There was a time when the weightier the lipstick and the fancier the packaging, the better. The dressing-table appeal usually came with a luxury price tag, too. But budget beauty products are having a renaissance, and our make-up bags, as well as our purses, are benefiting. Take 17, for example, the beauty brand that abruptly disappeared from the make-up aisles in Boots in 2018; it has just been relaunched, bigger, better and more grown-up than ever before.
Everything in the collection is under a fiver. With the new range, you can get a full make-up kit for under £10. So, now’s the time to invest in products that offer a cheering pick-me-up without splashing out.
Lipstick formulas are improving and whether you’re into a matte, creamy, glossy or sheer formula, you can find fantastic options under £10. Before you dismiss Boohoo completely, its brand-new venture into beauty is surprisingly good, and the lipsticks in particular are ones you’ll find yourself reaching for time and again – and they’re £6 a pop. As for eyeshadows, swerve the large palettes that will inevitably have some dud shades and try the Bite Size ones by Elf. Each mini palette includes four complementary shades for £4. Mascara-wise, if you like lift, curl and volume, try Maybelline’s new Colossal Curl Bounce Mascara. The brand is a real mascara authority.
