No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries July 2016

VALM

Morning ladies. I think I too would prefer the thread to remain as a monthly.

So PP list :-

Boots Florence Anne Blackcurrant and Fig handcream
Jack Wills Hooe Cove Bidy scrub
Jack Wills Hope Cove body lotion
Mandara Spa body butter
Pixi Glow Tonic
Elemis Pro Radiance Illuminating eye cream
Polskar (?) moisturiser
Elemis Lime Blossom cleanser
Soap and Glory Peaches and Clean cleanser
Maybelline Dream BB Cream

shandyclover

Lou85 wrote: »

Thanks Gemzie.


I've also just found out this week that my OH is at risk of redundancy which is pretty bad timing seeing as I'm 5 months pregnant so slightly stressed. I'm considering starting a thread (if there isn't already one) to ask for people's opinions on cheaper toiletries. I don't always have expensive make up/toiletries but there are some that I really like and if I could have a cheaper alternative I might need to resort to that while money is tight. If any of you know of such a post please let me know otherwise I'll start one soon and post the link here as you ladies are the best people to advise me I think!

This is an old thread I've often referred to, though it is a bit ancient, maybe its time to start a new one!

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/843425

dolly84

Gemzie - my post should have read that we would have an ongoing thread and post our PP lists etc at the beginning of a new month - sorry.

gemmajenkins0208

Gemzie121 wrote: »

Personally I prefer the monthly format in that I like seeing how many items off a pp list I can use in one month and I've had months where I've used up all of my pp list or nearly all... Therefore I'd still be posting monthly pp lists on an ongoing thread personally. I like the excitement of a new thread for a new month and a new start. Just that I find the shorter amount of time more of a challenge and I'm less likely to get bored as not finishing a pp list I find sooo disappointing but I'd need a huge pp list to cover a year and I love choosing new items each month to replace what I used the previous month (last month was baad :eek: and I have things carried over so they have to go this month haha!!) I'm not very good with change though even silly little changes so I'm probably being silly!

I agree also.

I tried joining in on the Make do, Mend and Minimise thread a month or so ago but while reading through I've forgotten what page I was up to now :rotfl:

gemmajenkins0208

I have a question actually, in particular for those who have been doing this challenge for a good 6 months or so:

Is your stash definitely going down? Are you seeing bare space where parts of your stash used to be and now using said bare space to house more important things?

My unnecessaries were in a drawer, but when I did some tidying up and rearranging back when I had some time off work in May, I put my stash in the drawer(neatly!) and my unnecessaries on and around a small tray thing on top of the drawers, so as I use items up, I'll slowly see the top of the drawers get emptier and emptier until there's nothing left

Just so you know, there is supposed to be something else on top of the drawers, not unnecessary toiletries! :rotfl:

fixx

Re. threads - I prefer monthly, as I like a fresh start each month, and the short challenge length. I wouldn't be very averse to moving to a longer one though. Has anyone PMed a board admin? In another forum I use some very popular threads are often asked to restart on a new thread as long topics put some additional strain on the servers - not sure if that'd be the case here or not.

Gemzie121 wrote: »

Also has anyone used burts bees coconut foot cream and what did they think?! I've just opened one and am a bit confused, I did wonder if they had put the wrong product in?! It smells very minty not at all coconutty, I was expecting a lovely coconut smell and also it's not a cream really! It's a thick clear gel that feels more akin to a wash or scrub, it's a bit weird compared to what I was expecting :eek:

Yep, I've used that, and found exactly the same. I did use it all up eventually - and the scent grew on me, but I never liked the texture, and found other creams more effective.

gemmajenkins0208 wrote: »

I have a question actually, in particular for those who have been doing this challenge for a good 6 months or so:

Is your stash definitely going down? Are you seeing bare space where parts of your stash used to be and now using said bare space to house more important things?

Yes! I keep everything in the bathroom - and I did have an overspill from a cupboard into an additional basket. Now I don't, and have some clear shelf space, so I can see things more clearly I'm going to reorganise today actually, now that I have some space to play with. It's a great feeling! :T

Gemzie121

gemmajenkins0208 wrote: »

I have a question actually, in particular for those who have been doing this challenge for a good 6 months or so:

Is your stash definitely going down? Are you seeing bare space where parts of your stash used to be and now using said bare space to house more important things?

