SandraVB79
Well-known member
My April empties:
I have still quite a bit of "almost empties", and am focusing on those first, so May should be a good month too, lol.
Operation "Use it up"! All welcome!!
- Thread starter charlotte366
- Start date
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Buffy89
Guest
Do you know that one can put the masks into the freezer? I seperate little "scoops" with a teaspoon and put them on little squares of saran wrap, then I wrap/twist the ends up to close the little package and store them in a little plastic box. Sorry that I'm not able to express this properly in English, I hope one can get the idea. Catastrophe Cosmetic is such a great mask! I got no Lush shop in my town and I don't wanna pay the shipping from their online store, so I rarey get the chance to purchase it. About 5 years ago, I was super crazy for Lush, but I've calmed down again.Nice! But yeah, a shame you can't choose something that isn't fresh... I just bought a new Catastrophe Cosmetic today. I love that mask. I've been lucky to catch their new deliveries of masks the last couple times which is great because it maximizes the life span of the product for me.
And here's a list of the products I've finished in April:
- Mac Moisturecover Concealer NW15 (I already had a backup; my staple undereye concealer)
- 5 perfume samples
- Roche Posay Effaclar Duo face cream (already had a backup; I use it both in the morning and in the evening)
- Schwarzkopf Gliss conditioner
- Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Cleansing Foam (travel size)
- Alterna Abundant Volume shampoo+coditioner sample
- Soap & Glory Scrub of Your Life body scrub (travel size)
not a lot, but my box of samples is getting emptier!
DMcG9
Well-known member
Yes, I was researching online how to make them last longer and saw that freezing them is the way to go. Glad to hear the method is sound from a Specktrette!
Your English is quite good so I understand what you mean. Don't worry about that even if you feel a bit self-conscious.
kerry-jane88
Well-known member
This is a brilliant idea thank you for sharing!
I find that I can get about 5 or 6 uses out of a fresh face mask, but after 3 or so applications I don't feel the need to keep using it but feel like I have to as by then it's usually got less than a week until it goes bad - so I'll be trying this method so that I can come back to using it when I feel like it! How long does it take for the mask to defrost once you take it out of the freezer?
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Buffy89
Guest
yeah I also don't really want to use a mask, like, seven days in a row. It doesn't take long to defrost, think of ice cream. Maybe quarter an hour.This is a brilliant idea thank you for sharing!
dodotheextinct
Active member
April empties. I really focused on a few lipsticks this month so hooray for using them up!
Total products used: 20
Whew 5 MAC products were used up this month... almost there for a Back2Mac lippie.
Total products used: 20
Whew 5 MAC products were used up this month... almost there for a Back2Mac lippie.
kerry-jane88
Well-known member
Wow I'm always impressed by makeup empties in particular!April empties. I really focused on a few lipsticks this month so hooray for using them up!Total products used: 20 Whew 5 MAC products were used up this month... almost there for a Back2Mac lippie.
thefbomb
Well-known member
Wow! You did really well!April empties. I really focused on a few lipsticks this month so hooray for using them up!Total products used: 20 Whew 5 MAC products were used up this month... almost there for a Back2Mac lippie.
VAL4M
Well-known member
here my April-May empties (and trash)
Van Cleef & Arpels Oriens 30ml perfume
Kibio Fresh Pureness Foam
Matrix Sculpting Paste
NeoStrata Toning Solution Level 2
N.7 Beautiful skin Pore Minimising serum (didn't work)
Sample size Guerlain Super Aqua lotion Toner optimum Hydration
Sample size Guerlain Abeille Royale lotion toner Firming Lift
Rouge Dior Lipstick in Action Red (Disc)
Benefits cream eyeshadow in Tattle tale (didn't finish all because became very patchy)
Gosh LiplinerPeach Pearl ( too dry and not enough pigmented for my lips)
Lancome Sample size mascara Definicils
Sample size NUDE Progenius Treatment Oil (love this stuff but so expensive)
So 12 items done!
jennyap
Well-known member
I really need to post my empties for the year so far before another month goes by! Some of what's shown are purged items, not just true empties (all are marked with a P or E so you can tell which is which), as I'm tracking everything I get rid of. My target for the year is reduction of 150 items, so I need to get going (especially after February's pathetic effort!), thankfully May is looking decent.
