shampoo or conditioner into my basket. I reckon the stuff I have will last me until possibly June. I have decided that the money I save I will put into my special holiday account. Anyone else?"

Lots of us have taken part in the challenge over the past few months (and years!!) and are making great progress in reducing our stashes and unnecessary/excessive spending.

Regulars ignore this, but a quick resume is always helpful for newbies:

Why not add the challenge to your signature as a reminder?

We have a "Swaps Group" on Facebook when you can swap good condition items with other like-minded addicts. PM your email address to Trudij, Tokkiandoliver or luvlycake and they can add you to the group.

How about taking a bit of time to do a stock-take and see if there are any gaps in your stash that you might need to spend on this month? Some of us set a budget for the month for essential purchases or to help with withdrawal symptoms, others like to go cold-turkey!! Other ideas which some people find useful: Listing everything out so you can cross things off as used to increase the sense of achievement, and putting a sum of money in a pot each time you use up an item to save for something you really want, or simply to assist in making future essential purchases "cash neutral".

Remember the challenge is about making the most of your money, enjoying your products, finding which products really suit you best and are worth buying, giving yourself a well-deserved pampering and breaking the habit of buying for the sake of buying. In money-saving tradition, it should also be about making your products l-a-s-t as long as possible (although the temptation of using an unloved shower gel extravagantly to finish it off is sometimes too much to bear!).

Brand new products (or opened perfume) sell well on eBay.

Unsuitable products can be repurposed and used for other jobs (shower gel/shampoo as handwash etc).

Some items can be returned to certain stores for exchange (for essential items or gifts!!) without a receipt.

Unwanted items can be recycled as gifts or for gift hampers (saving the money you'd have spent on gifts).

Unsuitable items can be donated to charity or a local women's refuge as mentioned earlier

It helps to avoid the places where temptation lurks for you; be it QVC, Boots, Body Shop, the supermarket toiletries aisles, Grabbit board, online toiletries browsing, seductive department store beauty counter offers etc. Remember retailers are making offers and promotions all the time, so there will always be another deal! Honest!

Good luck all for March and indeed the coming months, and remember to keep your stash lists updated, keep popping in for inspiration and support and to report your UU's and IN's, especially any sales bargains - we want a nosy!

Welcome to all newbies - the more the merrier. Please introduce yourselves so we can welcome you properly!

Oh - and anyone thinking "OMG my stash is FAR bigger than all of theirs, I cant possibly join" - believe you me, we have been doing this challenge for well over a year some of us - you wont scare us, and I can almost guarantee that someone somewhere will have had more and survived.... we are very supportive (and protective - so don't be scared !!) oh - and did we mention that are nosy??!!

Useful abbreviations and jargon!

WBA - Will Buy Again
UU - Use Ups
IN - Self explanatory - stuff you've gained into your stash - warning: lines may be given out for unnecessary purchases or you may be sent to the naughty step!
NBI - A non-bought item such as a present, gift with purchase or free sample
WNBA - Will Not Buy Again!
Glitch - when a shop/online store make a pricing mistake so you end up paying less or even get freebies!
PYN(M/T/W/Th/F/Sa/Su) DELETE AS APPROPRIATE! - Paint Your Nails Monday/Tuesday...... it allows everyone to try and finish those dastardly nail varnishes with group support! You can never be too groomed for this thread. Also see PY(T)N... - for toenails!
Splutterer - the stage where an item is nearing the end of it's life and spluttering - also the most annoying and seemingly never ending stage!
GWP - Gift With Purchase - a sample or mini sized item
HG - Holy Grail - this is the product you would go back for time and time again, it does the job brilliantly, and is either economical, or so fantastic price becomes no object!
NPI - Near Purchasing Incident (OMG we all have those!)
LHJ - Long Haul Job - for those products - love 'em or hate 'em - that never seem to end no matter how often you use them
PRCP - Pink Rose Candle Philosophy inspired by Erma Bombeck who said: 'If I had my life to live over again I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose that melted in storage'. Don't keep things 'for best' or 'for a special occasion'. That day never arrives. Give the best to yourself now and enjoy it. (Thanks to McCulloch29 for introducing this thought provoking sentiment to us)
GA - for an out that was given away to charity, as a present, or "just because" rather than binned or UU
TA - for an out that was thrown away due to going off (generally as it has been lurking at the back of a stash since time immemorial) or for any other reason such as a broken container or spillage
PP - Project Pan: a list of specific items targeted to be used up

If anyone can think of any more we can add to the list so newbies won't be intimidated by our jargon!

