SKINCARE DUPES & AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES #2

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I've recently discovered a fair few affordable skincare products that reminded me a little of more expensive ones, so it seemed time to do another 'dupe' post! If you want to read some comparisons of high-end vs. affordable skincare, keep reading...

I'm actually usually not much of a fan of foaming cleansers, but both of these formulas are more hydrating, so I do get along with them. I actually got a mini of the Milk cleanser, but for price comparison's sake I've listed the full sized product's cost. It's a nice, creamy, gently foaming cleanser that does the job of making my skin feel fresh and clean without stripping it of its natural oils. It's formulated with plenty of skin-loving moisturising ingredients (like shea butter, oat extract and jojoba oil) and doesn't contain any obvious irritants or fragrance. The Pixi cleanser has a very similar texture, in that it's creamy but has that foaming action, which is definitely a little more than I see in the Milk cleanser. It's formulated with jojoba, again, alongside coconut extract and probiotics, though unlike the Milk formula, it does contain fragrance, which might make it a no-go for some. They work in a really similar way, to be honest, and you only need a tiny amount of product, whichever one you opt for. I think the Pixi one is a great alternative, though if you're worried that anything in that ingredient list could cause you irritation; the Milk is a better bet.

A hot cloth cleanser has a cream consistency and is designed to be used as a first cleanse and accompanied by a warm, damp cloth to dissolve the makeup and provide light exfoliation. The Liz Earle is the quintessential (and I assume probably the first) hot cloth cleanser and it isn't overly expensive either. It's a lovely cream that you could even just use on its own in the morning. It contains cocoa butter and chamomile, alongside some fragrant essential oils (they don't bother me in makeup-removing cleansers at all, to be honest) which feel lovely on the skin. It's also an effective makeup remover without that oily feeling some products give. The Your Good Skin formula is ridiculously similar to use! It's formulated with shea butter instead of cocoa butter and doesn't have the fragrant oils in there, so for some will be preferable. I feel it works just as well as the Liz Earle, removing makeup without leaving any residue behind, making it a great dupe.

The concept of these exfoliating powders is that they contain enzymes of some sort, so you mix the powder in with a little water to activate them and massage it onto the skin before rinsing it off completely. The Dermalogica formula is a rice powder that contains anti-blemish salicylic acid and rice enzymes, whereas the Good Molecules version is formulated with pineapple enzymes. For me, the only real significant difference is the inclusion of a BHA in Dermalogica's product, which might make it more suitable for acne-prone skin. However, for me, I honestly think the end result is the same: smoother, brighter skin pretty much instantly! So, I'd recommend you save yourself a bit of money and go with Good Molecules.

My Herbivore moisturiser kicked the bucket a little while ago but I always loved how this moisturising formula melted into my skin, providing deep hydration with rosewater despite having a lightweight texture. It also gave my skin a beautiful fresh, dewy glow and made it look nice and healthy. Luckily, I was sent the Skin Proud product this summer, which is really similar! It's packed full of water-attracting hyaluronic acid and has a really similar melting texture that plumps up dehydrated skin and gives it a fresh, healthy look. I think this has been a worthy replacement for the Herbivore, which I may not repurchase, given there have been issues with the lack of preservatives in this product reported on the internet (it's currently unavailable anyway).

Kate Somerville DeliKate Recovery Cream* | £69 (50ml) | vs. Beauty Bay Thirst Trap Rich Moisturiser | £7 (90ml) | full review

The Kate Somerville moisturiser has been one of my favourite skincare finds of the year; this rich, luxurious cream softens the skin, replenishes it and soothes it with ingredients that provide deep nourishment and promote a healthy skin barrier, such as ceramides, sunflower seed oil and shea butter. If I'm suffering with sensitivity; this is what I slap onto my skin to calm things down and get rid of any dryness, and it works a treat. It's a pretty occlusive moisturiser, so I use it as a night cream currently, but will switch to wearing it during the day when it's winter. I actually found a lot of similarities with it when I tried the Beauty Bay moisturiser; it has a pretty simple formula with skin-loving ingredients that will calm and nourish the skin, such as oat kernel oil, squalane and sunflower seed oil. It's a little lighter in texture, but still gives me super-soft skin and keeps things calm. The Kate Somerville is my ultimate favourite, but if you can't splash out on that; the Beauty Bay formula is a great alternative.

