Inexpensive but good make up recommendations please!

[JemimaMuddledUp]

I sort of asked this on another thread, but then thought it might be better to start my own.

I have worn No7 make up for well over a decade, but current finances dictate that finding a cheaper brand would be a very good idea. I like quite a natural look for everyday, but need a little bit of something to stop me looking washed out. I usually wear foundation, mascara and lip gloss, with maybe a bit of eyebrow pencil and a neutral eyeshadow.

I love the No7 Intelligent Colour Foundation as it is really light. I tried a Stila one that was free with Top Sante magazine, but I find it really heavy in comparison. Fine for an evening out, but not for everyday.

I need to buy mascara and foundation his week. I notice that a lot of brands (Maybelline, Max Factor etc) are currently 3 for 2 in Superdrug, so thought it would be a good plan if I could find something there. But it is so long since I bought any brand other than No7 that I'm not sure what is good and what isn't.

Having looked on the Superdrug website the Max Factor smooth effects foundation looks promising as it is supposed to be really lightweight. I know that the Max Factor 2000 calorie mascara tends to be highly recommended.

Any thoughts on these products or recommendations for something else that is worth a try?

[alwaysinamuckingfuddle]

Bourjois foundation
Aldi lipstick (which is bloody brilliant)
Boots Natural Collection concealer & pressed powder

Deffo look at Bourjois stuff though. It comes out of the same factory as Chanel apparently.

Totally agree that Boots No 7 is ridiculously overpriced now. The price goes up every time they change the packaging.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

Gosh from superdrug. it looks like MAC but MAC goes weird on me..hates my body chemistry or something.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

is the boots nat collection powder really good? natural looking? does it have talc?

[Vibbe]

I can recommend the Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation too. All of the products are supposed to be very good, and some of the products are similar to Chanel products (blush, creme bronzer and probably others).

Sleek make quite good products as far as I can tell. I only have blushes from the brand, and they are very good. Superdrug sell the brand.
With regards to the blushes, they are very pigmented, so you have to be a bit careful when applying to not get a clown-like look, but the colours are great and they last all day.

The brands Essence and Catrice are also very good generally, but I'm not sure if they are sold in the UK.

[OneLittleLady]

Superdurgs MUA range has some good eyeshadow palettes. They are very similar in terms of colours to the Urban Decay Naked palette. The MUA palettes are priced at £4 and are good quality with good pigmentation. An absolute steal at that price and there are a few different colourways to choose from.

[JemimaMuddledUp]

Bourgois comes from the same factory as Chanel? That makes me feel better about economising!

We don't have an Aldi here, nearest one is an hour away. Same goes for Tesco and Asda. We have a small Boots, Superdrug, Lloyds and Savers, plus I can of course buy online (although I quite like to test shades etc before buying).

I just checked the price of my No7 foundation, it is now £15.50! It isn't even on 3 for 2 at the moment. If I buy 2 products I can apparently get yet another bag of samples that I won't use, but that isn't appealing as much as having more actual cash in my bank account.

Revlon Lip Butter was being raved about on here recently and that is 2 for £10 in Superdrug, does anyone know if that is any good?

[Chopsypie]

Another vote for MUA. Most items are £2, so no big deal if you don't like it.

[alltoomuchrightnow]

i've never ever seen an Aldi?! where are they in south of England?! I read the raves on here about lip butter and hate it!! It's gooey and broke (the bullet bit) as soon as i applied it. and lasts five mins. Far better to use lipstain and then vaseline over stop..that stays put

[Levantine]

Definitely Bourjois healthy mix serum stuff
Shame about Aldi because their BB cream is the best stuff ever, better than Bobbi Brown ime
MUA eye palettes also very good

I like the superdrug rip off of Benetint, I think it is made by BTrue or something

[alltoomuchrightnow]

yes to Sleek. Gosh eyeliners are great, a lot of No7 i love..other bits are atrocious though

[alltoomuchrightnow]

think am going to have to make Aldi pilgrimage. what about Morrisons? not been to one of them either! do they sell the Aldi beauty stuff or is it exclusive to Aldi

[Allthingspretty]

I wouls stick with the no 7 foundation you like and get other things cheaper. MUA from superdrug is populat on these boards I think.

