No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries July

dolly84

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!

dolly84

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 - has fallen apart and I am using it from little pot

3. The Balm Down Boy Blush - lots of pan and product thin in other areas

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 - starting to dry out a bit now

10. MAC Foundation

11. Max Factor Facefinity Foundation

12. Wet n Wild Foundation

13. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation - nearly gone now

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 - using this regularly on non work days

17. Bobbi Brown concealer

18. Too Faced Shadow Insurance - use this regularly but still loads left, or it could be air.

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, another purchased in June

Soap

May need to buy in 2022

Shampoo bar - 2 purchased June

Cleanser - one purchased in March

Facial Oil /Moisturiser - 2 oils purchased January/4 Moisturisers purchased February
Curl cream - 2 purchased January and 1 NBI April
Deodorant 

Hand cream - 2 purchased April, 1 purchased June

Foot Cream

Hair Conditioner bar/refillable bottle of conditioner

Solid shower gel bar - 4 puchased May, 2 purchased June

Body Lotion/Bars - 2 body lotions received as a gift in March

I've decided to get rid of the S&G nude eyeshadow, the brown eyeshadow I'm using for brows was in the same quad, that has all broken to bits so I've put it into a little pot, the nude shadow is just a thin ring now, the colour is nice but it is so powdery I've just had enough of it.

VALM

Thanks for the new thread dolly84.  My PP for this month:-

Carried over

Bath & Body Works Hope hand cream

Orly base coat

Urban Decay setting spray mini

New

Bare Minerals Warmth bronzer loose

Comfort Zone Hydromeory Cream

Pure night cream (can't remember it's full name but I use it as night cream)

Bath & Body Works Little Black Dress body cream

John Frida styling gel

Aveda leave in conditioner

Blabzbeautybar cuticle oil pen

ruby_eskimo

Thanks for the new thread @dolly84 👍

Rolling over:

TBS Avocado body butter
Shea Moisture leave in conditioner

And adding in:

H2O Body Lotion
Nivea micellar water
4 sheet masks
Argan Foot mask
Foot Cream
MAC dazzleglass
TBS Hemp hand cream
Mac Patisserie lipstick

Think most of these are achievable but the lipstick, lipgloss and hand cream are possible candidates for rolling over into August.

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread, Dolly.

Am back in for July, PP List:

Ren Evercalm Cleanser
Aveda Nutriplenish Shampoo
Sjal Face Oil
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Fresh grapefruit shower gel
Aveda Botanicals leave-in conditioner
Odilyque Scalp Soothing conditioner
Arran Aromatics Fig and Ylang Ylang body lotion

Summer List of 4:

Eight Hour Cream
Espa Lip Balm
L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
The Inkey List PHA Toner

Clutterbug07

Thanks for the new thread, @dolly84!

Project pan list 2022

• The Body Shop Drops of Youth Concentrate- SO close to finishing, feels never ending!
  
• Haruharu WONDER - Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner: got down to halfway, which is good since I use it on hands and body, not face, so maybe only a couple of times a week.
  
• Isntree Spotsaver Mugwort Ampoule
• The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG: I might just bin this, I don't ever even attempt to use it...
• 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)
• Urban Decay Stay Naked Weightless Liquid: SO SO CLOSE, honestly, when is this gonna be done!?
  
• Concrete Minerals mineral Eyeshadow in Ruse: a very dull light rusty brown colour- v boring!  I try to use it on WFH days when noone will see me..
• 1 x e.l.f. Hydrating Satin Camo Concealer
• Lily Lolo mineral concealer
  
• Lily Lolo mineral green colour corrector: actually been liking this just literally to correct dark marks left behind by blemishes, so when finished I might actually repurchase.
• Lily Lolo mineral yellow colour corrector: might also work for hyperpigmentation since it's meant to be good for dark undereyes
• The Inkey List 15% Vitamin C and EGF serum: taking a hundred years to finish up on my hands.  Opaque bottle so can't see how much is left, but it MUST be finished soon, surely!?
• The Inkey List Alpha Arbutin: also using on hands to combat any dark spots.  Will take AGES to finish, you only need a tiny amount.  Is maybe half way done.

