Beauty Hoarders Anonymous: you have got to be in it to win it!!!

[Experiment627]

Carrying on the great tradition of this thread - where those that are addicted to beauty products come together and support one another!

@Justilou1 I hear you! I think awareness is rising in the UK on this topic - about bloody time. I have been using an app called "Balance" which has a menopause expert behind Dr Louise Newton (I think her name is)... a whole bunch of ailments I have could be explained by the menopause or perimenopause... so my next step is see GP. I recently had a whole bunch of tests done but not once was this being a probable cause discussed. Fortunately I feel quite bright most of the time, but you are right about nipping it in the bud.

I have really close friends that I have known since my teens who have only recently spoken to me about their very horrific birthing injuries. They have been walking around carrying this deep burden of shame that is seriously not their fault at all (and I would have totally been their advocate and support) and they have felt so alone for the last 20, 15, 10 years depending on when they had their kids, and then the hormonal impact as well.... We need to empower our daughters and teach about informed consent (especially in regards to “natural” birth it would seem!!!”
Incindentally, when I hit the next stage of my education, I intend to also write about how women’s health needs to have more recognised “stages” and specialties. There are so many areas between puberty and menopause that are undefined medically and societally. (So much for getting off my soapbox!)
But if we look at our health as a trajectory, we need to encompass all stages, and learn about them all.
Bows to the class.

Exactly this @Justilou1!!!

It enrages me that most Drs are still harking back to prehistoric studies for things like fertility and the menopause. Women's health needs to be understood better! And we should not have to grin and bear it!
I have suffered from really bad period pains since I was 11 - Thanks to Kwicklet I have had 9 months off from that... but now they are getting worse and I just have not got the gumption to handle anymore - I am going to DEMAND help!

I have been using an app called "Balance" which has a menopause expert behind Dr Louise Newton

That's where I am on the waiting list for a consultation - News on Health or something it's called I used the app briefly, not sure what the point of it was to be honest.

I'm not trusting the NHS with this. I'm afraid that a condition I've been going through them for over the past 6m has been so badly handled that they might even be called incompetent.

And they have close to zero meno experts.

@VanGoghsDog I hope you get seen soon. I will go there too if GP no good.

So here are my empties:

• Olay 7 in one spf 15 anti-ageing moisturiser: ok but not wow
• The Inkey List salicylic acid cleanser: ok but did not feel strong enough for moi
• Kate Somerville total repair sachet: felt amazeballs on but a) not enough to really get a POV and b) got a mahoosive under skin spot on nose after use - may have been a coincidence
• Aldi no1 luxury hand & body wash 25ml: great dupe for Jo Malone lime, basil, mandarin
• The Body Shop almond milk with oats instant soothing mask: this is HG for moi - really adore this but think this one may have been open a tad too long by the time I finished
• Nivea shower cream (dark blue): adore this and so inexpensive at the mo

Well don't allow yourself to be fobbed off or minimised @Experiment627 . Nobody should have to put up with that crap from their own body. Certainly not in this day and age. Demand tests. Request a full work-up and ask to be referred to gynaecologists if you need to. Often these problems we've been considering "our" normal hide sinister things the symptoms of ovarian and uterine cancer later in life. (Not suggesting this, btw..... Just that this is why they go unnoticed.). Get the scans and the bloodwork done regularly!!!

Aye aye Captain @Justilou1 I will not!!!

Last empties for the month of May. Keeping a note of spends and how much im bringing into the stash. 33 empties, and 8 products in. Spent under £60, so not awful.

Skin+me. Second month on it, really has worked wonders on my skin. Use it 5 nights a week. It working well with the rest of my routine. No bad reaction yet.

This works hyaluronic serum with vit c. Neither bad or good. Didnt really wow me. Did the job, probably wouldnt go out my way to buy it. Also, could leave me feeling a little tacky if i didnt go in quick with the next product.

Nivea Good morning fresh skin mask. Quick and simple moisturising mask when your in a hurry. Left my skin feeling soft and soothed. Would pick these up again. Have one left im stash.

Murad Nutrient water gel. Only a small pot, so cant say i seen mega results. I was expecting a basic gel texture. Its thicker than a usual gel which was nice. Only used in the AM, sat well under makeup. I did feel it was hydrating enough for me, dont need any more moisturiser. But id like to try a full size.

DermaV10 foot lotion. Picked up in a rush to sort my manky feet out. Cheap lotions just dont cut it for me. A lesson i need to learn. They feel soft afted ive put it on, but the morning after they feel even worse. Moving on to Magaret Dabbs foot lotion next.

No empties of note to list but wanted to join in the health chat.

Since my DD was born, my never that great periods, got even worse. It all came to a head last summer when I was close to needing a blood transfusion. I was very lucky in that my parents stepped in and paid for a private hysterectomy, the waiting list here is 2 years, and that was before COVID.

I’m 6 months post surgery and definitely feeling better overall. It was after the surgery that I started to feel like a person again and I started to frequent the Style and Beauty board.

