Top 10 affordable beauty products of 2019

Beauty products can be a minefield sometimes. I hate wasting money on rubbish skincare and make-up so I thought it would be useful to make a list of some essential and affordable beauty products that I’ve used and loved in 2019. I don’t believe in spending hundreds of pounds on products because sometimes they just don’t work! But as we know beautifying can be expensive so here are some sites I’ve used and would recommend: Escentual.com and Cultbeauty.com. Whenever I’ve ordered from Escentual they send a free gift! They often have offers on some of the brands I use and if you sign up then you’ll know about their discount codes and special offers. But before I tell you my top beauty products of 2019, here’s some background:

Skincare

My skin type is combination, slightly sensitive and acne-prone. This means that using products solely for dry skin or oily skin doesn’t always work. I’m not getting any younger so skincare is a big thing for me and my problematic skin. One thing I would advise is – do your research! Look at ingredients, not brands and trends. Truth be told, I find skincare incredibly confusing but The Skincare Bible by Anjali Mahto who is a dermatologist has really helped me think about what I’m putting on my skin and why.

As I’m approaching my forties (yes there I said it out loud) what I’m using has changed a lot over the last few years. I’m a bit more knowledgeable about skin than I was before and also realise the next decade will revolve a lot more around anti-ageing products. I know, how depressing right, but such is life and no point in being in denial! I’m not one for facials but realise I probably need to start investing in these as well. You might not need to but if your skin is complicated like mine then it needs a bit of extra help! I had the Oxygeno Facial at Definition Skin Aesthetics in Cheam recently and it made a massive difference to my skin. My skin was radiant, well moisturised and soft for a good two weeks. Send me a message if you want 50% off at this clinic!

Makeup

This year I’ve tried really hard to limit my purchases as far as makeup is concerned and that’s why there are only two make-up products that I have genuinely loved in 2019. I wear makeup most days but have definitely cut down as I’ve got a handle on my skin. And also learnt the art of not giving a sh*t.

Haircare

When it comes to hair, I have quite typically ‘Asian hair’ i.e. thick, wavy, black (and often falling out but that’s a different story) but the majority of hair styling products on the high street are for Caucasian hair. However, there is a multitude of products on the high street now for Afro hair which I find closer to my hair type. I wish I had these when I was younger instead of reaching for the hair straighteners. It’s taken me most of my life to work out why 95% of shampoos, conditioners and hair styling products I’ve tried have done nothing for my hair! This year I’ve also learnt to love my curls and I’m still using some of the hair products from my top ten beauty products of 2018.

The best hair care tip I can give for frizzy hair is to dry your hair with a T-shirt. Do not use a towel! I swear this has made a big difference to the frizz factor, so now I keep a T-shirt especially to dry my hair.

Here is the list:

La Roche-Posay Effaclar Purifying Foaming Gel 400ml £12.50

I received this as a free gift (you always get a free gift with La Roche-Posay products when spending over £35) when I ordered some other La Roche-Posay products from Escentual.com. I started using it and found it suited my skin even better than my Nip+Fab cleanser that was in last year’s blog post. Probably because my skin has changed but I find that this balances the dry patches and T-zone quite fantastically. La Roche-Posay has also got incredible new technology Spot Scan where you can take a photo of yourself and they will tell you which products you should use. You don’t even have to sign up or anything. Then you can take another photo a few weeks later and see if there’s any improvement. Genius. You can also buy this as part of the two-step skincare routine which is also good value for money if you have blemish-prone skin and if are starting out with this brand.

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask 30ml – £21

I got this as part of the Cult Beauty starter kit, which was an amazing bargain by the way! It’s a refreshing baby pink mask that smells like actual watermelon. You can apply it as a mask for ten minutes or leave overnight like I did, waking up with clearer and soft skin. I’m trying to use this fortnightly if I can ever remember that is.

The Ordinary Hyaluronic acid 30ml – £5.90

When I first got this I wasn’t enamoured by it, but then grew to fall in love with it! It just took time to take effect. It’s similar to a serum consistency, which you apply before moisturising and after cleansing. Ultimately it’s a hydrating product and I’ve not woken up with dry patches since using it regularly. I use it 3-4 times a week before bed and I feel that’s enough for me. It’s also great because it’s oil-free, alcohol-free, vegan and cruelty-free.

Nip + Fab Viper Venom Fix Blurring Shot 30ml £19.50

I like using this in the morning by adding a few drops to my moisturiser. I use it a few times a week in the morning (when I remember) as an anti-ageing product and generally put it on wrinkle-prone areas on the face and it does seem to give the effect of smoother skin. Look out for special offers on the website as I got this for £5!

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac Moisturising Cream 40ml – £17.50

My go-to moisturising cream! I love it because I have a lot of redness on my face and this very slightly green-tinted cream helps reduce it. It also provides the right amount of hydration. My only issue is that it’s only 40ml and I have to keep re-buying. It also has SPF 15 which is fine during the winter.

Eskay Apothecary Regenerating Serum 30ml – £35.99

Eskay Apothecary was part of my Muslim Biz series and out of all the products I tested this is probably my favourite. When it comes to acne scars and hyper-pigmentation, this is a fantastic serum to get rid of these problems. Aamena makes the serum with her own fair hands and you can read about Eskay Apothecary here or contact her for more info.

Vichy Hair Ultra Soothing Shampoo 200ml – £9.50

After using a terrible scalp tonic (The Ordinary multi-peptide hair serum) I needed something to heal my scalp. This Vichy shampoo has really worked wonders leaving my hair shinier and more manageable at the same time calming my scalp. I’ve never used Vichy products before but would definitely try their conditioners in the future.

Living Proof Smooth Blowout Concentrate 45ml – £26

I got this as a sample when I ordered another Living Proof product and I absolutely loved it! It’s the same consistency as Frizz Ease but one hundred times better! It eliminates frizz and makes blow-drying a tad easier. It’s slightly pricey but worth it if you blow-dry your hair regularly.

YSL Eyeliner 13g – £18

I love love love this eyeliner by YSL as it actually lasts all day and the felt tip style brush makes it really easy to apply. Not sure what else to say except that you can’t really go wrong with it.

Nars Audacious Lipstick shade Barbara – £26

I’m not a huge lippy wearer but the Nars lipsticks are so cool with their magnetic lid and all, so I am so pleased to find the perfect nude shade for me. I’ve discovered nude shades always look different on different people so it’s not easy finding the right shade. Barbara is more on the brown side than pink on me. Nars lipsticks are so pigmented that it actually stays on for ages. It’s become my regular lippy as it’s creamy and moisturising without appearing shiny or glossy. I’m officially a fan of Nars lipsticks now!

That’s my list of affordable beauty products for 2019. Did you discover any amazing products you’d recommend?