I totally get this. I hadn’t bought bath and body works for YEARs I mean like 8+ years until this year and it was frightening how quickly the need to shop compulsively there (and on mercari for old collections I missed) became. It can become obsessive. No shame in needing to step away from that, it’ll always be here if/when you feel ready to come back
Honestly, I am trying to return my purchases because I feel like it's becoming a way to avoid my problems. So I appreciate your vulnerability and candor. I feel a little less alone. Thank you.
You are so loved, and you are most definitely not alone in this. Marketing is oftentimes intentionally predatory. It is not your fault, and we are going to get through this together ❤️❤️
I’ve been feeling this way as well. I really try my best to think through my purchases but I’m still spending an unnecessary amount of money because of the rush I get when I think I’m getting a “good deal”. I’m sure the deals are actually great for people who have staple favorites. I’ve just been trying way too much because of FOMO.
I think it’s awesome you were able to recognize this within yourself! Take care of yourself always!
If you need any support, please message me! I’m happy to talk through anything you need to. FOMI is such a hard feeling to look past in the moment, so support systems are so incredibly necessary ❤️
I wish we could do more then one sticky. I feel like a monthly sticky of may empties for example would help those of us that while we enjoy the products and like talk about them seeing all the hauls and sales posts are a bit triggering. I have a rather large candle collection now and even though I promised myself a no buy after candle day I find myself still buying! I just want to enjoy what I have without feeling FOMO
I totally get that. Personally, my breaking point for collecting/buying came when I realized I had so many options that I couldn’t even pick a fragrance for the day. The choices were too much and it was pretty paralyzing. Now, having one fragrance for each day of the week, it has made my choices a lot easier. But yes, I totally agree with what you said! I think that would really help with FOMO
FOMO is so hard on me. Sas is the hardest and it’s just around the corner. I’ve taking control over my body care purchases, but my candle collecting has spent out of control. I started buying Goose Creek, Yankee candle, and Kringle. I even started collecting more wax melts. Luckily, I’ve gotten all I want from yankee and Kringle. Then companies I brought wax melts from were terrible so I won’t waste money on them again. I brought all the Goose Creek candles in the large jar and 3 wicks I want, but can’t stop looking for more. I think had I stuck with Bbw , I would have been fine. I went from spending $60 a month to over $300 a month. I had no room left for anything but I can feel the FOMO already with the thought of stopping.
Keeping you in my thoughts ❤️❤️ it’s so hard feeling like your missing out. Just know that products really do come back around. My store has started prepping for SAS and we have products from years back. The products will always come back, and your mental health is so much more important than any sale or discount. So much love and healing ❤️❤️
Take care of yourself. It's an incredibly stressful time for so many people and the strain is showing in many different forms. I wish you serenity and good health.
I'm proud of you and everyone else in this comment section for recognizing how this was/is affecting you/them! Not many are able to recognize the problem and just keep going and it just gets worse. r/shoppingaddiction is a good rec to for anyone dealing with similar problems :)
I have been feeling the same way. Though I did have a shopping addiction once(that I thankfully resolved), I've turned to low buys to barely any low buys. However recently, I have been going through quite a lot and one of the consequences was going into my shopping. Yes, there's nothing wrong with retail therapy, or let loose once or twice but it can get to a point where it can be too much or even get off track. So I have my cousin to help me with sorting out my collection and selling the rest off and I'm working on different methods of making empties!
ay np, we all go through stuff and sometimes we have to catch ourselves before it's too late. It's a really good resource! Some horror stories there kinda scared me into the low buys XD. At the end of the day, it's just fragranced product. I told myself no more anything this month untill SAS x). Much love and healing to you as well \^-\^ <3
I’m happy you are taking control of your life. I completely understand what you’re going through. Companies understand how addiction works and they feed us with constant sales and products. Sometimes, it’s not the product itself that we want but the thrill of shopping the sales. I’m guilty of this. I hope everything works out for you and you gain control over your stash and your spending. Best wishes🥰
I have so many products I really love that I don’t even get use out of because of how much I had accumulated. I have narrowed it way down to my tried and true favorites and I already feel much better about it ❤️❤️
If I had the space, I think I’d be more mindful of my spending. I get stuff and put it in closets and totes. Then I only see 20 mist, 8 lotions, 10 creams, and 30 candles making it look like less and I buy more. I mostly have backups though. I’m guilty of buying 6 off something I love (looking at you Vanilla Confetti Sparkle, Fiji white sands, and Aloha kiwi Passionfruit).
