Welcome back you skincare fiends! How are you and most importantly, how is your skin doing? We all know the cost of living is skyrocketing so I thought I would share 10 beauty buys I love £20 and under. I love them not only because of the price but they work for my skin. Let me preface this by saying, everyone’s skin is different and what works for me, won’t necessarily work for you. Vice versa.
10 Beauty Buys I love £20 and Under
SPF
Coming right out the gate with sun protection because we’re in summer and it’s more important to use spf now more than ever. The brand, Thank You Farmer, is such an elegant looking tube and costs £20. It’s brown and black girl friendly in that it rubs in effortlessly and doesn’t give you the dreaded casper look. Also, I find it pretty hydrating and gives my skin a bit of a glow. Its cruelty free and a mix of chemical and physical filters from a Korean brand. I like it a lot and have repurchased.
Cleansers
One of the things that I’ve been taught is that you can save money on your cleansers and spend the money on serums. So here are a few that I love £20 and under.
Boots Vitamin C cleansing gel which starts off at £4 and I also use as a shower gel. If you’re new here I contracted chickenpox pretty severely in April 2022 and it’s a process. I found this cleansing gel in Boots and absolutely love it. It helps brighten skin and reduce hyperpigmentation. Read more here.
Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel is £16 for 35ml and one that I am yet to do a full brand review so let me know if you’re interested. It reduces inflammation, soothes and detoxifies because it contains magnesium, vitamin B2 and C. There’s also vitamin A palmitate which improves sun damaged dry and mature skin. A great cleanser during winter when I’m in and out of cold and heating.
Toners
I wasn’t big into toners until I tried a few and realised how much I need this. The Glow Tonic from Ren Clean Beauty is at the top of my list and whilst it generally costs £28 for 250ml, you can get the 100 ml for under £20. You can also read my review on it here.
Another toner I like is the Fenty Fat Water. It’s a hybrid of a toner and serum in one and like the name suggests, it feels like fat water. There’s all sort of deliciousness in it such as, niacinamide, Barbados cherry, cactus flower, witch hazel water and more to help refine pores, hydrate and brighten the skin. It is over £20 on it’s own but I buy the travel size set which comes with the cleanser and it lasts me at least a month.
Face Masks
Although I wouldn’t consider face masks essential when you have a proper skincare regimen, they are really nice. There’s something quite relaxing about using one once or more times a week. Here are the ones I like £20 and under.
I love a good sheet mask and Dr Jart is the best I’ve tried so far. There are many but my 2 favourite are; Ceramidin Barrier facial mask which is great when you need something to help with your skin barrier. A little extra moisturising tlc. It comes in at £7 per sheet mask and Boots do have discounts on them from time to time.
The next is Dr Jart Dermask Water Jet Hydra Solution. This is such a great mask for when you need a quick injection of hydration into your skin. It contains humectants, aloe vera leaf and seaweed extracts. It will only set you back £6 per mask.
A sheet mask is great for post travel or if you’re on a long haul flight and need to keep skin hydrated. It won’t be added to your liquid allowance so really good when you’re travelling with hand luggage only.
Body Products
Tell me you don’t love your skin to feel smooth and soft? Exactly! I know there are expensive products, which I sometimes use, however nothing beats affordable and something that works.
Exfoliation is the key and I always start with the basics, exfoliating gloves. I use these gloves every time I shower because no shower is complete without them. You can purchase them from your little beauty supply shop to Amazon.
Once a week, I like to use a body scrub because I’m extra and I enjoy the feeling because it feels like a reset. The Sanctuary Spa has an excellent body scrub however, the best one is the Natural Oils Salt Scrub. It has essential oils such as jojoba oil, almond oil and sea salt so your skin feels nourished and glowy after using.
Another body scrub I’ve added in rotation is Dr Teal’s Epsom Salt and Vitamin C. You can use it to soak away your aches or, as a scrub mixed with your body wash. Not only will it help to ease the tension in your muscles but also promote glowing skin. The citrus scent can help you improve your mood too. I purchased mine from TKMaxx for under £10 a bag.
Supplements for Skin
I’m not a doctor nor am I a nutritionist, I can only share what I use and what works for me. Putting things on your body can only go so far. A combined approach of what goes into and on your body is a perspective that works for me. Also, the things that you don’t put in your body helps. Think cigarettes, too much alcohol and sugar.
For me prebiotics and probiotics are incredibly helpful. I tend to use The Beauty Chef range and after using the powders for some time in water or in smoothies, I realise that the liquids are better for me in terms of absorption. Plus they’re under £20 and I can actually see a difference quicker. My skin looks a bit radiant and loses any lack lustre appearance after travelling. Have you tried any supplements before?
I’d love to know if you’ve tried the 10 beauty buys I love £20 and under before? What’s on your list? Let me know in the comments below.
As always, thank you for reading and until next time, be well! x
