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

ames100

oh sugar just seen you have tried lush! its too late for me im afraid!

but i will go away and have a think!

richchestmat

I'd like to add my support for DHC. It's sort of a Japanese version of Avon and the wife got me using some of their products. I quite like the lip balm for Men which is about £3.50 and it lasts for ages. I also like the post-shave oil which is mostly olive oil.

I don't think you can buy their stuff in retail so google their website. Usually they send the wife a magazine every month but they've been quiet for a while leading to us wondering if they are pulling out of the UK but the site still looks active.

xXHaloXx

Unity wrote: »

If you hunt back through this thread you'll find someone recommended Hollywood Beauty Cocoa Butter. It comes in tubs from hairdressers specialising in Afro hair and it's very rich. I bought a large tub 704g on-line for around £8 so you can afford to be quite lavish with it. I find it's great for my feet, put on before bed with a pair of cotton socks .

Another good product is Frankincense body cream from Neal's Yard, but that's around £20 for a much smaller tub.

Hope this helps.

Thanks, i'll try and hunt down the Hollywood Beauty Cocoa Butter, i'm not big on the smell of Cocoa butter, but if it does the trick, i'll put up with it!

Ames100 - thanks for the suggestion but i've tried Dream cream and it was no where near rich enough. I tried sympathy for the skin, and found that was much better, but i can't stand bannan's and the smell made me feel sick

got-it-spend-it

Not cheap, but I find Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Body Lotion. It's £20 a (big) tube but I haven't found anything as good and it smells lovely- like lemon balm. John Lewis and Boots stock it so it's worth trying when you're in there.

Rachie_B

for dry skin i love Johnsons baby soothing naturals cream
it smells nice,is easily absorbed and cheap too!

judyjetson

xXHaloXx wrote: »

Can anyone recommend me a good body moisturiser? I have incredibly dry skin (i suffer from Echzema - and though it's not 'active' at the moment, it causes my skin to be very dry), i've tried all sorts, from moisturisers recommended by the doctor like E45 and a few others that i can't remember the names of to cheaper moisturisers availble in places like Boots such as Johnsons, Vaseline, various body butters including most of The Body Shop ones, mosturisers from Lush and more expensive ones like the Dermalogica rich moisturiser and am currently trying Elemis Frangipani Skin oil and i've also tried the bath milk (which can be applied neat on to the skin) but they still cause tightening to the skin within a few hours and make me very uncomfortable. My skin is dry and ashy looking and tends to flake alot, i've managed find the perfect combo of products for my face but i'm still struggling with body moisturisers. As a rule, i've found lotions are no where near moisturising enough and think creams are better, the hemp body butter by Body Shop was ok but i'm a bit of a hippie and have ethical issues with them ebing taken over by L'Oreal and won't shop there anymore, can anyone recommend me a good body moisturiser? I am flexible pricewise but would draw the line at about £30 unless i'm garunteed thata it will be excellent

Have you tried Korres? The guava body butter for dry skin is very rich and is around £12. It smell gorgeous as well. They also do it in quince, fig, jasmine and yoghurt. If you contact them from their website they may be able to send you a sample.
http://www.korres.com/

The other product I found works wonders on tight skin is Barefoot Botanicals SOS cream. I've only used the face cream, but they do do a rich body lotion which is specifically designed with very dry skin in mind, so even though it's a lotion it might actually do the job.
http://www.barefoot-botanicals.com/shop/sos-daily_rich_bodylotion.asp

Personally, I'd give the Korres a go first.

BatulN

Hi all,
I have to rave about himalaya herbals' skin care and supplements! I tried this range by accident when I went to Dubai about 6 years ago, and forgot my normal cleanser.
I can honestly say that the products are fantastic, and leave the skin squeeky clean! also, I have noticed that my pores have been dramatically reduced and I have had only a handful of spots in the past 6 years when using this line. Their moisturiser is by far the best moisturiser I have come across! Give them a try, you won't be disappointed (No, I'm not affiliated with them in any way- just excited to be sharing with you!)
They don't retail in stores- online only (unless you're in Dubai) but there are always discounts on which makes it a better buy!
HTH

ames100

Halo- what about pure shea butter? the ultra natural untampered style. i was considering buying some on an ebay store who make all their own stuff but have put it on the back burner for the moment as im a bit of a cosmetics junkie!

they do a whipped version which is a spreadable cream or solid blocks which need to be melted in. Im kind of running with the thinking that your skin would be better with natural and simple products ie- no parabens and stuff.

you could always add your own essential oils as well - if there are any known for healing or calming properties or just if you like the smell!

Dustykitten

Can anybody recommend a sugar (like wax for hair removal). I use the body shop one which is good but £8 is quite a lot for well a pot of sugar. I have tried making my own but it wasn't quite the same.

harryharp

First post updated again. Just thought I'd take this oportunity of reporting back on a couple of products others have recommended which I've tried. Firstly Avon Botanicals Vital Day Cream (spf20) which was recommended by Suki. Have been using it for a couple of weeks now and I love it!:j It has a really nice light texture and is very gentle. I still have a couple of pots of the Aldi cream, but as it has a much lower spf I will keep them for the winter.

So I'm using the Avon cream for the day, the Aldi Siana night cream at night, the OCM every other day, and my skin looks loads better now than it did when I was younger! And it has to be said I was using MUCH more expensive products in those days too :rolleyes: .

Another product I now use regularly is Superdrug's answer to Benefit's Benetint- the MeMeMe P u s s y c a t Cheek and Lip Tint. I only use it on my cheeks though, not my lips, and it gives a nice natural glow.

Oh, and the 'alternative' to the Smashbox foundation primer which was suggested by an earlier poster- Lanacane anti-chafing Gel- it's brilliant!! I have just finished a bottle of the Smashbox stuff, so thought I might as well give it a go, and it definitely gives the same results- ie. smooths everything out prior to applying foundation. The texture is slightly thicker, but I was fascinated to read that it shares so many ingredients with the Smashbox. It even smells the same! So many thanks for that recommendation!:A

One recommendation of my own I have just discovered is Nivea Visage 'Young' Be Beautiful Tinted Moisturiser. I got a free sample of this a while back, and liked it so much I decided to buy some! I believe it's aimed at young people (hence the name), but I'm 45 and I love how it makes my skin look. It only comes in one colour which supposedly adapts to your natural skin tone, but whether it does or not, it definitely seems to suit me. It's described as having 'skin refining pigments', and while that does seem to be a bit of marketing nonsense, that is what it actually appears to do- ie. make my skin look more refined and smooth-looking!! DEFINITELY just as good if not better than a Clarins one I have used in the past. It costs about £5 for quite a big 75ml tube- but it crops up quite a lot on Ebay where you can get it cheaper.