How much do you spend on beauty products?

wondercollie

Somebody up thread said they didn't pay for theirs as they got it free on prescription.

I live where prescriptions aren't free unless you are on some kind of social assistance. Or have very good employer benefits.

So free prescriptions aren't really free, taxes pay for them. So as everyone pays taxes one way or another the posters lotions and creams aren't really free!

Hard_Up_Hester

I use Dove deodorant £2, own brand toothpaste 50p a tube and coconut shampoo is on offer, 2 for £1.80, bar soap for hands and in the shower, 25p a bar.
I have some nice perfume that DD gave me as it was one she didn't like, when it's gone that's it.

I use hand cream as I work with paper all day and live on a boat so my hand's get very dry, I usually am given enough hand cream that others don't like so I don't pay for it.

gonebust

wondercollie wrote: »

Somebody up thread said they didn't pay for theirs as they got it free on prescription.

I live where prescriptions aren't free unless you are on some kind of social assistance. Or have very good employer benefits.

So free prescriptions aren't really free, taxes pay for them. So as everyone pays taxes one way or another the posters lotions and creams aren't really free!

Wow

Plums sour where you live ?


I too am entitled to free shampoo and skincare

Id rather have the choice of walking into a chemist and choosing whatever product I fancy. Unfortunately my seb derm, roseaccia and psoriasis don't allow that.

I'm more then lucky then some in that some otc products work which I'm more then happy to pay for. I still do need at least 4 "free" prescriptions a year though and I won't stop collecting those, be they cost me a prescription charge or I live in an area that give free scripts

I mean, would you deny someone their diabetic meds?

Paulaviki

My spends are a real mixed bag. I use Wella professionals shampoo and conditioner, which I buy in litre sizes and last about 6+ months. They aren't particularly expensive and often I get them free at Sally's for buying 6 tubes of colour (ex-hairdresser who still dabbles!).

Skincare wise I use Dermalogica anti-bac face wash and active moist moisturiser. These seem to be the only products will keep my skin clear so I consider them well worth it. The 500ml face wash does cost me £40 but lasts a year, and a tube of moisturiser is £30 ish but lasts 6 months.

I use Bare Minerals foundation and bronzer. I also like their mascara but often just buy one from Boots. Although I got a Clinique gift set for my birthday and I'm loving the mascara so I may buy that next time I run out. But the rest of my makeup is Rimmel, Boots 17 etc.

Other than that I use normal everyday brands (and whatever is on offer) of deodorant, shower gel, face wipes, hairspray. In fact my favourite face wipes are boots own brand ones which are 3 for £3.

Fusspot

Paulaviki wrote: »

My spends are a real mixed bag. I use Wella professionals shampoo and conditioner, which I buy in litre sizes and last about 6+ months. They aren't particularly expensive and often I get them free at Sally's for buying 6 tubes of colour (ex-hairdresser who still dabbles!).

Skincare wise I use Dermalogica anti-bac face wash and active moist moisturiser. These seem to be the only products will keep my skin clear so I consider them well worth it. The 500ml face wash does cost me £40 but lasts a year, and a tube of moisturiser is £30 ish but lasts 6 months.

I use Bare Minerals foundation and bronzer. I also like their mascara but often just buy one from Boots. Although I got a Clinique gift set for my birthday and I'm loving the mascara so I may buy that next time I run out. But the rest of my makeup is Rimmel, Boots 17 etc.

Other than that I use normal everyday brands (and whatever is on offer) of deodorant, shower gel, face wipes, hairspray. In fact my favourite face wipes are boots own brand ones which are 3 for £3.

I use Wella Professionals shampoo and treatment, I get it from my hairdressers, it does last ages. Which one do you use? I use the shampoo for sensitive scalp and treatment for coloured hair. Sometimes I find my hair getting greasy and I wonder if its this but I am reluctant to change brands and its really helped the condition of my hair over the years.

I can also get E45 on prescription but I do often buy it over the counter, it works out cheaper on prescription though as I get bigger bottles.

I don't think I'm extravagant by any means but I do like nice products. No disrespect to anyone but I'd find a £1.00 shampoo too watery and would do nothing for my hair. I like a balance really.

Islandmaid

bexster1975 wrote: »

Oooh, I'm glad I kept reading! After the first four or five replies I thought I'd better not post for fear of being thrown out of OS

I'm afraid I like expensive toiletries. Molton brown and Loccitane shower gel. They last months and I keep the pumps as it makes it last much longer. I'm a Liz Earle cleanse and polish devotee and an Elemis pro collagen moisturiser fan ( day and night cream). To be fair QVC is my friend for many of these brands as they do great deals. I only wear a little make up, currently Loccitane BB cream (40 ml lasts almost 6 months) and mascara. I like a nice lipstick but buy them based on colour and wear, rather than brand.

I will keep reading this thread with interest

Bexster

Sorry if we made you feel bad - but we are the OS crowd, I am sure we all have our 'won't compromise' items, mine is cookware.

My Grandma always told me it's worth it if you use it all the time, i.e. A £100 pair of jeans are cheap if you wear them most days for 5 years. £100 on a dress you wear once is an expensive item...

