Re: ComPact 2016 -- NOVEMBER

Oshare-girl · ‎11-25-2010

@just bee wrote:
@Oshare-girl wrote:
Happy No-vember! We have returned from the Portland (PNW) and it was lovely. Crisp air and changing leaves, no sales tax. HEP and no-buy were ignored during this time, but I walked a lot since we didn't rent a car.

November is a hard time to do a no-buy for me. It's the time when I stock up on essentials during the various sales. I did decrease the quantities that I purchased. I bought 2 body lotions instead of 3, because like @aprilskies, I don't need it ALL over. I bought travel sizes of the Perricone No Foundation Serum instead of the full size, and a set of travel sized lipsticks. My one guilty pleasure was the Tartelette Tease eyeshadow palette. I definitely don't need it but it's tiny which is a departure from my usual mega-size palette that I normally purchase. I'm also going to be done with my pan-that-palette this year so it will be one in-one out. *Update on PTP, I finished one entire shadow and have pan showing on the other 3 shades!* I'm not buying blush, nail polish, or fragrance as I have stuff I love and don't feel the need for more. I indulged and purchased the items that I really wanted instead of the "good values" which always end up in the not-reached-for section of the drawer. I repurchased the body lotion that I got as a gift but thought was too expensive even though I loved using it. Overall I think I spent more on less items, but it's all stuff that I will enjoy to the last drop. Money well spent, in my opinion.

We had to get a new microwave. The old one had something wrong with the door closure so we had to slam it HARD to use it. It finally wouldn't close anymore. With gift cards, I got a new one for only $28. The whole family is amazed how quiet it is, lol. I also discovered that making oatmeal on the stove vs in the microwave takes about the same amount of time and the texture is better.

Our dishwasher is not working also. I think it has something to do with the door closure too. The last couple of weeks I have been handwashing the dishes. Not fun. And I want to see what our water bill looks like. Supposedly the dishwasher uses less water than handwashing...

I need to get back on the HEP bandwagon, ASAP!
I can't even remember when our dishwasher gave up the ghost. It's been years. The silver lining: Research shows washing dishes by hand is a great stress reliever. If you do it mindfully, they say.

Well, why wouldn't you? Especially if you're washing your wine glasses.

Glad to hear the trip went well!

Well that's an idea. I've been doing the dishes grumpily, wishing the dishwasher was working. But I tried doing it mindfully and it was kind of nice. It's one area where I see immediate gratification. The sink goes from full to empty right away. Of course this had to happen when I just bought a tub of dishwasher tabs from Costco. I have 120 left... If we ever get around to fixing the machine I'll be prepared.

I looked over my year-to-date inventory and I finished 6 lipsticks, tossed 2 and gifted 2. Albeit, the majority of the ones I finished were partially used, so I wasn't starting from a new tube. I'm at the point where my lip products are current, as in purchased within the last 12 months. Before the year is over, I want to finish one more lip product. I finally know the colors and textures that I love using and that is what is left in my stash. I am getting ready to ignore the sales coming up.

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

@Oshare-girl wrote:
@just bee wrote:
@Oshare-girl wrote:
Happy No-vember! We have returned from the Portland (PNW) and it was lovely. Crisp air and changing leaves, no sales tax. HEP and no-buy were ignored during this time, but I walked a lot since we didn't rent a car.

November is a hard time to do a no-buy for me. It's the time when I stock up on essentials during the various sales. I did decrease the quantities that I purchased. I bought 2 body lotions instead of 3, because like @aprilskies, I don't need it ALL over. I bought travel sizes of the Perricone No Foundation Serum instead of the full size, and a set of travel sized lipsticks. My one guilty pleasure was the Tartelette Tease eyeshadow palette. I definitely don't need it but it's tiny which is a departure from my usual mega-size palette that I normally purchase. I'm also going to be done with my pan-that-palette this year so it will be one in-one out. *Update on PTP, I finished one entire shadow and have pan showing on the other 3 shades!* I'm not buying blush, nail polish, or fragrance as I have stuff I love and don't feel the need for more. I indulged and purchased the items that I really wanted instead of the "good values" which always end up in the not-reached-for section of the drawer. I repurchased the body lotion that I got as a gift but thought was too expensive even though I loved using it. Overall I think I spent more on less items, but it's all stuff that I will enjoy to the last drop. Money well spent, in my opinion.

