Great 'Fave Sub-£5 Beauty Products' Hunt?

absnasm

Word of warning about the oil cleansing method - it seriously wrecked my skin. I tried it for a period of about two months (and I researched for ages first, was mega careful to get it all off etc) but I broke out in major painful boil-like spots and clogged pores so badly that my doctor upped my antibiotics and prescribed me an acne cream as well. I was hideous, like a teenage girl! It's been three months since I stopped using it and my skin is still recovering - I still have the scarring to show for it. I know it works great for some people, but be wary.

To cover up those spots and scars (!) I love Tesco Makeup concealer - by far the best concealer I have ever used. I live in fear of it being discontinued. I also adore Lily Lilo mineral foundation - it's £12, so not mega cheap, but loads cheaper than most mineral foundations and it doesn't break me out. Also, https://www.eyeslipsface.co.uk is fantastic for bargain makeup - the eyeshadows, mineral lipsticks, blushers and nail varnishes are amazing, as is the eye primer. Stay away from the foundations though. If you join their FB group there are regular free shipping codes.

shandyclover

TheBex wrote: »

Question - what is this bio oil you all know about? Did I miss a memo?

Bio Oil is available in Boots and Super drug. Orange and white box. Quite literally and oil supposedly full of the good healing stuff especially for scars and such like. Not cheap (Wilko do their own Rescue Oil, which I've heard works just as well.)

I bought it when DD 3 had an accident and burnt her hand badly. She narrowly missed having a skin graft. When the bandages came off I got permission from the Dr and massaged it in to her hand several times a day. There is still a scar but it's not obvious to people who don't know any better. Also used it when OH had gallbladder out, and DD 2 had appendectomy - on the surgical scars, then on DD 1 when she broke her wrist so badly she had to have her wrist cut open to sort it (does it sound like we have a accident prone household?)

Recently DD 3 was bitten thrice by poisonous spider (long story!), the bites turned into open sores, finally when they started healing I went to a Health Food shop to buy more Bio Oil, the lady there advised to use vit e straight from the capsule and didn't seem to believe in Bio Oil's claims. As a way of experiment I used the vit e on 2 scars and Bio Oil on 1 just to compare. The scars with the vit e did seem to heal slightly better and it was alot cheaper - so I guess it just depends what you use it for.

absnasm

Ooooh and who could forget the aspirin face mask! Fantaaaaastic - just dissolve about three soluble aspirin in a drop or two of water (or crush non-solubles and use that) then apply to your face, and wash off after about 15 minutes. You can mix it with anything else you like too - yogurt, avocado, banana. Works great for acne since it has salicylic acid in it, like most acne treatments. And only costs around 3p per mask!

Nessa64

Nessa64 wrote: »

Right then ladies, you have inspired me to have a go at using some cheaper brands - I am a Clarins girl through-and-through as you will see. I have always thought that you cant go cheap with the products you use on your face, but I am starting to see that maybe thats all in my head - I think I have been suckered in by the beauty counters, and maybe its time to change.

I took a trip out at lunchtime, and have bought the following to try for a month instead of my usual products. Hopefully I will be converted!!

Boots own Fragrance Free Eye Make Up Remover £1.49 to replace Clarins Gentle Eye Make Up Remover £15

Simple Face wipes £1.99 (in offer in Superdrug) to replace Clarins One Step Facial Cleanser £17.50

Garnier Nutritionist Night Cream £5 (on offer in Tesco) to replace Clarins Multi Active Night Cream £40

Superdrug Natural High Radiance Balm £1.95 (on offer) to replace Clarins Hydraquench Lotion £32

Garnier Nutritionist Eye Renew Cream £5 (on offer in Tesco) to replace Clarins Eye Contour Gel £25

Wish me luck, and I will post back in a month if anyone is still reading!

Just to let you all know how things are going - A week into completely changing my skin care routine, and all is going well.

The Boots FF Eye Make Up Remover is really good, a creamy formula which even removes my waterproof mascara (I regularly cry at Friends re-runs!). If I am too heavy handed with it, it absorbs into my lids so I wake up with fat eyelids, so have had to be a bit careful not to use too much.

I have never been a massive fan of face cleansing wipes, as I dont think my skin feels as clean afterwards as when using a liquid cleanser. However, they do remove all traces of make up, and my pores on my nose (the first place that I get clogged up) seem to be coping well, so the Simple wipes are getting a thumbs up from me.

The Superdrug Natural High Radiance Balm is really quite lovely (I dont mean to sound so surprised, but I wasnt expecting to be so impressed!). It smells divine, and is more like a lotion than a cream, so is quickly absorbed and doesnt leave your skin feeling sticky. It contains light reflecting pigments, so dont be scared when you have finished putting it on if your hands look a bit shimmery - its not that obvious when its on your face. My skin can be quite dry on my face, and some moisturisers dont seem to last the day, which was why I liked the Clarins Hydraquench. But I havent felt dry on my face all week (despite the windy conditions at the weekend!). The only downside is that the Clarins lotion has an SPF in it, but at this time of the year it really doesnt matter. However, I did pick up another face cream in Superdrug last week (with them all on half price it seemed daft not to). It was their Vitamin E Illuminating Moisture Cream. I havent tested this yet, but it also has the Light Reflecting pigments, but is also SPF 15, which would be perfect. I intend to use this as we get into the summer (ever hopeful!).

