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?

I am working my way through 6 body butters/lotions. Some are half empty and I got one for Christmas. I use it about 5 times a week so reckon it will last me all year, not buying any until it's all gone.

I used to be terrible for buying too much make-up but I haven't bought any new make-up apart from mascara and a lip gloss for ages.

I'm not really a hoarder in other areas. I like clutter free.

Waxy I'm definitely joining a support thread!

A LRP Toleriane moisturizer that I will never repurchase!
(Nothing wrong with it, I just prefer others.)

Stuff that I am currently using up:

• a lipstick, will be totally gone in a few weeks
• two lip glosses, a few weeks left in both
• a stump of a lip pencil, can still be sharpened a couple of times
• a finishing powder sample
• an eye cream
• a toothpaste, less than a month's worth left

I'm doing this first and foremost to reduce clutter and to change my spending patterns. But often I find that when I decide to finish a product, I will start liking it again. So it's not total self-torture

Jasmine and Owl thanks for the inspiring posts and links!
SpecialOcean good luck with the body butters

What are you ladies trying to use up?

I could use a use up thread. I'll be back tonight.

I realised I had the same problem OP at Christmas. I'm expecting for
The first time and so many kind friends had bought me
Shower gels and body butters that I was starting to get a complex that they were dropping hints re body odour!! I also realise my lip glosses, lip balms and eye shadows were multiplying in the cupboard. So I've been 'actively' using everything and have taken delight in being strong in avoiding Boots & Superdrug (and the lure of their 'deals' since) all I've bought in a moment of weakness is 1 cocoa butter lip salve. Saved a fortune, made space for nappies an really really enjoyed getting to the end of a bottle of shower cream / body lotion!!

Yeah I'm like this but the difference between us is I feel zero shame! I've got stacks and stacks of stuff ... Last week I bought three YSL tint in oil glosses even though I own around 80 lip glosses already. I adore expensive beauty products and toiletries and like treating myself. Providing you're still able to pay your mortgage and feed your kids then don't worry about it! If you want to stop then there are plenty of threads on MN about how to be frugal

But before you head over to the dark side, would you like to hear all about my new guerlain voyage compact?!

Ooh this girl makes me feel good - if she can do it I will too...
Will do an inventory later.
Project Pan it is for me!

I don't have a mortgage or kids and can afford it thanks. It just makes me feel wasteful rather than joyful!

Don't buy it then if it makes you feel wasteful? Unless Dior have started holding guns to people's heads?

I have at least 5 of each of shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, 12 shower gel, about 10 packs of face wipes (thanks to boots £5 vouchers...), 8 body creams (sanctuary & soap & glory). And that's before we get on to skin care and make up. I also have 2 unopened perfumes that I can't wear any longer as they no longer smell right in me...

I think it's important to figure out how you've accumulated so much, to help you figure out how to stop. For me, I like a bargain and stocked up when things were on offer. I also panicked when pregnant and thought we'd be on the breadline during maternity leave, so wanted to make sure we had enough - turns out it takes a lot longer than mat leave to make a dent in my stash...

Now I will ask for vouchers for birthdays/christmas (if anything) so I know I'll always have enough money to buy toiletries, I always try to keep track of what I have so I don't duplicate (& will take stuff back if I get home and find I have).

I have just got to the stage in life where I'm sick of having so much cheap which has motivated me to take steps!

I'm not saying you shouldn't continue buying Boomf if it's your hobby and am not trying to induce guilt! I just deeply dislike the clutter and would prefer having just a few truly great products around - this is my goal.

I used to be a beauty maximalist, but I now prefer a minimalist lifestyle. To me, true luxury is a semi empty house and a bathroom cabinet where nothing falls out when I open the door

I'm mainly using up stuff to remind myself to stop the search for 'perfect' items. And I'm also a tad tired of so many false promises. Everything I bought was seemed attractive or irresistible or was someone's holy grail at some point. It's fairly sobering to see how few products become repeat-buys.

I'm the same. Although maybe not as bad as some of you!

I have about a years worth of shower gels. DH always gets me lots of Body Shop stuff for xmas - it's a bit of a standing joke. This year I said I had enough. So he let DS have free reign in Sainsburys so I got Sainsburys stuff instead!

I have lots of body lotions and butters. I'm too lazy to use them often.

I love skin care stuff but do try to use stuff up before buying more. Have a load of retinol stuff that I find too harsh.

Tonnes of hair stuff.

Loads of eyeshadows I don't use.