Graduates

Here is a list of our lovely,fragrant ladies who have polished and pampered their way through their products and managed to get their toiletries stash under control. Ladies - congratulations, you are an inspiration to the rest of us, xx . Thanks also to InaPickle who suggested we start the Graduate list. To join the list of graduates let us know by posting that you are graduating in big colourful letters, that way the OP can easily spot you and add you to the list, or better still - PM the OP as the thread can move really quickly! You may also wish to add how many products you have used up during the challenge. Good luck ladies! xx

1. mineallmine - graduated with honours March
2. Bronnie - graduated with honours March 2011
3. lostinrates - graduated with honours around June 2010
4. Ruby_Eskimo - graduated with honours June 2012
5. Seaside dreamer - graduated with honours October 2012
6. InaPickle - graduated with honours September 2014

Previous threads

In case you need to refer back to a previous stash list or product review, here are links to past challenge threads. Click on the date to take you straight to it:

January 2012
February 2012
March 2012
April 2012
May 2012
June 2012
July 2012
August 2012
September 2012
October 2012
November 2012
December 2012
January 2013
February 2013
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
September 2014
October 2014
November 2014
December 2014
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015

Debt Free and now a saver, conscious consumer, low waste lifestyler


Fashion on the Ration 28/66
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Comments

  • Sundaysgirl
    Sundaysgirl Posts: 1,096
    Combo Breaker First Post
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    Thanks dolly - I'm in!

    Hoping to reduce my stash by 15 in May and have no INs.
    MFW 2017 #123 2018: £1,852.64/£39,200 (4.7%)
  • asajj
    asajj Posts: 5,123
    First Anniversary Name Dropper First Post Rampant Recycler
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    I have a PP to UU my Philosophy Purity Made Simple Cleanser. Couldn't finish last month!
    Also have couple of shower gels I want to go through, 2 half-used bottles.

    Aaaaanndd a PRCP Smashbox Photo Finish Make up Base. Gonna UU this rather than keeping to see it is never used.
    ally.
  • spider479
    spider479 Posts: 290
    First Anniversary First Post I've been Money Tipped!
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    Thanks for starting us off dolly84! I am of course back for another month!
  • Willowbee
    Willowbee Posts: 713
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    edited 30 April 2015 at 6:57PM
    Thanks for starting us off again, Dolly :)

    I'm in again and hope to be more active on the thread. I'm collecting things up to do a PP this month :D
  • seasideDreamer
    seasideDreamer Posts: 1,363
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker Debt-free and Proud!
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    Thanks Dolly, I'm in. Need to buy deodrant, not sure about anything else though
    Debt free and busy treating myself:)

    No more toiletries/make up until I've used what I've got stashed since Jan 2011, graduated October 2012. Restocked Dec 13..damn those sales
  • maddiemay
    maddiemay Posts: 4,971
    First Anniversary Photogenic Name Dropper First Post
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    Thank you Dolly84, April seems to have passed so qucikly.

    I will be away from home for 23/24 nights in May, so not posting a PP list. I need to pack basics that should be OK for sensitive skin and not take up space with anything that could potentially cause problems, also not taking mega sized shower/body/hair stuff that is currently in use.

    Goodness only knows what clothes I need for a long trip to Scotland in May:eek: lots of layers I guess:(
    The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. (Abraham Lincoln)
  • FizzWhizz
    FizzWhizz Posts: 939
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    edited 8 March at 2:42PM
    maddiemay wrote: »
    Goodness only knows what clothes I need for a long trip to Scotland in May:eek: lots of layers I guess:(

    At least you're going in May and not August, otherwise you'd need layers AND midge repellant! (I'm Scottish so it's ok for me to poke fun at our native insects ;))

    I am back in this month, thankyou Deleted_User for April and to Dolly for kicking us off all over again :)

    I'm working tomorrow morning but will scrape together a few products for a PP list in the 'noon. I need to call my car insurance first, seriously thinking about trading my motor in for a bus pass. Grrrr!
  • maddiemay
    maddiemay Posts: 4,971
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    FizzWhizz wrote: »
    At least you're going in May and not August, otherwise you'd need layers AND midge repellant! (I'm Scottish so it's ok for me to poke fun at our native insects ;))

    that's one of the reasons we decided on May:D
    The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. (Abraham Lincoln)
  • LunaL
    LunaL Posts: 46
    First Anniversary
    Forumite
    Okay, this months project pan:

