No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries April

London_baby

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 dolly84 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

Also, why not reward your efforts by banking and recycling your use ups/throw aways with Boots scan2recycle points at participating Boots stores: Recycle at Boots - Get rewarded for recycling - Boots 

Alternatively, simply drop them off at Maybelline Recycling points: www.maybelline.co.uk . Unfortunately, you won't be rewarded for the latter but the earth will thank you :-)

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!

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread London_baby. I'm back in for April.

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

Seven for Summer List:
Eight Hour Cream
Midnight Recovery Concentrate
This Works Eye Cream
Phillip Kingsley Elasticiser
The Inkey List PHA Toner
Burts Bees Lip Balm
Espa Lip Balm

getmyacttogether2016

Thanks London_baby

Apr PP
Elemis exotic cream moisturising mask 15ml
Elemis pro collagen advanced eye treatment 15ml
Elemis apricot toner 200ml
Chanel perfume Coco 100ml
Superdrug vitamin e body cream 475ml
Garnier micellar cleansing water 400ml
Elemis pro collagen night cream (from March)
5x samples

GMAT

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread London_baby.

April PP List

Peppermint Foot Cream - b/f from March

Cowshed Body Lotion - b/f from March

Tresemme Perfectly Undone Condtioner - b/f from March

Ed Hardy Original EDP 100ml

Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Shower Gel 500ml

Rose & Frankincense Skin Cream 60g

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 - will need to get some of these as soon as the shops open again
Cleanser
Facial Oil - have one in use and one back up
Curl cream
Deodorant
Hand cream - will be buying ingredients to make my own

asajj

Thank you and I'm in again!
I am actually graduated from this but i enjoy reading and contributing to the thread!
I have UU'ed Beauty Pie SPF 25 and replaced it with the same from the stash. I love this as it doesn't break me out. However, I might need a stronger one for the summer as I will spend more time outdoors.
I also UU'ed a bottle off contact lens solution.

getmyacttogether2016

First UU of the month
Elemis procollagen advanced eye treatment 15ml - WMBA but not sure if I saw much difference.  Now to start the Revolution Skincare eye cream/serum.  Have one I will be using for the day and a seperate one for night use.

Just emptied a few handbags and found 2 x old part used handcreams.  1 x Elemis sweet Orchid 20ml and 1x superdrug vitamin e hand cream 75ml.  Have no idea how old they are so will test them and if okay get them used this month

GMAT

ponypal

Right I have finally allowed myself to TA some super old nail polishes

TA American Apparel glitter polish in Americana

TA Barry M Superdrug Limited Edition in Icicle

UU Essence Crystal Crush Eyeliner - I think I tried this on once? ended up using it to paint with haha which tells you how often I wear make up.

London_baby

UUs:
OGX Apple cider vinegar clarifying shampoo - WNBA, need to use a lot to get a decent lather and was nothing special. Recently purchased a silicone shampoo brush which seems like a game changer for shampooing in hard water.

Palmers's coconut oil hairdressing cream - WNBA, smells lovely but contains petroleum as main ingredient which dries out my hair.

Ins:
2 x Superdrug B. Radiant face cream - Want to switch to a lighter cream during hot weather
Neat 3B Face Saver Gel - Recent hot weather made this an essential purchase, yet to try it. 

PPs for the year:
Beautiful textures leave-in hair conditioner
Perfumes in stash to be replaced with perfume oils when finished
Nail polishes 
1 or 2 foundations to reduce stash

getmyacttogether2016

Found a couple more items hidden away in hand bags, 1x part used elemis hand cream 20ml in white lotus and lime and a 17 lip crayon in bright pink.  Hand cream smells okay so gone in my inventory but the lip crayon smells.

UU
Elemis sweet Orchid hand and nail cream 20ml.  Didn’t feel very nourishing but most probably because of how old it is.  Have another fragrance to use.

TA
17 lip crayon in bright pink
Urban Decay lipstick in naked 2 again this has changed texture and colour.

GMAT

dolly84

uu

Benefit rsvp Cream Eyeshadow - this was a mini pot that I have been working on forever, yout get 3.2g in these little ones which is almost the same as the full size just more awkward to get into.  Love the colour and very flattering on me, I have a full size in the stash but need a change for a bit, I think I have used two minis in this colour and one full size over the years.

pinkfluffybabe

First UU of April. 

Aveda cherry hand creme. WBA. Now onto the original scent one.