Ashamed of my beauty product hoard!

[IPokeBadgers]

I have spent some time this morning trying to sort and tidy my beauty and toiletries cupboard and I am actually feeling very and at the sheer volume of stuff that I have, much of it lovely and expensive and unopened!

I reckon it could take me a couple of years to get through it all!

Buying make up as well as lovely bath and shower stuff seems to have become my go to/default pick me up when I want to impulse buy...... but seeing the hoard has brought me down.

anyone else like this and are there any threads that would encourage me to stop buying stuff and use all the lovely products that I have?

please tell me I am not the only person like this?

Well done Blueberry - that's quite a hoard. Finished a Santuary Spa body cream yesterday, which I'd replace straight away on fragrance alone but have others to use.

Have given DH a Kerastase Hair Serum thingy (soooo expensive) to oil his beard. I'll never use it and prefer the much cheaper John Frieda

help clarins gift offer at John Lewis. love Clarins.

So Woodhill - did you resist or succumb?

I resisted as I think half the time I don't need anything and end up with even more stuff.

I did do the Clinique one klast weekend from Boots but used points and the reason was so that my dd could have one of the things as an Easter gift so why not get the FG while I was at it. Did buy their toner for myself.

I've not got any empties this week, but that'll be because I had a few in previous weeks. I've also had a look at my wardrobe - does anyone else hoard clothes too? If I like an item of clothing I'll often buy two of it etc. My wardrobes are bulging.

Yes I'm bad with clothes too

Paul Michell volume mouse finished but I have another to follow it. No7 Protect & Perfect done and binned. This feels so good.

I'm a clothes hoarder too although hoarding much less these days - I've started to understand my shopping triggers and personal style far better, so less shopping just for the sake of shopping and far fewer mistake purchases.

No empties to report. Have been travelling again and because I love packing light, I don't take my full stash with me. Have found a new favorite daily lipstick to use up - Chanel Coco Rouge in Legende (old stash). I do like statement lipstick but on most days I prefer a berry shade that can just be swiped on quickly. Have also enjoyed the simplicity of Dr Jart BB cream while travelling, my entire makeup is done in minutes. At this rate I will finish the mini tube very quickly - am considering buying the full size for summer but will probably wait until my next trip to the US.

Finally, I was a bit unsure about splurging on that Nars eye duo but have been wearing it every day. It combines a pale cool gold tone with a lovely violet. Together they make a pretty taupe. I'm a pale blonde with dark green eyes and most browns don't look good on me (and the reddish ones look like a bruise) but a sheer gold wash just seems to open up my eyes. And I am all about taupes... Perhaps the most flattering neutral for me!

Really enjoying the mini review's and Eliza your skin regime is really working!

Iatemyskinnyperson I'm slightly worried about your spending patterns. I've done that too sometimes. The thing to think about is, what are you really looking for, a great foundation or something completely different... Hope I am not boring anyone but the book To Buy or Not to Buy helped me to figure out why I have a tendency to overshop.

About to take a long shower and to do a full body care routine trying to finish up some stuff today

Reporting an empty jar: a Garnier face cream is gone! I've had this jar forever but it got used up quickly once I decided to use it on my body. And wearing Colorstay again (about one fifth of a bottle left) - loving how sheer and not-there it is when I take the time to use the stippling brush!

FrugalFashionista. Thanks for your concern! I know what your saying...my makeup/clothes shopping habits are definitely escapism for me. But rest assured all bills are paid- I just juggle a bit more than I should!

I've just found this thread - am very late to the party, but definitely aiming for some more empties.

Before I even found the thread I was aiming to streamline the bathroom. I have a nice new shampoo and conditioner but I'm not starting them until all the half used bottles of shampoo are done - I bought a cheap conditioner to go with them and I'm nearly there with using them all.

Empties do feel great!

I've used up a few body lotion bottles/jars in the last few days and it feels good to crack open a brand new tub of body butter! My skin is also lovely and smooth, loving it..

I think it will take me forever to use up my stash of makeup esp eyeshadows but body lotions and creams I use every day so think I'll get through them fairly quickly

Fell off the wagon - bought 3 lipsticks, 3 eyeshadow palettes, 2 exfoliators, new head for cleansing brush, a loose powder and a mask. Don't even care I had a bad week and made me feel better!!

Have gifted one lipstick to my sister already.

I do have a couple of empties too thankfully!

At least you fell off the wagon in style!

Well this is true lego - if your going to do something may as well do it properly

MsVanRein, just enjoy the haul and move on. There are times when only a splurge can erase the pain!

MsvanRein do tell us about your purchases - I'd love to do a bit of fantasy shopping
And hope this coming week will be better for you.

I'm just so happy with my mix of old and new. Wearing Colorstay (old bottle) stippled on, new tomato red Nars lippy and the rest of the makeup is very subtle (pale taupe gold eyes with new Nars palette and old Chanel pencils, pale taupe brows finished with ancient Revlon duo, a tiny amount of Deep Throat on my cheeks). And I'm making steady progress with face creams and my body and feet feel nicely nourished and moisturized. Even my feet are silky - know exactly what you mean Mowglik! Will do a proper pedicure later on...

