Overconsumption. Help me reduce my skincare stash.

[viccabelle]

Hi. Now that we are back in advent season, I find myself spending hours reading and researching all of the different options and while I love it, it has prompted me to look in my unused stash and it is ridiculous how many unopened products I have.
I am thinking I might put some on Vinted, but would like to create a lovely skincare routine out of them first. My skin leans dry and I am 40 so seeing lots of lines, pigmentation and loss of elasticity.
I think I am going to keep the Drunk Elephant and the Augustinus Bader products, but what else should I keep and what do I pass on?
I use a retinoid so not sure I need the Medik8 although I read fantastic reviews about it. Any help appreciated 🙏

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I don’t understand why you can’t just gradually use them all?

(I cannot imagine ever wanting to buy second hand beauty products - there’s just no guarantee of accountability …)

I'm 51 and very low maintenance. I use a decent moisturiser, a daily SPF block (Clinique) and astral as a nigh time cleanser and moisturiser. An eye cream and hand cream is also important.

Yeah this is what I thought- just gradually use them all up and don’t buy any more until they’re gone.

I’d put them into different piles - moisturisers, cleansers etc then just take out anything you know you will never use. I usually sell all cleansers and most make-up, and keep any serums and moisturisers. If I try a moisturiser and it doesn’t suit I use it as a body moisturiser.

I sold about a fifth of my advent calendar contents last year, they definitely sell on Vinted, I do them in small bundles of about 5 things.

Create little gift bags and maybe donate them to a shelter.

I agree with this.

I ended up with a similar stash due to a big splurge last year. I’ve gone through and anything I know I won’t use I sold on Vinted (though I like PPs suggestion to donate).
I’ve been working my way through the rest in various combinations to see what I like and how things sit under make up - I’ve not yet reached my perfect combination so I’ll stalk this thread

Pass on the drunk elephant, isn't that a?Teenage brand.

I say all of this without judgement, but I think you need to assess how realistic it is to create a lovely routine and just simplify by sorting it into piles and putting each pile into an order how excited you are to use it and go from there.

You may find you want to use it all and decide not to get another calendar, or you may want to get rid of some for a new calendar or you may decide to go to a store and spend your money on a single brand and ask for advice on a routine.

You can Google it but its basically still cleanse, tone, moisturise with the other products incorporated so you could line up a few routines.

Fwiw, I bought 3 calendars last year and I will have just about used them up for this year, and that's been with a rigorous effort to use loads of stuff everyday, in turn (even body moisturiser and pillow spray type products!) so realistically you'll be lucky to get through one of everything between now and then.

Honestly, feeling overwhelms sucks and so you just need to take action and get stuck in!

I would start by taking anything out that doesn’t match your skin type. I can’t tell what all of them are but things like the Paula’s choice acid and the La Roche posay effeclar probably aren’t going to be for you. The skin1004 serum may also not be necessary, though I can’t say for sure without seeing which type it is. Then read up on what not to use with your retinol as that might rule out of the products too.

id then split the ones that aren’t really ‘skincare’ like the laneige sleeping mask. Id then keep the mini cleansers that do work for your skin type for weekends away, that sort of thing.

The problem with a lot of minis is that they won’t let you try a product for long enough to see results. I love the idea of a beauty advent calendar and used to get beauty boxes but it’s not tailored to you at all so you end up with a load of random stuff that’s not good for your skin.

It's a lot of products to get through and I'm researching which are suitable for my skin type.
I'd rather have products I love tha. These sat in the draw collecting dust/ expiring

Thank you. I've done a first pass and removed 12 and starting to list them. I find it really difficult to declutter things even when I know I won't use them!

I have dry skin with pigmentation and love the Paula’s Choice acid. It really made a difference when I used it regularly (but I’m a bit lazy). AB didn’t really do much and I used it as body moisturiser. I would just use one at a time until they’re all used up and make a note of the ones you like. And don’t buy any more as they’ll go off before you can finish them!!

The most important thing to use is 50spf every day and lots of it!!

Not that I'm aware? My skin loves the Lala retro and it's highly rated by Caroline Hirons.

I have a stash the same if not bigger than yours. I was overwhelmed by what I had and what went in which order. I stockpiled a load of Korean skincare too. I uploaded photos of everything to chatgpt who created a morning, evening and weekly skincare routine for me. Sometimes I'd message each night and it would tell me that tonight is glow night or tret night and bullet point what I needed to apply and in what order.

Maybe asking yourself why you need all this stuff and don't use it. There's always some underlying reason. Otherwise the consumption never ends.

Ooh great idea. I do have products I'm currently using up too so I'm going to see what chat gpt recommends. Great idea!
I have a few corsyx products I'm getting through at the moment but I'm not blown away.

Yeah I really struggle to get rid. I love the thrill of advents and beauty boxes. I have gifted my Mum a load and don't get me started on my makeup stash.
I need to go on a no buy 🙈

I agree with this, and I've got the same problem you do with having far too many products that I'll never use.
I've now stopped buying beauty boxes and advent calendars after starting on tretinoin which actually works. For the rest of my skincare I have gone back to basics like hyaluronic acid and QV and vanicream.

You don't need any of them. Throw them all away, just wash your face in the shower and save yourself £££ (as well as lots of time).
Drink water, don't smoke and your skin will be fine.

I love Cosrx! Beauty of Joseon is my favourite. It makes a difference having it explained whether it's an active, peptide hydrating toner etc. And which products not to use together. I hadn't a clue! I wouldn't sell any of it to be honest. Some skincare goes off quickly such as facial oils. Chatgpt suggested I use my least favourite facial moisturisers as body moisturisers or hand cream.

With the make up, I’d do the same, put everything you love and use in one pile, and ditch the rest.

i’m terrible for thinking oh that shade is ok and sticking it in a drawer.

I agree of your stash I’d keep the medik8 and the Paula’s choice and ditch the rest.

Thanks to this thread, I’ve embarked on a make up declutter today. It is horrifying. I opened a box and found 12 mac lipsticks I’d just forgotten about.

I think what it’s easy to forget, is how much beauty/cosmetics were pushed 5-10 years ago. New Mac launches were genuine events. Beauty bloggers were everywhere. Make up tutorials all over the shop. Overconsumption was definitely encouraged!

I think in the last five years, that’s focused much more towards skincare (everyone I know wears much less makeup now than before Covid for instance) but the marketing is still very clever, and it’s very easy to accumulate a lot without realising. You only have to look at the contents of beauty advent calendars these days, it’s very little make up.