Cosmetics Old Style - Saving money on cosmetics etc

chika · 14 June 2005 at 1:22PM

I have a confession, I'm a total beauty junkie and I spend far too much on cosmetics. I was walking through town yesterday (trying to save the bus fare) and I wandered into Superdrug. To cut a long story short I managed to put £30 quids worth of stuff into that little basket. This is not a rare occurance, I've figured out that I must spend at leat £15 pw on cosmetics. How do I cut down.

I adore nice baths with oils and bubbles, I like to keep my skin moisturised and I adore MAC makeup. Does anyone have any tips or fab products that don't cost much? Any good homemade beauty recipies?

I really want to make a good effort to start money saving in this area, help me please!

Thanks

Chika

angel4_2 · 14 June 2005 at 1:29PM

have you looked on the discount cosmetics sites such as https://www.directcosmetics.co.uk
they have branded names real cheap... for a toner, i get the chemist to make up rosewater for me, its around £2.50 for 500ml....

put a search in for cosmetics & loads come up for discount stuff...

hth ang x

Galtizz · 14 June 2005 at 1:32PM

Have a look in the collections index in my signature (I think it's under gifts) there is a thread on HM bath bombs and salts, HM soaps and a few other bits (lip balm is another I remember)

Lillibet_2 · 14 June 2005 at 1:47PM

Hi Chika

I am the bubble bath queen, I love them to bits & they are my relaxtion! My trick is not to be brand loyal. I have found that by scouring the freebies thread I can get loads of free bubble bath & shower gel (bubble bath by another name) samples, I always collect them from hotels etc & shampoo works just as well as bubble bath too. Once I have used the first dose from the bottle I always top it up with water & mix well, this doesn't seee to duilte the bubble making ability but does make sure you don't get gloopy stuff stuck at the bottom of the bottle & go to waste.
Boots & Superdrug reduced price sections are always worth a browse, especially Boots & check the advantage point machines beaucse you can quite often combine reduced items with special offers & effectively make a profit in points.
I let people know it is one of my luxuries & this way people don't feel they are giving me an "easy" gift of it at Xmas & birthdays, and they usually buy the luxury expensive stuff that I wouldn't like to splash out on, plus anyone who finds they are allergic to certain brands usually passes on any rejects to me.
I currently have 14 bottles stashed in the cupboard!

Aromatherapy oils I usually buy from the Body shop as I find their range quite comprehensive & cheap although a few are available in more economical sizes in Holland & Barrett. I find Boots very expensive for oils.
If you are really desperate for nice bubble bath by stores own brand unscented & add aromatherapy oils to teh bottle & mix well.

I don't use a lot of cosmetics & no lotions & potions I'm afraid, the few cosmetics I do use are usually medium quality brands (I was advised by a former Channel beautician that these are as good as the expensive makes & also most lotions/creams etc don't do any good at all), but I get every last bit out of packs & tubes I use by cutting them open when they are on the end & getting at least an extra weeks worth (I used to think I squeezed them to death until I had to do this out of necessity one day & found a load left in the corners!) A fine mist of water sparyed over your face after applying make up sets it in place all day so you don't need to top up anything except lipstick. I dye my eyelashes myself once a month so I never need to apply mascara, this costs about the same as one tube of Max Factor Mascara but one pack of eyelash dye provides a years worth of applications.

HTH

Mango · 14 June 2005 at 2:21PM

Hello Chika

I was in a MAC shop last week and they said if you return 6 MAC empty containers/tubes to them for recycling they give you a free lipstick. I'm not sure if this applies to the MAC stands in other stores, but might be worth not throwing your empties away?

chika · 14 June 2005 at 2:38PM

Wow thanks for the replies! The back 2 mac is a lifesaver, has saved me loads. I emptied out some of my old unloved colours a few weeks ago and I got this season's new colours for nothing!

Lillibet, thank you. The adding oils to cheap bubble bath idea is excellent!

Keep the idea's coming!

bugs · 14 June 2005 at 2:55PM

I've just bought Josephine Fairley's (one half of Green and Black's chocolate so she must have good judgment!) Natural Beauty Book (or something like that) from the Works where it's £4.99, rather than 10 ish on Amazon.

Yet to try anything (give me a chance, only got it yesterday) but there's plenty in it that looks simple including lip balm/colour, powders and masks and bath stuff. More to do with quality than cheapness but compared to say, Origins or even Green People it might be rather good.

There's an article on this thread about herbal cosmetics(please note the article is posted by its author who gets paid for that kind of thing and definitely can't be part of the Old Style book unless you get permission

) and one here about home made skin cream (same condition applies!)

I'm also a new convert to real soap rather than bottles/shower gel etc - less packaging, plenty of different flavours, cheaper, more natural, longer lasting and seems to clean better. You just need a proper soap dish to stop it getting all 'orrible :eek: I used to have a bit of a toiletries fetish, but since I started examining the ingredients in things I've been very much put off a lot of stuff and really interested now in learning to make my own...next stop home made soap (Melinda Coss' book is supposed to be a good beginner's guide).

Trow · 14 June 2005 at 3:03PM

If you keep your eye goinh on the magazine subs thread you can get soem good deals - like £40 of original source stuff for free with a three month £3 sub to zest (for example) - these change all the time with different mags - just make sure you remember to cancel!

Lucie_2 · 14 June 2005 at 5:39PM

Chanel makeup = bourjois make up in expensive packaging

henhog · 14 June 2005 at 8:48PM

I used to love expensive make up when I had a good salary (before children!) However, the best money saving I ever did was by breaking the habit. I totally stay out of John Lewis. It used to be my fave store but I know I would spend if i went in, so I don't. I have stopped using expensive skin care and make up and now buy what ever I see on offer in Superdrug or the supermarket. Not having brand loyaltly is important as you do have to be prepared to switch. Simple moisturising lotion is very good and has all sorts of things built in and costs about £2.50. Body shop eye make up remover is brilliant - far better than the expensive stuff I used to buy. The funny thing is now I spend next to nothing (Tesco cleanser, 70p!) my skin doesn't look any different! The funny thing is John Lewis keep sending me vouchers for free cosmetic samples (the only time I go in the shop is to collect them - I leave my bag in the car so I am just in and out) that are really nice and luxurious. I have got a John Lewis card but now I never use it. I just get the free magazine from Waitrose with it - good recipes and money off tokens - and all the beauty freebies!
Good luck, Henhog
P.s. If you live by an outlet store, they have good cosmetics at a fraction of the price (still a lot dearer than the supermarket). I live by Hatfield Galleria - some good shops there.

daffynspacegirl · 14 June 2005 at 9:01PM

Have a look at https://www.tipking.com loads of home made beauty products for you to make at ..errrr.. home.

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Cosmetics Old Style - Saving money on cosmetics etc

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