With the beauty aisles brimming with products from £3 to £300 (and beyond), let the ELLE beauty editors guide you on where to save and where to splurge to make your routine work harder for you and your wallet.
Katy Young: Moisturisers vs Serums
Many of us will save the big bucks for skincare: in the UK, we collectively rack up a bill of £1.6 billion a year. For the most part, I’m OK with that – why spend heaps of money on make-up to cover what lies beneath? It’s far better to work on the basics.
Some skincare is basic. Where serums are complicated, for good reason, moisturisers are beautifully straightforward. Just a couple of ingredients – humectants to hold water, emulsifiers for slip – do one job, which means no need for hidden extras or costs. Outspo-ken dermatologists will go one step further and tell you that skin in good working order doesn’t need moisturiser at all. But my past experiences with long-haul flights, the first signs of perimenopause, or the cold days of winter tell me otherwise. They leave my face feeling thirsty for hydration.
On those occasions, a pleasing dollop of Cerave or Avène cream (both under £10) is always enough.
Skinceuticals C E Ferulic
CeraVe Moisturising Cream
Avène Cicalfate + Restorative Protective Cream
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Age Repair Serum
Medik8 Hydr8 B5™ Intense
Serums are another matter. Their water- or oil-based nature allows for smaller, more active molecules to penetrate your skin. That’s why most brands get excited about serums, funnelling their best research and ingredients, as well as their highest prices, into those little bottles. It tends to follow that serum will be your biggest skincare investment.
When shopping for one, look out for the big five: hyaluronic acid to hydrate, vitamin C for dark spots, niacinamide to recondition, vitamin A for fine lines, and possibly a glycolic, azelaic or salicylic-acid serum for breakouts. Some have two or more ingredients in one, sparing you a few pounds, and you can also save by shopping smart.
Stick to reputable names (my favourites include SkinCeuticals, Estée Lauder and Medik8) and get to know your percentages; start at 10% vitamin C, and no more than 0.25% for retinol. Sort out a serum strategy, and you won’t need to spend on moisturiser at all.
Jennifer George: Showers vs Baths
When it comes to my bathing rituals, I put showers in the practical camp and consider baths a weekly treat – maybe more so in the winter, less in the height of summer. My morning shower is always a post-many-snooze-buttons rush, with a focus on cleaning my hair, so I’m not too bothered about a fancy body wash that will be on and off my skin in a matter of seconds. That doesn’t mean I scrimp on texture, though. Call me childish, but I’m a sucker for a foaming gel (Rituals’ offerings give a particularly luscious lather that leaves skin feeling lovely and nourished). If you’re far too sensible for a solo foam party, Caudalie’s shower gels area snip at £10. My favourite is Soleil des Vignes, which smells like sun-drenched summer holidays.
Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil
Rituals The Ritual Of Karma Foaming Shower Gel
Caudalie Soleil des Vignes Shower Gel
Baths, on the other hand, are a luxury, so I want the products I use to reflect that. I’ll always create a cocktail while my bath is filling up: salts, bubbles and oil. A favourite is
Sisley’s bergamot-and-basil-scented Eau de Campagne bath and shower gel. When I say this stuff foams, I mean use with caution – it’s like The Blob of the foam world, and grows to gargantuan levels. I would typically hesitate to recommend a £63 bubble bath but, because of its superior frothing quality, the cost-per-use puts it closer to Radox. Before lowering myself in, I smother myself in bath oil from Aromatherapy Associates. And, yes, I apply it directly onto my skin because, unbeknownst to most people, that’s how you’re supposed to do it. It warms the oils and unlocks their soothing properties.
Medina Azaldin: Bases vs Blushers
Working alongside some of the most well-dressed people in the industry (hi, Jenn!) has taught me that an impeccable wardrobe relies on perfectly tailored, good-quality essentials, with fun accessories mixed in. I’ve found that this formula also translates to beauty, especially when it comes to curating my make-up bag.
A solid concealer and foundation duo is the make-up version of ‘quiet luxury’, providing a polished, well-groomed finish every time. Finding a formula that sits in place all day long, makes me appear naturally radiant, blurs out redness, keeps breakouts at bay, leaves my skin looking plush and matches my olive undertone is a tall order, which is why I’m willing to spend a little extra for ‘the one’.
Merit’s clever stick, which comes in 20 well-considered shades, doubles as a concealer and has enough pigment to even out my complexion. Its creamy texture imparts the most natural finish: neither too dewy nor overly matte. It’s also easily buildable throughout the day without looking heavy, and doesn’t seem to trigger spots. All this, and the formula blends out effortlessly using fingers. Equally, By Terry’s translucent powder leaves skin velvety soft, with no trace of cakiness. I use both daily, so, in terms of cost-per-wear, the girl math checks out.
By Terry Hyaluronic Pressed Hydra Powder - £42
e.l.f Putty Blush
Merit The Minimalist - £40
Blush is where I do most of my experimenting. I love the idea of mixing my own bespoke colours in an artist’s palette, and trying exciting shades such as tangerine and soft lilac. The high street has an impressive range of blushers in a smörgåsbord of hues, textures and finishes, so you can build a blush wardrobe without maxing out the credit card. My go-tos are ELF’s cream formulas, whose pigments are more elegant than the price tag suggests, and classic pots from Bourjois. A swirl enlivens the complexion and lasts all day.
Katie Withington: Shampoo vs Styling
This year, I'm re-evaluating all my shopping habits hair routine included. If I use the cost-per-wear metric to justify a shiny new pair of loafers, should the same not apply to my beauty spending? From bond-building conditioners to sensorial hair masks, I used to regularly splurge on the promise of a modern formula in luxe packaging. But I can work through a bottle of shampoo every two weeks, so a luxury in-shower routine isn’t sustainable for me. Instead, I’ve directed my more extravagant spending elsewhere: styling products.
When it comes to achieving that ‘salon finish’, a high-quality styling mist is undupe-able. I like to keep a curated edit of pro-standard products close by; Sam McKnight’s appropriately named Cool Girl Texture is my go-to. A quick spritz on either side and my hair looks windswept in that effortless, French-model-in-a-perfume-ad way. R+Co’s luxe Bleu range comes in at a close second place. I refuse to cut corners on dry shampoo, either. Where budget sprays can leave my scalp thick with residue, Living Proof reduces any trace of oil from the roots with-out ever looking frosty. The best part? A little goes a long way, making it more cost-effective in the long term.
L'Oreal Paris Elvive Hydra Hyaluronic Shampoo with Hyaluronic Acid
Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Advanced Clean Dry Shampoo
Arkive All Day Everyday Shampoo
Hair by Sam McKnight Cool Girl Texture Mist
It’s worth noting that budget shampoo has improved over the years, with the ‘skincare-ification’ of hair products trickling down to the high street. Brands such as L’Oréal Paris harness the power of salicylic and hyaluronic acid to target everything from oily roots to dry, damaged ends in a single, nourishing lather. For a salon-standard rinse at a pocket-friendly price tag, I reach for Adam Reed’s Arkive hair wash. I can restock it guilt-free, without ever compromising on colour, texture or scent.
