No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries September 2020

sstevo19

Here we go again for another month. As usual this initial post has been shamelessly copied from the many previous months. A big thank you to er, me, sstevo19 for starting us off last month. 

Welcome all newbies and regulars to this very friendly and chatty thread where we give lots of lovely tips on how to use up your stash and lots of support and encouragement if you need them.

Keep up the pampering and keep down the spending: let's make the naughty step an empty and lonely place this month (rather than one so long that it can be seen from space)! Will this be the month when the "usual suspects" rein it in a bit? Let's see..... (but I doubt it!) 

Remember - those products do nothing for you while they are stashed in drawers, boxes and cupboards! 

We are eternally grateful to Katie Clampet who set up this fab challenge in January 2010. Here's her original challenge post:

"No buying any new toiletries, cosmetics, perfume etc... until I have used up ALL the ones I already have. I got a huge amount of (really nice) stuff for Christmas but I am going to resist the urge to browse Boots, Asda, Superdrug etc, and pop another tub of cream, face scrub, shampoo or conditioner into my basket. I reckon the stuff I have will last me until possibly June. I have decided that the money I save I will put into my special holiday account. Anyone else?"

Lots of us have taken part in the challenge over the past few months (and some of us even years!!) and are making great progress in reducing our stashes and unnecessary/excessive spending.

Regulars can ignore this, but a quick resume is always helpful for newbies:

Why not add the challenge to your signature as a reminder?

How about taking a bit of time to do a stock-take and see if there are any gaps in your stash that you might need to spend on this month? Some of us set a budget for the month for essential purchases or to help with withdrawal symptoms, others like to go cold-turkey!! Other ideas which some people find useful: Listing everything out so you can cross things off as used to increase the sense of achievement, and putting a sum of money in a pot each time you use up an item to save for something you really want, or simply to assist in making future essential purchases "cash neutral".

Remember the challenge is about making the most of your money, enjoying your products, finding which products really suit you best and are worth buying, giving yourself a well-deserved pampering and breaking the habit of buying for the sake of buying. In money-saving tradition, it should also be about making your products l-a-s-t as long as possible (although the temptation of using an unloved shower gel extravagantly to finish it off is sometimes too much to bear!).

Brand new products (or opened perfume) sell well on eBay.

Unsuitable products can be repurposed and used for other jobs (shower gel/shampoo as handwash etc).

Some items can be returned to certain stores for exchange (for essential items or gifts!!) without a receipt.

Unwanted items can be recycled as gifts or for gift hampers (saving the money you'd have spent on gifts).

Unsuitable items can be donated to charity or a local women's refuge as mentioned earlier

It helps to avoid the places where temptation lurks for you; be it QVC, Boots, Body Shop, email newsletter, the supermarket toiletries aisles, Grabbit board, online toiletries browsing, seductive department store beauty counter offers etc. Remember retailers are making offers and promotions all the time, so there will always be another deal! Honest! 

Good luck all for this month and indeed the coming months, and remember to keep your stash lists updated, keep popping in for inspiration and support and to report your UU's and IN's, especially any sales bargains - we want a nosy!

Welcome to all newbies - the more the merrier. Please introduce yourselves so we can welcome you properly! Do de-lurk if you are lurking, this is one of the friendliest threads on MSE.

Oh - and anyone thinking "OMG my stash is FAR bigger than all of theirs, I cant possibly join" - believe you me, we have been doing this challenge for well over a year some of us - you wont scare us, and I can almost guarantee that someone somewhere will have had more and survived.... we are very supportive (and protective - so don't be scared!!) oh - and did we mention that are nosy??!!

Useful abbreviations and jargon!

WBA - Will Buy Again

UU - Use Ups

IN - Self explanatory - stuff you've gained into your stash - warning: lines may be given out for unnecessary purchases or you may be sent to the naughty step!

NBI - A non-bought item such as a present, gift with purchase or free sample

WNBA - Will Not Buy Again!

Glitch - when a shop/online store make a pricing mistake so you end up paying less or even get freebies! 

PYN(M/T/W/Th/F/Sa/Su) DELETE AS APPROPRIATE! - Paint Your Nails Monday/Tuesday...... it allows everyone to try and finish those dastardly nail varnishes with group support! You can never be too groomed for this thread. Also see PY(T)N... - for toenails!

Splutterer - the stage where an item is nearing the end of it's life and spluttering - also the most annoying and seemingly never ending stage!

GWP - Gift With Purchase - a sample or mini sized item

HG - Holy Grail - this is the product you would go back for time and time again, it does the job brilliantly, and is either economical, or so fantastic price becomes no object!

NPI - Near Purchasing Incident (OMG we all have those!)

LHJ - Long Haul Job - for those products - love 'em or hate 'em - that never seem to end no matter how often you use them

PRCP - Pink Rose Candle Philosophy inspired by Erma Bombeck who said: 'If I had my life to live over again I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose that melted in storage'. Don't keep things 'for best' or 'for a special occasion'. That day never arrives. Give the best to yourself now and enjoy it. (Thanks to McCulloch29 for introducing this thought provoking sentiment to us)

GA - for an out that was given away to charity, as a present, or "just because" rather than binned or UU

TA - for an out that was thrown away due to going off (generally as it has been lurking at the back of a stash since time immemorial) or for any other reason such as a broken container or spillage

PP - Project Pan: a list of specific items targeted to be used up

If anyone can think of any more we can add to the list so newbies won't be intimidated by our jargon! 