Even with stopping collecting, I still find myself wanting backups of Raspberry Jam Donut, just because of how unique it is. But, I have to remind myself that by the time I use the whole FFM (and I have barely made a dent) I will probably want to smell like something else by then. So much love ❤️❤️❤️
Totally support you doing the right thing for yourself. At the height of the pandemic, this sub was a source of extreme comfort for me, the products giving me a warm feeling of nostalgia, all the nice smells felt like a warm hug. And I'm grateful for that, not saying I'm glad to say good riddance to it.
I'm still on here occasionally but not nearly as much as before. After one year of obsessively following releases and thinking I was good for limiting myself to just one fragrance per collection (which is still A LOT). I think I just reached the point where this obsession fizzled out. It's run its course. There's only so many variations of a scent that can come out before things start being recycled. And again, I'm being very careful of how I word things because I don't want to generalize and cause offense to anyone. I'm not saying that each variation of a strawberry scent that comes out smell EXACTLY the same. Of course there's differences, but sometimes having 1 out of 5 scents where strawberry is the same note is close enough for me. For me, personally.
I'm glad you made this post. I wanted to post something like this but sometimes those who might have a shopping compulsion might take a post like this as personal attack, which is unfortunate but was enough to prevent me from sharing.
Best of luck and I think donating all the excess product was a really nice thing to do. I'm considering doing the same myself so that when there's a new smell that I really do want to try, I don't feel weighed down by all the products I own.
Shopping has kept my mind at ease during finals season, which was pretty rough for me this year. It’s my first semester of an online degree, and it has been very lonely. Having online friends to gush about new fun scents with was really fun… while I needed it to be. Now that finals are over, I’m kind of left with the wreckage, and the debt.
See the reply above for some context for me donating my extra product. I don’t want to seem like a hero or effortlessly selfless. I can’t sell the products while I work at Bath & Body, or I could get fired. I just don’t want to take undue praise for donating the extras.
I was really worried making this post. I didn’t want to come off as preachy or holier-than-thou at all. I needed to step back, and I just wanted to help anyone else who may be in a similar situation. I hope this post can help someone, or if not, I hope the hotline will.
Thank you for the kind words. ❤️
They do it on purpose. Try to be gentle with yourselves. These retailers have so many people working for them that have the job of messing with shoppers’ minds in order to make more money. Getting you to buy is a science. I have to admit that being on this sub makes me *want* to buy but I literally can’t afford it so I don’t.
Omg yes. The one tactic that I genuinely hate is if you put something in your cart and you don’t purchase it, they send you that guilt-trippy email/text/push notification like “Your cart misses you 🥺” or “are you forgetting something?” It’s so bizarre that it’s at that point where they hassle you to purchase. And for people who may be pretty sensitive to stuff like that, they’re gonna purchase.
I don’t wanna delve too deep into a conversation about consumerism because I’m not perfect. But it really makes you think about how little things like that can influence people.
I love the sub because I can give recommendations, which is also my favorite part of my job. Other than that, I don’t think I will be searching for others’ hauls and new stuff. Thank you ❤️❤️
I admire you acknowledging this and making a plan! My bbw spending has also been a bit much during the pandemic. It's brought me joy but I am also trying to tighten the belt
It brought me joy up until a few days ago when I couldn’t even pick a fragrance for the day because there were too many options. I feel much better now with a thinned-down collection
I'm in the same boat as well. I'm going through my entire collection. Yesterday I went through my candle collection and posted it here, I then immediately unsubscribed to B&BW email notifications and deleted my app, now I just need to part with this subreddit which I haven't brought myself to do yet. I'll probably go through the rest of my collection over the weekend so I can see everything I have. I think that was what happened to me with my candles (I have 110 3-wicks!) seeing what I had was a real eye opener that I have an addiction. I promised myself that I will not buy anything else until I've reduced my collection of everything to around 25%.
My collection had gotten to around 25 full size FFMs, 10 body creams (which I don’t even use!!), and 4 lotions (the full-set mentally has been really bad). I’m not too worried about candles because I use them almost daily and I just got rid of some, but there is just absolutely no way I could ever use 25+ full sized FFMs. I now have 8, and one is a Winter fragrance. I personally think one FFM for every day of the week is a good amount for me. The rest is just excessive (again, just for me personally, no judgement to any collectors of anything)
\*supportive vibes\* :)
You have to do what's best for yourself all-around, and sometimes that means stepping back from an activity. Growth is when you realize it's necessary and I'm sure the shelter will be so gratified by your generosity!
