Cult stuff that's superb vs cult stuff that's crap and what you use instead. IYHO

[Houseofmaidens]

Lancome Hypnose Unequivocally the Best Mascara Ever.
Tweezerman tweezers crap. Mister Mascara tweezers miles better.
That is all.

Elizabeth Arden 8hr cream - greasy lardy crap. Vaseline or sudacream (depending on what it's for) much better.

Clarins double serum - bought me out in spots and clogged pores. Shame as I like clarins products usually. Dermalogica overnight repair serum = wondrous stuff.

Oh and Bravura face cloth that was raved about on here - fecking awful and nearly did as much damage as cleaning my skin with sandpaper would. Despite being light handed with it. Wouldn't even wash dishes with it.

Use pixiewoo glow tonic instead as a gentle exfoliating toner. Magic stuff.

Totally agree re: 8 hour cream - WHAT is the appeal??

Khiel's (sp) Creme De Corps - averagely OK, ridiculously expensive body lotion. Space NK Life body lotion, or L'Occitane 20% Shea butter body butter are both so so much better. I buy them at TK Maxx or outlets for bargain prices.

Any expensive bi-phase eye make up remover. £20 to remove eye make up? Erm no - Boots Botanics, about £3 and brilliant.

NARS velvet lip pencils are good. But, Maybelline Color Drama lip pencils are better.

YSL Touché Éclat is OK. But, Loreal Touché concealer is better. Totally diff consistency is Seventeen Phwoar concealer which is even more heavy duty. Not as nice as the Loreal, but the Seventeen is more effective at hiding under eye shadows.

L'Occitane shower oil.
It's lovely stuff and smells amazing.
A big bottle will last months.

Mac mascaras are horrible. Make my eyes sting.

I came on to say clarins double serum is worth every penny!

8 hour cream apparently has a million uses but I hate them all. Likewise coconut oil - I bought some and couldn't think what to do with it!

I love my 8 hour cream.
I mostly use it as lip balm and on my cuticles.
I use it on the kids when they have chapped lips also.

I love 8 hour cream - it s saved my skin from burns and scars, and after weeks of trialling different stuff had been the only thing that healed my daughters poor chapped hands - I wouldn't use it as a lip balm though it s a bit rank smelling I do use it as a runners balm as does dh ......(stop chaffing)

Touch éclat - rubbish
Mac ruby woo - never worked on me - too Matt too harsh too cold, - Kate moss Rimmel red much better alternative

Charlotte tilbury miracle cream - 2 months on and I won't be reinvesting

Am an addict to jucy tubes lip balms

Clarins Flash Balm. What is it actually supposed to do?!

Carmex lip salve is fantastic. Recently rediscovered it and I'm a convert. Collection 2000 concealer is also superb.

Tangle Teezer thing. Absolutely ripped my hair to shreds. So did the Babyliss Big Hair, although it did make my hair look quite nice.

I'm not that keen on Mason Pearson brushes either, although the combs are good.

Benefit They're Real mascara a bit shit too, and I don't like the cheek stain either.

Hate Yankee Candles too. Sickly smelling. Glasshouse ones much nicer.

The only benefit thing worth the money is high beam IMO

touche éclat - yes rubbish

Bobbi Brown foundations are shite - every one that I've tried has transferred almost immediately.

Clinique mascaras - supposedly the best thing out for sensitive eyes but make mine run and sting.

NARS orgasm blush - it's okay-ish. Clinique blushes are so so much better.

Clarins beauty flash balm is actually great under foundation, makes me glowy and skin tightened.

MAC paintpot - helps my eyeshadow stay in place. Fab.

Ysl faux cils complete and utter rubbish.... A lot of clarins mascara crap too.

Nars multiples I don't get them....the idea!

Bobbi brown powder foundation - ok but has broken in compact and transferred to bag etc

coffeenut I love touche éclat! Not sure it's really worth the price though.

Nail varnish - Barry M rules, but Dior Glow is amazing, I'd never have believed that a nail varnish could be worth that price but it is!

Molton Brown. My DH loves the stuff. I think it all smells the same (not very nice).

I love a tangle Teezer brush, best invention.

I have thick long hair and it really gets the knots out easily.

Pixi Glow Tonic - doesn't really do anything for me, so I use Nip+Fab pads or Bravura Calendula toner instead, which are both lovely.

Aurelie Miracle Cleanser - ordered a sample from Being Content as they have a nice sample service and wanted to see if I was missing out by not spending £££ on my cleanser. I wasn't in this nice. Nice but not worth the price tag IMO.

Tata Harper - got the samples (as above) for the Purifying Cleanser and the Nutrient Complex (? Facial oily stuff) and they are amazing. When I'm feeling flush will definitely purchase.

Ren Vitamin C Radiance Serum - sticky! It didn't seem to do anything, whereas the Body Shop Vitamin C stuff definitely brightens up my prone to being dull skin.

I wasn't in this case, not nice*

I adore Kiehl's (including the incredible Creme de Corps - although I found big pots of Bliss body butter in TK Maxx for £12 a pop and may be persuaded to defect) BUT Kiehl's Midnight Recovery does nothing for me.

Estée Lauder Advance Night Repair makes my skin look like a million dollars, including helping blemishes disappear overnight. Amazing stuff.

I'm not a fan of most nail polishes including Jessica and Essie (horribly thin) but love Soigné.

I have a love/hate relationship with 8 hour cream. When my skin is badly chapped, it is the ONLY thing that works. But I hate the smell.

The best hand cream is Neutrogena, and I've tried a few.

Benetint - love it - one of the v few products I buy again and again (and it lasts for ages too)
Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (but only use it v occasionally, so it lasts)
Lancome Definicils mascara (much better than Hypnose)

Hate - 8 Hour Cream the smell is disgusting and it did nothing for my chapped thumbs

I don't dislike but won't buy again - Molton Brown bubble bath. It's nice enough but not really any nicer than lots of the ones you can get for a fiver or less, so a rip off.

I really like Tweezerman tweezers.

Elemis Marine Cream - over-priced and over-hyped. Made my face feel tight and dry.

Generic retin-a = stuff of the gods.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm - a load of rubbish, does NOTHING for me...
Dior Show mascara - awful, clogged up my lashes, yuk
Sunday Riley Good Genes - I have just finished a little sample sachet of this serum/treatment and it is amazing - I may need to splash out!
Emma Hardie moringa cleansing balm - I cannot live without this, worth every penny