Your Favorite Drugstore Alternatives to Expensive Cosmetics?

[Jane110]

For inexpensive skin care products, try Avene.(NOT Aveeno) It's from France, and is very, very gentle to even great for sensitive skin.

 

It's sold at chain drugstores like CVS or online. It's extremely high quality for a very small price.

 

http://www.aveneusa.com/

[Dawn24]

I found an alternative to CE Ferulic C Serum ($25 per ounce, rather than $90+ per ounce)

 

http://www.skinactives.com/product/detail.aspx?prodID=127

[Happy ks]

I have tried and thrown out or given away so many drug store brands I'm really resistant to wasting more $ on experimenting any longer.

 

Cover Girl mascara - didn't work for me. Revlon lipstick - dried my lips out terribly. Almay eye shadow - only lasted a couple hours before it was gone. Neutrogena skin care - even the gentlest formulas make my skin flare up. The list goes on.

 

I do use Avon eye makeup remover, purchase several bottles a year when it is .99 cents (my daughter uses it as well) and Almay eye makeup remover pads in the am to get that last tiny bit of mascara off from the day before.

 

So I stick with what works best for me, mostly Clinique or Philosphy brand skin care, I use it to the last drop. Clinique is moderately priced so I don't consider it to be an expensive department store brand. Lancome mascara and Cils Booster (I've tried several drug store brands of eyelash conditioner, thrown it out :(). I use Lancome foundation, but only a couple times a week, so a bottle lasts me about a year. I always stock up on these brands when there is a GWP so I rarely purchase lipstick or eye shadows any longer and many times receive items perfect for travel.

 

In the long run I spend less than when I experiment if I only buy products that actually work for me.

 

For my body, I love Cetaphil moisture lotion and the CVS brand cornstarch baby powder. I try to avoid anything with fragrance as it always irritates my skin.

[madelinerose]

I do use Avon eye makeup remover, purchase several bottles a year when it is .99 cents (my daughter uses it as well) and Almay eye makeup remover pads in the am to get that last tiny bit of mascara off from the day before.

 

So I stick with what works best for me, mostly Clinique or Philosphy brand skin care, I use it to the last drop.

 

Have you tried Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser? No eye makeup remover needed, it does it all. I've been using it for years. ;)

[Princess422]

So I stick with what works best for me, mostly Clinique or Philosphy brand skin care, I use it to the last drop. Clinique is moderately priced so I don't consider it to be an expensive department store brand. Lancome mascara...

 

I agree, I love Clinique and use a lot of their products, and most of it is not much more expensive than the good drugstore brands. I find their lipsticks to be more moisturizing than L'Oreal but not as long-wearing, so that's sort of a toss-up (and depends on whether I'm just going out for a few hours or spending a whole day out). I wish Clinique eyeshadows were more highly pigmented and I stick to L'Oreal for those, but other than that, Clinique is great, and very reasonably priced. I love their All About Eyes cream - it's the ONLY eye cream I've found that really makes a difference.

 

I also do like Lancome Mascara, and their Hypnose is my favorite of high-end mascaras, but I don't see much of a difference between that and L'Oreal Voluminous - except for price.

 

I use several Philosphy bath & body products - I LOVE the scent of Amazing Grace! Their Purity Made Simple face wash wasn't enough for my skin when I tried it, but that was several years ago when it was oily. I read in a magazine that it's a great product for hand-washing very delicate items like hosiery and lingerie, so I used up the rest of it that way. ;)

[Happy ks]

Have you tried Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser? No eye makeup remover needed, it does it all. I've been using it for years. ;)

 

 

Yes, I do use that in the evening, but it doesn't quite get all my eye makeup off, hence the Avon prior to washing my face.

[suezyq50]

Hi, I must be really old school;) I still use Maybelline BIG LASH

mascara:D...pink/green container and it still works great for me:)

Yes, I have tried much more expensive brands over the years but

I keep coming back to it and am always happy with it!

Eye shadows vary for me..some Maybelline, some Covergirl, some

Lo'real.....just depends on what I find.

These are what I also use. I do like Mary Kay for eyeliner. I use black on upper lid and charcaol on lower lids and brow.

[elfie]

This is embarrassing:o and is a closely held secret, but I use Monistat Anti Chafing cream (the stuff you put between your legs) as a foundation primer. It is the best on the market and VERY affordable. My BFF does makeup for some very high profile clients and she's the one who told me about it. I have raging rosacea and it doesn't aggravate it. In fact it has allowed me to use products that would normally cause a flare.

[shagdancer]

I have checked several sites with list of pore clogging ingredients....can't find talc on any of them....so I"m going to give it a try.

 

I only paid $1.27 for the baby powder so I"m not out much if I don't like it !!!

