No buying toiletries in February challenge!

RebeccaBloomwood

* Rebecca Bloomwood's weekly review *

This week I have been using:

Inecto coconut shampoo and conditioner: I've got a week's worth of shampoo left and about a year of conditioner . It's OK, smells nice and leaves my hair fairly good. WIBA? No, because there are shampoos and conditioners I prefer.

S&G Clean on me: I've had this for almost a year and I've got lots left, even though I use it everyday. Maybe I'm not using enough? I do have quite a small surface area, being only 5' and size 8. It's my favourite shower wash definitely, so I WBA, but I've been using it non stop for two years now so when this bottle is finished I'm going to take a break from it.

Lush's Pied de Pepper foot cream: good stuff. Nowhere near finishing. Smells like ginger at first but vanilla by the end of the day. I use this every morning. WIBA: yes.

S&G's Heel Genius: Smells lovely and it's nice and thick. I use this before bed. WIBA: definitely.

Lush's Aromarant deodorant: it's like a bar of soap except it's deodorant. And it's brilliant! It's not anti-perspirant, but it's antibacterial and stops the sweat from being sticky and smelly. WIBA? Yes!

Body Shop Passionfruit face wash: smells lovely but it's quite bog standard. It was quite a revelation for me though to realise that I no longer have to use medicated anti-spot face wash. I think it's because I'm on the pill now. WIBA: No, there're so many lovely face washes to explore!

Clinique dramatically different moisturising gel: Brilliant stuff!! I've got about half a bottle left and I've been using it everyday since last February! My face is on the oily side so it doesn't need much moisturising. WIBA: Yes!

Products used up and out of my life:
Clinique Take the day off make up remover has been packaged up ready to be sent to CompletelyLost, who's run out. I was never going to use it, so I'm glad it has a new home where it will be loved and appreciated! (And this might discourage CL from buying other Clinique stuff in order to get the Bonus Time! )

Tesco whitening toothpaste has been used up and replaced with the Sainsbury's equivalent. Does anyone else wish Lush or S&G made toothpaste?

RB xxx

Bronnie

beautyaddict wrote: »

I now don't use the vouchers because even £1 here and there is £1 gone on a product I don't really want which I'm stuck with).

I think that's a helpful way to start thinking..........how much money are you actually going to be spending as opposed to how much stuff (that you don't need) are you going to get. It's so easy to get sucked into using vouchers to get a bargain or buying extra products to get a "free" gift.

If you can start to resist the offers and think that the retailer is giving the vouchers and free gifts NOT because he wants to be nice to us, but because he wants us to spend more £££££ money £££££ !!

It's hard to resist because it's a good deal at the time, but if you can start to think about what you truly NEED, how much it will cost just to meet that need and how much money you are actually parting with when faced with special offers, I think it helps!

Bron
x

Kaz2904

I'm like you beautyaddict, I'm soooooo jealous of all the lovely products some people have got in their stash! Mine is mainly shampoo and conditioner (oh and body lotion but that's bagged up and in the cupboard so it's not taunting me continuously!
When I get to the end of the stash I am going to try and continue as I am going at present with using up all of my lovely products. I just won't buy any boring ones. My issue wasn't so much the money spent, more the volume of space it all took up. Unboxing everything has certainly helped a lot with that. It has also meant that I'm more likely to use something when I see it rather than seeing a nice unopened box and thinking it could be used as a gift. Who knows, maybe when the sales come around next time in next etc, I will be able to buy the gift sets for myself. I forgot to put on cream on Friday night and yesterday my face was really dry. I'm being a lazy moo today and I'm still in my jammies. Off for a bath soon and get primped and pampered.

Bronnie

Kaz2904 wrote: »

When I get to the end of the stash I am going to try and continue as I am going at present with using up all of my lovely products. I just won't buy any boring ones.

Me too, especially body creams and shower gels ...... I will be buying something carefully chosen and lovely to have on the go and never buy boring everyday stuff that I feel indifferent about again!!

salesaddict

Queen_of_NO_MATTER_WHAT wrote: »

wow sales addict, you have a pretty big stash there. Maybe a bit too much to use on your own. Have you thought about ebating some, making gift hampers, giving some to charity shop, selling it on a blog? (sending it to me )

well done for posting it all though xx

Queen, if you spot anything you like, just let me know and I will send it to you tout suite. That goes for any of you other lovely ladies too. I just have to let you know that I have had a try of everything.:o
My ds was going to photograph it from all angles to show all the products. But I thought the one view was quite enough.
I have to clean the cupboards out now and put them all back. My dd was asleep while I was putting the the 'display' together. You should have heard the squeal of delight from her when she saw it all. She was a bit miffed that she wasn't involved last night and she is not too pleased about helping to put it away again this morning:)

