No buying unnecessary toiletries in May - Challenge

mad_scientist

Phew, just caught up with 8 pages of posts after not having time after a hectic week at work and a busy weekend.

Interesting to read everyone's take on the challenge. I think I needed it just to keep a check on what I bought as I had previously been writing down all my toiletry and cosmetic purchases in a notebook hoping it would shock me into stopping buying, but it just didn't work on my own!!! I used to work in the city centre and spent about £500 a year on various smellies I mainly didn't need, I'm still working my way through them all now! Now I work in the middle of nowhere so I am much safer.

I joined the challenge at the beginning of last year and had about 100 UU and 70 Ins in 2011, so although my stash did go down I was disappointed at the number of things I had still bought, probably out of habit. This year I am being much stricter with my purchases, most of my Ins have been samples and freebies so very little actual cash is changing hands any more! I hope to bring my stash down a lot more this year.

I will also never graduate unless I throw out all my eyeshadows and start again! (and there are still 40 shower gels:eek:)

2 UU I have had this week, I'm sure there was something else but I can't remember -

Liz Earle conditioner 50ml - WNBA, just wasn't impressed and since it costs £8 for a full size bottle I won't bother.

Bare Minerals Mineral Veil 2g pot - WNBA, again just wasn't impressed, it didn't seem to do anything! However the little pot will be very handy for decanting my foundation powder into for holidays

One in today - Garnier BB cream sachets freebie

asset2004

Some interesting thoughts here, I have definately cut back on my spending of toiletries (although I did go a bit mad in the Boots 75% off sale, although I do have a lot of it pencilled a gifts throughout the year )
I do need to look at my clothing ins, I rarely buy anything other than froma charity shop and there's one nearby, 10 items for £5 so a cheap way to get a new look or two. I do need to start the rule of one In to one Out

Shoes too are my weakness, I have great difficulty buying comfortable shoes and have lots that I've worn a few times and then given up with. I do buy in the sales but still they are expensive when I figure they've only been worn a couple of times.

SuiDreams

I have one very small UU to declare. Lavera Faces Organic Wild Rose Eyeball 1ml sachet. Probably WNBA didn't feel anything special and thought it was a bit runny for eye gel, more of a thin lotion really. That size isn't really enough to make a decision, but have 2 more sachets in the stash to try at a later date. I will be moving onto a full size next.

I'm finding that alternating between full sizes, minis and little sachets is helping me to not get too bored with things, and helping to get through the stash quicker. Really enjoying the sense of achievement with each UU.

Fiasco55

Fake tan update part 116....

So the verdict on the St Moritez is 10/10. I am a lovely, natural golden brown shade which is also streak free. It was really easy to apply and a lot less messy than my St Trop. It also smells a lot nicer than the usual fake tan smell - kinda reminds me on pamolive soap. I am a total convert and for only £2.99 a bottle I can afford to buy it. :T

Some interesting thoughts on the challenge. Pickle I can see where you are coming from on this. I do think that it can be all too easy and quite attractive to slip into the buying mode if you persive this month to be a write off.

I joined the challenge, like many others, when I had my LBM whilst trying to reorganise my massive hoard - many of the items were never even getting used like body lotion. Looking back, joining this challenge was the first step in a longer process of trying to deal with a real and very expensive problem. Once the initial euphoria of UU's died down, it them became very apparent the massive amount of money I had wasted on my toiletry hoarding and the amount of really expensive products that had been wasted as I had just not got around to using them, they just weren't worth the money or even worse, saving them for a "best" that never came around that often. At times it did feel rather overwhelming. I still think about the cash I could have repaid on my flat and how close I could have been to being MF.


I am committed to graduating and aim to have a one in use, one in the stash policy. I still like nice products but I have found my impulse buying is now under check and there will always be another deal to be had. My HG items I will buy if there is a good offer and now rely on recommendations for the products I buy.

Everyone is on their own path here but ultimately this challenge is about no buying unnecessary toiletries.

wondercollie

UU

Venus Divine Body Wash. Smelt like a beach holiday. They don't make it anymore. Bonus points for it being the last of that brand in my stash.

Pantene 2in1 Colour Safe Shampoo. Probably will buy again as I like to have one 2in1 shampoo in the shower for mornings when I have to be quick and there is none on reserve.

Will probably have to buy conditioner as I've realized there is only one in the stash and it's for hair coloured blonde and I've been a brunette for the last 18 months.

Dribbles in several bottles.

Glossy Box for May is only being mailed out today.

mcculloch29

Splendid post Fiasco.
I forgot who asked about my clothes budget and now I can't find it! My £100 doesn't include shoes, although it could do. As my disability has worsened I have found wearing most shoes very difficult. I've given away so many pairs unworn or nearly unworn.

I have a raise built into the left heel & sole of my winter shoes and summer sandals to compensate for unequal leg length and whilst in the past I could get away with not wearing raised shoes and wear what I wanted, it's no longer realistic to do this.

My winter shoes are about five years old and got repaired last year so will probably last another four years at least. My sandals won't need a repair for two years at an estimate. Both are good leather, wide fitting with Velcro closures.

I have a pair of walking boots for winter and slippery pavements - they are not raised but I'm going to see if it's possible for them to be done and the grippy sole retained.

