Ever gone more expensive only to find out no better than cheaper stuff ?

[Frostine]

I got taken along by an advertisment for Phillip Kingsley shampoo / conditioner which was £72 & £52 . Been using for several weeks now and it's made not an iota of a difference to my hair which used to have £3 / £4 spent on it .
What did you buy thats no better than the cheaper stuff ?

Tesco own brand Tomato soup, less than half the price of Heinz and much nicer after adding an extra touch of salt.

I was obsessed by all things Clinique in my brand snobby youth but middle aged non brand snobby me is happy with whatever SPF moisturiser is half price in Boots as it works just as well.

And, sun cream, £4 Boots own brand stops me burning just as well as the £20 stuff.

The only time the cheaper has been better was a shampoo from a brand called Dermaveen. Otherwise, cheaper stuff has never been better. I have sensitive skin and an allergy to fragrance and I always have a reaction to cheap brands.
I also find the cheap brands creams not as nourishing, or have a chemical smell.

Can you?
You've just saved my make up game!
Thank you

My mum has used the thick blue tub nivea on her face for over 50 yrs & she looks nowhere near her 75 urs. It's under a fiver and she looks amazing so worth trying different products & not falling for marketing hype.

i second kerastase - i use the rebalancing shampoo - only thing that works to sort out my perimenapausal greasy hair, i wish i could find a cheap shampoo that works as well but i can't. Still use a cheap conditioner though.

Yes in my punk era (late 1970’s) I did wear one; a bit sweaty unfortunately 😂

You can buy wilko make up from here:
https://www.justmylook.com/essence-m291
Free UK delivery if your order is over a tenner.

Same, I only use Maybelline.

@Sharontheodopolodous have a look here, you can get Wilko stuff in The Range https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/health-beauty/make-up/eyes/mascara/c/823

I was just thinking this last night - a brand new Space NK has opened up with brands I have lusted after for a while but never seen in person. Had a good play with Westman Atelier cream blush and lipsticks and also some Lisa Eldridge products. They felt and looked no different to my NYX or Revolution products. And £45 for a blush! Even the Westman Atelier concealer which has cult following felt very thin and watery - didn’t feel very moisturising.

As I was walking round saw eye watering priced skincare - Tatcha, AB etc. Flip the ingredient list over and there is nothing different in there to the ordinary or my Korean skincare. Yes the packaging is nice but is it £150 for a moisturiser nice?!

I had a play with a Oaui hair oil - rubbed some in to my hair (which is very thick and curly so can take a play with!) and it made it feel crunchy??! Hair oil should not make hair feel crunchy!

I do like browsing these kind of stores as it’s all very indulgent but I would never actually open my purse - aside from maybe Aromatherapy Associates Deep Bath oil which will always have my heart and I have never found a dupe for it - if anyone knows of a dupe, please tell me!

Yes, I don't find the kerestase conditioners are all that great.....I guess that is my example!

@Sharontheodopolodous

Lash Princess is the only mascara that I use. I buy it all the time from Just My look. Free postage with £10 spend.

www.justmylook.com/essence-lash-princess-false-lash-effect-mascara-black-12ml-p14545

I bought olaplex shampoo and conditioner a few years back when they were all the hype. Ended up giving them away.

But it's clothes I can really see a difference in. Some expensive stuff is just so poor.

I also mix and match with Lancôme cleanser and Simple moisturiser so I've given up with the expensive moisturisers and my skin is in pretty good shape for my age!

Yes! I treated myself to this and ended up going back to Weleda skin food, for about a tenth of the price.

The things I will pay more for is make up to give you a natural looking, glowy skin. Hourglass ambient powder is gorgeous - glowy in a 'lit from within' way. Saie supergel is also great for a subtle, natural glow. I find cheaper products tend towards either glittery or very shiny.

I use Fable and Mane and kerastase and it has absolutely made a huge difference to my hair- my hair is glossy and lovely now.

Using cheap shampoos wrecked it and made it weirdly frizzy but greasy at the same time. Thats not to say all high end shampoos will work for you, it really depends on the brand. Pantene was the absolute worst- made my hair like an oil slick and I started shedding loads.

Also, you have to be patient with it.
your skin may look worse to begin with and then it will improve. 3 - 6 months I think.

Hourglass ambient powder is bloody amazing- its totally worth the price.

I also loved Augustinus Bader but have found a much cheaper alternative using tallow (which is essentially beef fat!)- its super moisturising and my skin is glowing, just as good as Bader and in fact, more moisturising even

Loads of times. Had countless products that I've found to be no better or worse than cheaper ones - especially some shampoos/conditioners. Although I do still stuck to more mid/higher price ones.

I bought a foot spa (now costs £135 on amazon) - although the bubbles and heated water are lovely I find the base too uncomfortable and it is a real PITA to empty when full. Take up loads of space in the bottom of the wardrobe and pretty much never gets used.

What does get used is the foot bucket (£15 on amazon but I'm sure I got it cheaper than that...). That is easily stored in the shed and so much easier all round.

Hmmm Charlotte Tilbury make up is amazing on me. Skin care I stick to Nivea soft. Absolutely love the Superdrug vitamin E range. Used Clarins all the time until I got fed up with spending so much money and now I use Nivea for everything. Biggest difference has been an upper Bleph though 😂

@Frostine it's worth an email to Kingsley, stating your experience and disappointment. I've done this with another brand and ended up with lots of free samples.

Toothpaste. Economy 60p version seems fine to me.

https://www.justmylook.com/justmylook-beauty-advent-calendar-2024-p38692

£75 beauty advent calendar reduced from £300 plus free postage.

I have swapped from more expensive versions to Elf cream blusher, superdrug hot cloth cleanser , superdrug night and day creams,Maybelline mascara and boots rosewater toner.I've always used rimmel liquid eyeliner and max factor eyeshadow.
But I'm yet to find a foundation that suits my skin like Clinique and a shampoo that makes my frizzy hair as soft as Keratase.I also live Redken Soft conditioner.I've tried all kinds of expensive hair products and found VO5 curl products and heat protector spray is better than all of them.

I’ve recently swapped to maybelline skyline mascara after years of using Lancôme, Estée Lauder and benefit (they changed the formula for benefit they’re real and it smudged dreadfully now). the maybelline skyline is fantastic and less than half, maybe a third, of what I was paying.