No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries September 2016

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 Er... Me! 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 some of us even 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?

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, email newsletter, 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
April 2015
May 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
January 2016
February 2016
March 2016
April 2016
May 2016
June 2016
[URL=”http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=5487158”]July 2016[/URL]
August 2016
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Comments

  • Thank you Deleted_User!

    I'm going to aim for 5 UU this month. Should be able to finish up shower gel, conditioner and hopefully a couple of other things.
    Not buying unnecessary toiletries 2024 9/53 UU, 3 IN
  • I'm in again of course! Hoping to make some good progress in September/October before Christmas shopping sets in. I always end up buying myself stuff before Christmas, probably because I end up at the shops so much - stupid big family! - and there are so many offers on before Christmas.
    I've got a cleanser nearly done, an eyebrow pencil, and a hand cream which shouldn't last much longer so hopefully it won't be long before a UU! :)
  • dolly84
    dolly84 Posts: 5,851
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    Thanks for the new thread Deleted_User.

    I have some uu's from yesterday:

    Burts Bees Facial Wipes - this was a mini pack of 10 that came in a LIB box, they were thick and soft and smelt great but they were too dry for me. WNBA as wipes are very, very bad for the environment.

    Aromatherapy Associates Support Equilibrium Bath Oil 7.5ml - WNBA
    Debt Free and now a saver, conscious consumer, low waste lifestyler


    Fashion on the Ration 28/66
  • dolly84
    dolly84 Posts: 5,851
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    My PP list for September

    1. Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Shower Gel 250ml
    2. Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Body Lotion 250ml
    3. Avon White Tea & Jasmine Bubble Bath
    4. Hawaiian Tropic Lime Body Butter
    5. Maybelline Eye Eraser
    6. Body Shop Blue Corn Scrub Mask
    7. Sanctuary Lilly & Damask Rose Body Scrub
    8. Clinique Facial Soap 50ml
    9. Hand Chemistry Hand Cream
    10. Crabtree & Evelyn Body Spritz
    Debt Free and now a saver, conscious consumer, low waste lifestyler


    Fashion on the Ration 28/66
  • I'm in again! :D

    Formulated a good, proper list for this month even tho I'm trying to use stuff in order of purchase(as always - before moving on to my stash items), so some things may not even be started let alone UU this month! :rotfl:

    Without further ado, here's my list for September:

    Simple eye makeup remover pads
    Wilko functional face wipes
    FCUK for her
    Lady Gaga fame fragrance
    Osmo Effects detoxifying shampoo
    Adidas firming shower gel
    Gillette shave foam
    Johnson's baby powder
    Billie Faiers body wash
    Billie Faiers body lotion
    Carex complete Hand, face and body wipes
    Superdrug breath spray

    I think the Carex wipes will be gone by the weekend as there are only a couple left in the packet. The other half was burning through them last week as he kept getting paint on himself while he was building his models! All the models are built and painted now and he's left a couple in the packet so I'm going to finish them off as my hands get rather dirty at work :o

    The breath spray was a whim purchase as at the start of this year I bought all new mouth care things - toothbrush, toothbrush heads(I bought an oral b electric toothbrush), and then superdrug had a 3 for 2 on the little bits like toothpaste, mouthwash, floss etc so I took advantage of that :D

    The 2 Billie Faiers products were actually in a mothers day gift set originally given to my mum, but she swiped the body spray and said she'd never use the other 2 so I've taxed those :P

    And I'm pretty sure the rest of the items on my list are rollovers from previous months. They are going down, but it's taking an age! Hopefully when I move on to my stash items I can get them to last this long so I don't have to buy too much too soon ;)
  • sam.4000
    sam.4000 Posts: 1,396
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    edited 18 September 2016 at 10:54AM
    Thank you Deleted_User for starting us off.

