How to save money on skincare – the experts’ guide
Ayesha Muttucumaru
Beauty & skincare
Reading time: 9 minutes
Whether you’re looking to declutter your skincare routine or cut back on costs, three skin experts provide their top space & money-saving tips
Can you do skincare on a shoestring? With the cost-of-living crisis, beauty products understandably can take a backseat when it comes to our monthly budget. As a result, many of us are looking to give our skincare routines a minimalist makeover to keep spending low.
According to Mintel UK’s 2022 Women’s Facial Skincare Market Report, it’s all about streamlining multi-step routines and adopting a back-to-basics approach, meaning we’re increasingly turning to products that save time and money, and reduce waste.
Our finances may be getting tighter, but the good news is that it’s more than possible to cut costs without compromising on quality. And we’re here to show you how.
Here, experts advise on where you can thrift and where it’s best to invest, as well as get the lowdown on the essentials vs the ‘nice-to-haves’ when it comes to building a skincare routine. Not only can their tips save you money and prove you don’t need to spend a lot for a hard-working skincare regime, but they may just give you your healthiest skin yet.
"The majority of patients I see have an overcomplicated skincare routine, which is usually a complete waste of their time and money," says Dr Hayley Leeman, consultant dermatologist at the Cadogan Clinic. "Applying too many products to the skin can sometimes even damage the skin barrier and create further problems."
Applying too many products to the skin can sometimes even damage the skin barrier & create further problems
1. Nail the essentials
When it comes to building a good skincare routine, a solid foundation is everything. According to our experts, these are: cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen (for during the day).
"Any skincare routine must remove the dirt, bacteria and product accumulated throughout the day with a cleanser," says NHS doctor Dr Kemi Fabusiwa. "Then, prevent water loss and hydrate the barrier with a moisturiser and protect skin from harmful ultraviolet rays with a broad spectrum SPF.
"These are the absolute skincare essentials and everyone can benefit from a routine that has at least these three steps included."
Invest in getting these right as a starting point and it’ll save you time and money in the long term.
2. Use a gentle cleanser
Look after your skin barrier and it’ll look after your bank account.
"If you use too harsh a cleanser that leaves the skin feeling tight and dry after cleansing, your moisturiser requirements will end up going up," says consultant dermatologist, Dr Justine Hextall. You may then wind up using more moisturiser and adding more products into your routine to compensate.
"When the skin barrier’s functioning properly, it can naturally retain moisture and fewer emollient creams are needed," Dr Hextall explains. "Once skin becomes unbalanced and inflamed, we can start to see dryness, irritation and blemishes. Once skin issues begin in my experience, people start to spend a lot on skincare trying to find a solution. So, any product that helps prevent this is going to be an investment in the longer term."
Try: Cerave Hydrating Cleanser, £10
• Size: 236ml
• Fragrance-free
• Non-comedogenic
This is Dr Hextall’s favourite affordable beauty pick – and it’s easy to see why. Enriched with skin barrier-supporting ceramides and hydrating hyaluronic acid, its fragrance-free formula suits a wide range of skin types.
Try: The Ordinary Squalane Cleanser, £5.50
• Size: 50ml
• Oil-free
• Non-comedogenic
• Vegan
• Cruelty-free
Formulated with nourishing squalane, a hard-working moisturising agent, this purse-friendly product leaves skin feeling smooth, soft and clean. Great for removing everything from make-up to end-of-day dirt and grime.
3. Keep your moisturiser simple
When it comes to your moisturiser, a formula designed to help skin attract and lock in moisture is the most important thing and you don’t need to spend big to find one.
"Throughout the colder months, the combination of the outdoor cold, windy weather, low humidity and dry air inside (caused by roaring fires and central heating) is a perfect recipe for dry skin," says Dr Leeman. "This is because all of these factors contribute to increased transepidermal water loss, potentially leading to dehydration of the skin. Look for moisturisers that contain humectants, such as glycerin or hyaluronic acid, as well lipid molecules to strengthen the skin barrier, such as ceramides."
Congestion-prone? "You may wish to look for non-oily or non-comedogenic moisturisers," Dr Leeman suggests.
Try: Revolution Skincare Ceramides Moisture Cream, £9
• Fragrance-free
• Non-comedogenic
• Vegan
• Cruelty-free
With glycerin, ceramides and more, this moisturiser has been formulated with supporting your skin barrier in mind and is perfect for daily use. It’s cocooning and leaves skin glowing (as its range of glowing reviews attest to).
4. Don’t compromise on suncare
This is one area that our experts agree is not worth cutting corners on. A separate sunscreen is always better than SPF found in make-up and it’s a valuable all-round investment for supporting skin health.
"Adding the simple step of SPF application in the morning can help prevent the formation of pigmentation and fine lines later down the line, which will save you big bucks in the long run," says Dr Leeman.
"There are many excellent sunscreens available on the market now, many of which are inexpensive," she adds. "Find a sunscreen you like the feel of as you’ll be more likely to use it regularly."
As for what SPF to go for, look for a sunscreen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays and has an SPF of at least 30. Bear in mind that a separate sun cream is also better than a moisturiser with SPF when it comes to helping protect against sun damage. While moisturisers with SPF do offer some protection, they may not offer as much as they’re more likely to be applied thinly and less likely to be rub and water-resistant.
Jetting off soon? If you’re on holiday and regularly swimming and towel drying, remember to reapply your sunscreen every couple of hours, even if it says it’s "water resistant" as it can still be rubbed off or dried off your skin by the sun.
