No Buying Unnecessary Toiletries July 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 me :-) 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!

shandyclover

Daughter is off to Ethiopia for a couple weeks volunteering with an animal rescue. This is the 3rd time shes been so she asked me to buy soap. Apparently bath soap is an expensive luxury in Ethiopia, most of the people who work in the rescue get by using harsh household type soap. DD has taken multipaks to give away and the staff seemed truly delighted with them. I bought 4 multipaks of Dove which is probably all she can carry with the vet supplies shes bringing in. I nearly bought for myself too, looking at a new limited edition citrus and mint, but resisted. I didn't do so well when I went into Primark to buy her some loose cotton trousers to wear. Saw they also had some toiletries reduced. Bought a spf50 stick and an spf chapstick on a carinbiner to add to the hiking/walking backpack, so it's ready to go rather than having to hunt about and lug the large bottles of sunscreen. In my defence I have to wear spf in sunslight otherwise i get coldsores 😶

IN

SPF50 facial stick

SPF50 chapstick

Clutterbug07

@shandyclover what a great thing your daughter is doing- hope it all goes well! Also, SPF is v important, I wouldn't feel bad about that!

I have a few UUs already:

• Dr. Ceuracle Vegan Kombucha Tea Essence: I love this stuff- got your green tea hydration and antioxidant with a biphase light cream layer- it's one you shake to mix first. I always have this in my rotation, and had a backup in my stash so moved straight onto that. I use it in the evening, but depending on your skin type you probs could use it in the morning too.
• Mad about Skin- Maximum Impact Moisturiser: nice moisturiser, thick but not too thick. Bought the replacement at the end of June when I knew it was ready to go.
• NYX colour correcting concealer stick- yellow: Been scraping this out, but it got to the 'can't be bothered with this!' stage now, so calling it a day. Again, got the replacement the other month, so all ready to go.
• John Frida Volume Lift Lightweight conditioner: Nice, yes, definitely lightweight. Not sure if it doesn't make my hair tangly though….. hard to tell. Might buy it again but wasn't 100% sold. Think I prefer a thicker conditioner, even though I have fine hair.

INs

• Umberto Giannini Banana Butter Nourishing Superfood Conditioner: This smells yummy, looking forward to using this. Replacement. Bl**dy hell I just realised it was £9.25 when I bought it, what the hell, it's not fancy or anything!!!! How is regular old conditioner you can buy at Boots £9!?!?!? Ugh, not happy about that, what a dummy I didn't spot it, I'd 100% not bought it!
• Thealoz Duo Gel - for Dry Eyes: Bought more, these have been really helpful with my dry eyes. You get like 30 ampoules of drops per box, so it's one box a month. They had buy one get 1 half price, so I bought two boxes

Hodgepodge

2 UUs for July

Pro-Collagen Glow Boost Exfoliator Elemis wnba a mini. My skin really doesn't like a physical exfoliator any more. Acid and enzymes all the way for me now
Rejuvenating Night Cream Omorovicza wmba a mini from a beauty box. Actually enjoyed using this and would consider if I saw a bargain in TKMaxx

Clutterbug07

UU

• Numbuzin No.3 Skin Softening Serum 50ml: repurchased!
• Facetheory - Blemicalm Azelaic Acid 10% Clarifying Serum: I do enjoy this and have purchased it many many times. I've moved onto a serum that has azelaic and tranexamic in one, so I probably won’t be purchasing this serum much anymore, but I do like it a lot!
• Mad About Skin- Protect & Hydrate Sunscreen- SPF 50, 100ml: My fave SPF - I bought 3 with 33% discount so I have a couple in my stash, so straight onto my next tube!

INS

• Numbuzin No.3 Skin Softening Serum 50ml x 2: I love this serum a lot, it's great for my skin and has both galactomyces and bifida ferment lysate- some key ingredients in some expensive anti-aging serums- and it's rare to have both in one serum. I'll probs always repurchase this. Found it half price on one website so I bought two!

And I hit a pan in my Beauty Bay- Mini Charms (9 pan) palette in shade Aurora- a very light sparkly pink, it's so pretty, it's great for the inner corner! Having a real lull with pans the last few months, hardly hit any. Have hit 13 this year so far though, so overall not terrible.

