POPSUGAR UK

Exactly How Our Editors Would Spend £25 on Beauty Products at the Drugstore

26/10/2019 - 05:05 PM

The best things in life are free, sure, but the not-far-behind second best — beauty products [1], what else? — can really add up, especially if you're just starting to devise a routine. And while there's something to be said for investing in yourself, there are some makeup, hair, and skincare buys [2] that belie the price point.

The key is knowing where to look (and, spoiler alert, it's in the neighbouring aisle of Kleenex to help you with those happy tears). Yep, the beauty section at the Boots and Superdrug is just as stocked with high-quality hair treatments, facial cleansers, and mascaras as it is the basics [3]. To help you sift through the masses, we asked our trusted team of editors how they would spend £25 at the drugstore.

The strategies vary — some divvy it up between a few skincare essentials, while others would spend it on quality makeup staples [4] — but all of them are the perfect excuse to spend your money elsewhere (because "hugs" and "kisses" can only get you so far).

Additional reporting by Tori Crowther

The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5

Spending Strategy:
"For me, it's all about performance, so I keep my eye out for ingredients that I know and love, multipurpose products that really allow me to get the most bang for my buck, and tried-and-tested products that I know I can rely on. Even with drugstore products, I seek out reviews and recommendations before shopping to ensure I'm making smart choices." — Gemma Cartwright, senior editor

Product Picks:
"No skincare regimen is complete without hyaluronic acid, and this The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 [5] (£6) is an affordable, no-nonsense formula which has become my go-to product. Applied before serums and moisturisers, it helps to lock moisture into the skin and keep it looking as plump and fresh as possible. It's particularly important in Winter when central heating sucks all the water out of the air."

Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Papaya 3-in-1 Damaged Hair Mask Treatment

"I was turned on to these hair food masks by women in the UK who're following the curly girl method. The Garnier Ultimate Blends Hair Food Papaya 3-in-1 Damaged Hair Mask Treatment [6] (£3.50, originally £7) is formulated without silicones or sulphates, which can help to keep your natural curl or wave intact, but they're also just really great does-it-all hair conditioners for most hair types (there are a few different 'flavours' but this fruity one is my favourite). You can use the product as a mask, a regular conditioner, or even as a leave-in treatment. The pots are huge and last ages even if you use loads like I do, and as a bonus, they always seem to be on offer: I don't think I've ever paid full price."

NYX Professional Makeup Dark Circle Concealer

"I have very thin skin under my eyes and as a result it tends to look very blue and bruised. NYX Professional Makeup Dark Circle Concealer [7] (£7.50) covers it up perfectly without feeling heavy or cakey like some full-coverage products. I also find the Fair shade has a really nice neutral colour to it: my skin is cool-toned, so many budget concealers are far too orange. This has lots of pink it it, and it disappears into the skin."

Revolution Eye Liner Awesome Felt & Kohl

"I can never decide whether I prefer the look of a liquid liner or a more smudgy pencil, but I don't need to decide with the Revolution Eye Liner Awesome Felt & Kohl [8] (£3.50), which has a felt-tip-style liquid liner on one end and a retractable kohl pencil on the other. This is one of the first things to go in my makeup bag if I'm travelling, as it's space-saving and offers more options depending on my whims! And that leaves me with £1 left to buy a bottle of diet coke at the till."

Maybelline Instant Conceal Eraser Concealer

Spending Strategy (Superdrug): "After 11 years as a beauty editor, there are beauty products I've learned it's better to splurge on (shampoo, conditioner, serum, foundation, eye shadows), and beauty products I've learned you can just head to the drugstore for (mascara, face creams, body wash and lotion, nail polish). Many of the products I'd buy on a trip to Superdrug are things I've used and loved for years. A quick note about my beauty routine: my hair is fine, highlighted, and pretty dry (so I need lots of TLC and moisture), my skin is reactive and at 33, just starting to show faint signs of aging like fine lines. Oh, and I absolutely love makeup. I don't wear as much as I used to, but I'll still try anything once." — Sophia Panych, content director