This list is literally the same as last month- didn't get through any of these specific items from it, but I reckon I'll be through TBS serum, the UD Casper foundation and the Inkey 15% Vit C this month which will be nice!


UU

• Smashbox- Photofinish Primer Water:  I quite like this spray, never know how well these types of things really work but I like to think it does   It's £20, so won't repurchase for now- replaced with the considerably cheaper Elf Matte mist one I bought the other day, so will see how that does.
• Nivea Black & White Invisible- original antiperspirant: Took ages to dry and a bit sticky- will try something else next time
  

dolly84

uu

Gruum Orange & Grapefruit Body Wash Bar - this was just under half size of the full size bars which they sell for £8 full price.  This was really nice, it didn't make my skin feel dry but it hardly lasted 5 minutes.

pinkfluffybabe

First UU for July: 

Ren Evercalm Cleanser. WBA. Onto the next one. 

London_baby

Thanks for the new thread, Dolly. 

Uus:

Superdrug brunette colour rinse - WBA, the new formula is better and gives my greys chestnut highlights instead of the brassy orange before.

In:

Biore watery essence spf. Heard good things, so hope it lives up to the hype.

Think I'm finally making a dent in my stash because I can finally close and open my bathroom storage without things falling out or shoving things in. 

VALM

Updated PP List

Bath & Body Works Hope hand cream

Orly base coat

Urban Decay setting spray mini

Bare Minerals Warmth bronzer loose

Comfort Zone Hydromeory Cream

Pure night cream (can't remember it's full name but I use it as night cream)

Bath & Body Works Little Black Dress body cream

John Frida styling gel

Aveda leave in conditioner

UU BlabzBeautyBar cuticle oil.  I love these pens.   I finished my Hot Chocolate one and then finished MrM's mint one.  I have one from a different stockist (Emma visited London recently and bought this as a gift from a stall on Covant Garden).

Both Bath & Body Works products are cut open so should be done soon. 

I did throw away a couple of items over the weekend:-

Optimum eye cream.  This burnt each time I applied it.  I have re-ordered the Skinsense Eye Concentrate that I had used previously.  There's a really good offer on until the end of the month - get a free full sized cleansing balm.  Will use this when it arrives as I'm not getting on with the reformulated Revolution cleanser which now foams.  Will have to use this as a body wash.

MAC Smokey Pink paint pot.  This was decluttered by Emma and dried up pretty soon after I started using it.  I've been meaning to try and re-hydrate it but I can't be bothered as I also have a Mally shadow stick in a similar colour.  My aim was to try and finish them both this year but I wasn't reaching for either due to the state of the piant pot.  Am wearing the shadow stick today and it's quite nice as a base.

ruby_eskimo

Morning all, 2 UU's to report:

- Shea Moisture Leave in Conditioner: I went through a love hate relationship with this, just had to be careful to not apply too much.  Have replaced it with their new honey and yogurt one in the hope it might be a bit more forgiving.

- Nivea Micellar Water: This was a 100ml travel size that I'd had open for a while but hardly used.  Now I've saved the bottle to refill when I'm on my next travels.  Have replaced with a Garnier one.

So the PP list now looks like this:

TBS Avocado body butter
Shea Moisture leave in conditioner
H2O Body Lotion
Nivea micellar water
4 sheet masks
Argan Foot mask
Foot Cream
MAC dazzleglass
TBS Hemp hand cream
Mac Patisserie lipstick

I must also confess to a couple of IN's

- KVD Beauty Lock It Powder: I have the mini one and have almost finished it, and the big size was on sale in Boots.  Absolutely love this powder and a little goes a very long way
- Maybelline Superstay matte ink in Pioneer: I needed to replace my long wearing red lip colours as they've all been open a long time and probably need decluttering.  Heard good things about this and it was on offer so picked it up.