Cheap and cheerful but do the job for skin care

[ChristmasTreeBee]

I’ve run out of all bits & bobs for skincare (used the supply up and haven’t been buying anything)

I’m mid 30’s and want some cheap and cheerful recommendations for a moisturiser, exfoliating scrub, and anything else you think I might need for dry sensitive skin. Gone are the days of Clinique, liz earl etc

I’m literally a scrub once a week and use a moisturiser daily (rarely make up - even tho I hoard the stuff) but I need a better routine - can anyone share one? It needs to be quite quick as I don’t have lots of time on an morning but plenty on an evening.

I’ve also noticed quite a few fine lines around my eyes

Any help much appreciated

Another Nivea blue pot fan here. I could afford expensive poducts, and have tried a few over the years, but Nivea beats them all. You can Google the blind comparisons that have been carried out between Nivea blue pot and the incredibly expensive Crème de la Mer. I use the less heavy version, Nivea Soft (white pot, just as cheap) as a day cream.

I also like the Superdrug and Aldi hot cloth cleansers, but any cheapo cleanser, taken off with a flannel or muslin cloth, will do the job just as well.

I get really dry, sensitive skin in the winter and I love Weleda Skin Food. It's a really thick moisturiser so only get it if you're not averse to that. Some people think it feels greasy but I like it as the fact that it's a bit oily makes my skin look glowy and keeps the moisture in.

I like Nivea and some of the products mentioned. Also enjoying the Boots Ingredients range for reasonably priced serums and the like. I really like the Boots cucumber range also.
Perhaps you could buy a reduced advent calendar also to try out a new range?:)

@Geamhradh does Nadine suggest any particular products? Is the spf in a moisturiser? I’m clueless but that info sounds like a good starting point

I like the Aldi Q10 night cream, and the Cleanse formula hot cloth cleanser from M&S - like a cheap Eve Lom cleanser. The Ordinary serums are good and last forever.

Several years ago I decided enough was enough when my Estée Lauder moisturiser climbed above £30 a pot.

I still miss that lovely cucumber smell, but achieve exactly the same effects with the Superdrug Naturally Radiant range. The moisturiser alternates between £3.99 and two for £7.99.

Also, for £1.69 you can have Asda Q10 Radiance Day Cream with SPF 15. I have no idea why it is so cheap!

It's cheap because it doesn't need to be expensive

I realised years ago that with expensive brands, you are paying £££ because of the idea that if it's expensive it must be good.

I really like the Lidl Cien or Aldi serum. £2.99, and Nivea Soft as a moisturiser

Cerave - their serum moisturiser in particular. DD (21) and I are both converts. Be careful with the Ordinary, some of their products have castor oil in and can encourage hair growth (great on menopausal hair like mine, not so good on your face).

I'm mid 30s and really like Superdrug's naturally radiant range. The moisturiser and night cream are both under £10 and go down to half price now and again each puts them at about £3.99 each. I really like them and they are just as good as pricier creams I've tried.

Best I've ever used is the Superdrug vitamin e range. Fantastic quality and smells divine.

Great thread! A fan of many mentioned products here, for fine lines around eyes I’m trying Cerave eye moisturise in the tube (while accepting I may want Botox in the future )

Aldi Lacura. I tried using Nivea in the blue pot as a night cream for a while but it's very thick and heavy and I'm finding Aldi stuff better.

I use their dupe for Liz Earle cleanse and polish (just as good and comes in a range of different 'flavours'!) - mostly I just rinse it off, then wash with a gentle soap, but once a week I use the polish cloth (instead of a scrub, which I find too harsh).

Then Aldi Q10 serum and their Lacura Caviar day cream in the day, and Caviar night cream at night. I've added their (new) night time facial oil before the night cream. It's lovely and smells fab!

@TheBugHouse
I googled your suggestion re the article by Money mSavingExpert on Alldi dupes. It doesn't just do Aldi.
Superdrug, Boots and Lottie London are also in it.
It's very informative.
Thank you.

