No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries December 2022
ruby_eskimo
Forumite 
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!
Replies
Nars Afterglow Lipbalm - rollover from November
4 Sheet Masks - rollover from November
UD Chopper eyeshadow - rollover from November
1 Perfume sample - rollover from November
Glamglow Thirsty Mud Mask - had this mini size open longer than I want to think about and it's still good, so want to actually get it finished
Pixi Glow Tonic - again had it open a while and stopped using it when I upped the retinol. While I've been sick my skin has got a lot more sensitive so have stopped the retinol for now and gone back to this to help keep things ticking over. Not a lot left so should be an easy one (she says...)
Avon Skin so Soft Dry Body Oil - love this in the summer but again just want it gone to be honest as have an unopened one for next summer already
The Body Shop Raspberry Whipped Body Butter - not too keen on this, texture is a little too whipped for my liking and doesn't sink in that well so going to hate pan this on my feet I think.
Apothaka Barrier Repair Serum - this thing is never ending but fairly confident it can go this month
Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser - it's ok, but I have other cleansers that I prefer so just want this out (also so I can repurpose the bottle for travel)
Looking at my PP list, I don't think I'll be able to finish any of these items before the end of December, but we'll see. The only thing from my list I finished last month was a Rituals travel-sized bottle of moisturiser!
Have removed a few items I'm not actually hugely fussed about finishing (Isntree Spotsaver Mugwort Ampoule- I quite like it now. Lily Lolo mineral concealer- will use it eventually)
OSWLC 2023 Q1: 0/10
INS
This is what I got from Superdrug with the 3 for 2 on makeup- counting now as I'd already had my payday so it was with Decembers money despite technically being bought in Nov.
OSWLC 2023 Q1: 0/10
Nail polish - none purchased but loads decluttered
Hair serum/oil - none purchased
Makeup (except possibly foundation and mascara) Foundation purchased in February
Perfume - was gifted one in January, another purchased in June
Shampoo bar - 2 purchased June, 7 purchased August
Curl cream - 2 purchased January and 1 NBI April
Deodorant - 2 purchased June
Fashion on the Ration 28/66
Fashion on the Ration 28/66
PP List:
Ren Evercalm Moisturiser
Odilyque Conditioner
Fresh Grapefruit Body Lotion
Drunk Elephant Shower Gel
Sjal Face Oil
Odilyque Gentle Herb Shampoo
The Ordinary Niacinimide and Zinc
Winter List of 4:
Eight Hour Cream
Espa Lip Balm
L'occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream
The Inkey List PHA Toner
Have a couple of UU to report:
Avon Skin So Soft Dry Body Oil - Didn't think I'd finish this as quickly as I did but hey, it's gone now. Used this in the summer to help stop insects biting me and it did work. Not that moisturising though. Focusing on the body shop raspberry body butter also on my PP list.
Lush Baked Alaska Soap sample - this was ok, got it free when I last was in store.
Sensodyne Deep Repair Toothpaste - If I have to spend this much money on a tube of toothpaste, then I'm going to count it on my outs list. Picked some more up when it was on offer a couple of weeks ago, so replaced from the stash.
Fashion on the Ration 28/66
The Pixi Glow Tonic has finally been UU - was ok but I think my skin prefers retinol now rather than an acid exfoliant. Going back to my retinol tonight.
Have a few IN's on their way:
- Mac Wedge eyeshadow: this is a staple for me and my current one has a lot of pan showing, plus I got a discount and it was half price already.
- Bobbi Brown Moondust eyeshadow: have been on the lookout for a subtle colour yet sparkly eyeshadow for a while and this looks like it fits the bill (not that I need any more eyeshadow!)
- Whole bunch of freebies from Bobbi Brown as GWP (a lipgloss, lip balm and mini lipstick)
I also bought a new eye brush from BB to get the GWP (and to replace a cheap knock off that I've had for years that's now falling apart).
And I'm truly making a pledge to myself to be on a replacement only no-buy next year because I need to use some of these things up and don't need any more makeup!!!
SPC Member 046
£2. Challenge member 55