I have the most heavenly pair of Crocs with a furry lining to wear as slippers indoors, these were £28 with postage and worth every penny. I've also worn them out of doors when it was dry and cooler. Not possible for them to be raised, but they are sooo comfy that walking is still a pleasure.

VALM

seasideDreamer wrote: »

A UU at last Ultrasun 20spf sports, WBA when there's a decent offer, missed the last as I was still on hols.

Have bought some Ultrasun for our hols and am hoping it lives up to all the positive reviews. I saw some in TK Maxx recently. Might be worth you looking in your local store.

Toothfairy4 wrote: »

Hi everyone, I posted a thread and scrappie advised me to post my question in here ...

I have really combination skin (mid 20s), (prone to breakouts on my chin from time to time but no major acne) and have tried loads of different skincare over the years.

Used Liz Earle for ages but it started clogging my pores as they changed the formula. For the last few months I have been using philosophy purity cleanser but I think it is maybe a bit too harsh for my skin as I am now getting flaky patches around my nose.

I have been reading up on Elemis (and watching QVC which is always dangerous) and am considering getting the Lime Blossom balancing cleanser and Lavender toner, anyone used Elemis products and can recommend (or not?). They have a pretty good freebies offer going on at the minute which ends today so am very tempted!

Thanks x

I too have combination skin although older than yourself. I've used the Lime Blossom cleanser before and am returning to it next now that I've got through the other cleansers in my stash. I found that I used less toner and moisturiser when using it as it did balance out my skin. Their toner is lovely too though I tend to use LE as its cheaper. Have used PCMC for years now and would never be without. You are maybe a little too young for this cream yet. I also love the Gentle Rose Exfoliator and Papaya Enzyme Peel though prefer the rose one more as it's granular.

I think timetospa have an offer on at the mo.

HTH.

Kaz2904

I meant to report back now that I've been using my BB cream for a few weeks. I can honestly say that this stuff is amazing! I got one of the Korean ones which has higher factor sun cream in it. My milia are almost all gone and it evens out my skin tone brilliantly. It doesn't completely cover all spots scarring as I have some purple marks on my chin from the end of April but I have noticed that they are fading far faster than normal. I have stopped using P&P completely. I am sure that this was doing my skin no good. Before this challenge started, I never used face cream, I just didn't seem to need it. Now I will just stick with the BB cream as it is all in one. So little faffing too! Well worth the £3.49 it cost. I will round up all of my P&P products and give them to MIL and SIL. They both use them.
It's a little gutting to think of the amount of money that is wasted on these but it would be more of a waste if they were left to go off without being used at all.

Willowbee

Ooooh. Lots to reply to but my brain isn't up and running yet.

I can't resist asking Kaz about her brilliant BB cream though! :rotfl:

I hope you don't mind me asking but what brand is it that you are using? I tried one by Missha (I think!) and it wore off really quickly. What is your skin normally like? (I'm being very nosy )

It sounds like an excellent decision (& very nice of you) to pass your P&P stuff on :T I'm tempted to do the same...

tokkiandoliver

Hello ladies - I finally have a day off and I'm home and giving myself a break from my side business in order to sort out some personal things for once. So I went online this morning and put a load of things up for sale, and to my very surprise, I sold a HUGE lot of beauty products, so I have a lot of outs to report. I am beyond thrilled as now I have the space under my bed free, money to pay towards debts, and the satisfaction of dwindling down my stash and finally having more UU's to report then any other month since I joined!

But before I list my OUTs, I wanted to respond to some comments. Sorry if I forgot who said what, but here are my opinions...

BB Creams - I'm korean actually so when this stuff was the cat's meow back in the day, I didn't buy into it. Once it penetrated the western market, I finally took a plunge (as I tend not to believe in things that the asian beauty market hypes up). I tried Skin79, Missha, Garnier, Clinique, and a few other random korean brands. I have yet to find a shade that fits my skin perfectly, which is odd as the original bb creams were meant to suit korean skintones. I just use bb creams as an spf cream and also as a primer/tinted moisturizer base. I still apply my regular foundation on top as I feel bb creams really wash me out due to their grey tint (not garnier, just the korean brands). I have noticed a slight diminishing of my sunspots, but I also found that bb creams clogs up my pores which results into blemishes for me. Overall, it's a good product to have in your stash, but don't buy into all that hype.

Ok so onto all my outs: (warning this list is long so unless you are really interested, it will probably bore most of you haha)
2x boots 17 eyeshadow trio
tarte - clean slate face primer sample
5x Dior j'adore perfume sample
TBS Love etc. perfume sample
4 foundation samples from unknown brand
CK shock for him sample
MK e/s, blush, lipstick sample
2x mini bourjois eyeshadows #44
3x avon perfume samples
TBS hemp body wash
TBS hemp body butter
TBS hemp foot cream
yardley iris perfume
yardley lily of the valley perfume
soft lips french vanilla
mini bourjois lipstick #11
2x mini max factor eyeliners
boots 17 shine on lipstick in flirty
l'oreal lipstick 708
tbs hemp hand protector
large powder brush
2x cute or what nail polishes
lip fusion lip plumper
mk clear nail polish (np)
mini revlon np
sally hansen np
la femme beauty np
2x unknown brand - similiar pearl np
beauty uk glitter np
rimmel blue np
bys metallic red np

TOTAL 46 items out of my stash boxes. WHEW, I am beyond happy to be able to dwindle my stash even more.