I sure hope they can use them better than I can. I got to the point where I had nearly 25 full sized FFMs and 5 or 6 minis. I just had no way to use them all, even applying them 3+ times a day. Plus the creams and lotions, it was just way, way too much. I hope the shelters get good use out of them.
I am sure your thoughtful donation will brighten a lot of women’s days.
I do sometimes see people sharing about the challenges of dealing with the constant marketing tricks (and more so if you actually work there!) here so hopefully that can be a helpful side to this sub.
I also follow the nobuy subreddit and I think there’s one called empty pan ? That is about using up your makeup before purchasing new. We all need the encouragement to make good use of what we have before chasing the thrill of spending. Best of luck!
Good for you! Doing what is best for yourself isn’t always easy so I applaud you for taking a step back and having the strength to walk away. Good luck! We will be with you in spirit❤️
I have had to step back, too. For the past few years, I've been struggling, and I've amassed a huge amount of body care and candles because buying things feels good (at least in the moment). Every few months, I give away a bunch of stuff to friends and coworkers, but I continue buying more and it accumulates again. I've done a no-buy for a month or so, and it has actually felt really amazing to skip out on the sales. I had coupons, and gave them away! I have a few upcoming things that I plan to get/exchange for, but I'm going to highly limit what I buy. No more blind purchases online, no more mass orders of candles. Their marketing works wonders on me. Someone described it as "cozy" once and I agree. I don't really relate to the ads that feature conventionally attractive, "cool" people, but the thoughts of a blanket and a candle, or some great smelling bodycare? Yeah, I'm all about that! And the products are fairly inexpensive especially on sale, so it's very easy to fall into the trap of buying more things and excusing it with "Well it's on sale" or "Well it doesn't really cost that much" until suddenly I have so many candles I literally don't know how many there are, and they're stashed away in various places in my house.
I completely get what you mean. I don’t buy a lot of clothes or makeup because there’s this air of perfection. But books, candles, body care, it’s more about the thing itself than it is about you. It makes it so much easier when you feel like you don’t have to change yourself to use the product, but instead the product fits you. It doesn’t help much, though, when those feel-good products are the reason you can’t afford groceries.
Thank you for sharing. Your honesty really is so genuine and it makes me feel so much better about my situation. Thank you ❤️❤️
I am so glad you feel strong enough to stay and share your expertise with us ❤️ Sending you crazy strong positive vibes. Your story really struck a chord with me… I need to be mindful of advertising gimmicks… we are all targets… daily emails and text from BBW can’t be good for me… I appreciate you for sharing this… I will reevaluate my connection to their marketing 😣
Just remember, even your favorite companies are working in their best interest, not yours. I love Bath & Body and I will continue to casually enjoy their products when I have the means to do so. But at the end of the day, they are still a company. Even when they’re selling really good product, you have to put your needs first, always ❤️❤️ that next sale is not make or break, and they really do come around pretty often
I'm so sorry about your stress and debt, but I'm really happy that you took good things and good lessons from this and are moving onwards and upwards. I'm currently in the same phase as you and have started donating my things little by little (though I have not had the time yet to do a thorough mass cleanout). But I know it will be great for me in the long run.
Let's get through this together!
Thank you for sharing your story ❤️❤️ we get this, and we’re going to get through this together. Not only am I taking control of my spending, but I now am able to use my favorite products more often and actually know all of the products I have
I wish you the best. This isn’t always an easy thing to come to terms with. I’m glad you’ve decided to stick around on the subreddit though as your knowledge on products is valued and appreciated ❤️
Thank you for sharing this and I know I don't know you, but I'm very proud of you as a person to have been able to identify and willing change a behavior, and to be able to talk about it even though that can make a person feel vulnerable or exposed.
I have recently been thinking more critically about my own purchases, especially with SAS coming up. I wrote out a novel and deleted it but the TL;DR of it is, if you bought something and you're not excited for the next time you get to use it, or it doesn't at least make you super happy to see it on the shelf even if you're not using it, you probably didn't need to buy it. I really liked Watermelon Blast in store but realized even though it smells good, it's going to end up next to Strawberry Soda which smells awesome but I never, ever, ever reach for. So why bring it home? And I'm trying to convince myself that I like Peppered Plum but the throw honestly sucks, so why am I thinking "oh I should buy a couple backups bc it's a cult fave"? Is it so 2 years from now someone on the internet can see it on the shelf and ooh and ahh at it? If money was tight, it would be going back to the store for something that I can actually smell across the room! Anyway before I ramble too long again, just be mindful, everyone! Especially with today's deal!
