Do you always have to pay top dollar for the best beauty products (moisturizer, exfoliator, cleanser, etc) or are there relatively cheap products you recommend which do as good as or nearly) as the more expensive stuff?
| by Anonymous | reply 83 | July 9, 2019 12:52 AM |
I like all the Jack Black stuff.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | June 24, 2019 7:32 PM |
My dermatologist told me that cheap petroleum jelly applied in a very thin layer after a warm shower is the only product she recommends to combat dry skin. She believes there are too many potential allergens and irritants in commercial moisturizers. I mentioned that I used Clinique and L'Oreal for Men. She rolled her eyes at me and said Madison Ave has gotten to me. Bitch. But she's probably right.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | June 24, 2019 7:36 PM |
Every dermatologist says to use Dove instead of any other soap or cleanser
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | June 24, 2019 7:37 PM |
Sodium Laureth Sulfate is the only chemical approved to clean hair. So from the most expensive to the cheapest shampoos, they will clean your hair exactly the same.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | June 24, 2019 7:39 PM |
To whiten your teeth, in a small jar (like a container pills come in from the pharmacy), mix baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, and a small bit of tooth paste. Brush the front of your teeth with this solution.
Your teeth will be as white as any other product on the market. The whiteness, for some reason, seems to become apparent on the second day.
Do this only once a month or so to protect your enamel.
These are basically the same ingredients in expensive teeth-whitening strips
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | June 24, 2019 7:42 PM |
Suave shampoos work fine. At less than half the price.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | June 24, 2019 9:01 PM |
Cerave is much better than any other creams or lotions out there.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | June 24, 2019 9:04 PM |
Humus can more or less serve as shampoo
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | June 24, 2019 9:07 PM |
The Ordinary has a lot of good, inexpensive products. I like their azelaic acid solution.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | June 24, 2019 9:09 PM |
R9, let me lick your hair!
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | June 24, 2019 9:17 PM |
Whatever shampoo you use, dilute half with water in another container. You'll get the same result and won't have to buy another bottle sooner.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | June 24, 2019 9:20 PM |
Years ago Elizabeth Arden was sold in five and dime stores with an Elizabeth Post label. Same products in cheaper packaging. Lipstick had same color name on both boxes.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | June 24, 2019 9:23 PM |
R10 Agree on The Ordinary - their acids and retinols are excellent value for money.
I was told not to pay more than $15 for cleansing clay mask as there is no difference between high end and drugstore masks.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | June 24, 2019 9:27 PM |
R15, most of us on DL can barely remember our own names! Show some respect towards your elders, you dumb tart!
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | June 24, 2019 9:39 PM |
Cerave facial cleansers, moisturisers, and creams . Have lots of ceramides. Witch Hazel or Rose Water for toner. Aquaphor on lips and on lashes at bed time ( helps them stay hydrated and not break ) can also use a tiny bit under eyes as eye cream . ACV diluted in water as a deep cleaning de-gunker clarifying treatment for hair product buildup .
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | June 24, 2019 10:14 PM |
Olay products. Swear by them.
| by Anonymous | reply 18 | June 24, 2019 10:28 PM |
I use olive oil on my body as a moisturizer right out of the shower, works great.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | June 24, 2019 10:30 PM |
I only ever buy cheap stuff ESPECIALLY store brand stuff, which in many cases works just as well as their name brand equivalents. For face wash, I use the Walmart equivalent of Cerave Hydrating Cleanser or the Walmart equivalent of Noxzema. I buy shampoo/conditioner from the dollar store, as well as a leave-in conditioner. I dont wear moisturizer, and I just use a cheap sunscreen. For night cream I buy a little jar of Ponds from Walmart (costs around $1.50) -- a little goes a long way. Sometimes I don't wear any cream at all to sleep. By the way, I do not believe that creams repair wrinkles. A cream just forms a barrier over your skin to prevent additional wrinkles from forming.
I am in my mid 40s but I lie about my age all the time, and people believe it! I told somebody last week that I'm 27 and he believed it! I am NOT wrinkle-free by the way. I have brow furrows and a few undereye wrinkles, but even then I look young for my age. I think people's perception of how young you look is based on how you appear overall.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | June 24, 2019 10:38 PM |
r16 I AM an elder and I remembered!
