No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries March

dolly84

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 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!

 

dolly84

March PP List

Peppermint Foot Cream - b/f from February

Cowshed Body Lotion - b/f from February

Tresemme Perfectly Undone Condtioner - b/f from February

Lee Stafford Grow Longer Hair Treatment 200ml b/f from February

Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter Shower Gel

Elemis Tranquil Touch Body Wash 300ml

Fushi Organic Camellia Oil

Sanctuary Spa Body Butter

M&S Aloe After Sun

Wonder Oil (not sure of the brand name)

My 7 by Summer list

1.  No7 Lip Crayon in Statement

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

4. Miss Sporty Stick Concealer - b/f from the last challenge

5. Rimmel Stay Matte Powder

6. Soap & Glory nude eyeshadow from quad

7.  Bare Minerals Eyeliner in Plum - b/f from the last challenge

Will not need to buy in 2021.

Shower gel
Body moisturiser
Hair conditioner/hair masks
Foot cream
Nail polish
Hair serum/oil
Makeup (4 x foundations purchased in January)
Perfume
Bubble Bath - 1 bottle in the stash them I intend to make my own bath oils

May need to buy in 2021

Shampoo bar
Cleanser
Facial Oil - have one in use and one back up
Curl cream
Deodorant
Hand cream - will be buying ingredients to make my own

sstevo19

Thank you dolly84 for the new thread, I've not felt too great lately, so thank you! I will post my PP list tonight  

dolly84

I'm starting the month off with a bang.

uu

Garnier Conditioner - this is the little bottle that comes with the hair dye.

Sanctuary Spa Body Butter - lovely scent.

Boots Extracts Cocoa Butter Shower Gel - nice enough and does the job.

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread Dolly. Am back in for March.

PP List:
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel
Aveda Cherry Conditioner
Natural Siberia Shampoo
Origins Ginger Body Cream
Nature Siberia Shower Gel
Aveda Botanicals leave-in conditioner
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Bamboo Hair Oil

Spring List:
Eight Hour Cream
Midnight Recovery Concentrate
This Works Eye Cream
Phillip Kingsley Elasticiser
The Inkey List PHA Toner

asajj

Hello and thank you for the new thread
I have sold a cream on eBay. It was a brand called Smart Madara (?) and got it from a Beauty Box a while back.
Also Sold Emma Hardie Moringa Renewal Treatment Mask.
1 IN   M&S Formula Night Cream - direct replacement for the current one that I'm about to finish off. Really good value for money.
UU - Pixi Glow Tonic. I love this and buy every now and then. 

lianne1984

Hey guys, 
I've just stumbled upon this thread and I neeeeeed to get on this. I'm a beauty addict and constantly buying stuff before using other stuff up. So I'm definitely going to get involved!!  

VALM

Thanks for the new thread dolly84.  Hope you soon feel better ssteveo. 

So March's PP List:-

E45 cream - carried over
Ultrasun lip balm - carried over

Elemis Balanacing Lime blossom Cleanser - hopefully this will be a gimme and be gone quickly.

MAC Paint Pot in Bare Study. - plenty of pan

Cherry cuticle oil pen - Must try harder.

Bath & Body Works Pink Cashmere shower gel - half full/empty depending on your outlook!

Bath & Body Works Pink Cashmere shea butter cream

ELF Concealer

Benefit Hello Flawless foundation

OPI The Color of Minnie.

I seem to have replaced all my skincare in the last month so mixing it up with some makeup.

First UU of March:  L'Occitane Verbena hand wash.  I got this on a special offer when purchasing gifts at Christmas.  WNBA.  It's not cruelty free.  Have replaced with a Bath & Body Works Mahogany Teakwood handwash.

VALM

lianne1984 said:

Hey guys, 
I've just stumbled upon this thread and I neeeeeed to get on this. I'm a beauty addict and constantly buying stuff before using other stuff up. So I'm definitely going to get involved!!  

Welcome lianne1984.

VALM

Finish 5 by Spring

NARS Outlaw blush - DONE

Urban Decay Bathwater eyeshadow from the Gwen Stefani eyeshadow palette - DONE.

Smashbox Full Exposure matte brown shadow (already have pan)

Bare Minerals Warmth bronzer (sample size - came from advent calendar)

Bare Minerals Swank lip lacquer DONE.

Avon Mulberry lipgloss rotated in.  Can see wand scraping product away from the sides.

Am hoping to hit pan on the bronzer soon as I keep scraping hard pan from it.  Am also hoping that I'll be popping the stopper from the Avon lipgloss too.

On another note, I hit pan on Agrabah from the MAC Princess Jasmine palete yesterday.

Zuzi

Hi all,
hope everyone is staying safe and sane. I don't write here regularly but I just wanted to share the great news that I will tonight FINALLY use up my huge Elemis Rose cleansing balm  I will do so in the shower and use it as a body cleansing balm because I don't want to throw it away but am fed up using it on the face only.
I have Clinique TTDO lined up and a few non-balm cleansers which should be good enough since I hardly wear make-up these days, and somehow I think that most cleansers can handle SPF.
I used to keep lists of my skincare stash, right now I only have one listing WHEN I bought what so that I can focus on using up the oldest purchases first (2018, 2019 in my case) Yes I still have lots but it used to be worse and this year I have promised myself that I will. not. buy. anything. - I only broke it once so far when leaving Mexico in January, buying two tubes of tretinoin cream at the airport (a flash of genius thinking!) but I will be very proud of myself if I stick to this since it should help me get to manageable - and enjoyable - levels of skincare items. I used up 100 things in 2019, 66+ in 2020 and this year I am going for a 100 as well - Elemis will be #23 so hopefully I am on track.
Thanks for reading, I might return more frequently to catch up, but I wanted to leave this here to help me commit. Have a great evening everyone.