No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries February 2023

VALM

@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!

VALM

My PP List this month:-

Carried forward

Ultrasun SPF 

Pure night cream 

Too faced Old Money 

Automatic shower gel

For February 

Bare Minerals Heart 

Lacura hand cream

Bioma jelly cleanser

First Aid Beauty moisturiser 

Philosophy Christmas Cookie shower gel 

Superdrug shampoo

Going to do the same as January in that if I finish a product and can roll in a similar product that I can finish in a month I'll roll something else in.

I have ordered the Kiehls mask that I wanted. Am holding off on the Ordinary Cleanser until I can get the 150ml size somewhere. 

ruby_eskimo

Thanks for the new thread @VALM

My PP List for February:

4 sheet masks
Mac Utterly Posh dazzleglass
TBS Hemp Hand Cream
Soap and Glory Foot Cream
TBA Mango Body Yogurt
1 perfume sample
Glossier Super Bounce serum
Glossier Priming Moisturiser Rich
1 foot mask
1 eye cream

I have a whole bunch of skincare that I'm going to organically UU this month so didn't want to make it too easy for myself!

Clutterbug07

Thanks @VALM for the new thread!

My PP list for 2023- picked 23 for 23, so 4 down already!

1. Haruharu WONDER - Black Rice Hyaluronic Toner
2. Simple Protect 'N' Glow Radiance Booster SPF30
   
3. BIG Tresemme shampoo: Finished one my mum gave me last year, and now onto the second one 
4. Concrete Minerals mineral Eyeshadow in Ruse: WHEN WILL THIS EVER BE FINISHED??  I was so tempted to throw this out, but it feels v wasteful, so I will continue trying to hate-pan it....
5. Innisfree Green Tea Seed Serum: soooooooooooo fragranced. Using up on hands/body.
6. No 7 Resurfacing Peel: this was a gift with purchase and I am too scared to use it- it's 15% glycolic and I think it might burn my face off.... I only use 7%!!
7. The Body Shop: Vitamin E Skin Cooling Gel Mist: think this will be good in the spring/summer
8. Tony Moly - The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Skin toner
9. The Body Shop- Aloe Calming Toner
10. John Frida Frizz Ease- Original
11. The Body Shop InstaGlow CC Cream
12. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner
13. Jackie's Hen Do Lip Balm x 2
14. Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Oil
15. Elf Jelly Pop Glow Stick: nice but I've had it a while and it's a creamy stick, so should use it up
16. LilyLolo Mineral Blush- Beach Babe: for some reason I ordered a few of these over time, clearly not realising I already owned it- *doh* and I don't love the colour that much, so would like at least one gone from my stash
17. LilyLolo Mineral Blush- Goddess: a deeper more rusty rose red colour, doesn't hugely suit me.
    
18. Benefit Gogo Tint: bright cherry lip n cheek tint.  Don't really use this very much (always prefered the cha cha peachy one), so would like to use it up this year
19. Sugarpill liquid lipstick- in Trinket:  looks quite dark on me, but kinda fun as it has gold sparkles that show up over time, but almost finished, so going to keep working on this!

Clutterbug07

First UUs of the month

• Essie Speed Setter top coat: Wasn't an amazing top coat, it was ok, has a nice brush.  Got v thick at the end, had to use thinner a few times.  It was getting very hard to get out by the end too, so I poured the last little bit into my Sally Hansen top coat/base coat 2 in 1 so as not to go to waste.  Once that Sally H is used up, I plan to try out the Glisten & Glow top and base coats, as I've heard good things about them
• Pampers babywipes- Coconut Pure Protection: Did the job.  Will purchase whichever is biodegradable and cheapest with the plastic clip closing thing- otherwise they dry out!
  
• Byoma- Creamy Jelly Cleanser:  I am so glad this is used up- I haven't enjoyed using it!  The bottle itself I've found a bit of a turn off for me- the square bottle is weird, and it takes like 6 pumps to get a decent amount to wash your face with.  Also found it a little drying and occasionally stings my eyes, so won't buy again.  Shame, it had a lot of promise based on the ingredients, but I just havent personally enjoyed it
  

VALM

Clutterbug07 said:

First UUs of the month

• Byoma- Creamy Jelly Cleanser:  I am so glad this is used up- I haven't enjoyed using it!  The bottle itself I've found a bit of a turn off for me- the square bottle is weird, and it takes like 6 pumps to get a decent amount to wash your face with.  Also found it a little drying and occasionally stings my eyes, so won't buy again.  Shame, it had a lot of promise based on the ingredients, but I just havent personally enjoyed it
  

