Sally Foran: The best beauty products under a tenner — and one stellar serum for €21

As a beauty editor, I can assure anyone on a budget that there are many products under €20 packed with formulas that rival, and sometimes even outperform, their premium counterparts

Check out the best budget beauty picks

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to nudge our spending habits into sharper focus, I’ve narrowed down the beauty items where cutting costs doesn’t have to mean sacrificing results.

As a beauty editor, I can assure anyone on a budget that there are many products under €10 packed with formulas that rival, and sometimes even outperform, their premium counterparts. Disruptor brands such as The Ordinary and The Inkey List paved the way for this shift.

I test a wide range of products for my job, and I’ve been just as impressed by €9 creams as I have been underwhelmed by €100+ products.

Some brands can justify higher price tags through clinical trials or truly innovative formulations, but sometimes the difference between a pharmacy product and one from a luxury department store comes down to scent, weighty packaging, and celebrity brand campaigns.

Ultimately, the best beauty product isn’t the most expensive one; it’s the one that delivers. Below, you’ll find an array of products under €10 I truly endorse, along with a €21 serum that rivals its €150 inspiration.

Cleanser

Most of your cleanser goes down the plug hole, so unless you have sensitive or problem skin, there’s no need to splurge here as most budget ones will do the job just as efficiently. The most important thing is that you double cleanse, every time. Even if you aren’t removing makeup, the first cleanse removes dirt, impurities and SPF, but it is the second cleanse that actually cleans your skin. You can use the same cleanser twice, although be cautious with balms and oils as they can leave a residue. I prefer milks, gels, foaming or cream cleansers as these are all fine to use twice. Aldi’s Lacura Hydrating Cleanser €3.99, is one of the cheapest on the market and gets the job done.

Serum

2. The Ordinary’s Multi Peptide and Hyaluronic Acid serum

Serums are one area where I would advise you to invest, but that doesn’t mean breaking the bank as affordable serums have significantly advanced in recent years. I love The Ordinary’s Multi Peptide and Hyaluronic Acid serum, €21, because it helps to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin while hydrating the skin. For the formulation and ingredients, it is an absolute steal. Actually, it’s an affordable alternative to a serum with similar ingredients that retails at €150...

Bodycare

3. Aveeno Daily Moisturing Cream

The skin on the body can tolerate a coarser texture of product than the face. Aveeno has many affordable and effective body products that leave your skin as soft and nourished as a bougie body lotion. A 400ml tub of its Daily Moisturing Cream retails for just €8.99.

Dry shampoo

4. Batiste dry shampoo

There’s been a myriad of expensive dry shampoos launched lately, and while they are good, I find the original — Batiste — is still one of the best. As well as being affordable (usually between €4.50 and €7 for a 200ml can), they cater for all hair colours, types and needs. Whenever I use it, I’m asked what have I done to my hair because it also adds volume — much needed in menopause, where I find my hair is suffering as much as my face!

Spf

5. CeraVe Invisible Hydrating Fluid Sunscreen

Sunscreens all work in the same way, and the best one is the one you’ll actually use every day. Just make sure your SPF has broad spectrum protection, UVA to protect you from ageing, and UVB to protect you from burning. Budget formulations have advanced so much in the last couple of years, and there’s now many available that are not only broad spectrum, but lightweight, non-greasy, don’t pill, play well with other ingredients and sit beautifully under make-up. Try CeraVe’s latest, the Invisible Hydrating Fluid Sunscreen SPF 50. Its recommended retail price is €18.90, but shop around, at the time of writing, it’s down to €16.47 at LookFantastic.

Foundation

6. Primark PS Pro Illuminating Foundation

High street bases have also advanced, with the use of more yellow-based tones rather than pink, and there are many excellent, award-winning ones available. I was recently blown away by the Primark PS Pro Illuminating Foundation. It is absolutely beautiful on skin (your skin but better vibes), and even better, it is remarkably similar to a certain high-end foundation that retails for €124. Price of my budget dupe? Just €8!

Mascara

7. Catrice HyperLash Mascara

We’re supposed to change our mascara every three months, so I definitely wouldn’t be investing here. Thankfully, some of my favourite mascaras are actually budget ones, including one from Catrice, the Hyper Lash, €6.99. It comes in brown, which readers will know is always my preference!

The luxury dupe

8. Rimmel’s Multitasker Better Than Filters

We really are spoiled for choice when it comes to affordable make-up these days, and one product that has been duped probably more than any other is Charlotte Tilbury’s iconic flawless filter, which, as brilliant as it is, is not within everyone’s budget. If you want to dry a dupe, I find Rimmel’s Multitasker Better Than Filters is incredibly similar, with some who’ve tried both even declaring that they prefer it over the original! You’ll usually find it priced somewhere around €15, but at the time of writing it’s just €6.37 at Notino.ie

• Sally Foran is an ambassador for Aldi.
• Prices are correct at the time of print but subject to change.