We had to get a new microwave. The old one had something wrong with the door closure so we had to slam it HARD to use it. It finally wouldn't close anymore. With gift cards, I got a new one for only $28. The whole family is amazed how quiet it is, lol. I also discovered that making oatmeal on the stove vs in the microwave takes about the same amount of time and the texture is better.

Our dishwasher is not working also. I think it has something to do with the door closure too. The last couple of weeks I have been handwashing the dishes. Not fun. And I want to see what our water bill looks like. Supposedly the dishwasher uses less water than handwashing...

I need to get back on the HEP bandwagon, ASAP!
I can't even remember when our dishwasher gave up the ghost. It's been years. The silver lining: Research shows washing dishes by hand is a great stress reliever. If you do it mindfully, they say.

Well, why wouldn't you? Especially if you're washing your wine glasses.

Glad to hear the trip went well!
Well that's an idea. I've been doing the dishes grumpily, wishing the dishwasher was working. But I tried doing it mindfully and it was kind of nice. It's one area where I see immediate gratification. The sink goes from full to empty right away. Of course this had to happen when I just bought a tub of dishwasher tabs from Costco. I have 120 left... If we ever get around to fixing the machine I'll be prepared.

I looked over my year-to-date inventory and I finished 6 lipsticks, tossed 2 and gifted 2. Albeit, the majority of the ones I finished were partially used, so I wasn't starting from a new tube. I'm at the point where my lip products are current, as in purchased within the last 12 months. Before the year is over, I want to finish one more lip product. I finally know the colors and textures that I love using and that is what is left in my stash. I am getting ready to ignore the sales coming up.

Sounds familiar! I had just stocked up on dishwasher detergent when our dishwasher died. Repurposed it: I've been using it to get tea stains out of my mugs.

It looks like you've found the original purpose of the ComPact. That was to find the handful of products that work best for us and stick with them. Now you know what lip products work best for you! It's easier to resist that urge to shop and experiment when you've found the products that you can depend on. Simplifies life, doesn't it?

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~

just bee · ‎03-10-2010

Oh -- and I should probably add that our glasses looked terrible coming out of the dishwasher. They always looked cloudy -- as if they hadn't been washed. Now that we wash them by hand, the same glasses have been restored. I can see through them.

~My philosophy: Dogs are God's most perfect creatures. Angels, here on Earth, who teach us to be better human beings.~

Oshare-girl · ‎11-25-2010

A dear friend sent me a link to watch the documentary called "Stink" and it really hit a nerve. It's about chemicals and perfumes in our everyday products and how companies don't need to release that information to consumers. I know that there are many paths to cancer and I want to do what I can to reduce me & my family's exposure to it by reducing the chemicals that I bring into our home that touch our skin. I can't do anything about what's outside our home but I will do this little thing that will give me some peace.

I threw out all the perfume samples I was hoarding. I put away the bottles of perfume I was using daily. I started using my essential oils as fragrance and will use my perfumes sparingly until they are finished.

I read the labels and looked up the ingredient lists for whatever was in my stash. I used a "villans" list from Beauty Heroes to weed out products containing at least 3 of the ingredients on that list. I can't even remember what I tossed, I was in such a frenzy, but I don't even miss those items right now.

This will definitely reduce the amount of products I will be purchasing. I will have to be much more selective in my purchases. Not only does it have to be something I love using, but it has to be "clean" according to my new standards. Phew, glad this happened before I stocked up at Black Friday sales.

Oshare-girl · ‎11-25-2010

So to expand on my latest strategy to go "cleaner" in my cosmetics & skincare, I don't want to come across as judgey. For me, I have too much of everything and this is a way to give me guidance in purchasing products. So far, it has helped me (this week) to avoid any impulsive buys from the sales that are bombarding me. It also helped me to cull items that I was holding onto but not really using. It gave me a reason to let it go. For example, I had a Clinique Cheek Pop blush that I use once every few weeks. Checking the ingredients, I found out it has the chemical that is better known as Teflon. Since I hardly use the blush and I have other blushes that contain better ingredients, why was I holding on to it? I know that everything is a "chemical". So I'm going to select the chemicals that will be beneficial to my life. Plus, I use so many products, my exposure is probably much higher than someone that doesn't use many products. Layers upon layers of "chemicals". That's another area that I want to reduce, the amount of products I use. So this is another way to help me reduce what I use. Do I really need all these products? NO. Am I giving up anything I love & enjoy? NO. The beauty industry is so huge, I will find lots of awesome products for whatever stance I choose to take. I am not deprived in any way. For me it was a win-win.

Hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving full of good food & good company! I am so thankful for this thread.

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

@Oshare-girl wrote:
So to expand on my latest strategy to go "cleaner" in my cosmetics & skincare, I don't want to come across as judgey. For me, I have too much of everything and this is a way to give me guidance in purchasing products. So far, it has helped me (this week) to avoid any impulsive buys from the sales that are bombarding me. It also helped me to cull items that I was holding onto but not really using. It gave me a reason to let it go. For example, I had a Clinique Cheek Pop blush that I use once every few weeks. Checking the ingredients, I found out it has the chemical that is better known as Teflon. Since I hardly use the blush and I have other blushes that contain better ingredients, why was I holding on to it? I know that everything is a "chemical". So I'm going to select the chemicals that will be beneficial to my life. Plus, I use so many products, my exposure is probably much higher than someone that doesn't use many products. Layers upon layers of "chemicals". That's another area that I want to reduce, the amount of products I use. So this is another way to help me reduce what I use. Do I really need all these products? NO. Am I giving up anything I love & enjoy? NO. The beauty industry is so huge, I will find lots of awesome products for whatever stance I choose to take. I am not deprived in any way. For me it was a win-win.

Hope everyone has a lovely Thanksgiving full of good food & good company! I am so thankful for this thread.

I am trying to do the same thing. Earlier this year or last year, I dont remember now, I read that a person puts on 160ish+ chemicals on their body everyday. I was blown away. That is what got me started on the trying to simplify the amount of products I use everyday. I am sure they are not all harmful and some needed for bacteria purposes but that is still pretty bad. I dont try and use everything anymore, I use what I want for the day. If that means I toss some stuff because it has gone bad, then so be it. I have given some away too, especially stuff I know I will never get around to using. ....and others, I am making a point to use instead of just looking at them. I get tired of seeing the same stuff around all the time. LOL.

I, too, am not judgy at all for any of it. I still have so much stuff, it will take a long while to get through it all. I dont see the light at the end of the tunnel just yet.

aprilskies · ‎03-09-2010

Well, my no beauty no buy has been going fantastic. The only thing I bought that came today was a hair product. I didnt need another hair product quite frankly, but I have some hair issues and I know the answer isnt in products but I keep up the hope. I may or may not send it back. When I look at the small 4.2 oz bottle and consider what I paid for it, it makes me go hmmmm. But, I really hate sending things back so I will probably hold on to it and hope I love it when I try it. I had a deluxe sample but not sure how I felt about it. But, that is one product in 4 months. I can live with that. First time ever.

Although, I will say, it has not been easy. I keep getting tempted by so many things and so far I have not given in. Resisting eyeshadow palettes has been incrediby hard. I want so many of them. But so far so good. Keeping my fingers crossed I dont go overboard. I think I will go through my mu once again and remind myself how much I really have. It will help because the struggle is real, yo!!!!

My HEP is just terrible. Simply terrible. No use in starting now, Thanksgiving is tomorrow and, no, I am not holding back. But, afterwards, I am going to try and be strict with myself until Christmas. I went to the doctor this morning and was stunned when she weighed me. Yikes, how did that happen.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!!!!

dosey · ‎10-16-2010

@just bee wrote:
@Oshare-girl wrote:
Happy No-vember! We have returned from the Portland (PNW) and it was lovely. Crisp air and changing leaves, no sales tax. HEP and no-buy were ignored during this time, but I walked a lot since we didn't rent a car.

