Overconsumption is an easy trap to fall into without realizing it, especially with items you use regularly. But one TikTok user has a super-simple way to track what you're using and better understand how often you use (or don't use) your beauty products.
The scoop
TikTok user Budget Girl (@budgetgirl) discovered a great way to track how she uses her daily beauty products by labeling containers with the date she opens them "so I know how long it actually takes me to get through them and how many per year I'm going to go through."
@budgetgirl How to make sure youre using what you have and not overstocking consumables! #underconsumption #regularconsumption #money #personalfinance #hacks #restock #overconsumption ♬ original sound - Budget Girl
She labeled items like moisturizer and deodorant, and after tracking, she figured out what she could order in bulk once a year, "so I'm not wasting anything," and as a bonus, she doesn't have to think about repurchasing them.
Budget Girl also noted she doesn't do it for everything, often skipping the step for things she uses more infrequently, but she makes sure she doesn't have unnecessary multiples of the products she reaches for less often.
"If you think you might be overconsuming, I do encourage you to try this little trick — it's eye-opening," she concluded.
How it's working
Buying only what you need is a huge money saver, especially for products that might expire or be less effective over time.
It also helps you know what you have and what you need so you're not constantly running to the store (and spending gas in the process) and buying unnecessary extras and plastic in the process.
According to the British Beauty Council, 95% of the plastic in the beauty industry is thrown away, and it's the fourth-largest plastic-packaging-using industry in the world, after food and beverage, industrial packaging, and pharmaceuticals, per a report from CNN.
Keeping plastic waste out of landfills reduces crowding, and prevents it from ending up in the ocean, where it doesn't decompose and can release microplastics back into the environment.
More companies are trying to shift to sustainability and recycling products, though, like GlamBot, which lets you sell lightly used beauty products for cash or store credit. Beauty retail giant Sephora also offers a packaging recycling program in their stores.
What people are saying
People in the comments on Budget Girl's video loved the date hack.
"I need to do this. I want to see how long it takes me to completely use up my Laneige lip masks" one person wrote.
Others called the idea "smart" and "brilliant" and were excited to track their consumption.
Another person said they use it on other products in their home, writing: "I started doing that with laundry & dishwasher detergent because I have them on subscription and they started to pile up!"
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