Recycled Beauty Party!

I have always been interested in trying new beauty products. Shampoos, lotions, hair gels, sprays, you name it. The problem is that I often buy stuff that doesn’t work for me and then I am left with a nearly full bottle of Sweet Mango & Honey Gentle Foaming Facewash. I keep this stuff around, in my cabinets under the faint hope that those products might someday “work for me.”

This January, while I was reorganizing our bathroom closet (and pulled out a whole bag of slightly used, yet still useable beauty products) I realized that what I really wanted to do was give them away to someone who might be able to use them. I thought about my sisters-in-law and some of my co-workers. I thought about how weird it might be to bring my bag of stuff to work and see if anyone wanted it. I try very hard not to be “weird.”

Then it hit me! Surely I am not the only woman I know that is harboring a secret stash of costly beauty products. I asked around, and I was right! So I invited about 12 close friends over for a girls night of pizza, wine and a beauty product swap.

They could bring anything that was still good. Anything that could be used as a beauty product. Expired products were the only no-no. And the Recycled Beauty Party was born.

We had to reschedule due to a big snow storm that hit Indiana and Kentucky in late January, but seven of us finally got together at the end of the month. Actually, seven girls and one lucky little guy (my nephew). We had a great time. Each woman brought an average of about 10-15 products. We laid everything out on our dining room table, drank some wine, ate some pizza.

 

 

 

Then each woman stood up and briefly discussed the products that she brought. Kind of like “selling” her products. This was really fun. There was a lot of “Well, it didn’t work for me, but it smells really good and it has to work for someone!” Lots of laughter! And, the “selling” actually worked. We then all took turns picking out a few of our favorites before finally gathering as a group around the table to grab (gently) anything else that we wanted. 

 

 

 

I was a little worried that I was going to be stuck with about 70% of the stuff (looked like we had about 90-100 products on the table) but almost everything found a good home!!

I was very pleased to hear that many of the guests found some great products that night. Personally, I was able to snag a jar of Alba Hawaiian Aloe and Green Tea Oil Free Moisturizer which normally sells for about $17.00 a jar. My friend Kristin found it a little too greasy for her liking, but it works great for me. My “biggest” find of the evening was a GIANT bottle of Garnier Fructis conditioner. (See photo illustration below, yes it is huge!) My sister-in-law Kay brought the pair to the party. She had bought them at the local warehouse club, thinking that she would save money (and the planet) by buying in bulk. After a couple of weeks she found the products to be too heavy for her hair. My other sister-in-lay Kelly grabbed the shampoo and I grabbed the conditioner. Kelly got the shampoo for her husband Chris. According to Kelly, he will use anything that she puts in the shower (so will my honey, by the way!) And even though the conditioner wasn’t organic, I grabbed it to use as a cheap shaving cream. Thrift won out over organic for this summer season of leg shaving. Hey, it was FREE!

This was a great party! I would highly recommend hosting one of your own! It is a wonderful way to reuse, recycle and reconnect with the women in your life.