No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries June

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 asajj 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

Back in for June. 

PP List:
Aveda Cherry Conditioner
Natural Siberia Shampoo
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Ren Evercalm Cleanser
Ren Glycol Lactic Mask
Arran Aromatics Shower Gel
Aromatherapy Associates Overnight Mask
Aveda Damage Remedy Leave In Conditioner
 
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

ponypal

Brilliant thanks for the thread I am in. 
PP list for June is:
Finish a bar of soap

Burts Bees Raspberry Lip balm

HEMA moisturising gel for nails and cuticles

Head and Shoulders Shampoo

XHC Vegan Banana Conditioner

Elemis rehydrating ginseng toner

Coconut oil

sstevo19

Thanks london_baby for the new thread  

I will post my PP list soon 

VALM

Thanks for the new thread londonbaby.  Hoping for a low spend month!  PP List as follows:-

Carried forward:-

Bath & Body Works Pink Cashmere shower gel

BlabzBeautyBar Coconut cuticle oil
Lacura Glycolic pads
Liz Earle Skin Repair
Skinsense Day Cream

Skinsense Vitamin Complex serum

Newly added:-

Alpha H Balancing Cleanser

Skinsense eye cream

The Inkey List Vitamin C Serum

Ultrasun Factor 30 face

VALM

Finish 7 by Summer update:-

Smashbox Full Exposure matte brown shadow.  This is now depotted and is being used loosely.  Hope to finish it by the end of this challenge.

Laura Geller lipstick Kiss - goal to keep in rotation and use at least twice a week.

Bare Minerals Heart loose eyeshadow - ditto

Hourglass highlighter from the Edit 4 palett - goal to hit pan.

No movement really on any of these.  Must try harder.

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread London_baby.

June PP List

Peppermint Foot Cream - b/f from forever

Ed Hardy Original EDP 100ml - b/f from May

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

Cowshed Body Lotion 300ml

Liz Earle Lavender & Basil Body Wash 200ml

Korres Bergamot Pear Body Wash

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 - 4 bought in April
Cleanser
Facial Oil - bought in May
Curl cream
Deodorant
Hand cream - bought in May

shed35

Hi  
My first update for June
UU
Benefit Pore Primer
Molton Brown Oatmeal Soap x 2
Balmoral Skin Balm
Tea Tree Oil
Body Shop Satsuma Hand Cream
Body Shop Satsuma Body Shower
Rose Tree Body Oil

Total 104

sstevo19

One UU this morning:

Lush Sleepy Soap 100g - WPBA but I'm going to look at more independent brands for hand soaps. I like this soap but Lush has some very questionable ethical choices. 

dolly84

uu

Liz Earle Lavender & Basil Botanical Body Wash 200ml - didn't hang around long with 4 people using it but it was nice whilst it lasted.

asajj

Hello everyone! I have sold 2 Philip Kingsley products on eBay so 2 out.
I purchased Pumice Power from Lush - it is a foot soap and I was a bit sceptical but works very nicely on my feet.