Cheap (ish) products that have really worked for you!

[JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff]

I always love these types of threads as I get so many useful tips from them!

For me

BedHead Small Talk - for lifting limp hair - it's not super cheap but a tiny bit goes a long way. Use it every day

Rimmel ScandalEyes kohl pencil and Made by Mitchell All Smudge No Budge eyeliner - I wear eyeliner most days and these stay on for 12+ hours, and look really sharp - about £9-10 each

ELF Pout Clout pens and their glossy lip oils - about £8 and look and feel nice

Ponds cold cream - have tried other, fancier cleansers but keep coming back to this

The Ordinary 0.2% retinol - also about £8 and use it almost nightly - together with marine collagen it's made a big difference to my skin

What are you go-to bargains?

The Ordinary glycolic acid, comes in a huge bottle and I'm still using it a year on. Can be used on face and all over. I use it on my feet and elbows for instant smoothness, and it's great on my rough forehead too.

Oh! Me too. I mix it with black seed oil and frankincense. No expensive creams required!

I have this too - also good on ingrown leg hairs!

It's brilliant. I use it as a facial mist, really helps moisture levels in the skin, smells lovely and only about 2 quid a bottle

'Laneige lip mask'

I agree. It sounds like a gimmick, but it's seriously moisturising, and the little pot lasts for ages

My dad was an Eastern European Displaced Person who finished up working as a coalminer in the Fife coalfields.

When he was in the DP Mineworkers' Hostel, someone advised him to use Nivea as aftershave. He used it every day thereafter.

Dad died at the age of 86. He had lovely skin. When I was doing the shopping, and he was out of Nivea, he'd say "Mind and get my make-up for me!"

I accidentally lost 2 stones in a month 4 years ago and was left with 'orrible arms. I've built up the muscles again and started using Nivea Q10 firming body lotion. It's made such a difference to my old lady arms. (I'm 65.)

Milani baked powder blush in Luminoso. Not a cream, obvs, but a pretty good dupe for Nars Orgasm

Wonderful. Love a Fife miner.

Petroleum jelly, recommended to me by a plastic surgeon. I use it to remove my eye makeup waterproof and leave a bit round m eyes

Petroleum jelly was recommended to me by a dermatologist for dry skin patches. Also E45 lotion. Never upsets my skin.
I also use it as lip balm.
I keep a Nivea lip balm in my bag and use it on my hands, too.

I recently caved into pressure and bought a £30 day cream and £30 retinol night cream, and after a while of using them I can categorically say I was on to a great thing with the castor oil and won't be bothering again!

This is all my beloved nan ever used and her face was just beautiful. Not just because I loved her but her skin was amazing for her age ❤️ I may give it a try, lord knows I need it!

@JohnnyMcGrathSaysFuckOff thank you for starting this thread. It’s very useful as I work remote so I miss talking to other women esp about beauty and clothes x

I'm going real life shopping today and am making a little list, I never treat myself!

Can anyone recommend a decent, reasonably priced primer?

I only use moisturiser but it's not cutting it now I'm 47 so going to look at what I need. Sounds like most people.layer other things? Rosehip sounds interesting - not heard of it till this thread!

I have recently tried those semi cured gel nail stickers and they are brilliant, only £3 and my nails look professionally done, mine have stayed on for 2 weeks now and waiting for some more to arrive to change them xx

I have dry curly hair, that tangles or forms dreadlocks at the drop of a hat. Tresemme conditioner is the only reasonably priced product that allows me to get a brush through it in the shower.
i agree about Nivea creme and I stir through some almond oil to lighten it up, plus a couple of drops of frankincense or sandalwood oil.
I also use Vaseline on my horny summer feet, with scented oils stirred through it.

Oh - I'm also after something for my hair! It's thick and past my shoulders. I need a mousse or something for styling / curling if anyone knows anything fabulous! 😍

Garnier Hair Food, the banana scent in a tub. It can be used as a mask, a conditioner and a leave in. The only thing that sorts out my very dry hair. I get it from Home Bargains/ Savers type shops, half the price of Boots.
I've spent a fortune on mascaras in the past, and my current one is absolutely the best, W7 Forever Lashes, cost about £3-4. It makes my stubby lashes look good and doesn't shift till I remove it at night.

Another one for the Nivea in the blue tin - you only need a little and if you use it at night you wake up with soft, plumped skin. I use it about once a fortnight to give my skin a boost or if I’ve had a day on the beach and need a little extra moisture.

Ponds Cold Cream or Tesco Sensitive Baby Lotion for makeup removal. By far the best snd leaves your skin feeling amazing.

Lacura (Aldi) Q10 night cream & Eye Cream - both under a fiver and really pack a punch
Ciel (Lidl) Vitamin C Serum - I think this was around £7, absorbs really well and has really helped reduce my lines.

Avon Powerstay lipstick / liquid lipstick. They say it’s 8 hours but it’s lasted well over 16 hours for me without smudging. It’s around £10 and they have really good colour selections

Avon Skin So Soft Dry Oil Spray. This stuff is a miracle in a bottle. Gets stray hair dye off the skin (or the sink or even the bloody dog when he jumps up when you’re dyeing your hair). It works as a bug repellent, cleaner, moisturiser and is so cheap. And a little goes a long way.

There's a whole Style & Beauty topic, you need never be without fashion chat

Got2b clear brow wand in Superdrug. I use it on those annoying flyaways on my head . £5 and does a great job

Moo Goo full cream moisturiser mixed with some rose hip facial oil I got from Greece for my facial moisturiser.

So could I mix castor oil with rosehip oil and be beyootiful?

ELF tubing mascara. I started with Boots No 7 and was very happy to “downgrade” to ELF.

I’ve also got a Boots natural collection concealer that works really well as a blusher/bronzer.

I totally agree with Elf Power Grip primer and Rimmel Scandeleyes eyeliner. I use both daily and absolutely love them.

If you have greasy hair this clarifying shampoo bar is the absolute best thing I've found. My hair was feeling greasy even after washing until I used this. You'll need a conditioner afterwards but it leaves my scalp and hair absolutely squeaky clean and I can now skip a day of washing my hair without looking like an oil slick.