Bought Bare Minerals. Never used it.

About 15 nail varnishes.

I blame my mum. She was an Avon Lady when I was little!

I have loads of body lotions too and never use them. It's almost as if I'm buying a lifestyle but not following through

Oh, and I have to continually remind myself it's not the owning of stuff it's the using of stuff that actually makes a difference!!

I am the exact same have stacks of makeup, skincare etc - I am a total junkie.

This is going to make me sound totally at odds with reality but I have over 60 unopened full size products at the moment!

I don't really mind though it's a hangover from my old career and it all gets used eventually or gifted so I don't feel guilty.

Hello Pica . Fancy seeing you here!

I'm exactly the same. I currently have 7 body lotions part used. I don't really use them. I've also got 4 stashed, unopened in the cupboard. I can't seem to find one that doesn't make my skin feel icky and smells nice too.

I'm not too bad with make up. Although I do have a problem with mascara. I love the Mally volumizing one. But I've spent more on two 'high street' brands, that I don't like, than if I'd ordered the bloody thing in the first place.

Oh! And nail varnish! I used to do the thing where I'd see a lovely colour and have to have it. Then I'd get home and find I've already got it . If I see a polish when I'm out now I wait and check first.

Oh! And hair masks/deep conditioners . I'm not sure if I actually need to use them. I just feel like I should . I've got 5 and I don't really like any of them.

Feelunique emailed me this morning. My order has been despatched.....

Hello heman! You've found me out

Likewise Pica!

I was like you all (either using or not using it or binning it) when I suddenly thought - what a waste of money and product if I don't use it...

So now any moisturiser for face I try to use up - if too greasy I use as body/foot stuff.

same with hair stuff - my expensive L'Oreal Professionelle Spray Mousse was being unused until I thought sod it and have now almost used it all up.

I have also made a pact not to buy new stuff until I run out of my old stuff unless I'm desperate. This goes for shower gels cheap and expensive etc

I shudder to think how much I spent before and although with makeup it's harder at least I'm making a start.

and I used to be a 'don't throw anything out' person or would hoard things for ages! so it can be done!

Heman - what you can do (I've not often done it but a friend gave me a John Frieda hair product) is give lotions to friends... they can say no.

Super I am actually wearing a friend's hand-me-down today. Some Inglot pure pigment eye shadow. Terrific stuff and a wonderful shade that I would never have found on my own. To be added on my use-up list...

I have a "one out/ one in" policy with moisturiser, body lotion, hand cream and mascara.

Though I'm on a permanent eyeshadow ban as I have all three Naked palettes and almost a full palette of Mac shadows. And I have about 10 blushers - some pretty cheap but c'mon! Nobody can ever use up 10 blushers in their entire lifetime!

At one stage I had 9 opened foundations....and we all know how long they take to use up. I spent all of 2014 trying to use some up. I still have about 5 and I'm trying to get down to 3.

I tried to do "Project 10 Pan" but it takes so long! So I regularly do Project 5 Pan instead and its much less daunting.

Here is a quick count, bathroom cabinet only:

5 blushers
10 eye shadow quads and 1 single
3 brow duos
3 lip glosses
15 lipsticks that I like and wear
10 lipsticks that I dislike
10 eye pencils
3 liquid foundations, and a couple stored away
2 eye primers
2 highlighters, with 1-2 backups
2 concealers
2 undereye concealers, with 1-2 backups
6 different toothpastes (at least)
3 moisturizers
4 facial sunscreens
2 jars of mineral foundation
2 jars of loose powder
1 serum
1 mascara
2 lip balms (but half a dozen backups somewhere)
1 brow pencil
1 lip pencil
1 breakout treatment

Some more in my bedroom but I'm still in denial about that...

Have loved reading everyone's posts on this thread. great to know I am not the only one with an insane stockpile. Some great ideas for using up items or even just how to get into a different mindset about using and enjoying what I have instead of always looking for the next best thing!

I had a little bit of a declutter this afternoon. I chucked a huge bag of lotions, potions, creams and sprays etc away and have bagged up some of the better quality ones to take into work for people to have a root through. I couldn't face going through my make up bags though. It was traumatic enough!

frugal good idea re the like and don't like!

Also maybe if you're after something (or anyone is) detail what it is. I had a good chat to Bobbi brown SA today and worked out my best mascara when the other week I wasted money on 2 not great mascaras from boots! Damn!

Say you like eg a lipstick but it's too matte but nice Colour make a note of that.