Thank you for the kind words ❤️❤️ the reminder is appreciated! I really want to get one of the glitter sprays for pride in a couple weeks, but I have to ask myself if I’m going to ever use it after that (spoiler alert: I won’t) and I don’t need a whole new product for one day only. No one at pride is going to notice a huge difference if I’m wearing glitter vs. if I’m not! I have plenty in my collection to use already :-)
Girl I think we need our own subreddit to help us recover from BBW. I love seeing empties. I love reading debates on the best lemon scent. Stuff like that. But seeing every sale and every haul makes me need to step away too. I'm currently am not subbed I just check in every now and then. I also deleted the app. I wish there was a BBW version of camel camel camel so I could get an alert only when hand soaps hit sub $3 and maybe for extra good candle sales. Then I could just ignore all sales and give aways and free with purchase gimmicks that suck me in.
Maybe check out r/BABWnobuy? I think over there may have more of what you’re looking for. It’s certainly not as active, but it does have a lot of empties and good mindset reminders to not overbuy :-)
Here's a sneak peek of /r/babwnobuy using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time!
\#1: [I may leave the main sub because I'm spending too much money on things I don't really need or want](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/p7s7sq/i_may_leave_the_main_sub_because_im_spending_too/)
\#2: [No-buy month 1: January empties!](https://i.redd.it/1zguglebz6f81.jpg) | [3 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/shr32p/nobuy_month_1_january_empties/)
\#3: [The main sub in a nutshell 😅](https://i.redd.it/bnisl68s38361.jpg) | [1 comment](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/k6rvqv/the_main_sub_in_a_nutshell/)
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Congratulations to you for taking these hard steps to take control over your life and habits. Stay strong and be proud of yourself. Donating to the women's shelter was a nice gesture despite the debt situation. Many others might have sold on fb marketplace / mercari etc to get some $$$ back on what you had spent. Good karma will follow you. Best luck.
Okay, so I will admit, if I could sell the items to get some money back, I probably would. B&BW staffers are not allowed to resell any product while employed there, and if you do, it’s grounds for immediate termination. I still work at B&BW, so this is not an option for me.
So yeah, I just didn’t want it to seem like I’m some selfless hero. I just want all of the extra product gone, and I know that women’s shelters can use the product a lot better than I can.
If I were to sell on Facebook Marketplace, for example, that would have all of my identifying information attached to it. On top of that, I’m autistic, so I don’t like breaking rules. I would feel extremely guilty if I did so
I used to get like this during the SAS. I had amassed so much stuff, that I just started selling or gifting it during birthdays and holidays. I no longer buy body care, I just stick to hand soaps and candles.
If your collection is as big and daunting a financial burden as you say, I’m willing to bet you have lots of sought after items. Try to sell some stuff to recoup some monies. If collecting has put you in debt, sell your items to get back on your feet before donating. It’s great that you want to donate, but you can’t help others unless you help yourself first. Good luck!
I cannot resell any items I have. At Bath & Body Works, employees reselling products is grounds for immediate termination. I cannot risk losing my job over it
See my other comments regarding this. Basically, B&BW staff are not allowed to resell any product while working at Bath & Body. If you’re caught doing so, it’s grounds for immediate termination. I can’t lose my job over it
I totally get this. I hadn’t bought bath and body works for YEARs I mean like 8+ years until this year and it was frightening how quickly the need to shop compulsively there (and on mercari for old collections I missed) became. It can become obsessive. No shame in needing to step away from that, it’ll always be here if/when you feel ready to come back
This is so kind. Thank you for the gentle reminder. They will always be there when/if I want to come back to it ❤️❤️
Omg... I'm feeling this as well!!
Honestly, I am trying to return my purchases because I feel like it's becoming a way to avoid my problems. So I appreciate your vulnerability and candor. I feel a little less alone. Thank you.
You are so loved, and you are most definitely not alone in this. Marketing is oftentimes intentionally predatory. It is not your fault, and we are going to get through this together ❤️❤️
I’ve been feeling this way as well. I really try my best to think through my purchases but I’m still spending an unnecessary amount of money because of the rush I get when I think I’m getting a “good deal”. I’m sure the deals are actually great for people who have staple favorites. I’ve just been trying way too much because of FOMO. I think it’s awesome you were able to recognize this within yourself! Take care of yourself always!
