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

@Peridot1 no harm done. I could not find it. Saw an edit in a box, not a bag. I made the conscious effort to stop browsing 😉

The CB one is the first thing I've bought in a while, I thought it was genuinely good value (the travel edit?). Plus I got 15/20% off with Blue Light discount.

ETA - it's sold out now, I deliberately didn't post on this thread about it so as not to enable anyone.

My CB edit has just arrived, I have to say it's excellent for the price (I paid £33) and the bag it came in will be ideal for travel. Did anyone else get one? As I say, it's sold out now, but if anyone's curious about the contents the link is here. I love the SF Jet Lag mask so it was almost worth it for that alone, and I really like Biossance products and have been looking for a new face mist for my next flight. Since I was placing an order anyway I also got a new SPF 50 and a spare Laura Mercier powder and Hourglass concealer, but I use them all daily so no guilt there. This thread has been great as it's made me a lot more mindful about what I buy. This is the first edit I've got all year and I thought very carefully about it. I've massively cut down on my beauty spend in comparison to the past few years (but with no sacrifices, just less new stuff to try - that I never get round to using anyway!)

Three empties…
Jumiso Snail Mucin with Peptides… It’s very hydrating, but I prefer HA for that as it disappears faster. I couldn’t use this under foundation as it created tide marks. (Luckily I don’t wear foundation often.)This was fine on my neck & dec, and when the cooler weather started and kicked off the seasonal dry skin itchies it was very soothing. I won’t repurchase because I have about a litre of Hada Labo Premium to go through.
Nivea Cellular Lifting Serum. Smells like raspberry syrup and almost as sticky. I used it on neck & deck and went through it very fast. It did not lift my boobs, unfortunately but it was a bit hydrating I guess. (It was a freebie from work so I didn’t feel bad shooting through it.) APPLB EGF Serum… I bought one in BOGOF Sale on Stylevana. They sent me four. I gather that APPLB is KBeauty’s answer to The Ordinary. I have noticed a softening in the crow’s feet beside my eyes. It’s very watery and even though it isn’t causing sensitivity or a rash or anything, you get some kind of sensation after about 20mins which must be the actives. I’m going to press on and see if I look 25 when I go through the next three bottles.

I finished this Numbuzin sunscreen. I now have a tie in first place for favourite! It is wonderful under makeup, gives good glow and supposedly provides up to 8hrs coverage. I would never go without reapplication if I was out in the sun a lot but I’ll admit that I haven’t been reaching for my Sunsticks as often. I love the gently cooling, calming sensation of applying this and I think this tube would travel better than the BOJ SunEssence. (My other fave)Anyhow, it’s a goodie!

This is the Numbuzin sunscreen I’m raving about, btw

Yesterday I returned some empties to MAC and John Lewis for recycling. And proud to say I didn't buy anything for myself. I've got down to 154 items (including everything beauty, opened and unopened) and I'm confident I can reach my goal of being below 150 by the end of June. Using up my stash feels good. 😊

I've just been gifted some lovely Clarins

Body lotion which I am out of, hand cream etc

So useful and a joy to use

I’ve just discovered that Liberty has a perfume edit but it’s out of stock. Probably for the best

I've managed to resist the CB edit but was incredibly tempted by the Liberty scent one - luckily, I've still got quite a lot left from the last one.

Still going. I bought a face wash and some body lotion back from my mums as there's a chance I'll run out here before I'm back there but probably not

Now finished 72 this year so my new net is 40. 32 in, 72 out . Weird thing is that although some of it was quite large bottles, my shelves don't look that much less crowded

I'm gradually starting to hone in on what I really like - the products I'm likely to actively go out and buy though I know I won't give up on kits and advent calanders yet - because I'm a marketers dream!! @JMAngel1 I admire your discipline

Can I join? I had just gotten my stash down as been doing a project pan (use up) since last yr on beauty after seeing the concept last yr for makeup. But now I've bought more skin stuff so it's back up again (whoops!) At least some of the things were replacements though. My weaknesses are skin creams/serums and lip products. Also occasionally eyeshadow palletes as I'm like a magpie when it comes to colours. I've been taking a photo of my empties quarterly to inspire myself to continue. I have 113 makeup/beauty items but I count differently from some here as I'm not counting shower gels, shampoos, soap etc. My logic being that I don't really have an issue with those type items and my partner uses them too (it does include SPF though weirdly as I find I can overbuy that).

@dayslikethese1 You're very welcome to join us - as I said choose your own rules.

Unfortunately, I have a MASSIVE problem with shower gels I just can't seem to resist the things - sometimes think I may have enough to fill an entire bath tub 😂

I am very close to using up the bar of soap I started in late January - I kept the packet and wrote the date on it when I opened it. Honestly I can't believe how long they last - I've only got about 14 more bars of soap or something like that

I'm getting a bit bored of this buying ban now but determined to keep holding out as I really need to do it.

Your post prompted me to count the soap in my stash as, like you, I haven't been counting them as they are basic hygiene requirements. I have 23 bars of soap!!! They are mainly hand made, natural soap. I used to buy by the block and cut slices off but the woman I used to buy from us no longer making soap. Mind you, I still have about ⅔ of a block left.

I'm a total sucker for a bar of natural soap at a market or craft fair. However, I have been very restrained this year and last year and haven't bought any. The few new additions were presents. Given I'm now down to 23 bars, I shudder to think how many bars I had 2 years ago.

I think I need to add soap to my count...

Ive got more soap than that ( hangs head in shame).

