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

I have unsubscribed too. (And also to a lot of other junk.) What a great idea!

I have spent the last 12 months using up everything - shampoos/skincare/make up and I now have a wonderfully simplified routine. I highly recommend it ! It’s freed up mental clutter, space and reduced spending considerably. I now only use the few products truly love ( I have about 12 items in total including make-up and skin care). It’s a very satisfying process.

@Noodle421 That sounds like a very contented place to be. I'm not sure I'll ever make it there on things like perfumes and shower gels for example because I really enjoy having a wide choice according to my mood and the weather

However skin care itself I feel I could narrow down to favourites and stick to them. For example, I know I really like Seated Queen to use at night. Boots number 7 moisturiser SPF 15 in blue pump tube seems to suit me well. I like the REN dark circle lightening cream....

However, I also like experimenting and there lies my failure

There’s a very good reason for you not to narrow down your choices as they add to your quality of life. I’m quite allergic to fragrances and I have asthma and eczema so it’s easy for me to stick to one or two gentle smelling body lotions and that’s it. Easy for me to pare down the make too now I know what works for my skin type. I feel good that I’ve used everything up even if I didn’t really like or rate it and this has saved me money. It’s also made me question what I now buy going forward, so far fewer impulse buys. I’m now working on my wardrobe, using the same principles, sorting out and keeping only what I love.

Oh help there are so many sales with black Friday coming up I've unsubscribed from ltos of things but I'm being bombarded with lovely offers on social media.

Might try to get some of the Christmas shopping done but non of it will be for me.

I've been looking at necklaces instead :)

I've been keeping very busy at work, which is helping me avoid temptation. Also keeping track of my usage to ensure I'm getting through stuff and not leaving it to expire.

Good luck with the Christmas shopping - and hold strong to the personal no-buy, everyone!

Finished 2 products today. Have not bought more but will use up other items. Felt so good!

had to buy some face stuff for my spotty tween so that scratched an itch (kind of)

My bloody daughter knocked my moisturiser onto the tiles in the bathroom. The lid popped off, the jar is split and the moisturiser blooped all over the toilet rolls and the wall. I scooped what I could into a travel jar but I am definitely going to need to buy more. I have banned her from my bathroom.

@listsandbudgets - yes the constant Black Friday offers are way too tempting! I’m resisting.

@Fraaahnces - annoying! I’d have plenty in my stash to replace it so I might be a bit relieved if it happened here!

I should have read this thread before I fell for the Hannah Martin/Bobbi Brown collab on insta last night...

My no spend isn’t starting until the new year, just in case something I’ve had my eye on has the price slashed for Black Friday/December. Unlikely now though.

Solidarity OP. I’ve spent nothing so far. If I think I’m starting to waiver I just think of the existing stash and how I’ve no room to store any more. I’m hoping to make a few more empties soon and then it will start to feel more under control. I finished a vit C serum this morning. It was only 30ml and I’d had it on the go since January. I’ve also started a Temple spa gift set, which is mainly minis, which I was given pre Covid. I thought I would save it to take on holidays and then there weren’t any so it just sat at the back of the cupboard.

I'm trying hard too

I resisted all the advent calendars and am trying to use up stuff

You are hard core! Respect.

I have 2 advent calendars but am resisting the rest of it.

Trust me I've got loads of other stuff

I have a cupboard full

I did like the look of the Lumene beauty calendar though

I love Lumene's stuff and it is tempting me, too. I'm trying to tell myself I can get it next year, when my stash is at a more sensible level!

I have loads of stuff too but it didn't stop me😀

I got Lumene a few years ago. It was nice but the sizes were teeny and it was very repetitive. I think that's the issue with single brand calendars.

Also the tiny tubes aren't great for the environment

I agree about single brand calendars. I've had L'occtaine a couple of times. I love their stuff but there are only so many tiny tubes of hand cream and bottle of shower gel and body lotion I need. I enjoyed the M&S one far more when I decided to switch - it was just so much more interesting.

I like a few of the lumene products as well - last year the M&S had their Nordic C night cream and that's definitely on the list for an eventual RP

i've got a few products i'm not simply keen on. I do not want to end up using them all upmat the end so I've decided to use at least one of them every other day until they're gone. Its mainly toiletries i've picked up in hotels so they're relatively small but there are lots of them.

@listsandbudgets , if they're unopened, send them to the charity shop or 'beauty bank'

It feels really good to use up all those small bits and bobs of hotel shampoo and shower gel. I’m glad that hotels have mostly switched to providing large bottles that you don’t take home. So much better for the environment as green green grass said. The cowshed advent calendar I got last year was similarly full of hotel sized plastic bottles of bath and body products which you’ve inspired me to use tomorrow.

I'm still here but haven't sorted my stuff yet! My only Black Friday purchases have been HGs.

I’ve been a saint so far! I haven’t bought a thing! (Am waiting to find out if new work shoes are going on sale and buying something practical for DD who is moving out soon..)
I do need more shampoo…

I'm checking in OP as I'm most definitely guilty of piling items.

I am a bit embarrassed to even take a photo of my stock cupboard, it's years in the making.

My problem is that I just cannot resist a good offer, it started some years back with an online shop that had the pricing incorrect, so I bought multiple items of shampoo, face washes etc. Intending to give out as stocking fillers as it was close to Christmas. But I didn't and thought that it was a great idea to keep as it will eventually get used. And it spiraled from there. I have so much reduced to clear items, that I paid silly prices for, for what is usually quite pricy items. I do have a teen dd so a lot was intended for her, but she had super sensitive skin and it didn't work for her. So earlier this year I had a massive sort out, and decided I would not be buying any more beauty items. But, where I live, we have beauty warehouse sales and I could not help myself to not pop in, just 'to see' what they had. Sigh, waked out with a huge bag, so had to rearrange my cupboard again. But included in that was a good supply of uvp50 so that is always a must. But, these things all gave best before dates and some are really out of date. But how harmful can an out of date moisturizer be, or soap or face wash really. Sun protective I don't use best before as I take that seriously having had skin cancer surgery. It things like I bought extra Mitchum roll on, but I just prefer the other version. So it's just sitting these, but I have started making a dent now.

You asked earlier if people who have too much skin products, hoard other items too. Yes, I am guilty of that, so I think perhaps I may fall into the hoarder category. I get quite anxious if I don't have back up coffee or washing detergent in the cupboard. So when I see a good deal (like I did this week for BF) then I buy bulk. Now I am feeling fine as I get stressed if I think that I may just have to pay full price for things that are generally pricy day to day (esp now).

But I am aware of it, and have stopped buying even if it's an offer that is hard to resist as let's be honest, I am not gifting that stuff out.

I am glad I am not alone though. 😊