Do you use premium make up and skincare?

Le_Foot

Hi All, Over the years I have tried most premium make up and skin care products. The last 2/3 years I have been using Aldi's LACURA products. I have loved all of them, and the money I save goes towards next holidays. Happy Days!! Give it a go.:j

TimBear

I don't really stivk to any set products for skin care. At the minute I just use cheap wipes (either baby wipes or Wilko Vaue ones) to remove the bulk of my make up, then use Aldi sensitive face wash in the shower with a flannel, and an Asda cleanser with cotton wool when I get out of the shower to make sure I get it all off (you'd be surprised how much comes off even after the shower!).

After that I use a tea treee oil toner/cleanser which is really light and fresh. My moisturiser at the moment is just an Asda one to stop the oil which seems to actually be doing a good job and only cost me £1.00! Other times I use Sanctuary Sun Shine Spa gradual tanner which is lovely.

Make up wise, I've always gone high street for my foundation, I've tried everything from Natural Collection to Rimmel, to Maybelline, to Soap & Glory. Never found anything that lasted all day and looked good!

I was recommended Estee Lauder Double Wear though recently and it's fab! Expensive at £26.50 for 30ml, but from the amount I'm using each day I'm sure it'll last a fair while. On the first day I wore it I had comments for three or four colleagues to say how well I looked; I'm really impressed with it

The rest of my day to day make up though is cheap as chips -

* Natural Collection pressed powder
* Natural Collection blusher or bronzer
* Natural Collection mascara

I'm lucky because my eyelashes are long and naturally curled so don't need anything too fancy mascara-wise, although I do like Rimmel mascaras, and I have tried Estee Lauder. I got a YSL waterproof mascara for Christmas which I do like but it's such a pain to get off I just use that for nights out etc.

Eyeshadows, nail varnish, eye liner etc is all just Barry M, Natural Collection etc...cheapy stuff as I don't find much difference there.

With the exception of my foundation all my other high end products were gifts - Benefit Dandelion blusher (not used that yet so can't say whether I prefer it), and a Calvin Klein eyebrow palette which I really like.

Lovelyjoolz

I have a VERY mixed make-up bag. I love, love LOVE the Dior counter and whenever I fly I usually find myself treating myself to one of the sets that are only available in airports. Thankfully, I don't have to fly very often now! Dior eyeshadows are just so lovely, and boy do they last! When I get home from work my eye makeup still looks as fresh as when I applied it. I love their Addict lipsticks too - very moisturising and not too heavy on the pigment. Last time I flew I was seduced by an Urban Decay palette and the shadows are very nice.
My mascara HAS to be Benefit BADgal. No other comes close, and I think I've tried them all! I love Touche Eclat and Benefit Lemon Aid for those dark undereye circles. But liquid eyeliner is Collection 2000 - its super easy to apply and the blackest of black. Eye pencils are rimmel, foundation was max factor but is now Bare Minerals now that they do a super pale shade (I'm a ghost!).

My skin isn't very particular about what I put on it. I've weaned myself off the premium brands because I was spending a ridiculous amount on it. While I love Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (does anything smell as good?) I usually slap on original pink Olay or good old Nivea creme. I used to use Protect and Perfect and loved it, but then they added SPF and it makes my eyes and the skin around my eyes burn so I had to stop using the day cream. I still use the night cream though. Clarins also do a lovely skin soap - Beauty Bar I think they call it - but I sometimes just use Dove soap and a muslin cloth or a cheap face wash from Aldi. LOVE face wipes tho - so easy. Whatever I use, my skin seems to be quite ahppy with it as long as it doesn't contain SPF. And it must be working because I keep getting asked for ID in bars and I'm 39 this year!

Hair is a different story - it's premium all the way. My hair is very very long and I protect it zealously. I abandoned Pantene when the scare about silicone and breast cancer went around and used Redken for a while but didn't really like the smell. I used Aveda for ages and love it but I've recently discovered Kerastase and my hair has never been so good!