Hodgepodge

Some UUs for July

The Matinee Gel Cleanser Jordan Samuel Skin wmba I really love JSS cleansers
B. Cleansing Balm Chamomile Superdrug wba I bought a set of minis to try. Impressed so far
Resurrection Girl Pai wnba didn't like the feel of this mask
Moisturising Lotion Cetaphil wmba liked this much more than I thought I would
Retinal 0.2% Emulsion The Ordinary wmba if Geek n Gorgeous is not available

shandyclover

UU

Superdrug hand and nail cream - Love most of Superdrug items as most of them are vegan and do the job at affordable prices. Would buy again but I still have others to use up

Dr PawPaw nourishing hand cream - lovely fresh orange and mango fragrance. This was a small 50 ml tube great for hand bag and very rich. Would buy again especially for use during winter months, but have others to use first.

Baylis and Harding - Daisy and Elderflower body butter - Nice enough but didn't wow me so WNBA.

Nspa Detox Cleanse Me body scrub travel mini - this was lovely and fresh eucalyptus, ginger and orange scent which I enjoyed during this heat wave, but not particularly scrubby. WNBA.

I have a few ins, which I succumbed to buying, mainly because I'm not getting on with my usual skincare during this heatwave. I kept delaying thinking it's going to cool down at some point. Last week I was in Primark, when I saw some of their skincare reduced, all very light and hyaluronic acid based. I bought a few bits to use in this heat, we have a planned trip to Australia later in the year so I will probably take them with me.

INNS

PS Water Cream - supposed to be a dupe for Tatcha Water Cream, I've never used this but I am liking the consistency and lightweight hydration of this so far.

PS Skin Hyaluronic Acid jelly serum

PS Skin Hyaluronic Acid gel moisturiser

Clutterbug07

UUs

• Mad about Skin- Dual Action Dark Spot Serum: Love this stuff, had one in my stash ready to go- bought the other month when I knew this one was finishing.
• Pampers Harmonie Aqua Baby Wipes

INs:

• Garnier Micellar Cleansing oil in Water: replacement, current one is low
• Pampers baby wipes 99% water- pack of 60 x 2: replacement
• Cetraben Ointment - 120g: Use this every night for slugging, current one is running low. No doubt it'll last way longer than I think, but we shall see!

I_Love_comps

UU's — Plantopia Bath and Shower Oil - 100mls

Rituals - the Rituals of Karma - softening body scrub

Root Perfect - Blonde Root Concealer Spray - 75 mls

Nuxe Luxurious Body Cream - 30 mls

Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash - 75 mls

Loubifunk sample of perfume 5mls

Hodgepodge

2 more UUs for July, more expected soon

Hydrate Facial Serum Jordan Samuel Skin - wnba normally love JSS products but this just didn't wow me
Midnight Elixir Regenerative EGF and Multi-Peptide Night Serum Oskia - wnba really nice to use but no big results to justify the expense

Clutterbug07

UUs

• Sure Anti-Perspirant spray- Watermelon Fresh 250ml: like this one, fruity fresh.
• Maybelline Fit Me Matte & Poreless Oil Control Setting Powder- translucent: Had one in the stash from when they had to send me a replacement due to soap spillage, so already got the replacement!

INS

• Sure Anti-Perspirant spray- Watermelon Fresh 250ml

And THREE pans hit!

• Beauty Bay - Botanical palette in shade Seamoss: Weirdly a peachy apricot matte. With that name you'd think it would be a green….
• Beauty Bay - Botanical palette in shade Savanna: a light peachy pink shimmer, always used for inner corner, it's v pretty. Hit these two pans the same day!
• Bperfect Antidote palette in shade Suede: a light mustardy yellow, sand colour matte- good for blending out.

I did also order the Dieverune Cosmetics Boo Drops palette- a 6 pan special shimmer eyeshadow palette. It hasn't arrived yet, but along with my Simply Posh Down to Earth palette I ordered earlier this year, that is the two indie palette goal met.

I have two other palette related goals/guidelines additional to this for 2026: I'm allowed one Bella Beaute Bar if the colour story calls to me, and any Beauty Bay/Cosmic Beauty as they are UK based and much more affordable. I haven't succumbed to any BBB/BB/CB yet, I have been very discerning, however Cosmic Beauty have a Sun-tarot orangey goodness palette releasing on Friday and I will be getting that- my first in this category. I still feel a bit guilty about buying it, even though I am abiding by the rules I set myself.