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

Vikki_74

Oooh, can I join in?! I love a beauty bargain, although I think most of my top ones have already been mentioned...

Sleek eyeshadow palettes - I think they are AMAZING! Definately the best cheap (£5.99 for 12 shades for anyone who doesn't know) eyeshadow I've ever tried, love how pigmented they are and the colours are fab! Storm is my favourite, but I also tried the Original version recently and think that's nice too.

Whilst Superdrug were doing 3 for 2 on cosmetics, I also tried the Sleek ink pot gel eyeliner in black (Dominatrix I think it's called?) and am very impressed. I've never been able to get the hang of liquid eyeliner before but I really like the little brush this comes with and the gel seems much easier to apply than normal liquid liner.

Also in Superdrug, I love the MeMeMe range, especially their dupes of more expensive products. Beat the Blues (like Benefit High Beam) has been in my make up bag for ages, and I really like the look of their Shimmy Shimmers too - planning to try when I get through my current stock pile of blusher / bronzer / highligher products.

I've also been really impressed with pretty much all of the Vital Radiance (Revlon) products I've picked up in Poundland. Their eyeshadow trios are really nice soft colours for daytime which blend and stay on well, as are their mousse eye shadows, and I love their blushers too. Oh and their make up brushes if you can ever get hold of any are great - I have a couple of the eyeshadow ones, a little squared off stubby one which is meant for brows but I use for eye liner / shadow and a foundation brush; they're great quality if you can pick them up for £1!

The Lacura under eye concealer from Aldi (in a silver pen, kind of Touche Eclat looking) is fab for the money - goes on really nice and smooth, brightens up under eye shadows and doesn't look like you've trowelled on the slap which is the unfortunate effect I get from a lot of under ete concealers.

Collection 2000 is where I always go for translucent loose powder - it does the job, doesn't go orange, and a £2.99 tub seems to last for ages. Been using it for ever - probably 10+ years since I was at school, god that makes me feel old!

Sure there's a million others I could think of, but those will do for a start

Vikki_74

Sublime wrote: »

I'm sure I posted on another thread, but for what its worth Boots Curl Cream £1.29 for 250 ml.

A bargain buy, Creates nice curls, waves, rather than a dragged though the hedge cave-woman look. I just put some in after washing and leave to dry naturally.

I will seriously freak out if they stop making it. :)

Read the reviews, if you're at all hesitant. The best product I've used.

Hmm, might have to give that a try I think - good products for curly hair are so hard to find, even expensive ones, and the reviews are pretty impressive. At the moment I'm using a Herbal Essences products called Touse Me Softly finishing cream which I love but I bought it whilst on holiday in the US and it doesn't seem to be available here :mad:

Oh that's just reminded me of another of my fave bargain products, but again I don't think you can buy it here - St Ives Oatmeal and Shea Butter body lotion. It cost me about $3 (£2-ish) for a huge bottle and it's one of the only body lotions I've ever tried which really sorts out the horrible dry skin on my shins. I actually bought it on holiday as a bit of an emergency product as I have a 10 month old scar on my ankle which was so dry and itching like crazy, and this stuff really sorted it out. If they ever start selling the range over here (I've seen other St Ives stuff, but never this), I don't think I would ever use anything else.

gunsandbanjos

Boots curl creme is AWESOME:D I use it all the time on my hair, plus it has no nasty silicones. I use a silicone free routine for my hair so its perfect.
I have tried numerous other expensive and not curl cremes and none of them are a patch on boots curl creme.

geri1965_2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soothing-Oatmeal-Shea-Butter-Moisturizer/dp/B00157FJFS

?

Oh, just noticed the cost of shipping! :eek:

Vikki_74

geri1965 wrote: »

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Soothing-Oatmeal-Shea-Butter-Moisturizer/dp/B00157FJFS

?

Oh, just noticed the cost of shipping! :eek:

Ha, I know - I did the same thing when I was doing a search to double check on the name of the product...£5.89, that's not too bad, it's really good stuff in a nice big bottle...might have to get some for when mine runs out...oh my god the shipping is how much :eek::eek:

Total price £16.76 - it's good but it's not that good!

geri1965_2

I really like Palmers Shea butter formula, but I can't find it in the shops - it's about £3-4 online, but then another £3 postage!

patricia50

helend wrote: »

I was chuffed to find this thread, and have written a list of things I'd like to try.

I bought the Tesco BNatural hot cloth cleanser because I love Liz Earle and thought it was definitely worth a go, unfortunately almost immediately my skin had turned bright red and was BURNING and didn't cool down for about an hour after! I do not have particularly sensitive skin (only reacts to very heavily perfumed items) and I have never had a reaction anything like this, so I would suggest if you are going to give this a go do a test patch first - I still think it's worth a try because it so much cheaper than Liz Earle.

As for things I like:
Aldi's Siana anti-wrinkle moisturiser
Cuticura cucumber facial scrub less than £1 in Home Bargain
Tea tree oil (for spots and blackheads) less than £1 in Home Bargain
Lipcote

I have used this and it was ok but used the tesco moisturiser and it smelt AWFUL. I threw it away in the end:(

AJS71

Love the Superdrug Vit E skin creams - I remember the big 500ml pots from when I was a teenager!

I found the Aldi dark circles concealer pen (Lacura) is way better than the YSL one I was given (which is so heavy you have to have really thick foundation on the rest of your face as well)!

Also, Superdrug own range is cruelty free (leapingbunny.org) as is Burts Bees and Balm Balm which I also saw on the OP, so is all good!

pineapple

As ever, me liking a product almost guarantees it being discontinued. It was my favourite moisturizer. I've searched high and low for St Ives Day Cream. It still shows on their UK site for heavens sake. Not a happy bunny.

flippin36

gunsandbanjos wrote: »

Boots curl creme is AWESOME:D I use it all the time on my hair, plus it has no nasty silicones. I use a silicone free routine for my hair so its perfect.
I have tried numerous other expensive and not curl cremes and none of them are a patch on boots curl creme.

I have heard wonderful things of boots curl cream on hair sites. I really will pick up some next time I'm in.