My unnecessaries were in a drawer, but when I did some tidying up and rearranging back when I had some time off work in May, I put my stash in the drawer(neatly!) and my unnecessaries on and around a small tray thing on top of the drawers, so as I use items up, I'll slowly see the top of the drawers get emptier and emptier until there's nothing left

Just so you know, there is supposed to be something else on top of the drawers, not unnecessary toiletries! :rotfl:

My stash hasn't gone down in that I have loads of empty space but it has helped me to find out what brands are worth buying and which aren't - this should limit my buying just to the items that really work for me or that I love. I had far too much random stuff that I'd bought impulsively and no end of cheap shower gels that I'd chucked in my trolley or basket without thinking, and I have found I do generally prefer lush or body shop ones. I do want to get my stash down considerably but my buying is definitely related to how I'm feeling emotionally which this thread has also helped me to realise - I had another big splurge recently when I got yet more bad news. My parents are in the middle of a divorce and I'm waiting to find out when I'm having more major surgery and I think the stress of it all gets to me and I comfort buy. I am hoping when we get moved by the end of the year & a new start I can get my life sorted out and my spending under control. I'm not in debt or anything but I don't need all this stuff. I'm looking forward to re arranging and organising all my bits when we move. The good news is I haven't been buying no end of cheap shower gels etc lately but bad news is I've bought a few lush ones from the lush kitchen. But I don't think it's too bad in that I prefer the lush ones so am more likely to use them up than the cheapy ones I bought without thinking that will sit there for ages. I nearly had near miss in asda the other day when I saw the dolly mixtures ones on sale but kept walking, I already have a couple of those and haven't even tried them out yet - that's how bad it is.

fixx

Welcome to the new people! Good luck attacking the stashes :j

2 UUs for me, woohoo!

- Clinique Sculptwear contouring massage cream mask, 15ml: WNB. Very pleasant, but not sure it did much - there are other masks I'd rather spend money on.
- Organic Surge radiance recovery night cream: WDBA. I've actually got one more application I managed to scrape out of the glass tube last night once the pump stopped working, but might as well report it now Lovely gentle scent, and a nice thicker cream for overnight. Gentle, but effective - left my skin feeling like velvet every morning, and lasted really well! Very economical. I love the whole Organic Surge range though, very impressed by their products.

I'm not going to do a PP list for July, as I'll be at my parents for over a week, and my mum has more stuff than I do! And I know she gets lots of beauty boxes and will have set aside stuff for me as usual - so I'll be working through those :P

I'd love to join the 7 by Autumn challange though, and I've pulled out the following as areas/items I really need to work on:
- Barry M Flawless Chisel Cheeks contour kit - I've almost gone through the lightest colour, but barely dented the darker ones. I'll try to use as various bronzer colours over the summer. (I've loads of bronzers and blushers, so really want to start clearing them)
- Josh Wood Light blonde instant root concealer spray - no idea what this does (is it for grey coverage, or does it work on dark roots?!), it's just been in my cupboard for ages :P I will use it, find out what it is, and get rid of it!
- Benefit Confessions of a concealaholic kit - this is really old, and I need to work out what to do with it. I need to properly sort out what concealers I do need/will use, so will make that a goal over the summer.
- 2 primers (Monu illuminating primer spf 15, and one other) - I have too many primers (fortunately some are a bit smaller), really need to work on this area of my stash.
- 2 eye treatments/creams (Clinique custom smart eye treatment, and Clinique all about eyes, both small sizes and already in use) - again, I have too many eye creams, and need to work through them!
- 2 hair serums (ogx coconut milk serum, almost done, and Toni&Guy radiating tropical elixir) - another area I have a few products backed up. Both of these are already in use, I just need to get through them!
- 2 cleansers (Ren gentle cleasing milk 25ml, and Elemis Omega rich cleansing oil 50ml) - I want to go back to Oil cleansing with my own blends, and just need to get through these two remaining cleansers first!

I've also been a bit naughty and will have some future Ins :P But not just yet... I took advantage of the Boots Beauty Must Haves box offer - I ordered 5 various gift sets, and only 2 things for me, paying less than £30 after offers - but of course I'll have to count the contents of the box itself once I get it! I'll report fully when I have my hands on it all

VALM

One UU : 75ml tube of Mark Hill Straightening serum. I like this and have another in stash. Have had these for ages - bought in Jan sales a few years ago.

maddiemay

Scores on the doors June:- UU 10/46. IN 2/48 TA 1/3

JULY PP list
200ml The White Company Seville bath foam
Original Source Raspberry and vanilla shower gel
20ml Courant perfume this taking ages, but it is perfume not EDT so don’t need much each day.
59ml Perricone MD nourishing moisturiser.
30ml Perricone MD Chia serum
5ml Vichy Liftactive Advanced filler
41g Mitchum 48 hour AP/Deo stick
30ml Hydraluron
15ml Hylamide SubQ Eyes
15ml BS Aloe Eye Defence

My bath, shower and body lotion/butter stash is going down well, but everything takes ages as I use one of the BS scrubby wash cloths and need very little product, but my skincare not so good as like Gemzie I too am guilty of comfort buying. I have bought a lot of high end skincare in the last year or so while I have been ill, but now I have a diagnosis and have started treatment life looks a lot rosier and I have no excuse. Everything will be used and I enjoy using it, so no regrets, but look forward to having a lot less variety of products and a correspondingly smaller stash.:D