Cheap Beauty...A ? for those of the femme persuation.

[Talon]

I'm a self-confessed drugstore beauty product junkie.
Don't get me wrong, there are certain things that you can only get in a dept. store, professional beauty supplier, or online..But there's not much else that can compare to the great deals, lack of saleslady pressure, and the lazy-dayz clothing that you can wear to the drugstore/chemist.

So, I'm curious..what are your fav beauty finds from your local drugstore..and why do you love them?

[Soft*Silver]

I swear by my sally henson (sp?) diamond nail polish. I love all the colors but esp love their pink colors.

I dont spend alot of money on myself. I have so many projects I pour what resources I have, into. chrissy has never complained, lol, about how I look. So I rely on good bargains that produce quality outcomes. I personally love Avon products for the skin and for makeup. I think their jewelry usually is overpriced and mass supplied so I dont buy any of that unless its significant to me. (like, anything with horses)

I use to spend a whole lotta money on lancome products. LOVE them but when I read in Consumer Reports that one of Avon's $6 face creams beat out Lancome's $50 one, I switched.

[genghisfawn]

I have a huge heart-on for the Burt's Bees tinted lip glosses. If you get the Fig shade, no matter what your skin tone or ancestry, it looks good on anyone... seriously, anyone.

I've been finding Revlon glass nail files at Dollarama lately (Dollarama is very, very good to me.)

The DreamLumi Touché Highlighting concealer (with the little brush tip) by Maybelline beats the heck out of anything professional. I've bought Benefit, Estée Lauder and Clinique to try doing something about my terrible skin tone, and this stuff maims it all.

(Is it just me, or does Maybelline eye makeup in general beat the pants off everything else? Best Lash mascara goes on sale for like $3.99 at Shoppers and London Drugs all the time and it wipes the floor with the 3x the price competition.)

The Garnier caffeinated undereye concealer is awesome, too. Not impressed that you can only find it in light shades (especially since I go super-tan in the summer) but it helps me look less like I've been hit in the face with a truck and more like I've just had a little less sleep than usual. My undereye circles are hereditary, but this stuff is almost like you've got a wand and you've cast a glamour.

Aveeno lotion forever!

[Talon]

Originally Posted by genghisfawn

I have a huge heart-on for the Burt's Bees tinted lip glosses. If you get the Fig shade, no matter what your skin tone or ancestry, it looks good on anyone... seriously, anyone.

>>>*making a note to try the Fig shade*

I've been finding Revlon glass nail files at Dollarama lately (Dollarama is very, very good to me.)

>>I wonder if they would carry those at my local Dollar Tree?

The DreamLumi Touché Highlighting concealer (with the little brush tip) by Maybelline beats the heck out of anything professional. I've bought Benefit, Estée Lauder and Clinique to try doing something about my terrible skin tone, and this stuff maims it all.

>>Yes, those DreamLumi products are excellent. I love the BB cream! It's so lightweight yet leaves your complexion nice, smooth, and even.

(Is it just me, or does Maybelline eye makeup in general beat the pants off everything else? Best Lash mascara goes on sale for like $3.99 at Shoppers and London Drugs all the time and it wipes the floor with the 3x the price competition.)

>>They have up'ed their game on their eye products..I have noticed that too.
I also LOVE Covergirl LashBlast mascara...it's the best I've tried, even in comparison with the dept. store brands. And they even have a 24hour version that does not flake or give you racoon-eyes at the end of the day.

The Garnier caffeinated undereye concealer is awesome, too. Not impressed that you can only find it in light shades (especially since I go super-tan in the summer) but it helps me look less like I've been hit in the face with a truck and more like I've just had a little less sleep than usual. My undereye circles are hereditary, but this stuff is almost like you've got a wand and you've cast a glamour.

>>Must try this! I've read that eye creams enriched with caffeine are really great for puffiness around the eyes.

Aveeno lotion forever!

>>Have you tried the Aveeno face lotion w/ feverfew?

[Bleu]

TALON! My femme sister extraordinaire (and legionnaire)! Terrific thread!

I often get compliments on my skin and being 44 now I take great pride in keeping it looking good. But really, what I do is so simple and remarkably cheap! The key is consistency.
cheap cheap cheap cheap

Clear Pore. I love this stuff...it retails for between $5 - 8 and can be used as a daily cleanser or as a facial mask. The stuff lasts forever too. I buy maybe three to four tubes a year! I use it mostly as a daily cleanser scrubbing it in then rinsing immediately. As far as cleansing mask use, I do this on high wind days in the desert which cakes on an extra layer of dirt. I apply it to my face at the beginning of my shower, do everything else, then by the end of my shower I rinse it completely. That is the extent of how long I leave it on in "mask" mode.
Warning:
The active ingredient in Clear Pore is benzoyl peroxide. Be careful if you get a lot of exposure to the sun when using it. Also, I use cheap white face cloths so my pretty sage colored towels don't get spot bleached with any accidental leftover product on my face.


Every third or fourth day I skip the Clear Pore cleanser and scrub with the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System.

This handy little item retails for between $15 - 20 and the extra pads are a couple bucks for a pack of 12. The little blue disks are pre-loaded with soap and I scrub my face for about 3 mins total. I do not use anything else that day to clean my face with as it tends to be a little tender. Next day - back to the Clear Pore.

Umm...on a side note...this item can be used as an external vibrator when the exterior cap is removed. It's hard plastic and is completely washable so is easy and sanitary to use for either application.

Two birds, one inexpensive item, and noone suspects a darn thing...hell, yeah, bitches!

PS: It's important to follow with a good moisturizer. I use L'Occitane Immortelle, ($62- 4.4 oz) but that's not so cheap therefore does not belong in this thread...HOWEVER one little pot of this stuff lasts me 6 months!

I spend less than $200 a YEAR in cleansing and moisturizing products for my face and neck. ShiZam!

[Beloved]

Most of my make-up I get from Sephora, because I have a few favorites from Stila (mostly). I don't have a ton of it so it's not that expensive.

I use any over the counter facial moisturizer with SPF 30. I have tried Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Olay and have liked them all. I also sometimes buy mascara from the drugstore, too. I just bought a L'Oreal one today that I've never tried.

I am also a fan of Burt's Bees tinted lip gloss.

[Ginger]

I've tried Lancome and other high-end mascaras, but keep returning to good old drugstore-sold, L'Oreal Voluminous waterproof mascara.

Also I've used humble Pond's cold cream since I was a girl, to remove eye makeup.

I love wandering through huge drugstores on my lunch hour. You never know what deals you'll find.

[Girl_On_Fire]

My two favorite beauty products are baking soda and coconut oil. Baking soda is great to exfoliate with and coconut oil is a good natural moisturizer for skin and hair. Oh, and I love my French clay mask and mineral make-up. I'm all-natural kind of femme.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by IslandScout

I've tried Lancome and other high-end mascaras, but keep returning to good old drugstore-sold, L'Oreal Voluminous waterproof mascara.

>>>This was my fav in high school...makes lashes look really full.

Also I've used humble Pond's cold cream since I was a girl, to remove eye makeup.

>> I use this all over my face to remove make-up before I cleanse, and my skin never feels tight or dry after.

I love wandering through huge drugstores on my lunch hour. You never know what deals you'll find.

>>>Aint' it fun though?...NYC has THE BEST DRUGSTORES..floors of low-end to the highest end products...Dangerous.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by Beloved

Most of my make-up I get from Sephora, because I have a few favorites from Stila (mostly). I don't have a ton of it so it's not that expensive.

>>Sephora is addictive. But, if you buy certain staple products that you use often and really love, I think it's totally worth it. You can't really put a price on feeling good.

