THE ABSOLUTELY EPIC ULTIMATE GUIDE TO BEAUTY ON A BUDGET

Welcome to the most epic penny saving guide when it comes to beauty you will ever see! Here I have compiled my years of thriftyness into one handy blog post so that everyone can afford to look great no matter how deep your pockets go. I want to arm you with the tools to build a beauty collection and get smart with how you spend so that you can get the most out of your makeup wardrobe and not feel left behind.

Here are my top 20 tips to help you. If there are any more tips I haven't mentioned leave me a comment and share the budget friendly love!

1. Keep it Sleek and Edited


The very first thing you should do is assemble all of your makeup into one place. Have a look through everything and see what you use and what you do not. What isn't working for you and why, and what products do you need more of and what do you have too much of? Knowing your beauty inventory back to front will save you from making costly mistakes when you do come to spending.

Don't buy anything you already have at home - use it up first and don't buy anything you know you will use never or at best once. Neon eyeshadows anyone?!

No matter if it cost £1 or £80 - anything you do not use up to it's entirety is a waste.

2. Dupes


Possibly the most obvious point on my list but so commonly overlooked. Tom Ford and Charlotte Tilbury are amazing but absolutely not a must to still look amazing. Has anyone ever stopped you in a lift to question why you are wearing a dupe eyeshadow and not the Chanel?

Swatch, layer and think about adding a primer if appropriate to make the product pop if needs be. Don't fall for consumer hype if you can't afford to play along. Makeup is great but not the be and end all.

Here are my go-to dupe brands:

Base/Face - Nyx
Concealers - Collection 2000
Eye Palettes - Sleek/Makeup Revolution

Lips/Nails - Barry M

3. Real Techniques Brushes

Amazing quality brushes that blend well, wash up well and are incredibly soft to the touch. They also don't lose bristles or degenerate over time. One whole set is the same price as one single brush in Mac or Bobbi Brown. They are also sold in Tk Maxx and Asda at an even lower price than Boots and Superdrug.

Also the Miracle Complexion blending sponge is the only tool I use to apply foundation as it gives a flawless coverage. Pick one up for a fraction of the price of the original Beauty Blender - £20 for a sponge?! A SPONGE?! Lol no tar.

4. Get Sensible
 

Always swatch before you buy, and never ever rush a purchase especially if it's outside what you would normally spend on an item. Ask, do I need this, will I wear it? Did I want it as badly before I came into the store?

If you are unsure go to a counter and ask for the product to be tested on you or for a sample. Go home, look at the results in natural light and check out the reviews online. Also double check there isn't a dupe you could buy instead especially if it's an eyeshadow or lipstick which are the most commonly duped items out there.

5. Stick to your budget
 

I've worked on counters I know how it goes. Someone comes in for a foundation we are pressured into link selling which means showing them a blusher and powder too for example. If you can afford to indulge in this great - if not politely decline or say you will think about it.
 

No mascara or lipstick is ever worth not being able to pay your bills so don't get carried away if you know you really can't afford to. I've been to counters before where I just wanted that one item but they start trying to sell me unrelated items so be firm with yourself and the person serving if needs be.

One day you will be able to afford it and it will be great - until then resist temptation or find a dupe. Trust me it will feel great initially but only until your statement comes through. If you want to be able to comfortably afford this stuff in the future it's time for you to get financially smart.

6. Beauty Card Events

Department stores frequently have beauty club card events such as 10% off all products or triple points. This can lead to big savings if you are the type of customer who buys all their beauty in one go once a year. You can sign up to alerts or ask in store when the next event will be.

7. Beauty Bags/Offers


Following on from my last point, if you are someone who buys your makeup all in one go - look out for beauty bag offers. Companies such as Dior, Lancome, Clinique, Clarins, Estee Lauder etc frequently give out gift bags full of products if you buy 2 or more items. It depends on different stores and the offers will differ too. The best ones tend to be at Christmas where you can get an insane amount of makeup for free just for buying what you normally would just at a different time of year.

8. TK Maxx


 

Quite simply, it's an amazing treasure trove of different skincare and makeup brands at heavily discounted prices. It's a pick and mix for beauty lovers and the stock differs greatly everytime you go in. Illamasqua, Nars, Lauder, Essie and OPI are just some of the brands I have spotted in there recently.

9. National Beauty Events

Imats, The Clothes Show, Beauty Con and Professional Beauty are just some of the events that happen every year and offer massive discounts against the original price. Granted, you have to buy a ticket to get in, but you can guarantee you will make your money back in savings especially if you are a MUA in need of lots of products for your kit or if what you need is quite specialist. 

