Hello Dear Reader,
As promised, I going to share the beauty products that I use. I wear very little make up even though I wear make up every day. I like to look as if I’m not actually wearing any. I love the Body Shop’s BB cream, although there are many other cheaper versions. I go into the Body Shop, try their products and then buy them online to get which ever discount is available. There always seems to be at least 25% off if you buy online. I also enter the site via Quidco and get the 3% cashback on top. It might seem like a petty saving but all those small purchases add up and anything back is a bonus. Currently, you can get 40% discount from the Body Shop if you buy four items online.
My current mascara is Clinique waterproof. I have grown up children and if they ask me what I would like for Christmas, I usually ask for something specific such as a lipstick or mascara. I can make a lipstick last years, as I don’t use it every day. Usually, I just use Vaseline from the little green tin. My current lipstick is from M&S, although they’ve recently gone very ‘high end’ with their make up and is now expensive. Make up is expensive so I use it sparingly and make it last. I get through three mascaras a year and will often look for the most affordable ‘best’ one I can find.
I have been using Aldi’s Lacura Anti-wrinkle Day Cream at £1.99 a pot for the last ten years and I don’t intend to use anything else. It’s the one product I go back to every time.
I’m a great believer in hot cloth cleansers, but I don’t buy a special cleanser. We have a Superdrug store here in Liskeard and when I need any beauty products, I usually check what offers they have. Shampoo, which is horribly expensive is usually cheaper there. To cleanse my face, and to remove make up, I massage a generous amount of unscented cleanser all over my face and then use a hot damp face cloth to remove any make up or grime. I don’t use a toner, I just rinse my face with cold water.
When I cleanse and moisturise, I always use a facial product right down my neck and around the top of my chest. I’m trying to avoid wrinkles and skin damage there too.
I use an exfoliator in the shower every morning. Again, I use it on my neck and top of my chest. The St Ives scrub has been around for years. I sometimes try something different but come back to my usual favourite. It’s currently £1.98 in Superdrug and a tube usually lasts me a month.
I have no brand loyalty when it comes to shampoo. It’s terribly expensive and I’m always looking for a deal. I usually stand back and scan the entire section and find the ‘good one’ that’s on offer. My hair is coloured so I use a speciality shampoo to help keep the colour. Any of the regular brands will do but I won’t pay more than £2 a bottle and I eek out a bottle to get the last drop out of it.
I’m so cheap that I use the same product on my hands as I do my feet!! I use a nail brush and soap to scrub my feet and that helps keep them soft. I do the same with my nails and it keeps my cuticles in good order. My toe nails and finger nails are kept short and filed smooth. I’ve used Palmer’s Cocoa butter forever!! If I see it on offer for around £1, I will buy a couple as I know I will use them all year round.
I don’t wear perfume very often either, usually just at the weekend. I love Lidl’s ‘Glamour’. It’s won heaps of awards and is a shameless copy of Chanel’s Coco Mademoiselle, although they’d never admit that!
So here’s the ‘beauty’ regime in the Froogy day.
Morning - shower, hair, exfoliate and moisturise (from head to toe)
Make up - BB cream, blusher and mascara.
Evening - hot cloth cleanse and moisturise.
Sorry it’s nothing fancy. I make sure I take care of my health by not sunbathing, by using sunblock and staying covered, drinking plenty of fluids and eating a simple diet with plenty of vegetables.
I hope, dear reader, that I’ve answered your questions of how I maintain my appearance on a budget.
Over to you Dear Reader, what do you ‘come back to’ time and again? What will you compromise on or not? How do you find the best beauty bargains and prices?
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxx
Its not exactly cheap but I cant get enough of Elemis Bath Milk… It is £40 for a big bottle but I can make it last a year. Its brilliant in the bath, as a luxurious shower cream or even as an intensive moisturiser. I pop it onto cotton wool pads to dab dry areas and they disappear like magic! Its even gentle enough to use on children!
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That's really useful..I can see myself hunting out St Ives Scrub, and the Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula…not to mention Aldi's Lacura range. They certainly work for you! It's useful to know about the Body Shop offer as I always loved their Almond Oil range of hand products…although the last lot I bought smelled different (not in a good way!) Another reason to try the cocoa butter. I also find the Vaseline with Aloe Vera in the small green tin as good as lipstick. Mum unperfumed deodourant for sensitive skin is good (I've used THAT for years) and you can often get 2 for less than a pound each when they're on offer in S'burys. We're currently using a bottle of Aldi's Carino Hair Refine repairing shampoo, which is good and only cost 75p. I tend to switch from one shampoo to another as when I use the same one for a long period, it doesn't seem to work so well. It would be really nice to find a good one without all the sodium laureth sulphate and other chemicals in…even the Simple range has that. It would probably cost a fortune!