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | June 24, 2019 10:45 PM |
[quote]I was told not to pay more than $15 for cleansing clay mask
I make my own using clay, water and a dash of apple cider vinegar.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | June 24, 2019 10:59 PM |
Twice a week I moisturize my face with plain organic shea butter at night (nothing added). I don't do it more often as it's too rich for my skin to use it daily.
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | June 24, 2019 11:05 PM |
Use sugar or baking soda mixed with any kind of (preferably cheap) cleanser or moisturizer to exfoliate your face. It works like a dream and rinses off with warm water. Also a friend told me to buy a household sponge (Casabella) in the grocery store to exfoliate in the shower. It hurts like a mofo as its pretty rough, but it works really really well. Do your feet too, especially around the toes. Moisturize immediately after.
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | June 24, 2019 11:15 PM |
This is the best body moisturizer I have ever used. It sinks into your skin and the oily feeling is gone in about a minute.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 26 | June 24, 2019 11:32 PM |
R26, Timeless makes great products including an effective, affordable vitamin C serum, but $35 for an 8 oz bottle of body moisturizer is outrageous.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | June 25, 2019 12:29 AM |
Generic Retin-A a.k.a tretinoin is the #1 best beauty item you can have -- as long as you pair it with sunscreen. A tube costs $40, use it once a week, lasts around 6 months.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | June 25, 2019 3:25 AM |
There’s already been a thread on this!!
| by Anonymous | reply 29 | June 25, 2019 3:40 AM |
R29 That is shocking! The DL would never do a thread over and over and over and over. Nope. Never happens.
| by Anonymous | reply 30 | June 25, 2019 3:48 AM |
Not cheap but damn good .50 retinol by MUAC I'm on their list for 30% sales. I've tried to get .50 retinol elsewhere but haven't come across it. My skin is like buttah.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 32 | June 25, 2019 8:29 AM |
InstaNatural products that I buy on Amazon. I use their retinol serum and vitamin C serum, plus their night cream is good and reasonable. Lots cheaper than high end brands that contain more or less the same ingredients.
| by Anonymous | reply 33 | June 25, 2019 8:47 AM |
Always have a bottle of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar in the cupboard.
For beauty and if you live in a hard water area, Pour 1/3 of the Bragg’s ACV in a spray bottle then add 2/3’s still/bottled water.
When you come out of the shower spray it over yourself and your hair and rub in.
Yes it smells initially, but after a few minutes you will notice the smell vanishes. This happens because the alkaline of the water, combined with the acidity of the vinegar create a neutral PH. You will then find your hair and skin are softer.
| by Anonymous | reply 34 | June 25, 2019 8:54 AM |
I live in the states and order this in bulk from Canada. It's the best facial moisturizer, soother, balm I've ever tried. I slather it on for all maladies and it never disappoints. And it"s cheap!
| by Anonymous | reply 35 | June 25, 2019 9:05 AM |
r35 can repost that link? I can't see what it is. Ta
| by Anonymous | reply 36 | June 25, 2019 9:07 AM |
^^Oops. It's this stuff: Impruv from Stiefel. The best.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 37 | June 25, 2019 9:07 AM |
Another vote for Cerave Body Moisturizer (or its cruelty-free alternative Aquation, available from Amazon).
Palmer's Coconut Body Lotion and Palmer's Night Cream
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toner
Derma E Radiance Toner
| by Anonymous | reply 39 | June 25, 2019 9:26 AM |
Well, my worst nightmare has happened and Stiefel's Impruv cream has been discontinued. From best I can tell something called Physiogel from Stiefel is the same stuff so I just ordered a tube on amazon ($30 for 150 ml which is about the same price). Will test and report back. The original stuff was [italic] gold. [/italic]
| by Anonymous | reply 40 | June 25, 2019 9:37 AM |
Thanks r40 - just went to buy it and was disappointed so thanks for the replacement info.