I use any over the counter facial moisturizer with SPF 30. I have tried Neutrogena, Aveeno, and Olay and have liked them all. I also sometimes buy mascara from the drugstore, too. I just bought a L'Oreal one today that I've never tried.

>>>All of these I like, too. I have never spent a lot on daily face lotions w/spf. There really is just no need to, in my opinion.

I am also a fan of Burt's Bees tinted lip gloss.

>>I've only used the Badger Balm, the Lavender sleep balm, and the regular lip balm...but since I keep hearing about their tinted lip glosses, I will have to try. Thanks.

[Ginger]

Originally Posted by Bleu

Every third or fourth day I skip the Clear Pore cleanser and scrub with the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System.

This handy little item retails for between $15 - 20 and the extra pads are a couple bucks for a pack of 12. The little blue disks are pre-loaded with soap and I scrub my face for about 3 mins total. I do not use anything else that day to clean my face with as it tends to be a little tender. Next day - back to the Clear Pore.

All good tips, and I've just excerpted this one. Thanks, Bleu. I've always wondering if those microdermabrasion things worked. I use Clinique exfoliating scrub but have thought about switching to another mode of scrubbing off the dead cells to make way for the new.

[*Anya*]

I use Dove sensitive skin on my face.

I like how it smells. My maternal grandmother always used Dove and it reminds me of her.

I also use a little Clinique beige twist foundation (when I remember to), I curl my eyelashes and I finish with a little Clinique mascara.

I'm good to go.

Clinique is not cheap but it lasts forever and I always time my purchase for when they give those little sample size "gift with purchase" deals.

[Dominique]

I've been using these ELF (eyes, lips face) brushes priced from $1 to $3 and availabe at Target or on line. They have the best eye lash curler too, also $1.

Another discovery is baby wipes. I fell in love with them when I worked for Fed Ex and couldn't stand my hands being dirty all of the time. Now, I use them to quickly remove my make up. Ultra cheap. No fuss, no ruining my hand towels. I also buy these at target.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by *Anya*

I use Dove sensitive skin on my face.

I like how it smells. My maternal grandmother always used Dove and it reminds me of her.

>>This is sweet. Isn't it funny how we'll use a certain product because it reminds us of a happy time in our lives? I am this way with certain scents...it truly has a transporting effect, at least for me it does...I go right back to the time and place.

I also use a little Clinique beige twist foundation (when I remember to), I curl my eyelashes and I finish with a little Clinique mascara.

>>I like their face washes...they never irritate.

I'm good to go.

Clinique is not cheap but it lasts forever and I always time my purchase for when they give those little sample size "gift with purchase" deals.

>>I love getting those.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by Bleu

TALON! My femme sister extraordinaire (and legionnaire)! Terrific thread!

>>*chuckle*...Thank you, Bleu-by-you..

I often get compliments on my skin and being 44 now I take great pride in keeping it looking good. But really, what I do is so simple and remarkably cheap! The key is consistency.
cheap cheap cheap cheap

>>Yes, darling it certainly is.

Clear Pore. I love this stuff...it retails for between $5 - 8 and can be used as a daily cleanser or as a facial mask. The stuff lasts forever too. I buy maybe three to four tubes a year! I use it mostly as a daily cleanser scrubbing it in then rinsing immediately. As far as cleansing mask use, I do this on high wind days in the desert which cakes on an extra layer of dirt. I apply it to my face at the beginning of my shower, do everything else, then by the end of my shower I rinse it completely. That is the extent of how long I leave it on in "mask" mode.
Warning:
The active ingredient in Clear Pore is benzoyl peroxide. Be careful if you get a lot of exposure to the sun when using it. Also, I use cheap white face cloths so my pretty sage colored towels don't get spot bleached with any accidental leftover product on my face.


>>This *is* a great product..and comes highly recommended by Dermatologists. I have searched for this product, and thought that it had been discontinued. Where have you found it?

