Beauty chat - freebies/gifts with purchase/offers THREAD EIGHT

[OvaHere]

New thread as the old one is almost full.

All welcome to chat about beauty purchases, upcoming beauty boxes/GWP and to share your bargain finds.

@OvaHere I really like these rules that you've set yourself 😍 I feel that they are realistic with clear boundaries but also sensible exceptions, especially the edit rule 👏

I could definitely get on board with something like this… after my birthday though, obviously 😉🤣 Also, vouchers don’t count as spending in my head 😇

This has made me think about setting myself some realistic rules to curb my spending but not miss out on actual bargains of things that I'll use or would like to try.

I’ll be cheering you on 🥰

Thanks @JoRaRaRa I'm trying to have reasonable goals that I can sustain but still allow me to indulge here and there. I fully intend to join in advent season again but I want to reduce the stash quite a bit before then.

I’m with you @OvaHere - good rules!

I have just been on the CB site and seen they are stocking Sulwhasoo products - I got some of these as a GWP in Busan. (Apparently I can still spot a GWP when I can’t even read the alphabet of the country I am visiting 😹)

I am vaguely horrified by the mark up on this range at CB - quite frankly it would - almost - be worth flying out to Korea to stock up!

I was tempted to have another run at the CB fragrance stocking but I have restrained myself.

Are the fragrance stockings still going? Bloody hell! I must have bought loads since they were released in November as I decided to give everyone in the office a frag for xmas, plus sold a bunch and kept a stash of milk and vanilla haze for myself.

It all sounds very sensible to me. I’m definitely feeling the same, I want to make it fun to shop my stash and hopefully in 2026 I can make a big dent in it. Advent season is an absolute must 😍 I guess it’s a good thing we open them in December, it makes it a 2027 problem 💁🏻‍♀️🤣

I think I'd still like to do a no buy month, maybe February, after my birthday, whilst my drawers are full and I'm just at home looking after the pooch. This would be for both beauty and clothes. I'm on a no buy fragrance year (although I'll still try to get my hands on the Harrods FAC again, if its good, which it likely will be). I'll probably steal your edit rules (star product or will use 3/4s), and then everything else will be more considered buying 😁

I thought these were going to sell out so fast 🤣

Hi which sk11 essence is it please. I had wanted to try la mer the treatment lotion but it’s expensive and I do like k products

Thank you for the new thread too. I had a name change due to a relationship post I posted.

https://www.yesstyle.com/en/sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/info.html/pid.1122080410

https://www.stylevana.com/en_GB/sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence-pitera-essence.html

This one. It's not easy to get in the UK. Yesstyle and Stylevana seem to be the most accessible so I look out for it on offer as it's expensive.

Estee Lauder micro essence is the closest dupe I've found but I prefer SKII.
https://www.esteelauder.co.uk/product/26389/101853/product-catalog/skincare/toner-treatment-lotion/micro-essence/treatment-lotion-with-bio-ferment

Love this. 😍
This is what im going to be ruled by. It wont be hard for me to spend less than last year. I went ott big time. Enjoyed it though. 🤣🤣
I'm clearing stuff and trying to be more mindful of what im buying. I didnt hit buy on cult basket but, like youve stated, if I want to try something thats £40 and its in a kit with 4 other products for £50 then I think thats ok. 🥰
Im selling stuff from my stash as vets bill was BIG 🤣
Savings in my wardrobe as simeones mentioned before. 👍. Its all good. Dogs doing fine and its given me an incentive to go through stuff and sell stuff im not likely to use rather than it sit there until next xmas. Ive still a way to go but its a start. 🥰👍
I refuse to feel guilty for the one few things that brings me joy. 🥰

I ordered the beauty suitcase but cant cope with the site and how many offers there are. I'd spend hundreds so I'm steering clear of it. I wanted some 1004 pads for redness and picked them up in tkmaxx reduced. Ofcourse bought 2.
My trouble is I buy multiples of kits, bargains,etc.
The odd time it pays off but generally i end up just left with a lot of stuff I wont use. That's the habit I need to change.
Sorry long post. 😘

Just recording for posterity that I survived the Liberty members week without buying a single thing. Go me! 😂

TBF @OvaHere it wasn't that compelling, spend £350 to potentially win a salmon sperm facial or something...😂

@Doglover73 Glad to hear the dog is doing well 🩷 and that you’re seeing this as a bit of a kick up the bum to sort things out and sell what you don’t need or won’t use. I hope you still have plenty of exciting products left to enjoy afterwards 🤞 I actually felt so much better after sorting through my stash, although I didn’t put anything in the sell pile 🙈🤣

I think your rule list needs one more addition, no backup buying, with the exception of things you know you love when they’re at a bargain price 😁

It really sounds like we’re all aiming for calmer, less impulsive buying and being more considered with beauty purchases. Hopefully we can support each other and bat away the deals together 🎾✌️

Also survived. I was tempted by the hall of fame or whatever it was called, but I had just bought a load of crap from SNK to get the gwp 🙈 that's going on my list, no more buying to just get a gwp.

Apart from the Harrods one of course 💁🏻‍♀️

Thank you

This is partly why I love the beauty chat, for when it jumps the shark totally

I was saved from spending again, I had in my head to go through the Harrods sale again for a proper look and to repurchase a couple of things, but I have been so busy that I only got around to it this morning, and of course the sale has ended. I was slightly disappointed as I planned to put some things away for Christmas, but slightly relieved at the same time.

I am going throw myself into my BACs next month, as it’s my birthday month, so feels more of a treat. Just hope my head is a bit more in the game so I don’t end up half opening them like in December 🙃

Fenwick Rest and Restore Beauty Kit https://fenwick.co.uk/products/fenwick-fenwick-wellness-bag-2026

I like this set, but it's too expensive for me to even be tempted to buy.

I won’t comment on what I bought last week as my spending seemed to continue.
I have been detashing and sold a number of bits so at least that helps.

@OvaHerea question re the Rephyr brushes, are their any you recommend in particular?

Was tempted by this too. It was a genuinely good value box especially with the discounts but I need to distinguish between a good/bargain box and things I actually want. They're not always the same.

I like the 05 brushes. I've got the 05 and the Shodo 05. Good for highlight, blush and smaller powder use.

The single brush collabs they do with MUAs are often worth picking up. I see they've got a new one.

My cult beauty holiday edit, which I got on sale with discount for £37 arrived today and did not disappoint. Good value for money with a kateceuticals serum, laneige lip balm, medik8 glow toner MZ skin mask and other goodies.

@Doglover73 im glad your dog is getting better. What was the beauty suitcase please

The universe is truly conspiring to stop me spending! I thought I’d get a replacement Hourglass mascara, my new HG of mascaras. I have a £5 SNK reward and the 15% off first purchase - I’ve not done online with them yet. Would my card go through? No. No it would not. Not on any payment option.

I want to use my reward. But I can’t at the moment, aaargh!