For those not in the know, #beautychallenge10 was a little challenge started by Tamara from Rainbow Feet. Yes, using up products is nothing too innovative but for some reason, this time I really went for it.
Since making the switch to green/vegan beauty, I had fallen in to the trap of pretty much buying EVERYTHING. Therefore - considering my impending student status - I needed to reel things in and once again get a hold on my bank balance. I'll admit, things started slow. However, when I really got in to the swing of it, empties just kept coming and coming, leaving with me with the large pile of plastic shown above.
Doing this challenge has taught me a couple lessons:
1. Buy what you need. True happiness comes when you start to ignore the voices that tell you to buy in to every product review you read. Only make purchases when you run out of items, or when you need a back-up. This way, you aren't left with the impossible decision of 'which shower gel do I use next?!' Also, it avoids the temptation of having three face oils open at once. You'll never finish them before they go rancid.
2. Use-by dates are important. This one is pretty obvious. But when you're trying to use up your stash you may come across a moisturiser that smells a little iffy... and then you realise that you haven't used it in a year. Just, no. If I hadn't been using things up, it could have been festering for another year. Throw it out. Check use by dates. Most natural skincare items are between 6-9 months.
3. Beauty products won't fill a hole. I used to buy beauty products when I was feeling down. But they never truly made me feel better. I'd be hanging around a few days later with a guilty heart and an empty bank account. New purchases would sit unused for weeks at a time. Now I actually can enjoy the products that I buy. And when I'm feeling down - I don't run to the laptop - I run myself a bath cand sink in to a really good book (P.S. my beauty buying habits may have been replaced by book-buying...)
So enough of the boring stuff. Here is the mega list of products I used up during my #beautychallenge10 stint (roughly 3-4 months):
1. Acure Lemongrass Conditioner
2. The Body Shop Eye-Makeup Remover
3. Ilia Beauty Nightfall Mascara
4. Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer x2
5. The Body Shop Cleansing Oil
6. Yours Truly Organics Fix Me Serum
7. Rahua Conditioner Travel Size
8. Desert Essence Lemon Tea Tree Shampoo
9. Pink Konjac Sponge
10. Acure Hydrating Body Wash
11. Thayers Rose Toner
12. Acure Argan Shampoo
13. Trilogy Hydrating Toner
14. Herbivore Botanicals Blue Clay Soap
15. Balance Me Congested Skin Serum
16. Lily Lolo Mascara
17. Aussie Leave-in Conditioner/Heat Protectant
18. Lyons Leaf Beauty Balm Travel Size
19. 100% Pure Brightening Concealer
20. Acure Argan Conditioner
21. Odacite Black Cumin & Cajeput Facial Serum Concentrate
I'm so happy to see that so many of my empties were pre-vegan/unnatural items. But he ho, the empties won't be stopping any time soon. I'm on a roll!