Hello Dear Reader,
I seem to get through make up, cleanser and toiletries at a rate of knots! In years gone by, I would head to Dingles/House of Fraser and stock up on Clinique, Lancome and Estee Lauder. I no longer have any idea what Lancome concealer or Estee Lauder foundation costs any as it is years since I’ve bought it. I am though still a great believer in a regular skin care routine.
I hunt out bargains as I use an exfoliator (St Ives) every other day to get rid of any dead skin cells. It’s often on offer somewhere and I’ve even found it in Poundland. It’s currently going cheap in Superdrug so I bought a couple to last me a month or so. I don’t find that cheaper always means poorer quality and it does what it needs to do. I use exfoliating gloves from Poundland or Savers and pop some shower gel on them and then exfoliate all over every day. I use an all over moisturiser, again from Aldi, which keeps my skin soft.
Every other day, I’ll use a deep cleansing and moisturising cleanser. I use a cold cream and massage it all over my face and then get into the shower. I use a hot wet flannel to get it off and it leaves my skin really smooth.
I use a really old fashioned facial toner…………….I splash cold water all over my face and pat it dry. Both of the cleansers I use are a couple of quid each. I used to use Clinique’s cleansers and facial products and don’t think my skin has suffered one bit since I stopped using them about three years ago.
I also wear make up every day. I use a concealer around my eyes and in the distant past used to use Lancome’s version of this but now buy all my make up in Aldi.
I have tried other cheaper make up such as Barry M and Mua from Superdrug and find that it doesn’t last as long and it doesn’t have the same quality. Make up is £2.39 for each product in Aldi, it’s made in Germany and in my opinion, even though it’s cheap, it’s the best make up I’ve ever bought. (I’ve also checked and all Aldi beauty products and toiletries are cruelty free as are Barry M and Mua)
Now before anyone asks, this isn’t a sponsored post it’s just a response to something that I read today about not using products that we’ve got laying around as they can harbour germs. Mine doesn’t hang around that long so there’s no fear of it giving me dermatitis.
As I gallop towards 50, I’m doing all I can to look after myself. I like to face the world each morning with my head held high and knowing I’m well groomed and no need know I’ve done so on a tight budget!
Over to you Dear Reader. Does anyone else use bargain basement beauty and find the results as good as anything you can spend a fortune on? Does anyone use supermarket own brand beauty products? Who, no matter how frugal you get, still stick to branded make up or toiletries? Who else has a daily skin care regime?
(One of my favourite Bloggers Shirley Goode, who writes a wonderful frugal food blog is 80 today! Pop over to her blog, have a good read and say hello.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxxxxxxxxx
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Many of our drugstore cosmetics are made by the fancy labels, and much cheaper, too.
And yep, cold cream works wonderfully.
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Hi Froogs,
I use aldi face cream and will try the make up when I need some. The cream is lovely.i am trying to use up all my stores of excess products. I am currently using a gentle foot scrub as an exfoliater on my face- it works a treat! I don't believe all the expensive stuff is much better and anyway who will ever be able to prove it?
FIB. X
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I probably spend £10 a year on it!
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I was considering buying MUA can i ask what products you've tried i was thinking of trying the nail varnish and lipsticks and glosses as they all come in at a low £1 :).
I recently bought some cheap BB fondation from ebay to try but as a general rule i use NO7 you need so little that it lasts me a year, same with there concealer and is usually on 3 for 2 or you can get boots vouchers sometimes 🙂 I also use no7 skincare as my mother in law buys me it at xmas and it would be silly not to use it, usually i get a cleaner toner and day and night creams, sometimes i get other random bits aswell and as she usually gets a free gift with it i'll get that with nail varnish in it, again huge big bottles last ages and it's free so can't complian (she also buys me a new razor a deodrant, a sponge, shampoo, conditioner and sometimes shaving foam, it's just all popped into a gift bag she said her mum always did it for her)
We don't have an aldi and our lidl only has a small slection of creams and no make up, i have heard good things about there creams but i'm all set for creams so never tried them.
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oh i forgot to say i got some soap and glory concealers and blushers lastly there was aglitch so i got 3 for the price of 1 plus a free gift, i don't rate them very highly, powder altho it looks dark is acually very light and the concealer is very shiny so acually draws attention to my eyes rather than making them blend. I'll keep the ones i've opened and pop the others on ebay.
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I found my favourite Norwegian Formula moisturer at good old Trago!
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I was using the moisturiser from Aldi with the shimmer. But then I found johnsons moisturister in a glass jar, its called Johnson hydration it is factor 15 so no need to buy extra sunscreen. every so often it is on offer in Wilkinson for £1.99 BARGAIN! its thicker than the aldi one. as I am getting older I think I need a thicker cream
I use escentual minerals powder for my make up. it has lasted me a year and a half and I use it 5 days a week for work. it really works for me as I have a lot of acne scars
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Like you I used high end brands but am now using budget brands to great effect. Found some fab nivea lip balm in poundland which was £5.99 elsewhere. I generally use Boots 17 over number 7 as it is cheaper. Aqueous cream is a great cleanser and is incredibly cheap. I use cold water as a cleanser and put some in a spray bottle and store it in the fridge which saves on wasting water. I keep bottles from gift sets to decant shampoos etc for travel as travel sized bottles are expensive. I also use honey as a face mask
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Froogs, I recently tried Aldi facial cleansing wipes and they are great. They state that they cleanse, tone and moisturise in one step. Probably not as cheap as tubs of the individual products, but effective and quick. They are big and thick, so I could probably halve the cost per use by cutting them in half as well.
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I don't have a daily routine. I wash my face with Aldi face wash, use Aldi stuff in a pump bottle which is a serum I think, and I like their BB cream, also the mascara and lipstick. I recently bought a very light brown eyebrow pencil, as dark ones are a bit strong colour on me. I love the moisturiser with a sheen on. All good stuff and very cheap. I also used to use Clinique but wouldn't think of it now I've tried the Aldi.
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ah am still a sucker for expensive make up and neals yard stuff too. But then I only really use mascara and lippy. and those last me a long time. and nail varnish is a weakness. I don't know why!! its called the lipstick effect or something apparently. as in, can't go the whole hog but can afford the lipstick and it makes you feel better sort of thing…. I guess I am heading down the less is more, but better quality route with make up. I have heard that coconut oil is the best thing you can get for your skin. I might try that. And use it like you use the cold cream. put it on and wipe off with a hot flannel. definately a great thing to do. I never got caught up in the clinique thing, I know friends who spent small fortunes on all sorts of creams and cleansers. I was always more a soap girl. still am really. mind you I do love fancy soap too!! I ask for it for Christmas!!
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Superdrug do a fab product in their problem skin range
http://www.superdrug.com/superdrug-deep-action-cleansing-lotion-200ml/invt/200083
It is a solution of salicylic acid and witch hazel £2 for 200ml at the mo - it looks like water, smells fresh and exfoliates and freshens as it cleans. Mine gets decanted into some vintage style bottles and put in the fridge as the weather heats up. If you get a Superdrug card you also get points and you can track their offers online and stock up when things come down in price. I'm sorry for sounding like an infomercial - I don't work for them lol!!
For make-up, pretty much the only thing I use is mineral foundation from Lily Lolo (they are the only ones who do one pale enough). You can also buy from Amazon UK and get free postage - its around £12 a go - but I get 12 months out of a pot. Lily Lolo site does sample pots for £1.29 if you want to try shades out and these lasted me a few weeks even if they were a bit fiddly because of the size. I didn't need a fancy brush as I got one on offer years ago. This is my luxury item 🙂
It is worth getting a separate email account (I have a Yahoo one) just to sign up to Boots/Superdrug/most stores really - as they often do send offers out by email.
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Oh you your post made me feel so much better! I thought I was the only one with the guilty secret in my past - spending insane money on cosmetics. Estee Lauder was my choice. Now days, my cosmetics come from Aldi (it happens to be the nearest supermarket to us) and I think they are very good. As an exfoliator and a face wash I use honey which I get directly from my bee-keeping neighbor - so I guess it is raw and organic? Now almost 10 years later with my frugal skin care routine I cannot see any difference.
