No Buying Toiletries in April Challenge!

fixx

Kaz2904 wrote: »

I have noticed that a lot of the posters on here are also on the declutter 2010 thread and some on the shabby chic thread too (hellooooooo tara!). What with that and the grocery challenges it does seem as though there is a shift in the behaviour of the general poulation.
There will always be rampant consumers but I'm noticing that my colleagues are tending to be more MS over time. Even my friend who is a die hard devoted spending addict has swapped her weekly take away with friends for a weekly cooked meal with each family taking it in turns.

Maybe we are all worried about the environment or maybe we're concerned about our cash. Maybe we've all realised that our houses are too small. What ever it is that's caused this shift in thinking must be a good thing.
My main issue with the collection of toiletries was that I didn't have functional storage. I had my present stash in the bottom of the wardrobe but couldn't access it to see what I had. We're also trying to save money to pay off the mortgage without impinging on getting our house finished off.
I was horrified when I realised how much stuff I had lying around and am almost at the end of that lot now but was also given more for Christmas which boosted the levels again!
My main driver for this is because I want DH to sort out a shower for us in the bathroom. He insists that there isn't space despite me designing the bathroom so that we could have one. Once all the bits are gone, everything should fit into the cupboards.

I just feel the weight lifting from my shoulders when I see stuff not being there. The light is more able to travel around our house (which has a tendency to be dark) and it is far far easier to clean.

I want to pare down everything in my home so that there is only usefull or beautiful stuff in there (ie no rolls of loft insulation sitting in my hallway!).
Just have to make sure that our bedroom gets finished soon......

InaPickle wrote: »

I have reached EXACTLY the same point in my life: I have realised that 'just enough' of anything is already quite a lot, and as a result I'm trying to get rid of the excess. I'm fineding this and the Ebay challenge very good for getting rid of the excess and trying (but it's much harder on the toiletries one) not to buy more new stuff.

tara747 wrote: »

I totally agree!! I am really trying my best to buy as few toiletries as poss, and I have improved hugely since Christmas. I also had a bit of an eBay blitz but CBA at the moment as the evenings are too nice to be listing stuff on eBay! I will get back into it though.

Even clothes etc, I am definitely buying less as I am conscious that we only have so much space and I probably already have too much as it is.

I agree as well - this challenge has really made me want to sort out the rest of my clutter, which I've being doing half (or closer to quarter!)-heartedly for a few years. I know I have too much stuff, and I know I don't use it, and it annoys me.

I had a mini-breakthrough the other day when I was trying to pick out a pair of earrings, looked at the masses hanging everywhere, and thought "Why do i have all these, i only wear about 5 pairs of the nicest ones?!" - too much cheap jewellery, or stuff bought on impulse that really isn't me. Same with necklaces - i have loads to get rid of, and a few friends that i know would *love* to have them. :A

I want more space, less stuff to tidy away, and more money - I might have to hop over to the declutter thread at some point, and have already been checking out makeupalley
And where or what is the eBay challenge? That sounds good...

thevicster

Just had a bath and shower (dyed hair) and have used up;

lush gold glittery bubble bar
lush avobath bath bomb (a bit of overkill I know, but it was lovely!)
sample size herbal essences shampoo
small lush snow fairy shower gel
razor
hair dye

probably wouldn't buy any of it again except maybe the hair dye! I do like lush bubble bars and bombs, but they really are expensive for what they are!

Hope you're ok jacjacjac, I hate it when my parents go home too (not quite so far away!)

Thanks for the eye cream reviews, I need to find a good one as it seems that every one I use ends up making my eyes sting!

Bronnie

thevicster wrote: »

Thanks for the eye cream reviews, I need to find a good one as it seems that every one I use ends up making my eyes sting!

I rarely have any adverse reactions to products but unlike tara, I had a reaction to the Time Delay eye cream. Had "pink eye" in one eye, stopped using it for a bit, then restarted and got "pink eye" in both eyes. Everything else in my routine was normal so the eye cream was looking a likely cause. I think someone else on here did too. Sent it back to Boots with a letter and had a good customer service response from them.

