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

One thing in my favour is that advent calendars are so incredibly expensive here and we don't really have a very good range. I think we only get the Clarins and Body Shop one, oh and Essence but that is more for teens imo.

If I had more options, I dread to think what I may have had.

I'm totally in for this. I don't buy much, but I'm guilty of not finishing things and chucking them because they are are dry.

So, I intend to actually use stuff up and get enjoyment out of it. Does that count?

And however much I like something, I won't stock up until I'm on the spare! Even if it's 60% off. Because if it dries up, money wasted.

May I join too. I have a huge stash and have just cleared out my Mum's home where I had even more stuff. I actually had a count of all items which came to 321 - so I do not think I need to purchase anything for around five years, or more. I included everything from deoderant, shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, make up etc.

I have decided that I am not buying anything until I am on the last item of its type. When I left the UK a couple of weeks ago I was disappointed to have missed the M & S AC, but on reflection I feel this is probably a very good thing. So no AC to add onto the total next month.

Welcome newcomers - it's going to be a tough run as we go through Christmas and the sales but I am sure we can all do this.

I went into Selfridges looking for a birthday present for my mum yesterday. I wandered round the beauty section and tried a few very expensive testers - (I'd not realised Le Labo was there ) but I managed to avoid actually buying anything . Then I went to Boots to collect a prescription and buy toothpaste for DS and that was ALL I got. Feeling rather pleased with myself.

Astonishingly I appear to have run out of toner - I was convinced I had another huge bottle but I can't find it anywhere. I'm going to go without it for a while as I know that when I do buy it I'm going to find it hard to resist gift sets / special offers etc. etc. I feel it's too early to break the buying ban.

@isthismylifenow Wow you sound so like me. Can't resist a bargain, hoard food and think everything will get used eventually which is exactly the justification I use in my own made when I gaze fondly at my stash. However now is the time to USE it and stop imagining we will whilst piling more stuff on top.

@Spencer0220 It definately counts. We've all spent quite a lot of money on our piles of products and just letting them go off or saving them for "best" is hopeless. I hope you enjoy using what you've got.

@FiveShelties I was sorry to read about your mum on the other thread - and then you getting covid on top of it. How are you feeling now? 321 items is umm quite a lot.. but at least you won't need to spend money on toiletries for a bit. I wouldn't count deodorant though as it's more necessary than luxury.

@listsandbudgets thank you so much. I am feeling so much better, just lacking in energy but I am sure that is just a matter of time. I just got carried away with the counting as I sorted and was shocked as to the total. I am thinking of going for all the small ones first to get the number down. I should probably save something every week to make up for what I am not spending and see how that adds up. 😁

Edited to add - I have too many clothes, too much food, too many cleaning products just too much of everything! Stupid really but ................

@listsandbudgets you are 100% correct, the stash needs to be used, and I have given a lot away, then think to myself.... where did I save money, as I still had to pay for that item even though it was reduced.

I think mine started as a money saving thing, (I have battled financially since my divorce) so I think it was me thinking I can still have nice products without the hefty price tag. And then it didn't stop. So I have probably spent more in the long run than if I just went and bought a jar of cream when it ran out.

I also buy Christmas gifts all through the year, and then when Christmas time comes around, the item really isn't suitable for anyone to gift it to. This year I stopped that, but I feel very unorganized now as I still have gifts to get, and now I am thinking the prices will be inflated and I should have thought about it earlier this year blah blah.

I am getting there though, but it makes me feel a whole lot better that I am not alone in this. I think there is a psychological factor in my case, but I feel that at least I am aware of it now, I can control it a bit more?

But saying that, for a whole year now I do not have to add any cleaning materials to my weekly shops, nor coffee, nor toilet roll and I have a super stash and they will be used up. 😀 The other cupboard in my bedroom is the more problematic one eek.

I can relate completely. Last weekend I did a face mask and a foot mask. I was keeping these for a special occasion. Which occasion I have no idea, so I am planning to use something 'kept for special' every week now. I have been putting quite expensive hand cream on my feet at night, and I have put one of the endless bottles of body lotion into my shower rack, so that when I have finished showering, I dose myself in the lotion. I am still wet, but it seems to soak in lovely and my skin feels really hydrated. Then I chuck a gown on so it can soak in while I brush teeth etc.

Maybe we can share some other ideas of how to use our things up?

@isthismylifenow that makes perfect sense to me, I also save the best stuff for some completely unknown reason sometime never!

I recently cleared out my Mum's house and she used her good stuff everyday. If I bought her new perfume, moisturiser etc, she would use that and then go back to the older stuff. I think that is how I should be - use the best perfume, moisturiser etc gradually work my way down until everything gone. The thought of someone having to come and clear this mountain of stuff out feels me with horror.

@FiveShelties I have been guilty of saving the best stuff too. I am using a Holland and Barret face wash from an advent calendar while Clinique and Elemis sit in the cupboard. Well I’m getting them out today.
On a plus note when I finish work for the day I put on lipstick and some evening perfume because they were just sat there not getting used. I love slightly heavier perfumes but 100ml would last me 20 years (at least) if I only wore them for going out out.

I think once we start collecting/over buying it becomes a bit of a compulsion in some ways. Either we think we are saving money and/or it gives us a level of comfort to know it’s there. It becomes a habit that we justify to ourselves for many reasons.

DH panics if we don’t have back ups of things. And full freezers. And a menu plan for the week and an online shopping delivery booked. He went through a stage of buying a particular shower gel when it was on offer on Amazon. I found a huge bag of it all in the garage.

He doesn’t get my skin care obsession and I don’t get his shower gel one!