Try: Soltan Hydrating Sensitive Protect Facial Sun Care SPF50+, £5.50
• Size: 50ml
• Fragrance-free
• Vegan
• SPF50
• 5-star UVA protection
Light and non-greasy, this sunscreen – specially formulated for sensitive skin – offers a purse-friendly price and high factor protection. It also contains glycerin and niacinamide for added skincare benefits.
Try: La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMUNE 400 Invisible Fluid SPF50, £19
• Size: 50ml
• Perfume-free
• Water, sweat and sand-resistant.
The best SPF is the one you look forward to using, which is why this fast-absorbing sunscreen is worth the investment. And it turns out many of you agree as it won the "Desert Island Must-Have" category at this year’s Boots Beauty Awards.
5. Be selective with your actives
As good as social media has been for making "skinformation" more accessible than ever, it can sometimes over complicate our routines. The result? Using too many actives at a time, which can lead to skin irritation.
Rather than spending our hard-earned cash on actives not suited for our skin’s needs (and then having to spend more money to fix the damage), our experts suggest being more selective and introducing them gradually.
Dr Fabusiwa recommends adding a hydrator and a targeted treatment in between your cleanser and moisturiser. "You still have your three fundamental steps, but in addition, you can use a hyaluronic acid serum to further hydrate your skin’s barrier and an additional treatment step to target your main skincare concern," she says.
"Because of its ability to hold onto water, hyaluronic acid can benefit every skin type. Plus, it can be layered alongside any active and can help counteract potential irritation and dehydration caused by more powerful actives, such as retinol." Apply to damp skin for best results.
For Dr Hextall, "nice-to-haves" also include a hyaluronic acid serum, as well as "a vitamin C serum (during the day) to add an extra layer of protection against external aggressors."
Social media trends can provide a great way to find out more about skincare, but treat them with caution at first. "It’s important to personalise your skincare routine, so that it is absolutely specific to you," says Dr Fabusiwa. "If you have more than five steps, you need to consider the function of each additional step. Once you’ve determined your skin type and your skin goals, you’ll be able to filter out any unnecessary serum, cream or oil that doesn’t have any additional benefit to your skin."
If you have more than five steps, you need to consider the function of each additional step
Try: The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid, £6.99
• Size: 30ml
• Vegan
• Cruelty-free
As well as being a top pick of Dr Fabusiwa’s, this serum – containing 2% hyaluronic acid – is also a Boots Beauty Awards 2022 winner as it clinched the title of ‘Hyaluronic Hero’. Impressive credentials for under a tenner. The brand also does a brightening vitamin C serum that comes in a handy pump bottle to help protect the ingredients.
6. Choose multipurpose ingredients over multipurpose products
We love a good multipurpose product, but they might be best kept to our make-up. "I’m not a big fan of skincare multitaskers," says Dr Leeman. "I prefer products that are solely focused on one task."
Instead of products that claim to do it all, look for ingredients that offer a range of benefits. Choose the active best suited for your key concerns, introducing it gradually into your day or night routine until your skin gets used to it.
"Retinol is a multitasking ingredient that can benefit almost all of us, whether your concern is hyperpigmentation or premature ageing," says Dr Fabusiwa. "Its ability to increase skin cell renewal gives it wide-ranging appeal." Retinol’s best used at night and at a low percentage if you’re new to it to help reduce risk of irritation (and always use an SPF in the day as retinol can make skin more sensitive to sunlight).
"Azelaic acid is another multifunctional, multipurpose ingredient," says Dr Fabusiwa. If your main concerns are congestion, redness or hyperpigmentation, it may be helpful.
Try: The Ordinary Retinol 0.5% in Squalane, £6.40
• Size: 30ml
• Vegan
• Cruelty-free
Winner of the ‘Revolutionary Retinol’ category at the 2022 Boots Beauty Awards, this higher concentration retinol serum is a steal at just under £7. Designed for more experienced users, its formula also contains squalane to help reduce dryness.
Try: The Inkey List SuperSolutions 10% Azelaic Acid Serum, £15.99
• Size: 30ml
When it comes to your treatment step, it could be worth paying a little more for the right formula, especially if redness is a key concern. This soothing serum helps improve the appearance of redness-prone skin, thanks to its azelaic acid content and micro-fine green colour particles.
7. Try using your body cream as a face cream
"If facial skin is very dry, a body moisturiser may be suitable," says Dr Hextall. Their bigger size can often mean you get more bang for your buck. However, this does come with a few provisos. To reduce the risk of irritation, "look for ones created for the most sensitive skin without perfume", advises Dr Hextall.
8. Check out Boots’ discounts and deals
If you’re looking for some more satisfying ways to save, get a Boots Advantage Card (if you haven’t already), so that you can start collecting points when you spend in-store and online. Once you build up enough points, you can make a purchase using your points value instead of cash*.
What’s more, Advantage Card holders can access exclusive deals and money off hundreds of products. Sign up for your card here – it’s a brilliant way to help you save money on beauty essentials.
Earning points can also help the planet, thanks to the Recycle at Boots scheme. Using Scan2Recycle technology, developed by Boots partners Metrisk and MyGroup, it makes it simpler to recycle products that can often be difficult to recycle at home.
After registering online, scan your finished products and upload them onto the site. After 24 hours, bring your empties into a participating store and scan the QR code on the deposit box. Bring five empty products to one of the in-store recycle bins, and you’ll receive a total of 500 Boots Advantage Card points when you spend £10 or more (see coupon T&Cs here – offer 32). We’ll also track how many empties you bring back, so you can see the positive impact you’re making.
Happy saving!
All prices correct on date of publication
*You must have the full amount of points available to cover your total, you cannot split paying with cash/card & Advantage Card points