I use my day and night creams around my eyes without any problems.
I'm in such a dither about eye creams. At 52 I feel I should be using one...but they never seem to make a difference and my eye area looks ok, (relatively speaking of course) and I think blow it I won't bother, then I hear people talking about using them successfully and I dither again and think I should try another one!! I know I've said this before on here but ypou see I'm still dithering.

What's a girl (!) to do???? Maybe should try Rosemary's Simple one. Another £8? Will it be worth it??

thevicster

Bronnie wrote: »

I rarely have any adverse reactions to products but unlike tara, I had a reaction to the Time Delay eye cream. Had "pink eye" in one eye, stopped using it for a bit, then restarted and got "pink eye" in both eyes. Everything else in my routine was normal so the eye cream was looking a likely cause. I think someone else on here did too. Sent it back to Boots with a letter and had a good customer service response from them.

I use my day and night creams around my eyes without any problems.
I'm in such a dither about eye creams. At 52 I feel I should be using one...but they never seem to make a difference and my eye area looks ok, (relatively speaking of course) and I think blow it I won't bother, then I hear people talking about using them successfully and I dither again and think I should try another one!! I know I've said this before on here but ypou see I'm still dithering.

What's a girl (!) to do???? Maybe should try Rosemary's Simple one. Another £8? Will it be worth it??

That was me that had a reaction too and also had very good customer service from Boots. I may try the Simple one too!

mrs-moneypenny

afternoon all
not been about for a couple of days as im trying to do loads but achieving nothing (well thats what it feels like:o)

hope all are well

managed to use up another cheap nasty tub of scrubless scrub (slimy jelly with a dash of sand), finally used up my tube of bodyworks foot cream WIBA if i ever see it yes but its a discontnued american product.

im testing a body lotion at the mo, its quite nice

lostinrates

Grr...I hope when I have fewer things I can find them all. I can't find my nail polish remover anywhere.

InaPickle

fixx wrote: »

And where or what is the eBay challenge? That sounds good...

The 'Make us Money in 2010 with Ebay Challenge' is here.

trudij

tara747 wrote: »

Hmm tricky! I say play it cool, but then I'm a stubborn moo sometimes so don't be relying on advice from me. Hope it gets sorted one way or another, remember you are fab xo

p.s. hope you win a lipstick soon! :rotfl:

rosemary54 wrote: »

I'd send/call in a casual manner something along the lines,wondered what you have ben doing recently and if he is not forthcoming then time to move on maybe?....good luck(lost count of men who for no apparent reason went cold on me in my dating years!)

Thanks you two - we had a chat today (well - a text chat,but its a start!!) so who knows. Im not going to stress about it - too many other things going on !!! (oh - and rosemary - tell me about it, this is why im not all that suprised - its more that id hope that if he wasnt interested,hed have the balls to tell me himself - Im a big girl, and hes not the first, im sure he wont be the last and he certainally isnt the best bloke to go cold for no apparent reason (if he does!!!) !!!

still no flake lippy. have finally finished a lip balm thing I got at gillingham and shaftsbury show about 4 years ago though - next show isnt till AUGUST - and I quite like this lip thing - have to find dregs of another to use till then!!!!

Kaz - glad your eye is feeling better, but hope you go get it checked out still !!

verynewmoneysaver

Have used up all but one of the shampoos I don't like as shower gel. Stock of everything is definately going down.

EssexHebridean

roshydoshy wrote: »

Hi all, as I consider your collective brainpower to be the fountain of all knowledge in regards to beauty products , can you please advise me of an eye gel to begin using?
I'm in my early 20s but my skin around my eyes is starting to feel delicate and I think it might get a bit papery soon? I've been using a tester of the Benefit eye gel (as I have a soft spot for benefit) over the past couple of nights but I think it is drying them out and are leaving them sore (almost like an eyelash has been in my eye and i've been rubbing them!). As they say prevention is better than cure?
Thanks in advance x

Don't know about gels, but I am an utter eye cream cynic who has tried samples of lots of them over the years and never gone any further than that until recently when I tried Nivea Visage Natural Beauty Radiance Boosting eye cream and was really impressed! In fact, I was impressed enough with the sample that I have since bought a tube of it. Quite honestly I've always said eye creams were a bit of a waste of money, but this one actually has seemed to make a difference.