I'm using this at the moment as well.  It came in a Boots Beauty Box.  Don't like the bottle either.  I'm using 4 pumps at a time and haven't noticed any dryness but I'm not a fan of foaming cleansers full stop. 

ruby_eskimo

First UU of the month to report:

Lush Jason and the Argan Oil Shampoo Bar - this is my favourite from them, but this one was a little softer than previous ones and therefore towards the end it turned mushy and stuck in my hair a little bit. Like literally had a chunk of pink stuff stuck in my hair for almost an entire day before I realised 😆  Will go and repurchase tomorrow and try to get one that's a little harder and dried out more.

dolly84

Thanks VALM for the new thread.

Makeup etc I want to finish in 2023

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

2. Model Co Cream Blush

3. Benefit Creaseless Cream Eyeshadow in rsvp

4. Wet n Wild Foundation

5. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation

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

7.. Bobbi Brown concealer

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

9. Avon Supershock Mascara

10. Clinique High Impact Mascara mini

11. Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation

12. Garnier Eye Roll On

13. L'oreal Lumi Magique

14. Soap & Glory Gloss Stick in Ramplumzel

15. Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Balm

16. Colourtrend Nude Lipstick

17. HD Brows Quad - aim to hit pan on the one shade I use for my brows

18. Elf Brow Gel

19. Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot - this has a good amount of pan showing

20. Urban Decay Primer Potion

21. Clinique Black Honey Lipstick mini

22.  Prada Candy Kiss 50ml

23.  Bloom Driftwood & Seasalt EDT

24.  Ralph Lauren Romance EDP 50ml

Will not need to buy in 2023

Nail polish
Hair serum/oil
Makeup  (except possibly foundation and mascara)
Perfume

Deodorant

Solid Shower Gel Bar

May need to buy in 2023

Shampoo bar

Cleanser

Facial Oil /Moisturiser
Curl cream - mousse bought February

Hand cream

Foot Cream

Hair Conditioner bar/refillable bottle of conditioner

Body Lotion/Bars

I didn't buy anything in January.  This month I think I will replace one hair product which is about to be finished and I will possibly buy an under eye concealer, the one I'm using is almost done but I do have a back up, it is a fabulous product but I find it a bit dark so I might try to get something more brightening.

Clutterbug07

VALM said:

Clutterbug07 said:

First UUs of the month

• Byoma- Creamy Jelly Cleanser:  I am so glad this is used up- I haven't enjoyed using it!  The bottle itself I've found a bit of a turn off for me- the square bottle is weird, and it takes like 6 pumps to get a decent amount to wash your face with.  Also found it a little drying and occasionally stings my eyes, so won't buy again.  Shame, it had a lot of promise based on the ingredients, but I just havent personally enjoyed it
  

I'm using this at the moment as well.  It came in a Boots Beauty Box.  Don't like the bottle either.  I'm using 4 pumps at a time and haven't noticed any dryness but I'm not a fan of foaming cleansers full stop. 

I don't know why it bothers me so much, it's just a container, but it's so clunky and square and heavy.  Far too much plastic I think!  

Clutterbug07

UU

• Sugarpill- Loose Eyeshadow in Brick Toast:  I'll use the websites description as it is hard to describe- "a transparent duochrome rose gold with vivid rainbow sparkles".  Which does sum it up- doesn’t have a heap of base colour, quite neutral but the sparkles are absolutely beautiful!  Even with glitter glue they end up all over your face though, so I dont tend to use it when I'm going out anywhere, but it is lovely.  I used to not like it at first, and then it grew on me as I used it up.  I'd maybe buy it again at some point in the future, but for now, I have six hundred thousand other eyeshadows to work on!

Hodgepodge

My PP list for February:

Melting Moment Cleansing Balm with Wild Orange Leaf Extract mini 

Japanfusion Energy Essence Mist 

Pro-Collagen Marine Essence mini 

Papaya Enzyme Peel mini 

Triple Hyaluronic Acid Elastic Lifting Eye Serum 

Beauty Elixir 

Absinthe Purifying Hand Cream 

Decleor Hand Cream 

Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask mini 

Herbal Lavender Repair Mask mini 

QI Energy Ginseng Root & Ginger Super Moisture Cream 

Advanced Night Repair mini 

Genefique Serum mini 

Bourbon Vanilla & Clove Bud Botanical Body Wash 

Dynamic Resurfacing Facial Pads