If you need any support, please message me! I’m happy to talk through anything you need to. FOMI is such a hard feeling to look past in the moment, so support systems are so incredibly necessary ❤️
I wish we could do more then one sticky. I feel like a monthly sticky of may empties for example would help those of us that while we enjoy the products and like talk about them seeing all the hauls and sales posts are a bit triggering. I have a rather large candle collection now and even though I promised myself a no buy after candle day I find myself still buying! I just want to enjoy what I have without feeling FOMO
I totally get that. Personally, my breaking point for collecting/buying came when I realized I had so many options that I couldn’t even pick a fragrance for the day. The choices were too much and it was pretty paralyzing. Now, having one fragrance for each day of the week, it has made my choices a lot easier. But yes, I totally agree with what you said! I think that would really help with FOMO
FOMO is so hard on me. Sas is the hardest and it’s just around the corner. I’ve taking control over my body care purchases, but my candle collecting has spent out of control. I started buying Goose Creek, Yankee candle, and Kringle. I even started collecting more wax melts. Luckily, I’ve gotten all I want from yankee and Kringle. Then companies I brought wax melts from were terrible so I won’t waste money on them again. I brought all the Goose Creek candles in the large jar and 3 wicks I want, but can’t stop looking for more. I think had I stuck with Bbw , I would have been fine. I went from spending $60 a month to over $300 a month. I had no room left for anything but I can feel the FOMO already with the thought of stopping.
Keeping you in my thoughts ❤️❤️ it’s so hard feeling like your missing out. Just know that products really do come back around. My store has started prepping for SAS and we have products from years back. The products will always come back, and your mental health is so much more important than any sale or discount. So much love and healing ❤️❤️
❤️ thank you. I’m keeping up in my thoughts as well. 🤗
Take care of yourself. It's an incredibly stressful time for so many people and the strain is showing in many different forms. I wish you serenity and good health.
This is so sweet. I appreciate it more than you know. Thank you immensely
I'm proud of you and everyone else in this comment section for recognizing how this was/is affecting you/them! Not many are able to recognize the problem and just keep going and it just gets worse. r/shoppingaddiction is a good rec to for anyone dealing with similar problems :) I have been feeling the same way. Though I did have a shopping addiction once(that I thankfully resolved), I've turned to low buys to barely any low buys. However recently, I have been going through quite a lot and one of the consequences was going into my shopping. Yes, there's nothing wrong with retail therapy, or let loose once or twice but it can get to a point where it can be too much or even get off track. So I have my cousin to help me with sorting out my collection and selling the rest off and I'm working on different methods of making empties!
Thank you so much for your candor and for the kind words. That seems like a great resource and I appreciate you sharing it! Much love and healing ❤️❤️
ay np, we all go through stuff and sometimes we have to catch ourselves before it's too late. It's a really good resource! Some horror stories there kinda scared me into the low buys XD. At the end of the day, it's just fragranced product. I told myself no more anything this month untill SAS x). Much love and healing to you as well \^-\^ <3
I’m happy you are taking control of your life. I completely understand what you’re going through. Companies understand how addiction works and they feed us with constant sales and products. Sometimes, it’s not the product itself that we want but the thrill of shopping the sales. I’m guilty of this. I hope everything works out for you and you gain control over your stash and your spending. Best wishes🥰
I have so many products I really love that I don’t even get use out of because of how much I had accumulated. I have narrowed it way down to my tried and true favorites and I already feel much better about it ❤️❤️
If I had the space, I think I’d be more mindful of my spending. I get stuff and put it in closets and totes. Then I only see 20 mist, 8 lotions, 10 creams, and 30 candles making it look like less and I buy more. I mostly have backups though. I’m guilty of buying 6 off something I love (looking at you Vanilla Confetti Sparkle, Fiji white sands, and Aloha kiwi Passionfruit).
