There was a period of time where I truly believed the more you spent on skincare the better your skin would be. Then I realised, while products with good ingredients do help, the main focus should always lay with thoroughly cleansing the skin and having a skincare routine that suits your skin and is maintainable.
This is why I'm now included a lot more budget skincare finds into my routine. I mean, why not! They work, and it saves me money. That's the thing, isn't it? It's amazing finding premium skincare products work wonders but then you realise you are applying them daily and will have to repurchase them over and over if you want to keep your skin looking and feeling as good.
So while I do have a few more pricey skincare favourites in my routine, I'm very much focused on seeking out good budget skincare that doesn't break the bank, and trust me, it's out there! Below I have four amazing skincare products priced at no more than £10 that I've simply been so impressed with lately.
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Makeup Revolution Pink Clay Detoxifying Mask (£8)
Face masks are always a boost to the skin I find. This is why I like to try to fit in two face masks every week if I can!
The face mask I'm currently using the most is the fairly new Makeup Revolution Pin Clay Detoxifying Mask that is the kind of face mask that dries fast, makes you not want to move any facial muscles and visibly soaks up excess oil. Basically, this is a toned-down version of the cult Sand & Sky Pink Clay Mask that retails for £40!
I personally love a clay mask and so far I've found pink clay masks really pleasant to use. They are somewhere in the middle when it comes to opting for a clay-based mask; oil-absorbing and pore-clearing without drying out the skin. This really is a face mask for them oilier times of the month and when the skin is feeling congested.
I've tried a few face masks from Makeup Revolution and this is so far my favourite! Simply a nice treat for oily & combination skin, especially if you apply it with a brush.
Lacura Healthy Glow Retinol Toner (£3.99)
Next up, a skincare product I've been using pretty much every day for the past 2 months and really think I need to bulk buy in case it disappears from Aldi shelves, which let's face it, is likely to happen!
Having tried Lacura's dupe for Pixi Glow Tonic and found it okay but nothing amazing I didn't have too much hope for their Pixi Retinol Tonic dupe. Also never trying a retinol product before I wasn't sure what to expect other than a bit of skin smoothing, possibly. But I was willing to give it a try as I do like to finish off with some kind of toner after my evening cleansing routine.
Fast forward 8+ weeks and I think I'm converted to retinol (well I guess a very diluted dose!) because any textural issues I once had are now gone! I'm talking general bumpy areas of skin, especially around my chin area from clogged pores. And those pesky little forehead spots - totally gone! I've also found it's even brought down redness around my nose and chin.
This truly is the first exfoliating toner that has felt totally lightweight and residue-free while actually improving skin texture in what feels like a delicate way. I'm totally sold on this dupe!
Garnier Aloe Extract Moisturiser Day Cream (£2.99)
Opting for a seriously budget moisturiser over a premium one is a tricky thing because I feel spending anywhere from £20 upwards can get you a really hydrating cream that your skin with drink up and love you for, whatever your skin type. Go for a total bargain on the other hand and I always find those high hydration levels just aren't there, plus they just don't soak in as fast I find.
However, if you are getting enough hydration and moisture from the rest of your skincare or you simply find you don't mind mediocre hydration in a day cream then this Garnier moisturiser with aloe extract is a good one.
With a gel-like formula, this is a cooling cream that feels refreshing to apply in the morning (it has an after-sun feel to it thanks to the aloe vera). It's also light and does pep up the skin before makeup, softening any dry areas and adding a touch of hydration to the top levels of the skin.
On lazy days when I'm going makeup-free and generally lazing around, I will wash my face and then apply this and my skin really is happy enough. I can't see this replacing my favourite Sunday Riley moisturiser but it's definitely a nice simple day cream for the low price.
Eco-Friendly Bamboo Cotton Makeup Remover Pads (£9.99)
Finally, the product that actually made me want to write a budget skincare post as I've been thinking a lot about saving money, sustainability and being more environmentally friendly recently. Which is why a month or so ago I decided to stop buying cotton pads to remove my makeup and apply toner with because I was buying them monthly and they do end up in landfill.
I did my research and decided to opt for one of the larger sets of bamboo fabric makeup remover pads (it comes with 16 pads) so that I could use half of them over the course of a week and wash them while using the rest, meaning only two washes per month.
With a slight texture to them the pads remove even waterproof makeup well and when pressed lightly over the eyes for 20 seconds or so even remove mascara without hurting the surrounding skin. The wash bag has also been handy to store the used makeup remover pads in between washes and is good quality with a zip.... side note: You could 100% use it for washing bra's in as well!
While I would like to pick up a smaller set of softer microfibre type pads for removing eye makeup, these do the job pretty well and really have cut down my cotton pads usage. Now I just need to find a solution for removing nail polish!
Have you picked up any low-cost skincare products recently? I've love to know!
Fee xo.