The Garnier Nutritionist Night Cream smells really fruity. Its a bit thicker than I am used to, but absorbs well, and my skin feels ever so soft in the mornings. Its normally nearer a tenner, but seems to be on offer everywhere at the moment.

The Garnier Eye Cream is very nice. Once again, I am not 100% sure that any of the eye creams that I have ever slathered on my eyes have really made that much difference, but I do feel like I should be doing it! It aborbs really well, so when I put it on in the mornings, I dont have to wait ages before starting to put on make up. I then put a little more on in the evenings before bed. I havent suddenly lost my dark circles, or lost my laughter lines - but then I have been using two Clarins eye creams for the past 2 years and the circles and lines were there too......

So there we have it, a week down, and I am mightily impressed with the products so far. I really hope that some of this helps some of you out there!!

Pozi

Thanks for the heads up about the St Ives mask, shandyclover - I'll give it a whirl!
If anyone is interested, you can check out what's in bio oil on their website as it lists the ingredients - I notice that apart from Vitamin E oil it also contains lavender oil which is superb for healing, especially for burns.
ThanksTheBex - will give the Johnsons baby top to toe a try and also love nivea - buy them when they're on offer too!
Something else I do too(hope this doesn't sound too extreme:)!)when I think I've got to the end of a tube of something - like the beauty flash balm that I'm just finishing! - I cut the tube in half - it's surprising how much is left in there.You can put the top bit of the tube back on to keep it fresh or transfer to a small clean pot(and I have bought some of the Superdrug substitue to try:D!)

kelk72

If anyones looking for a good powder brush try the elf studio( flat top) powder brush for £3.50 its fab I have 2 of them. I use 1 for stippling my liquid foundation on and the other 1 for blushers etc theyre synthetic, Taklon coated,and anti bacterial so can be used wet or dry, I honestly cant recommend this brush enough in fact my daughter tried mine and ordered 2 for herself!

chika

immortaljaz wrote: »

Most Montagne Jeunesse masques and tonics etc retail at 99p, though if you have a hunt around you can usually find them on offer or a little cheaper.

I swear by the orange face tonic. Perfect before a night out - it really makes your skin glow. It tightens pores and refreshes, and goes on feeling a bit tingly but it's sooooo relaxing!!!

Hi there, do you mean the one that comes with a little fabric mask - ?! WOW this product is amazing. I totally agree. The only other one that compares is Dermalogica's multivitamin radiance which cost me about £35 last time I bought it. Asda sometimes sell it at 4 for £3. It does tingle a lot when you have it on but I think that means it's working!

TheBex

Pozi wrote: »

Thanks for the heads up about the St Ives mask, shandyclover - I'll give it a whirl!
If anyone is interested, you can check out what's in bio oil on their website as it lists the ingredients - I notice that apart from Vitamin E oil it also contains lavender oil which is superb for healing, especially for burns.
ThanksTheBex - will give the Johnsons baby top to toe a try and also love nivea - buy them when they're on offer too!
Something else I do too(hope this doesn't sound too extreme:)!)when I think I've got to the end of a tube of something - like the beauty flash balm that I'm just finishing! - I cut the tube in half - it's surprising how much is left in there.You can put the top bit of the tube back on to keep it fresh or transfer to a small clean pot(and I have bought some of the Superdrug substitue to try:D!)

I'll pop over there now and have a little read. Thanks to the others for answers too. I hope it's not something I'll need soon, but it's good to know about it!

Shandyclover your house sounds about as manic as mine, except I'm one of those children! Don't worry, one day they'll grow up and start breaking cars instead of themselves!

Katyboo - it did, thank you!

I cut the tubes up too!

karen310

Great thread , I am wondering does anyone know a more MS version of Benefit Lemon Aid , I have read great reports about it but just cant justify the price at the moment.

bibblebobble

shandyclover wrote: »

Thanks Pozi for letting me know about Bodycare and Cyclax - sadly no Bodycare in RO Ireland but will definitely keep an eye out next time I'm back in UK.

My teen girls, Mum and I are all keen on St Ives too, like you we hunt out the BOGOF - we all have pet products so buy when we see and swap about. Mum loves the Whipped Silk lotion, daughters the Apricot Scrub, and me the Firming Mask which is hard to find but last time I used it hubby announced in shock 'what have you done to your face - it's taken 10 years off you!' - so it does work! ha!

Cyclax is usually for sale in Home Bargains (I'm in York), Savers, Boyes and often is in the £shops. Independent chemists and toiletry shops often sell it too.