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We'll it's obviously working as you were called glamorous on Radio Cornwall yesterday x
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Hi Froogs
Like you I need products that will do the job and not kill the pocket. I find shampoo so expensive. As I don’t colour my hair I buy sainsburys basics and it lasts me months The conditioner I break down into other bottles adding a 3rd their volume and then topping up with water giving it a might good shake and leaving to to “sit” this is a very good conditioner for its price of 87p for 500 mls and I do similar with the shampoo which is 40p a ltr
When it comes to face creams I like to keep with old familiars as they have worked for a good while and still suit my budget. However when it comes to the neck down anything goes. I will if I can take a sample and use it on my fore arms as they seen to be quite sensitive if the get itch I don’t buy. As fro the rest of me I am a soap and water girl Tescos sell there bars of value soap at 15p 125g where sainsbury charge you 3 x124 =50 making it dearer by 5p.
When I have slithers leftover I save them back to great up and use with soda crystals in the washing machine for things like a scrappy wash which can me a mix of tea towels general cloths pair of trainers the need freshening up or the like. Also I like to go to poundland and they sell essentials washing gel up to 28 washes for £1 and if I need to boost it I use some soda crystals or a whitening sachet if there have been any on offer.
If you want to condition your hair and have a good shine on it rinse your hair in vinigar
found this information @ http://www.apple-cider-vinegar-benefits.com/natural-hair-care-product.html#vhr on the 28/4/14
Vinegar Hair Rinse – Natural Hair Care Product
Hair is on the mildly acidic side of the pH scale and has an ideal pH of 4.5 to 5.5, which is close to that of an apple cider vinegar rinse (pH 2.9).
On the other hand, many of the hair care products we use, such as soap-based shampoos, bleaches, hair colours, and permanence are strongly alkaline.
Rinsing with apple cider vinegar will help balance the pH of your hair and remove the buildup that can result from the use of these styling products and inexpensive shampoos.
Rinsing will also close the numerous cuticle scales which cover and protect the surface of each hair shaft. This imparts a smoother surface which reflects more light and as a result leaves your hair shinier, smoother and easier to manage.
Don't worry about the slight vinegar smell you will notice after rinsing. It will disappear completely as your hair dries.
Make your own healthy after-shampoo hair rinse by mixing 1/3 of a cup (75 ml) of ACV into a quart (1 litre) of water. You can then store this mixture in a plastic bottle and keep it in the shower for ready use.
If you would like to prepare a smaller batch of this vinegar hair rinse recipe to experiment with, try mixing 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar into 1 cup (250 ml) of warm filtered tap water.
Apply the vinegar rinse after shampooing and then rinse it all out, or for extra conditioning, you can leave the rinse on your hair. This natural hair care product can be used once or twice a week or more often as needed.
All the best
Rachel
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You buy more than me lol! I'm terrible for looking after my skin, but I reckon I've got good skin considering how neglected it is, soap and a flannel is about all I do and I slap on the odd bit of moisturiser now and again. Depends on what I've got lying around. Shampoo etc I buy whats on special. Make up is my one vice in the beauty stakes, I do like a good foundation, but I have found a discount make up shop that sells named products for a fraction of the price. I'm a terror for pinching the small bottles from hotel rooms!
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I tend to use poundland for a lot of my beauty products , i can get good quality shampoo and conditioner , i am using fructus from there at the moment , they have nail polishes , eyeshadows in trios and sometimes maybelline mascara , the eyeshadows and nail polishes are usually revlon or rimmel but you have to keep an eye on them and look every time you pass a poundland as different branches sell different products , i use superdrugs vitamin e cream , makeup remover etc , buying them when they are on offer 2 for3 , i picked this range up from a recommendation on vintage vixens blog , i am now going to book my hair at the training collage for a third of the price of mot salons..
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We have bought the Whole Foods 365 line and Trader Joe's line of shampoo and conditioner. Both are reasonable, come in nice fragrances and have good ingredients. I also wash my hair only every three days so I do not go through it as much.
Amazon had a deal on 24 bars of Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap for about 40 bucks, maybe less, and we jumped on that. Great not just in the shower, you can use the soap to clean delicate garments by hand or even your hair so it is a win. We also keep Dr Bronners liquid castile soap in the house. It is 9.99 at Trader Joe's for the 32 ounce bottle which is a steal, normally sells for $14.99 or higher, and can be used for everything.
For makeup, I am a devotee of MAC, but no longer buy it because $15 a pop for lipstick I cannot afford. I buy the ELF line of cosmetics at Target. Everything is in the $1-$3 range and pretty good quality wise. Not a huge array of colors like MAC or Clinique, but still nice.
Our favorite moisturizer is good old Coconut Oil. We buy jars of it at Trader Joe's or at Marshall's and use it to cook as well. You can use olive oil as a moisturizer as well.
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the blush and lipstick colors are really pretty. What shade of blush? Maybe they have that shade here in the States.
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I have just started using plain baking soda to gently wash and exfoliate my face, neck and décolletage. I put it in a clean, reused glass jar with holes punched in the lid. I have to say, my face has looked great this week. I have been usin cocoanut oil as a moisturizer for many months, I just scoop it into an old cold cream pot, and it is terrific.