    Clinique cc cream
    Benefit ooh la lift
    No7 mini mascara
    Nuxe rev de miel lip balm
    A lip product - haven't decided which!
    An eyeliner - maybe no7 or Charlotte Tilbury
    Body shop oil cleanser
    Lush Santa lip scrub
    Elemis papaya enzyme mask
    Ren clear calm 3 mask
    Ren flash rinse
    No7 eye cream
    Body shop almond hand cream
    Soap and glory body cream
    Lush rub rub rub body scrub
    Body shop sleep spray

    This looks a lot but a few items are on their last legs! :)

    Anyone else doing project pan this month?
    No buying unnecessary toiletries!

    March: UU 46 April: UU 35 May: UU 36 June: UU 46 July: UU 20 August: UU 41
    September: UU 16
  • mrs-moneypenny
    mrs-moneypenny Posts: 15,519 Forumite
    edited 28 May 2015 at 7:11PM
    Thank you for the new thread
    hope everyone is well and managing to UU more than they add

    would like to be below 250 by the end of the year
    first full count list done for a while was at End of Feb 2014 had 358
    now have 318 items

    Perfumes - 20
    Sexy Amber michael kors
    vivienne Westwood boudoir
    Thierry Mugler X2 8ml
    Thierry Mugler Angel 25ml
    Narciso Rodriguez for her X2
    Hugo Boss Deep Red
    Lacoste pour femme
    Agent Provocateur X2
    Tresor in love
    Viktor&Rolf flowerbomb
    Jimmy Choo
    Doir poison
    Nina Ricci RicciRicci
    Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely
    Jean Paul Gaultier classique
    Lush Gorrilla perfume karma
    lush solid perfume honey i shrunk the kids


    face care - 23
    aldi face mask x2
    Anew clinical eye lift pro
    Anew clinical defence deep recovery cream x2
    ren rosa centifolia hot cloth cleanser
    skin doctor instant face lift
    skin doctor instant eye lift
    skin therapy eye make up remover
    simple toner
    Aveeno cleansing lotion X2
    Anew ultimate age repair cream cleanser
    dead sea magik gentle cleansing face wash
    balance me pure skin face wash
    No7 skin spritz
    dead sea magik mild exfoliant
    dead sea magik super night cream
    body ultimate skin care face & body polish
    body ultimate skin care collagen therapy gel
    Doctor organic Vitamin E oil pure complex
    Lacura CA restorative day cream
    Lacura Q10 renew multi intensive serum


    Body butters - 9
    S&G the righteous Butter 300ml
    salonniere body butter
    Elle Macpherson nourishing honey butter
    sanctuary body butter X 4
    sanctuary mande lular body souffle
    champneys moisture miracle body butter

    scrubs & polishes - 11
    sanctuary mande lular body scrub
    champneys citrus glow sugar scrub
    spa O2 revitalising body scrub
    sanctuary body scrub
    bhs brazilian lime sugar cane and basil body scrub
    Gok gorgeous body polish with almond oil
    Busy but beautiful smooth body polish
    B&h skin spa body polish
    B&h sweet mandarin & grapefruit body polish
    Salonniere body polish
    no7 cleansing body polish


    lotions and creams - 28
    Royal jelly body lotion X 2
    B&H lemon blossom and white rose hand & body lotion
    cerise tube of GW body lotion
    B&H french lavendar and cassis body balm
    Doctor Organic vitamin E skin lotion
    dead sea magik silky smooth body lotion
    pure poison body lotion
    secret obsession body lotion
    jean paul gaultier classique body lotion
    tresor in love body lotion
    agent provocateur body glamour lotion
    B&H white mulberry & marshmallow body lotion
    B&H sweet mandarin & grapefruit hand &body lotion
    O2spa hand and body lotion
    sanctuary body lotion X2
    Lush dream team hand and body lotion
    cowshed grumpy cow body lotion
    ArranAromatics shimmer gel
    Hypnose senses body lotion
    Lush potion body lotion
    B&H silky hand and body lotion
    Boots oriental floral mimosa body cream
    nivea soft X2
    boots royal jelly body lotion
    Natural extracts body lotion with vitamin E


