I havn’t used Amazon for a few years and honestly, it just takes discounting it as a possibility. There’s no one website equivalent but the more you search for places to buy things, the more you build up a repertoire of sites for specific things.
I recommend Ethical Book Search for finding cheap second-hand books. Bookshop.org for new books.
Argos can be good if you need an assortment of random things, although it doesn’t always have everything.
Cass Art for art supplies and Love Crafts for knitting and sewing.
B&Q and Screwfix for DIY and home stuff.
There’s probably more places I use semi-regularly that I can’t think of right now. You often end up paying slightly more but I think it’s worth it to not support Bezos and I buy less stuff than I would otherwise which is good in the end anyway.
I’ve been travelling a lot lately and I seem to manage to forget something different each time…
But ideally:
Skincare: oil-based cleanser that I can use mornings and evenings, Byoma clarifying serum cos otherwise my skin is not happy, moisturiser, sun cream
Other: shampoo decanted into small bottle (my hair needs washing every other day), deodorant, tooth brush
Makeup: primer, glow drops, concealer, multi-purpose pink crayon (can be used as under-eye colour corrector, blush, lip liner and eye shadow depending what I feel like)
I tend not to bring conditioner (can live without), hair moisturising serum, exfoliating serum (only use once a week), eye liner, mascara, lip stick, brow gel, blush, setting powder, foundation but if I were going to a wedding or something I would probs bring all of these.