Cosmetics Old Style - Saving money on cosmetics etc

BusyGirl

I've just stocked up on No.7 make-up.
At the moment if you spend at least £5 in Boots (which is easy to do as there is still a sale on) then you get a £5 voucher for no.7 products. They are selling a choice of 2 no.7 make-up bags each costing £6.50, so using the voucher they only cost £1.50, Inside the bags are about 6 or 7 items including, lipstick, eye-liner, mascara, nail polish, lip-liner, eye cream and a mini moisturiser.
So I've bought lots of pressies for next xmas and got enough make-up to last for the next 2 years!
You also get a £3 voucher off a selection of hair products, so I bought some 'posh' shampoo for 99p!
Hope this helps your budget!

goonlord

Mrs. Thrift - please please please tell me how you make HM lip balms! I get through loads of the stuff but would love to make my own.

Thanks, GL

Miss_Cinnabon

I get loads of make up ie bodyshop, rimmel off magazine subs, always looking for good gifts and then sign up:j excellent freebies, must admit i love lush, havent found a bathbomb better than their yet:D

I save on shampoo, as i wash with conditioner only, another tip i picked up here on os:j wash with shampoo weekly, my hair is so shiny now:D

Kyle

Noble_Scarlet

A few tips

1. For a cheap eye make up and mascara remover, use Baby oil. Apply on cotton wool ball or pad and gently swipe area. It's moisturising too so I don't even have to rinse off afterwards with water.

2. Do you have a mascara that you love but expensive to buy? (it's the one make up item that needs replacing most often for hygiene and health reasons). Maybe it's more of the wand rather than the mascara that's doing it for you. In this case - keep & clean the wand to use for your next (cheaper!) mascara purchase. I saw a professional make up artist do this so I think it's OK to recommend this practice!

3. I don't bother with nail polish anymore but I carry around a small tin of vaseline if I want to give my nails a quick fix and shine. Also keeps my cuticles in good condition and can use on your lips too.

4. Try mixing your lipsticks if you want a new colour. With a lip brush mix a little on the back of your hand or in an empty make up palette. Use 2 -3 colours at most. It has saved me having to buy a new lipstick and from throwing a couple of unsuitable old ones away. It can be hit-and-miss but experimenting can be fun!

Cat72

Im a complete make up junkie too.I dont eat sweets, i drink once a year ,dont smoke but I do make up .Unfortunately I lost my job 3 years ago due to ill health & my income has drastically decreased. So here are some of my tips, ope they can help.First some products are worth there extra cost because they last longer- so cheaper is not alway best.
1- Join pigsback ( they are details on the freebies forum). I get free vouchers for boots ( you can also get john lewis vouchers ) .I have had over £100 in vouchers .I take the vouchers into boots & exchange them for a gift card ( so i can spend what i need ) and also get boots points back. I use the boots points to buy items at bonus times so get freebies then too.
2- you can use cheaper items like mascara, lip pencils, eye pencils & lipsticks I buy these at TJ HUGHES or Watt bothers. Revelon / arden mascaras are about £2.99.
3- I have now found the wonders of mineral makeup which is amazing, cheaper & almost natural. A tiny bit of the foundation covers your whole face & gives you a glow.I have been able to stop using concealer! You can get cheap samples here or Free samples from this company but they are American so the postage is £3 ( £6 dollars).The samples are a great size & you can pay by paypal.I use both these sites & they are reliable.It is terrific & amkes your skin feel great- saving you money on other products.
4- look at the boots board for boots freebies.
5 - HAIR- try soapnuts, details on this board.
6 - Try coconut oil .Its a brilliant body moisturiser & hair conditioner.Costs as little as £2 for a big tub of KFC coconut oil from indian shops or Tesco
7- Join channel, estee lauder, clinque sites as sometimes you get freebies or discount details.
8- look at janey lee graces site.It has loads of cheap great ideas for skincare, hair, cosmetics etc here.
Think about what you need and stick to what you need as your essentials, like a shopping list but for makeup not food !

reverie

Keep an eye out on the coupons board regarding the brilliant Tesco offers on health and beauty (2 x Johnsons Shower/Bath stuff for 9p!!) and on Grabbit for the fantastic Boots bargains which come along pretty often. I am stocked up for years!

JoeyEmma

OK... things that I have learnt from this board and other beauty boards
1. If you have acne or large pores, the best face mask you can use is 4-5 aspirin ground to a paste with a little water, applied to the skin, left for 5-10 minutes and washed off again. If you look at the majority of masks they contain salicylic acid, which is aspirin. I've replaced my expensive Origins with this.
2. I have curly hair and have not washed with shampoo for several months and my hair has never looked better. I wash my hair with a cheap silicone free conditioner (which I get from TJ Hughes!). I was spending £25 on kerastase shampoo and conditioner.
3. I have replaced expenisve hair products with Boots Essentials Curling Creme, at £1.29. I discovered this holy grail of hair products from an American forum where they import it for about $18 a jar! It lasts for ever!
4. Use oils!! I got introduced to oils for my skin via Decleor (£30ish a tub). I now wash my face with jojoba oil with a bit of rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils added in. I moisturise with a tiny bit of jojoba oil.
5. Take advantage of people you know that are going to America. My parents have gone there with a shopping list. Clinique lipstick is £12 here and $13.50 over there, which is £7! Don't forget to look at American sites that you can pay with Paypal on. They give £1 = $1.90, which is better than you'll get on any credit card.

scotgirl

I used to be the same. My tip is to stay out of boots and superdrug as much as poss! Also, when you think you need something - shop at home! I used to be terrible for buying something I thought I 'needed' when I have 5 or 6 bottles of a similar product lurking in the bathroom cupboard!!!

mouseymousey99

I saw a lady making things on 'Its hard being green' last week, I have the book on order at the library, when I get it I'll post back. I love Body shop Vitamin E cream & use it for loads of things - got some cheapo on e bay.
I've also bought some make up from Aldi & its really not bad at all.
Tea tree oil gets rid of the odd spot - 46 & getting spots how fair is that!!!!

kittiwoz

I saw some stuff on home made cosmetics on Not Martha. There's a page on making lipbalm, one on bathbombs and one on solid bubblebath.