Help me switch to cheaper make up brands

[Mrsbigroundbottom]

I will soon be leaving my well paid job and taking quite a big paycut in order to get a bit of a work/life balance.. I'm fine with adjusting my spending in all areas apart from make up! I've always bought expensive brands and I'm panicking now as my masacara is about to run out - I can't justify spending £30 on a new one... maybe more like £5-8!

Is this possible? Can anyone reccomend any REALLY good, cheaper products?

I currently use:
Laura Mercier Cream foundation
Diorshow mascara
Guerlain kohl eyeliner
Chanel liquid eyeliner
Dior blusher
MAC lipstick
Various 100s of MAC and Chanel eyeshadows

Also if any of you can wean me off of my Clarins skincare habit I'd be greatful!

Thanks, I don't want to revisit the cakey, smudgey, fading days of my youth

Plenty of good cheaper products out there :) Urban Decay eyeshadows are great, very highly pigmented and last well, esp with primer. I love their mascara as well.

Yes, it's possible. I've tried a lot of high end make up and a lot of high street make up. The packaging's not so nice obviously, and some of it smells a bit cheap ( although to be honest the sweet vanilla MAC lipstick smell isn't any better ) but there is some great stuff out there.

I would recommend Bourjois for foundation. Healthy mix or Healthy Mix gel. Bourjois for mascara too.

Revlon for lipsticks, although I've picked up great lipsticks from Rimmel, Collection 2000, and Natural Collection. I use a Rimmel bronzer, an eyebrow kit and eyeliner from GOSH ( superdrug ). Natural Collection blushers are great and cost £1.99.

Urban Decay not really cheap though?

Can't help with skincare I'm afraid, I love the expensive stuff.

Try Liz Earle for skin are. That or simple range from any chemist.

Make up. Yea it can be cut back on. It is a case of finding a brand that you like.

Thanks both

I think even Urban Decay may be too expensive where I'm heading BBR

Great, will try out Bourjois. £1.99 for a blusher that is good! Wow!

Maybe skin care will be my treat then? Maybe I'll just use a little less.

With make-up it does seems to be a lot about the smell. The cheap stuff just doesn't feel as exciting. But then I guess that is the ploy to make you think you deserve it. My friend was telling me about a bourjois eye pallette actually for a smokey eye that has a black, grey and white in the same pot. I'll give that a go too. ALthough hoping my eyeshadows won't run out for a while. I guess there is always Christmas and birthdays

Simple is good as is avene

Is that "simple" as in the cream and green bottle? I actually use their facewipes so maybe the moisturizer etc would suit me..

Where is Liz Ealre and Avene from? They sound kind of expensive too, maybe no one would know they weren't if they found them in my bathroom... either that or I transfer everything to old Clarins pots [shallow]

Boots No 7 not bad
. Not super cheap, but often on 3 for 2.

what clarins stuff do you use and I can tell you what i replaced it with (yet to find a moisturiser as good)

Agree that UD is not the cheaper end of cheap Sleek eyeshadows are also very highly pigmented and much cheaper - get them in Superdrug.

hettie use the daily moisturiser lotion and the multi active serum and the multi active night cream..

Haven't hear of Sleek, will have a look.

Thanks ladies I'm actually feeling quite excited about it now

And I'll have more time to hunt out the bargains when I change roles as well.

Simple is good for moisturiser and eye makeup remover. Cleanser and face wash too harsh for me, so still on clarins for those.

Love Lash Accelerator mascara - I think it's l'oreal, about £8

Makeup artist friend insists that Bourjois and Chanel are identical products, made in same factory. No difference at all apart from packaging.

Bought some Vivo eye shadow in Tesco last week. £1.99 and not half bad. I'll be trying other stuff in the line now.

Definitely try the l oreal / no 7 / bourgois mascara ... Mascara has such a short shelf life it s not worth spending £££ on IMO.
Bourgois also have nice eyeshadows
I think I wouldn't scrimp on foundation though
Vichy have a nice rose range of cleansers/ toners/ moisturisers
No 7 have fairly good moisturisers too
I have also found nice branded items in tkmaxx of all places - hair stuff / under eye cream (one that actually worked on dark circles) so keep an eye out there too!

Make-up wise try lily lolo mineral foundation fab stuff and only about £12. Also bourjois for blusher MaxFactor for mascara and Rimmel for eyeshadows. Skincare wise I can recommend Neutrogena creamy face wash and would highly recommend BioOil as moisturiser just a couple of drops at night it is amazing!.

The other place you might try Mrsbrb is Aldi. They do a very limited palette, but their lipsticks are fine, and their eyeshadow is one of the best I've used. Nail varnish also good. I don't recommend their mascara. Their skincare also comes highly recommended apparently, although I've never used it myself.

oil cleansing method once a week, then Simple stuff the rest of the time for cleansing.

I use soap and glory face serum, then catch a wrinkle in time moisturiser, and their eye gel. My skin is so soft. Often 3/2 on soap and glory, it is made by the woman who did all the Bliss spa stuff.

I like Np7 concealer pen and its luminous skin foundation, and its bronzer
Max Factor smokey eyes pen
Mabeyline blackest black mascara
Lansinoh for lip balm

Tisserand intensive hand/nail cream, it is the tits.

For skin care and I always buy a good liquid liner although rimmel is ok

Also for everyday moisturiser try Olay three point cream in the red pot Amazon have it for £14.99 so much cheaper than Clarins but it is VERY good [well I think so anyway].

I'd go for Aldi Mascara at £2.99 - nought wrong with it! Have a look at some of the aldi threads for make up bargains.

The make up industry is one big rip off!

£30 for mascara? I'd sooner wear shades!

Mabelline mascara is very good. I like the one in a fat yellow tube, gives me lovely long looking lashes and doesn't make them clump together.

Thanks all

franke I have heard about Aldi's version of touche eclait.. apparently that's good. I ignored it at the time with my nose in the air but maybe I should try that?