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

[OvaHere]

We set a record with the last thread. Just 2 weeks from start to finish!!!!

So here's the new one and we're now in double digits.

As always everyone is welcome to join even if you've just been lurking, but like those kids on the back of the school bus your Mum warned you about, we are a bad influence.... 😈

Also we don’t know if there’s a dot in the midst

<Do love a good mystery >

That’s very rude!

@BlueLimes - maybe the hive mind on here can give it some thought and come up with a solution? 😺

’Dot’ I meant spy!

Was FIRST15 ever working? I remember the OP that mentioned the box was live used BDAY15 which I think is still working. I've not tried though as I'm being virtuous and not buying this one. 😂

They do pull codes sometimes but I'm not sure it's related to this thread. I suppose it's possible but more likely they see a pattern via their order systems which would happen regardless of whether we post them here or elsewhere.

Talking of CB edits when do we think the WA edit will go live? This week or longer?

I guess they would call it ‘taking an interest’ - it’s fair enough if they are, but I don’t like it when codes are pulled after an edit goes live. ROKA did something similar during the recent LD promotion, only it took them a bit longer to get organised.

Years ago, Toast staff used to lurk on the Toast clothes thread and ‘de lurk’ if the moaning got too much for them to stay quiet any longer 😹 I have heard from staff that they still read the thread occasionally, but don’t join in any more, (which is a shame).

Beauty detective's daily update mentioned BDAY15 so anyone who follows her/gets her emails would have known about it. They don't typically seem to pull codes she's mentioned so I think it's very unlikely they'd be bothering to monitor any we share!

That's interesting about Toast. Maybe they do lurk then. 😂

If they are reading, please bring back the old recycling programme and fix your reviews so I actually do get sent a link to review products I've bought.

@Thelifeofawife I really like thameen, I've put it on today. It's strong at first, but the dry down is gorgeous 😍 I didn't think I was a rose fan, but seems I am 🤣

@OvaHere I think it'll be a week tomorrow. I need to make sure I remember to not do an office day 🙈 I think it could be quite popular.

BDAY15 is still working on the fragrance edit. I think FIRST15 only works on your first order. There was a day (last month I think) when it was allowing existing customers to use it, but it soon went back to normal 🤣

Thanks to the thread I was quick off the mark with my SpaceNK birthday voucher 😊

March is Nars luminiser; AKT deodorant and EM Molecule 01 + Cistus

That's why I was concerned. They quite often launch on an office day. Luckily the last one I bought started around 7am but often it's more like 9am.

I'm wfh all this week so hoping it will be soon. Guessing that WA is the new brand of the month. I wish they'd done a PT edit in Feb rather than the bundle and gwp offers.

I start at 7:30 so unless it was online early, I'd miss it 😕 I'm meant to be in the office on the 9th, my first time this year due to the dog's op. I'm aware of people saying stuff at work (apparently stuff like 'it's only dog') without one person, not even my manager, asking me what she's actually had done. So I'm a bit hesitant to change it, but they're already annoyed with me, so what's another week?! WA is a must 🤷🏻‍♀️🤣

My fairy box also arrived in THG packaging, super sellotaped. Conspiracy theories continue…delighted with the contents tho!

In the process of unpacking after 2 weeks away, I’ve been inspired to clear out and stock check my beauty and body care stashes, and oh my word….I hadn’t realised quite how much I have put away in various cupboards and drawers…..it’s going to take quite a bit of time to declutter properly, and to work out what I have, and what I need to throw away (or maybe sell?). Not helped by my (ir)rational filing system which has “minis” in one place, smaller sizes elsewhere, stuff waiting to be used somewhere else, another stash in the bathroom cabinet, old makeup that I can’t throw out somewhere else and a mini backlog of unopened foundations and perfumes in yet another cabinet.

Which leads me to ask the question: how do you balance between using up minis / samples (as opposed to stockpiling for holidays) and using full size products?? I suspect I could cleanse my face for at least a year just using what I’ve got in the stash at the moment, if I wasn’t fussed about which product I use. And I just located 8 different mascaras, including various Dior and eyeko minis that I’ve never opened. Should I just use them instead of ignoring them for eternity?

