Addicted to buying beauty products? Are you a beauty product hoarder? This thread is for you!

[Experiment627]

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Heeyoooooge stack of empties, the only ones I’d repurchase are the Elemis, the Paula’s Choice and Gatineau’s gommage - so quick and effective, this was a supersize 200ml one and it lasted forever. It’s a couple of months-worth of empties and there were another few I binned without photographing. (The Molton Brown hand wash on the left is not included, I’m just waiting for the dregs of the last one to be used up before opening.)

@MavisMcMinty - that is an impressive job you have done there! You must feel so satisfied!

@MavisMcMinty what an empties haul! It shows you have been taking care of yourself! I have fallen of the wagon and I don’t use creams atm. I have such a bad allergy that I guess I am in survival mode.

Oh, and I’ll also repurchase the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish, it’s one of my staples, although I raced through this one so I could try the Seated Queen cleanser/overnight mask I got in the Liberty beauty drop.

@Experiment627 it s not just cheap ones. I've got an Estee Lauder mascara that's apparently made of liquid plastic, judging by the way it has to be rubbed/picked off my lashes every night.

I've tried leaving it thinking perhaps it's designed to be longer lasting, but then I end up picking bits out of my eyes every morning - not good.

Ordinary eye makeup remover doesn't touch it. Even pure olive oil doesn't dissolve it, it reluctantly comes off in flakey lumps and all the scrubbing of my eye area with a cotton wool pad can't be good for my skin.

In fact, I'm following your lead and chucking the bastard thing

I only have to get an EL mascara near my eyes and it's running down my face. The only brand I have ever had an issue with. My eyes start burning, stinging and streaming. I had to pop into boots once to get an emergency makeover as I looked like a red eyed panda. So 8 hav3 no 8sdues removing the. 😂

Grr autocorrect.
No issues removing

Couldn't be one of those tubing masçara syou remove with A cloth and water?

@Deathraystare Um... possibly...if I had any idea what a tubing mascara was! It doesn't look like a tube when it comes off. Would it say on the packaging? I don't see how plain old water would remove this stuff though if makeup remover doesn't. I'm probably missing some sort of vital knowledge here 🥴

@Babysharkdoodoodood Yes to the watery eyes if it gets to the end of the night and I absent mindedly rub my eyes, which means rubbing some off and getting it in my eyes. My eyes won't stop until I've removed it properly. Maybe my eyes don't run ordinarily because I never put my mascara down into the roots only ever on the lengths and ends of the lashes, otherwise my sensitive skin isn't happy.

@IndianSummer78 - I have never had a tubing mascara come off in “tubes” either, but they are made of plastic polymers as you have described which “unravel” on contact with warm water. If you soak a cotton pad or face washer with quite warm water and let it rest on your eyelashes, see if they half melt/go gooey. Then you can cleanse your face as normal and it should all come off. Some tubing mascaras are more difficult to remove than others, and I have to admit that I dislike EL mascaras. (I think there is a preservative or fragrance that doesn’t suit me), plus I simply don’t understand why anyone would spend that much on a mascara when drugstore ones these days are as good or even better. (Admittedly I have been playing with kbeauty ones, but they have been super-cheap. My favourite “bulletproof” one which would stay on through a hurricane just seems to work easily for my three, short, horizontal blonde eyelashes to make them visible and not look weird.)

Ah I see @Fraaahnces thanks. Maybe I was taking it a bit too literally then 😆 but at least I can stop feeling stupid for describing it as plastic! I've never heard of plastic that's designed to dissolve in water before, I might try it. Why do they invent these things? Does anybody ever need it? It came as a gift with purchase when I bought the Advanced Night Repair serum which is the only expensive thing I buy. I just want a basic one that comes off with cream cleanser or face wash like the rest of my makeup. Not sure I can be bothering running the tap for a few minutes to get the water hot just so I can soak my eyelashes before I get to the actual cleaning of my face. Do you know how I can tell which ones are tubing mascaras so I don't accidentally buy any more of them? 🙏

