No buying new toiletries etc until.....

GrammarGirl

got-it-spend-it wrote: »

I've been lurking on this thread and finding it very inspirational! I have really curbed my make-up and toiletry addiction since being pregnant and having my little boy but I still have a ridiculous stash that I am working my way through!

I just wanted to say that the Aldi copy of Touche Eclat is brilliant. I think it is about £2.99 but it is fab- I really recommend it to anyone looking to anyone looking to cut back.

Oooh, thanks for that! Will check it out when my TE is finished. Really though, I think TE (especially when bought from eBay or cheapsmells.co.uk) is very good value as one pen will last me 6 months. I use a very small amount under each eye and it brightens up my entire face. Love it!

Just reading back, the comment Bronnie and others made about giving toiletries as gifts. I really don't like to receive gift sets like this for Christmas. I find them quite uninspired gifts. I like the idea of a bespoke package put together yourself but IMO it's way too easy to grab any old set and wrap it up!

tara747

katieclampet wrote: »

Hi Bronnie,
that is a really good point you made, about buying people gift sets. :T
If we are all storing them up, stockpiling and not using them, maybe other people are. I think I maybe buy them, because they are the "easy option" but I am definately going to have a rethink, and instead of buying a gift set, I am actually going to ask the person if that's what they would like, or would they prefer something else as a gift.

katiex

I will do this too... as soon as I've worked my way through the gift sets in my bargain pressie cupboard!! :rotfl: Most of the things in there are individual items though e.g. I will give someone a gift of some Body Shop things in a pretty gift bag or use one of the cream BS toiletry bags I bought back in the summer. So it is a little more imaginative than a ready-made gift set! I think everyone I know likes getting BS stuff...

katieclampet

lynzpower wrote: »

this year we made a gift bag for 13yo nephew with some of our stash. It contained
King of shaves razor & blades
A toni & guy hair clay was too heavy for OH ( I bought 2 as they were cheap)
KOS medicated face wash
KOS shaving cream
Adidas deoderant
and a few other mens bits & bats Id bulk bought and OH wasnt over-keen on.

13 yo nephew was impressed- a variety of "names" this is stuff he could never afford out of his pocket money! And was pleased to see items out in use in the bathroom a few days later

I think people do actually like receiving toiletries I know I do especially if they are a "cut above" what you'd normally buy yourself.

I think the idea of making up a gift set, specifically for someone is great, rather than just buying one at random, iykwim. I like the idea of buying bits & pieces and making the set up. I'm sure there is a gift hamper thread somewhere which gave lots of good ideas for this type of thing. I think I might just be inspired for next xmas!:rotfl:

katiex:T

Need_a_break

Hi ladies hope your all well, so on the product/ stash using front, gonna finish some foot cream and a body lotion today, only scraps left so well pleased.
With regards to hampers gift sets. Must say i only like ready made gift sets if they are something i wouldnt buy on a regular basis or would see as a luxury item ie designer perfume sets, etc but i love bespoke made with me in mind sets. When i went to pick up ds 1 from school yesterday, the teaching assistant thanked me profusely for her gift set, i made it myself and she went to great lengths to say how thoughtful she found it and i was really flattered cause i did look at what she does with her hair , make up etc and tailored it to her "look". Ive also made gift sets for many rellies for xmas all with very good responses, so from this i would have to agree that "bespoke/ tailored" gifts are recieved well by many.
Now my currys cooking so will be back later

Nab

xx

Happy_shopper

GrammarGirl wrote: »

The toner I bought (Boots' original formula) isn't going down well with my skin at all. I'll give it a week or so more and hope I get used to it!

If you find you really don't get on with your toner, have you thought about putting it in a spray bottle and using it as a 'cool-down' spray in the summer? Lush encourage you to use a couple of their toners in that way. It might not be so bad on your face when it's dispersed slightly and you could also use it as a foot spray etc.

