Join me in a beauty product buying ban or come and give me moral support!

[listsandbudgets]

I can't do this alone folks. I've got TOO MUCH STUFF... I also have 2 beauty advent calendars

So I've set myself a challenge. Between now and June the 1st 2024 I will not buy any beauty products UNLESS I've run out of all of that particular type. If I've got a tiny sample bottle of shampoo or conditioner I'll use it all up. All those half used bottles of moisturiser, night cream, shower gel and toner and body lotion MUST GO... the mountain of soap must be surmounted.

My only concession is that I will not cancel the Liberty Beauty drop will get a couple of boxes to cheer me up

So if you want to join me make up your own rules and lets cull that stash

Noooo not Seated Queen! It’s one of the few exceptions to my Not Buying. On a positive note, my menopausal skin has started reacting to a number of things so have gotten rid of lots of samples!

I got a taste for cucumber martinis when we were on holiday at Easter @listsandbudgets so might have one this evening.

@Cyclingmummy1 What’s in a cucumber martini? Sounds like a fantastic way to tell people you’re having a salad…!

😆 😆 😆 @Fraaahnces you muddle slices of cucumber then makes a martini. They were delicious.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/cucumber-martinis-3967957

I very nearly broke my no buy ban. I got an email from Zara to say that a perfume I was looking was back instock, thankfully by the time I went to look online it was back out of stock.

Late to the party but can I please join? Was going to use up my extensive stash before buying one thing then this week have bought the Murad Retinal Resculpt eye lift thingy, a bundle from Vinted and then a Red beauty box, let that be the end of it!

Welcome @mcmooberry It's helpful to feel you need to be responsible for your actions. I have bought some stuff since I joined here but I am.thinking twice.

Loving how this thread has moved from beauty products to martinis! Love the sound of the cucumber martinis. Must put cucumber on the shopping list. And martini glasses!

Welcome @mcmooberry. Even though I have bought stuff I haven’t bought as much as I would normally. I think. 🤔

@Minnie123456 have to ask… which Zara perfume you say?

@Thereislightattheendofthetunnel it was Water Lily Tea Dress, apparently it smells like Gypsy Water. I was going to try it instead of spending a fortune on the original incase I didn't like it. It was a good thing it was out of stock as I really don't need any more perfume.

Thanks @Minnie123456 I think I have that one in a discovery set.

I am unsure if it smells like Byredo’s Gypsy water as I never smelt it.

@mcmooberry It's only this ban that stops me doing the same as you Welcome to our little group.

I had to buy some handwash today - we've got 3 toilets and had run out in one of them. I could technically I suppose have decanted some of one to the empty one but frankly it seemed a bit silly as there's no question it will be used. I was in aldi and got the orange and bergamot it smells lovely. I don't count the general use handwashes in or out of my stash so not really seeing it as ban breaking - any excuse!!

I've got 2 weeks left of my buying ban. I've decided though to extend it to the end of June - there will be a few things I might need before that - certainly shampoo and condtioner but to be honest I've still got plenty of things left and for now it seems crazy to add to them without needing to.

I may extend it further, I just don't know yet. The trouble is that I actually quite like buying and having these products but this long ban has shown me how they seem to seep into my life without me buying much (presents, beauty drop etc.). It's also shown me how long products last, even the much little sample bottles.

At the moment my speed using things up has slowed down because I've got rid of partially used things and moved on to unopened things

Hope you're all managing and enjoying the intermittent sunshine

Well done @listsandbudgets . I haven’t been as successful as you but have been mindfully buying, looking at what I really need as oppose to want
But still finding it hard to resist a good beauty box. I think M&S release their summer bag tomorrow. I know I don’t need it but I know it will be hard to resist
I am still mourning the fact I managed to wash a 500ml Verden body lotion with my bed linen last week. It did not survive the experience

@Puravida23 Washing the body lotion must have been gutting.

I saw the M&S and got confused as it was £170 but apparently the price will go down to £35 when you spend £30 tomorrow. I like it but I don't need it

I've been doing really well. Only buying something if I don't have a replacement/similar in the closet. Recent purchases are a mascara and day cream; no other samples to use for those.

I did order some blue shampoo since I ran out, but I am using all the little bits of styling cream in my 'hair drawer'. My friend is a hairdresser so she will often give me tubes of style cream that have a bit left in them for me to try out.

I'm also using up body butter/ body oil/body lotions. I realized I have quite a few from gifts and I really only use them on my flaky legs so it takes a while to get though a bottle. I am almost done one oil, and have one from Emminence and a Body Shop butter tub to use up. I wont' need to buy anything for months.

M&S Beauty bag is so tempting

It is very tempting.

I may have purchased an M&S beauty bag 🙈

To be fair, I didn't go on there to buy it, I was buying some homeware and the offer popped up. Completely M&S' fault.

I bought it too 😬 DS asked me to order him some plain white t shirts so I had the spend. I know I’ll use most of it (eventually). I’ve been good otherwise, I haven’t kept a tally of what I’ve used up but I’ve got through quite a bit.

I’m based on a building site at the moment so the SPF and hand creams etc. are going down quickly.

I have been rubbish really when I think about it so really trying to resist the M&S bag.

I've been doing OK - only buying replacement items when needed - but even so, I'm going to hold strong on this one. I really want my total stash to go below 150 items (I know, I know!) by the end of June and this would prevent even a 1% chance of that happening.

My spreadsheet helps me see that I still have a lot. I have more than enough, especially given how long it takes me to use some items, so I don't need this right now. Regardless of how much of a bargain it is.

Those of you who did/do purchase, I hope it's lovely and you enjoy the items! 😊

@moimichme Given I have over 50 items just in the stash at my mums and haven't even dared count here at home.... I think going under 150 will be a challenge which is a bit frightening really!

However, I have less than I did. I've got a few more items to add to the empties thread over the weekend and then I'll recalculate my net in / out

I've thrown something out because it's so horrible - very rare I chuck stuff.

It was the Ritual of Jing night hand mask. It smelt disgusting - really really strong smell which I think was attempting to be floral but was chemical instead, made my hands clammy and felt slimy... and did my hands no good at all. It was in a GWP at some point and I'm very glad to finally pull myself together and just get rid of it. Vile. It's odd though as Ive liked all their other Jing products.

I finished a cleansing balm today. It was the Banila Co Clean it Zero Mandarin C Cleansing Balm - Brightening. I loved the texture of this and gee whillikers, I loooooved the scent. It was very strong for a KBeauty product, which I really don’t mind in wash off products. Trying one from my stash tonight.