Do you get the urge to splurge on beauty products? Are your cupboards full of your stash? Join this group of beauty addicts!

[Experiment627]

Going strong for more than 8 years! Full of great reviews, reports of empties and despair over our ever growing stashes!

I have another couple of empties… The final mini Laneige Vitamin C Cream. As I said before, it’s okay. Wouldn’t buy.
Rohto Mentholatum Melano C Premium Serum. (These are the Hada Labo guys… I sound like a cult member don’t I?) This is the best Vitamin C serum I have ever used. It is almost an oil (but not quite - very hard to explain this one.) Doesn’t sting. It comes in a small, opaque silver tube with a weird dropper delivery system that doesn’t allow for any light or oxygen to enter the tube, so it never oxidizes. Lasts forever. Because of the amazing spreadability, you only need a wee bit. I was a bit underwhelmed at the size of the product when I first had it, but it lasted nearly six months with twice daily use. It can be used as a spot treatment or all over. I go right down my neck and chest with no stinging or irritability. I have more ordered.

@BerfyTigot this sunk cost fallacy sounds interesting. Do tell more!

Thanks for the recommendation @Fraaahnces... I am feeling ever closer to a K & J beauty splurge!

Some more empties. I’m going great guns on minis and studiously ignoring all the many full sizes!

Inkey List polyglutamic dewy sunscreen - 50ml. I didn’t like this much. It does give a nice glowy finish but it was too heavy for me and I could feel it sitting on my skin all day.

Origins anti aging power serum - 15ml. This felt lovely and hydrating. No idea if it has any anti aging benefits as only a mini and only used it for a couple of weeks.

M&S handcream in orange, bergamot and lemongrass - 30ml. Scent of this was fine, nice consistency.

Living Proof Restore shampoo and conditioner - 30ml each. I think the shampoo left my hair a bit greasy, conditioner was fine.

Bumble and Bumble bond-building styling cream - 60ml. This came in a set with the rest of the bond-building range. I absolutely loved the conditioner and will buy that again at some point, but the styling cream didn’t really do anything for me. I don’t really style my hair though, to be fair.

I never use heat on my hair, which makes all of the hair primers and heat-activated products in beauty boxes redundant and dust-gathering. If I ever get my hair cut again (think I’ve been maybe once a year since lockdown in 2020) I’ll take them all to my hairdresser, see if she can use them. Colour Wow Dream Coat, f’rinstance, I must have half a litre of the stuff unopened. I like the Ouai leave in conditioner spray for when I twist my newly-washed hair into heatless curlers.

I've decided to try out all my cleansers to see which one to use up next. First was Kate Somerville goat milk cleanser that I got in the May Liberty GWP.

Verdict: Absolutely horrible. It's gloopy and I had to press hard to remove all my mascara. It didn't sting but my eyes hurt from all the rubbing. It also smells horrible, very sickly sweet.

I decided to get rid (don't know how yet, I'm not good at actually binning stuff!) and thought that at least that's another item to add to my total used up/gone, but when I checked my list I found that I'd forgotten to record that I had it in the first place. So yes, it's less in my stash but it hasn't helped my numbers 😫

@SwordBilledHummingbird I quite like the KS goat milk cleanser but wouldn’t use it as a make up remover around the eyes. I always use an eye make up remover first. For me that cleanser is a second cleanse after all my make up is off. I agree the smell can be a bit marmite!

@Peridot1 It's a must for me to be able to use just one product for make-up removal/cleansing, I can't be bothered with using multiple products! I was going to keep it to use as my morning cleanser but I tried it this morning and I just can't get past the smell.

I love the whole double cleanse thing @SwordBilledHummingbird! We are all different.

I use a grey microfibre face cloth with plain water to remove all makeup and tinted sunscreen, then do a proper cleanse with something I can take all over my eyes. I mainly do this to keep my cleansing cloths white! I also have one of those Foreo (or similar) silicone battery thingummy-bobs which I use before removing the cleanser, so count all that as a triple-cleanse!

Or just a micellar water when I can’t be arsed with it all.

I really like the KS goats milk cleanser and I’ve got a full size stashed waiting to go. I also only use it as a second cleanse though, I use an oil or balm cleanser to get mascara etc off beforehand.

I love double cleansing usually but it can be a bit of a faff, particularly when away from home. Then I tend to skip the second cleanse and just use the Farmacy green clean balm, as that washes off completely so you don’t really need a second cleanser.

@Fraaahnces I'm giving in and have set up a YesStyle account. I currently have the Rohto Mentholatum Melano C Premium Serum and a Pyunkang Yul Essence Toner (for the 7 layer thing) in my basket. Anything else I should add in? Any advice appreciated.

I'm late 50's and skin is normalish. I get an occasional breakout (thanks menopause) and have serious forehead wrinkles (I have always had an active forehead) but not much anywhere else, although my eyesight isn't what it used to be so I might just not be seeing them...

