I often think the true measure of a good beauty product is if you continuously repurchase it. It’s a little harder with makeup products as they often take years to even ‘hit pan’ with, let alone fully use up. But with skincare, if you are using them daily, there’s the chance you may repurchase them several times within a year.
This is why I thought it was worth sharing the skincare products I cannot be without and repurchase without fail.
Unfortunately, there are a few categories I can’t cover such as face masks and cleansers as I have quite a wide range of choices so I like to rotate them, meaning it’s very rare I will come to the end of a product. However, there are still a lot of products I don’t own a bathroom cabinets worth of that I get through pretty regularly, for example, daily moisturiser and makeup remover.
These to me as the most solid product recommendations I can give as they have stood the test of time and as long as they are a fit for your own skin types I don’t see why you wouldn’t love them just as much! I really hope you find some gems here especially as most products here are on a budget and can be easily picked up.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel Moisturiser (£12.99 now £6.49)
When it comes to a daily moisturiser I always looked for something that’s lightweight and easily absorbed for my oily/combination skin and I simply found that in Neutrogena’s Hydro Boots Water Gel. Packed with hyaluronic acid this is the type of moisturiser your skin drinks up but not it a ‘did I even apply moisturiser?’ kind of way but one where your skin feels comfortable, hydrated and not in the least bit greasy.
In the past few years, I have gone through at least 6 pots of this as it’s my go-to moisturiser, it also makes me realise how amazing water gel moisturisers are on oily skin. I’ve yet to find one that’s broke me out or increases oily production.
I’ve also discovered just this year that I love the Neutrogena Hydro Boots Gel Cream, which I presumed would be a much heavier formula, but in fact, still suits my combination skin especially when it’s feeling in need of extra hydration. For that reason I know I will be opting for it over my beloved water gel come winter.
Will Neutrogena Hydro Boots Water Gel do wonders for ageing skin? Most likely not, it is a simple gel moisturiser after all. But if you are after something that will keep the skin plump-feeling, hydrated and a good base for applying makeup onto then this is a good option.
Savvy Tip: The retail price is £12.99 but every few months all the main stockists (Boots, Tesco, Amazon, etc) will have it on offer for a little as £6.50 which is when I pick up my backups. Just worth noting if you decided to give it a try!
Origins Super Spot Remover Blemish Treatment Gel (£16)
From hormonal breakouts to the odd pimple that appears like a volcano overnight I think everyone needs at least one spot treatment they can rely on.
For years I tried countless spot treatments and found them to either do nothing at all or to dramatically dry out the skin, leaving behind a crusty mess that would then need to be treated with moisturiser.
But then I bit the bullet and decided to try out Origins Super Spot Remover which came as a recommendation. I’ll be honest I wasn’t too thrilled to be paying £16 for the 10ml size, which looks and feels incredibly tiny, but with rave reviews, I decided it was worth taking a risk on.
Fast forward 4+ years and this is the only spot treatment I own and have continuously re-purchased every year or so (the 10ml size surprisingly goes a long way).
I find the salicylic acid-based treatment to work best when applied to freshly cleansed skin just before bed as it has all night to get to work. Within even 10 hours I find redness/inflammation is reduced which improves the appearance and the spots start to show signs of clearing up.
I generally will apply a small amount of the gel for 2-3 days at most as that is all it takes for my blemishes to now clear up. I also find once blemishes are fully healed there’s no dry skin or redness left behind which is amazing.
If you are someone that experiences spots due to clogged pores and just generally having oily skin then this is worth giving a go!
Savvy Tip: Origins Super Spot Remover can be found full-size in quite a few Origins gift sets often meaning you get to try out other products for only a little extra spend. I manage to pick up the Origins Bestsellers gift set each year in the Boxing Day sales and now prefer to spend £5 extra on a selection of products rather than the spot treatment alone.
Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant 13g (£14)
Years and years ago after ditching abrasive physical exfoliators I came across rice-based powder exfoliants, first with one from DHC and then with this from Dermalogica and I was instantly impressed.
This small bottle of what is essentially a foaming rice powder lives in my shower to ensure I use it regularly and truly leaves from skin feeling much softer every time.
For me, this is what I’d class as a gentle exfoliant but none the less it gives results, keeping the skin looking smooth and bright.
With salicylic acid and rice enzymes, the grey-toned powder is sprinkled onto very wet hands which you then massage together to create a foam-like paste that you apply to the face and massage. I also quite like to let it sit on my skin while I rinse out my hair conditioner.
A little goes a long with this product, I repurchase it every year if that and I always like to purchase the smaller size simply because I worry I will end up getting water in it and ruining it - although that’s never happened.
If you are on the hunt for a gentle yet effective everyday exfoliator I really don’t think you can go far wrong with this.
Garnier Micellar Water for Sensitve Skin 400ml (£5.99)
When something is such a basic staple it can seem too boring to mention, which is why I was tempted to not include Garnier’s Micellar Water. But it is a product I use without fail to quickly remove makeup before I cleanse so it deserves acknowledging I guess.
Although I'm pretty certain most people have tried this at some point!
But on the chance you haven’t let me tell you this is one pretty good micellar water, especially for the money. In fact, Garnier Micellar Water is the only micellar water recognised by the British Skin Foundation and Allergy UK due to its proven gentle soothing formula.
I don’t find micellar water enough to fully cleanse the skin but as a quick option for removing eye and face makeup, it works exceedingly well.
While I won’t stray too far from the original I am interested in trying out the new Garnier Micellar Hyaluronic Aloe Water next as it claims to be a tad more hydrating on the skin which I can always do with.
The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution (£6.30)
Lastly, a face mask that I view as more of a weekly treatment. This acid-based mask applies with a sticky red/blood-looking formula and transforms the skin in under 10 minutes! Described as a game-changer by many, this is incredible value for money if you are looking to dramatically smooth skin texture.
For me, this not only gives baby soft skin but it helps with congestion around my chin and jawline which is especially good when my skin is hormonal.
This is one of The Ordinary’s sell-out products as it is that good and while I always find it tricky to get hold of it will always be worth hunting down for the instant effects it gives.
I would love to hear if you have your own skincare repurchases in the comments below.
Fee xo.