Edited to add: Clarins box also arrived, beautifully packaged, with a lovely mix of freebies and samples. But I now have 4 full sized bottles of eye makeup remover in the cupboard alongside a newly opened one, so I am imposing a ban on any more purchases from them for the foreseeable….

I got the CB scent edit for £29 using the BDAY15 code and £5 credit - yay! I've tried a few of these but for this price I'm very happy. I'm desperate for a new scent edit from Liberty, I have lots of beauty drop credit and two loyalty vouchers but the most recent ones are very poor value.

Very rubbish yes. I forced myself to buy the sleep edit with someBD credit and 10% discount for BD members bringing it down to £50-something as i was on the cusp of another £10 worth of points for April loyalty vouchers. Yes, i know i spent a lot mpre than £10 to get £10 but there's quite a few things in that kit I'll sell on and the cute little hottie is good.9

I finally got a chance to try Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady. My immediate reaction was that I didn’t like it, but I think it’s growing on me! Sadly SpaceNK didn’t have the new WA lip balms I really wanted to try 😔 They’re available on CB though.

I love that h/w bottle @IDontHateRainbows

@Fillybuster -I used to save minis for holidays, but as I rarely go away nowadays, that’s not practical. My new idea is to use them up first to reduce the sheer volume of ‘stuff’ and it’s going well.

I have also put all my hair and shower gel products into two separate large clear make up bags ready to use when what is already on the go gets used up. Ime, this stuff virtually never goes ‘off’ so I am not worried about how long it takes to get through it.

I have set aside moisturisers I don’t like: Espa and no7 future renew atm to use as leg and neck cream respectively.

I am trying to remember to cleanse properly every day to use up my cleansers and to moisturise my body daily to use up my body lotions as I seem to have dozens of these from GWP.

I love Portrait of a Lady but think it is one of those fragrances you either love or hate. My friend really didn’t like it so gave me the one she got in her JL calendar.

I tend to save minis for holidays and nights away

I feel your pain. I got into a bind last year with way too many minis. Because they give a bit of an 'empties' reward feeling I was using them at the expense of full size products I like more.

Post xmas I had a huge declutter and sold on a lot of stuff on Vinted. I still have a box of minis I can use when travelling or staying overnight somewhere but it's much reduced.

This year I'm being more discerning about what I buy and/or keep re skincare edits and gwp and I'm mostly using up full sizes when I need to open something new.

Re mascaras I think I had 20+ at one point. Again I've sold on quite few just to get the stash down. In the end I had to rationalise that I couldn't use everything and it's just mascara. If I ended up selling one that down the line turned out to be the best mascara in the world it's fine, I'll just buy another one.

Mascara minis I've been ruthless with this year. I'm starting to open them and try them a few times even if that means I have quite a few mini mascaras open at once. If they're crap or give me panda eyes then easy decision - they're going in the bin.

Even if I do like them but can't use them fully before expiry then it just is what it is. I've talked myself out of seeing this as a total waste. Brands constantly give away mini mascaras so people can try before buy, so that's how I'm viewing it.

There's a mascara in practically every advent, gwp, edit so it's very easy to end up drowning in mascara. By trying every mini at least once it informs future decisions about whether to keep next time they magically fall into your possession or to just not buy that beauty box at all because you already know you don't like the mascara in it.

I just choose what’s I’m in the mood for at the time @Fillybuster! That’s also partly based on whether I feel a need to get through things quicker - I get a nice little dopamine boost from an empty so sometimes I go for a sample size to get that hit!

My big problem is not using body lotions etc. I forget! I’m very good at face and am really dedicated when it comes to cleansing etc. but moisturising the person needs some work!!

Loving your mascara approach @OvaHere

Thank you. I'm aiming to be less Gollum like - treating everything like my precious things. 😂Anything that is genuinely a sample size, so 20ml or less, I've decided is fair game for trying and giving up on if need be. It's a bit of a 180 from where I was a year ago but I'm trying to be more pragmatic this year.

I like that approach @OvaHere after all, they give us samples to try don’t they! It’s what they’re for!