Why can low-cost creams also be effective?
Even the beauty kits of celebrities are full of low-cost creams. Not all affordable beauty products are bad—there are brands on the market offering highly competitive prices while still being effective and high-quality. Today we’ll show you several that you’re going to love.
Before you read any further, we should make it clear that you’re free to choose the cheap or expensive brands available in your city or country. They don’t necessarily have to be the ones we mention here. The market is full of both low- and high-end products that can offer the same benefits. Just remember to ask the staff at your local store for advice.
What we really want to share in this article is that if you compare the active ingredients of a cheap cream with a more expensive one—or even a luxury one—you’ll often find they include the same components, sometimes even listed in the same order. The difference usually lies in their concentration, which tends to increase with price. Other factors that raise the price include packaging and marketing: the nicer the jar and the more layers of wrapping, the more you’ll end up paying.
Alright, let’s get to it. We’ll start with a low-cost body cream—after all, the skin is the largest organ of the human body.
BODY MOISTURIZER:
Organic aloe vera body gel to let your hand glide smoothly over your skin. You can find it in any major store with a pharmacy section, and it costs less than €10. We’re using this cream as an example, but there are many similar ones from various brands.
Nowadays, we can’t go without applying a good layer of moisturizer after the shower—it’s a healthy habit that keeps our skin looking amazing, even as we age.
Our only piece of advice? Don’t forget to exfoliate in the shower at least once a week using a sponge. This helps open up your pores and remove the surface layer of dead skin. If you get rid of dead cells, those five minutes you spend massaging your legs, arms and glutes will truly make a difference.
DAY CREAM:
This brand has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. Bella Aurora offers a wide range of skincare products with a very good quality-price ratio. It’s easy to find and won’t leave you wide-eyed when you see the price tag.
Pharmacy chains have helped give this brand strong visibility in their displays, so you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.
Don’t forget to apply it without stretching the skin, using upward circular motions. Skin naturally loses elasticity over time—we don’t want to speed up that process. And remember to apply it both morning and night. A trick to help it absorb faster: place a small amount on the top of your hand and gently warm it by moving it around before applying it to your face.
EYE CONTOUR CREAM:
Often forgotten, but oh-so important. Eye contour cream is probably the least sold product in the skincare world because we keep convincing ourselves that we don’t need it.
But love yourself more—and even if it’s just at night—take the time to gently apply it around your eyes with care. You’ll notice the difference in fine lines after just a month.
Go on, choose the one you like best—there are plenty of great options and you won’t regret it. We suggest the Lidl one, which is perfect if you’re just getting started.
FACIAL MASK:
Just like the one from Mercadona, you’ll find facial masks in any supermarket or beauty store to suit your budget. Facial masks help renew your skin by gently removing dead cells, tightening pores, and preparing your face so that your moisturizer works even better.
We recommend applying it at night, so your skin has more time to rest before you wear makeup again.
And if one day you don’t have a mask on hand, try applying a bit of honey for 10 minutes. At the very least, you’ll be giving your skin a boost of vitamins and it will look more radiant for a few hours.
HAND CREAM:
And finally, the one moisturizer that should never be missing from your nightstand—the one that lulls us into the arms of Morpheus with our favorite scent: hand cream.
This one’s super easy, since the market is full of them, and most are great low-cost options. Just try to pick one with fewer silicones if possible—or simply go for the scent that you love the most.
A little trick to keep your hands soft and ready for all the upcoming December events:
Rub some olive oil and a bit of coarse salt into your hands as if you were applying cream or washing them. One minute is enough. Then rinse and immediately apply your hand cream. Let us know how it feels!
Also, remember to switch brands every now and then—your skin can get used to a product, and its effect may fade. Creams, lotions for everyone—because at this rate, 50 will be the new 30.
Do you use low-cost creams? Tell us your favorite in the comments or share this article with someone who still thinks cheap isn’t an option!
