Shall we share budget options that we've found to be as good as their expensive counterparts?

[SleepFreeZone]

I shall start by suggesting Nanoblur as an eyeshadow primer. I used to use Urban Decay and it was so expensive for a tiny tube and in the old bottles you could never get all the product out. So when j ran out I decided to try and find something different. I had lots of odd bits of stuff in my various make up bags and tried a few primers etc. I had some Nanoblur that I had bought for a special occasion and tried a tiny amount on my eyelids and OMG it works brilliantly. It will take me ages to work my way through the tube so it terms of economy it will be excellent long term and it works better than any of the other eyelid primers I've tried.

Try a tubing mascara Lynda. they're pretty smudge proof. Most of the cheaper brands do them these days.

Thanks squoosh - do they say tubing on the box?

Miss Sporty clear mascara is nice for a natural look and cheap as chips. I'm also using Barry M That's how I roll mascara which is pretty good. Also love Sleek and MUA products.

I am afraid to add my professional opoinion on the statement|:

Lidl Suddenly Madame Glamour. Smells like Coco Mademoiselle

having read this urban myth on MN I covered myself in it. It smells nothinhg like Chanel and a lot like supermarket perfume

Nivea Soft however rocks , always use when short of cash

I love soap and glory trick and treatment concealer. Blends well and covers my tired eyes

Super drug unscented eye makeup remover is great. Shifts dds artwork and no sting.

Marking place. Going to try cracked heel cream on my chicked skin. Thanks op!

I've found Barry M pencil eyeliners better than Urban Decay ones. I'm using the purple L'Oreal mascara and have found it better than the purple urban decay mascara.

I like George (ASDA) highlighter that's £1 if I've run out of my benefit one.

I would recommend the fake eyelashes from poundland they last really well and give a naturalomg length look rather than looking too long or to thin to be real and the glue they come with is right.

Boots All Bright Cleansing Foam Wash has been a revelation for my skin.

I also rate the Superdrug hot cloth cleansers though the Soap and Glory one is great too (but a bit pricier)

Maybelline Lash Sensational

Also, I know it's a bit off topic but Wilko do some great make up brushes that dupe Real Techniques.

Primark hair conditioner at 1.50 is the best - only one that makes my coarse curly hair lissom (and I have tried everything)

lots of elf products most under £5: especially their studio line- under eye concealer and highlighter, brushes (some regarded by pros as reasonable mac dupes) eye shadows- very pigmented tone correcting powder, eye liner- i like the eye liner and shadow stick

sleek make up cream to powder blushers

body shop camomile cleansing balm, works as well as the Emma Hardie IMO

DP uses the Aldi moisturisers wtih SPF he used to use clinique m protect

this is cheap and marvellous mascara

Just be a bit careful with ELF cosmetics as I had allergic reactions to done of their products and I don't remember ever reacting to anything else, ever. Was weird.

Maybelline naked palette rip offs - love the blushed nudes ones

Nivea soft - best moisturiser you can get

Nivea post shave for sensitive skin. White bottle is brilliant for bikini rash if you use razor for shaving. No rash after and no burning pain, also great for a face primer. W7 face primer is also brilliant leaves skin like velvet.

I love Kiko. Their lipsticks are fab (pick the ones with fancier packaging, they are beautifully designed and a pleasure to wear, and just as good as Nars Audacious) and I also like their nail polish and bought a pretty blusher in a wooden box from them last year. They are the Italian version of MAC, and you can have a handful of goodies for the price of one MAC item.

Another vote for MUA liquid lipsticks- really stay on, lovely colours, and only £3! (I do prefer the red shade from the Revolution range though)

All of the Bourjois foundations, but especially Healthy Mix, City Radiance, and 10 Hour Sleep (which I think is now sadly discontinued)

Seventeen Tattoo Me eyeliner stays on forever. As someone who loves a truly black liquid eyeliner I'd be lost without it. Their Miracle Matte pressed powder is pretty good too!

Collection's Speedy Blush and Highlighter sticks are lovely, as is the Lasting Perfection Concealer.

Body Shop's lip and cheek tint is cheaper and more pigmented than Benetint, although I've realised I prefer NYX's Red Cheeks as it blends easier (no chance of weird stripes on my face!)

NYX's Gotcha Covered concealer is better than any of the MAC ones i've tried.

Aaaaaaand finally, grapeseed oil is better than any of the weird C&P dupes out there. Sorted my acne, softened my acne scars and made my skin look lovely.

www.temptalia.com/makeup-dupe-list/

This is a site my daughter uses, you enter the brand name/colour etc and it gives you a list of other make up items with similar colours and finish, she raves about it

I found the Lidl perfume smelled like CC Mademoiselle, but didn't last as long. But given that perfume smells different on different people maybe it only "works" for some

Completely agree about Kiko lipsticks. I have only one ( will be adding to my collection in the Autumn) - its a Velvet Matte red. Its neither velvet nor matte weirdly! It is a very nice satin finish red lipstick with good staying power and isnt' drying in the slightest, unlike every MAC lipstick I have ever tried. And it cost less than half what MAC cost

Its in a gold coloured tube. I used a slightly cheaper Kiko lipstick before in a silver tube and it was rubbish so I agree with what FrustratedFrugal said about choosing the more expensive looking packaging. The lipsticks are still only about £7

Has anyone found mascara which is slightly glossy (ie natural) rather than the usual flat matte version?
(I gave up looking ages ago).

oleannas - same here!

To make a confession, I don't actually like Chanel perfume that much, not even the legendary no 5. As someone just said, it's different for everyone but on me, it smells cheap! I find I have to go to perfumes about twice as expensive for it to smell nice all day. (That's not a boast - I get them cheap in TK Maxx!)

Mascara:
Boots Natural Collection £1.99) great duper for Clinique Glossy mascara.
Boots 17 HD Falsify great duper for Benefit Roller Lash.

M&S Rosie for Autograph range: Beautiful shadow, blush and face palettes, all strikingly close to Charlotte Tilbury and also an Autograph jar of mousse/cream foundation that gives great coverage, is buildable and leaves a lovely dewy finish very CT. £6 BARGAIN.

MUR @ super drug eye palettes all very close to the Urban Decay ones and a fraction of the price.
Also very good qulity highlighters, very good dupes for Hourglass, Becca, ABH etc

Revlon Liquid matte lipsticks, great duper for Clarins and a good long-lasting alternative to MAC

I could go on...... ;-)

My BIGGEST AND BEST recommendation for dupe product suggestions and general make-up, skincare etc advice would be to sign up to the
"Mrs Gloss and the Goss" page on Facebook.

Never-ending advice, support and friendly banter and lots of product suggestions for all types... ;-)