I just want to explain the plastic concept before you think it’s the same as plastic bags, etc. Plastic means “malleable”, and this polymer isn’t (*necessarily) something you can’t rinse away without environmental consequences. Some of the older ones, absolutely… I’d be dubious, but since the ban on microplastics (originally specific to exfoliating scrubs) in cosmetics, I am pretty sure you can’t get away with bunging anything in any kind of cosmetic. I don’t know enough about Estée Lauder, but most tubing mascaras actually state that’s what they are as a selling point in the name or description of the product. Otherwise, I would ask at the sales counter and let them know that you want to avoid this kind of mascara entirely.

Thank you @Fraaahnces that's really helpful. I hadn't even considered the environmental impact. I've clearly been living under a rock if there's old ones and I've never come across it before. Ignorance was bliss lol 😅

@IndianSummer78 - I thought I should double-check myself exactly what they meant by “Polymer” in regards to tubing mascaras anyway. Polymers are “flexible compounds” (aka plastics/glues/etc) made from very large particles called macromolecules. They can be synthetic or naturally-derived. Examples of synthetic ones are polyester and epoxy, and natural ones include silk, wool, DNA, cellulose and other proteins. Vulcanized rubber is a synthetic polymer made from natural material that has been heat-treated, and pectin is a natural one. I have become a polymer nerd! Tubing mascaras are made from polymer waxes. (Whatever that means.)

I looked at the offending mascara properly today. Now it's possible it once had a cardboard packet that was thrown away once I got home, I really can't remember. But nowhere on the tube does it say it's a tubing mascara. It also didn't come off with water at all - unless I didn't soak my eyes long enough (got bored after 10 seconds). It's Estée Lauder double wear zero smudge mascara and it does an awesome job on my lashes...but I still hate it

Thanks for the info @Fraaahnces I've never given any much thought to what I'm putting on my skin in terms of makeup. All I know is I like messing around with it and my skin doesn't like being naked anyway

@IndianSummer78 I think I might have that EL mascara. I got it as a GWP from a chemist in Ireland, and the make up bag included was dark blue with a gold chain pattern on it. I don't think it came in a box. I quite like it, as it stays put in the day. I find that I can use micellar water at night, then wash my face with facewash in the shower in the morning, and I might need a cotton ball to sweep the remaining couple of bits away, then I'm good to go. Maybe I don't use much, as I tend not to colour my bottom eyelashes, cos I was fed of mascara smudging, though it seems like maybe this one wouldn't.

@SpongeBobJudgeyPants I've put it on the bottom lashes before and you're right - it goes nowhere (I have hayfever too). Mine was also a GWP. I didn't get a makeup bag though I got a thin white flap-over pouch. There were some other products in there too, maybe I'll have better luck with those 🤞 . I'm not against the brand it's just this mascara I can't get on with. When I take my makeup off at night I want it all off completely

@MavisMcMinty that's a satisfying pile of empties!

I'm doing well with not buying things I don't need and my skincare/body stash is slowly coming down.. but makeup I can't make a dent in at all! Need to up my makeup game.

Empties:
Olaplex no3 - liked this when was remembering to use it 🙈 think I would rebuy although I have a cheaper version to try out first.

Carnaby & Cross gemmo therapy facial cleanser - didn't realise until I'd finished it that this was use by April 2019 it was OK though, decent texture. Wouldn't rebuy as prefer others.

Beauty Pie Super Retinol night moisturiser - really liked this, lovely texture that left my skin soft. Already have another.

Joules body scrub - I'm not a body scrub fan, but this had a really nice smooth (until rubbed in) texture that I found pleasing. Didn't like something about the scent but I think this might be quite old.

Ted Baker rose and chassis body souffle - loved the scent, nice texture. Not my favourite body moisturiser but would happily use again.

55/104

@IndianSummer78 - I just looked at the EL AU site and they suggest warm water & eye makeup remover to get rid of it, so it’s not a tubing one. Sounds bulletproof!