[mignonette]

It is rumoured that Bourjois make up is manufactured in the same factories as Chanel. It is the longest lasting powder blusher/shadow from a medium range that I have used because it is triple milled, therefore very saturated in pigment.

I can recommend Revlon too. They do some lovely limited edition seasonal colours and products that again, last and do not go all hard and shiny in the case of the powders.

AVON nail polishes last well on my toes and do not chip as much as the YSL and Chanel polishes I also own.

If you can spend a little more in order to save in the medium term, then I would go for MAC and Shu Uemura. They last forever. My MAC eye pencils are used every day and two years later I am only two thirds of the way down on my eyeliner. Shu Uemura pigments are the most saturated of the lot IMO. Great colours and texture. The make up removing oils are lovely too but probably too ££ for what you are asking for.

[mignonette]

Oh and I adore Barry M powder shadow pots. Use dry or tip a little on your hand and dip into it with a wet brush to turn into eye liner. They never ever run out, dry up or go gungy. The only problem is that teenage daughters are attracted to them like magpies.

Eyeko stocked in Superdrug does some quirky little make up products- a liquid that painted over eyeliner, seals it and a liquid that turns powdes into eyeliners.

Burts Bees tinted lipbalms available in Debenhams, Boots and independent stores have a good level of pigment and the new Maybelline Babylips tinted lipbalm has fab packaging and does the job of subtle lip colour and moisturiser.

Check out the sales in Boots of last seasons colours too. I am always seeing Elizabeth Arden and Lancome products discounted.

[JemimaMuddledUp]

I don't think anywhere here sell Shu Uemura or MAC, so it would mean buying online and not being able to test colours.

I remember trying a Revlon foundation years ago and found it really heavy, which put me off. They have probably changed all of their formulae since then though.

[JemimaMuddledUp]

I don't think our Boots sells Elizabeth Arden or Lancome either! Worth a look though if I am ever shopping somewhere bigger.

[pocketandsweet]

I really rate the natural collection pressed powder. It is one product that I always re-buy when I run out. I actually have had a few things from natural collection that I have liked a lot. Some nice lipsticks and my favourite cream blush ( discontinued now ).

[pocketandsweet]

MUA from super drug is also great for neutral eye palettes and I have had a couple of good blushers from there.

[mignonette]

That's a shame Jemima. I don't use foundation so am absolutely no use at all in recommending any. The Natural collection from Boots is good as Pocket says. I have their lip sticks. My daughter uses powder. I will have to ask her.

[CecyHall]

Barry M lash modelling. Only mascara I've ever repeat bought (about 4 times as well) and under £7.

[BreakOutTheKaraoke]

E.L.F. is 50% off everthing at the moment. It's only avilabe online, but it's cheap anyway, and there's some really good stuff there. The HD powder is brilliant, the complexion perfection and bronzer pallettes are my favourite, and the primer is fab. The lipsticks don't tend to come up true to the website colours tough, but the eyeshadows are really good. I stock up on the brushes whenever there is a code available- I absolutely love the Studio Kabuki brush, it's so soft.

I spent £30 there last year, and got a massive box of stuff delivered, it was like christmas! I tend to go for the studio or mineral stuff, but I do have some of the normal range, and it tends to work out at a couple of quid per item.

Link here

[AntoinetteCosway]

Shu, MAC, EA and Lancôme are all significantly more expensive than No 7, though much better quality and do last well.

At the cheaper end of things, I like Bourjois Healthy Mix, Sleek eyeshadow palettes and blushers and Collection lasting concealer (can't remember the exact name but it's bloody brilliant). I've never found a cheap mascara that I liked tbh.

[Branleuse]

Maybelline mousse foundation is my budget fave.
All maybelline mascaras are fine and dont smudge, and rimmel extra super lash.
Rimmel lipstick is pretty good, and bourgeois eyeshadow is as good as any expensive one.

rimmel eyeliner

collection 2000 bronzer stick

[JemimaMuddledUp]

I was looking at the Maybelline Mousse Foundation Branleuse, is it quite lightweight? I was also looking at the Maybelline Dream Satin Liquid as that looked like it wouldn't be too heavy. I used to wear Maybelline Great Lash Mascara back in my teens