Good but cheap face creams/cleaners?

[Mimi1977]

I'm expecting baby number 2 and trying to make some cutbacks as I don't work. For the past 12 years I've been an avid Clarin's user and wouldn't have ever wanted to use anything else but having run out of my cleanser, toner and moisturiser at the same time I spent £69 in Boots. Maybe not much for many but for me at the moment it was just a bit ridiculous. Any suggestions? Please nobody say soap and water as it dries my face out really badly. Having pretty good skin otherwise.
Thanks.

I use the simple moisturiser and it works better than most other ones i have tried. I also use the foaming cleanser too. i dont really use a toner as I alwasy seem to forget. I have very oily skin that can turn quite dry if im not careful.

here

Boots own is pretty good- cleanser etc for around £1. They do an unperfumed version or a cucumber one too in simple plastic bottles. I know some very rich celebs who use it!

Or Boots No 7.

I also like L'Oreal cleanser and eye make up removers all around £4. I use expensive face creams- Clinique and REN, but feel that what you take your make up off with can be cheap as long as it does the job and doesn't irritate.

I like Boots Botanics moisturisers, they do a few different ones depending on how aged etc you are.

I use the Olay Regenerist which is good but about £16 a time and need day then night time. Then the protect and Perfect Serum which is about £19.
However have read alot about the (whisper it) Aldi range that has been voted much better than more expensive stuff and is really cheap.
So if you can go into Aldi and find it might be worth a look.

Boots No. 7 eye make-up remover (usually bought on 3 for 2)

Nick Lowe moisuriser (again often on 3 for 2)

Cleanser - anything mid range on offer e.g. Eau Thermale Avene (at Boots when 3 for 2), Elemis Pro-Radiance Cream Cleanser etc.

L'Oreal Age Perfect skin wipes when half price at Superdrug or similar (then about £2.50)- good for travelling.

Splash out on Clarins when the gift with purchase offers are on.

I'm a real cheapskate. I use aqueous cream as both cleanser you use it like Eve Lom cleanser removing it with flannel and warm water and moisturiser too. It's incredibly effective for dry skin and sensitive skin (after all if you had eczema it's what you'd use) and leaves my skin lovely and soft. And only £2.50 for a huge tub. It's only drawback is it has no feeling of being a luxury .

I use aqueous cream too, a dermatologist recommended it to me years ago and I've never used anything else since. No need to use eye makeup remover, it zaps the lot.

I use the Essential range and M&S and it is very good.

Boots No7 eyemake up remover is fantastic (I usually wait until Boots do their £5 off No7 vouchers and stock up)

I know you said no-one say soap and water.....but, I have really sensitive skin (eczema, dry itchy skin, break outs etc) and this all stopped when I stopped using cleanser, face washes etc and started using Waitrose Pure soap, it is glycerin based and doesn't dry the skin at all (I think Superdrug and Tesco do one too), and it only costs £1.05. I then splash with cold water (toner!) and moisturise.

The only moisturiser I can use is Olay sensitive skin beauty fluid, it isn't greasy or heavy, and lasts for ages.

The Avene range is good and a lot cheaper than Clarins.

I use emulsifying ointment (£3 for a 500g massive pot) as a fake Eve Lom. It's brilliant and sooooo cheap. I prefer it to aqueous cream which has a weird texture IME.

The Aldi range has recently won some awards. I like the mature skin moisturiser as a night cream - its about £2. I have dry skin, I'm not that old but its really thick so you don't need much.

They have a £4 anti wrinkle thats been rated very highly recently but I haven't tried it.

As for cleansing I like huggies pure baby wipes. About once every other month I use an exfoliator to get rid of anything that the baby wipes haven't.

Avon, No7 or aquaeous cream

I used to use the Liz Earle cleanser (the one with the muslin) but tried the Boot's equivalent when I had a £5 No7 voucher, so it cost £3.85 I recall. And it is fab, and includes the muslin, too. And the No7 daily moisturiser is good, too.

I'd definitely agree with taking off cleanser with a muslin cloth or flannel - makes all the difference and takes the whole day off in one fell swoop. You can use cheap as chips cleanser then and still use a more expensive moisturiser.

I am alternating between the Clarins gel one and the Olay Regenerist Thermal Polish one - that way the Clarins one lasts longer! And I buy the Olay one whenever Boots do their five pounds off voucher, so it only costs a couple of pounds (normally it's about 7 pounds I think). Actually, the Olay one is better for my skin than the Clarins one, which is a bit too rich.

Hmm.. I'm a Clarins fan too, and tbh the alternatives I've tried just don't match up... am using Olay at the moment (black packaging, fragrance free- supposed to cost £16, but half price in sainsburys)- it's okay but not anywhere near as good as my eclat du jour.

Simple stuff is great. I also switched to save money while expecting DC2 - before, I used Origins, £27 for a small moisturiser - I thought I'd go back when I'm earning again, but maybe I won't as the Simple stuff is so good. I've got their cleanser, facial wash gel and light daily moisturiser.

I am also a lover of clarins, but would agree that aqueous cream is an excellent cleanser and moisterise.

I alternate the two, and use the aqueous cream most of the time, but have the Clarins there for when I feel in need of a bit of a treat. It works for me and helps me justify buying Clarins now and again.