 

 

Baby powders no longer have "talc" in them, haven't for a long time. Not good for babies to breath in. Most baby powders have a cornstarch base now. There are several "compact type" pressed powders that are colorless. Also the loose mineral powder is good too, and comes in all shades. S

[shagdancer]

Has anyone found something to get rid of brown age spots on face??

 

No one has said what blush they use and if it looks natural.

 

Has anyone tried the foundations that are clear and change color to skin tone..Almay?

 

Can someone post some great looking natural lipstick colors that last??

 

Has anyone had great success with teeth whiteners??

 

Thanks for help in advance. S

[Host Star]

Has anyone found something to get rid of brown age spots on face??

 

No one has said what blush they use and if it looks natural.

 

Has anyone tried the foundations that are clear and change color to skin tone..Almay?

 

Can someone post some great looking natural lipstick colors that last??

 

Has anyone had great success with teeth whiteners??

 

Thanks for help in advance. S

great post!!!!.. let's get some answers!!!

[Happy ks]

This is embarrassing:o and is a closely held secret, but I use Monistat Anti Chafing cream (the stuff you put between your legs) as a foundation primer. It is the best on the market and VERY affordable. My BFF does makeup for some very high profile clients and she's the one who told me about it. I have raging rosacea and it doesn't aggravate it. In fact it has allowed me to use products that would normally cause a flare.

 

 

I read about this a long time ago, but have never tried it before. Nice to know it doesn't irritate your rosacea, I have a bit of it myself and have to be so careful with my skin. Other primers haven't bothered it yet.

 

The stuff probably just has the same silicone base...Jane110 would know more, I hope she reads this ;)

[coolcat12]

This is embarrassing:o and is a closely held secret, but I use Monistat Anti Chafing cream (the stuff you put between your legs) as a foundation primer. It is the best on the market and VERY affordable. My BFF does makeup for some very high profile clients and she's the one who told me about it. I have raging rosacea and it doesn't aggravate it. In fact it has allowed me to use products that would normally cause a flare.

 

I use that too.

It is the same as Smashbox Photo Finish primer and it is a well known substitute!:)

 

Oh, I forgot....my husband dressed up like a zombie for Halloween with full zombie makeup. He gave me a funny look when I put the Monistat "primer" on him but he thanked me later when his face stayed on all night and was easy to remove later!

Edited November 8, 2010 by coolcat12

[Gathina]

Palmers makes a face cream with hydroquonine (I know I spelled it wrong) and it's under $5 a jar. It's ok, and it works somewhat, but takes a long, long time for spots to fade..the best remedy is continued use of sunscreen and prevention

 

An Indian woman once told me about putting beaten egg yolks as a mask on the face and letting it dry..rinse with cool water..that did make a difference also but takes time as well.

 

I posted about Obagi products recently..they are not cheap but the sun spot fading lotion DOES work..within days for me...I don't mind spending the extra $$ on skin care because I want to look good when I am older and I can scrimp on other areas (like Makeup) I buy mine from dermatologistrx web site.

 

Has anyone found something to get rid of brown age spots on face??

 

No one has said what blush they use and if it looks natural.

 

Has anyone tried the foundations that are clear and change color to skin tone..Almay?

 

Can someone post some great looking natural lipstick colors that last??

 

Has anyone had great success with teeth whiteners??

 

Thanks for help in advance. S

[Hoyaheel]

Monistat anti-chafing, lanacaine anti-chafing, L'oreal primer, Smashbox primer -it's ALL dimethicone.:rolleyes: Silicone, by any other name - it's not a secret, you just need to read the labels of the products you buy.....The thickness of the products varies, however, so find something you're comfortable with and can spread at the right consistency for your usage.....

 

For brown spots, I use this from Ulta: http://www.ulta.com/ulta/browse/productDetail.jsp?skuId=2166218&productId=xlsImpprod1100266&navAction=push&navCount=1&subdoc=246skincarewk4909&categoryId=cat940007

 

I also use Ulta cream blush - I love the texture and colors (and I can get them for around $3 when they have a sale)

 

Not sure what you mean by "natural" lipstick - do you want an organic product, or do you want a nude color that matches your lips?

 

For teeth whiteners, I've tried various products. I like the Crest 3D whitestrips - I buy at Costco so the price is quite reasonable.

Edited November 8, 2010 by Hoyaheel

[shagdancer]

By "natural" lipstick i mean neutral colors vs bright colors. S

[Princess422]

Has anyone found something to get rid of brown age spots on face??

 

No one has said what blush they use and if it looks natural.

 

Has anyone tried the foundations that are clear and change color to skin tone..Almay?

 

Can someone post some great looking natural lipstick colors that last??

 

Has anyone had great success with teeth whiteners??

 

Thanks for help in advance. S

 

I don't have age spots quite yet, so I can't help you there, but as for the rest...

