No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries September 2022

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 @ruby_eskimo  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 September, PP List:

Fresh Lemon Sugar Body Lotion
Drunk Elephant Protini Moisturiser
Sjal Face Oil
Fresh grapefruit shower gel
Odilyque Gentle Herb Shampoo
Medik8 Serum
The Ordinary Niacinimide and Zinc 

Summer List of 4:

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

VALM

I'm in, as usual.  Hoping for a more productive month UU wise.  My PP List:-

Carried over:-

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

Laura Geller Kiss lipstick

OPI You Callin me a Lyre nail polish

Skinsense Overnight Mask

Added:-

The Inkey List Caffeine eye cream

TBS Chamomile Cleansing Butter

Paula's Choice exfoliator (small bottle)

Aloe Vera Shower gel

Morphe Jacqueline Hill On Camera shadow from Ring the Alarm palette

OPI Did you Ear about Van Gogh

Of all of the above, I think the night cream, ee cream and exfoliator are capable of being finished.  The other items I want to be mindful of using especially the two nail colours. 

I have managed to repurchase the Pure night cream and I also got my hands on Bare Minerals pressed mineral veil and complexion rescue.  Apparently stocks of BM are now coming through.  I threw away the CC cream from It Cosmetics.  The pump stopped working and after I cut the tube open the stuff dried up so I had been thinking that I would have to find an alternative to BM.  I have put the No7 powder away and will keep it as a back up should I not be able to get my hands on Mineral Veil again.  It really doesn't compare but will do fine if needs be.

Boogiebunneh

First ever post on the MSE forum!

I've been a lurker for a while so it was about time I joined in. Seeing as I have a stash of toiletries that needs using and you all seem lovely, I thought I'd dip my toe in here.

So.... My PP list off the top of my head as I've yet to do an inventory:

~ Ethique St Clements Solid Shampoo
~ Ethique Sweet Orange and Vanilla Soap Bar
~ Beauty Kitchen Abyssinian Face Oil
~ Lush Charity Coin (should be an easy one)

My aim is to allow just £10 for things like toothpaste and handwash as I'm pretty certain my stash would cover anything else.

dolly84

Thanks for the new thread pfb.  Welcome Boogiebunneh.

dolly84

My regular list for this year carries on.

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 - 3 minis brought home from a holiday

May need to buy in 2022

Shampoo bar - 2 purchased June, 7 purchased August

Cleanser - one purchased in March

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

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

Makeup takes forever to use, the two blushes I am using never look any different, I use the cream blush 4 days a week and the powder 3 days (work days) and I swear they never change.  I am struggling to get through lip products, we are still in masks at work so I can't wear it then and I only put it on when I go out the rest of the time,  maybe I should start lashing it on when I'm sat in the house on my own.

I don't forsee needing to buy anything this month.  I got out of the habit of impulse buying a long time ago but I am even more focussed now, DD starts Uni this month, she's living away and doesn't get the full maintenance loan so we have to stump up quite a lot of money, plus it's a 5 year course and DS will go when she's 2 years in so we will be paying out even more so we are saving up to cover all those expenses.

pinkfluffybabe

Welcome @Boogiebunneh

VALM

Updated list

Laura Geller Kiss lipstick

OPI You Callin me a Lyre nail polish

Skinsense Overnight Mask

The Inkey List Caffeine eye cream

TBS Chamomile Cleansing Butter

Paula's Choice exfoliator (small bottle)

Aloe Vera Shower gel

Morphe Jacqueline Hill On Camera shadow from Ring the Alarm palette

OPI Did you Ear about Van Gogh

UU from above : Pure day cream. I used this as night cream as I found it too rich and heavily fragranced for day wear. Have repurchased the night cream from this range,

Also UUed

Benefit Bad Gal Bang mini mascara. HG. Have replaced from stash.

Bath & Body Works handwash called Sweater Weather. Would repurchase. Replaced from stash.

Liz Earle mini body wash. Don’t repurchase this myself but happy to use if given it.

Perfance face mask. MRM bought me a gift set of these for Christmas. I think this may be the last. Will need to check stash.

i went shopping today.

in Superdrug I bought:-
Elf concealer as mine is getting low
Essie nail colour Watermelon 
Superdrug Vitamin E body wash x 2
Venus razor blades

London_baby

First UU:

Superdrug pre-shampoo conditioner - HG . Hope that Superdrug will re-stock once I've finished my stash.

Will only need a leave-in conditioner for the rest of the year.

dolly84

GA

I've given DD a bar of Dove and a 500ml bottle of Philosophy Grace shower gel to take to uni.

Clutterbug07

Hello all!  Thanks for the new thread, @pinkfluffybabe!

Wasn't sure whether to sign in this month, as I put in a big Yesstyle order when I got paid, so I've already buggered up this month for low-buy/no-buy!!!  My first order there since November, so I did stock up a little.  I'll add the INS once they arrive.  I figure it's still good to be on here so I can focus on using things up, and to remind me not to buy anything else unless it is a replacement!

PP list

• 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
• Simple Protect 'N' Glow Radiance Booster SPF30: I don't reach for this at all, but I think weirdly I'll use this more as it gets colder and my skin gets drier. 
  
• 1 x big Tresemme shampoo (my Mum had too many, so she gave me this. it's HUGE)
• 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.. 
  
• Lily Lolo mineral concealer
  
• Lily Lolo mineral yellow colour corrector: work for hyperpigmentation marks, since it's meant to be good for dark under eyes.

New additions to this list:

• John Frida Frizz Ease- small 5ml travel bottle: had for ages, don't use, but it's almost done and I want it gone.
• Klairs Midnight Blue Youth Activating Drops: not sure about this, has EGF so am not sure I really want to use it.  Using up on my hands/body.
• Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum: soooooooooooo fragranced. Using up on hands/body.
• The Inkey List Peptide Moisturiser: use this on hands and body. Don't love it, the weird bottle annoys me.
• Sukin Original Hydrating mist toner: too rose fragranced for me. Used it a lot when it was boiling hot to refresh my skin without worrying about wasting it. Got under half left, so gonna use it before it gets too chilly!
• Rituals body lotion- 30ml travel size: think got this at a hotel, feels like clutter, would like it gone.