No buying unnecessary toiletries in January 2014

mrs-moneypenny

sneaks back in hoping no one will notice.

hello everyone im mrs-moneypenny and i have a serious toiletry/cosmetic stash problem.

i used to come into this thread regularly a couple of years ago but tailed off.
i have been much better than i was and all last year made a concerted effort not to buy stuff i didnt need. But my stash still seems huge but slowly going down. i had said to DH i didnt need toiletries for christmas but rather expensive perfume set because he didnt know what else to get, a bag of mini bath bombs from bomb cosmetics and a box of bomb cosmetics sponge soaps were in my gifts from him as well as a large soap and glory gift set from a secret santa i took part in. I did win a large pot of body cream and small tub of face cream in a competition. dont think i got any other toiletry/make up stash for christmas.

i will go through my cupboards at some point and sort out what exactly i have that needs using up but for now i will just say im NOT going to buy anything unless i need it.

sunshineyday

Afternoon ladies
I have a uu: salon selectives shower gel, I really liked this and the fact that it was £1 for 400mls also added to its appeal!

Happy pampering xo

hammyham

whilst having a break I was having a google on 'being addicted to cosmetics'. Not that I am suggesting you ladies are, but I think I am, which is worrying! I found this article and found it quite interesting, and also it made me feel better to think I'm not the only one!

http://jezebel.com/5595902/when-being-a-product-junkie-becomes-a-problem

as long as I can access the sink etc in my bathroom it's ok...but there again I do store most things in my room! xxx

Clutterfree

rogueylawyer wrote: »

So after day 1 of declaring I would make no purchases, I have had an epic fail.

Before Christmas I bought Olay 3 point regenerist serum as a present for someone. In the event, I didn't give this to them and so I wanted to take it back - I wouldn't use it and it's quite expensive. Could I find the receipt though? So I took it back to MrB thinking I would get a gift card or advantage card points, and planning on spending some of it on Benefit boi-ing (thank you to everyone who suggested different concealers. I'd love the Bobbi Brown but couldn't justify the cost - using a gift card would be a bit different though).

It just shows how long it has been since I returned something to MrB - I was told I had to exchange then and there for products to the same value or higher. I was told how much the item was and went off to grab my products.

Queued for the second time with £25 worth of products; Benefit boi-ing, Collection illuminating touch concealer and some hairbands, only to get to the till and find the serum was ringing through at £29.99. At this point I panicked, couldn't bear the thought of queueing for the third time and grabbed the nearest items which happened to be Nivea shower gels. I grabbed two (normal retail being £2.50) only to discover they were on offer, and ended up having to grab 5 to make up the money or the transaction couldn't be completed...:rotfl:

So today's Ins are:

Benefit boi-ing
Collection illuminating touch brightening concealer
Nivea sunny melon & oil shower gel
Nivea sunny melon & oil shower gel
Nivea water lily & oil shower gel
Nivea cashmere moments cream oil
Nivea happy time shower cream

:eek:

I've sat down with the receipt - each of the shower creams/oils would ordinarily have retailed at £1.99 or £2.59 each, but I picked them up half price. I'm also fairly sure I didn't pay more than £20 for the serum when I bought it but who knows.

So all in all I picked up £37 worth of products for the princely sum of 84p (paid for by advantage card points) but I already had 7.3 litres of bath/shower gel and have just added another 1.25litres :rotfl::eek:

It's all too stressful, I'm off for a lie down!

Laughing here Roguey.
I can just imagine your panic, thinking "oh no I'm going to have declare this lot!" :rotfl:

I LOVE Nivea Happy Time shower cream, it is orange blossom so is not too overpowering but so refreshing for the morning.

Catriona_P

maddiemay wrote: »

Hi Catriona, gosh you did well with the body moisturisers last year, they and shower products have been my big problem, I have isolated several body creams that do not have matching shower product and am making myself use them up first. I hope that 2014 will be your year in all respects.

You too maddie . I find body moisturiser quite tough as some of them are only really suitable for summer - this time of year once I'm done in the shower I just want to quickly get some clothes back on!

A question about mousse - how long should you keep an open can? I don't use it much and have an open can from 2008 . It still smells fine and looks fine but I'm terrible with expiry dates on cosmetics, if it looks ok and doesn't bring me out in hives I carry on using things far beyond the suggested date.

I find keeping products in places where I'll use them helps get through them quicker - for example, I was leaving toner in the bedroom when I really need it stashed in the bathroom to use after washing. Products get used up quicker that way!

Clutterfree

I also have a problem using up body lotions/creams/butters as I really don't like the greasy feeling on my skin and hate getting dressed until it's fully sunk in.
Unfortunately, I inherited LOADS of them when my step-mum died last year, along with serums, day creams, night creams, wipes. I think that was what spurred me on to sort out my hoarding. She had lots of lovely stuff but never got round to using it.
I feel I cannot throw it out as she bought it and would want it used.

maggiesmummy

Hello all,
Count me in for this month too - I'm in a NO BUY ZONE!!! I've got even more products over Christmas and should only need to buy toothpaste/sun screen in the next six months so that's my challenge to myself - no shopping at all until I have run out in my stash.
I've done some useful repurposing - shower gel has become hand wash and facial scrub (I appear to have a vat) will become body scrub very soon.
I am already suffering withdrawal symptoms and am resisting the pull of the sales (and the terrible temptation of Boots 75% off) but I have no money - therefore no money to spend!
I have one UU to report - Rituals Body Scrub (a freebie with Marie Claire - ok but not great so WNBA).
Keep me strong please - I have a budget to stick to and a sea of body butter to use up!

pixtotts

Catriona_P wrote: »

I find keeping products in places where I'll use them helps get through them quicker - for example, I was leaving toner in the bedroom when I really need it stashed in the bathroom to use after washing. Products get used up quicker that way!

That's a good tip!
Most of my stuff gets packed away under my bed rarely seeing light of day... oops... So I've decided anything that makes it to my PP list is staying on my bedside table/ by the bath
x

littlepinkstars44

rogueylawyer wrote: »

I am very jealous of the Lush and MAC stash you have there little pink!

I'm actually embarrassed by it!

Catriona_P

Another tip - if you have a landline phone, keep handcream next to it. So when you're on a long call to Mum/best friend/company of choice, you can give your hands something to do.