Product Picks:
"If my memory serves me right, Maybelline Instant Conceal Eraser Concealer [9] (£9) is the all-time, bestselling drugstore concealer in the US, which is where I worked as a beauty editor before moving to London six months ago. I was skeptical at first (I normally have bougee taste when it comes to foundation and concealer), but I used a tube in a pinch after work once and I instantly understood why everyone is so obsessed. The formula is incredibly silky and blendable, but also quite opaque, making it the perfect concealer for covering dark under-eye circles (they actually have a very pale pink colour that's meant to counteract dark circles if you're interested). And not only is the sponge applicator super easy to use — just dab and blend — but it also makes it easy to use this liquid-y concealer like a foundation, spreading the pigment over large areas around the nose, on your chin, and along the forehead."

Maybelline New York Mascara Push-Up Angel Mascara

"When it comes to high-quality, affordable mascara, Maybelline reigns supreme. And while Great Lash is obviously a classic, I absolutely love the Maybelline New York Mascara Push-Up Angel Mascara [10] (£8). The cheeky name makes me eye roll a bit, but the uniquely shaped wand — which looks a bit like a funky comb for your eyelashes — makes my lashes look fanned out and incredibly long. The formula is great, too. It's silky and flexible, which means almost zero clumps and absolutely no flaking throughout the day."

Simple Water Boost Skin Quench Sleeping Cream

"My skin errs on the reactive side, which means that while I need my face creams to hydrate and fight fine lines, I also need them to be as gentle and basic as possible. That's where Simple comes in: the products are free from artificial colourants, artificial fragrances, alcohol, harsh preservatives, and surfactants that could possible freak my face out. I love Simple Water Boost Skin Quench Sleeping Cream [11] (£7) in particular because it's incredibly moisturising and leaves my complexion feeling soft and looking dewy when I wake up in the morning."

Superdrug Hair Bands

"With a few pounds left over, I'd pick up a jumbo pack of Superdrug Hair Bands [12] (£3), because why not? Who doesn't need more hair ties in their life?"

Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Radiance Mask

Spending Strategy (Boots): "Boots has a wider variety of products and price tags, so I would probably spend my money differently than at Superdrug. If you have sensitive, reactive, dry, redness-prone skin, the Eau Thermale Avène Soothing Radiance Mask [13] (£13) is a life saver. I love a lot of products from this skincare brand, but this mask in particular does wonders when my skin is looking really dull and dehydrated, or has had a negative reaction to something I've tried." — SP

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Oatmilk

"The Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oatmilk [14] (£9) is the OG of dry shampoo. It launched years before anyone who wasn't a hairdresser knew the product category even existed. And it's really the perfect formula: It sops ofd excess oil at the roots like a vacuum, adding lift and volume in the process. And while some people may want their dry shampoo to smell like perfume, I personally don't, which is why I like that Klorane's version has no discernible scent."

Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara Transparent

Spending Strategy:
"For me, inducting a beauty product into my personal hall of fame is a process. Generally, I start low, then go high, before (as is the case with the products below) learning the hard way that often the most simple, fuss-free formulas are best. Ahead are a selection of my most repurchased drugstore items that I, frankly, wouldn't want to live without." — Ange Law, assistant editor.

Product Picks:
"The Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Brow Mascara Transparent [15] (£6) has been my secret brow weapon for about five years now. I don't like doing much to my brows in the morning (I'm lazy, OK), so a quick swipe of this gel tames my brow hairs and keeps them in place all day — this stuff is super strong hold, which I love and need very much."

L'Oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Purple Shampoo

"I'm not exaggerating when I say that I've tried countless purple shampoos and conditioners — and most have been disappointing. I find most purple shampoos to be drying, ineffective, or just plain meh. Not so, with the L'Oreal Paris Elvive Colour Protect Purple Shampoo [16] (£3). This formula is pretty damn strong, so I use it once per week to neutralise brassiness in my platinum blonde colour, and I don't leave it to sit on my hair. A small amount goes a long way — so lather it up and rinse immediately unless you prefer a purple or grey look. Pro tip: for reasons unknown, this shampoo is half the price in supermarkets than in the drugstore (you're welcome)."

