Beauty

[just bee]

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@geezerette wrote:

@Oshare-girl

I just wanted to pop in for a minute and give you a quick “Congratulations!” on your decluttering!  $2,000 of stuff used up—Yay for you!👏👍. That’s quite an accomplishment. It sounds like you have a good start on the new year in a lot of aspects of what you want.  Keep up the good work—you’re an inspiration to the rest of us!💪🏻

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@geezerette

How does she do it?

I was in the shower last night and realized that I still have enough shower gel/body wash to get through 2018.  Do I need to take more showers?

Can I wash the car with this stuff?

This is my punishment for stocking so much of it.  Shower gel has become joyless.  Why did I ever design my life around different scents and colors?

It's nuts.

[just bee]

Talk about HEPdogs and HEPcats... I have to put the world's greatest dog on a diet -- STAT!

He's suddenly ten pounds heavier and it shows.  We already lived with a diabetic dog and I can't let that happen again.

Better-half's in denial.  I don't think he realizes our boy is a senior citizen.  In fact, he's the eldest in our pack now.  He's in his sixties (in dog years).

[just bee]

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@rnmom wrote:

HEP has not been going well. I still have junk food in the house that I need to get out. I'm hoping that in the next few weeks I can start trying to cut a few pounds. I have been trying to eat at least a little healthier and have some smaller portions but I haven't really been serious about it yet. Hopefully soon.

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@rnmom

I've never followed a specific diet, but if I had to it would be the Mediterranean diet.  It's the only one that makes sense to me.  It incorporates all the foods I like and those are the foods that make me feel happy.

Better-half is open to tweaking our routine to include more salads and fish.  He's the one who's been consistent on the salads and water consumption.  Gotta give him credit for that.

[rnmom]

@just bee- I don't really follow a specific type of "diet' either, I just cut back on how much I'm eating so that I'm burning off more than I'm taking in. Plus I try to eat heathier too, because an apple has less calories than a cupcake. Just a basic low calorie diet. I guess if I'd have to compare it to anything it would be like Weight Watchers, I can eat whatever I want, just less calories. 

The toys are out of the house! Woo hoo! I'm really glad that those boxes are gone. I'm not looking forward to hitting my closet mainly because I don't like trying clothes on. Maybe next week I'll get in there

[just bee]

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@rnmom wrote:

@just bee- I don't really follow a specific type of "diet' either, I just cut back on how much I'm eating so that I'm burning off more than I'm taking in. Plus I try to eat heathier too, because an apple has less calories than a cupcake. Just a basic low calorie diet. I guess if I'd have to compare it to anything it would be like Weight Watchers, I can eat whatever I want, just less calories. 

The toys are out of the house! Woo hoo! I'm really glad that those boxes are gone. I'm not looking forward to hitting my closet mainly because I don't like trying clothes on. Maybe next week I'll get in there

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@rnmom

Eating less, making healthier choices and burning more calories.  That really is the best way to do it.  That last part is important.  When I was home from work for six weeks I went out with the dog every day and lost weight.

I worked overtime Friday night but made myself stay awake when I got home just so I could get a hike in with Better-half and Chunkums.  The calorie burning part is crucial.

As for closets... I think that's another part I dread.  Trying on all those old clothes.  Aaarrgghh.

[Oshare-girl]

Oh friends, you give me too much credit. Don’t forget that half of the $2k was decluttered stuff that I didn’t like. And that was retail value. I still look at my list and think what a waste it was to have purchased those things in the first place. @gezzerette is right about not knowing something is bad until you try it. So I’ve been more mindful about not buying dupes of something in the first week of trying a new product. That’s one thing that got me everytime. I loved it right away and had to have 3 more of them in back stock. But then 3 months into it and I started getting bored or worst. And I had 3 in the stash that I couldn’t return since it was past the return period. Also that Beauty Heroes sunscription was for items that were worth at least $100 so I used up a lot of retail amount with that. Let me tell you, green beauty is pricey!

I think every year gets better with the compact. I learn more about my preferences and shopping triggers and gain more self control and new habits. I finally have a pretty good idea of how long it takes me to use up products. That really helped in the bath products area. Me and DD can go through a bottle of shower gel in 3 months so I only buy 4-5 bottles a year. Ugh I found out that we go through bar soap in half that time so I’m back to bottle shower gel. I buy the stuff I like even if it’s more $$ because I know that I will love using it. Lotion takes twice as long to use up so I buy less of that. Also I finally share my products with the rest of the family instead of saving it for a fantasy day. That’s definitely helped to use things up. Lipstick takes 3-4 months to finish an entire tube. I’m still about a year behind in that area. I tend to buy dupes of my favorite formula since it’s been discontinued in the worldwide conspiracy.

I miss drugstore.com too! They shipped for free to Hawaii and I could get the best deals on everything from the mundane to the treat-yo-self luxuries. But maybe it’s better this way to have such an easy shopping option taken away. God knows I don’t need an easy shopping option in my life when I’m trying not to shop.

