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I must have done a dozen posts on if Beauty Pie is 'worth it' because they've had so many iterations of their membership! So, today I'm updating that assessment for how this beauty members' club now works and - to keep things interested - I've picked 4 high-end skincare products I love and compared them to 4 similar products available from Beauty Pie to see how they stack up...
Beauty Pie bills itself as a 'members' club', meaning that to access low-to-mid-range prices, you pay a subscription fee. You can just buy their products at 'full price' but to me, they're so inflated that it's not realistic to do so. It's £10 a month to be a member but you can get a 60 day free trial to road test the products, which are (in my opinion) very good. We live in a world where everything is a subscription companies want you to forget to unenrol for, so I totally get the hesitancy. For me, Beauty Pie is something I dip in and out of, rather than something I'm religiously committed to. It could be 'worth it' for those who exclusively use their products, but for me; I like more flexibility so I'll sign up for a couple of months, see what's new and pick up any existing favourites and cancel when I feel I'm not going to use it again for a while. I'm sure that's not something the brand would want, but honestly; £10 a month to be able to purchase products is a pretty big spend and you want to minimise the time you're paying for this and not using it, in my opinion.
CLEANSING BALMS: BEAUTY PIE (£15.50) VS. ELEMIS (£48)
Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Hot Oil Double Cleansing Balm* | £15.50 (for members)
The first comparison we're going to make is between these two cleansing balms. Elemis is famed for its oil-based, nourishing balm-to-oil-to-emulsion cleanser, so I was intrigued to see how Beauty Pie's version compared. Beauty Pie's formula is perhaps more comparable to the Naked version of the Elemis cleansing balm, because it doesn't contain any fragrant essential oils; a win for those with sensitive skin, maybe not so much for those who enjoy the sensory aromas of a first cleanse. Both products contain a cocktail of plant-based oils capable of melting down makeup and sunscreen. I'd say the Elemis has a richer, more buttery texture but Beauty Pie's alternative still melts down nicely on the skin and removes makeup just as effectively. I would say that the Beauty Pie doesn't emulsify quite as well as the Elemis does, but it does still get milky on contact with water and can be removed easily, without any excess with a damp face cloth. It's a little more basic and doesn't quite have the same luxurious feel as the Elemis, but it's an effective cleansing balm that feels far more expensive than £15!
HYALURONIC ACID CREAMS: BEAUTY PIE (£22) VS. GLOW RECIPE (£35)
Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic Acid Deep Moisture Miracle Cream* | £22 (for members)
Next, we'll put two hyaluronic acid moisturisers head to head. My go-to summer moisturiser for the past couple of years has been this number from Glow Recipe. I'm fussy when it comes to hyaluronic acid creams and humectant-based moisturisers in general; some gel-based products really do just evaporate off my dry skin and leave it feeling even more parched than when I started! I like the Glow Recipe formula for its gel-cream texture and the fact that alongside water-attracting hyaluronic acid, it binds the hydration into the skin with a moisturising texture and skin-softening plant oils. It also contains added niacinamide and antioxidant-rich extracts for an added skin-boost. The Beauty Pie Triple Hyaluronic formula also obviously contains this titular humectant, alongside squalane (a skin-similar plant oil) and also some antioxidant plant extracts. The texture also feels pretty similar on the skin; granted, it's much more fluid, but it still has that lotion-y quality. It also provides hydration that lasts and feels nice and breathable on my skin, making it perfect for the summer months. All-in-all, it's a very worthy alternative!
MAKEUP-FRIENDLY SUNSCREENS: BEAUTY PIE (£15) VS. ULTRA VIOLETTE (£34)
Beauty Pie Super Healthy Skin Featherlight UVA / UVB SPF 50 Sunscreen + Primer* | £15 (for members)
The Ultraviolette Skinscreen is my all-time favourite SPF product to use under makeup; it not only works, but actually enhances my makeup looks. It provides a high level of broad spectrum protection and also shields the skin against visible light whilst also having a moisturising finish and a slight peachy tint to neutralise any discolouration without leaving a cast. It doesn't pill with any of my skincare or makeup products and in fact creates the perfect soft, smooth base for it to glide on over the top. So, when I saw that Beauty Pie had a sunscreen primer, I immediately knew what it was up against from my existing collection! Beauty Pie's sunscreen is definitely lighter and more lotion-like in its texture, which is by no means a bad thing; it just probably isn't a one-step moisturiser and sunscreen product if you have dry skin like me. It absorbs really readily (perhaps even more so than the Ultra Violette) without leaving any sort of cast and - true to its name - it works really well under makeup. It has a healthy, glow-y but not greasy finish and doesn't pill with other products I've applied for the day. The sunscreen protection isn't quite as good, but I think that's a pretty minor difference in practice. I wouldn't say the Beauty Pie formula necessarily enhances my makeup or lives up to its 'primer' claims but it certainly works well with it. I don't think anything will topple the priming, hydrating perfection of the Ultra Violette formula, but this is a really good sunscreen that's also formulated with modern, elegant filters.
FRAGRANCED BODY BUTTERS: BEAUTY PIE (£22) VS. JO LOVES (£55)
Ok, so these two have slightly different fragrance profiles, but they're similar enough to compare and both the texture and the packaging seemed pretty similar. The Jo Loves product smells deliciously fresh, fruity and slightly spicy without being too sickly-sweet or artificial. It's a moisturising formula that's non-greasy and works just fine for after a bath or during the daytime in the summer months (which matches the aroma). The scent lingers really nicely on my skin all day and my skin feels nice and soft after use. The Beauty Pie formula is similar in that I've definitely tried richer body creams but it's still a nice option if you prefer not to slather on anything too heavy. The scent is a tad lighter but you have the fruity notes with the fig and the herby, woody qualities which are enhanced by the tea fragrance. This also lasts really nicely on the skin! We're talking products that smell great, feel good on the skin and are a bit of a treat, so in that context; you can definitely save yourself some money and try Beauty Pie's version over Jo Loves.
Have you tried Beauty Pie?
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