Budget skincare or drugstore products sometimes have a bad rep, a lot of people see it as cheap ineffective products that are a waste of money but hold up sis, there’s a lot of expensive ineffective products too( actually a bigger waste of money!). I feel like I am an advocate for budget products, I love finding really good products at amazing prices and when I do I tell the whole world, literally.
I have condensed all my tested & approved drugstore products in this post in each skincare category. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but it gives an indication of what’s out there worth trying.
My skin type is oily to combination skin
1st cleansers & makeup removers
These are great for removing makeup and daily grime and oils from the skin! I have recently started using the NipFab cleansing fix and I am enjoying the creamy rich texture of it! I will have a full review on this soon. I also love micellar water for this step and the B. Pure Micellar Water is great for removing makeup. It also comes in a huge bottle! More micellar water information here
Second cleansers
You don’t need to double cleanse everyday but after removing makeup & SPF it’s essential. I love the Garnier micellar face wash. It can be used as a makeup remover too but I prefer it as a face wash. It’s gentle and effective and doesn’t strip your skin. My favourite drugstore face wash has to be Your Good skin refreshing face wash. Full review here
Toners
Ahh toners! It’s either you love it or hate! I’m in the first category. I split toners into two groups, this first group is non-acid based and mostly your hydration toners suitable for morning routines( can be evening too) I absolutely love the BodyShop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner and the Nip Fab Dragon Fix Cleansing pads( on my 5th tub of these)
Acid toners
Do you acid tone? I can’t live without my glycolic acid toner! From chemical exfoliation to glowing skin this is a step I will never skip! I only acid tone in the evening and usually switch between these (I have backups of all of these!) I have a post on acids here
Pixi glow tonic 5% AHA– my current toner. The ordinary glycolic toning solution 7%, Nip fab extreme pads 5% AHA, Superdrug Naturally Radiant 5% Glycolic Acid
Serums
Treating any skin issues? Serums are your best-targeted treatments! I have already gushed about The Ordinary’s Niacinamide serum here. It’s a must-have for my skin in the summer! I am also in love with the Salicylic acid 2% from the same brand. My full review is coming. I am loving antioxidants atm especially vitamin C. I have a detailed post on Vitamin C here. My top two recommendations are MAP & Ascorbyl glucoside. Retinol from the drugstore? Yes, and it’s a no-brainer which one I would recommend! It’s the Ordinary’s of course!
Moisturisers & SPF
My tested & approved moisturisers! I love the B confident day cream from B skincare in Superdrug (shh it’s very similar to Murad hydrodynamic cream which is £50+!). The Ordinary Natural Moisturising factors is probably the best low budget moisturiser! It’s non-oily and provides all-day hydration- my full review will be up soon. So I cheated a little, Bee Good plump and firm cream is technically £3.50 over our budget but it’s worth it! Your good skin SPF 30 cream, best budget-friendly SPF moisturiser from the drugstore! (Layer with something else in winter and check out my full review here). Are you tired of me talking about the body shop drops of light essence SPF 50? The 40ml tube racks in at £17!
Face masks
Most of my face masks are budget-friendly and they work great! Among my favourites are The BodyShop Himalayan charcoal face mask which is an exact dupe of the GlamGlow Youth mud and its only £17! I also love the Nip fab glycolic fix extreme sheet mask. This has 2% AHA and is great for travel!
That’s it, guys! My list of recommended skincare products that are effective and budget friendly! I have done this list before but this is the new updated list with new products! I am working on a makeup list too!
sarah fynn 