Expensive products that aren't worth it and alternatives

[susiefen]

Inspired by the previous "beauty products you hate" thread, I thought it might be starting one for products that you've spent a lot on but been disappointed. I'll start with the Estee Lauder serum everyone raves about but I don't find it's done anything for me and also Creme de la Mer - absolutely lovely and smells utterly divine, but I'm not sure it's done more for my skin over the last 6 months than Olay ever did...

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Hello, this thread is a little old and the links are out of date. Take a look at this handy page for a round-up of Mumsnetters' favourite beauty dupes.

PenfoldRocks - I think the problem is that some stores/individual managers get very sniffy about people returning beauty products. I've had it happen repeatedly - interestingly, in those occasions managers have always backed down but remained very arsey when I've pointed out that SOGA requires goods to be as described/fit for purpose/of sufficient quality, regardless of "company policy".

well, I used up that cream and it was lovely - even tough a bit too peachey scented and I haven't bought anything else there since.

I'm pissed off with YSL - went to check their new foundation, SA tried some on me, found a match and when I asked for a sample said, "sorry, we don't have any" and gave me an empty sample bottle with the foundation number written on.
I still haven't worked out quite why.

Needless to say, I haven't been back to buy anything there.

since DC3, have been really allergic, but Cetaphil works as do La Roche Posay moisturisers.

So does Dermalogica, but crazy expensive.

My experiment with Astral moisturiser has gone well so far - I ran out of the Neals Yard body lotion I got for my birthday and replaced it with this and it's amazing!!!

I have horrible dry feet and put Astral on with socks before bed, and have dry legs too and my skin is now soft as a baby's bottom!

I am a bit nervous of putting it on my face as it seems a bit heavy, but I wore it before going out in a snowstorm and it formed a barrier between my skin and the snow and I didn't have that usual dry taut feeling.

It pongs a bit in quite a floral type way but it's not too bad. As I have complicated sensitive break out prone skin I'm impressed so far.

I have the softest feet ever - sodding cold means I slather them in Vicks and sleep in socks.
Still have the sodding cold though.

Phew remus. Glad you didn't find that out after I reommended it to you. One thing this thread has made me realise is how surprising it is how different people's reations to things are. I find Aveeno next to useless.

Sudocrem was horrible for my baby's bottom, but it's great from my hands when my eczema flares up.

Urban Decays naked palette 2 - MUA pro Undress Me Too.

EXACTLY the same, just about £25 cheaper

Yes, LaT. But at least MN lets us hear lots of people's opinions and not just the claims on the packaging. :)

Becky - I love Naked (expensive but have been using it just about every day for over a year and it's still almost new looking) and didn't rate the MUA stuff at all, which again proves LaT's point!

I've got Dior Capture - love the smell too. It's about the only thing I'm not allergic to that isn't E45. Makes me happy and makes my skin feel really nice. Have had lots of positive comments - moved on from the most expensive Liz Earle one which I have now donated to dd (17). I look at the pot in my cupboard and it makes me happy every morning.

Can't recall who said it uphread but I'd second the Dove bar for skin, also straight from a dermatologist's mouth, the unperfumed one, with a clean flannel, is all you need apparently. That and a good sunscreen.

And somebody on here once said Astral is the best cream for your neck.

Goingmad, which Capture do you have?

Astral is brilliant, and less gloopy I find than Blue Nivea. I slop it onto my neck and am beginning to wish I had always slopped it onto my face because I look like an upside down facelift...ie no lines on neck but lots on face.

Someone mentioned Body Shop butters, I love love love the cocoa butter one, it smells much less sweet than Palmers and is thicker (consistency of proper butter) than the Shea one.

Best handcream I have ever used is Tisserand Essential Oil rich. Palmers is good though if you do like the smell.

Weleda is fantabulous stuff. And although not as cheap as chips, certainly much cheaper than all the posh "organic/natural/essential oil/extra virgin blah blah" products. Their rose and iris creams are lovely.

Love this thread too.

Aunt maggie does the neutrogena moisturiser make your skin tingle? I've been using the wash which is lush but the moisturiser is weird.

Only at first but its made my skin really clear.

any good eye creams out there? very stressful and sleep deprived 3 weeks has left me all dark and wrinkly!

Remus I find creams with urea helpful for lizard skin (Eucerin are good and not perfumed - very slight medicinal smell but I can tolerate because it makes such a difference). Also like Eucerin Aquaphor for extreme moisturizing needs, it's a bit like vaseline and Lansinoh but a staple in our house. If you have extremely dry skin, avoid shower gels and frequent baths/showers (this piece of info from the dermatologists).
I find the zinc in nappy creams difficult to deal with and possibly also drying.

Jurgens anti-cellulite cream (£4.99) is the most effective anti-cellulite product I have found. My thighs are notably more toned after a couple of weeks of it combined with skin brushing.
Waitrose baby bottom butter a very good hot-cloth cleanser. As others have noted all you are after is an oil to bind with the dirt in your skin and draw it out. No sense at all in paying for Eve Lom.
Aldi marine products very good but I heard they were being discontinued!
Another vote for the French pharmacy brands - Vichy make the best eye creams I have ever found, after 2 decades of exhaustive research.

Atrixo hand cream is fab.

I also really like Soap and Glory Righteous Butter, and they always have offers on in Boots. Body Shop butters - the Olive Oil one is good if you don't like cocoa butter.

S&b lurker here on mat leave pay wants to say thanks for this thread! I'd like to add that the Avon supershock eyeliner pencils are no different ime to the urban decay ones I used to regularly rebuy and a fraction of the price and often on offer. An HE beauty addict at work got me onto them.

remus I use a 10% aha on my legs and it has made them much better
Elephant skin no more

futterbingers and those who like the Rimmel Wake me Up foundation - I've just seen this in Wilkinsons for £4.89 or something daft like that, compared to £8.99 in Boots!

Becky is the Naked pallet alternative good? Does it last on your eye.

I really want the Naked pallet but it's expensive and so would love to know if something else is good.

itsinthebag butting in sorry, but I swear by the Undressed pallettes, I have 1 and 2, they are amazing and you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference between them and the UD ones (which I've also used)

They last all day on me and I rarely if ever use a primer first.

MrsM thank you for the feedback.I just don't wear eye make enough to justify the Naked pallet really, but it looks so nice!
I think I will give the undressed ones a try.

No expensive (and by that I mean over £4!) body lotion, oil or cream has ever compared to Superdrug £2 Coconut oil.

Similarly, no hair conditioner, especially leave-in stuff, compares to a tiny tiny blob of Coconut oil.

This thread is fab! In recent years I've subbed a lot of the pricier products in favour of cheaper alternatives. Love the astral cream for after shaving my legs. The palmers oil prevented any stretchmarks, smell used to irritate me at times though. However still use Benefit hoola bronzer and clinique naturally glossy mascara, have never found a cheaper alternative that works for me.

Ordered loads of things from the MUA website last night for £14, was blown away! Can't wait for it all to arrive, especially the undressed palette, used to always use UD eyeshadows before kids made me poor the kids came along so can't wait to see if it's any good.