Sunday 2 October 2011

Body Lotion and Moisturisers... Houston, we Have a Problem!

I have a bit of a problem and I thought I'd share it with you guys.  My body moisturiser collection is growing totally out of control!  This is a long standing problem... at one point, about three years ago, I had a staggering 38 (yes I kid you not, 38) lotions, potions, oils, moisturisers and butters all designed to make my body smooth and firm!  By forcing myself to use them up, I was able to get them down to a more manageable number.  But by January this year, swelled by Christmas booty, I was up to 15 body moisturisers to use up again.

The thing is, I rarely ever specifically buy body moisturisers.  They just appear in my beauty storage, from birthdays, Christmas's, hidden in gift sets, gift with purchases, nicked from hotels, Glossy Boxes - if I was buying them myself, they would all be Palmers Coco Body Lotion.  They just find their way into my life.   I just don't really use them up.  Sometimes I do, religiously applying cream to my body every evening before bed.  And then I go for months without even touching them, just sitting unused and unloved.


Today, I decided to do something about it, and gathered up all my body creams into one place.  Somehow, my collection this year has grown again to 26 body moisturisers, most of which are half used.  I don't think I've used up any of them since Chirstmas.  This doesn't include a couple of stray bottles of Johnson's Holiday skin which I have in my also neglected "fake tan" storage, a bottle of YSL Parisian Body Lotion which I'm currently using as a hand cream at work or specific hand and feet creams which I also have a few of knocking around.
 
How can I have this many of them?  I made them fit into my specific body cream storage box, with one in my bedside drawer and one in the bathroom for general usage.  But I'm worried.  The tsunami of beauty gift sets I get for Christmas will mean I'll have to look at another storage solution... and I simply have run out of space!


So my challenge is to reduce the number of body moisturisers I have - by actually using them up, although I have thrown one away today which had clearly gone off (the little one on the very right of the photo).  So one down, 25 to go.  There's no way I'm going to get through 25 moisturisers by Christmas, no matter how often I apply them.  However, I'm planning on using up the ones with the least in them by moisturising, fully, at least once a day.  If I could get it down to just 16 by Christmas, I'll have a fighting chance of getting the new ones to fit into my storage box... and probably a new challenge to start 2012!

Do you have a specific product stash that you just cannot reduce?

Thanks for reading! xx

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ooh I love Sanctuary body butter - so rich and such a nice smell! I seem to end up with lotions and potions too - have you considered donating any unused ones to Give & Make-Up? Good luck with your challenge : ) x

Sarah said...

Great post! I have a collection of the same size and I feel your pain!!

Sarah xx

Ess-Jay24 said...

Mine is the same, i don't have quite as many but it's definitely moisturisers as i go through phases of using them. Good luck with it, may have to join you on the challenge!
xx

Law1sfab said...

I think most people end up with a huge stash ! people always get me it and I don't really use (I really should as my skin is vile). Plus if I smell one that's like candy I have to have it, but yeah like you I'm on a using up what I have. I have became addicted to cocoa butter on my bump (not one mark yet).
25 :P your skin is going to be so soft come christmas xxxxx

Sherrie said...

OMG! I just wet myself when I read the title of your post it's great! I struggle with thinking up good title names! I have to own up and say I have the same problem! x

Helen99 said...

My advice would be what you have started already, throw out any that seem a bit "iffy" then work through them, starting with the ones with the least in so you will start to use them up and feel like you are getting somewhere. I have a lot of stuff across the board but have started P10P which is so satisfying to see old items getting used up. The thing I have most of are nail polishes and I keep adding to them but they are like a collection really so I don't mind having lots!

Helen O said...

Hi!
Do u work in an office?
?How about giving the smaller ones away as hand creams (same thing really!) to colleagues to keep on their desks?

TheBristolBeautyBlog said...

Glad that I'm not the only one with this problem! Some good suggestions there as well.

@ShipshapeandBristolFashion Wish I could give some to Give and Makeup, but I've already used most of them - very stupid of me!

@Vintage and Cake - that's impressive with your bump!

@Helen 99 I'm starting to use up two really big pots that I couldn't fit in my storage first (luckily half used), and then will go on to the smaller bottles and ones with not much left. Hopefully I'll plough through them quickly!

@Helen O - I think one of my colleagues has had the same idea, as we've all got her cast off body lotions on our desks lol! Lucky me, getting her old YSL, but there's loads of it left! x

Thanks for all your comments ladies! x

Beauty Balm said...

love this post! I have an addiction to cleansers (12 at the last count) and to body lotions too. Give and Make up will take lightly used items, they say if you'd give it to a friend they'll take it. x

Anonymous said...

I've just done a body lotion/body butter amnesty at my house too and I've put them all in once place. I always use body lotion after I shower and I select one the night before so I know what I'm going to use.

I think body lotions take so long to put on which is why they get left aside.

Great post x

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