I usually get an beauty advent calendar and thought I’d be a bit sad not having one this year but I’m still enjoying reading the advent calendar threads and I know the ones I have (jams and a Christmas jigsaw) will be used and enjoyed and won’t add to my stash. It feels quite good.

I am also getting through some of my products and that feels good too. I should start wearing perfume every day. And a bit of make up.

I saw on another thread that some people do a self care Sunday ritual of a long bath or shower with hair and face mask and body scrub, lotion etc. I keep saying I will do that to start using up face masks.

I've been good this week. On holiday since Saturday. Stayed in London overnight as early Eurostar. Went to Liberty. Too hot and too many people. Went over to Sephora at White City. Same.
Spent 2 days in Rotterdam and only bought footcream as I left mine at home. Then I've just had 2 days in Gouda and just bought ibuprofen and Imodium ( too much cheese).

Now in The Hague and I've bought some chocolate truffles for my mum and cheese (whoops) for me. Plus girl with pearl earring coasters for everyone at work.

No beauty stuff, even though I wanted to go to Bijendorf to see if they had any advents left.

Soooo many BF emails though. Delete/unsubscribe and repeat.

@Babysharkdoodoodood I used to live in NL. When I first moved there, the Dutchies didn’t “do” Christmas. (They have their own version anyway). The longer I lived there, the more excited about it they became and decorated everything.

Speaking of Christmas. I caved…. But not beauty items!!! I bought a pre-lit Christmas tree to replace the 2017 debacle. I had saved for a tree because we had been using the POS one that DH had had since he was a student - with a whole section missing, I might add. I put it up and decorated it. It was beautiful for two whole days when I received a phonecall from DH telling me that he had mown over the cord with the vacuum and cut it. I started to growl, but refrained from swearing when I thought, I can probably just get the cord spliced back together. No biggie… THEN he said “God, you did a great job getting those lights on the tree… it took me and DS hours to get them off!” I exploded…. “It was a pre-lit tree, you idiot!” He promised to buy me a new one and that never eventuated. I have been tree-less ever since in protest. (And seriously questioning his IQ)

I laughed just a little too much at this 😂. I am sorry about your massacred Christmas tree, and I hope you love your new one just as much. And I think neon tape or similar over the cord may be necessary. Yes, your DH is a plonker but I do have to admire his patience at removing all those lights 😂

@isthismylifenow - He even did the sheepish “At least I was vacuuming…” like he was doing me a favour. I suggested that the sound of silence would be much safer than trying that one.

For those who are holding firm, you are doing the right thing. I’ve caved and bought two advent calendars when I didn’t need anything at all. I’m really disappointed with both and just feel quite sick and annoyed with myself. It’s not worth it.

I'd almost managed to not buy anything since August but then I bought some of the Sephora Christmas boxes for my niece and have kept some of the bits that she won't like for myself. I then bought two moisturisers from Origins, which is fine because I was nearly out of moisturiser, but there was an offer on so I ended up with two bags of small sizes of things that I mostly don't need. So far I've been successful at avoiding all the Black Friday offers.

The first Christmas calendar i brought was m&s one, the one shape like a tree , since then I've brought a summer one from them, and last Christmas one from Holland and barret, this year I'm not going to bother, I have lots of creams and lotions to use up, i have decided to use them all up before I buy replacements,

I’ve been quite good recently. Mostly as not had work for under a month but also wanted to use up what I had. This involves so far going through foot cream and moisturisers (have too many of latter). I’ve opened gifts of soap and using that rather than shower cream and also using as face wash and it’s fine.

I’ve made a list of what I’m using now, what I’ll repurchase and use (Simple eye make up remover, the Ordinary retinol) and what I don’t need/use. I do need a new mascara soon.

What drives me mad and I’ll have to tell them people nicely is gifts of soap, body and bath stuff, unless I use it.

I’ve also sold 2 perfumes (one open but in box and hardly used) and one new.

I’m lucky in that I don’t buy or want the advent calendars or Christmas boxes, have had advent calendars in past took me ages to use them.

Sympathies! I am only using the new skincare brand And Begin from the company behind Skin and Me from now on because it does everything - prescription ingredients like Tretinoin plus the best actives on the high street. I am using up everything else I used to use at night.

Every time I use up something it is a good feeling

I think the advent calendars mean you end up with products you don't really want or need

I agree that it feels like an accomplishment to finish something. I like having some small sample sizes as well as larger items to keep me motivated.

It's shocking to me how long some things last. When I started to focus on using up my stash, I began counting my uses on a spreadsheet and think I must use very little of most things compared to most people.

As an example, 30ml of face serum generally lasts me about 100 uses. I layer 3-4 each time before moisturizer now, because I enjoy it and it helps me feel like I'm making progress. Yesterday I used 40 products throughout the day and today, so far 23 (no makeup today).

I have one beauty advent calendar this year, but that'll hopefully keep me satisfied and not succumbing to deals. Nothing bought this month for myself in this category. 😊

Almost bought the Jones Road minis last night. I have a great big tub that will probably last to 2025! I really need this thread.

For those of you who like AC, is it the thrill of the unexpected when opening them? If so, why don’t you blindly choose 24 of your products and add them to a close box, then take one out every day in December?

I am considering doing this as I still have an unopened summer box from Rituals and I don’t need extra stuff.

However I have to confess that I went to Aldi and succumbed to the Almond shower oil that is a dupe of L’Occitane. I also bought the cream and the scrub. I failed miserably at this😔

For me with advent calendars it’s the whole experience of opening a new drawer every day and not really knowing what’s in it. I’m afraid raiding my own stash wouldn’t do it for me as I would know it’s something I already have. Hence my jam/tea and jigsaw calendars this year!