Can’t stop buying & hoarding beauty treats? You’re in good company here!

[Experiment627]

Welcome to our little corner of beauty bliss! If you can’t resist trying the latest beauty launches or your shelves are bursting with favourites, you’ve found your tribe. This is the place to chat, share reviews, swap tips, and celebrate all things beauty — from budget gems to luxury treats.
This thread has been around for ages, and many of us have even tamed our beauty-buying habits thanks to the wisdom and support shared here. We post our empties and chucks, helping each other make smarter, more satisfying choices next time we shop.
All beauty product addicts welcome!

Hi everyone

I've just done a present audit and have got 24 new items in. Oh dear. Some are travel size, but some are full size. I dont honestly think I'll need to buy anything in 2026, except for a day serum. I've even got plenty of deodorant and sunscreen. I've used 122 items this year, so I have done well, particularly with the perfumes. For 2026, I'm going to concentrate on getting the other perfumes used up, I'm quite bad for forgetting to spritz in the morning, so I've moved my current perfume to the bathroom, along with my other lotions and potions in my routine.

I've definitely got better this year at resisting temptation and not buying to excess. Always room for improvement though!

Decluttering x2 perfumes. I never pick them up to use, so will pass aslong.

Decluttering Bare Minerals lipstick mini. When i bought something on Vinted, the lady added it in. I get the nice gesture, but i dont want it.

Narciso All of Me perfume. From a Perfume shop AC couple of years ago. Really liked this. Would maybe RP in the future!

@Tarragon123 Well done you on the 122 products!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and thank you @Experiment627 for keeping the thread going. I'm enjoying listing my empties and I think it's going to help with the low buy I'm in for this year, I'm going to try and convince myself to become obsessed with finishing products as oppose to buying them 😅

Oh man! Packing up to go back home and I've not counted another four items!!

I've got a couple of travel sizes that are almost done and I will cut them open tonight/tomorrow and get them finished. I'll be delighted to see the year out with 125 :)

colour wow xtra large hair volumizer - does the job well. I don’t normally use this type of product so won’t rp.

Cowshed shower gel and lotion - really natural compared to other body lotions. Enjoyed using them and might buy again.

Caudelie toner - good.

It cosmetics Confidence in a cream barrier boost - for the price I expected more but did soothe my skin.

Lancome renergie cream - definitely in my top 3 face creams. Love it.

Davines conditioner- not really that impressed by Davines. The packaging is cheap, the smell is cheap too. The only product I like so far is the hair milk.

Some samples, too.

@ITookYourJoob I'm just using up one of those little Lancome cream pots. I was surprised how much I liked it. I think there's a bigger pot in the xmas set I got. It reminds me a bit of La Mer but I think it's better.

I've kept looking at the CW Volumizer - is it for wet or dry hair? I have really flat hair around my face so always looking for something to boost that. I use Raise the Root before blow drying. How is this different?

@OvaHere If you ever spot a deal on the Lancome cream, please let me know - I discovered it last year and been buying on sale gifts sets ever since just to stock up 😁 Funny how it is always cheaper to get it as a part of a set than on its own.

I’m probably not the best person to ask about hair care (hair is dryer than a Beduins sandal). I used it on wet hair and it proofed up massively and stayed like that for days 😳 it does feel very slimy and sticky but if you dry your hair completely it soaks in - maybe it’s heat activated or smth, I don’t know. I had Olaplex volume most before and it’s less dramatic but also less slimy.

@ITookYourJoob Thanks. I might try one sometime when it's on sale.

I think I'll also be looking out for the Lancome cream so yes will post if I see a good offer. Are you signed up to the brand website? I haven't been paying a lot of attention to their emails but a lot of brands have quite good sales on their own websites through the year.

Hello. Just checking in and I’ve come and done over the last couple of year.

Fully committed to a no spend 2026 although will need soap! I’m going to focus on using stuff up.

I’m starting my use up goal now for motivation after a review of the stash. I need a serious no buy and use up 2026

7/100

REN - one of my fave rose scents, for once the shower gel and body oil finished at the same time.
flax seed moisturiser - fine, no better than another
KS goat’s milk cleanser- love it, bought a full size in Black Friday sales
Manketti conditioner - too much for my straggly locks, used this and donating advent one to a friend.
Trinny lip to cheek - not pictured- donated to friend as I have a similar product I love (westman atelier).

