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!

This is such a good read. I am going to make a list of things in my bathroom and make sure I don't buy more. Even basics like deodorant, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, bubble bath etc. I buy these with my weekly shop not even thinking whether I already have loads of them.

I know that I have between 18 and 24 Molton Brown shower gel miniatures, countless eyeshadow palettes, mascaras, body lotions etc. The list will be huge. I need to get using them! Looking forward to posting when I have some empties and not replacing them.

I'm sure I said I was going to join in on this, on the first thread. It didn't happen.

I have so much stuff, an old pine chest of drawers stuffed with make up, skin care and various toiletries. It's all disorganised too so I can't find anything. I tend to keep things I'm using right now in a basket on my dressing table.

I suppose I'm wondering how to get started? Did any of you sort your stuff into categories, eg foundations in one (large) box, lipstick in another and work it that way or do you just get a random product out and try to use it up?
I need serious intervention!

Fintan you can do it! I was in your situation about a year ago. It helped enormously to sort stuff (I used shoeboxes and other small boxes and Muji organizers). Lip products in one place, pencils in a jar, palettes all stacked... Chucking whatever was dead, off or leaking or looked unattracive. I did it over several weeks because I had cosmetics in our two homes and a stash also with my mum. Marie Kondo is a great motivator.

It is enormously fulfilling to select a product (start with minis and half empties), use that up, and then move on to the next. Sometimes family and friends will take some items.

I hit pan on a blusher this morning!

I just finished a Ren Moroccan Rose Otto body lotion - which I got free with a magazine. Will not replace :)

I am just working through what I already have started and then I will turn to the unopened hoarding!

Oh yes! I also finished Sass purifying cleanser - from a Glossybox. I have a new one at the ready (different brand) but would not purchase.

FrustratedFrugal - congrats on hitting pan! I will never get there with a blusher, I only have a small number but it is not a product I use often or go out of my way to buy, so the 3-4 I have acquired will probably last me the rest of my life!

Fintan - welcome to the thread!

In terms of getting started, I pulled EVERYTHING out of the cupboards and drawers and spread it all out on the bed. I then used clear make-up bags [had a couple of those 3-part sets from M&S] and sorted into them.

The palettes/kits went into the biggest bag, all my face products [foundations/highlighters/blushers] into another, lipsticks/glosses into one, eye shadows & mascaras into another. I also grouped all shower gels together in a box, and then basic toiletries [deodorants, shampoos, conditioners etc] into another box.

It is really sobering to see that you have 15-20 lippies, many of which are very similar, but it is also really helpful: when it is all there in front of you, it makes it harder to deny how much stuff you have! Plus, with everything grouped together, it is so much easier to find what you are after/pick on a small number of things to use up.

Along the way, as Frustratedfrugal says, you can chuck anything that has obviously gone off or is damaged. If you think you have someone who will like any lightly used products that you aren't fussed on, you can set aside a pile to be donated. I also have a box of things that are new and I know I wont use eg random things from gift sets that don't appeal. If there is anything suitable I give these as small gifts to friends throughout the year if someone is having a bad time.

Thank you so much, Badgers and Frugal!

I've made a start this morning. No shortage of small-ish cardboard boxes due to the amount of cosmetics that I have delivered .
I haven't gathered everything together yet but I can see that foundations, lip products and blushers are my most hoarded items.
I'm going to be away for a couple of days but will get stuck in again at the weekend.

I have to go to boots tomorrow. For face wipes. And cotton wool pads. And deodorant. That is it. I've made a list. I think I know where they are. although will be screwed if they've moved everything around again

Emenem84 I have read that face wipes are not all good for your skin - I am trying to steer clear of them.

I just finished another magazine freebie: Ren daily supplement moisturising cream. It was okay but not the best I have used.

I sorted out all my make-up into boxes over the Christmas break. All of my lipsticks are now in a tin and I can see I have enough lipstick to last several years. Grouping everything together made me realise just how much I have and that there is no excuse to buy anything new.

I finished off another hand cream yesterday and have just about finished a body lotion. Progress!

kwick I know they're not but I've not yet found anything that works as well at removing my make up and stops my skin breaking out.

I do use cleanser toner and moisturiser after face wipe though...

I used up a blusher last year and will do my best to finish the two that are nearly gone this year. I am a corpse daily user though.

I thought I'd never get through my lipsticks (20-30), but I finished one last year and have three that are almost gone. Even if I don't finish them all, focusing on what I have will decrease clutter. I also store most of them in a Tupperware box and keep just a couple at hand. When I fancy a change, I go and have a rummage. The same with eye shadow - I focus on one palette each month, and enjoy picking the next one. Most of my palettes are quads, so with repeated application I've learned to combine colors a lot better. As a result, I feel I look more pulled together.

Lego and Fintan you are making fantastic progress!

WellTidy your situation sounds familiar - I just counted that my DC have at least 8 tubes of toothpaste, most of them nearly but not quite finished. In the past I bought staples without thinking, I still have about 20 soaps, half a dozen tubes of toothpaste, and tons of moisturizer and hair products. I had also accumulated other random things, like packs and packs of matches, chewing gum and painkillers, but have managed to use those up.

