Best cheap beauty products.

[DaffodilPot]

Inspired by the expensive products that are a waste of money thread….

What cheaper, high street beauty switches would you recommend? I could do with saving some money!

Baby lotion as a cream cleanser, Catrice lip liners or Essence. I never buy expensive eyeliners so Rimmel etc. I often use Nivea in the blue tin if I'm out of my usual brand (Nuxe) Simple eye makeup remover or Bioderma Micellar water (pink lid) but a bit pricier than cheap. I never spend on shampoo and conditioner. Anything goes but mainly Head & Shoulders. Orly nail polish, but I think it's mid price. Palmers Cocoa butter. Real Techniques makeup brushes, not super cheap but last the test of time. Most cheaper mascaras are good, Essence, Max Factor, Revlon.

Cerave
Boots eye makeup remover pads gets rid of the toughest waterproof make up (blue lid)
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel
Nivea Soft
O’Keefe’s body skin repair is amazing for extremely dry skin
Superdrug simply pure
Garden of Wisdom by Victoria Health
Elf Black Cherry sheer slick is a dupe for Clinique Black Honey
Avon Glimmerstick eyeliner

I forgot Blistex lip relief for very dry chapped lips. It was out of stock for a long time but now back in shops

To thoroughly cleanse without stripping your skin, mix one part by volume of polysorbate80 (from eBay/Amazon) with four parts of a cheap light oil such as almond or grapeseed in a pump bottle. Use two pumps to cleanse your face, then wash away with warm water. The polysorbate emulsifies the oil so it doesn't leave a residue. Then double cleanse by washing with warm water and one pump of Bioderma Atoderm foaming gel.

You can use different oils or a mixture for cleansing if you want - rosehip, castor oil etc - but stick with something fairly light or it tends to drag your skin.

To moisturise, use one pump of Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture. Pat it on, let it dry. Then about six drops of Hadalabo premium hyaluronic acid lotion, followed by Neutrogena hydroboost gel cream.

Although buying the whole lot all at once isn't cheap they'll last months and months and as they run out at different times you'll never have the big expense again. The Neutrogena sometimes goes on sale, then I buy loads. It's supposed to be a dupe of a Clarins product. Aldi sometimes do a version of it but it's too highly-scented for me.

Aldi, moisturiser is good, make up is fine too though I can't use their mascara as I have allergies and this sets me off. The make up range isn't in store all the time though. Boots no. 7 is a good option but not that cheap

I love Superdrug Simply pure hydrating serum

Essence make up - the mascara is as good if not better than the high end expensive ones.

Lacura at Aldi, especially the rosewater toner and micellar water.

Superdrug Natural Radiance skincare range.

@ThatLibraryMiss

To thoroughly cleanse without stripping your skin, mix one part by volume of polysorbate80 (from eBay/Amazon) with four parts of a cheap light oil such as almond or grapeseed in a pump bottle. Use two pumps to cleanse your face, then wash away with warm water. The polysorbate emulsifies the oil so it doesn't leave a residue. Then double cleanse by washing with warm water and one pump of Bioderma Atoderm foaming gel.

You can use different oils or a mixture for cleansing if you want - rosehip, castor oil etc - but stick with something fairly light or it tends to drag your skin.

To moisturise, use one pump of Kikumasamune Sake Skin Lotion High Moisture. Pat it on, let it dry. Then about six drops of Hadalabo premium hyaluronic acid lotion, followed by Neutrogena hydroboost gel cream.

Although buying the whole lot all at once isn't cheap they'll last months and months and as they run out at different times you'll never have the big expense again. The Neutrogena sometimes goes on sale, then I buy loads. It's supposed to be a dupe of a Clarins product. Aldi sometimes do a version of it but it's too highly-scented for me.

I've never seen anyone on MN (or anywhere outside of specialist FB groups or forums) mention polysorbate 80! It's also useful for grease spots on clothes - dab a bit on before washing.

Cetaphil rich night cream, [currently a third off and thus £5.32 in Superdrug] is outstandingly brilliant: rich, creamy and unscented.

Seconding or thirding the votes for Superdrug Simply Pure serum and their Naturally Radiant glycolic toner [like Pixi, but cheaper by far]

Simple micellar water, the hydro boost one with the blue cap.

Would like, if anyone can recommend, a creamy foamy facial wash suitable for dry skin and a good rich daily moisturiser with no strong scent.

Nivea Soft moisturiser. Even my fussy teen loves it.
Nivea tinted day cream. When I started using this instead of foundation SO many people asked what I was wearing as my skin looked good.
Superdrug radiant glycolic toner. Makes my skin glow.
Tresemme biotin conditioner and the leave in spray.
Maybelline 24 hour liquid lipsticks. They just dont budge.

I really rate the Aldi Lacura Rejuvelate Day and Night creams. Excellent dupes for Loreal Revitalift and cheap as chips.