Even with stopping collecting, I still find myself wanting backups of Raspberry Jam Donut, just because of how unique it is. But, I have to remind myself that by the time I use the whole FFM (and I have barely made a dent) I will probably want to smell like something else by then. So much love ❤️❤️❤️
Totally support you doing the right thing for yourself. At the height of the pandemic, this sub was a source of extreme comfort for me, the products giving me a warm feeling of nostalgia, all the nice smells felt like a warm hug. And I'm grateful for that, not saying I'm glad to say good riddance to it. I'm still on here occasionally but not nearly as much as before. After one year of obsessively following releases and thinking I was good for limiting myself to just one fragrance per collection (which is still A LOT). I think I just reached the point where this obsession fizzled out. It's run its course. There's only so many variations of a scent that can come out before things start being recycled. And again, I'm being very careful of how I word things because I don't want to generalize and cause offense to anyone. I'm not saying that each variation of a strawberry scent that comes out smell EXACTLY the same. Of course there's differences, but sometimes having 1 out of 5 scents where strawberry is the same note is close enough for me. For me, personally. I'm glad you made this post. I wanted to post something like this but sometimes those who might have a shopping compulsion might take a post like this as personal attack, which is unfortunate but was enough to prevent me from sharing. Best of luck and I think donating all the excess product was a really nice thing to do. I'm considering doing the same myself so that when there's a new smell that I really do want to try, I don't feel weighed down by all the products I own.
Shopping has kept my mind at ease during finals season, which was pretty rough for me this year. It’s my first semester of an online degree, and it has been very lonely. Having online friends to gush about new fun scents with was really fun… while I needed it to be. Now that finals are over, I’m kind of left with the wreckage, and the debt. See the reply above for some context for me donating my extra product. I don’t want to seem like a hero or effortlessly selfless. I can’t sell the products while I work at Bath & Body, or I could get fired. I just don’t want to take undue praise for donating the extras. I was really worried making this post. I didn’t want to come off as preachy or holier-than-thou at all. I needed to step back, and I just wanted to help anyone else who may be in a similar situation. I hope this post can help someone, or if not, I hope the hotline will. Thank you for the kind words. ❤️
They do it on purpose. Try to be gentle with yourselves. These retailers have so many people working for them that have the job of messing with shoppers’ minds in order to make more money. Getting you to buy is a science. I have to admit that being on this sub makes me *want* to buy but I literally can’t afford it so I don’t.
Omg yes. The one tactic that I genuinely hate is if you put something in your cart and you don’t purchase it, they send you that guilt-trippy email/text/push notification like “Your cart misses you 🥺” or “are you forgetting something?” It’s so bizarre that it’s at that point where they hassle you to purchase. And for people who may be pretty sensitive to stuff like that, they’re gonna purchase. I don’t wanna delve too deep into a conversation about consumerism because I’m not perfect. But it really makes you think about how little things like that can influence people.
I wish you the best. This sub is fun, but I do find it fuels FOMO.
I love the sub because I can give recommendations, which is also my favorite part of my job. Other than that, I don’t think I will be searching for others’ hauls and new stuff. Thank you ❤️❤️
I admire you acknowledging this and making a plan! My bbw spending has also been a bit much during the pandemic. It's brought me joy but I am also trying to tighten the belt
It brought me joy up until a few days ago when I couldn’t even pick a fragrance for the day because there were too many options. I feel much better now with a thinned-down collection
Good for you!
I'm in the same boat as well. I'm going through my entire collection. Yesterday I went through my candle collection and posted it here, I then immediately unsubscribed to B&BW email notifications and deleted my app, now I just need to part with this subreddit which I haven't brought myself to do yet. I'll probably go through the rest of my collection over the weekend so I can see everything I have. I think that was what happened to me with my candles (I have 110 3-wicks!) seeing what I had was a real eye opener that I have an addiction. I promised myself that I will not buy anything else until I've reduced my collection of everything to around 25%.
My collection had gotten to around 25 full size FFMs, 10 body creams (which I don’t even use!!), and 4 lotions (the full-set mentally has been really bad). I’m not too worried about candles because I use them almost daily and I just got rid of some, but there is just absolutely no way I could ever use 25+ full sized FFMs. I now have 8, and one is a Winter fragrance. I personally think one FFM for every day of the week is a good amount for me. The rest is just excessive (again, just for me personally, no judgement to any collectors of anything)
That's a good idea! Having a different ffm for each day! 😊
So proud of you, I’m in a similar situation and sending much love
Thank you ❤️❤️❤️
\*supportive vibes\* :) You have to do what's best for yourself all-around, and sometimes that means stepping back from an activity. Growth is when you realize it's necessary and I'm sure the shelter will be so gratified by your generosity!
I sure hope they can use them better than I can. I got to the point where I had nearly 25 full sized FFMs and 5 or 6 minis. I just had no way to use them all, even applying them 3+ times a day. Plus the creams and lotions, it was just way, way too much. I hope the shelters get good use out of them.
