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Good skincare doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, so today I’m rounding up my favourite budget skincare brands.
As much as I think that it is important to invest in your skin, I don’t think you should have to waste money on expensive products when you can get something at a fraction of the cost.
Sure, you want to get a product that contains high-quality ingredients and that will deliver on it’s intended purpose. But it shouldn’t be a decision between saving your money and getting a good quality product.
Recently there have been far more brands offering cheaper skincare products.
I love this as it allows me to experiment a bit more with my skincare and try new products without the guilt of wasting too much money if it doesn’t work for me.
When it comes to these affordable brands there are a few that really stick out to me, those being The Ordinary, Beauty Pie, and French pharmacy brands such as La Roche-Posay, Embryolisse etc.
Today I’m talking about the very top of budget skincare brands.
The Ordinary
I love The Ordinary, I think the idea of stripping back formulas to cut down on prices is a great idea.
It can be a little hard to know which products will work for you, so if you’re not down with all the skincare lingo I’d highly recommend reading this post.
My two favourite products happen to be among The Ordinary’s newest releases; the Salicylic Acid 2% Masque (£9.90) and their Squalane Cleanser (£5.50).
These both came out earlier this year and were the first products of their respective categories, face masks and cleansers, to be brought out by the brand.
Salicylic Acid Masque
Starting off with the Salicylic Acid Masque, this is a product that intends to target lacklustre skin that suffers from oiliness and blemishes.
Salicylic acid is known for its ability to gently remove dead skin cells, revealing smooth and radiant skin underneath.
This mask also has charcoal and clay included in the ingredient line-up which makes it perfect for congested blemish-prone skin.
This is a dark, jelly-like mask that is a bit grainy in texture; once on the skin, it dries down quickly but doesn’t make your skin feel tight or uncomfortable at all.
I use this once or twice a week, normally on a Sunday night to get my skin ready for a week of wearing makeup, and will put it on before getting in the shower as if you use a flannel or cloth it will end up completely stained black.
I find this really helps to clear up my skin and keeps any blemishes or oiliness at bay, my skin feels smooth and looks radiant almost immediately after removal, working far better than any similar clay mask I’ve ever tried.
Just be aware that because salicylic acid is a BHA it makes your skin more sensitive to the sun so remember to use SPF.
Squalane Cleanser
Next, the Squalene Cleanser is basically everything that anyone could ever want in a cleansing product.
This is a super gentle cleanser that is packed full of Squalene, an emollient that is naturally found in the skin that helps to lock in moisture, it is also an antioxidant so can be found to help protect the skin from things like pollution.
The squalene in this cleanser means that it moisturises and nourishes the skin so you don’t have to worry about this formula drying out your skin, or leaving it feeling tight.
The product comes out like a balm and you are advised to rub it between your palms for between 10 and 30 seconds to transform it into a clear oil-like consistency.
It then works like your typical oil cleanser, making short work of any makeup.
I find that once water is added it emulsifies really quickly so it’s easy to remove and you don’t have to scrub too hard at your face with a cloth to get your skin squeaky clean.
Mandelic Acid
Finally from The Ordinary, we have the Mandelic Acid 10% + HA (£5.80).
This is a great gentle peeling product for those with sensitive skin and often find AHA’s to be too harsh for them.
Mandelic acid is an AHA, much like glycolic acid, which means it’s known to help remove the very top layer of skin to reveal a glowing complexion underneath.
AHA’s aid in reducing the signs of ageing by speeding up the rate of cell turnover, reducing pigmentation and helping with acne due to its antibacterial properties.
What makes mandelic acid so special is the fact that its molecular weight is far larger than other AHA’s, meaning it takes longer to penetrate the skin so it’s a far milder treatment.
I use this every other day in the evening and notice a big difference in my complexion, I look more glowy and radiant and my skin feels visibly smoother, but again you have to make sure to remember to use SPF with this product during the day.
Beauty Pie
It’s no secret that I love Beauty Pie, their products are great quality at prices that fall within most budgets.
They really encompass the idea that good beauty products don’t need to cost the earth which is something that me, and my bank account, love.
I have rambled on about their products enough on my blog in the past, even dedicating a whole post going through all of the products that I have tried from them.
For me, their standout skincare products are the Super Pore-Detox Black Clay Mask (£7.55), the Plantastic Micropeeling Super Drops (£7.62), and the Japanfusion Pure Transforming Cleanser (£5.87).
If you want to read my full thoughts on these products, read this post, or this post.
French Pharmacy
I’ve always been a fan of French Pharmacy products, especially after living in France for a year during my study abroad I have developed a particular soft-spot for anything that is French.
They are probably verging on the edge of being affordable, brands like Nuxe and Caudalie do have products that are slightly pricey but on the whole, I would not class this category as being high-end, just perhaps not as budget as the likes of The Ordinary and Beauty Pie.
Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre
Forget about baguettes and red wine, Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre (£20.00) has to be the most important French export.
A holy grail amongst makeup artists and average beauty lovers alike, this moisturiser is perfect and makes my skin feel so good.
It’s super moisturising and creates the perfect smooth base to work as the pillars holding up the rest of your makeup.
This is a special product and one that I’m sure most people have tried, it is most definitely one of my holy grails.
La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Eyes
The final product to round up this post is La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Eyes (£16), a light gel eye cream that is thin enough in consistency to feel comfortable underneath the eyes but still packs a punch in terms of hydration.
I am a bit funny with eye creams, I hate anything that is too thick but at the time my eyes get very dry so I need something more heavy-duty to keep them hydrated throughout the day, and this eye cream does everything I want.
It helps to relieve my tired eyes in the morning and I never have a problem with using concealer over the top, it’s just perfect.