SandraVB79
Well-known member
In March, is that a Dior body scrub? i once had one in a GWP and loved-loved-loved it!
jennyap
Well-known member
Yup. Also from a GWP - very old! I liked it a lot.
SandraVB79
Well-known member
I had a lot of "almost empties". Most of them are now really empty and now I have to decide: Will I tackle full size products (or even extra large ones), or use up a lot of (deluxe) samples/ travel sizes first? Decisions, decisions, and lots of first world problems...
VAL4M
Well-known member
Why not, it just take longer!
why not do a mixe of different size?
jennyap
Well-known member
Personally I'm tackling samples/travel sizes first, I like seeing the number of items on my inventory going down. I'm allowing myself occasional use of full size items though to keep a bit of variety! So for example if I don't fancy the scent of the body lotion I'm working on on a particular day, I'm allowed to use one of my full size favourites instead. Not too often, as I don't want to take the focus away from generating empties, but ultimately as long as I'm using them it's all going in the right direction
I am also reviewing the full size stuff to see if I want to keep it all, and I've identified a few things I am happy to donate.
thefbomb
Well-known member
You did well!
SandraVB79
Well-known member
I also like seeing the number of items going down. But I also travel a lot, and then the small ones come in handy. And then there are the products/ perfumes that are better for winter than summer, ... I don't only need an inventory, but some system to sort and prioritize them all, lol! such awful first world problems...Personally I'm tackling samples/travel sizes first, I like seeing the number of items on my inventory going down. I'm allowing myself occasional use of full size items though to keep a bit of variety! So for example if I don't fancy the scent of the body lotion I'm working on on a particular day, I'm allowed to use one of my full size favourites instead. Not too often, as I don't want to take the focus away from generating empties, but ultimately as long as I'm using them it's all going in the right direction
jennyap
Well-known member
Oh I do sympathise LOL. The numbers on my inventory are scary to be honest, but also motivating. I have it in an Excel spreadsheet, one tab for each category: my makeup is broken up between eyes, lips, face, cheeks. Skincare, nails, hair, body products are each in a separate category/tab. Then each item is listed: first column is product type (for example lips has product types lipstick, gloss, balm, liner), then brand, item, colour, price, date of purchase, LE/perm, etc. I have a free text column where I can put extra info so something like fragrance that was just for winter I'd note that there. Yes, you could say a bit obsessive, but I love lists, I love Excel, so it's fun for me too! I also have what I've called a 'hit list' - which is just the top 2 items in each category that I want to focus on using up. I keep a hard copy of that in my vanity for easy reference. Re travel items, I'd suggest packing a travel bag with whatever you'd normally take with you. Put that to one side just for travel, and whilst at home focus on using things up from the rest of your stash. If you finish something from the travel bag and you still have a travel size item in your main stash replace it with that, or decant from a full size item into a travel container, until you get your stash down to where you want it. Hope that helps!
SandraVB79
Well-known member
I have such an excel file too!!!! I love love love excel and my whole life is managed by excel lists and pivot tables, lol!!!
Winterwhite
Well-known member
When you go to B2M, do you also always buy something in addition? I know that technically one does not have to, but I think the employees are not that happy about it then, or at least I got the impression. That´s why I usually do B2M only after a longer time, for maybe 3 lipsticks, so that a) I can minimize the amount of events of awkwardness and b) in most cases by then I'll need something else anyways.
However, once I was pretty broke and I needed a replacement for a colour that was almost empty, so I B2M only for the one lipstick and nothing else; did not buy anything either. The employee was nice but it did feel kinda weird, though. Even though I know that B2M is already priced into the price of the new lipsticks anyways. But there was also mentioned here and in other forums that employees have to meet certain sale goals. So I don't know.