[just bee]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:


I think every year gets better with the compact. I learn more about my preferences and shopping triggers and gain more self control and new habits. I finally have a pretty good idea of how long it takes me to use up products. That really helped in the bath products area. Me and DD can go through a bottle of shower gel in 3 months so I only buy 4-5 bottles a year. Ugh I found out that we go through bar soap in half that time so I’m back to bottle shower gel. I buy the stuff I like even if it’s more $$ because I know that I will love using it. Lotion takes twice as long to use up so I buy less of that. Also I finally share my products with the rest of the family instead of saving it for a fantasy day. That’s definitely helped to use things up. Lipstick takes 3-4 months to finish an entire tube. I’m still about a year behind in that area. I tend to buy dupes of my favorite formula since it’s been discontinued in the worldwide conspiracy.

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@Oshare-girl

Yes!

Dating items with a Sharpie has helped; using old shampoo and shower gel as hand soap at the sinks has helped; staying out of the stores has helped; and reducing the number of backups has helped.

Another one?  Using a shower gel until the bottle is empty.  Once it's in the shower stall, it's there until it's done.

[FUTURE]

@just bee I haven’t finished the thread and don’t know if you picked up any long sleeved shirts, but I recently bought a couple of long sleeved t’s at Target in their new A New Day brand, and I really love them!!! They have a bit of stretch, are slightly thinner material but still good quality (I prefer thinner t’s when I’m layering, especially under scrubs), and they frequently run sales (2 for, BOGO, etc) Just thought I’d throw it out there in case you’re still in the market. I limited myself to black, white and a striped one bc they were a great price, but can see myself buying more in the future, if needed. 

[just bee]

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@FUTURE wrote:

@just bee I haven’t finished the thread and don’t know if you picked up any long sleeved shirts, but I recently bought a couple of long sleeved t’s at Target in their new A New Day brand, and I really love them!!! They have a bit of stretch, are slightly thinner material but still good quality (I prefer thinner t’s when I’m layering, especially under scrubs), and they frequently run sales (2 for, BOGO, etc) Just thought I’d throw it out there in case you’re still in the market. I limited myself to black, white and a striped one bc they were a great price, but can see myself buying more in the future, if needed. 

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@FUTURE

Four years ago I bought some really soft Merona shirts at Target (in fact, I'm wearing one now) and when I'd thought about buying them recently I read some negative reviews on Target's website.  Sounds ike they changed somehow.  I bought some shirts from Walmart (a year ago, maybe?) and they're okay, but I'll check out Target.

I have a store spitting distance from the house but I haven't been there in years.  I'll keep my eyes open for a sale...

[geezerette]

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@Oshare-girl wrote:
@Oh friends, you give me too much credit. Don’t forget that half of the $2k was decluttered stuff that I didn’t like. And that was retail value. I still look at my list and think what a waste it was to have purchased those things in the first place. @gezzerette is right about not knowing something is bad until you try it. So I’ve been more mindful about not buying dupes of something in the first week of trying a new product. That’s one thing that got me everytime. I loved it right away and had to have 3 more of them in back stock. But then 3 months into it and I started getting bored or worst. And I had 3 in the stash that I couldn’t return since it was past the return period. Also that Beauty Heroes sunscription was for items that were worth at least $100 so I used up a lot of retail amount with that. Let me tell you, green beauty is pricey!

I think every year gets better with the compact. I learn more about my preferences and shopping triggers and gain more self control and new habits. I finally have a pretty good idea of how long it takes me to use up products. That really helped in the bath products area. Me and DD can go through a bottle of shower gel in 3 months so I only buy 4-5 bottles a year. Ugh I found out that we go through bar soap in half that time so I’m back to bottle shower gel. I buy the stuff I like even if it’s more $$ because I know that I will love using it. Lotion takes twice as long to use up so I buy less of that. Also I finally share my products with the rest of the family instead of saving it for a fantasy day. That’s definitely helped to use things up. Lipstick takes 3-4 months to finish an entire tube. I’m still about a year behind in that area. I tend to buy dupes of my favorite formula since it’s been discontinued in the worldwide conspiracy.

I miss drugstore.com too! They shipped for free to Hawaii and I could get the best deals on everything from the mundane to the treat-yo-self luxuries. But maybe it’s better this way to have such an easy shopping option taken away. God knows I don’t need an easy shopping option in my life when I’m trying not to shop.

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@Oshare-girl

Exactly!  I always did that same thing!  I have to stock up while I can get it. I had so many items that I had multiples of and then I found out I didn’t really like the first item!  And there is something about having a huge stockpile of an item that no longer makes me feel secure.  Instead, I now look at those large excesses and just want to hurry up and use them up.  

And I also agree about this Compact making me more aware of my wants, needs and priorities.  I didn’t have a very good first week of the new year (mostly because of that darned HEP again), but I have a better idea of what I’m doing and where I want to go.  My weak points and what triggers them.  

I was hoping to magically become a new vice-free person when the calendar changed to a new year.  But that didn’t happen.  I guess it takes work, not magic.  So I have to try harder this week, that’s all.  I read or heard somewhere recently that when you fall short of a goal, instead of beating yourself up about failing, forgive and encourage yourself to do better, like you would for a friend.  That’s what we do here.  And if I am having a bad week, I can be happy and encouraged by someone else’s successes that week, be they large or small.  And inspired to do better!👍