Essentials?

I don't know what I should do about "essentials". Do I count Lush products as "essential" hygiene items? They fit with my values (natural, low on packaging, no testing on animals) so maybe it's worth it? What about medicine? I probably have a stock of cold/cough medicine to get me through a nuclear war, but just in case... should I count it? Only certain kinds? I was thinking about buying an old-fashioned safety razor and blades... I need to shave my legs, but I still have a razor. So can I justify that as part of my hygiene budget? It's to buy less plastic, if that counts.

What about new sheets? We have a pair that are in pretty bad shape.... actually, we have a couple pairs of faded sheets. And only two other pairs of non-horrible ones. But there's no holes or anything in them. I guess I'm falling into the trap of consumerism, where I believe that everything I buy is something I need.

Where do I draw the line with food? Will I have to pay cash for some purchases? Cake? Innocent smoothies? Cream cheese? (they now have organic cream cheese at ASDA!) At what point does it stop being groceries and start being a luxury?