For years it always annoyed me, when on current affair shows they would help struggling people with their budgets and divide it into weekly/fortnightly and ALWAYS put beauty products in the budget.

I for one DO NOT buy my beauty products every week or fortnight and have no need to, so that got me to thinking, how long do my beauty products actually last for.

So, I devised a plan. A simple plan. So simple all it required was writing down the date I started a product on the container itself, and I always try to start a product on the first of a month so it’s easier to count the days.

And what did I find?

That it always took months to use a product.

So, how do “budget and financial planners” come up with the need to buy beauty products every week?

God knows, but because Olay discontinued the line I was using I had to find another brand that I could switch to, and that brand ended up being Nivea. Back in February I bought the Nivea haul below. Everything was already half price, and I used some fly buys points and got an extra $10 off. Score!

I still have many of the products above. The body moisturiser lasted from March 1 to sometime in May. I’m still using the deodorants, lip glosses, and am on my last bottle of toner. I’m onto the last face wash and because I was only using one face cream at a time, I’ve used the morning and am now on the nighttime. I’ve had to buy more make up wipes, but that’s it. Everything else is still being used.

That’s March until September, quite some time. Now, how does one need to buy these products every week? As long as you stock up when they’re on sale, especially at 50% off, you won’t need to buy them for six months to a year at least, depending on the product.

Make up is the same. I only go out once or twice a week and put on a full face. Yet it still takes me months to go through a product. I’ve got lipsticks that I bought years ago, same with eye shadows and liners.

Toothpaste takes me about 2 months to use, and I change my brush on the first of every month. Sunscreen last me a few years and I did buy a new one in the haul above.

I really don’t understand how or why women need to buy stuff every week or fortnight. And I really don’t understand why budget planners put it in the budget when helping people. Cut it out and skim their budget down even more. They don’t need the stuff the planners put in.

When was the last time you guys bought beauty products and how long does it last you?