Garnier Intensive 7 days body lotion with Aloe Vera is great, sinks in easily and hydrating

Herbal Essences shampoo and conditioner. I use the pink colour protect one. DH swears by Pantene.

Nivea Double Effect eye maker up remover. Just rediscovered this after running out of my Clinique one.

I'm on the look out for a cream cleanser - like Liz Earle but without so much eucalyptus. I can't get on with the Superdrug ones or the BodyShop chamomile balm, so am working my way through a Clinique cleansing balm which is excellent I have to say, but am looking for something a bit cheaper.

@VeronicaBeccabunga CeraVe Hydrating cleanser and Cerave moisturising cream (I prefer the one in the tub over the tube as it works out cheaper per 100g) Boots currently has a 3 for 2

My skin gets really flaky in winter especially my face. The cream is lovely and thick but not at all greasy. It just sinks in.

Primark did a fantastic £5 moisturiser from the Alex Steinherr range called Maximum Moisture. I have a fear they’re discontinuing it as I couldn’t find it last time I was in. I shall be very sad if that’s the case as it really worked for me.

Vaseline to remove eye make up. I’ve tried all the fancy stuff but always go back to it in the end.

And I am a complete make up brand sucker, but I’ve never beaten Avon glimmersticks for eyeliner.

Garnier Banana Hair Food.

ELF putty primer
LA Girl shady slim brow pencil
Aldi Lacura hand cream - the one with the green lid.
Revolution Forever Flawless eyeshadow palettes are brilliant quality and beat some of my £££ palettes hands down.
Nyx lip liners
Boots Oats body lotion
Flormar primer and also their bronzing powder - for very pale skin like mine their lightest one is lovely.
On the subject of pale skin I found the best foundations to colour match mine from Revolution and Wet n Wild!
Carmex lip balm
Palmers Olive Oil shampoo and conditioner is brilliant for dry, curly hair.
Soap & Glory Thick & Fast mascara
Cocoa Brown tanning mousse

They’re not all cheap as chips but definitely much cheaper than high end brands and all repeat purchases for me.

On the strength of this thread I have just ordered the Essence Princess Lash mascara, eyeliner and brow gel all from Just My Look - they are doing 3 for 2 until tomorrow. Looking forward to getting them and having a try

@VeronicaBeccabunga I was going to recommend ceravae hydrating cleanser too like another poster.

Inkey list glycolic acid 10%. Its about £5 for a bottle that lasts ages.

Also flexitol foot cream (500g for £14). Best stuff i have ever used for dry skin. Its 10% urea and have been using it on hands as well.

@VeronicaBeccabunga

Cetaphil rich night cream, [currently a third off and thus £5.32 in Superdrug] is outstandingly brilliant: rich, creamy and unscented.

Seconding or thirding the votes for Superdrug Simply Pure serum and their Naturally Radiant glycolic toner [like Pixi, but cheaper by far]

Simple micellar water, the hydro boost one with the blue cap.

Would like, if anyone can recommend, a creamy foamy facial wash suitable for dry skin and a good rich daily moisturiser with no strong scent.

I also love the Superdrug pure range. Have you tried the Vit E hot cloth cleanser? It's not foamy, but foamy is not a good thing as it means lots of SLS ingredients which dry out skin. That's my cheap go to creamy cleanser. Daily moisturizer with no scent- LRP Toleriane or Cerave. (esp for dry skin)

I also really rate the Garnier seven day body moisturiser (recommended by NeedWineNow). Comes in a 400 size with a pump, and is about a fiver in Boots.

I have really dry lizard skin and this is absolutely fantastic for keeping it moisturised. I think it is the best, by a very long way, of all the budget body creams.

Also, the Garnier modeller water with the pink cap. Always on offer somewhere. I buy the 700ml bumper size and it lasts for months. Really effective. Lots of people rate the Bioderma, which is much more expensive for a much smaller amount of product, but I can’t tell any difference.

For skincare I've tried so many different affordable brands but the ones I stick to now are the superdrug vitamin e range and the Me+ range.
www.superdrug.com/Skin/Face-Skin-Care/Cleansers/Superdrug-Me-Hyaluronic-%26-Niacinamide-Cleanser-200ml/p/802606
This cleanser is the first one that's ticked all of the boxes for my dehydrated skin, and has massively calmed down the flares of dry skin I get on my eyelid. Plus my skin feels as soft as DDs now
For moisturiser I use the vitamin e intensive face cream, not a fan of the body cream particularly.

For makeup I love Revolution, especially because they actually have foundations in my exact shade. I used the conceal and define foundation but also use a lighter shade as my concealer because it is that full coverage.

I have tried way too many mascaras of varying prices, but the gold one from Primark is the best one by far. Great coverage and no clumping.

Those who use Elf putty primer, is it suitable for normal to dry skin?