The Beauty Diet - Part Two

So last week I posted about some of the stock of beauty products I have.  I posted about shower gel, shampoo and conditioner, face wash, exfoliators and all my samples.  Well the good news is I’m making good inroads into my stock, so I’ll have more space on my bathroom shelves and beauty baskets, and am spending less money on products I already have!  I’ve got through some Head & Shoulders shampoo and Timotei conditioner already and one and a half little bottles of shower gel.  I’ve also been using some of the facial scrubs I’ve had kicking around for ages.  I really dislike both the Clean & Clear warming scrub and the Clean and Clear blackhead cleaning scrub.  The warming scrub leaves a residue on my face and the blackhead clearing scrub doesn’t really scrub very well!  Anyway, I’ve been rotating them with my preferred scrubs, so that they get used up and so I get a proper scrub at least every other day!

But despite putting a stop to some of my spending, I’ve been naughty and ordered the Urban Decay Book of Shadows (which I wasn’t going to do, but all you other bloggers had me lemming right after it), and am still spending on other things...Boots No. 7 vouchers, I mean you!!!

Today I thought I’d look at some other areas of my beauty spending that can be trimmed and set myself some more spending challenges.  I’m sorry about the lack of photos – I left my camera at work.  I’ve got some photos already on my computer for some posts I’m planning over the weekend, and can steal my boyfriend’s camera, but I couldn’t be bothered to charge it tonight!

Moisturisers/body creams

I’m very particular about my facial moisturiser, so this isn’t included.  However, at the beginning of last year I counted 34 random body moisturisers in a basket (I keep them separate from my usual beauty baskets).  Yes, 34. I have made a concerted effort to use these up, but there are still loads left – there were 18 left in the basket, and I know I have at least 6 more dotted around the flat, at work, in my car and my hand bag.  Some are glittery and sparkly, some are really heavily perfumed, there are two old after suns and some of the creams are half-used.  However, most of them were part of gift sets for Christmases and Birthdays, which I didn’t even chose!  So I don’t need any more moisturiser. Probably ever!  I do really want to start using them up though, as I feel guilty if I ever buy any new moisturiser having so much of it already!  It just means I’m going to have to moisturise more than I do now to try and get through them all.

Make-up

I’ve not inventoried my makeup.  I know that there will be things I want to buy (Urban Decay Naked palette, I’ve got to have it), and things that I have to buy, such as foundation and concealer or mascara.  I also really want to get some of Revlon’s new season collection.  Plus, I got another £5 No 7 voucher yesterday, so the ongoing cycle of buying something and getting another voucher is about to start...  But other than these items, I want to restrict myself to essentials and planned spending.  So:

Lipsticks – no spending until end of November

Eyeshadows – no spending until end of November

Blushers – definitely no spending until end of November!

Foundation and concealers – buy as needed (but not randomly – buy ones I use and like)

Nail varnish – really none needed for the next 5 years, but none until end of November

Brushes – definitely no spending until end of November

Primer – I’ll probably need to get some more shortly

My spending on makeup excludes the new Revlon Collection, the Urban Decay Naked Palette and up to £100 on random make up lusts and essentials (until end of November).  Can I do it?

 

This spending embargo excludes face moisturisers and serums, deodorants and body spray, foot care, other hair products, haircuts, beauty treatments, hair removal etc.  Things like this, I don’t really stock up on, but buy when I need them.  Spending on perfumes is also embargoed as I have about 10 of them (unless I see my favourite, discontinued perfume on Ebay at a reasonable price).  Clothes aren’t included as I desperately need a new winter wardrobe, and have budgeted for this.

Having done an inventory I’m surprised at how many of the items I own I didn’t buy myself and I don’t particularly like.  A lot of the products are OK, but I wouldn’t buy them again.  I’m planning to really run down my stocks so that I have more space (we only live in a small flat), and so that I can buy products that I actually really like in the future.  Saving some more pennies will also be a good thing!

Thanks for reading (again, sorry for a ramble)! x