GrammarGirl wrote: »

Could it be a chance to try out some of the cheaper brands? I'm a huge makeup fan but apart from Touche Eclait and Benefit High Beam/PoisieTint, everything I buy is relatively cheap.

I think there's a thread on this board about the cheaper makeup brands and which are better, but I really love Bourjois (I hear this is the high street version of Chanel, made by the same people), Collection 2000, E.L.F and Prestige. And whenever I do want to splash out a bit more, I check eBay first. You can spot the fakes a mile off if you read the guides and check the seller feedback.

A big shout-out for Collection 2000 from me too! :T Cor, do you remember when it used to be the crummy make-up that always came free with teen mags? They really seemed to have upped their game recently. I particularly like their versions of Touche Eclait ('Illuminating Touch Concealer' - £4.99) and BeneTint ('The Cheek of It' - around £4). (Thanks to got-it-spend-it for the recommendation for the Aldi Touche-Eclait-A-Like - I'll be buying one of those to put in reserve when I'm next at an Aldi store. )

mooomin

Bought Dandelion from EBay for £12 - only cost me £4 in real money as I had money in PayPal and the £4 comes from the dregs of my Christmas money :A

I bet it turns up and is fake....!

Faelia

The highlights of my stash include:

13 body moisurisers
10 facial moisturisers
12 antiperspirants
8 toothpastes
21 body washes

Some of these are miniatures, but I think I've seen the error in my ways since doing this stock-take. I won't buy anymore.
I'm not sure why I have that many moisturisers - I don't really like using it!

Happy_shopper

flying_fresian wrote: »

So, toiletries addicts, what is as good but less expensive than Dandelion? Would this one do a similar job? (I could use my £5 off voucher then pay with points couldn't I?)

Ooo, I might be able to help you. I've dug out something I bought a few years ago which looks suspiciously similar - it's a tub of Boots No. 7 High Lights Illuminating Powder. When I've studied it, I've discovered that the shade of the powder is 'Dandy Pink' (spotting any parallels yet? ) and the blurb on the back is almost identical to the blurb for Dandelion. Dandelion: 'This classic ballerina pink finishing powder takes your complexion from dull to radiant in an instant...a celeb fave!' Boots version: 'Dust lightly over your skin to take your complexion from dull to radiant in an instant.' I haven't used mine for years but I like it better now that I suspect it's a Benefit rip-off.

The only problem (just as I've built your hopes up) is I can't find it on the Boots website so I don't know if it's still available - it might be worth going and asking in-store. The other possibility is they've kept the product but rebranded it. This product (in pink) looks pretty much like it:

http://www.boots.com/en/No7-Mineral-Loose-Powder-Blusher_854569/

It says it's a blusher but the colour and the reference to its shimmer, glow, translucence etc. makes me think it could be the same thing. Otherwise, is this No.17 product any good to you?

http://www.boots.com/en/17-Instant-Glow-Shimmer-Dust_849276/

Happy_shopper

flying_fresian wrote: »

Bought Dandelion from EBay for £12 - only cost me £4 in real money as I had money in PayPal and the £4 comes from the dregs of my Christmas money :A

I bet it turns up and is fake....!

Gah! Sorry, flying_fresian, I just posted my reply and then saw your post. Ah well, never mind - I'll leave it up in case it's useful to anyone else. Glad you got your product and managed to get it in a bargainacious way.

mineallmine

OK, so today I used up:

- some simple wipes - have now decided not to buy any more of these (still have another packet) - they dont get my skin clean. A Clean & Clear cleanser (blue liquid) is more effective.

- a sachet of face mask.

- a conditioner (I use a lot so I only have a few in stock now - will go and check though).

- a shampoo. I've taken to shampooing my hair twice instead of once. It is making it look better. That's another bottle gone.

- eye pencil from No7 is going (probably to sis)

Skin is definitely looking better. Applying hand cream every time I visit here (once a day) is helping my hands. Going to start having a bath after work each day - it made me feel so relaxed and wonder why on earth dont I do this every day. :A