More shameful revelations then. I have given away to friends and family probably as much as I have on the table.:o

I do think that I have got worse since I lost my beloved Mum 4 years ago.
But I don't know what the connection is? She was very restrained with her cosmetic and toiletries use. But she used to have such a laugh teasing me about my purchases. I used to love giving her stuff that that I thought she would like. All her clothes and posessions are still just as she left them. Me and my sister still can't bear to give any of her stuff away, even though we know our Dad would like us too. To be honest, she would be the type of person who would want it all to go to the charity shop. She was such a tidy person. All her clothes are colour coded. All her shoes have shoe trees, everything stored and presented like a posh shop.
You would not believe that I am her daughter from the chaos of my wardrobe.

Kaz2904

Every day will be a treat! (If I ever use up the blasted rubbish that's here....).
Why is it that you don't use the more expensive stuff from your stash BECAUSE OF THE PRICE? It's not like by not using it the money magically goes back into your current account is it lol!
I know, maybe it's the fear of having to part with the cash again because you love the prduct. Hmm- actually no I don't know why it is at all, I'm just waffling.

beautyaddict

Bronnie wrote: »

I think that's a helpful way to start thinking..........how much money are you actually going to be spending as opposed to how much stuff (that you don't need) are you going to get. It's so easy to get sucked into using vouchers to get a bargain or buying extra products to get a "free" gift.

If you can start to resist the offers and think that the retailer is giving the vouchers and free gifts NOT because he wants to be nice to us, but because he wants us to spend more £££££ money £££££ !!

It's hard to resist because it's a good deal at the time, but if you can start to think about what you truly NEED, how much it will cost just to meet that need and how much money you are actually parting with when faced with special offers, I think it helps!

Bron
x

Thank you, it's all so true.

Now I'm good about not using the Boots vouchers (hopefully now I won't even get any in the first place!), my downfall is TKMaxx - I can't resist popping in to see what beauty bargains they have. I have been very good during the past few weeks and resisted a Philosophy body moisturiser for 70p (it would have been 70p wasted on a body moisturiser I don't need, right? :A ), an Aromatherapy Associates bath gel for £2 and a Korres body moisturiser for £3. It was really hard to put them back on the shelf but I still feel really proud of myself weeks later . I should try to avoid the shop altogether though so I don't get tempted in the first place.

Bronnie

beautyaddict wrote: »

thank you, it's all so true.

Now i'm good about not using the boots vouchers (hopefully now i won't even get any in the first place!), my downfall is tkmaxx - i can't resist popping in to see what beauty bargains they have. i have been very good during the past few weeks and resisted a philosophy body moisturiser for 70p (it would have been 70p wasted on a body moisturiser i don't need, right? :a ), an aromatherapy associates bath gel for £2 and a korres body moisturiser for £3. It was really hard to put them back on the shelf but i still feel really proud of myself weeks later :d. I should try to avoid the shop altogether though so i don't get tempted in the first place.

Well done!!

beautyaddict

Kaz2904 wrote: »

I just won't buy any boring ones. My issue wasn't so much the money spent, more the volume of space it all took up.

This is what I plan to do once I run out of stuff. The money isn't such a major issue for me as I have lived within my means, but it does help me to stop buying as much when I think about how much I've been wasting - I could have had a few extra handbags for all the money I've spent on products that are stuck in a cupboard and I am struggling to use up (and which just get washed away - though I will continue to spend money on nice brands once i run out - but I will only buy them as fast as I can use them!).

The space it takes up is a problem - and what made me decide to stop buying in the first place. When I struggled to fit something into my bathroom cupboard a few weeks back I knew it was time to take action. Of course, taking the photos yesterday has made it 10 times worse as now I can't fit half of it back in for some reason - I need to attempt it again today :mad:.

luxor4t

Kaz2904 wrote: »

.....Why is it that you don't use the more expensive stuff from your stash BECAUSE OF THE PRICE? It's not like by not using it the money magically goes back into your current account is it lol!
I know, maybe it's the fear of having to part with the cash again because you love the prduct. Hmm- actually no I don't know why it is at all, I'm just waffling.

For me it is the pleasure of owning something lovely, frivolous and expensive - I grew up surrounded by very practical, down-to-earth women who were 'no nonsense'. As a child, so many of the wonderful things in life, like 'scent', light coloured carpets, white lacy socks and floral disinfectant seemed to be 'a waste of money'.

I think I'm redressing the balance a bit now - although my list of luxury items has changed a little over the years! :rotfl: