No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries in March 2022

VALM

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!

VALM

My PP List this month:-

Items carried over:-

ABC Body lotion

L’Occitane hand lotion (on desk at work)
Rituals handcream
Skinsense Day Cream
Skinsense Overnight Leave on mask

Yorkshire Soap Company Happy Hebden Bare soap

New items:-

Mixed toner - I put 200ml of Liz Earle IBST and Lacura copy of the IBST into a bottle.  Have about a quarter left.

Philosophy Pumpkin Icing body wash

BlabzBeautyBar cuticle oil pen

The Inkey List Caffeine eye cream

Skinsense Eye Concentrate

I'm hopiing to only need to replenish the Skinsense Eye Concentrate this month and I'll probably have to replace my ELF concealer.

I also hit pan in my Bare Minerals mini highlighter this morning.  No doubt this will last another two months. 

dolly84

Thanks VALM for the new thread.

Makeup I want to finish in 2022

1. Soap & Glory nude pink eyeshadow from a quad

2. Soap & Glory dark brown eyeshadow from a quad

3. The Balm Down Boy Blush

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

5. Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara mini

6. Model Co Cream Blush

7. Bare Minerals Plum Eyeliner

8. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in rsvp

9. Max Factor Fusion Mascara

10. MAC Foundation

11. Max Factor Facefinity Foundation

12. Wet n Wild Foundation

13. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

14. Matte brown eyeshadow single (any of the ones I have taken from a palette and put into my magnetic palette.

15. Lipstick Queen Thrilller Lip Crayon

16. Revlon lip crayon in Honey

17. Bobbi Brown concealer

18. Too Faced Shadow Insurance

Will not need to buy in 2022

Shower gel of the liquid variety
Nail polish
Hair serum/oil
Makeup  (except possibly foundation and mascara) Foundation purchased in February
Perfume - was gifted one in January

May need to buy in 2022

Shampoo bar

Cleanser

Facial Oil /Moisturiser - 2 oils purchased January
Curl cream - 2 purchased January
Deodorant 

Hand cream

Foot Cream

Hair Conditioner bar/refillable bottle of conditioner

Soap

Solid shower gel bar (at the end of the year when I've used all my stash of shower gels)

DD has given me two foundations today to try as they are too dark for her.  If they work for me I will have a lot of foundation to get through.

dolly84

I don't intend to purchase anything in March, I think I said that last month but did buy things.  I need a 'No Spend Month' in all areas.

Clutterbug07

Thanks @VALM for setting up the new thread!

Project pan list

• The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Protect Lotion SPF 30 - not far off, using on my body as I don't like it for my face
• The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask
• The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate - using on my hands before moisturiser
• Garnier Micellar Milky Cleansing Water 400ml - 3/4 finished!
• The Inkey List Oat Cleansing Balm - just not as good as the Body Shop Camomile balm!!!
• Aveeno Calm and Restore Cleanser: 3/4 finished
• Haruharu WONDER - Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner- too fragranced, am using on my hands and body.
• Isntree Spotsaver Mugwort Ampoule- not sure if this works for my skin, might use on body
• The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG
• Simple Protect 'N' Glow Radiance Booster SPF30
• 1 x big Tresemme shampoo (my Mum had too many, so she gave me this. it's HUGE)
• MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ Matte 100ml 
• Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Liquid
• Milk Hydrogrip Primer 10ml
• 2 x UOMA Beauty Stay Woke Brightening Concealer- did my own makeup for my wedding, had to try A LOT of concealers to  find the right consistency and colour!
• 3 x e.l.f. Hydrating Satin Camo Concealer
• Lily Lolo mineral powder foundation
• Lily Lolo mineral concealer
• Lily Lolo mineral green colour corrector
• Lily Lolo mineral yellow colour corrector
• L'Oreal Infallible 24 hr freshwear in Ivory (wrong colour)

A couple of new UUs already

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water- Combination & Oily skin- yep, HG, had another ready to go. Concrete Minerals Eyeshadow in Sweet Catrina- Dark dusty pink- ok for neutral glam/easy days.  I did enjoy it more with more use actually, but I am unlikely to repurchase I think Boots Original Lip Salve SPF: did the job, also had spf- wba. Have a thousand lip balms so definitely NOT buying any tho.  Sanex Zero shower gel (dry skin): had one already in the stash- Is no fragrance, super gentle, good for if ur skin can be sensitive.

Clutterbug07

UU

• The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask: been working on this one a while, had a big break from using it, and as I've been using a lot of other products on my face I didn't fancy adding this back into my face routine, so I used it on décolletage to finish it up.  Would maybe try again, but think I'd like to try some other sleeping masks first.  

VALM

Clutterbug07 said:

UU

• The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask: been working on this one a while, had a big break from using it, and as I've been using a lot of other products on my face I didn't fancy adding this back into my face routine, so I used it on décolletage to finish it up.  Would maybe try again, but think I'd like to try some other sleeping masks first.  

I am currently panning the Skinsense Overnight Mask which is lovely.  I got this from QVC in a kit and it's a definite repurchase for me (although not just yet as I have more in my stash).

VALM

First UU:-

Revon Photo Ready Eyeshadow Primer.  I originally bought this during lockdown when we could only buy items from supermarkets.  I did repurchase it as we were still in some kind of lockdown and I wanted to wait until I could try primers again IRL before buying anything else.  Since then I have bought and have in use a Nyx Glitter primer and 2 x MAC Paint pots (one in Painterly and other in Smoky Pink).  It's my aim to also an the Nyx Glitter primer and Smoky Pink paint pot this year and then continue to repurchase Painterly as my eyeshadow primer.  The Revlon one was ok but could cause creasing and I could never fathom which shadows were going to crease or not. 

shed35

Hi 

My first update in March ( very busy February)

UU
All Purpose Organic Balm
Molton Brown Travel Size Body Wash  x 2
Molton Brown Handwash  x 2
Avon Supreme Shine Shampoo 
Avon Supreme Shine Conditioner
Weleda Facial Oil
Rose Tree Rose, Geranium, Ylang Ylang Body Oilk
Liz Earle Neroli Body Cleanse and Poish

IN
Body Shop Elderflower Eye Gel x 2

Total 118

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread VALM.

Back in for March, PP List:

Ren Evercalm Cleanser
Aveda Nutriplenish Shampoo
Nivea Soft Body Lotion
Sjal Face Oil
Aveda Nutriplenish Leave-in conditioner 
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Drunk Elephant Protini
Faith in Nature Shower Gel

Spring List of 6:

Eight Hour Cream
Espa Lip Balm
Drunk Elephant Babyfacial
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Oil
L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
The Inkey List PHA Toner 

VALM

UU:  The Inkey List Nicinamide.  I have one left in stash having given one to Emma to use.  I think these last about two months so I'm aiming not to repurchase this month.