No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries January 2026

VALM

If your beauty and toiletries are taking over your life, then this is the thread to help you work through the stash and motivate you to not buy anymore (hopefully!)

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 Hidgepidge 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!

Use it up, wear it o

VALM

Happy New Year. Sorry for misspelling your name in opening post Hodgepodge.

So, I'm back with my tail between my legs as it were. Pre Christmas saw an influx of stuff from the Glossybox advent calendar and the subscription boxes I signed up for to get discount on said calendar. 

Ive taken account though and actually stored all my stuff in their various categories and am on a no buy. Only caveat is that if ALDI release a product I have previously loved I will repurchase.

The aim is to
1.  Work through the items in my bathroom
2. Rotate through eyeshadow palettes and discard the ones that have lost pignentation/don't appeal to me anymore. Have TA 3 already.
3. Same goes for lip products. Have duscarded 3 already.
4. Same goes for nail polish. Have discarded 3 already. 

3 really is the magic number!

VALM

PP list - TO FINISH
Lacura SPf

MAC Prep & Prime

Bare Minerals Serum-mini

BM Prime time primer-mini

Nip & Fab Micellar Water wipes

Project 10 uses

Bobbi Brown Clementine blush

Delilah Pout lip liner

MAC Cant Escape This eyeshadow

OPI Lincoln Park after Dark

So Vanilla body mist

VALM

And finally, UUs today
1. Body scrub. Bought at Christmas Fair at Hawkshead about 2 years ago. Had to rehydrate what was in the pot to use.
2. Deodorant from ALDI. Guessing it was a dupe for Wild. Have another in my stash to replace this.

Hodgepodge

Welcome back @VALM

I remember you as a regular poster on these threads and wondered where you had gone.

I thought either you were reformed and no longer needed this support   or you had fallen off the bandwagon and were afraid to come back 

I have no UUs yet for January and I'll admit to a couple of INs as my LookFantastic beauty box arrived this morning - they are all minis though, so will get used up quicker.

INs
Laneige Water Bank moisturiser
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

My stash list is only skincare and body creams, so I don't count the shampoo/conditioner/Shower gel as INs.

I don't have a problem with haircare, it is usually one in one out.

I have been over-buying shower gels recently, so may start counting those as well.

VALM

Hi @Hodgepodge I had got into reading a lot and was trying to cut down on screen time but now feel I need you all to keep me accountable again.

Actually, shower gels and haircare are not a problem for me either. Luckily i got a few shower gels as Christmas gifts.

I am going to cancel my Glossybox subscription after receipt of the January one as im sufe a YouTuber said this box will contain a Commodity fragrance.

I_Love_comps

I am back too.

UU Boots No 7 Foaming cleanser 50mls - WNBA - not that keen on the foaming cleanser.

UU - Abyssinian Aroma facial concentrate - WBA

VALM

Hi @I_Love_comps. I don't like foaming cleanser either as it dries my facial skin.

I had to TA a can of deodorant this morning as the nozzle wouldn't work. I'm using my last ALDI Wild dupe.

Another UU
3. ALDI body wash which we use as handwash. Replaced with last ALDI one from stash.

Clutterbug07

Thanks for the new thread @VALM and welcome back!  You are not alone in the pre-Christmas influx- I went off the rails a bit too, bought quite a bit in the sales (an eyeshadow palette, a load of  serums, three NYX highlighters.....).  The serums I will use, but colour cosmetics?  I 100% did not need those, I love them and been using them like crazy, BUT I DID NOT NEED THEM and they take a thousand years to use up!  According to my skincare spreadsheet I have finished only one highlighter since 2022!! 

I don't have a PP list per se, however I do have some goals for the year.  It's low buy more than no-buy for certain criteria, but for me, this is more realistic than saying NO to absolutely everything.

1. Maximum two special eyeshadow palettes, preferably 1 or none!
2. If a Beauty Bay or Cosmic Beauty palette comes out in 2026 that I love, I'm allowed to buy it.  They're UK based, inexpensive (which is a big reason for my wanting to cut back, not just for space/clutter reasons), and great quality.  I had this goal last year and despite effectively giving myself carte blanche to purchase, I was extremely critical of their releases and my preferences and I didn't get ANY, so I know I will be good and won't abuse this rule.
3. Max 4 new single eyeshadows
4. Max 12 indie nail polishes - I will be duping first, before buying, and that cut back a lot of purchases last year so should be even better this year!
5. Max 4 mainstream polishes
6. NO new blush or highlighter
7. Skincare: replacements only.  
8. Finish one eyeshadow
9. Finish one nail polish

That all sounds a bit lenient I know, but it's a work in progress, and I aim to do much better than last year!

Clutterbug07

A few UUs to kickstart the year:

• M&S Discover Intense Discovery Set- mini perfume tube in Red Berries and Rose: WNBA. Can't remember what it smelt like, but it wasn't a love.
• M&S Discover Intense Discovery Set- mini perfume tube in Orange Blossom and Amber:  ditto
• OGX Damage Remedy+ Coconut Miracle Oil Extra Strength Penetrating Oil 100ml: I do really like this, smells delish and nice for my hair- WBA, but I'm going to use up some grapeseed/rosehip oil I already have for now.
• NYX Pro Fix concealer stick- Yellow: Love this, had a replacement in my stash I bought late last year when I realised mine was running out.
• Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless oil control powder: Been scraping this out and finally done.  Replacement in stash, bought in December when I knew it was going to be running out potentially over Christmas!
  
  
• Sure Nonstop Protection Anti-Perspirant Aerosol - watermelon fresh 250ml

And I threw away a few ancient products:

Red glitter lip tint in a skull bottle: I do not use this, and it is old now, so binning it.  Shame cos the bottle is cool (which is why I kept it....)

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter liner in Distortion: The blue glitter one. Bought this in 2021 and its so pretty I really don’t want to throw it away, but I really shouldn't put eyeliner on my eyes that is this old!

Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter liner in Grind: pinky one. Ditto.

PitROK Crystal Roll-On Deodorant for Women 50ml: Also expired. Should have been used up by June 2025…. I did like it for WFH days. Wouldn’t trust it to work for when I'm actually out and about though.  WMBA though with all the dog walking now I probably need something more robust.

Dr Paw Paw multipurpose soothing balm- shimmer balm: This product I must have bought so long ago because it pre-dates my spreadsheet- eek!  I don't feel comfortable applying it to my lips anymore, and also, on inspection, it says exp 0224…..

Klairs Illuminating Supple Blemish Cream  SPF 40: Expired :-(  Sadtimes. I do like this, but I won't use it on my face now, was meant to be finished in March 2025 according to when I opened it and the PAO

INS
I did purchase some slightly early replacements of products I get through and love, in the brand's NY day sale as it was 26% off, so it made sense to get it then rather than spend full price in a month or so's time.  Slightly bendy with the rules there, but they would be repurchased as replacements soon so I am content with this purchase.

• Mad About Skin- Maximum Impact Moisturiser
• Mad About Skin- Super Serum
• Mad About Skin- Copper Peptide serum: I use this regularly for my hair, and it was a full size GWP, on top of the discount.

Clutterbug07

UU

• L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara Black Waterproof: Got to the annoying dry stage, so it’s done! Thought it might be finished over Christmas so already have its replacement in the stash.

And I hit a pan in my BPerfect Antidote palette in shade Honey- a yellowy gold colour. V pretty!