Best budget beauty recommendations?

[TheDuchessOfKidderminster]

I'm trying to take a bit more care of my appearance on a rather limited budget (I've got two small children and only doing bits and bobs of work at the moment). I've just bought the Superdrug Simply serum, which was a total bargain and gets really good reviews and it's stuff similar to that (cheap but great products) that I'm after.

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Hello, this thread is a little old and the links are out of date.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.

Also stuff that's worth splurging on

I love these threads!

Ginormous pot of blue astral for your neck.

I'm a sucker for fancy foundation, but as I've just said on another thread, Maybelline Dream Satin liquid is one of the best I've ever tried and I've tried a lot!

I bought Dream Satin this week. Wasn't too fussed yesterday, thought it sat in my pores a bit. Tried again today with a different moisturiser and I look lovely .
I bought a Botanics under eye roll on this week too, half price to £2 and I think my concealer is sitting a bit better. It promises to make a difference to lines and bags within a month so we'll see!

There is a sample of Elemis marine cream with this months MarieClaire magazine.

Maybelline dream satin, boots natural collection mascara and MUR eyeshadow palettes from Superdrug.

Loriel true match is a nice foundation and garner cc cream and the collection extreme liquid eyeliner

All as good as much more expensive products

I bought the Waitrose Pure hot cloth cleanser the other day. It is currently on sale so is £3.33 instead of £5. I really like it - it hasn't irritated my skin at all.

Nip and Fab products have really improved my skin and are half price in superdrug. Also Aldis serum seems to be making a difference.

Dove Derma Spa Goodness3 hand cream. I got some in a gift set for Christmas and thought I'd give it a try as my L'Occitane shea had nearly run out.

I'm never going back to the L'Occitane. The Dove one is around £4. It sinks in instantly and isn't at all greasy.

Does astral work in the neck then?

I agree with comments about nip and fab. Been using about a week now and big improvement to my skin.

I love the Rimmel wake me up foundation! Also the simple skincare stuff works really well with my skin and is so inexpensive.
Best moisturiser I have is the vitamin c or vitamin e Ones from the body shop, not at all greasy and sink in really well

Even better IMO than Nip and Fab- Olay anti wrinkle toner. It's an acid tone, like the Nip and Fab but costs about £3 and lasts about a year!

I always recommend it on these threads, but last time I did it was unavailable (hopefully just being repackaged, although I have 3 bottles in the cupboard!)

make up revolution eyeshadows are fab. Palletes range from £4 to £8 pounds and both are equally good. I have the two large matte ones which were £8 each and they are great, they stay put, they don't crease and the colour pay off is really good. I use Eco Tools eyeshadow brushes with them and i do think it makes a difference having a nice brush to use. I also have a blusher pallete which is really good from the same brand. IT's available in Superdrug

Superdrugs hot cloth cleansers are really good too, i use the vitamin e one because i have very dry skin that's easily irritated but the radiant one int he green tube is also really good, just a bit too perfumed for my skin. They are often on offer as well so can be picked up dirt cheap. The vitamin e moisturiser is really good if you have dry skin too, both the facial one and the one for body. The one for body has a couple of variants, i think there's one with coconut in it but i haven't personally tried that one as i have an allergy to coconut. I just use the original one and it;s fab really sorts my scaly legs and is really cheap so i don't feel bad for really slathering it on

I love Avon their make up is such good value

Avon Skin So Soft dry oil spray with citronella is meant to be good as an insect repellant.

I'm wearing the original today after a bath and that's lovely aswell. Not sure about insects

Nip and Fab are owned/made by the same people as Rodial. Their Dragons Blood Plumping Serum is a good dupe for Rodials Dragons Blood Sculpting Gel. Currently under a tenner in Superdrug.
Their Nip and Fab pads are an OK stand in if you don't want a stronger AHA acid or exfoliate in a different way.
Any cheap cream or gel or balm or oil cleanser is just as good as the pricier alternatives- as long as it gets make up off without stripping your skin you're good to go. Cleanser doesn't stay on your skin for long enough to worry about it being expensive. Superdrug Vit E or Radiance creams are both excellent.
Vichy Aqualia serum is better than stuff like Clarins HydraQuench.
Seconding Astral if you can tolerate lanolin.
The Ordinary for basic serums. Their Buffet is very good. The 10% lactic acid is good too but stinks.
Save money to spend on serums or targeted treatments. The one treatment that made the world of difference to my skin was Good Genes by Sunday Riley. It's not the case for every high end treatment, but sometimes the ingredients merit the ridiculous cost.

I dint know... Aqualia is nothing like the Hydra Quench, it's very siliconey and a completely different texture.

I am loving The Buffet (and I own about 15 serums )

The Superdrug simply range the OP mentions was compared favourably to Aqualia by some of the MN beauty gurus last year. I have the Superdrug serum (in amongst my cupboard full) and it's very nice. I remember when I first used a combo of that plus the Maybelline foundation and I just couldn't stop stroking my lovely soft cheek!

I bought the primark matte foundation today for £2.50 after seeing it highly recommended on a beauty blog and oh my goodness it's amazing! It's really good, great coverage without looking cakey and better than some more high end foundations that I've tried in the past. I also bought one of the matte lipsticks for £1.50 which is also great, nice and matte without being too drying and lasts very well.

chardonnay I find in as far as they are both loaded with Hyaluronic acid they have the same immediate effect on the skin. The silicone is just the delivery method. As I understand it, HA has no lasting effect and doesn't 'change' skin, it's more of a temporary effect. Aqualia is a third of the price of HydraQuench and (on me) does the job of making my skin look plumper and more hydrated.

I see what you mean, but I really like Hydra Quench, even though is very perfumed and it's really light in consistency and sinks in immediately. It's the one you snake to combine, right?

Aqualia just sits on the skin, in a filmy way.

I usually use Clinique Moisture Surge but am thinking of ordering Buffet, which is even cheaper than Aqualia.

Horse for courses innit?
I love HydraQuench but I use Aqualia because on me the effects are the same. Buffet is just as good but I like the smell of Aqualia more. Hydraluron was the one I couldn't get on with AT ALL.

No, I didn't like Hydraluron either.

I think so far Moisture Surge is my favourite.