That Colour Wow stuff is brilliant. The one I got in the CB advent calendar is lasting ages as I rarely bother styling my hair.

@OchonAgusOchonOh - what about a retinol that’s effective but really gentle? Some By Mi eye cream plus retinol is very good for applying over the wrinkles. Comes in a big tube. Some By Mi
Sunscreen? Lip gloss?

Thanks @Fraaahnces I'll give that a go.

Have a week off work, so using it to go on a mission of working through my beauty stash.

Today I finished:
Malin+Goetz shampoo and conditioner from the Liberty Beauty Drop
https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/peppermint-shampoo-236ml-132396.html#pos=1
https://www.libertylondon.com/uk/cilantro-hair-conditioner-473ml-327096.html#pos=2
Considering a full sized repurchase as my hair looks so bright and shiny!

Dr. Barbara Sturm Hyaluronic Serum - sample from a beauty box or calendar
This made my skin look so healthy! Not sure I will repurchase due to cost. Does anyone know any good dupes?

I have an empty today. Full size of This Works Perfect Legs moisturiser. From last summer’s M&S beauty bag. Quite like the smell but it takes a bit of time to soak in and is a workout to squeeze out of the tube.

And made a decision to chuck the Beauty Pie products I am currently using. I feel they just sit on my skin. I don’t see the point in using them up if I’m not enjoying them. The moisturiser is almost finished to be fair but one of the serums isn’t great. Never seems to soak in. Just sits there feeling heavy and like I’ve put Vaseline on.

I've also got the controversial KS goats milk cleanser sitting in my stash - looking forward to trying it out now!

I also have the Laneige chocolate lip balm that everyone hates, so will be interesting to try that.... 😂

The reviews on cult beauty are actually pretty positive!

Child's Farm shampoo and Conditioner. Not impressed with the shampoo, it's not adequately cleaning my hair. The conditioner is effort to squeeze it out of the bottle, although as a product it's fine. Not going to RP ever

Bayliss and Harding vanilla moisturizer is ok as a general body moisturizer. I have other moisturizer in my stash though and this was nothing special so won't be RP at this point

Forgot the photo but finished a small tube of l'occtaine shea butter hand cream this morning - it is a definate RP but NOT until I've used some of the huge pile of other hand creams I seem to possess. It sinks in and leaves skin really soft.

Also finished a bottle of Alberto Balsam green apple conditioner. Have already repurchased. It seems to work wonders on my hair along with the green apple shampoo and it's really cheap - tends to be the one I use in my swimming bag or after going in the sea - oh and it smells nice and fresh too

That's one of my favourite hand creams. It is really good,

I've gathered quite a few empties! And pre-ordered the Liberty AC to keep my stash levels up

Ted Baker raspberry and orange blossom shower gel - fine, nothing special.

Loreal Elvive dream lengths shampoo - Fine but didn't like the conditioner so wouldn't RP.

Loreal Elvive hyaluronic conditioner x2 - had two on the go as forgot to taken conditioner away with me on holiday. Really liked this, seemed to suit my hair well. Have bought again.

Votary apple toner - OK, prefer other toners though so wouldn't RP.

Beauty Pie japanfusion genius lift elixir - this never appealed to me to buy, but got it as GWP and LOVED. Made my face look brighter/plumped. Will RP next time I order.

Sanex roll on - fine, did the job. Have bought again.

Body Shop grapefruit bath bubble - meh. Won't rebuy.

Sure spray - didn't rate this, won't rebuy.

Medik8 crystal retinal 6 - enjoyed using this and felt my skin did improve while using. Moving up to the next strength although trying a cheaper option so will see how that goes.

Loreal pure clay rescue mask - this applied nicely and the pot lasted ages. Not sure it did much was pleasant and cheap. I have another one (different scent) to use but probably won't repurchase after that.

Body Shop moringa bath bubble - as above, meh.

78/104

I have lots of those bath mats, @Buster27 !

I have lots of those bath mats too!

@Buster27 - the Beauty Pie Japanfusion genius lift elixir is one of the BP products I’m trying to use and not enjoying at all. I feel it just sits on my skin. Maybe I’m using too much. I bought the full Japanfusion range as I love the cleanser so much.

I also have the Medik8 crystal retinal 6 to use.

Excellent bath mat taste in this group

@Peridot1 I think I was just using one pipette full. Then I'd wait a few mins (while applying body moisturiser) before eye serum and moisturiser. I have used a few of the other BP serums and didn't like them enough to RP so maybe this one just suits my skin type? Also love the Japanfusion cleanser, I'm using the step 3 light moisturiser at the moment and also like it but saw it's been discontinued so that's annoying. Interested to hear how you get on with any other bits in the range!