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

Since November last year, I have 60 in and 71 out. It's not as bad as it sounds as the 60 in includes 2 advent calendars and accounts for 48 items. I didn't start the ban until after I had bought the calendars. I think one of the calendars was actually bought pre-November so I could discount it but am counting as the items landed in my stash in December.

The other items in consisted of serums (I was out), sun cream and some K-Beauty stuff I got for my birthday (vit C, HA, snail mucin).

@OchonAgusOchonOh You and I are different. Like you I already had the ACs before I started. However, I chose not to count them in as I just found it too dispiriting. I had 2 ACs. DD got given 8 items which would leave me a net of 11 out - still it least even counting the ACs it's gone down a bit.

@listsandbudgets So we're both on the same then😁

In fairness, it's probably the only year in a long time I have had a net out so that's good. I'm definitely only going for one AC this year.

I didn’t count ins or outs. Maybe I should do that.

And I have said it before and I’ll say it again - sunscreen doesn’t count as it’s a necessity. Unless of course you have lots and keep buying more! I have quite a few at the moment as I bought the Cult Beauty Sun edit earlier in the summer and some of them really stung my eyes so they are relegated to neck and chest only and the non stingy ones are face only so it’s taking me longer to use them up.

I am dithering on the Liberty AC. I’d welcome any thoughts as to what I should do!

Against buying it - I really don’t need anything. A few things I’m not overly keen on.

For - I joined the Beauty Drop purely to save for the AC and I have £259 in credit. I always wanted the Liberty AC and I really can’t see me ever buying it again. If I was to buy the M&S one it would actually cost me money whereas the Liberty one won’t.

I could use my Liberty credit to buy something else but I think I would just be doing that for the sake of it really.

Desicions desicions!

@Peridot1 I just rechecked my spreadsheet and realised that the suncream weren't included in my figures so it was multiples of the vit c, ha etc. That's the problem with free postage - I'm always tempted to spend to the threshold for free postage.

Maybe I should include suncream in the spreadsheet as I have been a bit over enthusiastic with my suncream purchases. I've never been very diligent in using it other than when the weather is very hot but I'm trying to improve. I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my face last year and the surgeon was really stressing the importance of using it, even in Irish weather. I also really need to be diligent now as I have just started on a drug long term which has a potential side effect of causing non melanoma skin cancers so I don't want to help it be adding sun exposure.

Re the liberty calendar - I'd say go for it. I'm thinking of it too this year. The only concern I have is I have no idea whether I would like perfumes or not. I'll be paying out hard cash though as unfortunately (or maybe thankfully as my stash is big enough) beauty drop is not available in Ireland.

I got boots premium last year and thought it was very good except for the particularly hideous lipstick and lip gloss colour so I'd like to see the contents of that before making a decision. But no idea when they will reveal contents.

You do really need sunscreen every day @OchonAgusOchonOh. Even in Ireland. It’s not just about burning in hot sun. For me it’s the aging. I spend a fortune on products and treatments etc for my skin. The best anti aging product is sunscreen. And now quite a few of them protect against the effects of blue light from devices too. I’m not entirely sure of the risks but figure the sunscreen will be he best line of defence!

@Peridot1 I know and I have started to become much more diligent. I only really started to get in to skincare when I got my first advent calendar in M&S in, I think it was, 2017 so I'm very much late to the game given I'm 59 now. That said, I'm lucky that I inherited my grandmother's skin and it's still, despite my neglect, in good nick.

I ordered half a dozen items in the Molton Brown Showcase event last week. I'd call them semi-luxury basics: body lotion, hand wash for me, soap, shampoo for DH. They'll mainly go straight out, not in the stash.

@Cyclingmummy1 I have to admit I like Molton Brown products although I have found that lidl do a couple of good dupes - rhubarb and rose handwash and orange and bergamot shower gel both of which I really like. There are others. However you can certainly tell the difference and you need to use a lot more at once (which at under £2 for 500ml I can live with!)

My main reason for not going for the Liberty calander this year (apart from having plenty of stuff already) is that it has Good Genes in it as one of their star products which I really do not like and there are quite a few other items I just know I'd not use so it would be a waste for me. I'm happier to take a gamble with the M&S one though and I know someone in the family will take things I don't want i'm looking at you dd

Just seen M*S are doing a discovery box and Cult Beauty have a 20% off sale on loads of products. Last year I'd have not resisted but this time it's easy. I think what i have done for now at least is broken the habit of buying things just because it looks like a bargain

@listsandbudgets I think what i have done for now at least is broken the habit of buying things just because it looks like a bargain

That's great. I'm the same. While I have bought a bit more than I should (mainly to get free p&p), I have at least thought about whether I need it or not and whether I will use it reasonably soon.

So Space NK ( OR was it Cult) had a huge GWP over last few days. It was a £175 spend but although it was tempting there's honestly nothing I need just now let alone £175 worth of stuff plus the 20 odd items in the GWP.. some of which I would like but non of which I need

My "nice things for me" pot is looking considerably healthier after such a long buying ban although I did buy a nice bag and some necklaces along the way

I've given away some tanning drops amd started a couple of items from recent Liberty GWP whereas previously they'd have sat around for moths while I admired them like some kind of obsessive dragon on a pile of jewels!!