Every third or fourth day I skip the Clear Pore cleanser and scrub with the Neutrogena Microdermabrasion System.

This handy little item retails for between $15 - 20 and the extra pads are a couple bucks for a pack of 12. The little blue disks are pre-loaded with soap and I scrub my face for about 3 mins total. I do not use anything else that day to clean my face with as it tends to be a little tender. Next day - back to the Clear Pore.

>>I used to use the microdermabrasion system..it does work well for dull and lifeless skin..gives you a nice glow.

Umm...on a side note...this item can be used as an external vibrator when the exterior cap is removed. It's hard plastic and is completely washable so is easy and sanitary to use for either application.

>>Someone's a very naughty girl....go sit in the naughty chair.

Two birds, one inexpensive item, and noone suspects a darn thing...hell, yeah, bitches!

>>>Gives new meaning to multi-tasking.

PS: It's important to follow with a good moisturizer. I use L'Occitane Immortelle, ($62- 4.4 oz) but that's not so cheap therefore does not belong in this thread...HOWEVER one little pot of this stuff lasts me 6 months!

>>>Yep...I do that w/creme de la mer.

I spend less than $200 a YEAR in cleansing and moisturizing products for my face and neck. ShiZam!

>>Go on with yer bad self...

[Talon]

I'm sorry that you have to go through all of my replies, lovelies...But I wanted to be a good steward of the thread, and respond to all of you individually.

Thank you so much for all of your responses! I'm thouroughly enjoying hearing from everyone. And I hope you're all enjoying the thread, too.

[Angeltoes]

2 for $8 so I bought these for $16 at Urban Outfitters.

[Talon]

Originally Posted by Miss_Tia

I swear by my sally henson (sp?) diamond nail polish. I love all the colors but esp love their pink colors.

I dont spend alot of money on myself. I have so many projects I pour what resources I have, into. chrissy has never complained, lol, about how I look. So I rely on good bargains that produce quality outcomes. I personally love Avon products for the skin and for makeup. I think their jewelry usually is overpriced and mass supplied so I dont buy any of that unless its significant to me. (like, anything with horses)

I use to spend a whole lotta money on lancome products. LOVE them but when I read in Consumer Reports that one of Avon's $6 face creams beat out Lancome's $50 one, I switched.

>Love the "anything w/horses" comment btw. I definitely believe that with face creams, as well...I love the Olay Regenerist line for that reason.

[Soft*Silver]

I totally forgot I use Oil of Olay Regenerist as well. I dont use one kind all the time. I am a firm believer that my skin, hair and teeth all get use to one brand and then it needs a change.

I have a local lady who makes and sells natural soaps and lotions and scrubs and bath balls. Her sugar scrubs are to die for! Now, they are seriously natural so there is nothing added that keeps it from clumping so you have to work some in the palm of your hand to make the magic, but the result is incredible on my face! I get dried out so easily so I never ever ever use soap on my face. NEVER. I use plain water. I cant even use make up remover! But her sugar scrub does it for me! It leaves me feeling clean and does not dry me out at all. She has me sold.

I also use her soaps. I have tried other natural soaps and they either dont lather well, or they dissolve too quickly or they dry out my skin or they lose their smell. Her one bar of nag champa lasted me 4 months! And it never lost its smell nor did it dry me out. And I loved the low lather...just enough to make it fun in the shower! LOL.

Imma lucky gal....

[VintageFemme]

I like a lot of Loreal as well as Revlon's products and since Loreal owns Lancome, I feel pretty good about their quality. I do subscribe to the school of thought though that with regards to make up & hair products, that you do indeed get what you pay for. Esp w/ hair products. Redken is my favourite brand for hair. I've yet to find anything comparable.

Maybelline's old fashioned $3.50 duo pack of eyebrow pencils are still my favourites though.

Good idea for a thread! Thanks.