What have been your 'game changer' beauty products?

[frankietwospots]

I'm always keen to try out new beauty products but am fed up of spending good money on products that are a bit meh. What have been your real 'game changer' beauty products? Which products have really made a difference? For me, applying Estee Lauder Double Wear with the Real Techniques stippling brush was a lightbulb moment. I just wish I could replicate that experience with skincare products!

Nothavingfunrightnow the body shop camomile cleansing oil and balm/butter are recommended by Caroline for budget items

www.carolinehirons.com/2013/09/the-body-shop-up-their-game-camomile.html?m=1

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque is very refreshing, cheap as chips and available on Amazon. It is also good for drying spots.

thisissohard do you use the glow maximiser all over your face when using it under foundation or just cheeks? My skin is oily too so I haven't tried it yet but am tempted.

Today I bought le Roche posey hydrating moisturiser, cleanser and face scrub based on all the recommendations in here.
3for 2 and paid with boots points.

Almond oil....body moisturiser. A 1litre bottle is about £12 on Amazon, then put in smaller pump bottles with a drop of essential oil. Discovered a perfect pure rose oil night cream and rose and frankincense day cream on summerbee.co.uk and at a fraction of the price of the big names.

expensive but actually worth it - Sunday Riley Good Genes

Someone I know has suffered from acne for a long time. Are there any routines or products anyone who's experienced it would recommend?

Place marking to catch up later!

Pliudev I had breakout prone skin too, the la roche posay range is very good, especially the Effaclar Duo product when used regularly helps with acne. A good acid toner in the routine will be helpful too.

Jojoba oil added to moisturiser, its actually a wax and closest to skin's own sebum
Siriu Sonic facial brush for cleansing and massaging
Cetaphil facial wash
Bourjois Rose Brun blusher makes me look 'well'
The l'Oreal SLS free shampoo - helps colour stick to my greys so I don't have to colour as often
Astral cream for my neck
Oil of Olay complete care - always come back to it
Derma Roller
Lots of vitamin C, Omega 3 capsules, good multi vit and mineral

My hands are wrecked though, any recommendations?

Forgot Avene Triacneal - superb for breakouts and anti-ageing!

A poster right at the start of this thread mention the new BareMinerals foundation! I cannot rate it enough like literally my game changer, it is hands down the best foundation I have ever used & I have got through my fair share, I love it! Goes on really smooth & silky little bit like an oil (I have oily skin, thought this would be a problem but not at all!) then stays for the majority of the day, really gives a nice glowing cover. It's called BareSkin, I recommend getting the brush with it too as it goes on a lot better with it as you're supposed to buff it on.

cerealqueen Aveeno Hand Cream is very good. Have tried others but keep coming back to this one.

REN keep young and beautiful eye cream does what it says I just bought 3 while they had 20% off
Love REN cleansers too, especially Evercalm.

I'm crazy for all things L'Occitane. Their Verveine cooling hand gel cream makes hands lovely and soaks in instantly. The almond body spray oil smells divine and sorts out my eczema. The lavender bath smells gorgeous, makes the water all soft, and creates tones of bubbles with a small drop. The verbena hand soap makes me happy they should pay me for this..

DidThatSeriouslyJustHappen- really easy. Pop 4 aspirin in a bowl with a little water to make a paste. Apply on freshly washed face, lie still for 10 minutes (otherwise, bits of powdery deposit drop everywhere) and wash off. Makes skin smooth, pores look minimised and I'm sure the effects last for the day afterwards. You can add yoghurt or honey to the aspirin as well, to make it bit more treaty, but I stick to water. 40p for 4 masks. Bargain!!

I love to double cleanse at night too! I find using either Emma Hardie's Balm or Pai Skincare's Camellia Cleanser with a soft flannel works best. My desert island product would have to be Pai's rosehip oil as I find I get the same if not better results as when I've used retinol products.

My other love is AlphaH's Liquid Gold a couple of evenings per week, it's worth the hefty price tag!

yazzy85- all over my face. It looks very glowy on its own, but once you apply your base on top, it just makes your skin look good. I have very oily skin and it really does help as a primer. I do use Revlon's Colorstay on top and then some powder, but my skin honestly looks so much better. I did an experiment yesterday and didn't use the glow maximiser. My skin looked sallow and tired.

Thanks thisissohard. I am going to use my boota points for it and use it under my double wear light as I find the foundation alone can look a bit flat.

Thisissohard, thank you! Is it not more for acne prone skin? Because I don't have that. I just want a glow. Bloody bargain though, if it really does work! Love this thread!!

The best thing I did was get lash extensions. I wear so little make up now. It can be pricey (I budget £7 a week for them and get in-fills every 5-6 weeks) but they just made such a difference to my confidence, no more mascara, no black smudges under the eyes!
The practitioner has to be really good and thorough and the lady I use is very professional and has canny craic as well

Ive just gone back through the thread to see what this Glow maximiser is.

Dior! Why cant it be something cheap and cheerful from superdrug?

these threads are dangerous.

How much is this wonder product? and is it ok for all skin colours? I'm olive toned.

I hatethecold me too, I keep scribbling things to try, including the Dior thingy. I am going to treat myself to one fabulous thing every payday. I justify it by adding up how much I spent on the 5 cheap primers I've got....all OK, but nothing that gave me va va voom. Also I spend very little on clothes.....so......

This is really intersesting...I've got an offer from John Lewis for a beauty box if I spend £70, which is a lot but have been saving for a Chanel Bronzer so that's a fair chunk.

I've got a Laura mercier primer and tinted moisturiser which I love, good coverage on my blotchy red bits but give a nice natural look. Tubes looked quite small but have lasted well.

Shu Umura eyelash curlers - so much better than any others.

REN facial products.

Clinique 'Even Better' foundation.

Palmers cocoa butter - although it makes you smell like a chocolate cake!

I think the Dior Glow Maximiser is £28 which I don't think is too bad for Dior. I've been busy pinning products onto my Pinterest board as I've been reading this so that I have a shopping list when I get my bonus!

Dumb question - for those who double cleanse, which flannels do you buy? And don't they get all icky with foundation, mascara etc..? I realise they straight in the washing machine, but does it all wash out?

I thought I was double cleansing by using Simple face wipes and then the Superdrug Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser but now I've read Caroline Hirons and Sali Hughes, I discover that face wipes are considered the devil's work. So I'm going to invest in flannels and the Emma Hardie balm, along with the Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Brightening Toner to use twice a week. I've already got the Superdrug Glycolic Peel and put it on last night. Woke up when my DS crawled into bed and felt quite tingly, but skin looked fine this morning!

By the way, I found a bit of Emma Hardie in TK Maxx today (hand cream and body butter) along with the James Read Sleep Mask Tan Face for half price.