I would have more soap than that except my soap source stopped making it. I would have at least another two blocks, each of which can be divided into 12-13 bars.

Anyway, at least we are clean. Or maybe we're not as if we were, we would have used up a lot more soap.

I also have far too much soap, not 10s or 20s of bars (I don't think...) but we go through it so slowly, I still think it's going to take years to get through. It doesn't help that I like to coordinate and layer scents so I sometimes swap out a bar for one that works better. This means that we have a number of partially used bars lying around.

Finished my soap and opened a new rose one. I've not even used it yet but the bathroom already smells of roses. I think I'm going to enjoy this one - I'd better it's huge!

I thought i was going to be very tempted by new Liberty Kit but thankfully once they'd released contents I didn't like it that much so I've bought myself a necklace instead - reduced from £170 to £70 so felt like a bargain.

I think I'm going to need some things soon but hoping to stretch out to the next Beauty Drop box before i get anything so I don't end up with duplicates. However that's not going to happen with shampoo and conditioner unless I fancy walking about with dirty hair for about 3 weeks

Just wondered what sun screen people are using. I've almost finished a Barbara Sturm one from a kit and it's amazing but ££££ then I've got one smallish tube of Ultrasun and I'm going to need more although I more often that not get moisturisers with built in protection I feel a bit more will do no harm.

--PS found another 2 bars of soap hiding in my sock drawer and in a pile of jumpers

I’m struggling with mascaras at the moment as most run on me. I’ve dumped some that weren’t working and just opened a Mac Stack but it seems quite clumpy. Still looking for the holy grail of waterproof and doesn’t clump.

H all. I haven’t posted for ages as I’ve been a bit (well a lot really) rubbish. But I am getting through things.

I went through a soap buying stage a few years ago so have quite a lot. Must count to see how much.

@listsandbudgets - moisturiser with spf protection tends not to give enough protection- especially in summer. You would need to use an awful lot of the moisturiser to actually get the amount of protection needed. So a separate spf is definitely better. I struggle with some as they can sting my eyes. Currently using Ultra Violette Clean Screen which I quite like. I’ve also used a few Korean ones which were good. I bought the Cult Beauty sun edit a few months ago which was great value and a good way of trying different ones. A Paula’s Choice one stings my eyes horribly so I use that one in my neck and chest now. They do a sun edit every year so it’s worth keeping an eye out. A lot of people like a Korean one by Beauty of Joseon but I found that stings my eyes. I did like a Purito one. Basically a good SPF is one you will use every day.

Just found a partly used bottle of shampoo and conditioner abandoned by DSS in the back kf a cupboard. Going to use it as she's abroad for at least a year. Means I might hold out until end of July without needing to buy more and going to Mums for good chunk of summer so can use the ones I'm keeping there. Really hope I'll hold out until September now then I'm going on a buying spree as I will need quite a lot of thigs by then but sunscreen won't wait.

@peridot thanks for the advise. I agree the moisturiser alo e isn't enough. I.will loom at some ofbyour suggestions. Scraped out last drop of Barbara Sturm one woth a cotton bud this morng

DSD I mean!

I just decluttered a heap of skincare that didn’t suit or wasn’t cutting for my aged visage. DD2 did well. Abib Heartleaf Essence Mist (and refill) - probably would have been fine for summer, but I have several others and I need more moisture than it’s giving me. It’s nice, but it’s not enough. Pretty green bottle. She loves it. APPLB Niacinamide Toner. Too concentrated for me. Perfect for her young skin. She lucked out. She received two bottles. (They were freebies, so I’m not devastated) It really suits her. I gave her a Bath and Bodyworks body lotion that smelled like watermelon. A gift. Not my style.
I have a new serum and toner that have eclipsed HG products. TIRTIR Milk Skin Toner - beats Laneige Skin Refining Toner by a mile (if you have dry skin)
Also TIRTIR Ceramic Skin Ampoule - THE GLOW IS REAL! (Also for dry skin) It’s an “oil alternative”

Oh well done @Fraaahnces that sounds like a very impressive declutter.

I've used up a few more things and not bought anything so my new figures are 32 in, 80 out net 48 down.

I was thinking it is probably higher than that as I have only counted products out since January but counted everything in since early November

Used up some more things and had been doing so well - literally only bought replacements, and no makeup at all, until today! I've just bought an Elf eyeshadow stick and a colour corrector but in my defence I'm going to bin a lot of ancient eyeshadows to make room.

Well done @MyRabbit79 it's good to buy something occasionally or it begins to feel a bit boring. That's one of the reasons I've kept the Beauty Drop - if I feel tempted then I just remind myself that something will be along in a few weeks so I should wait.

I finished another moisturiser this morning. Before starting the next one I've decided to use up all my sachets of it. I've collected them all up and I think they should last at least 7-10 days as some of them look like they'll do 2 applications. It will be good to get rid of them After that, I've got a little sample tube from Clarins and then can start on something a bit bigger

I found a few sachets of serum while I was at it.

I've made Saturday night facemask night. I've used some of the mask masks and will probably move onto tube mask next week. Used a Rose Gold 111 mask last night and I have to admit my skin looked and felt amazing this morning. However they seem to be around £18 each depending on where you buy so probably won't be buying loads of them

Still horrified by how much stuff I have - going to keep this up until the end of August now - there having typed that out I've got to. I will just have to keep shopping my stash

The rose gold 111 mask is amazing @listsandbudgets But very expensive for a one off product.

I'm almost out of day moisturiser but have a lot of night ones. I think I'll just use them?