No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries November 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 pinkfluffybabe 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

Back in for November, want to get a good push on with overall numbers this month, so tackling minis/samples:

My PP List for November:

Arran Aromatics Shower Gel
Medik8 Calmwise Serum
Ren Rose Body Lotion
Aveda Hand Repair
The Ordinary Niacinimide and Zinc
Aveda Nutriplenish Conditioner 
Aveda Botanicals Shampoo (mini)
Aveda Botanical Conditioner (mini)
Elemis cleanser (sample)
Hourglass cleanser (sample
Ren Evercalm cleanser (mini)
Drunk Elephant Protini (sample)
Darphin serum (sample)
Ren Evercalm serum (mini)

Winter 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

Betharooni

Hi

PP list carried over from October:

• Batiste Original Dry Shampoo 200ml
• Hugo Boss Deep Red Perfume 90ml
• No7 Beautiful Skin Eye Make Up Remover 100ml
• No7 Beautiful Skin Radiant Exfoliator 75ml
• Gillette Satin Care Shave Gel 200ml
• Pantene Smooth & Sleek Conditioner 75ml

B x

perfect10

Ok new to this - I have just treated myself to the m&s advent tin. That’s 25 more products I don’t really need but it just jumped into my basket and refused to get out, so time to use up some of the stuff I have, my aim is to use at least 25 products by the beginning of December so I feel less guilty and then start the New Year buying far less of this stuff. 
so far this week I have binned some old make up and body lotion and decanted some face wash that didn’t suit me into a handwash container, also used a face mask and shampoo/conditioner sample so 8 products gone so far
PP for November:-

Lush bubble bar (WBA)
Westlab bath salts
Origins body souffle  (Xmas pressie last year WBA)
Molton Brown body lotion (beauty box product)
Kiehls ultra facial cream (sample from beauty box) 
Perfume sample ( I have 4 and aim to use at least 1)
lip balm ( 3 on the go aim to finish 1)
hand cream ( 3 on the go aim to finish 1)
Got2b hair oil (LHJ)
Biore deep pore cleansing strips 
Elizabeth Arden ceramics capsules (sample pack from beauty box)
Laura Ashley body polish (from Xmas pressie last year)
Uniq one hair mask (WBA)
Sanctuary Vitamin C body wash
Dead sea minerals exfoliator
Sanctuary candle ( Xmas last year)
Nivea body lotion (sample)
Simple face wash (WBA)
best face forward facial cleanser (WBA favourite)
Estée Lauder foundation (sample from in store colour match)
Charles Worthington clean and protect shampoo
Charles Worthington clean and protect conditioner
Mixa soothing body lotion sample x 2
Mixa repair body lotion sample

(some have only got a couple of uses left) and also going to add some peppermint and chamomile tea bags that came in a Mother’s Day pamper gift as never going to use them otherwise! I may find more things yet and add them to the list, only just started going through it all!

Current total 25/25

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread pfb.

November PP List

Philosophy Raspberry Sorbet Shower Gel 100ml b/f from October

Avon Cherish EDP b/f from October

Avon Pomegranate & Peony Bubble Bath 1L b/f from October

Poppy King Lip Crayon in Singing

LyonsLeaf Beauty Balm

Korres Fig Body Lotion

Korres Fig Shower Gel

Miaflora Melon Seed Oil

My 7 by Christmas list

1.  Revolution Foundation Stick - b/f from last challenge

2. Soap & Glory dark brown eyeshadow from a quad

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

4. Brillo lipgloss in a pale coral colour - keep this in the car to use

5. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara mini - b/f from last challenge

6. Model Co Cream Blush - would like to hit pan on this - b/f from last challenge

7. Smiths Rosebud Salve - b/f from last challenge

Will not need to buy in 2021.

Shower gel
Body moisturiser
Hair conditioner/hair masks
Foot cream - bought a heel/foot cream from Avon
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 - 1 bought in September
Facial Oil - bought in May
Curl cream  - 1 purchased
Deodorant  - bought Salt of the Earth balm in September

Hand cream - bought in May and August & September

I think next year will be the year when I finish most of my stash, I still have a good amount of shower gel, body lotion, perfume, lip balm but all 4 of us use the shower gels, when DD needs a new perfume she shops my stash and the same with lip balm.  I am totally out of the habit of over buying and hope I never go back, getting this stuff used up slowly but surely has freed up so much space too.

Kim_kim

I have just had a clear out of my toiletries, I’m not going to post them here as the list would be truely shameful. 

All I can say is I’m not buying ANY more toiletries or skincare or make up until I’ve used up everything of a particular type of item.
I’ve kept the high end stuff & I’ve put the everyday type of ranges into a box for my daughter.  Honestly I’d never have got through it all.  

It’s because I’ve got an enormous cupboard with shelves in my bedroom where I stash it & a big merchants chest full of stuff, & a big cupboard unit under the sink & on the wall - all full to the brim.  There must be thousands of pounds spent on it.  

So that’s me turning over a new leaf! 

Will not need to buy in 2021

Shower gel
body lotion
body gel
hand cream
hand sanitiser 
hand wash 
conditioner 
deodorant
Make up of ANY description!  
Face skincare of ANY description!

I am so excited to be able to start posting my used ups! 

One thing I might buy in 2022 & I only have one of, Niod FECC eye serum, it’s by far my favourite & I want to keep those wrinkles at bay! But I won’t buy until I get to the last knockings of the current bottle.  

pinkfluffybabe

First UU of November:  

Medik8 calmwise serum. WBA. Going to use up some samples before I buy again. 

dolly84

A uu already

Bella Pierre Volumising Mascara - nice enough but WNB, I think this came in an advent calendar or something.

Betharooni

UU 

Batiste Original Dry Shampoo 200ml - WBA - handy to have around

VALM

Thanks for the new link pinkfluffybabe.  I've been meaning to post for days.  Anyhoo, have my first couple of UUs which are:-

John Frida Red Shampoo.  New HG. Will repurchase.

Duck Island handwash.  We picked this up in York.  Will return to buying Bath & Body Works handwash and have opened a new one called Cotton Freesia.

My PP list for this month:

Carried over-

Skinsense Neck and Décolleté Cream 

Skinsense Overnight Leave On mask

Dove body lotion

Newly added:-

Skinsense facial oil

Skinsense eye concentrate

Skinsense day cream

Essie cuticle scrub

Rituals handcream

BlabzBeautyBar cuticle oil pen

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish

VALM

Updated Finish 6 by Christmas

Bare Minerals Original Foundation DONE.

Bare Minerals loose eyeshadow called Heart.  DONE

MAC No Ordinary Lamp (Princess Jasmine palette).  DONE

Too Faced Push Up. 

Bite Dirty Chai lip lacquer.  DONE

Laura Geller Kiss lipstick.  One of my oldest, if not the oldest, lipstick in my collection.  Will perservere.  Would be nice if it was gone by Christmas.

UU Bite Dirty Chai lip lacquer.  This was nice.  Maybe I'll repurchase one day when I don't have 45 other lip products!

So, I have the eyeshadow left which I'm finding easy to use as I'm using it as a base but am not reaching for the lipstick much.