I wash my make up brushes with my face wash - Tea Tree and Witch Hazel foaming face wash from Boots. I just pump a little into the palm of my hand, swirl my brush around in it and swill it out under the tap, and it works brilliantly! I've not actually used an actual brush cleaner such as Elf's daily brush cleaner as I've always found that my face wash is good enough. Also some from mac and other high end cleaners cost £10+ which I think is a bit ridiculous. Using my face wash instead of brush cleaners also means I get the added effect of having tea tree in it, which makes my brushes smell great and tea tree is also great for combating spots. 

It's also really easy to use as you just pump it out into your hand and gets deep into the brushes. As for as I can see the Elf one is just a spray which isn't great for getting right into the brush where bacteria builds up. It is meant to be a daily cleaner so a spray bottle is good for just a quick clean, but I would definitely advise doing a deep clean at least every fortnight. 

Pricing of brush cleaners vary. For this Elf one it's £3.95 for 60ml (not including p+p), and for higher end ones, Mac is £10 for 235ml. The Boots face wash is only £3.59 for 150ml! It also means you only have to buy one product instead of a separate face wash and brush cleaner. 

You can get the products mentioned here:

Tea tree and Witch Hazel foaming face wash by Boots.

Elf Daily brush cleaner.

Mac brush cleanser.

So which one would/do you prefer? How do you clean your make up brushes?

Thanking you,

Naomi

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Why, hello there...

Shaving our legs is often seen as a chore, especially when you need so many things to keep them in check: Razor, razor heads, shaving gel, moisturiser. So saving money but still getting smooth legs is always a plus. Some shaving gels/foams can be quite pricey, and even the standard ones such as Satin Care by wilkinson sword cost about £3.49. But recently I've seen that quite a few people have said about using conditioner instead. It's actually really good! Alberto Balsam's conditioner is really creamy and they have a range of amazing smells, and they're only 99p! They also give you the same amount (200 ml) so it's a massive saving. Although it doesn't foam or lather up like a gel does, it still leaves your legs feeling smooth. There isn't much in terms of packaging apart from the fact that Satin Care is in a metal bottle so it's more sturdy, but I like the fact that I can see how much is left in the Alberto Balsam one so I know when it's nearly all gone.

You can get Satin Care from here, and Alberto Balsam here.

Have you ever tried this? Do you think you will now?

Thanking you,

Naomi

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I've done 2 other Save Vs Splurge posts! 

Battle of the Cocoa butters.

An alternative to Scrubs? 

Why, hello there...

My last Save Vs Splurge seemed to be quite popular, so here's another one! This time we're talking about scrubs/exfoliators Vs massage sponges.

I personally have never used Soap and Glory (shocking for a beauty blogger, I know) but I have used other scrubs such as St Ives and Natural Source. But one thing I have been using for ages is the massage sponge. It basically does the same job as a body scrub, but is cheaper and doesn't have little bits getting everywhere. I use mine particularly on my legs and if needed on my face if it really needs a good scrub. Some scrubs can be quite thin in terms of amount of beads/granules in the product, which effects how abrasive it is. Massage sponges when you first get them are quite strong and abrasive but get softer over time, so it's mostly down to personal preference.

 Although the sponge obviously doesn't smell nice like a scrub, you can still put your favourite bath/shower gel on the sponge which means you're washing and exfoliating at the same time! This Soap and Glory sugar crush retails for £8 where as the massage sponge from Boots is only £2.89 and I'm sure you can get cheaper ones from the supermarket. The one down side to the sponge is that you'll need to replace it more often to keep it hygienic, where as with a scrub they can last quite a long time. But you would still need to buy at least 2 sponges to match up to the price of the scrub. I still use a scrub for my face, but I find it more effective using a massage sponge for my legs depending on how abrasive I want to be.

What's your opinion on scrubs? Do you use a massage sponge? 

Thanking you,

Naomi

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Why, hello there...

I've been wanting to start these types of posts for a while now, it was just a matter of getting all my ideas together to get it started. This blog is about finding the cheaper side of beauty/fashion, so these Save Vs Splurge posts are going to show you alternatives for the higher end or more expensive products on the market at the moment. Lets get started with the first post!

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula has been a cult winter product for quite some time now, with bloggers and their mothers all using it. It is great for dry skin, even eczema, over the winter months and has a great smell, but the Skin Systems Cocoa body lotion is exactly the same for a fraction of the price. This Palmer's bottle is only 250ml and costs £3.99 at Boots. The Skin System one is 400ml and is a steal at only £1.04 for ASDA. It still has a nice smell and does the job. I don't really care about the packaging, as long as it's easy to use and does its job. But if you are concerned about what it looks like, I would say Palmer's has the edge on this. The one difference I would say is that the Palmer's one is slightly thicker which you may prefer, but if you're trying to save a few pennies then the Skin Systems one is definitely worth a try. I personally get dry skin on my face and this has been good at keeping it under control and is also great for my legs. You can't go wrong at only £1.04.

Have you tried either of these products?

Thanking you,

Naomi

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