Beauty addicts anonymous - come join us if you are a beauty product lover and hoarder!!!

[Experiment627]

Not sure what thread number we are up to here but ALL ABOARD if you get JOY from buying and trying beauty products!!!

We sometimes enable but we also share out thoughts, support one another and generally share our love of beauty consumerism!

I joined this a few years neck I think then spectacularly fell off the wagon.

I've had a no/low buy most of last year due to being poor but haven't tracked empties. I've got my HG hair stuff and restocked for the year in black Friday sale and also got a duo of the urban decay setting spray.

I've got a new job so will no longer be poor but don't want to waste it buying any more products so want to continue working through my stash. Going to to a stock take of what I have soon.

Only thing I should need this year is a new foundation. Any recs for good coverage and staying power but fairly budget?

I think that everyone’s skin is different and you can actually simplify that list by breaking it down into sulfates, etc, when you look at the ends of the words.

I am still dubious about the “research” claimed to have been done by the EWG. A lot of it’s foundless and biased. Not to mention, old.
Most really modern, reputable skincare is made from “chemicals” that are made in labs from naturally derived (plant-based) ingredients (less harmful to the environment) and are not tested on animals at all. Generally speaking, molecules are smaller, ingredients are less volatile as are amounts. Focus is on less reactive ingredients and more nurturing, soothing ones. The days of drying out oily skin are over in favour of nurturing it into no longer needing to over-produce sebum. Nuking wrinkles is not the current dialogue - supporting the collagen and fibrin structure underneath has become the new understanding.

I'm going to aim to get through 104 products (so 2 per week) of any size, so it should be doable.
I want to get to a point where I only have one spare of each type of item. I won't manage that in a year, but I'm going to try not to buy anything that I already have a spare(s) of. Exception being anything that arrives in the Liberty subscription drops as I can't choose those (but I guess it's mainly minis anyway, so it's not so bad).

Have finished a few things in the last couple of days:
Wild deodorant refill, Coconut & Vanilla - I did quite like this, but I've spent the last few weeks scraping out the end of the product with my fingers as you can't twist it up enough the end. It annoys me and has put me off enough that I won't rebuy.
Beauty Pie Youthbomb serum - I think this did make my skin a little bit brighter/more glowy. Didn't like the smell (bit yeasty), but it didn't linger. Didn't enjoy enough to RP at £44.
Balance Me flash cleanse micellar water - did the job, but I didn't like the scent. Wouldn't buy.
Merci Handy hand cream in cherry - ok, wasn't creamy enough or a scent I'd choose (didn't smell like cherry). Wouldn't buy.*

A good start for numbers but not for satisfaction 4/104 done.

@NiceUnusualDifferent have you tried Revolution IRL filter foundation? I bought this recently and the coverage is really good and in reviews some people said it's as good as ELDW.

Don't use their matching thing online though as you might get matched to one that's too light. I have fair to medium olive skin and the 8.5 shade is still slighty pale for me.

I went a bit mad and bought a few new products over the last few weeks. My best buys and ones I'll buy again when I run out are:

Studio10 under eye concealer in medium shade (Hydra-lift). Amazing stuff.

Beauty Pie blusher in Fever Peach - really lovely pinky/coral colour with a tiny bit of shimmer but not too much.

Bobby Brown Lipstick in shade Buff along with their Free Spirit lip gloss on top.

Really going to try and use what I have now/have a big sort through everything.

I was looking at this one but it has niacinamide in which I can't use as it gives me cystic acne

I've done a stock take and have the following:
Retinol eye cream 3
Eye creams 10
Eye serum 2 (fecc)
Facial oils 9
Serums 23
Acid toners 11
Liquid gold 6
Essence 5
Hydrating toner 13
Oil cleansers 5
Balm cleanser 3
Hot cloth cleanser 22
Gel to Oil cleanser 3
Gel cleanser 3
Tri enzyme wash 5
Spf 4
Day cream 12
Night cream 8
Night balm 4
Body butter 15
Body lotion 20
Can't imagine I'll need to buy any skincare at all this year!

@NiceUnusualDifferent blimey! How did you amass 22 hot cloth cleansers?

I have an empty:

• Aldi Lacura caviar illumination day cream spf 15: apparently a dupe for the La Prairie cream... um but at over £400 a pop I am unable to compare as my cachinga is being prioritised elsewhere! Anyway this cream is fine - not too keen on scent (sort of grassy), and also not too keen on the consistency. Much prefer my current cream from M&S.

