No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries - August 2023

ruby_eskimo

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.

Thanks to @Hodgepodge for starting last month's thread.

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!

ruby_eskimo

New month, old PP list 🤣

Carrying over from July

Bobbi Brown Java eyeshadow
Nars Rikugien Lip Pencil 
UD Last Call eyeshadow
It Cosmetics CC Cream
1 Body Lotion
1 Foot Mask

Adding for August

1 eye cream (I have 2 open at the moment...)
Lush Bingo Starr Soap
Sephora beige eyeshadow
DKNY Be Delicious perfume

Bit of a challenge with some of those things but they're things that I need gone by the end of the year.

Clutterbug07

Thanks for the new thread, @ruby_eskimo!

PP list 23 for '23.  10 items gone so far!  

1. The Body Shop: Vitamin E Skin Cooling Gel Mist: 3/4 used up, been using on body.
2. Tony Moly - The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Skin toner- using as body toner since it is quite fragranced.
3. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner: not cracked open yet.
   
4. Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Oil
   
5. Elf Jelly Pop Glow Stick: nice but I've had it a while and it's a creamy stick, so should use it up
6. LilyLolo Mineral Blush- Beach Babe: blush lasts forever doesn't it.....
7. LilyLolo Mineral Blush- Goddess: a deeper more rusty rose red colour, doesn't hugely suit me.
   
8. Benefit Gogo Tint: bright cherry lip n cheek tint.  Might last a hundred years as you don't need much of it, and I can't see how much is in the bottle.
9. Simple- Detox & Brighten Clay Mask
   
10. Sugarpill loose eyeshadow in Absinthe:  A sparkly green, of which I have many and when I just swatched my loose ones this was my least favourite, so I am going to work on this one as I have had it a while.
11. NYX Born to Glow in Light:  Is too oily for my face, don't love it. Would like it gone.
12. I'm From - Fig Boosting Essence:  Not far off expiry, so will use on body.
13. I'm From - Rice Toner:  Expires by the end of Sept apparently so really do need to crack on and start using this one!  

I don't currently know where all these items are, as a lot of skincare is still in boxes/bags after the move.  We've had painters in this week painting the bedrooms upstairs, so we can't properly unpack up there yet.  I'll find them soon though- he should be finished today (exciting!), so over the weekend we can start to get everything straight.  I did use TBS vit E mist yday though so that felt productive!

One UU already:

• Elf Power Grip Primer: I lLike this- anything to help keep the makeup on the face and not sliding off!  Bought the replacement the other week.

ruby_eskimo

Well done on the great progress @Clutterbug07 - hope the move went well.

First UU of the month:

TBS Avocado Oil in Lotion (or whatever it was called): Really liked the pine and mint version I used at Christmas but this one was a bit thicker and didn't really sink into my skin that well.  Have replaced with a Vaseline cocoa lotion that my mum donated to me.

kadison

Hello all, it's been a while for me but I need to take back control of my spending and my stash, I will shortly post a condensed stash list. Hope everyone's doing OK in these difficult economic times xx

Watty1

Seem to have added a few items but a few were no spend in that they came free with stuff I was buying.  Purchased a Michael Kors perfume to replace one I UU. I was going to not buy but it has apparently been discontinued and I love it so bought it as by the time I permit myself to buy I figured it might not be available.

A few free samples arrived plus an overnight stay in a hotel added mini sizes of a soap, shower gel, body lotion and shampoo as they were a lovely although I cannot remember the brand as everything has had to be packed up as bathroom windows and bedroom window being replaced and so most things seem "lost".

pinkfluffybabe

Thanks for the new thread ruby_eskimo - am back in for August.

