Too Much of a Good Thing

My mom had this thing about trying new hair and body products. I say had because the photos below are from when I visited last time in November. The photo above is from this weekend. As you'll see she's come a long way.


These are all the products that cluttered up the shower stall and the bathtub. Nothing was full and nothing was entirely empty either. With mom's approval I tossed some of the stuff that she didn't like and then I decanted what little there as in some bottles into one with schampoo, one with conditioner and one with soap.

Then I forbade her to buy a single new bottle until she had used up the one's she still had. Haha!  But it worked! When I arrived at her house last Thursday I was amazed that there were exactly three bottles (one in the shower stall and two by the tub) out and after sneaking a peek in her cabinet noticed that she hadn't stocked up with new ones either. Way to go mom!

Please excuse the quality of these photos btw, they were taken with my cell phone. Remind me not to do that ever again.

Comments

[Lisbeth]

Excellent 'before and after' :)
Although I enjoy finding new, better shampoos myself, I've never understood the urge to test them out simultanously..

[Judith]

Ooh - we have a "buyer and tryer" at our house. Wonder if she'd take kindly to being forbidden to buy more stuff till she's done with what she has. I might give it a try!

[Bodil]

Ha, ha, min mamma är precis likadan, men där blir det tyvärr ingen bot och bättring. Det ser snart likadant ut efter att jag varit där och rensat.

[Catherine @ waking up with you]

My god, I am so like your mother (was)! My boyfriend has forbade me to buy new shampoos and conditioners until I finish the many bottles I already have! Maybe it's a mental illness? :P

[quinn]

Do you mean that you mixed up the many small amounts of individual shampoos into one container, the many small amounts of individual conditioners into one container? I am reading it that way, but with the many (incomprehensible) ingredients in most products, I would worry about conflicts - of aroma, if nothing else. Possibly more serious reactions. Maybe I misunderstood?

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

That's exactly what I did :) It's only schampoo after all, not some major chemical concoction. It did smell a bit odd, not bad, just a little odd. I did this in November and mom still has all her hair so I think it was ok :)

[Leena]

I have the exact opposite to what Catherine explained. My boyfriend is the one who collects allkinds of hair and body products (he has some dandruf, and he's tried all kinds of stuff, which none has helped [that does not explain the body products, though...]). We moved together year and a half ago and I forbid him to buy those products anymore. I hid all the existing products to a cabinet and use only one at a time. In this time we have lived together we have not bought a single product and we still have bottles on the cabinet!

And to Quinn: I doubt that those beauty products have very many active chemical compounds. As an example, I use the same mini shampoo bottle on my trips, I always fill it up with the shampoo that I happen to use at that time. The bottle must now have tens of different shampoos in it and my hair has never complained :) I don't think it does any harm.
I am no chemist though... or a hairdresser...

[Elle Sees]

I'm bad at purchasing products. However, moving to a new place this summer cured that! I threw/gave away tons of stuff. Never again will I be cluttered.

[Margaret]

I like your declutering idea but I honestly hope you didn't just toss those empty bottles but you tossed them into recycling can???

[Angie]

My husband is exactly like that: he can never finish a bottle of product, he always starts a new one when there is still a little bit left on the previous (and, therefore, staying around and not going to the garbage). It makes me craaaaaaaaazy :-)
Xxx
Angie

[Benita ~ Chez Larsson]

Don't worry. In the area where my mom lives EVEYTHING gets divided into separate containers and then recycled. I'm always afraid to toss anything at her house, I keep asking her in which bin to put what, haha.

[Messy]

I did a round up of all cosmetics a while back, and it was horrifying. Also the small hotel bottles. I used everything up unless it really was bad stuff and it took months. Now I stick to what I have until it's gone. It's not the shampoo and shower gel that are the problem, it's the other stuff that you don't use every day. Scrub gels, facial masks, they are the worst.

[Kari]

My husband used to be like this. Once we redid his bathroom and he saw that he had only so much space and he wanted to keep it looking nice and tidy, he stopped buying all kinds of stuff. It's been three years now and he still has one shampoo, on conditioner, one soap.

I have learned that for him, having a tidy space where there is a place for everything really encourages him to stay organized and put things away!

[Maureen]

Oh I am so sorry to hear you pitched them! Shelters will take them off your hands and use them, at least here where I live.

[jja]

Maybe she has some secret place and will put out oll this great stuff (I adore cosmetics!)after you leave?
I would do so :-)))

[kate]

My mom is exactly the same way!! She has like ten bottles at any given time each with about a half inch of whatever in them, and a half inch of dust on top. I think that's why I'm the opposite now, I never buy a new bottle without throwing the old one away.

[Plumbing Supplies]

Wow. Too many shampoos. Shampoos are available in different formulas to suit all hair types and conditions. We should always make sure that we choose one that is right for our hair and use it as often as necessary to keep your hair clean.

[Display homes Melbourne]

The selection of the shampoo should depend upon the hair type. Shampooing can be done as often as required to keep the hair clean and healthy, as long as you condition regularly

[Antonella]

As I hate to waste stuff, I discovered I can use the real bad shampoos/soaps for delicate clothing or to wash dishes. Just rinse very well afterwards

[Jennifer@A Blog of My Very Own!]

I will use a shampoo and/or body wash that I don't care for in my hand-soap dispenser. That way it gets used up without guilt and I save money on buying hand-soap for a little while :)