I like the Aldi caviar products but find them too strongly scented. The ordinary is good for their squalane cleanser and serums. I like Q&A moisturisers and eye creams, don’t think they’ve been mentioned yet but good value and effective.

Nivea Q10 day and night cream, usually on sale for £5 each.

@1990s

Great thread! A fan of many mentioned products here, for fine lines around eyes I’m trying Cerave eye moisturise in the tube (while accepting I may want Botox in the future )

You need Retinol to reduce fine lines. Most eye creams are just marketing scams - overpriced moisturisers. The Medik8 ones are good over the counter Retinol. X

I bought this recently and it is excellent. If I apply a moisturiser every day I get spots as my skin is quite greasy anyway but this works really well to moisturise my skin but sinks in really quickly. Less than £12

https://www.boots.com/botanics-simply-calm-hydrating-facial-serum-with-cannabis-sativa-seed--%28hemp%29-oil-30ml-10274953?cmmmc=bmm-buk-google-ppccPLAsAsHeroCompareareSkincareFacial---UKSmarttShoppingSkincareeFacial&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrJvE78j59AIVDJ7tCh17hgBCEAQYASABEgJ0rPDBwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ds has been through roaccutane treatment at hospital for acne and they recommended cerave moisturiser. He uses the skin smoothing wash and then AM moisturiser.. often 3 for 2 in boots etc

wiredforsound where do you get your soolantra from please?

[quote ShirazSavedMySanity]@Geamhradh does Nadine suggest any particular products? Is the spf in a moisturiser? I’m clueless but that info sounds like a good starting point[/quote]
She has loads of great videos and what I love about her is she explains the ingredients (including the ones which are just smoke and mirrors) and always gives price points from Superdrug Pure range £2.99 to Skinceuticals at £100+
It was her 5 products video which changed my life. I love L'Occitane, Clarins, Lancome Hydra Zen and a million other spendy things, but realistically I know that Nivea Q10 and The Ordinary retinol is just as good.
SPF should really be separate from moisturizer, as we don't tend to put enough moisturizer on.
I love Biore watery essence.

Nadine (I'm not her, honest, she's just my go to guru ) has an eye cream video.
They'll moisturize and plump out fine lines for a bit, but other than that are a massive scam as you're paying weight for weight a loads more for an ingredient you'll find in a serum (for example) which can be taken up to your eyes. She says the skincare industry kind of scored an own goal by formulating serums, as previously, with heavy creams, you DID need a separate eye cream.
She does recommend a couple that she rates though, caffeine being the big goody ingredient for eyes.

Also a fan of the Nivea blue pot. I’ve tried lots of things over the years but keep coming back to it. I only use it as a night cream though and use a gel cream (Liz Earle) in the mornings. The Nivea cream is too rich for me to use twice a day.
I’m currently using a cetaphil cream cleanser to remove my makeup.
It’s taken me far too long to realise that you don’t actually have to spend lots of money on skincare, it’s all about finding something that suits your skin.

[quote Megan2018]I really rate these for my very sensitive skin. Really cheap and cheerful but actually really suit my skin. I bought when super skint on mat leave and have continued.

www.boots.com/nivea-daily-essentials-light-moisturising-day-cream-for-dry-and-sensitive-skin-spf15-50ml-10081022

www.boots.com/boots-cucumber-face-wash-150ml-10290324[/quote]
Another vote for the Nivea Day Cream. Sometimes it is on offer for £2.50 !! I also use the night cream but it is not as nice as the fancy Boots regenerating stuff.
A further tip: when you really can't squeeze any more from the tube, snip it off about 1/3 of the way down, and you'll get at least another week's worth. You can use the snipped bit as a lid by slightly curving the main part of the tube.

Nivea soft and simple

I have become a fan of the Weleda range. Their skin food is fantastic for the face and for scars too.