Garnier BB Cream Oil-Free Light Tinted Moisturiser

"Where do I even begin with the Garnier BB Cream Oil-Free Light Tinted Moisturiser [17] (£10)? My skin is combination, acne prone, and generally very reactive. For this reason, she doesn't do too well with foundations but loves a tinted moisturiser. For years, my go-to was the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturiser — that was before my mum recommended this Garnier beaut. It's ever-so-slightly more matte than other tinted moisturisers in my collection, is perfect for quickly slapping on my face in the morning, layers beautifully with concealer, and has never broken me out."

Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner

"The Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner [18] (£8) is nice. Honestly, I don't think it's changing my skin in any significant way, but it smells like roses (it's made with real rosewater — not synthetic fragrances), is alcohol free, and feels so refreshing to spray all over my face before I apply my skincare. Because it's so gentle, it also feels extra soothing when I'm breaking out, and I like to think that's because of the camomile and lack of harsh chemicals."

Garnier Moisture Bomb Pomegranate Hydrating Face Sheet Mask

Spending Strategy:
"My spending strategy at Boots and Superdrug is very different. Mainly because Boots is closer to work and home for me so it's much more of a quick swing by to pick up the products I've long loved, that's where I've chosen to base my £25 challenge. I typically shop for body and skincare in store — I like to research makeup and colour products after being convinced by a review or an Instagram story I've seen. My strategy is all about simplicity since my skin is dehydrated and I can be sensitive to various ingredients that I still haven't quite narrowed down yet." — Tori Crowther, associate editor

Product Picks:
"I love a sheet mask, but I find they are either really great or totally crap, with no in-between. The Garnier Moisture Bomb Pomegranate Hydrating Face Sheet Mask [19] (£3) falls on the former end of the scale. It has just the right amount of serum, making it neither too wet (a mask dripping down your neck is never fun) or dry, it's scented but not too much, isn't fussy or fancy, and leaves my skin feeling hydrated and fresh."

Elf SuperHydrateWwith Squalane

"Squalane is my current favourite oil to use on my skin, so the Elf SuperHydrateWwith Squalane [20] (£8) grabbed my attention immediately when I first tried it — and I've loved it ever since. The jelly-like formula is incredibly lightweight, so it soaks into my skin quickly without being greasy. It's the perfect nighttime moisturiser for my dehydrated skin"

Dove Pro Age Body Wash

"I dislike the name of the Dove Pro Age Body Wash [21] (£2), but just can't deny my love for it. I'm often changing up my body wash (my other favourite is The Body Shop English Rose [22]), but I always come back to this as a staple, affordable item. It lasts forever, has a classic soap scent, and leaves my skin feeling supersoft. Oh, and it's always seems to be on offer."

YourGoodSkin Comforting Gel Cleanser

"I find cleansers can be difficult to shop for, particularly when using a gel, oil, or balm formula. That's why when I tried YourGoodSkin Comforting Gel Cleanser [23] (£6) and used up the entire tube, I knew it was a winner. The gel-to-milk consistency melts away all makeup without feeling like it's stripping the skin, which is one of my main concerns. And a little goes a long way — a 5p coin size is all you need for your entire face and neck. This is always on my staple skincare items list when I swing by Boots."

Garnier Micellar Water Sensitive Skin

"With a few pounds left, I'll grab a micellar water. I've tried dozens of different micellar waters, and although I do also love Bioderma Sensibio Micellar Water [24], this Garnier Micellar Water Sensitive Skin [25] (£2) does what is says on the bottle and is much cheaper. It removes stubborn makeup with no irritation and I'm constantly needing a top up to keep in my stash."


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https://www.popsugar.co.uk/beauty/best-drugstore-beauty-products-46767907