MrsLWW

A bit of a mix for me:

Shampoo - Vosene (£1 poundshops) - have fine, thin hair so love that "squeeky clean" feeling - if I'm in Asda, I get their version which is as good for 69p.
Conditioner - switch it up every go but again £1 from the poundshop and only use a 20p size and emulsify it in my hands before applying it to the ends of my hair - lasts for about a month.
Shower Gel - any one from the pound shop.
Face cleansing - used to use clinique 1,2,3 but found that dove soap (2 for £1), followed by johnson and johnson clean and clear astringent (Home bargains £1.29 I think) works just as well, and I love the derma v10 range facial cream (again £1 at the pound shop) where a little goes a long long way.
Hand cream - love the derma v10 handcream (fragrance free so good for sensitive skin) and is the best by far - not greasy and moisturises really well.
Nails - Mostly I do myself - I tend just to paint them clear and occasionally do a french manicure. If I need them to grow then I'll do a shellac - again, do it myself. Maybe buy a new nail polish, once a year or similar - usually a nutra nail or shelly hanson one, particularly if I see it in the pound shop
Foundation - This is my sticking point, I've tried loads from really cheap to middle range (clinique) and unfortunately I haven't found anything that works well for me, other than clinique - which annoys the life out of me as it's not cheap and the bottle is glass so I feel like I loose a lot of product.
Eyebrow pencil - Again, tried a lot of different ones - but irritatingly cheapest one which worked for me was maybelline satin brow - however, I plan to get my eyebrows tattooed (once I work up the nerve) which hopefully saves money in the long term and saves the faffing about every morning.
Eyeliner - I can't see past rimmel exaggerated eyes - and at £3 a go, it's good value, applies well and lasts a decent amount of time.
Bronzer - I use any, so long as it's not too dark - I'm a huge fan of collection 2000 mosaic glow - again at £3 a go, a bargain.
Blusher - anything - the cheaper the better - usually pick up something from the pound shop - especially love their end of line branded stuff - sometimes get some brilliant products.
Mascara - I tend to try and find a branded one in pound shop, but failing that, I get one of the W7 ones from B&M/Watt Brothers.
Lipstick - not something I often wear as I vape and usually end up with it all over the shop, I tend to just go with a nivea lip balm (again from the pound shop). But I did pick up a red CK one from Watt brother's for a few pounds.

If I find a product I love, I search online to see if I can get it cheaper (worked well for my husband's deoderant).

Anything that's too expensive, but I really want, I ask for it for christmas and birthdays.

HTH

Fusspot

MrsLWW wrote: »

A bit of a mix for me:

Shampoo - Vosene (£1 poundshops) - have fine, thin hair so love that "squeeky clean" feeling - if I'm in Asda, I get their version which is as good for 69p.
Conditioner - switch it up every go but again £1 from the poundshop and only use a 20p size and emulsify it in my hands before applying it to the ends of my hair - lasts for about a month.
Shower Gel - any one from the pound shop.
Face cleansing - used to use clinique 1,2,3 but found that dove soap (2 for £1), followed by johnson and johnson clean and clear astringent (Home bargains £1.29 I think) works just as well, and I love the derma v10 range facial cream (again £1 at the pound shop) where a little goes a long long way.
Hand cream - love the derma v10 handcream (fragrance free so good for sensitive skin) and is the best by far - not greasy and moisturises really well.
Nails - Mostly I do myself - I tend just to paint them clear and occasionally do a french manicure. If I need them to grow then I'll do a shellac - again, do it myself. Maybe buy a new nail polish, once a year or similar - usually a nutra nail or shelly hanson one, particularly if I see it in the pound shop
Foundation - This is my sticking point, I've tried loads from really cheap to middle range (clinique) and unfortunately I haven't found anything that works well for me, other than clinique - which annoys the life out of me as it's not cheap and the bottle is glass so I feel like I loose a lot of product.
Eyebrow pencil - Again, tried a lot of different ones - but irritatingly cheapest one which worked for me was maybelline satin brow - however, I plan to get my eyebrows tattooed (once I work up the nerve) which hopefully saves money in the long term and saves the faffing about every morning.
Eyeliner - I can't see past rimmel exaggerated eyes - and at £3 a go, it's good value, applies well and lasts a decent amount of time.
Bronzer - I use any, so long as it's not too dark - I'm a huge fan of collection 2000 mosaic glow - again at £3 a go, a bargain.
Blusher - anything - the cheaper the better - usually pick up something from the pound shop - especially love their end of line branded stuff - sometimes get some brilliant products.
Mascara - I tend to try and find a branded one in pound shop, but failing that, I get one of the W7 ones from B&M/Watt Brothers.
Lipstick - not something I often wear as I vape and usually end up with it all over the shop, I tend to just go with a nivea lip balm (again from the pound shop). But I did pick up a red CK one from Watt brother's for a few pounds.

If I find a product I love, I search online to see if I can get it cheaper (worked well for my husband's deoderant).

Anything that's too expensive, but I really want, I ask for it for christmas and birthdays.

HTH

That's interesting as I like Clinique foundation in the glass bottle, is it the Superbalanced one you have? It ain't cheap but it does last ages. I also like Boots N07 which is cheaper.

[Deleted User]

As I am well over the age of 60 I get my prescriptions free, and have done for years,in my case my skin problems began after chemotherapy 10 years ago which left me with side effects of having extremely sensitive skin problems.

bexster1975

Hi islandmaid

Do not worry, I wasn't feeling bad, my comments were somewhat tongue in cheek:o

I'm aware we all have different things we won't compromise on. I am OS in lots of ways ( cleaning products, energy use, make do and mend) and like others it allows me to be more extravagant in other areas. It's what I've always liked about MSE. It's not about living like a pauper ( unless that's your thing) it's about only paying the minimum amount for what you need/ want.

Bexster