10. Competitions

Over the years I've won hundreds of pounds worth of products which you've probably seen me blog about if you've been following me for long enough! I've won items from Sunday Riley, Nars and Sleek on caption contests run on their official social media channels (p.s: I never enter ones where you just enter your details and they sell these on for profit...)

My Tip? Never start with "I want to win because". Give it a bit of thought, sass and something unexpected for the judges. Don't believe me? I haven't lost a single one I have entered up to now.

11. Experiment with what you have

Don't have money for endless eyeshadows and lip colours? Get into custom blending (you can use separate pots to make your own lip products for example) you can also layer different toned eyeshadows together to create a completely custom colour.

Also, some products are multi-use such as benetint which is designed for lips and cheeks. These are perfect for travel too!

12. Know what's important
 

Only spend more on products on what is most important for you. For me this is the base. I need a good foundation that will last well and gives me good coverage as if the base is wrong, nothing else is right! If you struggle to find a colour match for your skintone you should also factor in a mixer shade to alter up the colour/undertone as well.

I personally feel high end foundation cannot be duped to the standard of other makeup products which is why I don't cop out on my base but do with other products.

13. Research before you buy


Just because a brand has a new contour or eye palette out doesn't mean it's right for you. If you can - swatch on your own skintone, read reviews and check for cheaper dupes before you part with your cash.

Makeup Revolution have duped pretty much every Urban Decay palette at 1/10th of the price. If you're in a financial tightspot this is a godsend. Granted, sometimes there is a difference in the quality but not always so do your research. You'd be amazed at what can be found as a cheaper alternative if you don't settle on the first thing you see.

14. 3 for 2 offers

Boots and Superdrug frequently have 3 for 2 offers across all beauty. Save up for these events and make the most of it by buying 3 similar priced items. Don't spend £30 on skincare then £2 on your cheapest item which you'll get for free - get crafty with it to maximise your savings.


15. Seasonal Sales

Christmas sales aren't just for onesies and tacky jumpers. Often companies will sell Christmas themed items such as beauty advent calendars or gift sets with a seasonal theme on the box which they wouldn't be able to sell after that date. It's the exact same stuff just in a festive box which you'll recycle once you get it home anyway.

Look out for these offers right after any seasonal holiday in makeup, skincare and fragrance - you'll be amazed! Selfridges for your higher end items but do try all online retailers depending on where you live.

16. Magazines

 
Every Month keep an eye on what the magazines are giving away as a free gift. In the UK it's not uncommon to see products from Benefit, Eyeko, Estee Lauder and Ciate amongst many other brands as the free gift. Sometimes the price of the magazine only costs a fraction of what the gift is worth!

Also, some magazines offer makeup as a free gift when signing up to a subscription so if you were planning to do this anyway it can be an added bonus. 

17. Ask for samples


 
Great if you have a job interview but cannot afford a new foundation for it. You can always return and purchase it if you get the job (and love the product of course!)

Whether they will give it to you varies on the store as much as the brand. If a brand declines but there is another counter in a different store - try there instead. I know I have given hundreds of foundation samples out in my time covering counters and the majority of brands are more than happy to oblige. 

18. Book a makeover


If you have a special event coming up or are just stuck in a makeup rut and don't want to spend money on products you are not sure if you will love - call up or visit your nearest counter or store of your favourite brand.

Some brands will offer a makeover free on the spot, and for others you will need to book ahead. Some brands charge a fee that's redeemable against a product and others may charge a flat fee so it's worth finding out in advance to make sure you can afford it.

Many brands offer this service and some of the most popular include Mac, Bobbi Brown, Lancome and Urban Decay. For prom and event makeup it always works out cheaper than hiring a makeup artist or visiting a beauty salon - plus you get all branded products which isn't always the case depending on where you go.

19. Turn your powder products into liquid liners/shadows


Damp eyeshadow brush = amazingly pigmented eyeshadows

Damp Eyeliner brush = dip in shadows to create liquid liner from powder pigments.

The sleek palette in Storm is my favourite for this. You can do eyes, brows and liner all in one palette. Don't overload the brush with water to avoid turning the shadow into mush. Make sure you use the same amount of water on each eye to get the same intensity.

I love this tip and share it with customers all the time. It allows you to re-invent what you have and create a whole new set of products from using exactly what you had already! Try using a bottle lid to keep your water in so you don't keep having to run to the tap. 

20. Avoid waste


When applying foundation with a sponge, don't apply the product directly onto it as it will soak it straight up and you'll end up going through your foundation much quicker.