November is a hard time to do a no-buy for me. It's the time when I stock up on essentials during the various sales. I did decrease the quantities that I purchased. I bought 2 body lotions instead of 3, because like @aprilskies, I don't need it ALL over. I bought travel sizes of the Perricone No Foundation Serum instead of the full size, and a set of travel sized lipsticks. My one guilty pleasure was the Tartelette Tease eyeshadow palette. I definitely don't need it but it's tiny which is a departure from my usual mega-size palette that I normally purchase. I'm also going to be done with my pan-that-palette this year so it will be one in-one out. *Update on PTP, I finished one entire shadow and have pan showing on the other 3 shades!* I'm not buying blush, nail polish, or fragrance as I have stuff I love and don't feel the need for more. I indulged and purchased the items that I really wanted instead of the "good values" which always end up in the not-reached-for section of the drawer. I repurchased the body lotion that I got as a gift but thought was too expensive even though I loved using it. Overall I think I spent more on less items, but it's all stuff that I will enjoy to the last drop. Money well spent, in my opinion.

We had to get a new microwave. The old one had something wrong with the door closure so we had to slam it HARD to use it. It finally wouldn't close anymore. With gift cards, I got a new one for only $28. The whole family is amazed how quiet it is, lol. I also discovered that making oatmeal on the stove vs in the microwave takes about the same amount of time and the texture is better.

Our dishwasher is not working also. I think it has something to do with the door closure too. The last couple of weeks I have been handwashing the dishes. Not fun. And I want to see what our water bill looks like. Supposedly the dishwasher uses less water than handwashing...

I need to get back on the HEP bandwagon, ASAP!
I can't even remember when our dishwasher gave up the ghost. It's been years. The silver lining: Research shows washing dishes by hand is a great stress reliever. If you do it mindfully, they say.

Well, why wouldn't you? Especially if you're washing your wine glasses.

Glad to hear the trip went well!

Hand washing dishes is one of the chores I do not mind.

Paws and enjoy life.

dosey · ‎10-16-2010

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!! I am still up waiting for the cheesecake to cool enough so I can remove the pan. The pecan pie is done, and I've completed as much pre-Thanksgiving meal preparation as I can. Where has the year gone? I am so disappointed with myself. By now, I usually have both many Christmas gifts. This year? None! Not a single gift has been purchased.

Once again, the breakage continues in my house. We repaired the sewage pipe leak. Then, the heater would not kick on. Next, the dryer. Finally (hopefully), an outlet went out causing all of the outlets on the wall not to work, including the garbage disposal. The joys of homeownership!

DD and I are going to continue the tradition of shopping on Black Friday. We'll have breakfast at Panera and then hit the mall. She needs a new jacket and a sweater or two.

I have made only two beauty purchases. Both were small Origins skincare kits. I have always wanted to try the brand. The products are supposed to be formulated without a bunch of unhealthy ingredients. Also, I have given up waiting for an Isomers Vitamin C kit. If it comes along, fine. Until then, I am going to try other brands. That is why I bought the Origins kits. Both are for brightening, and the kits work together. I feel good about these purchases. The skincare section of my bathroom cabinet looks terrific. I'll finish what I have been using and then open the Origins kits. Because I love Isomers Super Skin Serum, I am going to continue using this with the Origins products.

This season, I will make it without buying any color cosmetics. What I have started doing is looking at kits with a critical eye. So many kits are a mix of warm and cool shades, so automatically I eliminate half of the colors. Then, I can usually eliminate the dark and very lights shades. By the time I do this, I realize that the kit is not really a bargain. Now if the companies wised up and started offering cool and warm kits, I'd be in trouble. Brushes are still a slight problem. Tarte has the nicest brush set for only $44. If the brushes had not been double-ended, I would have bought them. That's a sad statement since I do not need another brush, but it's true. I would have bought them.

As far as inventory goes, I finished another eyeliner. This is the last eyeliner in my drawer that had to be sharpened. My other eyeliners are the twist up kind. I have enough to last for months. I also gave my only liquid eyeliner to DD. Eyeshadow palettes really do last for months, at least. I continue to use the same one everyday and still have a lot left. I will not open a new palette until this one is finished. In the lip color category, I tossed a lipstick and lip gloss that were just a little too brown. IThey were not pink enough. Then, I did something that might cause distress to Borghese lovers. Prepare yourselves. I spooned out the contents of three jars of mud masks and used the jars to organize my lip colors. The masks just did not work for me. They stung. Happily, my lip colors look great in them, and there is room to spare in each jar. I could fit them into two jars, but I like having them separated my color.

I'll sign off for now. The cheesecake is cool, so it can go in the fridge.

Paws and enjoy life.