No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries - November 2023

Clutterbug07

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 @pinkfluffybabe 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!

Clutterbug07

PP list- 23 for 2023: 12 gone so far!

1. Tony Moly - The Chok Chok Green Tea Watery Skin toner: using as body toner since it is quite fragranced.
   
2. Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Toner:  
   
3. Vaseline Cocoa Radiant Body Oil
   
4. Elf Jelly Pop Glow Stick
5. LilyLolo Mineral Blush- Goddess: a deeper more rusty rose red colour. Since trying to pan this, I discover I do actually like it!
   
6. 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.
7. Simple- Detox & Brighten Clay Mask
   
8. 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.
9. NYX Born to Glow in Light:  Is too oily for my face.  Trying to finish this for ages but it is lasting FOREVER!
10. I'm From - Fig Boosting Essence:  Not far off expiry, so will use on body.
11. Sugarpill loose eyeshadow in Penelope:  a super reflective metallic copper with extra large particles. Basically it is giant and flakey and annoying.  Beautiful colour, but I hate the giant flake formula- it goes everywhere.  And it's not really my colour, so lets try and get it out of the collection.
    

I think I will struggle finishing any skincare products now for the rest of the year cos of the allergic reactions I've had, and the fact that it is now November and some of these are nowhere close to done.  But from this list I think I have a chance with the Tony Moly (on my body), and maybe the NYX foundation- it spluttered a little the other day when I used it, I MUST surely be almost finished with this stuff!!!!

Clutterbug07

A few UUs already, v dull ones

• Sure Invisible Aqua anti-perspirant deodorant - 250ml
• Cetraben Moisurising Cream - 50ml: Got me my giant versions of this now, so won't see an empty of this for a while. 50ml when you're literally using no other skincare and it's a thick cream, does not last long!
  
• Garnier Micellar Water Facial Cleanser For Sensitive Skin 400ml: Already got my backup
  

INS- I was waiting for payday to get a few replacements

Got these 'free' with my Boots points, so no money paid for these items:

• Sure Women Invisible Aqua Antiperspirant Deodorant - 250ml x 2- replacement
• Garnier Micellar Water Facial Cleanser For Sensitive Skin 700ml - replacement
  
• John Frieda Frizz-Ease Daily Miracle Leave-In Conditioner 200ml - replacement
  

Paid for these items from Boots:

• Revolution Hydrate & Fix Fixing Spray 100ml: replacement
• Batiste Dry Shampoo Brown - Dark & Deep 200ml: replacement for soon to run out dry shamp
  
• Plantur 39 Phyto-Caffeine Shampoo for fine, brittle hair 250ml:  Going to alternate this one with the Kerastase I have ordered to hopefully maximise hair growth
  

Watty1

Two UU
E45 body lotion (a dull one, works but I have 3 other options, all partly used to UU)
Salcura Shampoo - repurposed to the hand wash container which was empty, it counts as a used up because the handwash in the bathroom goes down very fast in this house!

One TA Nioxin Dry Shampoo.  I could not get it out of the can.  What a faff.  I need a dry shampoo when I am in a hurry and faffing with a recalcitrant can is wasting time.  I threw it away very cross and pinned hair up for the meeting I was going to.  

pinkfluffybabe

Back in for November, thanks for the new thread 

November PP List (more everyday stuff):

Caudalie Grape Water
Faith in Nature Coconut Shower Gel
Aveda Nutriplenish Shampoo
Aveda Nutriplenish Conditioner
Laura Mercier Handcream
Cerave Hydrating Cleanser
Drunk Elephant Protini
E45 Body Lotion
Ren Evercalm Cleanser
Medik8 Calmwise Serum

Winter 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

Hope to have more UU than IN this month 

VALM

Thank you for the new thread.  My PPList

Carried forward 

Nip & FAB wipes

Laura Geller Peach sorbet 

Charlotte Tilbury red vixen 

MUA Cupcake Blush

Percy & Reed mousse.

The Ordinary Cleanser 

Q&A Vitamin C serum 

ELF Concealer. 

Added

Aloe Vera shower gel 

Skinsense Mask

The lasr 3 items are getting low and could be finished this week.

I have 2 INs already 2 x Bath & Body Works handwash. Were on offer 2 for £13.

VALM

PP List update

Nip & FAB wipes

Laura Geller Peach sorbet 

Charlotte Tilbury red vixen 

MUA Cupcake Blush

Percy & Reed mousse.

The Ordinary Cleanser 

Q&A Vitamin C serum DONE

ELF Concealer. 

Added

Aloe Vera shower gel 

Skinsense Mask

UU Q&A Vitamin C Serum. This was nice but not as effective as the Lacura Vitamin C and Turmeric serum that im now returning to. 

Will replace in this list with Q&A Ceramide lotion.

Watty1

A UU/TA  Rituals Serendipity Foaming Shower Gel.   This one had been in the stash so long its ability to foam had given up but i could have used as a shower gel except I didn't like the smell and it was a faff to get out of the aerosol. In fact this mornings (first use) shot the stuff all over the shower resulting in a clean up  project rather than a clean Watty.  I just don't have the time for this in the morning so I threw it out.

I still have another 5 shower products to use up,  A big part of joining this was not to get in the same mess again with a stash of products that were not being used.  A bonus is that I'm taking better care of me but the main driver was to focus with like minded folk on not just "buying more".   I want to get back to the me that lived in a little flat in Roehampton and had a small corner shelf in the bathroom that just had one of everything on it.  I then went shopping and bought a replacement as it started to run out.   They were products that worked and I loved.   I want that back. 

Watty1

A sell.  25 ml Moroccanoil unused sold for £5 on Vinted.   It was a freebie and I really wanted to try it but the hair products stash is huge and my hair is dropping out (menopause) and I'm not sure it will add anything but more faff to the process especially in line with the goal (see above)

Clutterbug07

UU

• Pampers babywipes- Coconut Pure Protection: Have replacement in the stash already.

IN

• Mad About Skin- Protect & Hydrate Sunscreen SPF50 PA++++ 100ml: Current one is running low.
• Mad About Skin - Gentle Jelly Cleanser: I don't currently need this, but they had a very good discount so it will save me money in the long run as it's what I would purchase next.
  

Watty1

UU  Rituals Jing Body Scrub.    Nice.  Have another few body scrubs to go though so still not buying any more.