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

treliac

geri - I have bought it 2 or 3 times, always in Boots. I read about it in their in-store magazine. Perhaps it is only sold in their bigger shops. There was only a small display and it was sitting alongside a cheaper, probably older style Ponds facecream.

If you still can't find it, I'm sure your local Boots could order one in for you.

P.S. They do a night cream too, but I haven't tried this - I'm happy with the Lidl or Aldi night stuff.

treliac

juliettet

For lip balm which is 99% natural and really works - try Burt's Bee's. Im not sure how much it is here £4ish? but lasts ages. My sister lives in Canada and posts one sometimes. Was voted No 1 over there a few months ago.

geri1965_2

treliac wrote: »

geri - I have bought it 2 or 3 times, always in Boots. I read about it in their in-store magazine. Perhaps it is only sold in their bigger shops. There was only a small display and it was sitting alongside a cheaper, probably older style Ponds facecream.

If you still can't find it, I'm sure your local Boots could order one in for you.

P.S. They do a night cream too, but I haven't tried this - I'm happy with the Lidl or Aldi night stuff.

treliac

It;s quite a big Boots - I looked where the other Ponds stuff was and they didn't have it, I might enquire about it next time I'm in.

I bought some of the Aldi day and night creams yesterday - very good, not to keen on the smell of the day cream but it goes away quickly enough.

moneysavingmumofone

harryharp wrote: »

OK, I know there is already an excellent thread called 'post your outstanding make-up here', but I've noticed that quite a lot of people have recommended expensive, premium brands- which I'm sure are excellent- I have no argument with this, but recently I've become increasingly annoyed at the inflated prices premium brand companies are charging for their products. Even when you're lucky enough to find them on 'bargain' websites or Ebay they are still over-priced.

Unfortunately they get away with charging these prices because us women (myself included in the past) are willing to pay them. They know that we are all vain enough to go to any lengths in the name of looking good, and we have all contributed to the perpetuation of the myth that for something to be good it must therefore be expensive.

BUT it's time to fight back! Recently I have discovered a few little gems (two of them thanks to other MSE-ers) that prove that it's possible for a product to perform brilliantly- as good as, if not better, than the over-priced premium brands, but without the extortionate price-tags.

I thought it'd be a nice idea to start a thread where people can list their own discoveries of make-up, beauty or hair products that are not just cheap, but actually do give companies like Chanel, Lancome, Dior, etc. a run for their money, being equal to or exceeding them in terms of performance.

Most of the products below cost less than a fiver. Why not add your discoveries to this thread?

Please list anything you've used that is not only cheap, but also that you genuinely feel performs as well as the expensive premium brands (or better!). As they come in, I'll add them to the list below, so you can easily find what you're looking for.

The number of stars next to an item indicates how many times the product has been endorsed on this thread. Therefore please could you tell us about your fave product even if it's already listed below- so I can add a star!

If you try any of the products listed below, it'd also be really useful to share your opinion of it on this thread- many thanks.

IMPORTANT EDIT: PLEASE DO NOT ADVERTISE YOUR OWN PRODUCTS OR WEBSITES ON THIS THREAD. THE WHOLE POINT IS FOR PEOPLE TO HELP EACHOTHER BY SHARING THEIR UNBIASED OPINIONS.

SKINCARE

Moisturisers:

• Aldi's Siana anti-wrinkle moisturiser £1.89. *++ Heavily endorsed on another thread.
• Nivea Creme (blue tub)*
• Tesco Skin Wisdom moisturiser*
• Vaseline*
• Boots Petroleum Jelly*
• Boots Expert Sensitive Light Moisturiser (good for mixing with foundation for tinted moisturiser)*
• Nivea Oil free moisturising fluid*
• Nivea Visage Light Moisturising Day Care cream**
• Garnier Pure A Daily Treatment Moisturiser (for oily skin)*
• Rescue Oil (available in Wilkinsons)*
• Olive Oil (see posts 171, 175, 189 & 190)**
• Asda Essential Care moisturiser*
• Asda moisturiser with hint of self-tan*
• Lidl's Iseree day cream with Q10*
• Clean and Clear Morning Glow moisturiser*
• Pond's Regener-Activ day treatment**
• Boots soltan tinted tanning moisturiser*
• Olay's everyday sunshine moisturiser*
• Waitrose Baby Bottom Butter*
• Superdrug's Vitamin E 12 hour moisturising cream with SPF 15*
• Superdrug's 'Natural High' anti ageing night cream*
• Astral moisturiser*

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There is currently a £2 off voucher for the ponds cream in the boots health and beauty mag. (mag free if you have an advantage card)

supersol

I use Vitamin E oil on my face at night two or three times a week. The bottle comes from Holland & Barratt and cost around £2.99 in their half-price or better sale. I find Vit. E oil has an intensive moisturising effect without worsening my oily patch. On me, it even heals breakouts, although this seems contrary to intuition.

vintage_beanpole

You can get moisturisers with more than SPF15 - Olay Complete Defense Daily UV has an SPF of 30 and seemingly there's an Avon one as well. But I've never tried them.

I've been using Dove Summer Body (hint of tan) and it's coming out great

Oh, and these new Rimmel 60 Seconds nail polishes are great! Although cheap the bottle is smaller than the 'usual' but I never get to the end of a bottle of nail varnish before it goes off anyway. And it's so, so fast.

Diane60

My stock of this soap has run out. As its quite costly (3.50 for 100g bar) can any of you recommend a good soap that foams and moisturises? This is loaded with shea butter and is great, but funds are tight at the moment.

JoeyEmma

My dermatologist recommends Dover Unscented. Its about £1 for 2 bars and is really rich and creamy, lathers up really well.

ames100

Does anyone know where to get the cheap 'refill' strips from sugar waxing kits. i have been using the diy one from superdrug and i have to say im very impressed!!! put the tub in hot water and off you go - you get lots of wax and it last for like 3 sets of full legs @ £3.99- problem is now i have run out of strips They are the papery kind if that makes a difference not the fabric.

harryharp

Hi folks- have been away and busy with work, sorry I haven't had time to update first post 'til now. Many thanks everyone for continuing to contribute!

Just an update- have been trying the 'oil cleansing method' for a few weeks now (25% castor oil, 3 times a week). At first it was good and I thought it was beginning to minimise my pores. However unfortunately it began to bring me out in large 'blind' spots, even though I've persevered with it in case it was just a case of my skin adjusting. My skin doesn't seem to like it so I think I'll probably stop using it...or maybe I'll increase the % of castor oil? I'm not sure what's best really.

Anyway, I've also started using Lush Ultrabland cleanser- will report back on that in a while.