Skinny I like layering products too. Found out yesterday that a total mistake purchase, a nearly fluorescent coral pink lipstick that is far too bright for me works really well if I tone it down with a thin layer of muted gray-pink lipstick. Sounds awful but the mixture is really good, it actually resembles a new face-brightening lipstick shade that I saw in the US and would love to buy if I finish up something...

Oh and MsvanRein you can tally up what you have already used up vs what you bought, I'm sure you've made a lot of progress!

Jacques I'm trying to finish half used shampoos and conditioners too and get rid of obscure hair products, plus will use a couple of facial cleansers that I no longer like as shower gels. Conditioned with Aveda Damage Remedy today, my hair feels distinctly less crunchy

Eliza this is true!!

Frugal you're right I have made quite a lot of progress - so last week and a halfs empties are...

Jo Hansford Intensive Masque - nothing extraordinary.
Philip Kingsley Elastcizer 75ml - brilliant and will repurchase.
Tigi Bed Head Dumb Blonde shampoo and conditioner - these were 750ml bottles and I got sick of trying to get the bottom third out when the pumps broke so for weeks have had the two old bottles still with loads of product in the bottom sitting alongside two new ones I had opened!

Mio Double Buff dual action enzyme exfoliators (50ml travel size) - I like this a lot will definitely consider repurchasing very gentle but effective.

Also chucked 3 or 4 eyeshadows that have been around for a bit too long with very little use.

Will come back and share my haul shortly for those who are interested, when I have sorted DS out.

I'm actually really interested in the idea of repurposing things you don't like for other purposes :)

I have a couple of moisturisers that don't work facially - going to try as hand/foot cream

The last of the shampoo/conditioner went this morning. I now have single bottle of shampoo and conditioner [heart]

I used the elasticiser tonight. not quite sure what the point of it is but this thread is motivating me to use my products

Now that I've got through all the smaller sample size products it's taking me ages to use up all the full sizes of products I don't especially love... However I have got a couple of things to report back on!

Lush Snowball bath bomb: won't repurchase. Overly sweet smelling (think white chocolate/vanilla) and these work out as very expensive (per bath) esp. in comparison to much higher quality bath oils which are probably better for your skin. This also contains lots of shea/cocoa butter which I think is quite comedogenic.

M V Organics Rose protecting moisturiser. I think I got this (I'm ashamed to say!) because Emma Watson said she loved using it and she has gorgeous skin... I found it very rich and heavy - too thick for my face so I ended up using it on my neck. It is very moisturising (my neck skin feels very silky) but too expensive for what is essentially a rose-scented rich moisturiser.

Clinique Smart serum sample - seemed really nice (I used it on my neck/chest) and the skin looked plump, smooth the next day. That said I won't be buying a full size (I've got enough serums to be getting through for the next couple of years!!)

Currently working my way through the following and will report back when finished (deep breath....!): Oskia face cleanser, Sunday Riley ceramic cleanser, Eucerin moisturiser, Clarins beauty repair serum, Sunday riley active eye cream, Elemis tri-enzyme cleanser, a retinoid, Algenist anti-age cream, The Body Shop grape seed hair serum, Bumble and Bumble surf spray, Khiels mango lip balm, two Diptyque candles... Makeup wise: a Guerlain mascara, zelens foundation, Nars concealer, Benefit primer.

jjwhite Smart is great definitely one to consider if you make it through your other serums! I've got not one, but two 30mls in my stash

Finally finished a No 7 protect & perfect serum. I don't get it with serums... I'm 35, combination skin, don't have wrinkles but do have enlarged pores. So do I need serums or should I give serums a miss? It his is my second tube & I don't really think they do much for me.

If I stop using it, will my skin go like crackle glaze?!

From my sample stash whilst away this weekend got through some lovely Molton brown lilli pilli shine shampoo and conditioners. Have repurchased and in my guest bathroom ??. They aren't for me so doesn't count!!!

And a garnier 7 day body lotion. Smelt lovely, sunk in well, skin felt lovely. Would repurchase if I didn't have a mountain of others to work through!

Also trying out some underused eye shadows now it's spring! Also got my orange/coral lippies out now the sun is shining! I WILL use them in 2015!

Used up a trial size of Eucerin Anti-Age Hyaluron-Filler Day Cream for dry skin. Had a really strong smell - a perfectly pleasant chemically smell but way too strong for me. It didn't seem to make a difference, and i ended up using it up as an SPF (15+UVA) on my chest/neck. Won't repurchase. Probably the first product from Eucerin that I haven't loved.

Glad the sunshine is out now as I can finally start using up all the SPFs (which go off quickly!) and aftersuns/aloevera creams I've been hoarding!