Fight back against over-priced cosmetics! Post your cheap but outstanding discoveries

Dustykitten

Thanks to all the posters on this thread I have learnt so much. I have a couple of questions if anybody knows the answers:

M&S does anybody know if it is only the M&S range in the red boxes (similar to clarins) that clarins make or is it the whole range?

Do M&S do a suncream made by clarins - we love clarins suncream, smell, feel and the fact that none of us react to it but it is pricey.

With so many face creams containing sunscreen (often 15 or more) why do these products still feel pleasant on the face/skin and not greasy and heavy like suncream? Do they work as well?

Many thanks in advance to anybody who can provide answers

treliac

Dustykitten wrote: »

With so many face creams containing sunscreen (often 15 or more) why do these products still feel pleasant on the face/skin and not greasy and heavy like suncream? Do they work as well?

To quote from my previous post,

"About £6-7 for 75ml and lasts ages, Pond's Regener-Activ day treatment is excellent. It's also very moist, has a lovely texture, feels great on the skin and has the added bonus of having SPF 15 plus all the ingredients I look for."

I can only recommend this as a light, lovely feeling cream that absorbs well. I assume the SPF factor is what Ponds say it is and have to take that as read.

It's true that some sun creams are heavy but not all. You can buy high SPF in all forms of lotion, spray and mousse.

treliac

harryharp wrote: »

I'm using a Boots Soltan sunscreen (factor 30) on top of my moisturiser when I go out. I got it last year on BOGOF (hope it's still OK to use!)

That's a good question. I still use bottles I've had for years. They seem to accumulate in a bathroom cupboard for some reason, get raked out every now and again and then get put back again!

I have read that sunscreen effectiveness is retained for more than a year (although retailers might argue otherwise).

I've never felt that the contents of old bottles have not been any good, but it would be useful to know the scientific facts.

Butternut

ladygeeke wrote: »

I wanted to try mineral face powder as I had heard it was good for the skin.
Went to Superdrug and found one brand 8g for £7.99, one 10g for £9.99 (reduced from £13.99) - but then I found NYC pressed powder for £3.99 so bought that. It is a small compact with a small (not very good) brush. All the packs included a brush.
The powder has a nice feel to it and gives even coverage.
Does anyone else have experience with mineral based powders, are they really that much better for you?
Anyone know any cheaper brands that are good quality?

I just saw this brand NYC and was very tempted to buy the mineral foundation at jus £3.99. They seem to get a very light coverage, which I like.
I've come home with two brown hands from trying the different foundations - some of them were very scary and thick;) . I liked the No 17 sheer light coverage foundation in Boots.
Anyway, I would love to know if anyone had tried the NYC mineral foundation because it is so much cheaper than LilyLoLO.
Thanks to posters on here I've bought Superdrugs Vitamin E 12 hour moisturiser (smells gorgeous) and the BalmBalm lip balm (smells gorgeous too). I've also recentlybought the Aldi Night Anti-wrinkle cream.Once I've tried them I'll feedback on here.

Rachie_B

mdhughes03 wrote: »

our poundland (sheffield) currently has revlon dark circles and redness correction pens (packaged as "Vital radiance"cosmetics for some reason)

I'd highly reccomend both

Mandy xx

i purchased one of these from ebay,think its the european name / version

StompingOgre

Rachie_B wrote: »

i purchased one of these from ebay,think its the european name / version

is it good at covering the dark circles ?

Sexy_Legs

All

Thought this might be useful, just found this on another MSE Forum for makeup tutorials.

The lady uses BarryM makeup click that link from the link below

http://www.youtube.com/panacea81

I purchased the 24 colour eyeshadow palette recommended on here so above gives you ideas on how to apply. She also tells you at the end the shades and nmbers she has used to get the look using BarryM.

Janeyboo

harryharp wrote: »

I've just seen that there's an interesting-looking programme on channel 4 tonight at 8pm: 'Dispatches- the Truth about Beauty Creams':
http://www.radiotimes.com/ListingsServlet?event=10&channelId=132&programmeId=78023746&jspLocation=/jsp/prog_details_fullpage.jsp

Excellent thread!

Yes - what came across strongly was that the most important ingredient in a cream is a Broad Spectrum Sunscreen (covers against UVA and UVB) as sun is responsible for 95% of skin damage and you can get good, cheap sunscreeen.

My idea is for anyone who loves the Eve Lom cleanser which is very expensive. Lush do a great one called Ultrabland. It's all natural ingredients, you massage it into your skin and the makeup just melts off. Then you use a washcloth wrung out in hot water. Ultrabland is only about £5 - very different to £39 for Eve Lom.

I'd recommend Ultrabland highly for normal to dry skin. Your skin feels peachy and soft afterwards.

hollydays

My moisturiser has spf of 15,can you getany cheap ones that are higher?

harryharp

hollydays wrote: »

My moisturiser has spf of 15,can you getany cheap ones that are higher?

Do you mean higher than 15? If you just mean ones that ARE 15, there are 2 which people have recommended on this thread- Superdrug's Vitamin E 12 hour moisturising cream with SPF 15 and Pond's Regener-Activ day treatment.