£15 and under

My top ten beauty products under £15

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Back in the day, I used to write about beauty. The rush I would get when new deliveries would arrive at my desk, often accompanied by extravagant gifts, and always tied up with a generous bow (my ribbon drawer is still full to bursting, all these years later) is etched in my memory. But I have sensitive skin. Acneic and eczema-prone it was often confounding for the experts – the treatment for the former was drying gels, and the latter thick unctures. Instead, the plethora of products at my fingertips were more often than not distributed to grateful guinea pigs in the form of friends, family and colleagues.

There were some products that I grew to love though. Estee Lauder’s Advanced Night Repair Eye Concentrate (£42.50), Le Labo’s Thé Noir 29 Eau de Parfum, (£130),  By Terry Crayon Kohl Terrybly By Terry, (£24), anything from the Oribe haircare and styling collection, but especially the Swept Up Volume Powder Spray (£42.50) and don’t get me started on my addiction to a Diptyque candle (£49), especially over the last year.

Having well and truly worked through my stash of favoured beauty products though, I’m now in a position of buying my own. Not only do I want to be confident that they work, my budget is not unlimited. Tapping into my beauty editor pals’ knowledge and some of the classics I’ve used for years, I wanted to share my top 10 products under £15*. After all, the joy that comes from discovering a gem of a beauty product I can afford is immense.

*See number 10.


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THE BLUSH

Cloud Paint, £15, Glossier, glossier.com

In styling consultations, I press my clients to think of texture as well as colour. Sequins, silks, leather – anything with a sheen – next to our face, are going to be more flattering than truly matt textures that absorb the light rather than reflect it. The same can be said of make-up. As we age creamy formulas, or those with a sheen – and that needn’t mean glitter – are vastly more flattering on our skin. Glossier’s Cloud Paint is ideal for adding lift to a face. Start at the apple of your cheeks and blend the stain out over the cheekbone to really add life.

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THE FACIAL CLEANSER

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser, £9.50, lookfantastic.com

CeraVe is an American brand that flew off the shelves when it finally arrived in the UK in 2018. It has skincare at its heart and is beloved of all the best beauty editors - Sali Hughes and Caroline Hirons included – and choosing just one of their products to recommend is tricky. I’m currently using their Eye Repair Cream (£12), SA Smoothing Cream (£12) (great for that chicken skin on my thighs) and their Foaming Cleanser. The cleanser gives a good lather and a thorough clean – great for my acneic skin – without irritating my eczema. That being said, this is no milky cleanser. If you’re looking for a gentler product, try their Hydrating Cleanser.

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THE BODY LOTION

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion, 500ml, £11.99, lookfantastic.com

I discovered Aveeno years ago on a visit to Duane Reade in Texas (I love a foreign pharmacy. The array of products that solve problems I never knew I had is mesmerising.). Their Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion is my absolute must-have. It is so light that it sinks straight into my skin allowing me to get dressed almost immediately afterwards, but still provides relief to my intensely dry skin.

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THE ULTIMATE ANTI-AGEING INGREDIENT

The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane, £4.20, cultbeauty.co.uk

The Ordinary revolutionised the skincare industry when it launched in 2016. Instead of catchy taglines or confounding descriptions promising the extraordinary, The Ordinary focuses on singular key ingredients. Playing to the fact that beauty customers are increasingly knowledgeable about what goes into their skincare products, The Ordinary don’t complicate their offering. Their products prioritise ‘treatment’ over ‘treat’. Experts hail Retinol as the singular most effective anti-ageing ingredient in any skincare regime. It can cause redness, irritation and sensitivity though. The Ordinary have three strengths of Retinol products: this, the lowest at 0.2%, a 0.5% and a 1%. I recommend starting with the lowest strength, used every second day and build up your tolerance. It’s imperative that you couple it with a high factor SPF for everyday use though.  

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THE MASCARA

Maybelline Colossal Go Extreme! Volume Mascara in Black, £7.99, lookfantastic.com

Don’t get me wrong, I love a luxe mascara. Especially Dior’s DiorShow Pump ‘N’ Volume Mascara, but at £29, I eke every last drop out of that tube until it’s dry and crusty. And sadly, no matter how expensive a mascara is, they all dry up at the same rate. Yes, you can refrain from pumping the wand unnecessarily (thrusting air into the tube will only expedite the process), but inevitably just using a mascara will dry it out. In turn, I’m much happier buying a (significantly) cheaper one and replacing it twice as often with serious savings. After all, there’s nothing like the slick gloss of a fresh mascara. Maybelline’s Colossal Go Extreme Mascara does what it says on the tin – big, black lashes – gorgeous for opening eyes.

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THE LIP BALM

Lanolips 101 Ointment, £10.99, cultbeauty.co.uk

I have been through my fair share of lipbalm: Vaseline increases my dependency on moisture rather than curing it; Elizabeth Arden’s 8-Hour Cream is effective, but the fragrance is intense and it’s expensive (I love the hand cream though); and the Original PawPaw Ointment from Australia (my ultimate favourite) isn’t available here. The fragrance-free Lanolips 101 Ointment (always go for the original - who wants an artificial banana perfume plastered right under their nose?) is made from medical grade lanolin that echoes the skin’s natural oils to really heal and nourish. I also use it on my knuckles which are increasingly raw from all that hand sanitiser we’re using.

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THE FACE CREAM FOR SENSITIVE SKIN

Avène Tolérance Extrême Cream Moisturiser for Intolerant Skin, £15, lookfantastic.com

Avene is a fantastic brand for sensitive or intolerant skin. Fragrance and paraben free, their products are exceedingly simple – this has just seven ingredients – to really focus on healing the skin, rather than complicating it. This rich moisturiser is great on days when I’m feeling a little more sensitive or my eczema is flaring. It’s not an every day one for me, but good to keep any dryness in check.