Also be careful when "tapping off" powder based products to avoid the excess product floating into mid air and not back into the container.

Finally, watch you close up your nail polishes directly after using them to avoid them drying out as you won't get the ml's you paid for and you'll have re-purchase much quicker.

 

Narciso Rodriguez For Her (EDT)

Whilst I hate to admit it the weather is definitely turning more autumnal. This might be bad news for our summer wardrobes, however it's amazing for updating our fragrance collection. During the warmer months many perfumes can become overbearing especially if they are quite heavy which is something I find tough as I love my perfume, not to mention I work in fragrance when not designing so it's something I am around alot.

I have had a crush on Narciso's For Her (black bottle, pink box!) for quite some time now after smelling it in a magazine years ago and deciding I had to have it. Infact, everytime I walked through a department store I'd find the Narciso section and have a spray whilst comparing prices!

I was in the Metro Center at the weekend when I finally managed to pick a bottle up. Previously I'd worn all of the Dior scents which I still love and Alien by Terry Mugler (although annoyingly too many people bought this in my circle after asking me what it was) - so it no longer felt like "my" scent. Therefore I was hesitate to re-purchase for a 3rd winter.

Narsico is along the same lines as Alien but it is much more grown up and refined and less "You can smell me a mile off" which isn't always a bad thing when you'd paid good money, however change is good too. I think as you move out of your teenage years and into your mid twenties naturally your tastes change anyway.

I picked up the 35ml bottle from the perfume shop for £35 and I just can't get enough. The notes include lily of the valley and patchouli. The smell is unusual but not woody or overly heady - only lightly so. I would recommend this one for anyone looking for a change this fall.

If you want to know what the perfume girl actually wears herself.... in my case this is it!

Sleek i-Divine Palette in Storm

The amount of eye palettes you can buy these days are pretty eyewatering (I'm sorry!) so it's little wonder most of us find the process of choosing one a little too much sometimes.

Back in 2012 I won tickets to The Clothes Show along with a goodie bag courtesy of Sleek. Out of everything I was lucky enough to win, the item I loved the most using it pretty much everyday was their I-Divine palette in Storm. After using it to the point where the mirror had broken off and I'd accidentally hoovered one of the shades clean off the pan (next time I'll use a wipe to clean my makeup!) I decided it was time for out with the old in with the new.




I had planned to re-purchase this palette during my recent beauty spree to Meadowhall however with a shopping list as long as Kim K's surgery record I simply ran out of time! I was delighted to see Sleek had now brought itself to my local branch of Boots within the last week meaning no more two hour treks to the nearest outlet.
As you can see I pulled out all the brand new tester slots and had a good old neb n' swatch!



Since I last owned this palette they've since named the shades which is brilliant for being able to describe my favourites to you. Two of my can't live without shades include Firestorm and Dust Storm which are shimmery yet not glittery and extremely pigmented and long lasting especially if applied with a damp eyeshadow brush. You'll never lust over a Tom Ford palette ever again!


 

  
I think compared to other Sleek palettes, Storm is the most wearable and the shades really can be used from day through to night. It's all well and good having pretty bright colours in a palette - but if you are not going to be able to use them everyday then to me it's just a waste. With storm you can do day or night and even brows (Eye of the storm) and liner (blackout) so you can truly get the use out of every single colour. 





This palette costs £8.99 and can be picked up from Boots. For this price you get 12 wearable pigmented shades and a huge mirror in the lid which I love. For those of you who can't face paying £40 for a naked palette I highly recommend you try Sleek first. Try my damp eyeshadow brush trick and you will never look back... infact you will look forwards straight into the mirror astounded at your mesmerising eyeshadow colours!

Huge Meadowhall Haul!

Yes I know what you're thinking. Urgh, another blogger doing a haul? Well mine is more of a personal achievement rather than a brag session.

What with being a student, then facing a long illness, unemployment, occasional casual work and then becoming self employed I've never really had the money to go crazy on buying products, and I know the popularity of my blog and channel has been affected as a result of not being able to keep up with everyone else.

Recently though the tides have finally been turning and I was able to treat myself to a (rather extensive!) shopping trip at Meadowhall for new clothes and beauty items. Hopefully this will be the first of many trips as I just want to start afresh with everything and my beauty routine is no exception.

Starting with high end make-up I picked out 3 items of interest I've had my eye on for quite some time. 

I headed to the Mac counter first as normally the service is quite rude, so I figured I should get that out of the way first so it wouldn't ruin my day (an employee at the Belfast Mac counter described my neck as looking "Sallow" a few months back....)