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Severe allergies mean my skin care is fairly simple and make up is saved for extremely rare occasions. The reactions are not worth it. I use an Australian brand called QV. It is not cheap but I buy in bulk and on sale. It works for me. I was very happy when they recently released shampoo but at $9 for 200 mls it is pricey. Three of the five of us use this every day. I am thankful for this product range as my skin is now the best it has been in years.
A treat soap for me would be an old fashioned bar of Pears.
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I have a similar post ready to go Froogs! I use Body Shop Coconut Butter but like you buy with discounts and through Quidco - I can't imagine paying full price for it (£13!). I also use the St Ives exfoliator e when I'm showering. For my face any cleanser will do but then I use a Nivea Moisturiser, Mascara and Clinque Foundation - my big splurge.
Love this post, thank you for sharing 🙂
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Hi Froogs,
I found that I had lots of trouble finding a moisturiser in my 30s that worked. However, once I got a good cleanser it didn't matter what moisturisers I used, so now I use a dermalogica expensive bottle of gel cleanser that I have made last three years, and a neutrogenia retinol overnight cream and cetaphil moisturisers. For haircare, I use a cheap sunsilk shampoo and conditioner, much better than the salon brands that charge 10 times as much.
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Thanks Froogs - I'll remember these tips when I next buy my make up / beauty products 🙂
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I use the st Ives face scrub and Lidl perfume
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Nice post. I also have a rather minimalist beauty regime, but all of the products I and my husband use are organics. Makes me feel better about the environment and our health too, only putting naturals on our skins and down the drain, so to me it`s worth the extra cost. Same with detergents.
I am lucky to have access to inexpensive ranges of natural cosmetics that cover all my needs an stock up when they have offers.
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Dr. Bronners' liq soap & Jason products are long-time favorites!
X
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I love the st ives scrub also, and I also love ponds cold cream.
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Just soap and water for me with Tesco baby shampoo for my hair. My skin is soft, my hair is clean and I wear no make-up.
Love from Mum
xx
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I also use Lidl's glamour as I love Channel Coco Mademoiselle but only get to have a bit of that on when I walk through Boots, I sometimes go into Boots just for that reason! I also find Boots Natural collection make up very good and inexpensive especially the waterproof mascara as it is not too heavy and only £2.00. Foundation has to be Max Factor Age Renew though but it lasts a long time as I apply lightly.
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I have just started looking at beauty products other than the expensive ones I was using. Aldi dandruff shampoo is good, I can't tell the difference between that and Head & Shoulders. I am using Clinique moisturiser at present but I will try Adli's as long as it isn't perfumed as I can't stand perfume in face creams and lipstick. I have enough lipstick to last years. I am using an Avon perfume for everyday (I don't feel dressed without perfume).
Thank you, Froogs, very useful!
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I did a similar post a few weeks ago. My faves are Boots Cold Cream and Wilko's witch hazel.Both absolute bargains!
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I didn't know about Lidl's Glamour, I will look out for that one, thanks, I do miss my Chanel Madmoiselle since it ran out.
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I wash my face with plain old soap and water. For moisturizer in the winter, I use Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel (the gel is newer, works better for my skin), just a dab. When it comes to makeup, I am extremely allergic, especially around my eyes. I've found that Clinique is the only makeup I can wear that doesn't cause me to have a bad reaction. I pretty much only wear a face on the weekends, so it goes a long way. I use Clinique Happy for perfume. I use it so sparingly that one bottle can last for a year or more. I receive it for a gift every other year or so. I use Nexxus shampoo and conditioner. I buy the large bottles off Amazon (free shipping for Prime members) and refill little bottles to use in the shower. Other shampoos leave my scalp very itchy. I do use diluted apple cider vinegar as a daily rinse between shampoo and conditioner to help with a flaky scalp. For my body, I use basic soap (Dove or Ivory). I use the Target version of Eucerin's Calming Cream, a very thick cream in a large tube. Target's version is about $6 cheaper, $6 for a large tube. I have very dry skin and a thinner lotion just doesn't work. I use a basic deodorant that isn't very expensive. Aldi in the US doesn't have the beauty products as you can get in the UK. I suspect I'd be allergic to them, anyway.
I've found that by keeping things simple and not having a lot of beauty products, it doesn't affect my budget too much by buying slightly more expensive things to avoid allergic reactions and such. My one beauty splurge is having my hair cut every 6 weeks or so for $40, and adding in the $10 for an eyebrow wax. My very fine hair is horrible long, so I just deal with it. I do color my hair at home to cover the grey.
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It obviously works very well as you look fantastic, not sucking up at all just telling it like it is 🙂
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I find Superdrug good for their own beauty stuff but also the fab MUA make up which is extremely cheap but nevertheless very good. I also love Astral - lighter than Nivea and hav loved it since I was young.
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