Face: Guide to cosmetics

Published on Monday 29 September 2008 20:26

In these cash-strapped times it pays to take a cut-price approach to keeping up appearances. Here’s our guide to how you can spend less by ringing in a few cosmetic and lifestyle changes, says Alice Hart-Davis

WHAT TO DROP: luxurious cleansers.

WHY? They feel lovely but a cheap product will do the same job of loosening grime and make-up, and you’re only going to wipe or wash it straight off.

INSTEAD: Buy a cheap one but spend a couple of minutes massaging it into your face before wiping or rinsing it off. The massage will give you a (free) skin-boosting glow.

WHAT TO DROP: facial scrubs.

WHY? You can exfoliate without using a scrub; and anyway, too much exfoliation isn’t always a good thing.

INSTEAD: Use a muslin cloth or face flannel, wrung out in hot water, to remove the cheap cleanser that you have massaged into your face. That will be quite enough to remove loose skin cells from the surface – gently – particularly if you do it every day. Also, using flannels means you can stop buying so much cotton wool which is a) not cheap and b) not green.

BUT IT’S STILL WORTH SPENDING MONEY ON:

Decent face cream. Best value are high-street ranges with complex formulations such as Roc’s Retinox Day SPF15, 19.99, or Olay’s Regenerist Fragrance Free serum, 22.50, at Boots, or cheaper on amazon’s new beauty site. These have the high-tech ingredients that claim to be able to make a real difference to your skin without forking out for the big brand names.

BODY

WHAT TO DROP: expensive body scrubs.

WHY? There are cheaper ways to get the job done.

INSTEAD: Invest in a pair of those scratchy, stretchy gloves (Primark has them for 1) and use these to lather up a bit of body-wash and give yourself an all-over exfoliation as you get clean.

WHAT TO DROP: pricey cellulite and “body contour” creams.

WHY? Tackling cellulite requires an all-round, lifestyle overhaul involving the right exercise and diet. No magic potion, however many “fat-busting” ingredients it contains, will do the same work.

INSTEAD: Buy a body brush (9 for the long-handled cactus brush at the Body shop, www.thebodyshop.co.uk) and use it before you shower every day. Body-brushing is said to be brilliant for improving lymphatic drainage, which is claimed to help banish stubborn cellulite patches. Regular use will also refine skin texture and exfoliate into the bargain.

BUT IT’S STILL WORTH SPENDING MONEY ON:

A skin-softening body lotion with a scent that you like. My latest fix is Florame’s Verbena Berries body lotion (12.50 for a huge 500ml bottle, www.florame.co.uk ) which smells gloriously sharp and fresh and is almost entirely organic. As well as keeping your body moisturised, you’ll save money on eau de toilette.

FITNESS

WHAT TO DROP: the personal trainer.

WHY? A recession is the perfect time to rediscover your self-discipline.

INSTEAD: Get into outdoor gyms. They’re cheaper, you’re more likely to turn up and the sunlight boosts your mood into the bargain. See what your local area can offer, whether it’s cheap or even free classes at the community centre, or try British Military Fitness ( www.britmilfit.com), which is available around the UK. The first class is free. If you then book a bunch of sessions, it works out between 9 and 12 per class.

WHAT TO DROP: home yoga lessons.

WHY? That lovely girl is charging the best part of 100 per visit.

INSTEAD: Instead: it’s better value by far to find a good group. Consider doing a proper course – at www.yogascotland.org.uk, you can find local classes from Dumfries and Galloway to the Highlands and Islands.

WHAT TO DROP: gym membership

WHY? Divide your monthly fee by the number of times you actually turn up and you’ll soon see the logic.

INSTEAD: Buy a Nintendo Wii. They cost about 180 – that’s about three months’ worth of gym fees – and the latest results suggest they really do make a difference. It’s easier and so much quicker to do a half-hour aerobic workout with a virtual trainer in your living room than pack your kit and head to the gym.

HAIRCARE

WHAT TO DROP: Top-of-the-range shampoos and conditioners.

WHY? Why wash money down the drain?

INSTEAD: Go back to high-street brands. Pantene is fabulous, as are all those hairdresser-brand ranges from the likes of John Frieda, Charles Worthington, Andrew Barton and Lee Stafford.

BUT IT’S STILL WORTH SPENDING MONEY ON:

A good haircut, which will last you for months and look reasonable as it grows out. Always book in with a reputable salon’s most senior stylist – he or she will be able to give you the sort of cut that doesn’t grow out of shape for several months, thereby requiring fewer visits each year. Scrutinise your friends and colleagues and ask those with the best-looking cuts where they get theirs done.

HANDS AND FEET

WHAT TO DROP: high-end anti-ageing hand creams.

WHY? Cheaper versions will moisturise hands, protect them from the sun and help fade age spots – all you’re cashing in is the posh fragrance.

INSTEAD: Try Nivea Hand DNAge Cell Renewal Cream, 5.99

WHAT TO DROP: Expensive nail varnish.

WHY? High-street ranges give great results for less.

INSTEAD: Browse the ranges at Tesco, Boots and Superdrug, where Barry M Nail Paints (2.95 each) offer all the colours of the rainbow, plus a few nature never thought of.

BUT IT’S STILL WORTH SPENDING MONEY ON:

A proper medi-pedi – a foot treatment that’s chiropodist-thorough, but leaves your feet and toenails looking beautiful rather than mauled. Contact a local chiropodist or beauty salon to find out where you can get this done locally.

EYES AND LIPS

WHAT TO DROP: designer-label mascara, eyeliner and lip gloss.

WHY? Cheap versions work just as well.

INSTEAD: Get acquainted with the cheaper end of the market. The prestige range at Boots, and Superdrug’s gOSH range have glorious colours of eyeliners, both liquid and pencil, and everything in Superdrug’s 2True range is 1.95, or three for a fiver, so it’s cheap enough to experiment with. Most beauty editors possess at least one green-and-pink tube of Maybelline’s great Lash mascara – it’s a classic. And for lip gloss and much more discover www.eyeslipsface.co.uk, on which all the items are 1.50.

BUT IT’S STILL WORTH SPENDING MONEY ON:

Firstly, foundation. Expensive stuff goes on better, lasts longer and can moisturise, absorb oil and reflect light into the bargain. My current favourites are Bobbi Brown’s foundation stick (24, www. bobbibrown.co.uk) and Shiseido’s Makeup Dual Balancing Foundation (28, 020 7313 4474 for nationwide stockists).

Secondly, eyeshadow. The more expensive ones stay in place longer and crease less – both important if you have signs of ageing. Clinique’s Quick eyes Cream Shadow, 12, or Becca’s eye Tint, 17.