| by Anonymous | reply 41 | June 25, 2019 9:41 AM |
R41 So sorry for that. Believe me that NO ONE is more disappointed than I am. I usually ordered a year's worth at a time and every year I crossed my fingers it would still be around. I know better than to fall in love with some product but this one actually hurts. It's the only thing that has worked for my skin and that I could afford. I'm actually praying the stuff with the new name is just a re-package and I can carry on with happy skin. Will report back...
| by Anonymous | reply 42 | June 25, 2019 10:09 AM |
R40 R41The ingredients in Impruv and Physiogel are identical, so you should be okay.
| by Anonymous | reply 43 | June 25, 2019 10:31 AM |
I've read that the ridiculously expensive La Mer has virtually the same ingredients as regular Nivea (in the blue tin).
| by Anonymous | reply 44 | June 25, 2019 10:49 AM |
What about high end beauty products which can't be replicated on the cheap? Are there any which you really do have to pay top dollar for?
| by Anonymous | reply 45 | June 25, 2019 10:59 AM |
I can't use anything that has a fragrance in it. Paula's Choice is excellent in this regard. All their products are fragrance free.
| by Anonymous | reply 46 | June 25, 2019 11:02 AM |
To all of the retinol experts on here, I have insanely sensitive skin that goes red at the drop of a hat so I've been reluctant to try it. (I also think I am too old for anything to work at this point) Would it be OK for me to try, or should I indeed continue to avoid it? Any advice/product recommendations welcome. Thanks!
| by Anonymous | reply 47 | June 25, 2019 11:41 AM |
Queen Helene Mint Julip Mask!
Oh -- and the gallon jug of Helenesque.
| by Anonymous | reply 48 | June 25, 2019 11:45 AM |
I am a firm believer in Thayer's witch hazel products. The one with rose water added is an excellent toner!!!
| by Anonymous | reply 49 | June 25, 2019 12:31 PM |
I don't mean to insult you good people who are using these products but other than cleaning your skin, why do you need anything else? I've never used any kind of moisturizer or supplement or whatever and at age 65 get compliments on my skin. Genetics? I do wash with Cetaphil, though, on my doc's advice.
| by Anonymous | reply 50 | June 25, 2019 12:52 PM |
My hairdresser confessed that, if you have short hair that gets cut regularly, there's no need to spend money on expensive shampoos at all. If a shampoo dries or splits the ends of your hair, those ends will be cut off before you know it. And any benefit your hair gets from fancy shampoos will also be cut off in no time, because.....well....hair grows.
| by Anonymous | reply 51 | June 25, 2019 1:18 PM |
As far as hair care is concerned, conditioners/masks and skin serums is what matters. Shampoos don't. Find a cheap one that works for you and stick with it.
| by Anonymous | reply 52 | June 25, 2019 1:24 PM |
Carmex lip balm. As good as, if not better than dept store brands. Many beauty pros swear by it. No it's not extra luxe, but it's well formulated, does the job great and at just a couple of bucks you can slather it generously over heels or hands as well as lips.
| by Anonymous | reply 53 | June 25, 2019 1:32 PM |
I know all shampoos are basically similar but when I stay over at my sister's and use her Redken shampoo, my hair looks and feels better. I just can't justify spending $20 on a bottle.
| by Anonymous | reply 54 | June 25, 2019 1:52 PM |
Save loads of money on hair conditioners and masks. A half to one teaspoon of coconut or argan oil works just as well.
Save loads of money on a separate shampoo. Use shower gel or soap, if it's vegetable based.
| by Anonymous | reply 55 | June 25, 2019 1:55 PM |
[quote]35 for an 8 oz bottle of body moisturizer is outrageous.
That bottle would last forevah, though. A little squalane goes a long way.
| by Anonymous | reply 56 | June 25, 2019 2:01 PM |
Timeless Vitamin C Serum really is good, great ingredients and price and very fresh.
| by Anonymous | reply 57 | June 25, 2019 2:08 PM |
r49 beat me to the Thayer's witch hazel with rose petal. Works a fucking treat on my grizzled skin. The rose scent isn't fake smelling, it also doesn't linger so my fragile manhood remains intact on those increasingly rare occasions when I leave the house.
| by Anonymous | reply 58 | June 25, 2019 2:52 PM |
The Ordinary by Deciem is a great line. High-quality ingredients and simple formulas. Nice plain packaging. Everything comes in eyedroppers so you feel like a mad scientist mixing potions.