August PP List (more everyday stuff):

Fresh grapefruit shower gel
Drunk Elephant Protini
Medik8 Calmwise Serum
Caudalie Grape Water
The Ordinary Niacinimide and Zinc
Aveda Nutriplenish Shampoo
Aveda Nutriplenish Conditioner
Odylique Shampoo
Laura Mercier Handcream
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
E45 Body Lotion

Autumn List (more long-haul stuff):

The Inkey List PHA Toner
Espa Lip Balm
Chanel Coco Noir Perfume
Burts Bees Cherry Lipbalm
Phillip Kingsley Elasticiser
Living Proof Healthy Dry Shampoo
Drunk Elephant Juju Cleanser
Drunk Elephant Pekee Cleanser
Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia
Laura Mercier Handcream

VALM

Hello everyone. Im in again of course. Didnt find time to post last week. Im in an open plan office now so cant post at work and every night last week I was exhausted due to learning a new system. Anyway my PP List is

Carried forward 

Percy & Reed serum

Be Well shower gel DONE

The Inkey List Retinol serum 

Skinsense Retinol serum 

Into The Night shower gel

Added

Aussie shampoo bar

The Inkey list Niacinamide 

Q&A Grapefruit cleanser 

Eucerin eye cream 

MAC Primer 

Added mini Urban decay all nighter setting spray to replace the Be Well shower gel.  

The Be Well shower gel was lovely but wouldnt look to repurchase. This mini came in a Sephora Wellbeing kit i got as a gift.

I ordered a new lipstick yesterday from Ebay.  I got an email from Laura Geller site about tge restock of the lipstick which i hope is the dupe for Love by Bare Minerals. Anyway, i hadnt realised it was a US site and dont want to pay Customs so found it on Ebay.

kadison

Condensed stash list as promised, all in g or ml. As you can see I won't need to buy most stuff for a while, I'll have some UUs and GAs soon, along with some items I will hopefully have sold. I've also got some stuff that hasn't come yet so I'll count that on arrival.

2-in-1 shampoo 2725 body cream/butter 1861 body lotion/gel 5730 body oil 2425 body scrub 2200 cleanser - balm/lotion 1820 cleanser - gel/water 4900 cleansing wipes 50 conditioner 2873 day/night cream 384 deodorant spray 455 deodorant stick 296 dry shampoo 600 eye cleanser 710 eye cream/mask 146 face essence 328 face mask 483 face mist 581 face oil 257 face peel 1053 face scrub 698 face serum 734 face wash 715 feminine 750 fragrance 2330 hair removal 60 hair scrub 908 hair styling 963 hair tonic 325 hairspray 1650 hands/feet 2643 miscellaneous 4012 mouthwash 3000 shampoo 2433 shower gel 7710 shower oil 1623 soap 1691 spf day cream 400 talc 6493 toner 1230 toothpaste 375 bronzer/blusher 63.5 brows 34.4 concealer 22.2 eyeshadow 126.9 foundation 487.0 highlighter 40.0 lip balm 179.2 lip gloss 57.5 lip liner 2.7 lip scrub 18.0 lipstick 44.7 mascara 27.2 nail polish 444.0 other (nails) 30.0 powder 249.1 primer 219.5 setting spray 296.0

ruby_eskimo

Welcome back @kadison - missed the g and ml part the first time I read your stash post and was thinking about how big your house must have to be to store all of that! 🤣

Couple more UU's from the weekend:

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Scrub sample: found this in a drawer over the weekend so thought I'd just use it up.  Was ok but not a massive fan of the Sakura scent they use for this.

ELF Power Grip Primer with Niacinamide: really liked this, but not sure if it's my favourite.  Have already bought a new one to replace it but think I'll probably go back to my Laura Mercier one when that's done.

Clutterbug07

UUs

• Garnier Micellar Water Facial Cleanser For Delicate Skin and Eyes- inc waterproof (blue lid): Never really liked this, not as good as the Nivea, so am reverting back.  A bit annoying cos this one is twice the size of the Nivea, but oh well.
• Mad about Skin Maximum Impact Moisturiser:  Love this moisturiser, v thick and rich feeling- great for PM routine.  Am trying out the Elf Cannabis one next, and then no doubt I will repurchase this one.
  
• Colab Dry Shampoo, Original, 50ml: After the brunette batiste one, this is my fave. No white bits
  
• Soltan Once Age Defence 8hr protect SPF 50- 50ml: a repeat purchase,  I always have one of these.
  

Throw Away

• Soltan Once Face Advanced 8 hour Protection- SPF 50: One from last year I didn't manage to get through- binning now.  I think the hubbie had this stashed away in a bag somewhere- otherwise it would have got used up!
• Bondi Sands SPF 50+ Fragrance free 4 hr water resist lotion: One from last year, binning now. It's August now, so it's time to retire this- if we ever got any sun I would need an SPF that is at full-strength.