Did you know that Sudocrem was developed by an Irish pharmacist in Dublin in 1931? It was actually called soothing cream originally but morphed to Sudocrem due to the Dublin accent! My daughter bought a giant tub in Chemist warehouse recently but is steadily getting through it (for acne). It’s a fantastic product. No I don’t have shares in the company just be using it all my life as it’s an Irish first aid staple😉.

My final for the year.

Aveda Invati Shampoo and conditioner - I liked it but prefer Kerestace.

Shiseido serum - I liked it, felt plumping and not sticky.

@wheresmyshoe I loved the REN rose range. I agree, it was also one of my favourite rose scents!

@keepincoolthere are no rules!

@LightandBreezyyou are very welcome xxx

@Hollyhobbithat is so interesting! Thanks for commenting.

@Tarragon123moving things into line of sight is definitely now part of my use up strategy this year. Good tip!
This thread is such great motivation, thank you @Experiment627

@wheresmyshoe 💜💜💜

I'm so close with my target for this year but I don't think I'm quite going to make it. I have six items left to use up. If I manage that I'll have used up 142 items this year, which is the same as the number of items I've acquired plus used up the backlog of 31 items that I carried over from last year. Making a total of 173 items used up in 2025. However, while I have seven items that are definitely on their last legs, I don't think they'll all be empty by the end of the year, though some definitely will. It's still a pretty good result as I've used up as many items as I've acquired and cleared most of the additional items from previous years, but I'd really hoped to manage those final six.

I count make-up separately and I definitely won't manage that. For make-up I've used up 36 items, which covers the 35 acquired items and one of the six that was over spill from the previous year. Again, not a terrible result but not quite what I'd hoped for.

Tracking my usage over the last few years has definitely taught me a lot about what I use up quickly, what takes forever to get through and where my weaknesses lie.

Well done to everyone and here's to an even better 2026!

My first empty to report, Grown Alchemist Deep Cleansing Facial Masque. OK but not a re-buy.

Also - ashamed to say - a couple of non empties for the bin:

Herbivore Bakuchiol Serum
Herbivore Prism Serum
Herbivore Supernova Eye Cream

I liked all these too start but fell out of love and haven’t reached for them in ages so time to go! Also Fresh Umbrian Clay Mask, very nearly finished but a bit dried out. Again, liked it but not a re-buy.

Can anyone join the empties thread.
Is a new one starting on 1st Jan.
I really need to start using up what I have. Have a few things nearly empty so holding out until the first to use them up so im off to a good start. X

That's amazing. 🥰
Make up is so difficult to get through. X

Hello and welcome

There wont be a new thread on 1st Jan, we'll just carry on here :)

I've used up another two, both travel sized, both Temple Spa. I do like Temple Spa. However, I was a bit stupid and assumed that Peace Be Still Calming Skin Balm was a cleansing balm and used it like that. It was a body lotion. Doh! That'll teach me to read the label! The other one was a lovely milky toner. I've got two more travel sizes that I am confident that I will get finished by the year end.

Looking through my travel sizes, I think I must have used up some more or possible donated/given away. We are going away on a two week holiday mid January, so I am getting organised for that. More stuff to get used up!!

I am not a fan of this No Shopping lark.

Thank you. 😍
I struggle reading most labels now. Even with my glasses on 🤷😲🤣

I take a photo and expand it. Writing is waaaay too small.

Right, I'm starting with my very first list of used items - hopefully the first of many 😀

MZ skin eye masks from the Liberty well travelled kit. These didn't do much and kept slipping down my face. They felt nice and cool though. I won't RP.
Skin Cycles eye masks from Liberty BAC - these are okay, but won't RP. I think my eye bags are beyond help tbh.
Wildsmith Active Repair Copper Peptide Serum from 2024 F&M BAC - I love this serum and have repurchased on Vinted. I probably would rp at full price, but I have lots of hoarded serums to get through first