Frustratedfrugal I really like the palette focus idea. - I will try this! only so that I use my make-up quicker and get to buy some more

I mentioned upthread that I'd found my HG everyday foundation and was searching for an equivalent liquid foundation...

I've been kind of going for base overkill this week in an attempt to get through my stash and have been building my base along these lines:

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - I am soooo near the end of this and have got other primers to use up before I repurchase anything. I can't tell any difference when I use it but every time I do people comment on how "well" I look. It does last a long time - I've just got no idea what it does or how it does it!

Maybeline under eye concealer - better than the Clinique one I've also go on the go and you can see how much is left in the tube (which is always a bonus!). It also doesn't seem to get that fusty smell that Touche Eclat gets after a while.

Clarins Instant Light Radiance Boosting Base - I'm mixing a pump of this in with my foundation but I'm a bit meh about this to be honest, because although it adds a bit of a glow it's not worth the price tag! (It was a pre wedding purchase hence the reason I bought it)

Clinique Moisture Surge Tinted Moisturiser - it's okay. It does have buildable coverage as long as you apply it with a brush. Don't bother with a sponge or fingers - I find it just moves about your face! I prefer the Boots No 7 one, it's a far nicer product.

Chanel Loose Powder - another pre-wedding "must buy posh stuff" purchase. I do like loose powder, the packaging is obviously delightful but it's powder at the end of the day and there are cheaper products out there which will do the same.

So out of five products there are only two things I'd definitely try again - I'm determined to crack on through my stash and get the minimalist make up bag of my dreams!

I seem to have accumulated loads of eye make up remover! Simple, Estée Lauder and garnier. Is there any downside to using eye make up remover to take the rest of my make up off? As it is gentle, I would imagine not? Maybe there is a chance of getting through some of this stash.

I am even letting the DSs use the Molton brown bath and shower gel to make bubbles in the bath. As I have 23 miniatures (30ml and 50ml), it seems silly not to.

I've finished my bourgois healthy mix serum foundation. I am delighted. I really liked it, it was a bargain at £10.99. I still have Estée Lauder double wear light and YSL touche eclat foundation to get through before I can buy another. And that is on top of three BB creams and Laura mercier tinted moisturiser. So i will not replace, even though I have £74 of boots advantage points and so it would not really cost me anything ...

Whilst I was sorting everything out I found two hair dye packs, one of which I used yesterday. It was a John Frieda Permanent, really easy to use and has come up a good colour. Not sure how long it has been in the stash though! Also another NutriLift sample used up.

Hitting the pan update - two blushers and an eye duo that I use for brows.

Just finished and orange blossom perfume and one step nearer my goal of only having one scent on the go :)

one step nearer my goal of only having one scent on the go smile

Oh my, well done you! This will never be a goal of mine....I am too fickle so always have at least 6 different scents opened....

when I said one step... I have 4 on the go at the moment.. so not far behind you!

Empty to report - only a miniature, but it's a start. 30ml Molton brown coco and sandalwood body moisturiser. Perfectly Ok, but I wouldn't buy it. Now using a 100 ml Ahava body moisturiser (the Dead Sea brand) and it is really lovely. Only ten or so body moisturisers to go ...

I only have one bottle of perfume on the go at one time! I'm amazed to realise that perfume is probably the only thing I don't have multiple of. I'm using an Estée Lauder pleasures which is too summery and light really got this time of year, but I mustn't buy anything else.

I'm just checking in to keep myself accountable, although I've hardly done any sorting yet.
Did start to look through all of my foundations and wanted to cry.
I've spent so much money and still seem unable to find one in the right shade.

My current products to try to use up are a La Prairie foundation and a Shu Uemura blusher.

Also finished a cleanser today. I have cleansers in the shower, next to the bath and next to the sink. So I still have two on the go, as well as lots in the cupboard. But it's nice to be one down. It's my normal Estée Lauder foaming cleanser for dry skin, which I used for years until they stopped making it. So I can't replace even if I wanted to, which is probably a good thing!

A few empties here.

Vichy aqualia serum. I used this as a day serum as it was nice and light and juicy. Will probably repurchase one day.

Elemis cleansing cream, was part of a QVC set. This was fine, I prefer the Liz Earle as I prefer the herbal scent, but it was perfectly good. I preferred this as an AM cleanser.

Nip and Fab glycolic pads. Have repurchased these already as they are much more affordable than many of the others, and I was in Boots .

Baylis and Harding Mandarin and Grapefruit body wash. I had such high hopes for this as these fragrances are right up my street for a morning shower, but it had no scent! Huge disappointment.

That's my lot for this week. Just restocked basics for DD and I in Boots and spent £59. Clearasil pads, superfacialist cleansing oil, shampoo, toothpaste etc, so we had evidently done a good job of getting through stuff, but a bit shocked at the cost.

Would have spent a lot more than that in the past getting little bits here and there so I guess that's not too bad.