DISCLAIMER 1: This post contains affiliate links, which are all clearly marked. This means that if you choose to purchase the product through these links that I may earn a few pennies at no extra cost to you.

DISCLAIMER 2: While I have included links in this post to where you can purchase these products online I am a strong advocate of shopping locally, especially through independent retailers. Many of these products will be available from your local chemist/pharmacy shop, and purchasing through them is great for your community. Wherever possible, shop local!

I am fully aware that I am a little bit stingey – I’m the kinda person who you find checking out the MUA make up at a quid in Superdrug. There are a few reasons that I try to opt for cheaper options where possible, including:

1. You can get more for your money.
2. Some of these products are just as good as their pricier counterparts.
3. I’m trying to save money for things which I deem to be more important.
4. If I’m going to discover that I’m allergic to something or that I don’t like it/it doesn’t work for me it’s better if I haven’t wasted my money.

This doesn’t mean that I don’t ‘splurge’ every once in a while, and sometimes when I treat myself I find a wee treasure. I’ve already written about how much I love The Body Shop, so it should come as no surprise that one of their products features here. Even when I splurge, I never tend to go OTT – I guess it is maybe just something in my wiring!

Here are my top five ‘self-care’ products which are worth treating yourself to without breaking the bank…

 

Aveeno Moisturiser

Okay so technically I didn’t splurge on this the first time around, but I have now gone out and used my own pennies to buy a new bottle.

This was originally prescribed to me by a doctor in Edinburgh when I fell victim to a pretty nasty allergic reaction/eczema outbreak/infection (we never did get to the bottom of it unfortunately) across my face, specifically my eyelids. I will never know if it was the moisturiser or the steroid cream or the antibiotics, or a combination of these things, which led to me getting my face back but something worked miracles.

While not particularly bothered by eczema nowadays (just the occasional localised outbreak) I am permanently afflicted with ridiculously dry skin. I find this moisturiser to be a bit of a miracle worker without being too greasy (unless I overdo it, which I have been known to do more times than I care to admit – a little really does go a long way!)

I am looking forward to trying some more products from the Aveeno range!

You can buy this for under a fiver here: http://amzn.to/2oTRsx9 [affiliate]

 

Batiste Dry Shampoo

I thought that I could substitute this for Superdrug’s own brand dry shampoo about a year ago and save those pennies, but boy was I wrong. Unfortunately, while it did make my hair look cleaner, the cheap dry shampoo left my hair feeling like it had been sprayed with a whole tin of hairspray – it was actually ridiculous how dry and hard my hair was!

I don’t really enjoy showering (apparently a lot of people do?) so dry shampoo is a really good friend of mine – it’s also really handy for camping! It leaves my hair looking and feeling SO MUCH cleaner and doesn’t leave it looking or feeling chalky, something which can happen as a dark haired person.

As an extra perk, the Batiste dry shampoo smells really quite nice (my favourite scent is the Blush, a floral one, but there are an array of scents available as well as an unscented one.)

You can buy my favourite scent Blush for four quid here: http://amzn.to/2oTMroc [affiliate]

 

Aussie Miracle Conditioner

Okay so confession time: I originally bought this because of peer pressure.

I kept hearing how great the Aussie hair products were and one day when I was shopping in Tesco they had it on a special offer – three for a tenner – and I caved in and bought some (must have been pay day!).

I am so glad I did though, because as far as I am concerned this conditioner is totally worth the hype.

While I find that the shampoos and normal conditioners are maybe a bit overrated, the three minute miracle conditioner is absolutely worth treating yourself too. You can leave it on for as long or as little time as you want or you feel necessary for the condition of your hair, but even a short spell seems to work wonders. I can’t explain it (although I’m sure the bottle could) – I guess it must be some kind of kangaroo magic.

You can buy this here: http://amzn.to/2oTRsx9 [affiliate]

The Body Shop Foaming Tea Tree Cleanser

I finished my second bottle of about a year ago or so and almost had a break down when I thought they had stopped making it – thankfully it transpired that they had just rebranded!

This product appeals to me partially because I really like bubbles, but mostly because it’s really good and my skin really likes it. I’m always left feeling super clean and soft and my skin has absolutely no reaction whatsoever. I find that it is pretty great for taking off my make up too – a couple of pumps and it just foams it right off my face.

You can buy it here for £6: https://www.thebodyshop.com/en-gb/range/view-all/tea-tree-skin-clearing-foaming-cleanser/p/p000811

Cat’s Eye Mascara

Maybelline Colossal Volume Cat’s Eye Mascara has been my go-to mascara for many years – let’s face it it’s probably time that I tried something new.

A decade(ish) of happy eyes can’t be wrong though, can it?

I was blessed with semi-decent eyelashes anyway which I’m sure helps, but I just really like the way that this mascara feels and looks when it’s on. It’s a mascara – what more can be said?

You can buy it for under £6 here: http://amzn.to/2FXCfTM [affiliate]

 

So what do you think? Have you tried any of these products? What is your favourite product to splurge on? Tell me in the comments below!