Ashamed of my beauty product hoard! - Part 2

[IPokeBadgers]

Hoping link to previous thread works!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/style_and_beauty/2320549-Ashamed-of-my-beauty-product-hoard?pg=1

Continuation of the thread where I realised I was not alone in my hoarding of all things make-up/beauty/skincare/toiletries.

Lots of lovely mumsnetters who encourage each other to use and enjoy all those lovely products, and at the same time try to reduce our spending on unnecessaries!

Am also on a work trip in 2 weeks so can use up some of my travel sized things.

I am throwing out a body scrub as I think it has gone off 😳 it was a present from SIL from Peru - very nice but I am better off with a scrubbing brush!

Sad to report have finished Crabtree & Evelyn Lavender hand wash - lovely present from nephew.... Have already replaced with poundland one (no competition) but I REALLY should not have done as I have at least 10 soaps to get through....

I saw some Pink Grapefruit Original Source shower gel (£1 in Superdrugs) but I firmly put it back with the promise to myself to buy some BodyShop Pink Grapefruit when I am a bit clearer.
Tempted by some shampoo but we have loads to plough through (mainly my DD hoard, I tend to stick to a couple of brands)

I bought some very ££ skincare for my DS, so that doesn't count (Acts of selfless love are exempt )

I have promised myself to go through the 3 (yes you read that right) travel wash bags I have and downsize - I am always like the bag lady when I travel - which is about once a week for work. Then I only end up using a few things...

We are down to our last toothpaste

Have donated a bunch of travel toiletries (shampoo deodourant shower gel) to Dh who is off to Switzerland today for a few days.

I am loving reading this thread with the little reviews. I would like to join in please, if that is okay?

Empties today: Dr Hauschka cleansing cream: hated this. It has little scrubby exfoliating bits in it which felt like they might get in my eyes no matter how careful I was with rinsing. I used about half of it normally then used the last half this morning all over my body. My hands feel nice and soft and exfoliated now though!

Also an Olay night cream which was distinctly meh so I had downgraded it to body cream and finished that this morning.

I finished a Dove shower gel this morning which means the next in may stash is my L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil -happy days.

I have also been having a bit of insight into my psychology of using products etc. For years I bought cheapy things and wouldn't have dreamed of buying high end things. But inevitably the cheap things weren't quite right and I didn't enjoy using them so I just left them on my dresser. My mum has low self esteem and will not spend money on herself, so I had picked up on that I suppose. As a child if anyone bought me 'nice' toiletries I never used them either. I saved them for best but never got round to actually using them so my dresser was full of dusty years old 'nice' smellies that had been bought for me as gifts.

In the last couple of years I have really made an effort to turn this around. I have Kondoed so nothing is kept for best and everything needs to either bring me joy or it is out. I have started buying high end makeup which works a lot better and I have tried the colour properly so I know it is right for me.

I find now that buying cheap toiletries is a waste of money because I don't use them. If I don't like them they just sit looking sad on my dresser and I don't bother to use them. The downgrading of products that this thread has started is genius! So for me I am much better to spend a bit more on a product I will look forward o using. Then even if it doesn't quite live up to expectation I still use it up because it was expensive and I don't want to waste it.

Love L'occitaine almond. Agree about the saving for best strategy.

Welcome stewards

Reeling from triumph of the last 24 hours. Last night I finished not only a facial oil (Sunday Riley Juno - divine) but also a toner (Korres Pomegranate - dull); and then this morning got to the end of a delicious Laura Mercier Tarte au Citron body cream. Consequently emptied a whole shelf of my overflow cupboard.
And haven't bought any new products As Yet. Am on total roll as is entirely possible that I will finish my (sample size) Hydra Zen (yummy) this evening and my (also sample size) Sarah Chapman day cream (strange vegetable smell) in the morning.

Can I please join in - I usually just read this thread to comfort myself that I'm not alone ..... Sadly I'm the same with cleaning products - it's like a disease
I just can't help opening new bottles ...... help me

Lady I am the same. I panic if I look in the cupboard and see less than three bottles of bleach.

I am looking forward to sorting and cleaning my cleaning cupboard later this week

Hi well tidy [waves].... I um threw out one or two as old... And have orders 3 more from the Avon lady at work , the price was too good

Empties...bare minerals mineral veil got as a gift , won't replace was powdery and blah

Finally finished a la Roche posay effaclar facewash that seemed to last for ever it was only meh as well

I finished up a neutrogena oil free eye make up remover last night. I like ths; I bought two more bottles when in the US last month.