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Oh you your post made me feel so much better! I thought I was the only one with the guilty secret in my past - spending insane money on cosmetics. Estee Lauder was my choice. Now days, my cosmetics come from Aldi (it happens to be the nearest supermarket to us) and I think they are very good. As an exfoliator and a face wash I use honey which I get directly from my bee-keeping neighbor - so I guess it is raw and organic? Now almost 10 years later with my frugal skin care routine I cannot see any difference.
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I like looking good too but am very wary of putting stuff on my body that contains ingredients I can't pronounce let alone understand what they are. Over time I have learnt to cleanse, tone and moisturise using only compounds I know are not toxic in anyway. Somethings are exceptionally frugal others not but I have found them to be just as good as anything I bought in the past. It is a pity that a well groomed woman has to be 'made up'.
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I steal my kids:):)..and I'll have a bucket of whatever you are using..its clearly working.
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I enter a lot of competitions and over the last few months have been lucky enough to win quite a few of the expensively branded products. After I have been using each one for a week or so I always ask my husband if he can notice a difference in my skin and the usual reply is “no have you been doing something different?” the current one I am using is worth $120 a small pot and has not made a jot of difference to my fine lines etc. Funnily enough I prefer the cream from Aldi 🙂 My skin always has a youthful look when I use it 🙂
Would you be able to explain the concept of cold cream? thanks x
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The Aldi's here in Buffalo, NY do not carry much in the way of the L'Acura products you post about and I am totally jealous!
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I use the Lidl products and they are great! They work great and don't cost a fortune.
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I still use Estee Lauder products, but only minimally! I've swapped my daytime moisturiser for Boots baby lotion in the winter, and Lidl factor 15 sun cream for face in the summer, but I still use the “good” stuff at night. I've never used soap on my face and just wash with water unless I have make-up on. The baby lotion makes a good make-up remover as well, though I'm also eking out the last of my Estee cleansers - shan't buy any more once they are gone. I have loads of eye make-up, mascara, lipstick etc, as I used to be given the Christmas goodie boxes every year and there was always more than I needed. I think I've still got enough of this stuff to keep me going for years!
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Hi froogs, I use Aldi's facecream which is great value and lasts for ages, around my eyes I use good old nivea (the one in the blue pot) it never irritates my eyes and at 45 it's doing great at keeping the wrinkles at bay.
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I use good old fashioned soap and water and a daily Oil of Ulay moisturiser. Other than slapping hand cream on as often as I remember, that is it. I use very little make up except a dollop of rouge on my cheeks.
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Not really cheap but affordable stuff that makes my skin look and feels healthier. Love them. Got my eye on your next posts.
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Hi Froogs, I used to have a lot of trouble with my skin in my thirties. I found that Dermalogica gel cleanser worked best for me and although about 30 pounds, a bottle, that bottle lasts me all year. I only need any cheap moisturiser though and use large bottles of Cetaphil. Once I got the cleanser right, any moisturiser will do.
I buy my make up on Trademe (our Kiwi ebay), as it is really expensive in the shops but about a third of the price online. Even Revlon foundation is about 25 pounds/$40 US here in the shops!! We seem to pay twice as much as US/UK customers.
Julie Q
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I just use plain old soap and water for washing. If I want to exfoliate I'll make a homemade scrub. Sometimes I'll do a honey or egg white face mask. I've been using almost anything to moisturize, but thinking of switching to plain old jojoba oil. My teen daughter and I both treat any pimples with a dab of tea tree oil. I'm stuck on my name brand cosmetics, which I'll get name brands of lipstick at the Dollar Tree store. The brand I like for foundation and blush is Almay, but I won't buy it unless it's buy one get one free or 1/2 off and I still use a coupon.
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I switched from the all expensive big named products years ago too, when I think how much I used to spend on make up and 'beauty' products it amazes me.
I have stuck with all the cheaper options that I found except for my daily moisturiser, I had to go back to good old Oil of Olay as this was the only one that agreed with my skin, and also the one I use has a good sun block in it which I found the most effective and I definitely need as I'm outdoors a lot.
