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For the last couple of months I have been trying desperately to stop spending so much money on beauty products. In September I ran out of a few premium beauty products I had been using and realised that to replace them all at once was going to cost me about 300 quid, and I had an epiphany I suppose, along the lines of '300 quid on a few potions and lotions?! Are you fucking insane, woman?!'...

So I have made a few swaps from premium to cheapo beauty products and so far, so good. Best discoveries so far have been:

Boots own-brand rip-off of Simple products (similar packaging). I have been using the daily SPF 15 moisturiser (think it costs three quid) instead of my 20-odd quid Dermalogica one and its been great.

Boots own brand cucumber rich moisturising cream, which I think is about 2 quid. Replaced Clarins night cream which was 35 odd quid. If anything, my skin is better.

Coconoil virgin coconut oil. Have replaced Clarins body oil and Neals Yard facial oil with this one big tub of loveliness (think its about eight quid off Amazon). How did I not know about coconut oil sooner?! Such useful stuff.

Now I need more recommendations. My Eve Lom cleanser and Clinique facial scrub are running low and I need cheap alternatives. Anything but Liz effing Earle, though. Always brings me out in spots! I like quite a densely grainy facial scrub. Re: Eve Lom, I love the fact it cleanses my skin but doesnt leave it feeling tight. I did try the OCM for while earlier this year hoping it would have a similar effect, but it made me very spotty...

Tescoso do a great cucmber moisturiser for 99p, I have tried all sorts and always go back to that, they also have a cleanser and toner in the same range.

I spend way too much on make up etc too, I am trying to cut back though.

For a facial scrub, Garnier have a grape ectract one which I use at the moment and I love it, on offer in Asda for £2 so I've stocked up, their moisturisers are also £2 so i got a few of those too.

I need to do this but know I won't! I am 47 though and think its an addiction now and I would need proper rehab

Lush have some great cleansers and exfoliators Angels on Bare Skin/Coalface/Ocean Salt all brilliant.

Angels for everyday and if you are a bit more sensitive, Coalface if you are a bit more oily, Salt for a deep weekly scrub or more often if you have robust skin.

i use the no7 version of liz earls cleanse and polish
it's a tenner but you get loads more
use a flannel to exfoliate

Super Facialist by Una Brennen range - it is stocked by larger Boots and it on special 3 for 2. I have swopped and I was another Clarins / Clinique groupie........

I use a scrub that I bought in Holland and Barrett. It has a nice dense texture - not dissimilar to the Clinique exfoliating one (not the 7 day which is too creamy for me), and it cost me about £5. So not as cheap as some others, but a hell of a lot less than what you are using.

Waitrose Pure toner and also the eye makeup remover are excellent, and less than £2 for a 250ml bottle that lasts ages.

Soap N Glory do a cleanser that is very nice and similar to Liz Earle. Often 3 for 2 offers on. I also like their intense moisturiser (in a silver ball container).

Aldi Lacura do good face creams and body creams (in blue bottle) for everyday use.

Scrap all cleansers, toners & moisturisers and use an almond/grapeseed/similar oil to do the Oil Cleansing Method.

Biggest improvement my skin has ever seen, a bottle costs about £1.99 from chemists or pound shops.

I second the Holland and Barrett Dr Organics stuff - I've loved everything I have bought from the manuka honey range, especially the white clay face mask...

Boots Botanics Sensitive skin cream.
Avene cold cream cleanser - huge tube, lasts me 8 to 10 months or so. I take it off with a cloth - barely warm, cannot do hot.

M and S do a cloth cleanser as part of their Pure range. I use the lip balm and its good but not sure about the hot cloth cleanser.

Superdrug do a hot cloth cleanser..not tried it.

Boots 17 do one. I don't personally like it as much as Liz Earle. I think Boots also stock another hot cloth cleanser in another brand as do Soap and Glory in Boots (also not tried)

Clinique do a cleansing balm. It's not bargain basement, but it's £20 instead of £55 for Eve Lom (I think). I've never used it but a friend with dry, sensitive skin raves about it.

I have just posted this on another thread
www.hollandandbarrett.com/pages/product_detail.asp?pid=2570&prodid=2848&afid=70&safid=AW&scid=7618&cm_mmc=Mediavest-_-Affiliate%20Window-_-Open-_-Default%20Link
It's only £12.30, lasts for ages and it's as good as Clarins IMO for dry skin, I can't be without...
Also I recently discovered that plain bicarbonate of soda is a great exfoliator!

Spiezia cleanser is basically Eve Lom. It's not cheap but it's cheaper.

Have you tried any yves rocher products? I confess to being a beauty junkie, years spent in the industry hasn't helped my addiction!

I moved to France this year and discovered this store, so obviously had to look. Rude not too

Anyway, so many of their products are identical to bigger brands. The cucumber moisturiser is the same as my Estée Lauder one, the eye cleanser is the same as the very popular clarins one and so on.

And best if all it's very cheap! So many offers each month, free samples and gift on your birthday. What's not to love...

I use the Rose Otto above, love it, and it smells heavenly. Also use the night cream. Will go onto the cleansers etc when I've used up my Liz Earle.

I don't think you can go far wrong with the mid-priced French brands. Not cheapy cheap, but La Roche-Posay, Avene and Vichy are all excellent, around the £12 mark per item, and often on 3 for 2 offers at Boots.

La Roche-Posay is my all time favourite brand, favoured above the likes of Chantecaille, Clarins, Emma Hardie, Eve Lom etc

Especially good if you have problem skin. My skin notices when I use £1.99 Superdrug stuff, and it also can't get on with stuff like coconut oil.

I have never tried Eve Lom but the Akamuti orange cleansing balm I believe has a similar texture and is good value. I find it great in winter, a bit rich maybe the rest of the time - I do use Liz Earle the rest of the year though.

I also like la Roche posay.

Love lush facial cleansers. Using bouche Noel at the moment which is fabulous for dry skin.

i feel your pain

the one thing I cannot scrimp on is foundation, chanel pro lumiere baby!

I kind of think the same for you, cant you keep the Eve Lom as your one treat??

I also agree with quinn, I have recently discovered Avene, it has good mid range high quality face products

my Mum is also a HUGE Yves Rocher fan

if I use cheapo stuff (even face cream) it stings!

Bump

I used the whole Clinique skincare range for years then switched to the Olay stuff - and not the most expensive creams that they do. The difference to my skin? None. It still looks and feels the same.

DM has just introduced me to Superdrug Cucumber wipes. 99p for a pack instead of the small fortune I was giving to MAC.