No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries February 2026

Clutterbug07

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 @VALM for starting last month's thread. D

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 out!

Hodgepodge

5 INs to declare

Nourishing Cleanser - Jane Scrivner
Major Fade Flash Mask - Dr Idriss
Advanced Pro Collagen + Peptide Cream - Medik8
Treat Tincture - Decree
Reviver Hydrating Mist - By Sarah

What can I say, January was a long dark month…

Must try harder, will maybe have more INs this week as my LookFantastic beauty box is on it's way.

VALM

Thanks for the new thread @Clutterbug07 .

I had one more UU for Jan after I posted my figures - Fresh Black Tea face mask. This was lovely. I have more face masks in my stash.

My PP List

Carried forward

Lacura SPfl

MAC Prep & Prime

Added

Lacura hair oil

YSC Soap

Heirloom body oil

10 uses

BB Clementine 8 - to be replaced with Nyx Wanderlust

Delilah Pout 5 - to be replaced with Bare Minerals Courage

MAC Cant Escape This x 0!!

Added OPI Hollywood & Vibe forc5 uses

Added Lacura Pistachio

Clutterbug07

@hodgepodge me too with a few INS! Where did you get the Dr Idriss from, did you get it shipped direct from the states or do they sell in the UK now?

INS

• Pampers Harmonie Aqua Baby Wipes 48 Pack x 2: running low on my work wipes, so this is a replacement. They were half price so I got 2 for 1.
• OGX Thick & Full Biotin & Collagen Shampoo 385ml: Current shampoo is almost out and this had good reviews. It's a little spendy at £8 for a drugstore shampoo, but giving it a go.
• Tesco Nail polish Remover 250Ml: Will run out this month so replacing it now, since I did a Tesco order
• Rainbow Connection Acetone Additive- in Cherry Slushie scent: Add this into my acetone to make it less harsh. Had a blueberry one before which was great!
• Vibrant Vinyls- Fast & Hard Top Coat: My top coat is over half gone and its getting very hard to use. And I just did a mani Wednesday night and it chipped Thursday day, so think its not working very well now either. Loved this one when I used it before, and it's basically the same cost as an Essie topcoat these days!

UU

• Pampers Harmonie Aqua Baby Wipes 48 Pack

And I bought a nail polish- ILNP Someday - lime green holo- when I ordered my acetone additive and topcoat, so that's 1/12 (my goal is max 12 new indie polishes this year).

Hodgepodge

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81868467#Comment_81868467

The Dr Idriss came from a Caroline Hirons kit.

VALM

2 more UUs

2 Heirloom oil. This was only a small size. It was lovely but a bit pricey. WNB.

3 Lacura body scrub. A copy of the Frank Body scrub and reminiscent of Lush Cup o Coffee. Have 2 x packs left.

Updated PP List

Carrued forward

Lacura SPf

MAC Prep & Prime (this will finished this week).

Added

Lacura hair oil

YSC Soap (this is now breaking into pieces and also will be gone this week).

Gruum mist (also getting low)

10 uses

BB Clementine🎂

Nyx Wanderlust

Delilah Pout 8

Bare Minerals Courage

MAC Cant Escape This 1

OPI Hollywood & Vibe x5

Lacura Pistachio 3

Clutterbug07

UU

• The Body Shop - Shea Body Butter- travel size: lovely and moisturising, but the texture of this one was a bit more solid than some of their other body butters, and I didn't love the smell, so I wouldn’t buy this one. Think I got this as part of a gift set one Christmas.
• Mad About Skin - Multi-Active Super Serum: One of my fave serums, has a bit of everything- azelaic acid, vit C deriv, peptides, Q10- already had replacement in my stash, purchased in their NY Day sale at 30% off
• Umberto Giannini Grow Root Stimulating Shampoo: Like this shampoo, smells nice, think it makes my hair nice, WBA

And I hit a pan in my Unearthly Cosmetics Daily Grind palette, in shade Ambition- a very light green shimmer. Slow for pans so far this year, only two, and I normally hit 2 a month. As I'm not planning to buy much if any eyeshadow this year, I'm thinking this will pick up as the year progresses though. I hit 29 pans last year, and 25 the year before, so hoping for something similar in 2026!

Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

Hi All

I joined this challenge years ago and now I am back.

I have a drawer unit full of toiletries, perfume and make up, I really don't need to buy any at all this year, maybe next too. I'm just a sucker for a bargain and DH loves to buy me perfume (do I smell?? 😱).

I won't be making a list as there is far too much but I am trying to use up items that have been opened, especially the smaller size items, for each item I finish I am putting £1 in a pot, doesn't sound a lot but I have so much to use I think it will mount up. I will probably use this money towards replacing any items I need once the stash of that type of product is truly gone. Face cleansers seem to be a particularly big sector, a good reason to keep to a cleansing routine, hot cloth and then a toner.

I'll count how much is in the pot so far and try and update my UUs as we go along.

MvTMM

Hodgepodge

Welcome @Me_v_The_Mortgage_Mountain

You are in good company, we are all nice and don't bite!

Cleansers are one of my most purchased products, but I do go through them as I double cleanse at night.

Just bought 3 of the Beauty Pie Happy Face cleansing gels, as I cancelled my membership (for now) and these 3 should last me, as I already have one in my stash.

…and another 10 cleansers, but I like to vary what I use. So richer creams and balms in the cold weather and lighter gels in the warmer weather.

I_Love_comps

UU - Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream 2 mk sachet. Would not purchase., Found this to be very sticky to apply.

UU- Sensoft Micellar Cleansing Wipes Pack of 25 . Have some more in stock.

VALM

Hi all. It was my birthday yesterday and I have some INS

My lovely boss got me a White Company set with shower gel, body lotion, soap and candle.

My daughter got me a sheet mask and serum from Glow Recipe as well as some books.

My friend at work got me a Body shop handcream and a gorgeous make up bag.

I also bought 2 x VitC cleansers from ALDI today.

I TA the remains of an eyeshadow palette - MAC Made my Fortune. I have my UD Born to Run palette in rotation which has 21 colours. The remaining MAC colours were duplicates of colours in the UD one.