Small Steps Out Of Massive Debt!

GeorgianaCavendish

I thought I'd try to pass on some of the money saving things I've discovered over the past year or so, starting with The Ordinary foundation.

I use The Ordinary Serum Foundation which is £5.70 for 30ml (I used to use Laura Mercier foundation which is £35 for 30ml :eek: ). I wear foundation at least 5 days a week, and one bottle lasts me for 12 weeks. You do have to pay postage on top of the purchase price, but luckily my friend likes The Ordinary skincare so we are normally able to club together and qualify for free postage.

Quality wise, I admit that do find it a little bit watery compared to the Laura Mercier foundation but it is absolutely fine with a dusting of powder over the top. The LM foundation is 6 times the price of The Ordinary but definitely not 6 times the quality!

Old Spending : £140 a year
New Spending : £22.80 a year
Saving: £117.20 a year :eek: :T

Silver_Queen

GeorgianaCavendish wrote: »

I thought I'd try to pass on some of the money saving things I've discovered over the past year or so, starting with The Ordinary foundation.

I use The Ordinary Serum Foundation which is £5.70 for 30ml (I used to use Laura Mercier foundation which is £35 for 30ml :eek: ). I wear foundation at least 5 days a week, and one bottle lasts me for 12 weeks. You do have to pay postage on top of the purchase price, but luckily my friend likes The Ordinary skincare so we are normally able to club together and qualify for free postage.

Quality wise, I admit that do find it a little bit watery compared to the Laura Mercier foundation but it is absolutely fine with a dusting of powder over the top. The LM foundation is 6 times the price of The Ordinary but definitely not 6 times the quality!

Old Spending : £140 a year
New Spending : £22.80 a year
Saving: £117.20 a year :eek: :T

Have you seen Brandon Truaxe's posts on the deciem instagram though....cringe city!

Seasidegal58

I get an interest free loan from work for my annual travel season ticket as well Georgiana. It has certainly saved me quite a bit in fares over the years as I would have bought monthly tickets without it. Even factoring in not using it when I'm off work, it still pays because I use it to travel up to London if I'm going up there for social reasons at weekends/holiday time. I get other perks with the annual as well.

I heard very good reports of The Ordinary range and it is so cheap. Must investigate further.......

Treadingonplaymobil

I really liked a couple of the Ordinary products, but I found them (a) too hit and miss - some are amazing, some did nothing, and it is so hard to work out what one's skin needs, and (b) so utterly un-luxurious. Turns out that I am a complete princess with skincare and make up and I want it to look pretty and smell nice and be all fancy pants, and the Ordinary just felt, um, ordinary.

GeorgianaCavendish

Silver_Queen wrote: »

Have you seen Brandon Truaxe's posts on the deciem instagram though....cringe city!

I have indeed and cringe city is right! I really hope that this isn't the first sign of the company imploding because I love the cheap products!

Seasidegal58 wrote: »

I get an interest free loan from work for my annual travel season ticket as well Georgiana. It has certainly saved me quite a bit in fares over the years as I would have bought monthly tickets without it. Even factoring in not using it when I'm off work, it still pays because I use it to travel up to London if I'm going up there for social reasons at weekends/holiday time. I get other perks with the annual as well.

I heard very good reports of The Ordinary range and it is so cheap. Must investigate further.......

I spent a good few months telling myself that I was saving money by not having an annual travelcard because of holidays, days off etc but after tracking my spend for 3 months I realised that it was much cheaper even with the holidays. And its nice to have a set amount deducted from my salary and know I don't have to worry about the amount varying month to month (well, not nice exactly but I appreciate the certainty!).
I really like The Ordinary. I'm swapping in products from there and Beauty Pie as I use up my old brands, so far I've liked everything I've tried

Treadingonplaymobil wrote: »

I really liked a couple of the Ordinary products, but I found them (a) too hit and miss - some are amazing, some did nothing, and it is so hard to work out what one's skin needs, and (b) so utterly un-luxurious. Turns out that I am a complete princess with skincare and make up and I want it to look pretty and smell nice and be all fancy pants, and the Ordinary just felt, um, ordinary.

There are a couple of things I haven't been able to find good dupes/substitutes from The Ordinary / Beauty Pie (my concealer, cleansing balm and moisturiser) but some products I've found way better than the fancy pants brands I was using before.

redofromstart

I looked and was immediately doing 'ooh I want to try that' but what I actually need to do is use up some of my extensive stash first.

That said, *coughs*, have you tried the rose hip oil, or the toning glycolic acid or the peeling solution?

Good to see you back Georgiana

GeorgianaCavendish

redofromstart wrote: »

I looked and was immediately doing 'ooh I want to try that' but what I actually need to do is use up some of my extensive stash first.

That said, *coughs*, have you tried the rose hip oil, or the toning glycolic acid or the peeling solution?

Good to see you back Georgiana

Thank you, its good to be back

Of those products, I've only tried the Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution (£6.80 for 240ml). I was previously using Pixi Glow Tonic (£18 for 250ml but a 5% solution) , I started using The Ordinary one every 2-3 days and just in the evening to let my skin get used to it as it is a stronger solution, I've now built up to using it once a day (usually evening) and am just as happy as I was with the Pixi one. Even happier actually, because it is much cheaper so I don't feel like I'm wasting it if I use it on my chest or upper back occasionally!

I've been trying The Ordinary/Beauty Pie products when I've got about 1/3 of my expensive products left, so that if I really don't like it I'm not stuck with no alternative. And I've only been trying one new thing at a time so I don't get lured into the "oooh, I might as well buy 8 new things because they are so cheap!" :rotfl: Also, its easier to see any positive or negative effects if I introduce one new thing at a time.

redofromstart

Thanks - I'm on the dregs of my Pixi bottle so a useful comparison.

Silver_Queen

I'm absolutely loving the skincare chatter on here - it's one of the things I really like to play with.

I've discovered that acids really don't work on my skin but the things that I like from the Ordinary range is the marula oil (does the exact same job, looks and smells the same as the £80 African Botanics one I was using previously), the retinoid 0.5% in squalane, the hyaluronic acid and the niacinamide with zinc. What I hate is the vitamin C suspension - too gritty - and the alpha arbutin - too gloppy!

GC, have you tried Glossier? Everyone raves about it but almost single product I've tried (milky jelly cleanser, priming moisturiser, cloud paint, stretch concealer) I've hated. I don't get it. I don't know why everyone loves it!

Seasidegal58

I'm using a retinol night cream from Roche-Posey at the moment. Will definitely have to check out The Ordinary - the Roche one isn't that expensive compared to some makes but I've got a feeling it may be dearer than The Ordinary range!