Cheapo products that are secretly amazing?

[Gmamaofboys13]

Following on from the Nivea soft thread (under £5 on Amazon)...what other hidden treasures are there that I don't know about?

I've found carmex original lip balm in a tub to be amazing. Costs under £3

L'Oreal dream lengths shampoo/conditioner has really sorted my hair out. On offer it was £2.75 for 500ml.

Garnier hand repair hand cream 75ml is so good, cost £2 from Amazon

Garnier hair food, I think I have the brown one with macadamia oil. £3.50 for 500ml

Sudocrem for acne and sunburn, recently bought 400g for £5.75

Any other suggestions?

I’ve recently started using e.l.f make up (cruelty free, which is all I’ll buy). I’m very impressed by it. Cute little palettes of four eyeshadows for £4!

I’ve been using the Aldi Lacura Caviar Night and Day creams, just that and washing with water (I don’t wear makeup) and occasionally The Ordinary Buffet or Niacanamide + Zinc, and my skin is looking better than it has in a good while.

@Sillyotter

Collection 2000 concealer

Haven’t used anything else for 10 years as all others I’ve tried haven’t covered dark circles as well.

Agree on this. I only wear makeup once in a blue moon now, but this has been my go to for covering blemishes and extra coverage on dark circles (I like to try something lighter and light reflecting first) for at least a decade too.

Can anyone recommend an alternative to Maybelline Dream BB bronzer (light/medium) which I just cannot get anywhere!

@theDudesmummy

People have mentioned various mascaras. I used to have normal sort of lashes, now since menopause they have practically disappeared, they are so much shorter. I don't want much volume, just the illusion of more length! I have bought loads of really expensive so called lengthening ones and they don't really work. Any tips?

Rapid lash serum but it's not a cheap one! My lashes have grown so much with it

I trialled a couple of the lash serums a while ago. I did notice some change (but found the cheap Mavala, or something like that, was as good as the next). However, stupidly, didn't take into consideration that I'd previously started taking biotin (with coconut oil) and my hair generally was growing slightly quicker than usual.

Forgot to tag @theDudesmummy

.

I'm sure somebody will already have mentioned the Superdrug Vitamin E range, but I will too 😀

My other contribution is the Revolution range of facial oils especially the Night Repair Oil - they come in at £7.99-9.99, often have special offers on and (like the Revolution makeup IME) are pretty much indistinguishable from the expensive brands.

@PAFMO

Agree with: Garnier Hair Food- the papaya one is incredible. Also Herbal Essences avocado shampoo and conditioner beats any top range salon shampoos I've ever used.

Astral or blue pot Nivea (I find Nivea soft too perfumed)

Neutrogena body lotion, smells gorgeous, sinks in without having to rub your skin for ages, hydrates for days. Ditto hand cream- tiny tube contains 300 applications - you literally need a pea sized amount.

Carmex.

Superdrug vit E cleanser. Superdrug Pure serum.

Badedas bath gel. Smells fabulous and is really thick and concentrated. I use it as shower gel. I shower every day and am about half way down the bottle that I started in December.

Hydraluminous - my holy grail. I have a £60 Chantecaille foundation that is utter shit in comparison (and over the past few years have tried Estée Lauder, Bobbi Brown, Charlotte Tilbury, YSL, Chanel, Giorgio Armani latest ones but none are as good as Hydraluminous.

Avon eye pencils. £2.99 each and just as good as the Clinique Quickliner I used to buy (but with more colours)

I'm interested in No7 hydroluminous foundation as I hear its good. I use Clinique even better glow, is this really better than the expensive ones? I also use Clinique quickliner and it really stays put. Is the Avon one as good?

Love these threads ...Nivea charcoal cleansing Magic bar . Three quid bargain ..my face loves it!

I just find the hydraluminous does exactly what I want. There's glow, but there's also coverage. And it's the perfect colour (or the tube I have is, on another thread people were saying N7 colours have been reformulated)

Sorry, meant to tag @citygirl1961.
I've only just started using the Avon liners- but what I'd say the depth of colour is richer. They might not last as long- I use the Clinique in plum/aubergine and the blue/grey one and buy both once a year. The Avon are smaller, but I got them at £2.99 each

@MrOllivander Is that a picture of you?
Bloody Hell, you're gorgeous!

Bookmark.

@gulliblestravels

Can anyone recommend an alternative to Maybelline Dream BB bronzer (light/medium) which I just cannot get anywhere!

@gulliblestravels - I checked. Is it the cream or powder version? eBay do have some etc

My DM swears by Vaseline intensive care aloe Vera and used to use Nivea in blue tin.

I honestly have not spent lots of money on skincare for years as retinol etc helps more. I splurge on a good spf La Roche posay antihelios.

[quote Ihopeyourcakeisshit]@MrOllivander Is that a picture of you?
Bloody Hell, you're gorgeous![/quote]
It was good lighting I'm a chubby potato in real life

@gonnagetgoing

TY, the cream - usually its just the medium dark that you can find but I will have a look, many thanks!

All three of my budget recommendations are Garnier products-

1 Garnier micellar water with the pink cap. Usually on offer somewhere. I buy the 700ml bottle and it lasts me about six months with daily use.

2 Garnier seven day moisturising body cream with Shea butter. Amazing product, so moisturising. Usually about £5 for 400ml, which lasts me ages.

3 Garnier banana scented hair mask in a tub. I think it was £4 in savers. My hair is so soft, smooth and in much better condition since I started using it.

Superdrug naturally radiant moisturiser. I've used Elemis for years. It's great, somebody recommended it on MN a few months ago and I haven't looked back

@7eleven

I’ve recently started using e.l.f make up (cruelty free, which is all I’ll buy). I’m very impressed by it. Cute little palettes of four eyeshadows for £4!

Yes love these! Colours are great together and last really well

I've developed a love for Elemis moisturiser- superfood dewy (or something like that - orange packaging!) after I got a travel sized tube in a glossy box.

I don't suppose anyone knows of a similar product without the price tag?!

@WellTidy

All three of my budget recommendations are Garnier products-

1 Garnier micellar water with the pink cap. Usually on offer somewhere. I buy the 700ml bottle and it lasts me about six months with daily use.

2 Garnier seven day moisturising body cream with Shea butter. Amazing product, so moisturising. Usually about £5 for 400ml, which lasts me ages.

3 Garnier banana scented hair mask in a tub. I think it was £4 in savers. My hair is so soft, smooth and in much better condition since I started using it.

I also use the pink cap Micellar water and further savings can be made on the 400ml when they are on offer as you can then get 800ml for cheaper than the discounted big bottle!

Someone on another thread recommended Cabotine de Gres perfume. I gave it a try - it was about £8 on Amazon and it's really nice, sort of a clean floral with a slightly musky dry down