I think the next things I will need will be shampoo, conditioner and moisturiser but even they can wait a while

‘Dragon on a pile of jewels’ has made me chuckle. Can relate.

Same for me. An accurate description 😂

In a book I have of the Hobbit (early hardback) there’s Smaug the dragon sitting on a pile of jewels (gold really but you could add jewels) I think he’s red. So you’re all
Smaugs really 😂!

I’ve had lots of French Le Marsellais shower gel and hair stuff brought back for me from holiday and Neals yard bee honey bath and shower gel cream thing, plus candle and Calm M&S body wash - all for my birthday.

I bought a cheap Primark vitamin c moisturiser, Superdrug avocado cream face mask, a peel off face mask and 2 shower oils.

@Gonnagetgoingreturnsagain that’s the image that was conjured in my minds eye.

I read The Hobbit a while ago and it brought back the memory, only with creams and perfumes in my case 😉

OK in the face of the endless adverts for ACs in my inbox and on my social media feed....

I DO NOT NEED TWO .. in fact I do not need one

I am buying the M&S one and that's it...

However I have just ordered more shampoo and conditioner... because I'm very close to running out. I've basically got small lots of each. The conditioner is from the recent Liberty GWP and the shampoo is from last years AC. It's nice to buy things knowing that I'll be needing them shortly rather than because my stockpile looks a bit small or just because it's tempting.

I've finally finished a face cleaner that seemed to go on FOREVER. I thought I'd finished it about 2 weeks ago but everytime I pressed on the pump it just kept coming - it was like magic

My dd starts uni next Friday and I'm going to miss her so much - to me she's still my little girl but she's 19 next month and I have to let go and I don't want to even though I know it's a brilliant move for her and she's ready to leave home. I'll still have DS and DP and the dog and 2 cats so hardly empty nest syndrome but she's the sanest person in the house... I think it's going to be quite a wrench.

@listsandbudgets It's hard when they go. I'm down to just dh and the dogs now. On the plus side, the house is much tidier and there is actually a bowl in the press when I need one as nobody is eating 76 bowls of cereal a day. And, in my experience, daughters are better at keeping you updated on what's happening in their lives so hopefully she will keep you well posted.

I too am only getting one advent. I was going to get Liberty but the euro price was insane and I would have felt ripped off. I got H&B instead, which I'm delighted with as they had stopped doing it in Ireland for a few years post Brexit and it always looked interesting. I got one for dd and dn too so we will have our own little opening whatsapp group.

We had a bit of a flood in our bathroom. Makeup was destroyed. Mostly eyeshadows. Tbf, they were pretty antique and getting dusty and dated. I did a theatrical full arm swipe into a bin without looking (lest I try and rescue anything)… Today I took advantage of the 20% off sale at Sephora and purchased the I Need a Warm Palette from Natasha Denona. Actually surprised myself as I had anticipated purchasing the nude one. (Still might, but will think on it.) It’s really a warm-leaning neutral palette which suits my colouring. I liked the swatches.

@Fraaahnces How annoying - still I suppose it gave you an excuse to clear everthing out and start new.

The last little bottle of shampoo I'm using up has a floral smell... it's fine in the bottle but as soon as it warms up in the shower it's like a floral explosion - it nearly knocked me out!! I'm not sure if I'll finish it which is a shame as it was the Liberty AC and probably would be quite expensive but whether I can cope with being semi gassed every time I wash my hair I don't know!

Not posted for a while but back on to stop me buying an Advent Calendar! Still haven't used half of the stuff from last year. Have got a Lancome serum that appears to be immortal as I can't even move on to one of the other 4 or 5 I have waiting in the wings! I hate waste so can't bin in before it's finished.

Good on you. I haven't been as strong. I bought the H&B but am in here to so I don't buy a second.

It's been a while posting on here for me. I did stop buying for a few months and my stash really shrunk right down (combination of using up /decluttering). There still seems to be a lot of sheet masks.

BUT- I've just bought a beauty advent calendar (not sensible) and a handful of eBay and Vinted purchases from other calendars - stocking up on things I use regularly (sensible).

Back on the wagon now but, bar a few basics like toothpaste, shampoo and deodorant which I'll pick ups as run out, I'm now full stocked up for 2025.

I succumbed to tik tok shop and bought a garnier vitamin c skin care bundle. I have wanted to try these for ages but I definately didn't need them as I have loads of skincare to get through.

I also got the liberty ac using my credit, I'm trying not to be tempted by any of the others.

I sorted some of my stash into some storage boxes instead of hiding it under my bed. I now have a better idea of what I have and don't really need to buy anything for a very long time

I would like the Vogue too @listsandbudgets!

However I only got the H&B this year as I liked so much of it, and the other items can be small Xmas pressies, and I bought a couple of makeup items separately which I wanted.

My weak spot is perfume...

I'm with you. I have one advent, Liberty beauty drop and I'm enjoying using up some really lovely products I'd forgotten about.