How to choose budget-friendly skincare

Anyone feeling a bit broke after Christmas? While it’s important to look after our finances, many of us want to look after our faces too.  I’m really conscious of this and always try to recommend to my patients products that won’t break the bank.

There are certain brands that offer good quality skincare at affordable prices. CeraVe being one of my favourites. But going for cheaper products isn’t necessarily the best way forward, especially where your actives are concerned!   

In the long run it’s much smarter to have your skincare routine curated by a professional based on your particular skin needs. 

How often have you bought a cream or serum that promises incredible results only to find it’s not working for you? Or find you’re not sure how to use it alongside your other products?

My overriding main advice to spending less is to streamline your skincare – strip back on the products you don’t really need and laser in on the right products for you so you can be confident you’re really doing something on a cellular level to help your skin

Here are my top tips for a budget-friendly skincare treatment.

1. Spend on your actives

These are ingredients that are clinically proven to effectively improve certain skin concerns.

They are going to make a difference for you. This isn’t easy to navigate by yourself as there are many factors to take into account, e.g. Vitamin A is highly effective in preventing signs of ageing and for acne. But certain inactive ingredients may also irritate sensitive skin and there are certain products you must not use alongside. So I would always advise you to consult with me first so I can prescribe the right actives for you.

*Active Vitamin A is a game-changer…prescription only cream, and you will need to be well advised before starting this, and guided through incrementally stronger doses for best results.

*Depending on your skin, we will use actives to focus on skin concerns like collagen production, hyperpigmentation, acne, and rosacea.

Watch out for packaging

If a product isn’t packaged properly, your actives will degrade before you’ve used them up. Look for formulations packaged in dark bottles with a pump system or tubes. This will protect them from oxidisation (light and oxygen) and keep their potency. 

2. Find Multi-tasking products

It can be more cost-effective to choose products that contain several of the ingredients that you need daily. For instance, in the morning, you want a moisturiser that contains ceramides to help protect the skin barrier from external aggressors and an SPF to protect skin from the sun and preserve collagen. If you combine these, you are also more likely to maintain an effective skin routine.

Come the evening, use a multitasker that contains anti-inflammatories such as vitamins A, C and E. If you include Alpha-Hydroxy-acids, then you’ve got a daily dose of your core collagen-stimulating ingredients.

3. Identifying your skin type is key

To get the most out of your skincare, choose products that will suit your skin type. Dry skin needs rehydrating and sealing in that moisture with products that are rich in consistency. Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that draws moisture into the dry outer layers of the skin. Then a rich emollient cream containing squalene could help lock in that moisture to keep the skin supple.

Oily skin on the other hand is a little more tricky. The oil glands usually become overactive due to underlying dryness, however using rich creams on these skin types can block the pores and lead to more outbreaks. The best thing here is work on exfoliating and calming the skin, whilst rehydrating without causing more congestion. Azelaic acid is a multi-tasking ingredient that clears pores, kills acne-causing bacteria on the skin, reduces your ability to hyperpigment (when inflamed spots are replaced with dark patches), and is a powerful anti-inflammatory agent to calm your skin’s reactivity. 

This way you aren’t running the risk of causing any imbalance that may require investment in extra products to treat.

4. Have a consultation first

The best way to ensure you’re choosing the right combination of products for your skin type and concerns is to have a consultation first. There are so many choices and contradictory advice out there. Don’t base your decision on a blog, please allow me to simplify things for you.

Whenever you book a treatment with me I will provide you with a consultation for free – to help you make the most of your treatment I always advise in skincare alongside. 

I also offer skin consultations on their own. So if you want to start there, book an appointment with me and .

Book consultation