Am I a Hoarder?

Another random thought from me.

I used to think I would use every lotion I bought. The logic seemed simple enough: I liked the scent, I bought it, and, of course, I would use it. But reality had a different plan.

Since I started buying my own lotions (I’m guilty of collecting a few from hotel stays, haha), I found myself accumulating them—different scents for different moods, seasonal favourites, and random impulse buys. But no matter how good my intentions were, most of them ended up sitting on my shelf, gathering dust, and eventually meeting their inevitable fate: expiration.

Image created with Microsoft Designer

I would only use a lotion once or twice after buying it, then get lazy with my routine and completely forget about the many lotions piling up on my shelf. It felt like I was stuck in a cycle of neglecting them, even though I had plenty waiting to be used. The cycle would repeat. It became more like curating a mini lotion museum than actually using them. I convinced myself I would eventually get around to using them, but honestly, I was more interested in owning them than applying them.

Fast forward to now, and age is catching up. My skin’s getting drier, and I have started to realise skincare is about more than just the nice scents. Those once-neglected lotions have now become a regular part of my daily routine. It’s no longer about collecting them—it’s about actually using what I have. And today, I finally used one of those long-forgotten lotions (if it’s still in decent shape and doesn’t smell too off)—a small victory in my journey to finish a product before it expires.

The same thing happens with my facial skincare. I would buy full sets—cleanser, toner, scrub—you name it. But in the end, I never used the whole set. These days, I even skip the toner because of the extra step.

A small victory: Who knew it would feel this good?

It made me wonder: Does anyone actually finish a bottle of lotion before it expires? Or are we all just hoarding nice scents, convincing ourselves we will get to them eventually? If you have ever done this, you are not alone!

Maybe the key is to stop impulse buying and commit to using what we already own. Or maybe some habits just take time to change. Either way, here’s to making progress—one bottle at a time.

May x