You have to do a bit of research to figure out which products you need for your skin but it’s fun. And cheap!
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 59 | June 25, 2019 2:56 PM |
An excellent resource with reviews about a wide range of potions and lotions is Paula's Choice. You'll find that many name-brand, well-known products have little to no benefit.
| by Anonymous | reply 60 | June 25, 2019 3:05 PM |
I use the Jimmy Dean product line. The grease from the pork patty softens crows feet and then I heat the patty up to 165 F and eat it for breakfast. It's safer not to use the spicey patties around the eyes.
| by Anonymous | reply 61 | June 25, 2019 3:16 PM |
Personal Care cocoa butter lotion from the Dollar Tree.
| by Anonymous | reply 62 | June 25, 2019 3:46 PM |
I have never washed my face with soap, I have never used anything but Pond's cold cream. Learned this from my mother, who, at almost 50 doesn't have any wrinkles at all.
| by Anonymous | reply 63 | June 25, 2019 3:55 PM |
r60 Not saying that is or isn't true, but she's got her own product line to flog so....
| by Anonymous | reply 64 | June 25, 2019 3:55 PM |
There's an old recipe for Ponds Cold Cream onlne, "before they changed the formula!!". I made it once, forget the ingredients except it did call for white beeswax. It was so stiff you had to trowel it on with a putty knife and then it was impossible to wipe off. But DIY lotions, cleaners and toners are fun to make.
| by Anonymous | reply 65 | July 3, 2019 4:24 AM |
I'm not a skin care guy, but someone recommended this stuff to me and I'm a convert. Korean snail cream. Does away with my forehead wrinkles, but you do have to keep using it faithfully.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 66 | July 3, 2019 6:09 AM |
Good genetics works better than any moisturizer
| by Anonymous | reply 67 | July 3, 2019 3:26 PM |
1) Agree with R2---as disgusting as it is! I have had bad bouts of eczema and sometimes vaseline is the only thing mny skin can tolerate. Ew.
2) Coconut oil---for skin, hair, small cuts & scrapes.
3) It's possible to live entirely without shampoo & conditioner. A bit of baking soda distributed at the scalp, rubbed in & outwards , then rinsed will clean your hair. If you have longish hair, a tablespoon of cider vinegar in a quart of water, rinsed and combed through your hair, then rinsed with fresh water will leave hair tangle free, soft & shiny. Total expense is maybe 25 cents. When I am on a beach vacation, I don't wash my hair every day, but I do rinse with clear water, vinegar water, and then clear water. If you use vinegar enough, your hair will get highlights.
| by Anonymous | reply 68 | July 3, 2019 3:37 PM |
I always recommend Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum.
[quote]In May 2007, Boots launched a £17 face cream that had been shown to reverse the signs of ageing. Mrs Madoff was one of millions desperate to use the cream, and Mrs Fenwick had to procure it for her. 'I had to buy tubs and tubes of Boots No7 Protect and Perfect Beauty Serum,' she said. 'I was buying five or six tubes at a time. We sent them over to Ruth in America. 'She'd heard about the cream because it had been discussed on television over there, but of course she could not get hold of it in New York, so I bought it for her. It was a key part of her beauty regime.'
| by Anonymous | reply 69 | July 3, 2019 3:42 PM |
R69 (nice)---No wonder Mrs Madoff is so lovely!
| by Anonymous | reply 70 | July 3, 2019 3:43 PM |
Another Korean snail products fan. The 92% snail filtrate (aka slime) creams make my skin feel so soft. There is also a snail serum, but it doesn't seem to do much of anything.