I think ‘female’ illnesses are far too easily swept under the carpet and whilst I won’t be a hypocrite as I did go private, I do think it’s a disgrace that the NHS lets so many women suffer for so long without providing effective solutions.

I’ll come down off my soap box now.

This is a good foot cream:

www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07YM3SBSP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_N5TG3AT7N2W7Q7JG8GAB?psc=1&_encoding=UTF8&tag=mumsnetforu03-21

@SlatternIsMyMiddleName - such a common theme, unfortunately. I’m a good 14-15 years ahead of you with similar story. Luckily had private health insurance and that enabled more choice here in Aus. Had BP of 88/56 and Hb of 3, 6 month old twins and a two year old. Fainting’a not my colour.

Dove bar and a toothpaste gone today. Both replaced although I think the toothpaste is the last one….

Three more empties:

• Nivea q10 rich body lotion: best thing about this the pump! I will defo RP at some point but just in regular Nicea as q10 one does not smell as good
• Curel make-up cleansing gel: I liked this but not HG and not great at getting make-up off
• This Works in transit camera close-up: I tried this as a mask = meh & moisturser = meh... in the end, I used it up on my legs - really not a fan of the smell

Few empties:

• Erborian cc cream, 5ml trial tube. I switch between loving this and feeling meh. It has light evening-out the skin type coverage, and sometimes isn't enough for me, but lately with a bit of concealer I've really liked it. Will repurchase, probably the 15ml travel size as it lasted for ages.

• Goldfaden eye cream (from Cult Beauty gwp), I love this and will consider repurchasing once I finish my many eye creams. Soothing and creamy.

• Dr Dennis Gross lightweight wrinkle defence spf (another Cult Beauty gwp), this is quite runny and left a bit of a white cast so not for me.

• Oskia renaissance cleanser, travel size, think from a beauty box. Not wild about this, I've gone off Rose scents recently and don't think it's that good at actually cleansing. I know it's very popular but not for me.

• Tropic smoothing cleanser, this was a gift and I don't like it at all, so I'm decluttering and giving up on it.

• Pantene shampoo. Cant be sure, but everytime i use this my face seems to itch the next day. Ill find out if this was the culprit when i try the next shampoo.

• Philip Kingsley scalp mask. When its been roasting all day, and even my hair feels sweaty, this was needed. Did feel soothing on the scalp, you could feel the slight menthol which was cooling in this heat. I picked them up at a bargain price, if i seen them again in the sale area of Sparks id buy them.

• Optrex warming eye mask. HG❤, But they've discontinued them. Will try others when the others in my stash have gone.

• Benefit Precisely brow pencil. I twisted to hard and it snapped😖 I did enjoy using it though.

Chucking:

• Maybelline sky high lash sensational mascara: really liked this but now beginning to sting when on so time to get rid

I'm feeling ruthless today and chucking out a few things that have been festering, half used in my stash:
Lacura Midnight power eye care - stung a bit and quite uninspiring.
L'Occitane Light comforting cream - forgot about it and it's now a weird, congealed mess
Child's Farm Grapefruit and tea tree hair detangler - totally ineffective.

I'm still finishing off a few things, which seem to be lasting FOREVER! Very frustrating as I have just got the M&S beauty box and a Lookfantastic box. There are some fab new things I want to try - I am not doing well at de-stashing

Living proof dry shampoo gone. I loved this. I’d almost say it’s better than batiste. And you know I love batiste…/

Must try is @ememem84 !!

Two (nearly) empties.

NEXT Lipstick. Only used half. A strange one this. Went on as lovely vivid colour but disappeared within ten minutes. Just no colour left. Can’t be bothered with it.

Thank You Farmer spf 50+ Face Cream. Hated it. Greasy and white cast. Used up on the back of my hands.

Meant: must try this!!!

Clarins extra firming body cream - it was fine, not sure how much ‘firming’ it did but to be fair it had an uphill battle.

Balance me radiance face mask - I’m not sure how long I have had this, but it has gone funny (a liquid when I think it’s supposed to be a gel and it stinks). Definitely no RP.

I also want to try the Living proof dry shampoo. Ive heard nothing but good things about it!

Summer has finally begun in the Northern Hemisphere! 🌞 I wish that our next three months are full of sunshine, joy and love! 💖

I’ve put all of my beauty routines on hold so these were my only May empties:

1. Meow Meow Tweet Unscented Baking Soda Free Deodorant Cream (68 g; £28) – my holy grail deodorant, so I always use it up well before it expires 🥳 The crazy price tag comes from the fact that I purchased it from an online shop in Sweden (when they used to sell it in the UK it cost 'only' £14).

2. Gellé Frères Rose Galante Shower Oil (200 ml; £8) – a product from those days when I had an obsession with rose gold everything... yes, I bought it for its packaging 🤦‍♀️ In my opinion, it smelled of acacia honey rather than rose, and it had too much SLS to my liking. I’ve managed to use it up one month prior to its expiry date (June 23rd) which is always an achievement for me.

Lovely opening sentiment @CherryMargo