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THE EYELINER

Kiko Milano Ultimate Pen Eyeliner in Black, £6.99, feelunique.com

Kiko Milano is one of those brands that sits well under the radar but is beloved by beauty experts. Liquid eyeliners are worth replacing regularly so that you can get that clean application without the need to stretch the skin causing wrinkles. To that end, you don’t want to be spending too much on anything fancy. This pen eyeliner makes application super simple on the go. I like to blend a brown eyeshadow over the top to soften the line: as the wrinkles around my eye get increasingly deep, I find a solid line is too harsh.

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THE CONCEALER

NYX Professional Make-up Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Contour Concealer, £8, cultbeauty.co.uk

American brand NYX, is the high street’s answer to MAC. This concealer comes in 24 shades and provides really good coverage. A little goes a long way, so I recommend starting with a light application and then building up where necessary. It can be a bit drying, though, so better on normal to oily skin types.

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THE OOPS, IT’S NOT UNDER £15 PRODUCT

Trinny London BFF Eye Serum-Concealer, £26, trinnylondon.com

OK. This is not under £15. I can’t not include it, though.

I’ve never gotten on very well with under eye concealer. YSL’s Touche Eclat (£21.60) was too drying on me, and the thick consistency of Laura Mercier’s Secret Camouflage (£30) (a favourite of many make-up artists) dragged on my fragile skin. I loved the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit (£26) but unless I’m wearing a full face of foundation - which I’m rarely wont to do - I find it can be a little on the heavy side. As I age (eugh), the shadows are darkening and the circles are starting to look like they’ve been drawn on with a stencil: an almost perfect moon under each eye. Whilst foundation remains reserved for special occasions, under eye concealer has become a daily must-have. Trinny London’s BFF Eye Serum Concealer is perfect for combating those dark circles, without gathering in the fine lines that are forming around my eye area. Not just make-up, it’s combined with skincare ingredients in the form of Vitamin C and hyalauronic acid and comes with a handy metal applicator to cools and reduce puffiness. Winner.

If you have any products under £15 that you love, drop them in the comments section below and share the love / intel!

And do check out my updated Lust List with the best of what’s New In this week. I’m updating it every Sunday with a rundown of my favourite pieces, so do check it out.

ADMIN: Everything I’ve included here, I’ve included solely because I really rate it. I may though, if you purchase some of the products mentioned, earn a small commission from that sale.

Every wardrobe needs one of these. And it's only £15.

in ,

If you find something you love, buy two. In this case, buy five.

 

Notes on a Wardrobe is here to guide you on all those building blocks for a successful wardrobe. I am not into trends – yes, I love something new and cheery – my wardrobe is by no means an austere gathering of black and neutral shades (although if you have the discipline for it, I bet it makes dressing in the morning easy!). No, my wardrobe is full to bursting with colour and shapes and varying styles. Which is the way I like it.

 

But, when I find one of those classic pieces that I love now and know I will love going forward I fully advocate buying more than one: those favourite jeans that make my ass look pert rather than huge, and my legs look longer than they actually are; the leather biker jacket that does wonders for my waist (OK, I didn’t buy two at the same time – that would have put some serious pressure on my credit card - but it’s been a repeat purchase over the last decade when rips and discolouration have meant a replacement was necessary); and the classic crew-neck tee.

 

For a long time, a good t-shirt was my ultimate building block. For a night out, I’d pair it with jeans, big earrings and heels; for the weekend, trainers and a leather jacket; for work, tailored trousers and some leather flats. And so, over the years, I’ve become somewhat of a t-shirt connoisseur. And for this reason, I don’t sign up for luxury tees. I want one that I can wear liberally and bung in the wash regularly.

 

Historically, Gap was my go-to. Great cotton styles, a good length to stop that unsightly strip of midriff making an unwanted appearance and a nice fit – not too tight, or clingy, but still shapely enough not to make a shelf from my substantial bust. And I still like a Gap tee. My issue is that they’re inconsistent. Every season - be it the shape, the fabric, the composition - something changes. And so, when I discover the ones I like, I buy lots. Unfortunately, last summer, I went back for my classic crew and bought three (black and white, obviously, and then a rich shade of forest green), only to discover on washing that they just weren’t quite the same. They were that little bit soft which, on my curvy frame, has a tendency to look scruffy.

 

Arket, on the other hand, has mastered the crew-neck tee, and better than that, have (as yet) not spent unwisely by changing a formula that already works.

 

Available in a whopping nine block colours (with more dropping for spring) and a further five striped colourways, their Crew-Neck T-shirt is just £15. It washes well (no shrinkage or warping), has some heft to it (even in white it’s not sheer) and has a wide ribbed trim around the neckline. As we age, and our faces take on a certain ‘softness’, necklines become increasingly important. A wide trim on the neckline is vastly more flattering than thin ribbing, or no ribbing at all.

 

My only criticism, and I’m hesitant to make any, is the length of the sleeve. Arket, on the whole, is great for tall, long-limbed people, and that’s true of this tee, too. So, if you’re slightly shorter, you may want to consider putting a roll in the sleeve, to keep the bust perky and limbs long.

 

So, my top tips for the ultimate t-shirt: make sure the fabric has some heft to it (nothing too thin or sheer), the style has length (to stop our muffin tops escaping) and shape (avoid anything boxy or styles that flare out from the armpit) and a significant ribbed trim at the neckline. Or, just trust me, and buy Arket’s in all the colours of the rainbow.

Prue x

ADMIN: Everything I’ve included here, I’ve included solely because I really rate it. I may though, if you buy some of the items mentioned, earn a small commission from that purchase.