No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries October 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:

September 2020

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread sstevo. Back in for October. 

PP List:

Burts Bees Lip Balm

Aveda Cherry Almond Shampoo
Aveda Cherry Almond Conditioner
Stratia Liquid Gold Moisturiser
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid

Cerave hydrating cleanser
Origins ginger body soufflé 

Six for Winter list:

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

Betharooni

Hi all

After an absence of a few months, I hope you don’t mind me joining back in. My lists are as follows:

PP List

- Lynx Attract for Women Body Spray 150ml

- Champneys Heavenly Days Pillow Mist 50ml

- L’Oreal Elvive Fibrology Thickening Shampoo 400ml

- Oral B Floss Picks

- Mandara Spa Tropical Blooms Shower Gel 50ml

- Baylis & Harding Moroccan Rose Body Wash 100ml (using as hand wash)

- Baylis & Harding Moroccan Rose Shower Crème 100ml (using as hand wash)

7 by Xmas List

- Mandara Spa Amber Heaven Shower Cream 50ml

- Boots Nail & Cuticle Oil 9ml

- No7 Beautiful Skin Radiant Exfoliator 75ml

- No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum 5ml

- Deep Cleansing Nose Pore Strips

- Pantene Smooth & Sleek Shampoo 75ml

- Pantene Smooth & Sleek Conditioner 75ml

Main Toiletries Totals (including items currently in use)

Toothbrush - 4 

Toothpaste - 3 

Mouthwash - 1 

Deodorant - 4

Perfume - 2

Shampoo - 6 

Conditioner - 1 

Shower Gel - 7 

Shave Gel - 2 

Cleanser - 4 

Toner - 2 

Face Cream - 3

Body Cream - 4

Hand Cream - 3

Foot Cream - 2

Exfoliator 1

Eye Make Up Remover - 3

Nail Varnish - 6

I’m not intending to buy anything much this month toiletries-wise. Possibly a can of dry shampoo using my Boots points, but nothing else.

Also just a reminder about the Boots recycling scheme https://boots.scan2recycle.com/terms-and-conditions. Unfortunately it does not appear to be UK wide but mainly focused on the South so I hope some will be able to make use of it.

B x

lantanna

One out to report, molten brown shower gel mini. I was looking round my bathroom last night and I’m astounded by the difference compared to last year. I think next year I’ll be pretty much even on the ins and outs as I have used up most of my stash

sstevo19

My PP list for October is the same as September. I did not make any progress on using up my bath products. Never had chance to have a bath  

PP list:
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

And one UU this morning:

The Body Shop British Rose Shower Gel 60ml - WPB as a full size. A lovely rose scent, but I much prefer the Lush Rose Jam for a rose scented shower gel. 

VALM

Thanks for the new thread  xx

My PP List this month
The Ordinary Rose Hip oil

Bath & Body Works A Thousand Wishes shower gel

Colourpop lip scrub. 

Liz Eerle Skin Repair
Lacura hand cream
ABC Body lotion
LUSH Cup o Coffee
Elemis Lime Blossom cleanser 
Elemis Apricot Toner

The Rosehip oil, shower gel, Skin repair, body lotion, cleanser and toner will get used up as there staples but I must work harder on the two scrubs (for fear that they will expire) and the handcream. The weather is getting that bit chilly so I should start to use it more.

Betharooni

UU - Champneys Heavenly Days Pillow Mist 50ml - WNBA, smelt lovely but didn’t help me sleep. In a lovely glass bottle so will reuse that in some way.

B x

shed35

HI
This is my first update for October

UU
Waitrose Lime and Basil Soap
Burt Bee Deep Pore Cleanser
Liz Earle Lavender and Veltier Polish  Body Cleanser
Vintage Hand Cream (Travel Size) x 2
Marseille Savon Soap
Dove Creme Bath
Weleda Calendula Soap
L'Oreal Pure Clay Mask
Weleda Almon Facial Oil
Palmolive Children Bath and Shower Gel

IN
Balmond Skin Balm x 3
Rose Tree Body Oil
Avon Supreme Hair Shampoo x 2
Avon Supreme Hair Conditioner x 2
Dove Bath Creme x 3
T'weak Rise & Shine Revitalising Hair Treatment Mist
T'weak Rise & Shine Volumising Hair Scrub

Total 104

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread sstevo. 

October PP List

Le Soft Stick Perfume

Sanctuary White Lily & Damask Rose Body Lotion 250ml - b/f from September

Lyons Leaf Beauty Balm 60ml - b/f from September

Rituals Shower Oil

Philosophy Honey Buns Shower Gel 498ml

Rituals Rose Body Cream 200ml

My 7 by Christmas list

1. Gosh Brow Kit (has 3 shades and a wax but I only use the darkest shade for brows) b/f from the last challenge

2. Burts Bees Lip Shimmer - Strawberry b/f from the last challenge

3. Poppy King Lip Crayon in Smiling

4. Barbara Daly Trade Secrets Sheer lip melt in Adorable b/f from the last challenge

5. Clinique High Impact Mascara mini

6.  Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Powder Pink b/f from the last challenge

7.  Miss Sporty Stick Concealer

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 - 2 bought in September
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

asajj

Hello everyone. I'm in again
GA an Elf Setting Spray and a Collection Setting Powder yesterday.
UU - Medika8 Vitamin C serum. It was ok but probably won't go out of the way to buy it again. 

dolly84

uu

Sanctuary Spa White Lily & Damask Rose Body Lotion - this had a nice scent but was quite a wet lotion which rubbed in super easy but left me feeling a bit damp, plus it didn't do anything amazing as far as moisturising is concerned.  WNBA.