AFFORDABLE SKINCARE THAT FEELS LUXURY

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I am but a humble beauty blog however I do always look to provide options for all budgets, and at times like these I'm sure a lot of people are cutting back on non-essential items. Today's post is all about products that still give you that luxury experience at a realistic price-point...

First up I have the Glow Hub Defend Yourself Sun Silk Cream SPF 30* | £12 | demo. This is a gorgeous everyday sunscreen-moisturiser hybrid with a lightweight lotion texture. It melts effortlessly into the skin, leaving behind no residue and no shine. It's formulated with moisturisers and antioxidants like Vitamin E and green tea and provides the perfect soft, moisturised base for makeup (if you wear it). It doesn't irritate my eyes and it never pills up with my makeup or skincare. It's a great option for days when you're mostly indoors but want to keep your skin protected in an easy one-step product. I like it just as much as similar sunscreen products I've tried from Sarah Chapman and Eve Lom that cost many times the amount this does.

As a night cream for normal and combination skin, or as a day or night option for drier skin, I really like the Byoma Moisturising Rich Cream* | £13.99 | brand review. What I love is that this has a lighter, more lotion-y texture but still packs a punch in terms of ingredients and it leaves my skin soft, silky and happy, so it's a treat to use. Despite the fast-absorbing formula: this is packed full of good stuff for your skin barrier, replenishing its stores of ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol so your skin is stronger and you're less likely to experience irritation or redness. These are the same 3 components found in the Skinceuticals Triple Lipid moisturiser which costs over £100. It'll be perfect for when the season turns but is also great for using alongside stronger actives like your retinol or exfoliating acids. It also contains bakuchiol, which is an antioxidant (protecting the skin from free radical damage), it can also help treat discolouration and it's possibly an alternative to well-ageing powerhouse retinol, for those who can't tolerate it or who are pregnant / breastfeeding.

Next we have the Aveeno Calm & Restore Soothing Toning Lotion* | £8.39 | brand review. This can act as a stand-in for any fancy hydrating toner that doesn't contain actives, to be honest, and it reminds me a little of Laneige's Cream Skin (which can be pricey to buy here in the UK). It's a weightier toner-lotion that's really similar to those seen from Korean and Japanese skincare brands. I don't often see at this type of product at this price-point or from such an easily-accessible brand. It's formulated with soothing extracts like Aveeno's signature oat and leaves the skin soft and moisturised but not at all tacky after use. It may not be essential but if you're looking to cut costs in your skincare routine, a hydrating toner is a pretty good place to start and this is just as enjoyable to use as much more expensive products on the market.

One of my favourite cleansers I've discovered this year is the Sali Hughes Clean Slate Morning Cleanser* | £10 | brand review. It's obviously branded as a morning cleanser but it's a kind of creamy-balm that emulsifies with water, so it's actually a great multi-tasker. It can remove light makeup and sunscreen without leaving behind any greasy excess, so it's perfect for travel when you want more than one function out of a smaller selection of skincare. The texture reminds me a lot of the original Cipher Cloud Melt cleanser I once loved so much! It feels luxurious on the skin and has a scent to it, which adds to the overall experience. I love this stuff and at £10: I don't think you can do much better in terms of cleansers!

Our next product is from Beauty Pie, which is a subscription service (I currently pay £5 a month myself to be a member) but their products were too good not to include one of them in this post. There are a lot of people out there who just use Beauty Pie products because it's a really great deal if it makes sense for your personal skincare routine. That being said, the product we're talking about today is the Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Deep Moisture Miracle Cream* | £17 for members. And the reason I needed to mention this is that it's really similar to the Glow Recipe Plum Plump moisturiser I've been using for most of this summer in texture and it has the same star ingredient but it's half the price and fragrance-free. It has this light, fluffy gel-cream texture that melts into the skin and is formulated with hyaluronic acid and glycerin (to draw moisture into the skin) and squalane, to replenish oils in the skin and bind that hydration in. It provides hydration that lasts and gives my skin a fresh, dewy glow.

To round things off I've also chosen the Bondi Sands Wonder Potion Hero Oil* | £9.99 | because nothing says 'luxurious' like a facial oil! Ok, so the packaging of this product isn't the most premium but it's cute and it fulfils its function, however the stuff inside is A+. It's a blend of moisturising and antioxidant oils including rosehip, jojoba and sea buckthorn, plus Vitamin E and glycerin. It has a really light, non-greasy texture and leaves my skin soft, smooth, silky and radiant. It's perfect for locking in the rest of my skincare routine and giving it an extra nourishing boost. It feels absolutely dreamy on my skin and I find it comparable to my favourite oils from Summer Fridays and Sunday Riley (Juno specifically).

Have you tried any of my picks?

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Read more posts from this series here!