This was originally due to be a blog post of 10 budget buys, but I’ve woken up with an acute case of the sniffles. Therefore, as needs must, I’m posting Part 1 of my Budget Buys under £10 this week, and Part 2 (more buys under £10) will be following at a stage where I’m less congested.
In compiling this list, I wanted to source not just ‘cheap products’, but products that offered great value for money, and performed a great deal better than their price tag would have you believe. I firmly believe that it is possible to get good quality on a beauty budget, from make-up to body care, whether you shop on the High Street or online, there really is something out there for everyone.
(Selection of my current favourites (l-r): Take it Outside, Madison Avenue, Bordeaux, Sole Mate & After School Boy Blazer)
Essie nail polishes £7.99 – this was a very tough category: I knew I would include a budget nail polish, but Essie was run a very close race by Rimmel Nails Pro, Models Own and Barry M’s Gel Nails range, all of whom are frankly awesome. I genuinely believe that we get a great deal in the UK when it comes to budget nail colour: in fact, we’re pretty spoilt for choice.
I went with Essie simply because this range isn’t afraid to go with the unusual picks: colour launches such as peach during the winter, dark teal for the height of summer – Essie have rewritten the rules on what goes, which I find, for a leading cosmetic brand, to be extremely refreshing. The classics of Essie I could almost recite by heart: Chinchilly, Mademoiselle, Mint Candy Apple, Russian Roulette. But I do love the limited editions. When I finish my little bottle of After School Boy Blazer, I shall whimper as it’s consigned to the waste basket.
Nivea Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser for Dry Skin £3.75 – £5.25 This was an easy pick for my Budget Buys, as I’ve been using this product for years – and I do mean YEARS. Nivea’s a brand with some serious heritage behind it and their products really have stood the test of time, being repurchased by consumers over and over again.
I adore the Rich Nourishing Body Moisturiser (the ‘blue bottle’) because it tackles dry skin without any nonsense. Its reassuring ability to hydrate each and every time, with that gentle Nivea scent that doesn’t intrude on perfume or body spray, is what makes this product such great value. You don’t need a lot – a little really does go a long way. It doesn’t sit on the skin for ages after application either – despite being called a ‘rich’ moisturiser, I would call this a perfect mid-weight lotion for those who want something substantial, but don’t want a body butter or cream. It’s right up there with salted caramel hot chocolate and comedy mittens as one of my favourite winter staples.
Soap and Glory Sexy Mother Blusher £9 – Soap and Glory is a brand that does particularly well in offering great value at budget level: there are many more products I could’ve added to this list, including their body washes and face masks, but I decided to focus on the products that don’t get as much praise as they should. The Sexy Mother Blusher is a cream-stick blusher that dispenses a beautiful, translucent wash of colour. Easy to blend and control, this can be built from the sheerest tint to a more defined look. Word of warning; the shades look very deep in the tube, but they will apply onto the skin very delicately. Test ‘em out before you buy, but to be honest you can’t go wrong with Pinker Belle as the perfect hit of pink, or Berry Jamm for a classic winter shade. In short, the quality of this blusher is well in excess of its £9 price tag – and worth checking out.
Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub £8 – this scrub really is a feast for the senses. Loaded with sweet lime oil and smashed brown sugar (really), this is a tropically-scented treat that is a total pleasure to use. However, as with all S&G body products, the scent is only half the story. This scrub, which also contains sea salt, is a perfect exfoliator if you’ve found some other scrubs too harsh on the skin. Sugar Crush tackles rough patches without ever feeling scratchy, thanks to that oil-based formula. It has great ‘slip’, rinsing off when you want it to – the density of the scrub is perfectly balanced and sits on the skin without melting off until you’re done with it. If you’ve found body scrubs a frustrating experience until now – give Sugar Crush a go. I think you’ll be well and truly smitten.
Cowshed Lippy Cow Natural Lip Balm £5 – a lip balm that proves cult beauty doesn’t always cost a small fortune.
Containing Linden Blossom and Rose Geranium essential oils, this is a simply-constructed, but extremely effective product. In a world where you sometimes need a PhD to understand what goes into a tube of moisturiser, this soothing, protecting balm doesn’t hide behind a complicated list of chemical ingredients. The texture of the balm is lovely and malleable, and only a tiny amount is needed each time. It’s does a great job of protecting you against the elements without feeling like a layer of lard on your lips. Ideal for this time of year, this is that rare thing: a lip balm that actually does what it says it will. Guard it with your life.
Next time for Part 2 Budget Buys (under £10), I will be including brands such as Max Factor, Boots Botanics, Burts’ Bees and Neutrogena….ooh the anticipation…I’m now off to drown my sniffly sorrows in a very large Lemsip.
HELEN TOPE
designergirl77 