THE BEST DRUGSTORE FINDS | SKIN, HAIR & BODY CARE

 

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Today we're talking my favourite drugstore finds across the skin, hair and body departments; these are mostly all-time favourites that I've repurchased and replaced many times, but we also have a handful of just really brilliant newbies I don't think you should miss!

An OG drugstore classic that still holds up today is the Super Facialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil* | £12. And it's actually been pretty inflation-proof, having been priced at £12 for a good few years! This is a fluid cleansing oil (I exclusively use this as a first cleanse in the evening) that's lightweight on the skin and doesn't leave behind a greasy excess. Just apply a little to your skin with your hands and watch your makeup melt away effortlessly! This is honestly one of the quickest cleansing oils I've tried and is perfect for those trying to wean themselves off face wipes. Simply emulsify everything into a milk by splashing your face with water and wash everything off or wipe it off with a damp cloth. 

A product that really doesn't get enough love on the internet is the Aveeno Calm & Restore Nourishing Oat Cleanser* | £8.49. This is a gentle, non-foaming milky-gel cleanser that's perfect for dry and / or sensitive skin. It's formulated with plenty of glycerin, to pull moisture into the skin, soothing oat and Vitamin E, as a fatty antioxidant (protecting the skin against free radical damage). It's simple, it's functional, but it works! It cleanses my skin without stripping back much-needed moisture. 

A product I recently remembered how much I love is the Inkey List's PHA Toner* | £11.49. PHAs are the next generation form of chemical exfoliation; they have a large molecular size so absorb slowly, minimising irritation. They gently break apart the bonds between dead skin cells on the surface of the skin so a glowing complexion is revealed. PHAs also have hydrating properties so can be great for dry and / or sensitive skin types. This particular formula is hydrating, skin-softening and offers an irritation glow boost. It's also formulated with soothing aloe and niacinamide as a multi-pronged active targeting discolouration, boosting skin barrier function and regulating oil production in the skin. I like to use this product 3-4 times a week and it's great for a gentle day-to-day maintenance level of exfoliation.

My next pick is a newer addition to the top tier, but one that I think deserves its place; the Elf Youth-Boosting Advanced Night Retinoid Serum | £22. It's on the pricier end of the drugstore, but I do think it's worth it for the type of formula you're getting here (and if you can find it on offer; even better!) This product is formulated with antioxidants and retinal. Retinal is my personal favourite retinoid, and this is the only drugstore product containing it here in the UK, as far as I'm aware. Retinoids are clinically proven to increase collagen production in the skin, help improve discolouration and uneven skin texture and reverse existing signs of photoageing. Retinal is my favourite option because it's more potent than retinol (so you can see visible results faster) but I also find it non-drying and non-irritating. This formula is a great all-rounder if you're looking for a potent active at the drugstore; it left my skin smoother, more even and more radiant. 

Peptides are another class of well-ageing ingredient that can get pricey but the Bondi Sands Plump It Up Peptide Serum* | £8.99 | keeps things affordable. Peptides are short-chain amino acids that have hydrating and skin-plumping benefits, but they could also help increase collagen production in the skin. Matrixyl is pretty well-studied for this benefit and the copper peptide in this formula also has skin healing and renewing properties. Plus, there's topical collagen in here; though the jury is out on topical collagen application actually increasing collagen in the skin, it's still a really good skin moisturiser. This is a wonderfully-hydrating milky serum that hydrates my skin all day long, makes it look and feel bouncy and leaves it glowing and healthy.

One of the most underrated formulas by a much-hyped brand is the Ordinary's Pycnogenol 5% | £10.90. This is a powerful antioxidant made with maritime pine bark that has a distinctive red colour. You simply apply a couple of drops in the morning or evening a few times a week; it's an anhydrous solution, meaning it contains no water but it's also oil-free, meaning the texture is really unique. This is honestly like Vitamin C on steroids for me! It not only protects your skin's long-term health, but it also just provides an almost instant good skin dy; my skin looks radiant, healthy and plump. I love it; for £10 it offers impressive visible results.

