No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries March 2026

Hodgepodge

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 @Clutterbug07 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 out!

VALM

Thanks for the new tgread @Hodgepodge. 3 OUTS already

1 No7 Noisette eyeliner TA - I only tightline with a felt liner so this is going. It was in an advent calendar or sub box.

2 ABC Skincare skin wash - HG - i have this one on sub & save with Amazon. New one arrived on Saturday.

3 Lacura deodorant - their version of the Wild one I think. WBA when available. Bought their rollerball one on Saturday.

They were not the only purchases however they were direct replacenents. I think i have Pay Day Treat Compulsion Syndrome triggered by FOMO.

Saw that the Almond shower oil is back in ALDI and stocked up as last time Emma used it all. Bought 4 bottles - 2 for each of us.

Then Gruum sent me an email fir a mystery gift. I always get sucked in for a "freebie" so ordered it.

VALM

My March PP List

Carried forward

Lacura SPfl

Lacura hair oil

Wild Science Eyecream

Added

Pure Lakes hand and body cream

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

10 uses

Nyx Wanderlust 4

Bare Minerals Courage 2

MAC Cant Escape This 3

OPI Hollywood & Vibe x5 1

Yorkshire Soap co Seashore 2

Clutterbug07

Thanks for the new thread, @Hodgepodge!

UU

• Boots Nail Polish Remover: alright, WBA. Bought the replacement last month when I knew I was running low, so no new purchase required.

And I hit a pan in my Beauty Bay Earthy 9 pan eyeshadow palette in shade Apple- unsurprisingly, its a fairly bright apple green! 🤣

I_Love_comps

UU - 25 Micellar Cleansing Wipes Sensoft

Hodgepodge

1 IN for March

A mini Calm & Restore Oat Gel Moisturiser - Aveeno - from a beauty box (little beauty dopamine hit I allow myself)

No UUs yet but I have 7 that I think should be gone in the next week

Makeup Cleansing Oil - Curel
Aqufons Water Tuning Gel (mini) - Suqqu
Moringa Renewal Treatment Mask (mini) - Emma Hardie
Super Bright Eye Gel - Votary
Nordic Hydra Moisturising Prebiotic Oil Cocktail - Lumene
The Water Cream - Tatcha
Hydrating Milky Mist (mini) - Pixi

I_Love_comps

UU- hudabeauty easy blur apple pie foundation 10 mls

Clutterbug07

UU

• Sugarpill loose eyeshadow in Fever Dream: ooooh I finished an eyeshadow, so exciting! Such a rare occurance!! This is a shimmery bronzey colour with a rosey peach duochrome which I actually didn’t like on my eyes and for the last year have been using as a highlighter/blush topper type thing and I loved it for that! V proud v proud!

Hit two pans!

• Beauty Bay Dark Fantasy palette- in shade Hoax: a dark brown I used in my brows
• Bella Beaute Bar- single eyeshadow in Fire: a lovely multichrome, grungy green with coppery red shift- absolutely beautiful!

INS- bit of a big Boots order, all replacements:

• Garnier Micellar Water Oil Infused Facial Cleanser 400ml: Current one is running low. Replacement.
• Radox Mineral Therapy Feel Radiant Shower Gel 675ml: ditto
• Sanex Zero% Gentle Moisture Shower Gel for Sensitive Skin 450ml: ditto
• Cuticura Original Anti Bacterial Hand Gel 250ml - Crisp & Fresh: Work one is running low. Replacement
• L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara Black Waterproof: Current one is getting a bit dry, might be done soon.
• essence All About Matt! Fixing Compact Powder: Current face powder has huge pan, and thought I would try this one as it’s considerably cheaper. No mirror though so I may regret my decision as that mirror is handy when out and about, but we shall see!

I_Love_comps

UU - Flormar Ste and Refresh Primer Water. - have purchased this again.

VALM

More itens OUT

Nyx Wanderlust TA - the pigmentation has gone.

5 Lacura body scrub - this is lovely - reminiscent of LUSH Cup o Coffee

6 AH Norvina - pigmentation gonr.

7 Rodial mask - Vit C one. Was lovely. If i could get it for lower tgan £34.00 WBA.

8 Lacura mascara - the wand was awful. Very bristly.

9 MT Pink Flame-Ingo - too neon TA

10 Bare Minerals primer - mini sample. Would use if i got another but would not buy.

INS - Gruum mystery gift - Chrustmas hand soap and soy wax tart

VALM

Updated PP List

Lacura SPf - this will be done this month

Lacura hair oil

Eyecream - this will be done this month

Added

Pure Lakes hand and body cream

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum - this will be done this month.

10 uses

Nyx Wanderlust - TA - replaced with Mauve Sunshine

Bare Minerals Courage 2

Bare Minerals Mauve Sunshine 2

MAC Cant Escape This 3

OPI Hollywood & Vibe x5 3

Yorkshire Soap co Seashore🎂

Iwant to keep using the perfume as it can be done this month too.