    PP list for Setember
    3 body butter/ lotion ( bodyshop nearly finished, 2 small lush ones)all UUed
    Iope anti wrinkle cream, about a weeks worth UU
    Alien and monster fun bar UU
    I am 10 bubble bar
    Face serum
    10 sheet masks 9 UU
    Avoshower shower gel a quarter left
    2 hair conditioners 1 nearly finished
    Benton snail bee essence still a bit to go
    2 sugar scrubs UU
    8 bath bombs 6 UU
    2 X batiste 1 gone
    Mini face wash ( skin food) UU
    Face cleanser mini ( Skin food) UU
    2 bars of soap ( one nearly finished and I love washing my hands)2 UU
    Humphries corner soothing aloe shampoo Gone
    Liquid gold
    St Tropez gradual tanner UU
    Snowman fun

    Think that's about it.
  • SuiDreams
    SuiDreams Posts: 2,393
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    I'm in again for the 7 by Autumn 2 items gone from the list so far, need to get more UU.


    1 - Benefit Fake up Concealer Full sized - This is really horrid so greasy can no longer bare to use it daily trying for once a week just to get rid
    2 - Benefit Watts Up Highlighter sample 2.5g. - Stopped using this daily as have other things I prefer, trying for at least once a week to try and get rid.
    3 - Urban Decay Scandal Lip Gloss mini 1.7ml. - The applicator is starting to feel rather dry, don't think it will last much longer.
    4 - UU - Benefit Porefessional mini 7.5ml. - Have also UU a mini Lancôme primer (WNBA for either item), have another one in the stash may try using that up as well.
    5 - TA OPI Push and Pur-Pul Mini - OPI mini polishes - target changed to any of my OPI mini's. Hopefully I will get rid of more of these, I have way too much.
    6- Urban Decay Eye Shadows, I would like to UU at least one eyeshaddow, following all have hit pan already. 50/50 and Fix (from the Naked on the Run Palette), Baked Cowboy (from Shadow Box), and Minor Sin & Broken (singles).50/50 is just a bit round the edges need to use this up. Eye shadows definitely going down, hopefully one will be gone soon.
    7 - Crabtree & Evelyn Avocado, Olive & Basil Body Lotion 250ml. Has been open for ages still not UU as really bad at remembering to use body lotion. - Have used a couple of time this week, had to remove the pump as it failed, probably a good sign that its nearly done.


    Fingers crossed I can get this list completed
  • I'm in again this month my PP list:

    -aloe Vera shampoo
    - jar of coconut oil
    - citrus festival hand wipes X2 packet
    - sanctuary hand scrub
    - LE shower gel
    - ginger muscle massage oil
    - nail polish remover
  • maddiemay
    maddiemay Posts: 4,971
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    Thank you Bingbong for staring us off for another month:D

    My September PP list

    50ml Real Extracts Coconut Body Butter
    Sample Clinique Be Happy
    200ml Darphin Intral Toner
    Sample Tea Rose perfume
    59ml Perricone MD nourishing moisturiser.
    30ml Perricone MD Chia serum
    15ml Hylamide SubQ Eyes
    15ml BS Aloe Eye Defence
    50ml Unknown styling spray (decanted into another spray bottle when original stopped working – can’t remember what it was!
    5ml Lancome Visionnaire Cream
    2ml Liz Earle Superbalm concentrate
    Nivea sensitive face wipes

    It seems that some of these might not be finished before I go on holiday in 8 days time, but may not last another 7 days after that:( I think I will check through my stash and see if I have travel or gwp sizes to take as well.
    The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time. (Abraham Lincoln)
  • Simple eye makeup remover pads
    Wilko functional face wipes
    FCUK for her
    Lady Gaga fame fragrance
    Osmo Effects detoxifying shampoo
    Adidas firming shower gel
    Gillette shave foam
    Johnson's baby powder
    Billie Faiers body wash
    Billie Faiers body lotion
    Carex complete Hand, face and body wipes - UU. There were 3 wipes left in the packet and I served someone at work who was riddled with flu! :( I also used a little hand sanitizer I keep in my pencil bag so hopefully I won't get poorly.
    Superdrug breath spray

    1 UU already :D Let's keep 'em comin'!
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