No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries August 2021

pinkfluffybabe

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 sstevo 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

My PP List for August:

Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Ren Rose Shower Gel
Drunk Elephant Protini Moisturiser
Medik8 Calmwise Serum
Origins Souffle Body Lotion
Ren Vita Mineral Moisturiser
Aveda Hand Repair
The Ordinary Niacinimide and Zinc

Autumn List of 7:

Eight Hour Creme
Midnight Recovery Concentrate
This Works Eye Cream
Elacticiser
The Inkey List PHA Toner
Burts Bees Lip Balm
Espa Lip Balm

sstevo19

Thank you so much for starting the new thread pinkfluffybabe 

London_baby

Thanks for the new thread pinkfluffybabe .

Happy to finally report some 'interesting' uus with no ins:

Me + polyglutamic acid - Superdrug dupe of Inkeylist - WMBA, but price has increased. It's now cheaper to buy Cosrx snail mucin.

Me+ hyaluronic acid cleanser - WNBA, texture is similar to hair conditioner so it's a total disaster as a body wash when trying to lather up. May work as a face wash but I will stick to Cerave.

Jamaican black castor oil - WMBA, not sure it did much for my edges. Superdrug now has a cruelty free version so may purchase that instead.

VALM

Thanks for the new thread pinkfluffybabe. 

My PP List and 7 by Autumn 

PP List carried forward 

BlabzBeautyBar Coconut cuticle oil

Liz Earle Skin Repair 
Ultrasun Factor 30 face 

Skinsense Neck and Décolleté Cream 

Skinsense Overnight Leave On mask

Perfance Green Clay Mask

The Inkey List Vitamin C serum

Newly added

Ted Baker body spray

Liz Earle /Lacura toner

Dove body lotion

7 by Autumn 

MAC Live the genie life 

Too Faced Silk Teddy

Benefit Hoola 

Colourpop Champagne Miami DONE

Hourglass Edit 4 collectively to hit pan

Rituals handcream 

Essie cuticle scrub

asajj

Thank you for the new thread.

I have UU'ed a Garnier Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask. I have used this one before and not sure about it. It stung when on my face and it gave some moisture but not so much of it. 

M&S Formula Eye Cream - This was from the advent calendar and it is quite rich. I prefer lighter eye creams so not sure if WBA. Might be more suitable for winter months. 

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread pfb.

August PP List

Peppermint Foot Cream - b/f from forever

Philosophy Coconut Frosting Shower Gel 498ml - b/f from July

Korres Mint Tea Body Lotion

My 7 by Autumn list

1.  Revolution Foundation Stick

2. Stila Eyeshadow in a champagne pink (this is a tiny pan taken from a palette)

3. Stila Eyeshadow in a dark matt pink/brown (this is a tiny pan taken from a palette)

4. L'oreal Lipstick in Sweet Berry

5. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara mini

6. Model Co Cream Blush - would like to hit pan on this

7. Smiths Rosebud Salve

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  - 1 on order
Deodorant
Hand cream - bought in May

dolly84

I disappeared towards the end of July, I've been having some renovation work done and as anyone who has done this knows your whole life is turned upside down during it.  In the home straight now.

London_baby

Another  2 UUs:

Mixa cica repair balm - 1 more in stash.
Lidl nail polish remover - WNBA for awhile as now has been replaced with a large salon-quality one from justmylook.

VALM

2 UUs

Bath & Body Works Endless Weekends hand wash.

Regenerate tooth paste.

I don't think I like the generic masculine fragrances by B&BW anymore.

The toothpaste was in a sub box, I think.  Would not switch from my Arm & Hammer for this.

sstevo19

A few INs to report:

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Mains 75ml
La Roche Posay Hydreane Legere Moisturiser 40ml

And some UUs to report:

La Roche Posay Hydreane Legere Moisturiser 40ml - WDBA and have done. My HG moisturiser. 

Oral B Satin Tape 25m - WDBA and have done. Another HG. 

Nivea Pearl & Beauty Deodorant 50ml - WBA and have done. I like the scent of this one