    Oils - 10
    bodyshop sensual bath and massage oil
    bodyshop body oil spray mist
    source of purity massage oil
    sole to soul herbal oil
    botanics essential massage oil
    Avon SSS dry oil body spray X2
    Agent provocateur body massage oil
    Aromatherapy massage oil
    Dr organic organic vitamin e pure oil complex


    bath and shower - 29
    Avon 1000ml mandarin & white jasmine bubble bath
    Avon 1000ml White Lily bubble bath
    Avon 1000ml romantic rose bubble bath
    Avon 1000ml soft rose bubble bath
    Avon 1000ml White tea & jasmine bubble bath
    Avon 500ml mandarin & white jasmine bubble bath
    Avon 500ml lavender bubble bath
    Avon 500ml strawberry sorbet bubble bath
    Avon 500ml soft pink bubble bath
    Lush snow fairy
    Sanctuary body wash X3
    Royal jelly shower gel
    S&G Sugar Crush Body Wash
    salonniere body wash
    salonniere bath creme
    BS chocomania shower gel
    BS pink grapefruit shower gel
    fenjal luxury shower oil
    Angel perfume shower gel X2
    tresor in love shower gel
    hypnose senses shower gel
    bhs whitetea and gojiberry bath salts
    bhs olive sage and cocoa butter bath and shower gel
    B&H French lavender & cassis luxury shower creme
    B&H French lavender &cassis calming body wash
    Champ nets skin comforting bath soak powder
    spa bath petals

    feet - 11
    Elle Macpherson pedicure in a jar
    the rectory softening foot cream
    the rectory smoothing foot polish
    body blitz revive foot scrub
    body blitz revive foot lotion
    sanctuary soothing foot lotion
    sanctraury intensive heel rescue balm
    scholl revitalising gel
    carnation anti blister stick
    carnation cracked heel cream
    SpaO2 foot lotion

    Hands - 6
    30ml tube of sanctuary hand cream
    salonniere hand cream
    champneys vitamiracle hand & nail cream X2
    champneys skin loving rose hand and body lotion
    Anew ultimate Hand cream

    bath bombs - 13
    7 bomb bath bomb
    6 lush bath bombs


    deodorant - 4
    nivea double effects
    impluse hint of musk
    Charlie Red body spray
    Sanctuary body spritz

    hairspray and hair - 12
    aldi hair spray
    Vo5 heat protect spray
    Lee Stafford dry shampoo
    Carina hair culture deep cleaning shampoo 1lt
    phytologue phytoctrus soin hair mask
    paul mitchell colour protect locking spray
    catwalk frisky scrunching gel
    Argan oil conditioner
    Natural extracts shampoo
    Hair and body shampoo
    Pantene expert age effects shampoo
    Pantene expert age effects conditioner

    talc 3
    3 assorted

    sachets and samples - 5
    advance7 X2
    avon clear skin blemish treatment
    Maybellene superstay better skin tester
    L'occitane gentle moisturiser


    soap - 17
    carex liquid soap x2
    apple tango hand wash
    imperial leather chamomile care liquid soap
    sainsburys antibacterial hand wash X3
    so fruity fresh mandarin hand wash 750ml
    lush snow fairy bar
    lush coalface bar
    bomb cosmetic soap in a sponge
    Bomb cosmetic lime sublime handmade soap
    Chocolate mallow soap
    Handmade soap
    Teddy bear shaped novelty soap
    Old Bear and friends novelty soap
    shield bars soap

    Massage bars - 3
    assorted Lush ones

    random items - 3
    L'Oreal solar advanced sun protection
    L'Oreal nutri summer tone up
    Clarnis sun wrinkle control cream


    Nail stuff - 26
    polishes assorted X20
    collection 2000 2in1 top coat
    nail attraction top coat
    nail attraction strenghtener
    avon exfoliating expert manicure gel
    boots holy grail nail and cuticle cream
    cutex nail polish remover

    skin and face - 84
    nivea tinted day cream
    maybellene dream matte mousse
    rimmel stay matte make up
    anovia BB cream
    rimmel double act foundation
    Elizabeth Arden let there be light compact
    No7 intellegient colour foundation
    estee lauder lucidity
    benefit show off
    benefit sun beam highlighter
    ritz loose powder
    olay loose glitter powder
    candida beauty glow loose powder
    candida beauty glow powder compact
    blushers assorted X4
    eye pencils assorted X14
    lip pencils assorted X4
    body shop choc lip butter
    lip sticks assorted X 27
    mascara assorted X3
    eyeshadows assorted X17

    i think that all of it.
    i havent bothered counting the toothpaste & mouth wash products as they are essentials
    SPC~12 ot 124

    In a world that has decided that it's going to lose its mind, be more kind my friend, try to Be More Kind
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