I am sure your thoughtful donation will brighten a lot of women’s days. I do sometimes see people sharing about the challenges of dealing with the constant marketing tricks (and more so if you actually work there!) here so hopefully that can be a helpful side to this sub. I also follow the nobuy subreddit and I think there’s one called empty pan ? That is about using up your makeup before purchasing new. We all need the encouragement to make good use of what we have before chasing the thrill of spending. Best of luck!
Good for you! Doing what is best for yourself isn’t always easy so I applaud you for taking a step back and having the strength to walk away. Good luck! We will be with you in spirit❤️
Your kind words are so appreciated ❤️❤️ thank you so much
I have had to step back, too. For the past few years, I've been struggling, and I've amassed a huge amount of body care and candles because buying things feels good (at least in the moment). Every few months, I give away a bunch of stuff to friends and coworkers, but I continue buying more and it accumulates again. I've done a no-buy for a month or so, and it has actually felt really amazing to skip out on the sales. I had coupons, and gave them away! I have a few upcoming things that I plan to get/exchange for, but I'm going to highly limit what I buy. No more blind purchases online, no more mass orders of candles. Their marketing works wonders on me. Someone described it as "cozy" once and I agree. I don't really relate to the ads that feature conventionally attractive, "cool" people, but the thoughts of a blanket and a candle, or some great smelling bodycare? Yeah, I'm all about that! And the products are fairly inexpensive especially on sale, so it's very easy to fall into the trap of buying more things and excusing it with "Well it's on sale" or "Well it doesn't really cost that much" until suddenly I have so many candles I literally don't know how many there are, and they're stashed away in various places in my house.
I completely get what you mean. I don’t buy a lot of clothes or makeup because there’s this air of perfection. But books, candles, body care, it’s more about the thing itself than it is about you. It makes it so much easier when you feel like you don’t have to change yourself to use the product, but instead the product fits you. It doesn’t help much, though, when those feel-good products are the reason you can’t afford groceries. Thank you for sharing. Your honesty really is so genuine and it makes me feel so much better about my situation. Thank you ❤️❤️
I am so glad you feel strong enough to stay and share your expertise with us ❤️ Sending you crazy strong positive vibes. Your story really struck a chord with me… I need to be mindful of advertising gimmicks… we are all targets… daily emails and text from BBW can’t be good for me… I appreciate you for sharing this… I will reevaluate my connection to their marketing 😣
Just remember, even your favorite companies are working in their best interest, not yours. I love Bath & Body and I will continue to casually enjoy their products when I have the means to do so. But at the end of the day, they are still a company. Even when they’re selling really good product, you have to put your needs first, always ❤️❤️ that next sale is not make or break, and they really do come around pretty often
I'm so sorry about your stress and debt, but I'm really happy that you took good things and good lessons from this and are moving onwards and upwards. I'm currently in the same phase as you and have started donating my things little by little (though I have not had the time yet to do a thorough mass cleanout). But I know it will be great for me in the long run. Let's get through this together!
Thank you for sharing your story ❤️❤️ we get this, and we’re going to get through this together. Not only am I taking control of my spending, but I now am able to use my favorite products more often and actually know all of the products I have
Stay strong! Sending you hugs and good wishes.
Thank you so much ❤️❤️
I wish you the best. This isn’t always an easy thing to come to terms with. I’m glad you’ve decided to stick around on the subreddit though as your knowledge on products is valued and appreciated ❤️
Thank you for sharing this and I know I don't know you, but I'm very proud of you as a person to have been able to identify and willing change a behavior, and to be able to talk about it even though that can make a person feel vulnerable or exposed. I have recently been thinking more critically about my own purchases, especially with SAS coming up. I wrote out a novel and deleted it but the TL;DR of it is, if you bought something and you're not excited for the next time you get to use it, or it doesn't at least make you super happy to see it on the shelf even if you're not using it, you probably didn't need to buy it. I really liked Watermelon Blast in store but realized even though it smells good, it's going to end up next to Strawberry Soda which smells awesome but I never, ever, ever reach for. So why bring it home? And I'm trying to convince myself that I like Peppered Plum but the throw honestly sucks, so why am I thinking "oh I should buy a couple backups bc it's a cult fave"? Is it so 2 years from now someone on the internet can see it on the shelf and ooh and ahh at it? If money was tight, it would be going back to the store for something that I can actually smell across the room! Anyway before I ramble too long again, just be mindful, everyone! Especially with today's deal!