I picked up the lipliner in Talking Points and the lipstick in Patisserie. The most shocking thing of all was the customer service went above and beyond, and the staff all had a fantastic attitude. I'm not sure if there has been some new training rolled out but long may it continue! The young man who served me was incredibly professional and even applied the colours directly on my lips for me so I could be confident in my choices. Customers were actually being smiled at and told to have a nice day. I was gobsmacked!

Later on I then moved onto the Bobbi Brown counter where I picked up their foundation stick in the shade 00 Alabaster. Again, I have to say I received excellent service from the Meadowhall branch after previously having derogatory comments made about my skin issues at another Bobbi counter on Oxford Street.

This was certainly not the case with the lovely Shumin at Meadowhall who tried a couple of different Bobbi foundations out on me to help me find a more everyday type coverage. Bobbi Brown and Illamasqua are the two go-to counters for pale skin so I couldn't wait to add one of their foundations to my collection. 

After first trying their skin foundation, I opted for a touch more coverage with the stick foundation. I had swatched this earlier in the day and noticed the oxidization was pretty minimal which for pale skin is crucial. I was really happy with my choice and the service from start to finish was incredibly warm and friendly. I can't wait to go back!  

I think the truth is that not every company has poor service at every branch, and so when I do find a counter that is professional I will make sure only they get my custom in future. The counters at Meadowhall in my opinion are generally quite excellent, so do pop by if you are in the area.

I also think it's important to state when counters give less than satisfactory service and not dance around the issue for fear of brands not wanting to work with you as a blogger. You have to be completely honest so that things can change for the better, and so you will notice I will always state both my good and negative experiences I have had with a brand. Make-up can be bloody expensive so make sure you are made to feel worth it and accept nothing less!
  
I bought quitteeee alot of other items so head over to my channel where I have done a full haul video! Perhaps prepare drinks and nibbles in advance ;)

Make your Glow Tonic last longer!

At £18 a bottle, Pixi Glow Tonic itself is not what I would super expensive (especially compared with Sunday Riley at £85 a pop!) However when you consider what all products in a routine can cost when totaled up, it can get pretty ridiculous especially if like me you are in need of particular ingredients to keep your problems at bay.

For me, Glow Tonic is an absolute must as my skin reacts very badly if it's missing from my routine for even a day, therefore I need to keep it in constant rotation where as other products I am more likely to swap around.

With continued use over the years I noticed that the bottle would get used up rather quickly within less than a month. However what frustrated me the most is that I found you spent a fair few drops just getting the cotton pad soaked in enough product so that it's actually got some on there, and hasn't immediately absorbed into the pad. I'm not talking about unnecessarily drenching it either, just literally enough so that some will transfer onto the skin and you will get a proper tone out of it. 

I found this wasteful in both the product and the pounds, so when I introduced the Nip & Fab cleansing (now the one that was cleansing is called toning!) pads into my routine, that sprinkling even a single drop was enough to distribute the glow tonic on my face without the waste.

The Nip & Fab pads are pre-soaked, but they also have a thickness similar to that of a nail varnish removing pad so are ultra thin. Therefore even a tiny drop of another product will soak straight through so you can use the pad on both sides and still get a good distribution of product.

I have tried the pads without the glow tonic, and find them just a *tad* dry without, and I definitely notice the difference with a drop of glow tonic compared to without, just incase you were wondering. 
 
The current Glow Tonic bottle I'm using I bought a good six months ago now, and there's still a hearty bit left which will no doubt give me another month of use if not much more. Compare this to a new bottle every 4 weeks and that's quite some saving!

Now, I know what you're thinking.... yes but you have to buy the Nip & Fab pads though. The great news on that front is that because they are stocked in so many places, they are always on offer and infact I've never bought them at full price! They average at around £7 for 60 pads which is 2 months use if you use once a day, and a month if you use twice a day. They also give just that extra hint of acid tone, and I've had no adverse reaction from doing so. My skin will flare up like a baboon's bum if I use even a hint of the wrong thing - believe me. 

I would recommend the regular pads for those new to acid toning, and the extreme if you are having a particularly bad breakout and or need them to use on areas of the body too. I've tried out both varieties and for me the extreme show amazing results within just a few days of using them. 

I really hope this has helped some of you out there save some pennies and get a little more economical with your products. Again I love Pixi and I've continually purchased *many* bottles of the stuff and will continue to do so, however when you are on a budget every little helps!


Where to Buy:
Pixi Glow Tonic (£18)
Nip & Fab Regular (£7-£12)
Nip & Fab Extreme (£7-£14)

Fresh as a daisy!