Let's round things off with a moisturiser, and a product I've loved for a long time is the Byoma Moisturising Rich Cream* | £13.99. This is a nourishing-but-not-too-heavy moisturiser that can be used AM and / or PM and it's formulated with the holy trinity for your lipid barrier: ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. A healthy skin barrier keeps the skin happy, hydrated and free from irritation, so these sorts of ingredients are a must in anyone's routine. This moisturiser also contains nourishing shea butter and bakuchiol as an antioxidant, which can also help with discolouration. This moisturiser is perfectly-balanced; it has a lotion-like feel on the skin but still leaves it soft and ensures it stays happy and hydrated all day, even in harsh winter weather. 

Scalp care products that go beyond the standard anti-dandruff shampoos have been a relatively new addition to drugstore shelves, and the Inkey List's Salicylic Acid Scalp Treatment | £14.99 | is a standout for me. I don't have dandruff, but I do have a dry scalp which can be prone to flakiness and irritation if I don't keep it happy and balanced. This pre-wash scalp solution is amazing for clearing excess flakiness; salicylic acid is a chemical exfoliant that's oil-soluble so works really well on the scalp, which is a pretty oily environment. You simply apply this to your scalp for around 10 minutes on wash day before rinsing, shampooing and continuing your routine as normal. This product has helped my scalp so much, and when I've had to travel without it, I've really noticed the difference. I've been through well over a dozen bottles of this and it has really helped keep my scalp free of debris and flakiness.

I also have a finishing product recommendation in the Umberto Giannini Shine Blast Spray | £6.50. This is a great product to reach for when you've done your hair but just want to take your look to the next level. Just give it a generous mist with this and the oils it's formulated with will give your skin that next-level gloss (if you already have pretty healthy hair, you can expect mirror-like shine!) It sounds non-essential on paper, and I guess it is, but it really does add that extra something.

As someone with very dry body skin, a non-stripping wash is essential, and my favourite drugstore formula is the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash* | £10.29. This is a thick, non-foaming wash packed full of water-attracting glycerin alongside very gentle surfactants to cleanse the skin without stripping it and oat extract to soothe and nourish the skin. Cleansing is the most inherently-stripping step in a skincare routine (whether it's for the face or the body), so it's really important to find a formula that works with your skin. For me, this is as gentle as a cleanse can get; it clears away even sweat from exercising without being at all drying and helps keep my skin's moisture balance spot on. It also doesn't flare up irritation or KP in my skin like some harsher body washes have in the past for me.

Aveeno is clearly one of my favourite drugstore brands because next we have the Aveeno Skin Renewal Smoothing Cream* | £14.99. This is a body cream / lotion with a base of glycerin and shea butter, plus Aveeno's signature soothing oat extract. But we also have added actives in here to take an effective body moisturiser to the next level. Niacinamide helps to prevent discolouration as a result of skin irritation and PHAs help to smooth rough skin and the dry, plugged-up bumps caused by KP. This has been amazing for smoothing my skin so it's super-soft and also minimise the look and irritation caused by my KP. Active-focused body care can get pricey, but this formula really shows you can reap those benefits without blowing the budget.

Finally, a product I've used for many years is the CeraVe SA Renewing Foot Cream | £9.49. This is an amazing antidote for feet that are prone to dryness, rough skin and potential cracking, and I find I only have to use this product around once a week to banish the issues I have with the skin on my feet. This foot treatment is formulated with salicylic acid to exfoliate away the dry, dead skin cells, glycerin to pull in hydration, ceramides to restore the skin barrier and also mineral oil to occlude the skin, trapping in hydration. I apply this before bed and you can even pop on a pair of old socks, if you like, to lock everything in. This leaves my feet so soft and when I travelled without it last year because I thought I could live without it for 3-4 weeks... I suffered the consequences!

Have you tried any of my picks? Would you add anything to my best of drugstore list?

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