Budget beauty brands

[Fivefootoffun]

There’s been a few recent threads about own brand foods etc and was hoping for some up to date recommendations for the same in beauty products/skin care. On my mat leave with DC2 and feel like my skin has aged a decade in a year! Combination of maternity pay and a furloughed DH means I really don’t have much spare cash for designer beauty brands but was hoping for some recommendations for high street equivalents. I hear Aldi do some good options but I’ve no idea where to start.

Thanks in advance!

I love ELF make up; it's an American brand which you can buy at Superdrug and also online on the ELF website. It's super cheap but the products are brilliant.

What are you looking for ?
You could look on Superdrug ( and I have an ELF brow pencil which is really good , lasts ages )
Revolution is excellent (my DD has some of their make-up and the skin care)

Or you could look on QVC they have Tarte and IT Cosmetics, Mally ., Bare Minerals
Sometimes great value kits and 3-4 Easy Pay.

M&S are good for make-up too.

I buy Aldi facewash, skin care by the ordinary, superdrug sunblocks, hair stuff, body creams etc.

It doesn’t cost a lot.

Great thanks a lot for these. Will check out Superdrug for the make up.

My skincare routine now is really poor - really just moisturiser and facewash. I want good eye cream and also some cleanser/serum etc maybe! The lines around my eyes are the worst I think (years of reading in the sun, squinting, without proper eye protection)

Thanks everyone, much appreciated!

Try Beauty Pie, it's a subscription, eg £10 a month and then you get a big discount on their own products which are amazing.

I love the superdrug own brand skincare products. Their Vitamin E range is great, and I use the day and night creams. At the beginning of last winter I moved to their Simply Pure range for the serums, and I've loved them. I have really sensitive, dry skin and I've never reacted to any of their products, whilst big high street brands turn me into a sore skinned, peeling, weeping mess, by and large.

My favourite cleanser is the Cerave non foaming hydrating gel cleanser. It's all I use, gets rid of everything when used with a flannel. Again, other products make my skin scream, so I'm being faithful.

I agree on Superdrug own brand - the .B, Naturally Radiant, Vitamin E and Simply ranges are all wonderful and I've dropped all my previous very expensive products pretty much exclusively for Superdrug ranges ( I used to use Eve Lom, Clarins, Origins, Lancome amongst others). I love the Vitamin E hot cloth cleanser (I use a flannel with mine) the Naturally Radiant eye cream, the .B age range serums etc - I stock up when they do half price offers of buy one get one free. I spend the £££ on make-up!

Revolution makeup and skincare are fantastic, you can buy directly from their website or from Superdrug. They have a great range of shades in their makeup and their skincare collection caters for pretty much every need.

For skincare I ordered some bits from Upcircle beauty... i started with a couple of their pamper kits (£6) which do only contain teeny samples but I used them sparingly.

The coffee scrub was too harsh for my sensitive face but the cleansing balm and coffee serum I adore. I've gone from not being arsed to cleanse to cleansing and using the serum daily!

Fantastic, thanks for this - exactly the info I was hoping for. Looks like it’s Superdrug will be first place on my list post lockdown.

Thanks a lot - much appreciated!

The ordinary!

Superdrug own brands are great for skincare. It seems pretty unanimous!

I think prioritise what you spend on what it does ie cleansers just need to remove grime and their not on your face a long time so I don’t need a pricey one.

The things that work like retinol, proper sunblock, vitamin c have been working for years but it wouldn’t sell any magazine if they don’t constantly flog the next new skin thing that turns out to be another permutation of water mixed with glycerin.

I don’t hold with eye cream either, I think it gives you bags. I just touch my eyes after moisturising so a bit of cream goes on.

The inkey list for skincare is fab! Boots and Cult Beauty stock it

Superdrug own brand - again! Apart from the micellar which wasnt harsh enough for my gnarly face!!

@Fluffycloudland77 thanks that’s really helpful advice. Much appreciated.

OP you can take most creams up to your eyes and really eye creams aren't needed. Dr Sam Bunting says the same, check her out at YouTube.
The essential are: face cleansing, sunblock and retinol at night. You can add vitamin c and niaciamide (but not use at the same time).
The ordinary and Inkey have affordable skincare.
La Roche Posay does great skincare.
Revolution great for make up.

Sounds gross, but not washing your face much!!

Most products of any kind make my skin all itchy, creams make it spotty too. Can't afford anything but the absolute cheapest (intrigued about the superdrug though thanks for that).

But seriously, I rarely ever 'wash' my face. It gets water splashed on it in the shower once every day or two yes, and a gentle rub when getting dry but that's it. I don't wear much make up and not everyday. If I wear eye make up I do use eye make up remover, but don't remove the small amount foundation I use a few times a week .

It's not that I have naturally good skin, I used to have bad acne and now have reactive combination skin. It's just that the more it's left alone without products, the better. I get told I look younger than I am too.

Lots of sleep, use sunblock if going in sun for more than 15 mins, lots of water, lots of veg, and leave skin alone!!

I have to agree with all the Superdrug recommendations. A few years ago I went totally cruelty free and as such dropped all my expensive stuff...couldn’t find any better and my skin looks great for it! I use glycolic toner and 2in1 serum and a few nights a week the overnight mask. Stocked up last week and it’s all half price too! Also with make up - again cruelty free - love primark mascara (gold tube) and eyebrow pencil and revolution powder and eyeshadow palettes - so cheap and good!

@Immigrantsong thanks a lot will check that out on YouTube.

@woodpidgeons thanks a lot for the tips

@sarbear - brilliant will check out the sale! Many thanks

I like Revolution. They have a large range of make up, lots of inclusive shades, lots of price points. Some are a bit teenager (glitter/unicorns) but a lot is very good for the more mature female. Their website has a much bigger range than the shops. They have some Pro ranges too. Brushes are good.

They also have a large skincare range now, similar to The Ordinary etc. I have not used any of the products but have just ordered something called a cloud primer and a face mask.

Superdrug do seem to know what they are doing. I use their Simply Pure serum as an eye cream, the Style Expertise hair serum and their own brand cuticle cream, all great products. Would definitely try some others.

Not washing your face might work for you @woodpidgeons, but it’s generally not great advice, particularly with regular use of sunscreen and foundation.