Sleep is something none of us can avoid, however we don't always get that much of a refreshing one. Technology, stress, jetlag.... the list goes on as to why we wake up angry and usually hangry too.
 
I've tried Lavender before in various forms, but then I discovered it in a more potent oil form by Fresh Skin - an essential oils specialist website (they are also on Amazon!)

In the last few weeks I've been using this in the form of a couple of drops on my wrists/dotted on my sleepwear and it has massively improved both the length and quality of sleep I've been getting, with noticeable effects each time I use it.

I've even massaged it into the side of my face when wisdom tooth pain has occured and I found an amazing relief from doing so. The bottle cautions to avoid skin contact, however I have had no problems personally and I usually react very quickly! Of course, choose whether to do this or not at your own discretion.
 
It also goes without saying, don't use if you are planning to drive before you've had a sleep as it's effects creep on you very quickly! I prefer to apply about an hour before I plan to hit the florally adorned sack (thankyou Debenhams bedding kids section!) ;)

Prices start from £1.89, and even that goes a very long way before you even start to make a dent in the bottle contents. Infact, the smallest size would be more than ideal for traveling as it would even fit in your liquid bag allowance.

I highly recommend for anyone who has trouble sleeping or who is looking for a better quality of sleep overall. Use 2-3 times a week max so you don't become too reliant, and make sure you drink plenty of water when you wake up as it's not uncommon to be out for 10+ hours with this.

Vichy Haul

I decided to make the most of the Boots 3 for 2 skincare offer which was on recently and I decided to try some Vichy products as I had heard many a good thing but never tried for myself before.

With me the things I look out for in my daytime skincare regime are hydration, as my skin can breakout if not sufficiently hydrated which is always a problem in winter with harsh weather and central heating! I picked 3 products which I felt would counteract this problem and I've been testing them for the last few weeks.

In no particular order.....

Vichy Liftactiv Serum 10 Supreme

I was originally going to go for 2 Vichy products then a regular non-Vichy favourite, however this caught my eye as it had a tester out next to it which is not always a luxury you find in the Boots skincare section!

It immediately felt really cooling and soft on my skin. It's has a clear, fluid consistency and product wise is similar to Lancome Advanced Genefique, and Elizabeth Arden Superstart Skin Renewal Booster - both of which are firm favourites of mine.

The serum sinks into skin nicely and mixes well with other products. It's also devoid of any strong smells which I'm sure will please alot of you out there.

Only dislike up to now is I'm not too keen on the dispenser. It's an in-lid pump/pipette which fails to pick up enough product to drop enough out so you do have to pour this one a little. If that doesn't bother you though, then I can't see it being too much of an issue.

It's currently priced between £25-£35 depending on what offers are on. On the price ticket in the shop it was actually listed at £15 and after the lady at the till stated I can't possible have seen it at that price - she checked it for me and I ended up getting it as my "free" item in the 3 for 2 offer. Remember, the customer is always right! ;)

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Serum

Hopefully by now it's becoming ever so slightly apparent I have a thing for serums! This one in particular I've had on my hit-list for a while as it's frequently mentioned by bloggers who like me, have trouble reigning in their parched skin.

Firstly, it has a pump dispenser which works so much better than it's Liftactiv counterpart. It feels super hydrating and would fit in perfectly under most moisturisers or mixed in with another serum for a quick hit of hydration as I like to apply it.

One thing that did surprise me is it has a texture very similar to water - so be prepared to wait a few moments before applying anything else on top as depending on the product it may "slip" slightly.

It's currently priced at £22.50 so think carefully whether you'd rather buy this or it's rival Hydraluron at just £2 dearer.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rich Cream

Out of all the moisturisers I have tried from Boots over the years, this has to be one of the best. It's not heavily fragranced, doesn't irritate and generally hydrates quite well. Having said that my make-up has a very *slightly* tenancy to peel if using this moisturiser when layered with other products underneath. Nothing major and can be resolved by getting the right formation of products. Remember my skin is dry - I have to layer those hydrating bad boys underneath! 

I like that it's a "stick your hand in" type pot, although I do prefer a spatula for such packaging types as I find it much easier and not to mention hygienic. Unfortunately I think I hoovered my last one up so someone please remind me to steal another next time I'm working for L'Occtiane and no one is looking repurchase from Amazon or another brilliant retailer like I did last time - promise. In all fairness they cost about 5p so I really should get onto that!

Price wise, it costs £17 for a 50ml pot which I think is more than reasonable. A similar one I have tried to this is the Lancome Hydra Zen   which for the same size as the Vichy would cost you £39.50.