Cosrx and Mizon are two cruelty-free Korean companies. They claim that they obtain the snail filtrate through "exercising" their snails. I can't stop imagining someone at Cosrx going into the snail paddock, tossing a stick and yelling "Fetch!".
| by Anonymous | reply 71 | July 3, 2019 3:51 PM |
We had a thread like this several months ago and quite a few of us said we use Noxzema original on our face. We kept saying it didn't dry us out and we still got a dozen responses of "Doesn't it dry you out?"
No, especially if you use a moisturizer afterwards. I use Mario Badescu herbs and rosewater spray, The Ordinary hyaluronic acid serum followed by Neutrogena Healthy Skin face lotion, and my partner uses CeraVe and nothing else.
If you use multiple products like I do, use them at night before bed so they can soak in. After you put them on you get kind of a slick face look.
| by Anonymous | reply 72 | July 3, 2019 4:01 PM |
Compare what's in the name brand products with what's in the no name cheap products and you'll see they're usually exactly the same. You're just paying for the name when you buy the name brand products. That's the only difference.
| by Anonymous | reply 73 | July 3, 2019 4:05 PM |
^ paying more for the name brand products.
| by Anonymous | reply 74 | July 3, 2019 4:06 PM |
BIG 33% off sale at MUAC till July 8, 2019
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 75 | July 5, 2019 4:10 AM |
[quote]I am in my mid 40s but I lie about my age all the time, and people believe it! I told somebody last week that I'm 27 and he believed it!
Comments like this amuse me. Don't people realize that most humans are too polite to say, "No, you don't. You look DECADES older!"?
| by Anonymous | reply 76 | July 5, 2019 4:24 AM |
@R76 even though my font is new I've been visiting DL since the Bill Clinton years and read what you wrote in some form since then but some people actually do look younger than their age. People's guesses shave 10 years off my actual age. I keep fit take care of my skin, am hydrated. I know I look younger than my chronological age and am grateful.
| by Anonymous | reply 77 | July 5, 2019 4:31 AM |
R75/r77. I have bought many peels at MUAC for the past four years. At first I followed their advice to start at the lowest concentration but never saw much of a difference (probably waited too long to start, LOL) Last year I just plunged right in and got the highest, 45% strength for one, 65% for another. Still no perceptible difference but I've learned that I have the opposite of sensitive skin, whatever the opposite is.
The kicker was ordering a higher strength TCA peel. This is the one you have to be careful with, it can really do damage. And nada. I've come to the conclusion that when they dilute the 100% stuff to sell in tiny bottles at weaker strengths, that they aren't precise.
At least experimenting with peels pushed me into wearing sunscreen regularly. I've always been easy to tan. But now I regularly wear a hat and 70%. Too late to undo the damage though and the peels make one more vulnerable to more.
| by Anonymous | reply 78 | July 5, 2019 3:02 PM |
@R78 I'm surprised to read what you wrote but skincare isn't one size fits all. The 18 TCA peel peeled the skin right off my face like a snake took 4 days. I use it once every other month.
I use their .50 retinol every other night love the results.
Have you tried the product linked?
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 79 | July 6, 2019 5:08 AM |
Ha! I have the 65% Lactic and alternated it weekly with 50% Glycolic with an occasional 25% Salicylic thrown in. Nada. Had a red face briefly, looked like sunburn but that faded within hours.
Before that I was using a 12.5% TCA weekly, found a dermatologist on YouTube who demonstrated the best way to apply it (not that q-tip crap that MUAC recommends) and said it was better to do a mild TCA every week than a stronger one. But finally I felt like I'd prepped enough for 18%. 3 layers, never frosted, never peeled. At this point, I just want to get rid of some sunspots so I m just going to apply it there n the future.
| by Anonymous | reply 80 | July 6, 2019 1:51 PM |
@R80 If you want to lighten or brighten skin I highly recommend this. Maybe you've tried it? Worked for me. I've got my shopping cart ready for the 33% sale to stock up on things till 2020. I have quite a collection of MUAC items.
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 81 | July 8, 2019 11:46 AM |
No I haven't tried that one. I'm not sure that combining acids works better than individual high strength ones.
I am thinking about getting some of The Ordinary products. Hope springs eternal!
| by Anonymous | reply 82 | July 8, 2019 1:58 PM |
