Bargainous Beauty Tips - the cheap, the cheerful, and the not-so-cheap-but-worth-it

[TrillianAstra]

I have decided that really I am a grownup now, and should stop buying things just because they are cheap.

But this does not mean I should stop buying cheap things, instead I want to call on all your wisdom for the cheap things that really work, so I have more money to spend when expensive things are worth it.

So: What is great even though it is cheap, and what is not-so-cheap but absolutely worth the dosh?

I love Vaseline Intensive Rescue Repair and Relief balm (about £4) - it's the only thing that has ever worked for my dry patches.

I only spend money on foundation (By Terry), concealer (By Terry), eyeshadows (Lancome and Urban Decay) and kohl pencil (Estee Lauder).

Everything else is cheap

Cream blush (powder is useless) - Tesco Make Up
Mascara - any. It doesn't matter. I loathe big thick black spidery lashes, I just want something to colour 'em black.
Liquid Eyeliner - loreal superliner
Liptsick - any old lip gloss/rimmel lippy

I use shampoo or soap to wash my face and any old cream, usually body butter. face mask/scrub once a week. I have very clear skin.

Oh and Estee Lauder bronzer.

I will remember not to ask your advice on mascara then GetOrf because I want my lashes to be as enormous as possible

I used to want that trils - but I only have about 5 lashes per eye, so if I tried lash bulding mascara I looked like Barabara Cartland left out in the rain. I think you need halfway decent eyelashes in the first place for the lash bulding stuff to work.

I did try false eyelashes, but I looked like a twat. Hey ho.

GetOrf I also have eyelashes like yours and I also looked a right twat when I tried false lashes (at a big formal event, people kept looking me like there was something wrong with me-awful!)

Poor Barbara Cartland - who left her out in the rain? It sounds like she is washing or something

tatty "One of my cheapy things is this superdrug rip off of benetint. I use the darker one and really can't tell the difference. "

I brought some of this last night. It tastes like the stuff you pain on your nails to stop biting them. I will use on cheeks but NOT lips eeeegh! Do you not mind the taste?

mojo - i have also just looked at this. the lighter colour one scares me - how does it come out its the colour of barbie's brain in the bottle!

SUNGIRL I agree it was extremely 'dolly' and they didn't have a tester. I got the dark one - which is quite nice. Haven't checked to see if cheeks are still rosy though. Its a good idea. Shame it tastes like punishment.

I am a recent convert to Neal's Yard for facial stuff, having done a bit of research on some of the crap chemicals in cosmetics.
I also try to buy organic/chemical free products for bath/shower by looking out for cheaper ones in discount pharmacies etc. Got a great shampoo for 79p and hand wash for £1 yesterday so it doesn't have to be expensive.

The real Benefit Posietint (pink Benetint) is Barbie-vomit colour in the bottle as well so don't be too scared :)

I'll second the Garnier roll-on concealer.

I also rate the oil-cleansing method. I use bio-oil.

Any old mascara.
Rimmel eye-liner.

at 'tastes like punishment'.

The Superdrug radiance balm is on 2 for a fiver (usually £4.49 a tube)