Blimey I’ve collected a mega stash after not updating for a while - this thread is a really good way to see exactly how much I use (and have already as other than the shampoo I’ve not been buying!!)

Pantene lift n volume shampoo love this and always buy when on offer so a bargainous £2.50!

REN Moroccan rose Otto body lotion a salutatory lesson in not keeping for best! This lotion has lost all its fragrance so I’m giving up before the end as it feels like I’m just basting a turkey with grease 🤪

kiehl’s ultra facial cleanser love this and already RP gentle and reasonably priced

Paul Mitchell forever blonde dramatic repair I use this instead of conditioner to detangle and only need a couple of pumps so lasts ages. Not RP yet as I want to use up some other hair products first

Institut Estherderm face and body spray this is supposed to help you tan naturally before sun exposure not sure I noticed any different so wouldn’t buy again as quite pricy

Yves Rocher mango & coriander shower gel lovely fragrance and lots of bubbles would buy again

Diptype Tempo my favourite fragrance and always on my Christmas list so have a new bottle ready to go!

Molton Brown pink pepper pod lotion nice but so are lots of others (already in my cupboard 🤪) so wouldn’t buy again as it’s pricy

Rituals happy Buddha energising shower scrub really effective scrub I enjoyed using this so would buy again

Sam McKnight lazy girl dry shampoo rubbish, still not beaten Batiste for me

Clarins moisture rich body lotion love this have used many times and have more on the go

Nuxe firming powdery cream quite liked this despite the old fashioned fragrance so would buy again

Molton Brown tobacco absolute shower gel loved the smell and as always good quality but so expensive these days

Aesop resurrection hand balm love the fragrance but it’s not the most hydrating so wouldn’t buy again

Crème de la Mer moisturing cream very disappointed with this it’s like super thick Nivea so whilst I like the smell it was hard to apply and so sticky I couldn’t apply make up afterwards. This was an AD sample and is why I liken them so much for testing stuff before expensive mistakes

Acqua Di Parma colonia futura shower gel a favourite used on holiday and always makes me think of sunshine

Institut Estherderm protective face cream found this really effective and I would definitely RP

A total of 33/100 - woo hoo!

@CurlyFerret Seriously impressive empties stash!

My own is much smaller, Menoglow moisturiser- nice and may RP but although I'm menopausal I'm not that keen having it written all over my products!

No 7 Future Renew Damage Reversal, have already bought a few of the larger tubes of this whilst it was on offer after reading a positive review in the Times.

Hope everyone had a lovely weekend.

I have some empties/chucks to report:

• John Frieda precision foam colour conditioner: actually quite liked the foam dye and this is fine as an after care conditioner. Whilst away in Spain I used no conditioner 😨😨😨 and I really feel the lovely difference now.
• Lush grounded liquid eyeliner: got this to do a first impressions video on Lush make-up and I just cannot make this work... dries way too fast and I do not like how it feels, so am chucking.
• Lumene nordic ageless radiant youth night cream: a bit too light for moi and also really not keen on smell. This was part of M&S gift set thing I got a few weeks ago.
• Pixi by Petra glow booster: finally have finished (well almost.. I just don't want this anymore). I am probably applying all wrong but not impressed with how this looks on.

Hi All. No empties currently, though working on it. I just have so much stuff, I am actually considering not having the Liberty Advent calendar while I get through the enormous back log!

@Experiment627 sometimes stuff just has to be chucked, doesn't it. I used to feel a bit guilty, but if it's something I can't pass on, like your gel, I do it without guilt!

@Experiment627 - I think it’s the Lumene Nordic night cream that’s making my skin feel so amazing in the mornings! Not sure where mine came from, maybe the same M&S box as yours. Think I’d repurchase, if not too wildly expensive.

<after googling> Around £40, pricey but not insanely so.

@MavisMcMinty are you ok with the smell? Glad it seems to be working well for you - I still have the M&S Formula sleep cream as my HG night cream.