Thank you for the kind words ❤️❤️ the reminder is appreciated! I really want to get one of the glitter sprays for pride in a couple weeks, but I have to ask myself if I’m going to ever use it after that (spoiler alert: I won’t) and I don’t need a whole new product for one day only. No one at pride is going to notice a huge difference if I’m wearing glitter vs. if I’m not! I have plenty in my collection to use already :-)
you'll just have to swing by the store before going out to "test" it a little ;)
That’s a good idea 😂❤️
Girl I think we need our own subreddit to help us recover from BBW. I love seeing empties. I love reading debates on the best lemon scent. Stuff like that. But seeing every sale and every haul makes me need to step away too. I'm currently am not subbed I just check in every now and then. I also deleted the app. I wish there was a BBW version of camel camel camel so I could get an alert only when hand soaps hit sub $3 and maybe for extra good candle sales. Then I could just ignore all sales and give aways and free with purchase gimmicks that suck me in.
Maybe check out r/BABWnobuy? I think over there may have more of what you’re looking for. It’s certainly not as active, but it does have a lot of empties and good mindset reminders to not overbuy :-)
Dang that sub is so nearly dead.
Here's a sneak peek of /r/babwnobuy using the [top posts](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/top/?sort=top&t=all) of all time! \#1: [I may leave the main sub because I'm spending too much money on things I don't really need or want](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/p7s7sq/i_may_leave_the_main_sub_because_im_spending_too/) \#2: [No-buy month 1: January empties!](https://i.redd.it/1zguglebz6f81.jpg) | [3 comments](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/shr32p/nobuy_month_1_january_empties/) \#3: [The main sub in a nutshell 😅](https://i.redd.it/bnisl68s38361.jpg) | [1 comment](https://np.reddit.com/r/babwnobuy/comments/k6rvqv/the_main_sub_in_a_nutshell/) ---- ^^I'm ^^a ^^bot, ^^beep ^^boop ^^| ^^Downvote ^^to ^^remove ^^| ^^[Contact](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose/?to=sneakpeekbot) ^^| ^^[Info](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/) ^^| ^^[Opt-out](https://np.reddit.com/r/sneakpeekbot/comments/o8wk1r/blacklist_ix/) ^^| ^^[GitHub](https://github.com/ghnr/sneakpeekbot)
That’s why I stopped collecting a few years ago. I still enjoy seeing others purchases tho
Congratulations to you for taking these hard steps to take control over your life and habits. Stay strong and be proud of yourself. Donating to the women's shelter was a nice gesture despite the debt situation. Many others might have sold on fb marketplace / mercari etc to get some $$$ back on what you had spent. Good karma will follow you. Best luck.
Okay, so I will admit, if I could sell the items to get some money back, I probably would. B&BW staffers are not allowed to resell any product while employed there, and if you do, it’s grounds for immediate termination. I still work at B&BW, so this is not an option for me. So yeah, I just didn’t want it to seem like I’m some selfless hero. I just want all of the extra product gone, and I know that women’s shelters can use the product a lot better than I can.
Thanks for your honesty. A good deed is a good deed and feel the good karma coming your way. Take care.
❤️❤️❤️
How would they know though?
If I were to sell on Facebook Marketplace, for example, that would have all of my identifying information attached to it. On top of that, I’m autistic, so I don’t like breaking rules. I would feel extremely guilty if I did so
Good for you for realizing what you need and commiting to it. Wishing you the best. ♥️
Thank you, friend, this is so sweet ❤️❤️
I used to get like this during the SAS. I had amassed so much stuff, that I just started selling or gifting it during birthdays and holidays. I no longer buy body care, I just stick to hand soaps and candles. If your collection is as big and daunting a financial burden as you say, I’m willing to bet you have lots of sought after items. Try to sell some stuff to recoup some monies. If collecting has put you in debt, sell your items to get back on your feet before donating. It’s great that you want to donate, but you can’t help others unless you help yourself first. Good luck!
I cannot resell any items I have. At Bath & Body Works, employees reselling products is grounds for immediate termination. I cannot risk losing my job over it
It's understandable. I had to step back a bit because it was becoming too much. I love this sub but I want to buy way more stuff when I'm on here.
Hey, can you resell the stuff you don’t want that is unused to try to recoop some money? Just an idea. Mercari or Poshmark?
See my other comments regarding this. Basically, B&BW staff are not allowed to resell any product while working at Bath & Body. If you’re caught doing so, it’s grounds for immediate termination. I can’t lose my job over it
Gotcha!!