THE BEST BUDGET BEAUTY AND MAKE-UP PRODUCTS THAT ARE JUST AS LUXURIOUS AS EXPENSIVE COMPETITORS

I’ve tried brands with ultra-luxurious £100 face creams to serums that are less than a fiver, and can definitively say that the bigger the price tage doesn’t equate to a better product – it’s all in the formula.

Let’s face it, we all love a bargain, especially in our beauty routines, and as the cost of everything keeps rising, it’s one of the easiest places to save money. We’re now spoilt for choice from budget beauty brands, which offer high-quality creams, gels or glosses for a fraction of the price. In fact, many of the products I’ve shared below cost less than a tenner.

This round-up includes my tried and tested favourites, spanning skincare, bodycare and make-up, whether you’re looking for a brilliant make-up removing cleanser or a press-on nail kit. None of them scrimp on their luxury formulas, colour payoff or skin-smoothing results, and I will always pick these products over pricier items.

If you’re looking for products that do exactly what they promise but won’t break the bank, keep scrolling to find out my top-rated picks.

Curél makeup cleansing gel

This is one of my most used cleansers and I’ve nearly finished my third tube. It’s a very thick gel that melts down make-up into a thin texture, much like an oil, but without the greasiness. It removes very scrap of foundation, mascara, lipstick, you name it, while leaving skin feeling soft, refreshed and clean. It’s ideal if you can’t be bothered to double cleanser with two different products either.

I have hormonal acne across my chin and rosacea on my cheeks, and this gel soothes both without aggrevating either concern. You need only a 10p size amount for you whole face and it’s the msot relaxing way to kick off your skincare routine at the end of the day.

Buy now £14.50, Lookfantastic.com

CeraVe sa smoothing cream

If you’re looking for a nourishing body cream that leaves skin silky soft and your bank balance happy, this ticks every box. As a beauty editor who has tested many, many body creams, I can wholeheartedly say this comes out on top if you have sensitive skin and want an unfragranced, efficeous formula.

Featuring a mix of ceramides, urea and slicylic acid, it’s specfically caters for dry, rough and bumpy skin, and is particularly good at clearing up keratosis pilaris, especially on arms and legs. That said, there’s no skin type this won’t suit, it’s a beautifully rich texture that amazingly doesn’t take an age to rub into dry, cleansed skin. I’ve been hooked for years and always have a tube on my bathroom shelf.

Buy now £15.50, Lookfantastic.com

Kiss salon acrylic nail kit

If you’re looking to save money in your beauty routine, one of the best tips I could share is to ditch spenny mani sessions at the salon, and instead opt for a press-on nail kit. This french manicure kit from Kiss is one of my best budget beauty finds, they coudln’t be easier to apply. Simply clean nails with an acetone polish remover, apply nail glue to the back of the nail and your own, press into place and hold for five seconds, then bend the tab backwards to remover, and voila, a perfect manicure for less than a tenner.

What I love most about these is how they look like my own nails and how well they lasted. I got a full ten days out of them before one became loose. They never chipped, felt loose or were a difficult length to get used to - I absolutely love them. While I like this minimal french manicure style, there’s plenty more extravagant and neutral designs from Kiss you can shop too.

Buy now £7.99, Lookfantastic.com

Maybelline super stay skin tint foundation

This skin tint may seem like a sheer complexion base, but it actually provides the longest-wearing medium coverage I’ve every tried. It comes in a dropper bottle and has a fluid, easily blendable texture that evens skin tone, and conceals redness, dark circles and blemishes with one light layer.

Ideal for anyone who prefers a lighter complexion base but has never found success with traditional foundations, it has impressive staying powder, last through hours of wear on the tube, in the office, at home and out for the evening.

Buy now £13.99, Lookfantastic.com

Real Techniques expert face brush

A dense, fluffy brush is one of the most versatile tools you can keep in your make-up bag, and outperfomring all the luxury brands I’ve tried is this one from Real Techniques. Featuring tightly packed bristles that remain super soft, it’s perfect for blending cream and liquid products, especially foundation, bronzer and blush.

You can use it in a dabbing motion to ensure even covearge or sweep across cheekbones for a speedy blend in seconds. Best of all, it washes well and never moults. For less than a tenner, you cannot go wrong - I recommend it to everyone I know.

Buy now £8.99, Lookfantastic.com

Maybelline fit me matte and poreless oil control setting powder

This budget powder is essential if you’re keen to minimise excess shine when wearing make-up. You can use it all over with a large, fluffy brush or a smaller powder brush to pinpoint areas of oiliness you’re keen to reduce, such as the forehead or nose.

I love that it contains a mirror and sponge within the compact, which makes it perfect for topping up on the go, as well as the pigmented formula that’s great for covering up redness and blemishes. It never looks cakey or chalky, and has a long-wearing matte finish.

Buy now £7.99, Lookfantastic.com

The verdict : Budget beauty brands

If you’re looking for a cleanser that removes very scrap of make-up while leaving skin feeling soft and clean, I can’t fault the Curél makeup cleansing gel, while Kiss’ salon acrylic nail kits will save you money and keep your manicure looking freshly done at all times. Better yet, if you need a body cream that smoothes textured skin without irrtating sensitive skin, CeraVe sa smoothing cream is unbeatable.

Looking for more budget beauty recommendations? Read our review of the best skincare products under £20, according to our beauty editor

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