I was a glossy mag editor and I’ve tried every mascara out there – the best is a £10 buy for ‘WOW lashes’
WITH what feels like ten new mascaras launching every week, it’s easy to find yourself overwhelmed by all the choice and assume that the higher the price tag, the better your lashes will look.
However, that doesn’t necessarily have to be the case – and in fact, according to beauty expert and a former glossy mag editor Samantha Silver, the best mascara she’s tried costs just £10.
Samantha, who has written for magazines such as Stylist, Glamour, Grazia and Fabulous, said that “when it comes to your beauty regime, there’s no getting around it – some beauty products are worth the money you put in”.
”From science-packed formulas to high-quality ingredients that are worth your money, BUT I can tell you exactly where to save your money, because the high street does it just as well as luxe brands, in these three areas.”
‘WOW’ lashes
Samantha, who’s just launched a book, This is Beauty. This is Fashion. This is Life.: The expert guide for people short on time, with fashion stylist Gemma Rose Breger, insisted that there’s no need to spend a fortune to achieve the ultimate lashes.
”I’ve said it for years, you don’t need to spend a lot of money to get WOW lashes.
”The best ones (and I have tried them all) can be found in your local Boots; the high street brands do mascara far better than the designer make-up brands.
”L’Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara, £10.39, is the best of them all.
”Multi-level bristle brush technology means the wand coats every lash from the inner to outer corner for inky black lashes so long people will think they’re extensions,” the whizz couldn’t stop raving about the make-up bag essential.
Day VS Night Creams
Although some sceptics may try to convince you that this is just a marketing trick, Samantha explained that your ”day and night creams do different things”.
Whilst ”the day is all about protection from UV and pollution”, its evening counterpart is ”all about repair”.
She said: ”Your skin self-repairs while you sleep, but what you put on it can give it a real helping hand.”
One of the beauty enthusiast’s favourite-ever buys is M&S Formula Ultimate Sleep Cream, which is scanning for £22.50.
”It’s the beauty industry’s hidden little secret; labelled eight hours sleep in a pot for its ability to basically recharge your skin’s batteries so skin feels silky soft and looks radiant the next morning.”
Purse-friendly cleanser
No skincare routine is complete without cleansing your face – and here, too, there’s no need to splurge out, Samantha noted.
”While there are some really luxurious cleansers I love, let’s be honest – you’re literally washing the formula straight down the sink.
How To Save Money On Beauty Buys
IF your purse is feeling tighter than ever before and you're looking to save cash on your make-up routine, have you ever thought of trying out beauty dupes?
Here’s five of the best recommended beauty buys that are almost identical to the posh versions, but for a fraction of the price.
FACE BASE: If you can’t afford Charlotte Tilbury‘s £52 Magic Cream, why not try a dupe that costs just £5.49 from Superdrug?
TONE IT UP: If Drunk Elephant’s £62 Protini moisturiser is out of your price range, you’ll need to check out the new dupe in Home Bargains.
TINTING IT: With Fenty’s ‘game-changer’ skin tint costing an eye-watering £29, a popular supermarket’s affordable alternative might just be the thing for you.
GET COVERED: At £29 for a Tarte concealer, the new Primark dupe is much more affordable at just £3.50.
SPRAY YAY: For those wanting to smell fresh, without the price tag, Aldi’s new Prada and Chloe perfume dupes cost a fraction of the price.
”CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, £11, gives incredible results without costing big bucks and has been recommended to me by so many dermatologists that I’ve lost count.”
Not only will the affordable cleanser remove dirt and make-up, it also hydrates skin and even re-builds the skins barrier, the beauty pro said.
What’s more, the skincare must-have is great for all skin types, whether it’s dry, oily or acne prone.
As an ex glossy magazine beauty editor and fashion stylist, Sam and Gemma, the expert duo behind This is Mothership, know everything there is to know about where to spend and where to splurge, when it comes to looking good.
They’ve pooled their 20 years of experience into their new book, This is Beauty. This is fashion. This is Life.: The Essential
guide for people short on time, which is out this month.
Samantha Silver's top three tips to slash the beauty costs
- Achieve ‘WOW’ lashes on a budget. The pro, who’s tried a wide range of lashes of all budgets, said: ”L’Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes Panorama Mascara, £10.39, is the best of them all.” Multi-level bristle brush technology means the wand coats every lash from the inner to outer corner for inky black lashes so long people will think they’re extensions.”
- Day VS Night Creams. Samantha explained that your ”day and night creams do different things”. One of the beauty enthusiast’s favourite-ever buys is M&S Formula Ultimate Sleep Cream, which is scanning for £22.50.
- Purse-friendly cleanser. Don’t fork out a fortune on these – as Samantha pointed out, ”you’re literally washing the formula straight down the sink”. She said: ”CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, £11, gives incredible results without costing big bucks and has been recommended to me by so many dermatologists that I’ve lost count.”