I also have just finished a caudalie hand cream. I have no idea where it came from, it must have been a sample but it was a big one. I like the cream but wasn't keen on the smell. I now have a L'Occitane lavender in my desk drawer to use up, and about 15 other hand creams at home, so no repurchasing for years.

I have used up a mini bottle of grapefruit perfume and another one of oil (remembered to scrub the bath this time )

Also replaced my mascara as it was getting dry- it was Rimmel 24hr curl I think. Loved the Rimmel one, definitely notice my lashes have less 'oomph' now I've swapped but I needed a waterproof one for impending holiday.

StewardsEnquiry that's really interesting about the psychology of why we do this. I always thought of myself as the type who likes to have a hobby, but recently have realised I actually get quite obsessed and have to buy ALL THE THINGS. My mum is quite the compulsive shopper and used to hide her purchases from my Dad so probably has something to do with that!

LesIncompetents yes I like to buy all the things too. And if I want to try a new fashion or colour in clothes I have the urge to buy it in several versions too. But I am resisting this now - I want to buy things just once but buy the perfect thing that will bring me joy to use.

An empty tonight - Clinique Aromatics Elixir perfume. I just sprayed on the very final dregs of a bottle that must be about 10 years old. I actually wear this scent a lot and have a much larger, newer bottle of it on the go at the moment but I found this little old nearly empty bottle at the back of my stash last week. So I have dedicated myself to finishing it and now it is gone. Will repurchase but not for a while because I have plenty of that particular perfume left and plenty of other perfumes to go at too.

I think I buy things because I like an offer. It makes me think that I am getting a bargain, and that it is too good a deal to resist. A reduction in price, a 3 for 2, or extra boots points, a gift with purchase all tempt me to buy. And I am impulsive. I don't think along the lines of 'I will have a think tonight whether I really need that and come back tomorrow if I do'. I need to buy there and then.

I am an Estée Lauder lover, and use lots of their products. I never ever used to let a department store gift with two purchases pass me by. I would think that I will be restocking soon anyway, I might as well buy now and take advantage of the gift. I did a stocktake months ago, and realised that I had seven of the 7ml miniatures of advanced night repair. And I was still buying the 50ml version to stock up. Ridiculous.

I am a lot better now. I found that having a list of everything I had, written down, huge reality check. The bathroom cabinet is looking much more healthy, but I still slip, like buying 3 bourjois foundation in boots on 3 for 2 a month or so back.

The psychology is really interesting, and something I had to address before I could start to stop spending so much.

I am almost finished a Mac mascara. I hate it. It makes my lashes clump. Not worth the £16 I paid for it. Stick to my usual bourjoius one. Luckily I have a back up.

Am donating another hand lotion to the work bathroom. It's nice but I have so many. May as well let other people enjoy it.

Finished a Natio Hand Cream which I will not replace as there is a queue of them in the cupboard. I liked the Natio but it seemed to go a little 'watery' at the end. Also tried a small sample of Loreal Age Perfect Day Cream which feels good on my skin, a little fortunate as I also have a full size pot to use up.

I also love a bargain, and took advantage just in case the items where never on 3 for 2, or BOGOF again - it has taken me years to realise that stuff is always on offer! I have enough shower gels for around 12 months for two of us to use and I have only bought two in the last two years - how many must I have had?!

Hydra-Zen duly finished but Sarah Chapman day cream still hanging in there. Almost at the end of a tube of Kiehl's hand cream though.
Ememem84 it may not be quite in the spirit of the thread but surely life's too short to wear mascara you hate? Even if you paid £16 for it?

mother you may be right. Maybe it's time to bin it. But then I feel bad for wasting it....even if I was conned into buying it by the Mac shedevils

Almost finished a clarins day moisturiser. It's a staple for me. It's expensive but lasts ages and has spf in it. Yay!

Emem Bin it. I bought a Clinique Lash power mascara for my wedding. Utter crap - I binned it a few days later.

In fact I am thinking of declaring today the official "bin one item" day.

then I can bin the godawful perfume that is too awful to even use as air freshener

I binned it yesterday. No more clumpy lashes!!!