Previous threads

In case you need to refer back to a previous stash list or product review, here are links to past challenge threads. Click on the date to take you straight to it:

August 2020

sstevo19

My PP list for September is:

Jordan Samuel Skin The Performance Cream 60ml
Lush Fairy Dust Dusting Powder
Batiste Dry Shampoo & A Hint of Colour For Blondes 200ml
Lush Peachy Bath Bomb
Lush Goddess Bath Bomb
Lush Validation Shower Bomb
Lush Unicorn Horn Bubble Bar
Lush The Comforter Bubble Bar

I want to focus on using up my bath products before I buy anymore. I've gotten out of the habit of having a bath and I would like to start doing so again. 

sstevo19

A few necessary INs today:

Colgate Total Original Toothpaste 75ml
Oral B Satin Tape 25m
Schwarzkopf Live Silver Shampoo 200ml 

I'm aiming to not buy much this month, just solely essentials. Hopefully I can stick to it. 

ponypal

7 by Autumn update - is it Autumn yet? 

1. Elemis superfood facial wash UU June

2. LUSH Snowflake Body Lotion 

3. Yaoh Organic moisturiser

4. Green People Vita min fix 24 hour cream - keep forgetting to use this!

5. Mroobest anti-hair loss Shampoo UU June

6. COOP Pomegranate Soap - UU August

7. One nail polish - the one I am focusing on is Barry M Cardamom and I think this might be UU very soon it seems like it's almost finished!

savingfortomorrow

Count me in for September
Out--- Used up elvive shampoo this morning. 

Aims for September 
1. body moisturizer from Garnier to use up 
2. Aldi body moisturizer  to finish
3.  facial moisturizer
4.  body scrub from Lidl

pinkfluffybabe

Back in for September, thanks for the new thread sstevo.

PP List:

Nuxe night cream
Burts Bees Lip Balm

Aveda Cherry Almond Shampoo
Aveda Cherry Almond Conditioner
Origins Grapefruit Body souffle
Stratia Liquid Gold Moisturiser
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid

Ren rose shower gel 

Seven for Autumn list:

Beauty Pie Retinol Hand Cream
Soaper Duper Ginger Shower Gel
Odylique Aloe Vera Shower Gel
Aveda Cherry Almond leave-in conditioner
Pixi Glow tonic
Phillip Kingsley Elasticiser
Keihl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread sstevo. 

September PP List

Le Soft Stick Perfume - b/f from August (still not using this)

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Body Lotion 500ml - b/f from August

Anatomicals Rose & Jasmine Shower Gel 300ml

Sanctuary White Lily & Damask Rose Shower Gel 250ml

Sanctuary White Lily & Damask Rose Body Lotion 250ml

Lyons Leaf Beauty Balm 60ml

Decleor Ylang Ylang Night Purifying Balm 100ml

Liz Earle Skin Repair 50ml

My 7 by Autumn

1. Gosh Brow Kit (has 3 shades and a wax but I only use the darkest shade for brows)

2. Burts Bees Lip Shimmer - Strawberry

3. Revlon Just Bitten Balm Stain in Lovesick

4. Barbara Daly Trade Secrets Sheer lip melt in Adorable

5. Soap & Glory Thick & Fast Mascara

6.  Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink

7.  Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

Will not need to buy in 2020.

Shower gel
Body moisturiser
Hair conditioner/hair masks
Foot cream
Nail polish
Hair serum/oil
Makeup (except maybe foundation) - already purchased
Perfume
Bubble Bath

Still nothing purchased from this list.

May need to buy in 2020

Shampoo bar - bought 4 in July.
Cleanser - will need to buy one before the end of the year I think
Facial Oil - have one in use and one back up
Curl cream - bought a can of hair mousse to try
Deodorant - have purchased a natural handmade one from Blushberry Botanicals
Hand cream - will be buying ingredients to make my own

I am really starting to see progress with my stash now, I hardly buy anything new unless I actually need it and I weeded out the last of the makeup I want to get rid of for now.  This is a process I am repeating in all areas of our house and apart from the loft we can really see a difference, we are doing it room by room as we decorate and renovate.

VALM

ponypal said:

7 by Autumn update - is it Autumn yet? 

There are two calendars - Astrological and Meterological.  One states Autumn is now (as of 1 September) and the other from 23 September.  I am plumping for 23 September. 

VALM

Thanks for the new thread steveo.

Update Finish 7 by Autumn update

NARS Gilda - DONE

Smashbox matte eyeshadow - DONE

Liz Earle No 9 Botanical Essence fragrance - DONE

Kat von D lip lacquer in Lovecraft.  Need to plug away at this again.

Colourpop Birthday Cake.  Pan has expanded again this week.  Not sure that it will be done by the end of the challenge though.

Laura Geller Gilded Honey Highlighter - still working on it. Still looks the same. 

Bare Minerals Love lipstick - it's hard to use this now that Gilda is done.  Will try to rotate it in once a week.

VALM

PP list

Carried over:-

The Ordinary Rose Hip oil

Benefit Goofproof pencil

MAC Prep & Prime Radiance Primer - this has got to be a gimmee for this month as it's really light now.

Bath & Body Works A Thousand Wishes shower gel
The Inkey List Lactic acid - another gimmee as it's feeling very light
Colourpop lip scrub. Must try harder

Superdrug Vitamin C hot cloth cleanser

Elemis Rose cleansing balm

Liz Eerle Skin Repair

Elemis Frangipani body lotion

VALM

I also hit pan in my MAC Barely There paint pot this morning.  Have rotated it in as it's getting dry.  Have to apply it with a brush now.