 

I use Bare Escentuals blush, so not drugstore brand, but it's very blendable and natural and not expensive, especially considering how little you need & how long it lasts. I think it's about $13 and lasts me at LEAST twice as long as pressed-powder blushes from the drugstore, because you don't need very much of it.

 

I have tried the Almay foundation that is supposed to change color to match your skin tone. I don't think it really does - I just think it's SO sheer that it will go with a wide range of skin tones! Hardly any coverage, and it also sat on my skin like a layer of oil. Huge waste of money.

 

Different lip colors are going to look natural on different people! Most of my natural-looking lip colors are Clinique, but as far as drugstore brands go, I live L'Oreal HIP liquid lipcolor in Zealous - it's like my natural lipcolor with a little oomph. But it will not be right for everyone; my lips are naturally pretty dark.

 

I HAVE had great success with teeth whiteners - Rembrandt's 2-hour whitening kit, which I use once every few months. $25 at the drugstore (and last time there was a $5 coupon attached to it!) and last time I used it, I went to the dentist a couple days later, and he could not believe how white my teeth were from a home kit. I had to have a cap redone (I chipped a tooth on a beer bottle back in my college days... LOL) and when the dental assistant had to find a white that matched my teeth, she said she'd never used a shade that white before. The results from this stuff are truly amazing, but you do have to put up with increased sensitivity for at least a few days afterwards - but I use extra strength Sensodyne for a week or so following the treatment and that helps a lot, and it's well worth it.

 

I also use Crest Whitestrips occasionally in between the Rembrandt kit just for maintenance, and they do help keep it up, but the results there are definitely more subtle.

[Jane110]

I read about this a long time ago, but have never tried it before. Nice to know it doesn't irritate your rosacea, I have a bit of it myself and have to be so careful with my skin. Other primers haven't bothered it yet.

 

The stuff probably just has the same silicone base...Jane110 would know more, I hope she reads this ;)

 

 

I'm here! :)

 

I've heard of this before, although I've never tried it myself.

The product contains dimethicone (kind of like silicone) as well as aloe, and vitamin E. There's no fragrance and is totally nonirritating. So it makes sense that it's a good primer for those with sensitive skin.

 

Between this and Preparation-H around the eyes, and there's a lot of jokes in the pipline. :D:D

Edited November 9, 2010 by Jane110

[5326jan]

I'm here! :)

 

I've heard of this before, although I've never tried it myself.

The product contains dimethicone (kind of like silicone) as well as aloe, and vitamin E. There's no fragrance and is totally nonirritating. So it makes sense that it's a good primer for those with sensitive skin.

 

Between this and Preparation-H around the eyes, and there's a lot of jokes in the pipline. :D:D

 

Tell us more about the prep h around the eyes!!! :eek: It's intriguing!

[JMS920]

For teeth whitening, I use the BJ's brand (Berkley & Jensen) I gave it a try about a year ago when I compared the price of it to the price of

Crest strips. I just got a box yesterday for $9.99 (usually $14.99) for 14 (once a day formula) strips. The big difference is instead of the clear plastic they are a blue wax. But I put them on prior to getting in the shower, so I can deal with that.

[shagdancer]

After reading about product "smashbox photo finish primer" and what it does on their website I will be looking for the monostat anti-chaffing gel that is suppose to be just as good and cheaper- today! I hope it does all that it says it does. I will try it and report back.

Any substitute for the smashbox color correct primer out there?

 

I'm going shopping. Thanks.

[Jesscap5]

Have you tried Philosophy's Purity Made Simple facial cleanser? No eye makeup remover needed, it does it all. I've been using it for years. ;)

 

I bought a Philosophy skin care kit once from QVC. I used the purity made simple and I broke out in what looked like hives and my face felt like it was on fire. I don't know what was in that stuff but it made my face flare up like crazy. I didn't get any benefits from the other products either so I ended up throwing the whole kit away and wasting a good amount of money. :( I realize it works well for a lot of people, just not me.

[ducklite]

Ducklite, Did you know that Lancome owns and produces L'Oreal? In a pinch you might want to try one of their mascaras. One of their formulas might be very similar to Definicils at half the price. Good luck:D

 

I've tried them, and unfortunately they aren't quite the same.

[quincytoo]

Ducklite, Did you know that Lancome owns and produces L'Oreal? In a pinch you might want to try one of their mascaras. One of their formulas might be very similar to Definicils at half the price. Good luck:D

Loreal owns Lancome......and almost everything else under the sun :) Go on their website and check out how many companies they own, it's amazing.

 

I am a big fan of Loreal's Double Extend tube mascara, it coats each lash into a tube that washes off easily with warm water.

 

I have just been introduced to Urban Decay's brightening primer... I think I like it but have noticed my face breaking out ...which is usually unheard of.

 

What makes a primer work???

[JMS920]

So how do you use monostat anti-chaffing gel as a primer? Do you put it over your usual moisturizer?