advice please. I'm visiting from Australia - what are your best beauty buys that i should stock up on while I'm here 😎

[cresbella]

G'day
I'm here from Aus for a month and would love some suggestions on how to spend my holiday money! I love hair, make up and fashion and particularly enjoy finding a fantastic product which is an absolute bargain. That's where I need your advice, over here in the UK you have so many more brand and products than we do in Australia.

I often look on this thread and every now and then a s&b product gets rave reviews. For instance last time I was over I bought Phwoar paint concealer from Boots which I love and is on my shoping list for this trip.

I'm hoping that you guys can tell me about other little gems available here.
Thanks in advance, I'm looking forward to my spendi g spree!

Depends where you go and sizes and budget, but most high Street stores like primark etc have hidden gems that are cheap too so you can get even more things for your money :)

If you can get to a Superdrug, they have really fantastic own brand hair and makeup products, and often have 3 for 2 or similar deals across high street makeup brands also :)

I'd buy some of the french face stuff boots stock. Embryolisse is a good product but they only have it in big stores or you can order online.

@cresbella welcome back to Blighty!

Here are some of my favourites:

• Superdrug Naturally Radiant hot cloth cleanser
• Superdrug vitamin E micellar water
• Superdrug B hyraluronic acid spray

My aunt has lived in Oz since the 1960s, she still lusts after Boots makeup.

Are you in London? Head for Urban Decay in Covent Garden, not cheap but fantastic range of colours.

Superdrug is good for cheap stuff.

However do think about how you are going to pack your bargains, you might want to post them home rather than risk your bargains leaking over your clothes.

No7 is good for skin care

This is great keep them coming - so helpful. What make up brand should I look at at which products.
I have wavy hair and have been experimenting with the curly girl method but its a struggle to find sulphate and silicone free hair products. Particularly interested in finding a purple shamoo that is for curly girls .

If you like Nuxe or Covent Garden Sanctuary Spa products, grab them, as Priceline is not stocking them in Aus anymore.

La Roche Posay cheaper in U.K. too.

Otherwise i would just hit up Superdrug and Boots and buy loads of own-brand stuff you can't get here. That's what I do when I go to London.

Ps So envious - I love UK chemists! So much better than ours.

My sister is over from the states next week. She also stocks up on the little tin pots of Vaseline, for her and her dd and custard cream biscuits

For facial stuff, Superdrug's b.range, naturally radiant and simply pure range are just brilliant. Much better than Boots No.7, I think.

Take a look at Sali Hughes' Guardian beauty column and skim for her budget recommendations.

I'd not bother with toiletries as Big W usually has just a good selection as Boots does. I'm back in the UK and I miss Big W!

Make up is different!

I'd just lose myself in a big Boots for an afternoon. Look at the NYX stand and enjoy.

Curly girl stuff
Superdrug - noughty range, their extracts condition
Boots - cantu, Shea moisture, kind natured range
I like seventeen HD falsifye mascara (there's two, make sure it's the HD one)
NYX? Not sure if you get that in Aus but most large Boots stock it

Thank for all the suggestions, you're a treasure trove of information ladies.
Any recommendations for a good face primer at a keen price?

Not a primer but I second the urban decay suggestion. My sister lives in Australia and every time she comes back to the UK she stocks up on the naked pallets for her and her friends

M&S Autograph skincare: esp nightcream and serum - v good and inexpensive

Curly girl - in addition to the above suggestions - boots pink curl cream - massive pot for about £2 and just as good as most more expensive curl creams! Boots also stock ORS curls unleashed and The Yes To... range - Yes to Carrots shampoo is certainly sulfate free. Tresemme also have a couple of silicone free conditioners.

I like No 7 stay perfect super light foundation. They do a pretty good mascara too and some nice nail varnishes - often on 3 for 2 on their make up and skin care

Happy shopping!

Face primer - Lancane anti chafe cream, best stuff I've ever used and under a tenner!

It's a dupe for Smashbox primer and I can't tell the difference

Yes yes yes to lanacane. I have that on my list too. We dont have that down under

Curly girl: cantu is on offee at Superdrug at the moment. Pink curl cream in Boots is fabulous as is Umberto Gianini scrunchy gel.

Makeup Revolution palettes in Superdrug are amazing (and Iconic 1 is a dupe for Urban Decay Naked 1, Iconic 2 makeup revolution is a dupe for UD Naked 2, etc). MUR Radiance palette is fab too.

Primark do primers for £5, which are good too.

You must also go to a large Primark and a large Topshop.

Try an M&S with a big beauty department- lots of brands of skincare, haircare, makeup, fragrance etc and their own stuff, under one roof. Not particularly cheap but great choice.

Primer I use urban decay de slick. I used to use Lanacane until my face started getting white spots. I also use the Mac primer, but prefer UD.

Seconding Boots pink curl creme. I'm dreading them realising what a bargain it is and charging £10 for it!

The No 7 airbrush sheer (NoT the foundation type) - comes in light, medium and dark. Just a great light feeling tinted primer I suppose, but you can wear it on its own.