It really helped my stash situation to collect all stash and put in one place. I think I will use this tactic elsewhere in my life - for example, with stationery... which I have scattered around and will probably find that if I put all in one place I have enough to last me a lifetime!

@Experiment627 aggghh don’t even mention stationery…I have an embarrassment of that too!

I’ve signed up to the ‘No spend’ thread and am determined this year

I have inventoried my beauty stash and have over 200 items not counting samples and reckon I can do at least 100 items this year.

I’ll kick off with…
Cowshed wild cow invigorating shower scrub lovely but as I have 3 others (different brands) ready and waiting I won’t be RP…

1/100

@CurlyFerret we are clearly experts in the law of attracting beauty products and stationery... now just need to activate for money too!

@Experiment627 😂😂😂haven’t mastered that one!

Thank you @CherryMargo

Wow, that is a long list!! I do worry a bit sometimes about what's in some beauty products. Will keep an eye out for these out of interest.

I'm impressed by your 35 body butters and lotions @NiceUnusualDifferent

I'm too scared to count what's in my stash, but I know that I have loads of face moisturisers and serums

In my defence I stockpiled the body shop shea one when they changed the formula but that only accounts for 4!!

@Experiment627 I've applied this method to so many areas - stationery, pantry, underwear, socks, some clothes have been 2 out one in, books, toys. Basically I don't buy any more until I've used what I have. The only thing I will break the rule for is bulk buy - but only for things I know I will consume within 6-12 months eg dishwasher tablets, flour, toilet roll.

Slowly but surely I am able to see the backs of cupboards and the space in between things.

I think of it as a gentle declutter that saves loads of money.

So thank you 🙏

@declutteringmymind really appreciate your post - I am not sure why I do not apply to other areas but I have the intention to do that this year. I have so many things which I save for later/best and then forget I have. Not so much on the clothes front (there I have an organised mess) but in kitchen and with paper/documents and other things it is out of control.

I see that when I do free up space- physically, mentally, electronically, then more joy enters my life to fill the gaps I have made. It makes me feel good, lighter.

I used to live in a one bedroom flat with minimal storage, after my son was born I moved to a two bedroom flat with lots of storage but it is all jam packed! And I am beginning to feel overwhelmed... but luckily I can sort this!

This thread is so helpful to me 💜💜💜

I have my first empties of the year. Two full sizes and one travel size:

1) Moroccanoil dry shampoo - it's fine but not really much better than cheaper brands in terms of performance

2) Versed Cleansing Balm - I liked this. It did a good job of removing makeup and lasted quite a while

3) Therapie Protect Bath and Body oil - not sure that it actually provides any protection, but it smells nice and is lovely to use when you have a cold

That's my 2.5 sorted for this week!

3rd empty of the year is an Elizabeth Arden lipstick in 'Rosy' my god I've so many lipsticks its crazy.

Argh! I started a new routine using M&S Formula skincare. The sleep cream is HG for me so thought I would give some other bits of the range a go... now about a week in, I once again have red bumps and spots coming up! Just like I got using Boots No7 and also again more recently using the Boots No7 menopause range. I think the common denominator is some ingredient in the day cream (was thinking Matrixyl 3000 but the menopause one does not contain that, maybe it is the spf?). Anyhoo will get my mad scientist gloves on and see if omitting the day cream helps... the hot cloth cleanser is SO lovely to use and I still adore the night cream.

Oh no @Experiment627 sorry to hear you are having another breakout, I have to say I do find SPF quite irritating when I try and use one as well as moisturiser in the summer, probably just not found the right one I guess.

I'm chucking away the M&S Sun Smart aftersun mask because it similarly seems to make me break out every time I use it. No point persevering when I know its not doing me any good. (4)

You guys seriously need to give Korean sunscreens a crack. They are often moisturizing and contain products like Centella Asiatica (Cica) which is gentle and soothing for breakout-prone skin. Can offer suggestions if you like.

Btw, I often use one instead of moisturiser on top of serum. Why bother with extra layers? They make sure that their sunscreens do everything.

@LivingDeadGirlUK their aftersun gel is my HG aftersun - LOVE it!

@Fraaahnces I defo have a goal this year around trying K beauty - I will come to you for recommendations before I but up Stylevana 😘

@Experiment627
I get the same from the m&s sleep cream, I adore it but the niacinamide gives me bad breakouts after a few days.