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.

Oh, I love this thread! OP thankyou for the heel balm tip, I have KP on my upper arms too so I'll definitely try it out.

Somebody else has mentioned the Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer and I concur that it's bloody brilliant - great coverage and doesn't crease, I've tried so many and none compare. Their foundation is really good too, I do find its a bit drying so I mix it with moisturiser and then it applies really well. Garnier micellar water is also brilliant.

Marking place to add bits later!

I love Garnier. I downgraded from Clinique and now wouldn't swap back.

Also Boots Botanics Allbright range: they do a mild acid toner which I love. I prefer it to Pixi.

I know we all know it already but Aldi Lacura serums are just amazing.

Primark cotton wool pads: 50p, soft and no fleecing!!

I love Essie nail polish but Barry M is just as good.

Palmer's Cocoa Butter lip balm is the best there is. Loads better than Kiehl's.

Oh and hand cream from Lidl! Can't remember the name but it was 70p and 'twas amazing.

Rimmel lip liners are great, especially the nude ones in shades Tiramisu and Addiction.

Boots Botanics does a cleanser that turns from a balm to face wash. Better than Cliniques Take the Day off.

Loreal true match foundation is really good.

Love this thread, thank you!

Lidl perfume smelt awful on me and I couldn't smell it after an hour!

I have stopped buying shop perfumes and now only wear al rehab fragrance oils. Inexpensive, long lasting and wonderful fragrances. Look on here together descriptions- www.fragrantica.com/designers/Al-Rehab.html

Anyone know of a smell-alike for YSL Mon Paris? I've fallen in love with it, but don't want to part with the money.

If you like Smasnbox primer, this £3 one from Wilko is similar but so much better. I am obsessed with it - I buy about 3 tubes every time I go in, because I live in fear of it being discontinued.

www.wilko.com/facial-moisturisers/kiss-light-reflecting-primer-30ml/invt/0348561

It is not possible to exaggerate its brilliance.

I also love the Aldi Q10 Night Cream (£1.99) that someone mentioned up thread - it's a complete steal.

This shampoo and the matching conditioner - I've only ever seen it in Sainsbury's - is lovely. Far superior to the John Frieda version, and half the price: www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/all-shampoo---conditioners/phil-smith-be-gor-wow-brunette-s-p-350ml

For Keratosis Pilaris, I have recently discovered that wiping a salicylic acid pad over my upper arms every evening works a treat. It's quite tingly, but I do it just before I go to bed and then moisturise in the morning after my shower as normal. KP has completely vanished and my arms have never looked smoother. I use these pads: www.sainsburys.co.uk/shop/gb/groceries/clearasil-ultra-treatment-pads-x65
I would never dare to use them on my face - they smell like nail varnish remover - but my upper arms have never looked better.

Boots Curl Creme. £1.99 for a decent sized tub, lasts for ages and really defines my curls. Superdrug Coconut and sweet almond conditioner, again, really cheap. I use it to wash and condition my hair. It's silicon free.

Boots Beautiful Hair mask (managed to find a tub today but not in store the last 4 Boots we looked in, so maybe a discontinued item? DD loves it)

NYX- though the colour swatches online don't resemble the real life. Boots in Bluewater have several stands for the products. DD and I have bought several things, all good.

Nivea sensitive post shave balm is an excellent primer. My make up lasts all day now compared to before when he had normally melted off by lunchtime. It's very cheap and lasts forever as you only need to use a little bit. I bought mine for around £3.30 when it was on special offer.

Only thing I have to add is I read on here how vegetable oil removes all make up and is gentle on one's eyes so I use nothing else now! Eye make up removers used to always sting or irritate. Coconut oil works well for this too.

Doesn't the post shave gel smell a bit manly?

The post shave gels smells only last for a few seconds. You don't notice it at all after that.

Not a product as such but B&M Stores is a good place to look for different brands or higher end stuff a bit cheaper eg I got some TIGI hair products for roughly half the rrp. Not somewhere I'd have expected to be buying my beauty products!

Poundlnd has its own make up range that is really quite impressive for the price. The face powder is lovely - I currently use mac but planning to switch. Lipsticks seem to have pretty good pigments. Haven't tried the foundation (I'm a Sisley addict) or the mascara yet but will do shortly.

YY to Nivea Sensitive Post Shave Balm - it's a light weight, white coloured lotion (not a gel) and doesnt smell, DameDiazepam. Definitely worth trying if you want a cheap primer.

Gwen, have you tried Perfume Parlour?

I'll get some and compare it to lanacane which is what I use now, thanks.

Is it the lighy blue Nivea sensitive post shave balm box that says 'cooling' or the dark blue one?

doubleshotespresso Fri 29-Jul-16 15:36:50

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... ;-)

Only if you are very young and are pretty, the older plainer girls hardly ever get a like.

I hated the Aldi Caviar cream. It is too thick, greasy and gloopy for my skin. It sits on top of it and doesn't sink in. I ended up using it as moisturiser on my legs.

I'm a huge fan of Superdrug's Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser as well. The added bonus is that it isn't tested on animals.

Thank you whoever posted about the SLSfree £4 shampoos and conditioners in Sainsbury's. I compared ingredients and they are very similar to the products I spend over £15 a pop on. I'm switching!

Ooh that was me! To be fair though I originally heard about it on an S&B thread last year.
I love the Argan oil one. Hope you like them Repent.