GlamGlow BrightEyes Eye Cream* | £29 (15ml) | full review vs. Beauty Pie Uber Youth Super Energy Peptide-Infused Eye Cream | £8.83 (for members) (15ml) | full review

The GlamGlow eye cream was a pleasant surprise for me; it's not overly expensive and has a lovely moisturising, but not excessively-rich texture. It's formulated with hyaluronic acid, to draw water into the skin, and peptides, which are purported to have skin-renewing, anti-ageing properties. I personally find them to work well for my skin, though there aren't a ton of scientific studies to back up my anecdotal evidence. This refreshes and depuffs my eye area, as well as providing the perfect level of moisture for me. The Beauty Pie eye cream also contains peptides, though you do have to be a member to access the low price. It's a sort of gel-cream, so perfect for my skin (as my eye area really can't handle thick, heavy creams). It moisturises my eyes and makes them look that bit less tired, making it a great alternative to the GlamGlow formula.

Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask | £42 (64ml) | full review | vs. Lano Face Base Aussie Flyer Recovery Mask | £20 (60ml)

A number of people on Instagram have asked me if I think the Lano mask is a dupe for the Summer Fridays, so I thought I'd talk about it here! I like the Summer Fridays mask, but for the price; I have to say, I think it's nice but not incredible. Their masks seem to get all the hype but I'd say their actives are more impressive to me personally. It's a moisturising overnight leave-on cream mask that's not too thick or rich or greasy, which I do appreciate, and is formulated with shea butter, ceramides, hyaluronic acid and various plant-derived oils (some of which are fragrant). My skin is always nice and soft and moisturised by morning when I use this. However, I find the Lano formula has a really similar effect. It contains lanolin, which is derived from sheep wool, so isn't vegan. It's a really great skin moisturiser, though, and there's also shea butter, Vitamin E and other moisturising oils in there (again, there are some fragrant extracts in there). I like how it softens and smooths my skin, providing intense moisture (to a greater extent than the Summer Fridays mask) without breaking me out or feeling greasy on my skin. I actually think I prefer the Lano mask anyway, so it's an easy win for Team Affordable in this case!

On this one, which one you should go with really depends on how you use the product because - although technically more expensive - the Biossance option is actually really good value, the only issue is that it isn't available in a smaller size. Squalane is a gentle oil that mimics those our skin creates itself, though it's plant-derived (the Biossance is made from sugarcane and the Typology from olive). It's an amazing moisturiser, calming irritation and locking in moisture, so the skin feels smooth and replenished. It can also be used on the hair and body. If you want to do this, you're probably best off with the Biossance formula (I also have the one from the Ordinary, which I use on my scalp and get through very quickly). However, the Typology version is that bit more lightweight, for those of you turned off by heavier oils, and is actually marketed as a serum for that reason. Either option does what I want a squalane oil to do, so it's really up to you, your texture preferences and how you want to use the product!

I was actually a big fan of this lightweight but deeply nourishing oil from First Aid Beauty. I know a lot of people are quite anti-CBD and I totally get why you'd think it's all hype, however hemp is a proven skin moisturiser and in my experience true CBD is also very moisturising, though that's just my anecdotal opinion! It does contain fragrance, but that doesn't bother me particularly and I like the blend of cannabis sativa oil, oat oil and avocado oil. I apply this as the last step of my evening skincare routine and it's definitely given me softer skin and helped hugely with dry patches. Overall, this is a solid oil for dry skin. Although you get far less product, the Bybi oil is still a little better in terms of value for money. The formulation is far simpler; it contains cannabis sativa seed oil (AKA hemp), cannabidiol (AKA CBD) and nothing else. Therefore, if you don't like fragrance; this is for you. Whilst not quite as lightweight as the FAB oil, I still don't find it too heavy or greasy for my skin, and this has the added benefit of not only providing deep moisture and giving me lovely soft skin, but calming down redness and irritation. I personally think they're both solid products.

Do you have any affordable alternatives for more expensive products to share?

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SKINCARE DUPES & AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVES #2

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