Winter Skincare on a Budget

As the seasons change it’s essential to switch up your skincare routine. Autumn and Winter bring cooler weather and chilly winds that can cause havoc on our skin. It’s important to protect it; this means investing in some nourishing skincare products.

You might be thinking you have to chuck out all your previous skincare, but don’t worry, just a few adjustments will do the trick. There are plenty of inexpensive solutions that will help your skin battle all weather and temperature fluctuations. 

From cheaper products that deliver great results to ways of saving money off much-loved brands, read on to find out more.  

What products should I use to protect my skin this winter?

No matter what your skin type is, protecting the skin barrier is key. This means thicker formula cleansers and moisturisers. You might want to introduce a serum or oil that will leave the skin supple and free from dry patches. And you will need to continue to use SPF every day - where there’s daylight there’s harmful UV rays. Don’t forget to slather lips in balms too; as cool winds lead to chapped lips.  

Cleanser for Winter

During the colder months you need to lock in moisture and the skin's natural oils as much as possible. Cream cleaners and cleansing balms are both great options to protect the skin while ensuring you remove makeup, pollution and SPF. There are plenty of affordable options available. 

• L’Oreal Paris Fine Flowers Cream Wash, £3.95, at Superdrug 
• Garnier Natural Rose Water Cleansing Milk for Sensitive Skin, £3.79 at Boots 
• The INKEY List  Oat Cleansing Balm, £11.99 at Boots 
• E.L.F Holy Hydration! Make-up Melting Cleansing Balm, £9.99 at Boots 
• Weleda Skin Food Nourishing Cleansing Balm, £12.95, at Look Fantastic 

Introduce a Face Oil

A face oil can make all the difference during the Winter. Whether you are a regular user of face oils or introducing it for the first time, Argan Oil will work wonders. It contains omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin C which nourish even the driest of skins. But its biggest bonus is that it’s wonderfully lightweight; if you don’t like the feeling of a thick oil, you will love it. You don’t need to spend a fortune either.  

• The Ordinary 100% Organic Cold-Pressed Moroccan Argan Oil, £6.70, available from Boots
• Flawless Facial Oil with Rosehip, Argan and Neroli Oil, £12.99, at Flawless
• Facetheory Calming Argan Oil O1, £11.00, at Facetheory 
• Lush Argan Facial Oil bar, £10, at Lush
• Garden of Wisdom 100% Cold-Pressed Argan Oil, £12.00, at Victoria Health

Face masks to the rescue

Face masks always feel super indulgent, and while you can make the experience feel like a spa day, they are an essential part of skincare during Winter. The skin can feel dry and parched after a day of cold winds and central heating. After a week that dryness increases and the skin soon becomes tight and uncomfortable. That’s where a weekly mask becomes a must! The good news is that as long as the mask you are using is packed with moisturising ingredients, you can pick up inexpensive face masks easily. Here are a few of my favourites. 

• Simple Kind to Skin Rich Moisture Sheet Mask, £2.00, at Boots 
• Vitamin E Leave-on Mask, £3.99, at Superdrug 
• Nivea Q10 Energy Vitamin C Anti-Wrinkle Sheet Face Mask, £3.25, at Sainsbury’s
• Garnier Moisture Bomb Lavender Sheet Mask, £3.19, at Amazon
• Dr PAWPAW Your Gorgeous Skin Soothing and Nourishing Sheet Mask, £4.99, at Look Fantastic 

Ways of saving money on products I would like to add to my Winter skincare routine?

There are ways you can save on skincare, not just throughout Winter, but all year long. Here are some of the ways I make savings, so you can too. 

Save money with beauty loyalty programmes.

Make the most of beauty loyalty cards. Not only do many of them offer products at discounted prices, but you can also use points to purchase any products that you would like to introduce into your Winter skincare regime. Find out how much you can save by signing up for various loyalty programs here. 

Consider beauty dupes

Treating yourself to high-end beauty products is the ultimate in skincare luxury, but it’s not always affordable. If you do stumble across an expensive product that you would like to introduce to your Winter routine - consider a skincare dupe. They are often over 50% less than the more expensive options.  

Don’t rule out own-brand products

Own brands are viable options and shouldn’t be ruled out when purchasing skincare at any time of the year. They are an excellent way to buy budget products. I particularly like Boot's skincare range. And if you have the Boots Advantage card you can access 10% off Boots products. 

Tesco’s Kind and Pure range is an absolute bargain that delivers great results. Prices start at just 65p for biodegradable facial wipes and the most expensive product in the range is micellar water- a large 500ml bottle is £2.70. 

Another fabulous supermarket find is the range from Morrisons named September. There are 30 products available in the collection and prices range from £3.50 - £7.15. You can grab skincare essentials such as cleansers and moisturisers - which are brilliant for winter skin. But the September range also includes other products like hair masks and fragrances.