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

claregre

I have just dragged out my pot of Boots Smiths Cremolia for the 5th year running. Every year in the winter I get dry itchy patches on my hands, but a few days using this while at work seems to do the job and they disappear. I just use it like a hand cream after every time I wash my hands. It feels a bit funny (almost sticky) but its not greasy.

It was only a couple of quid I think and it lasts forever as you only need to dip the tip of your finger in to get enough for both hands.

I also think it may have some reproductive ability as even though I've been using it for 5 years the amount in there never seems to go down!!!

I'm sure its not for everybody, but it works for me.

faithless

claregre wrote: »

I have just dragged out my pot of Boots Smiths Cremolia for the 5th year running. Every year in the winter I get dry itchy patches on my hands, but a few days using this while at work seems to do the job and they disappear. I just use it like a hand cream after every time I wash my hands. It feels a bit funny (almost sticky) but its not greasy.

It was only a couple of quid I think and it lasts forever as you only need to dip the tip of your finger in to get enough for both hands.

I also think it may have some reproductive ability as even though I've been using it for 5 years the amount in there never seems to go down!!!

I'm sure its not for everybody, but it works for me.

I'm totally trying this - just looked on Boots website and it's only £1.29!
http://m.boots.com/mt/www.boots.com/en/Boots-Smiths-Cremolia-110ml_1206976/

Citygirl1

Do they still do Smith's Cremolia? Oh the memories! My Auntie always used to use this.

shandyclover

I found this in my local 99p shop...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Claudia-Stevens-Skin-Toning-Serum/dp/B002SKTPLA

Claudia Stevens seems to be a brand name from the US. All the ingredients appeared to be natural oils. I bought it for my mum who usually moisturises at night with coco butter or almond oil. I tried it myself though and was pleasantly suprised how lovely my skin felt the next morning.

There was alot of other beauty products with the same name brand. Since I've been so pleasantly suprised by the serum I think I will go back for the others to give away as pressies.

thehappybutterfly

What a fab thread! I was thinking about starting one like this myself, did a search and ta-da! I found this one. I'm a fan of bargain beauty products but like everyone else, get suckered in by pretty packaging and glossy magazine pics.

I've taken lots of notes and will start buying bits and pieces once my expensive stuff has run out, all Clinique and not that great really. I really really love Dermalogica products but they're just too expensive and not readily available either so until I'm debt free - cheap and cheerful is the name of the game!

My favourite two bargains are both Aldi products - the Lacura highlighting concealer thingy (a la Touche Eclat) closely followed by the George at Asda version. And Lacura Hyaluronic Gel. Hyaluronic acid is the active ingredient used in face peels but this is a much much lower ratio. You only need a wee spot on it's own or mixed into your moisturiser. If used on it's own, it's a better effect but when I add moisturiser, it goes "bitty". Maybe I need to wait between layers. It makes my skin look fresher, just like after a peel (not that I've had many! Just the one and only a taster session).

My main cosmetic problem is eyebags. I use Dermalogica Complete Eye Care and it's the best I've used but still not great (and £26 a tube!). The bags are horrible with redness underneath eyes too and combined with drooping eye lids (I'm getting soooo old!), my eyes are disappearing. So I need coverage (for the redness/shadows) and tightening (for the puffiness). The Dermalogica stuff is good as it has a slight hint of colour too. Anyone else out there have a similar problem? And what do you use?

My long term plan is to have surgery which I've wanted since I was very young but this costs about £5k for upper and lower eyes. Eeeek!

All the best for 2012 to all the beauty geeks out there and happy bargain hunting!

sb44

Has anyone seen the Lacura Eye Gel in their local Aldi? It is the one that is £1.49 in a very pale blue and white box.

I have only been able to find the cream ones lately which is a shame, I wonder if they are phasing the gel one out.

shandyclover

thehappybutterfly wrote: »

I'm a fan of bargain beauty products but like everyone else, get suckered in by pretty packaging and glossy magazine pics.

I was walking past a glossy display with one of those celebrity endorsed wonder products awhile ago when I paused and sighed enviously - my friend made a comment 'all that advertising someone has to pay for - basically if we buy the product we're paying for HER holiday!'

Since then everytime I'm tempted by a slick advert/display/packaging etc.etc. I repeat the mantra 'do I want to pay for their holiday?', and it's so much easier to walk away!

salesaddict

shandyclover wrote: »

I'd read about Waitrose's Baby Butter, or something like that. I'd never got to Waitrose myself to try it out. I've found Wilko's sold something similiar, Baby Bum Butter. I bought it to try out for DD as she's got very dry chapped hands from doing her paper round in cold weather, and reacts to paraffinum liquidum. It's hard to find moisturisers without it but Wilko's Baby Bum Butter seems to be paraffin free. I'm not a expert but all the ingredients seem very natural - someone with more know how might be able to comment. Anyways it's great stuff for only 1.85
Ingredients ...olea europa fruit oil, hydrogenated olive oil, cera alba, vanilla planifolia fruit extract, anthemis noblis flower oil.

Ooh thanks for this. There was a real run on Wait++e's baby bottom butter a couple of years ago as I think some of the mums on Mumsnet were saying how fantastic it was on their wrinkles. I will give the Wilkos one a try.

salesaddict

Citygirl1 wrote: »

Do they still do Smith's Cremolia? Oh the memories! My Auntie always used to use this.

Oh this is really annoying me! I saw this in a shop the other day and for the life of me I cannot remember where. If I remember I will let you know.

salesaddict

salesaddict wrote: »

Oh this is really annoying me! I saw this in a shop the other day and for the life of me I cannot remember where. If I remember I will let you know.

ooh sorry that will teach me to start reading posts from the bottom:o
Yes, I was in Boots when I saw it:D