I think finding the products that suit your individual needs and skin type is the most frugal way, and wasting none of it by cutting open packs and scraping every last little bit out.
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I still use Clinique blush and lipstick. I've given up buying their moisturizer because it's too expensive and also the one I was buying doesn't have sun block and I need that. I now use Olay moisturizer and it's half the price and does just as well. I have just bought a small tube of BB tinted moisturizer instead of foundation and I like it. It's a drug store brand but it's nice and light (and the color is very soft and light (ivory). I prefer it to wearing foundation. My cleansing routine is Cetaphil facial cleanser (another drug store brand) and it's very good for sensitive skin like mine. I then just use the Olay moisturizer after cleansing. I use a net sponge to exfoliate my skin in the shower and I use a body scrub with the sponge (Softsoap Coconut body scrub). I sometimes use coconut oil on my legs as a moisturizer (natural one) because I have dry skin and it itches if I don't use something. So as you can see, I only use mostly drug store or discount store brands and the occasional treat from Clinique. The last time I bought a Clinique lipstick, I got a free gift bag full of their products.
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I just use covergirl makeup bought at a drugstore or walmart. Clinique is too pricey for my budget.
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If you ever get a chance to get Aldi perfume (they don't do it that often sadly) snap it up, it's really lovely - and I'd rather have no perfume than cheap smelling perfume. Thanks for the link to Shirley Goode. I have been a long time fan and didn't realise she had a blog (at 80 bless her!). I have her books from many years ago and have used them many times. They are falling to bits now but I still treasure them. I'm not a keeper of stuff but they have survived every purge I've ever had. Pity you and her can't take over the ridiculous Super Scrimpers xxx
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There's a drugstore brand of moisturizer, in the US (don't know where else it may be available), that is often recommended by dermatologists for sensitive or eczematic skin. It's called CeraVe. I use this moisturizer as both my face wash and my moisturizer. I don't bother with other face products, with such sensitive skin, they just cause more problems.
A dermatologist told me years ago, that the best things I can do for my skin are to : protect it from sun and wind, always wash off make up at the end of the day, eat a healthy diet, exercise daily, drink a lot of water, and avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol. She (the dermatologist) said not to bother with expensive treatments/products, that I would get better results from following her care advice.
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I use Aldis face cream its fab and I recommend it to anyone!to take makeup off I use baby wipes, cheaper than beauty wipes and twice the size!for a boost I treat my skin once a week with pure rosehip oil..leave on for an hr then tissue off any excess.or a bath treat I mix up a tbls dry porridge oats that has been through the blender, 1 tbls dry milk powder which I put in a reusable linen bag and hang on the tap to let the water flow through it, its very good for dry itchy skin, I usually then a few drops of pure lavender oil ( a small 10ml bottle lasts me 3 months) in the water..lovely fragrant and relaxing
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I'm afraid I'm just a soap and water girl and I don't wear make-up. If it's a special occasion I may put on a bit of lipstick and if it's a very very special occasion I may add some mascara to my lashes. Other than that I'm au naturale!
Love from Mum
xx
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I still love my high end, over priced make-up, but have a budget for it and only buy to replace after using every scrap - and I check blogs like miss budget beauty to see if a high street product will do the same for less. Skin care is firmly high street as most of the big companies have large research budgets and own the mor expensive ones so products trickle down. Again, I use every scrap, only buy stuff that works for me and check for offers
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My sister uses always branded cosmetic products for herself. She says, most of the skin products she uses has coffee as a basic ingredient. It is good for skin she says.
Thanks for the article. It is very informative!
Regards,
Finn Felton
Kopi Luwak
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Hiya Froogs i use Aldui skin care and find it fab but the mascara makes my eyes itch. Where did you get the cold cream from? I have really dry skin and sometimes could do with an extra ooopmfh. I use Vasaline on really dry areas (pound a pot in poundshop) i also have tried clinique foundation and been disappointed i prefer Max Factor we have a cheap shop near me that does make up brands for half price so always handy. Dawn x
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