BEAUTY ONA BUDGET
Feeling strapped for cash after the holidays? There’s no need to break the bank with our pick of the top 20 pamper products for under Dh200
Vowed to save a bit of cash this January, but don’t fancy an all-out surrender to your inner uckly duckling? You’re in luck – we’ve scoured the beauty aisles to score you some serious bargains, all under Dh200. Recommended by us, they’ll have you looking twice as nice at half the price.
1 Heaven Cleanse & Tone FacialWash and Orange Flower Cell Renewal, Dh100
This duo is a match made in (and by) Heaven for gorgeous glowing skin. The Cleanse & Tone Facial Wash is a lightweight gel formula containing mandarin oil, which foams up nicely to gently exfoliate, helping to reduce wrinkles and brighten dull skin, while the Orange Flower Cell Renewal works to regenerate cells and visibly lessen signs of ageing. Heaven skincare is a well-known favourite of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton – hey, if it’s good enough for her, it’s good enough for us!
2 Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Classic, Dh103
Beauty products flit in and out of production like prettifying butterflies, so if something has survived in the industry for more than 20 years – like this cult classic – you know there’s a good reason for it. This frangipanifragranced, vitamin E-enriched dry oil is a favourite of beauty mavens everywhere and can be used all over the body, face and hair for no-mess, fabulous hydration that leaves you feeling, and smelling, like you’ve just spent a week on a yacht in the French Riviera – without the accompanying price tag. We like to rub a pea-sized amount into hair, especially the ends, for smooth tresses without the grease.
3 Rimmel Moisture Renew Lipstick, Dh49
Rimmel is a great go-to brand for good-value goodies, and this bargain-priced lippie is formulated with three heavyweight super moisturisers – polypeptides, hyaluronic acid and natural collagen – to hydrate and nourish lips all day long. The perfect cosmeceutical, it bestows both vibrant colour and chapped-lips-curing conditioning, so pucker up!
4 Herbline Essentials Firm Cream, Dh179
This all-natural cream is power-packed with antioxidants from the likes of nutmeg, cloves, citrus and coriander seed oils, which detoxify skin, while the coco-palm-wax and sunflower-oil base moisturises and strengthens skin’s elasticity to boost firmness and suppleness. It’s one of our favourite night-time unguents and, being organic, it’s also free of chemicals and parabens, so it’s safe for sensitive skins.
5 CND Vinylux Weekly Polish, Dh51
A bargain is as much about good value as it is about low cost, and CND’s VinyluxWeekly Polish is clever enough to offer both. Promising to last you a week without the need for a top coat, it’s designed to adhere to your nails in a vinyl-like texture that won’t chip as regular polish does – think a seven-day Shellac without having to go to a salon or buy a UV lamp. That’s what we call tip top!
6 Johnson’s Baby Shampoo, Dh10
This cheap-as-chips shampoo is not only gentle enough to use on kids’ sensitive heads, it’s handy as a soothing nourisher for your own hair too. Magnificently mild, it cleans hair of impurities without stripping away natural oils, for rejuvenated, non-greasy sleekness.
7 Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Glow Pad, Dh92
These handy multi-taskers can’t decide whether they’re skincare or self-tanner – which is great news for you as you get the benefit of both! Containing alpha and beta hydroxy acids, they work to exfoliate, reduce pore size and eliminate blackheads, while the microencapsulated DHA and soy proteins pre-soaked into the towels give skin a glowing and streak-free colour.
8 Olay Regenerist MicroSculpting Serum, Dh93
Hailed as one of the best anti-agers on the market, this lightweight serum is infused with the highest concentration of Olay Regenerist’s signature amino-peptide complex, and sinks deeply and easily into the skin. The anti-ageing formula works to moisturise and increase firmness, so wrinkles are visibly reduced and complexion improves and brightens within a week of use. You glow girl!
9 NCLA NailWraps, Dh75
These oh-so-amazing stick-on wraps give you that just-out-of-the-salon nail art manicure look at home. With classic colour wraps and must-try fun nail art looks that have been spotted on celebs like Drew Barrymore, Rachel McAdams and Kate Bosworth, just apply the easy stick-ons to your tips to match any outfit.
10 Max Factor Creme Puff, Dh28
Talk about ageing gracefully, the inexpensive Max Factor Creme Puff is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year: what a legend. And for good reason – it gives a flawless photo-ready matte finish with a medium to full coverage and has been used on A-list faces from Jean Harlow to Gwyneth Paltrow. That’s reason enough to get all puffed up!
11 Kevin Murphy Powder Puff, Dh120
You know how bread rises when you add yeast? Think of this as volume-building yeast for your hair, except much less disgusting. This natural formula won’t damage your tresses and can lift or texturise your strands without adding weight. Dust it towards the roots to infuse hair body and movement. You can even use it as a wax or serum.
12 Bourjois Erasable Liner, Dh72
As a wise man once said, mistakes show you are progressing – but they can also make a whole lot of mess on your face. Rub away all those failed feline-eye attempts by using this clever gel-based liner, which can be easily erased thanks to its rubber tip. Enjoy eyeliner experiments without the fear of tricky-toremove smears.
13 UNE Skin Ideal Foundation Youth Serum, Dh140
This youth-enhancing foundation hydrates skin, giving it a radiant glow, while also working to diminish the signs of ageing. Its key ingredient is hyaluronic acid, which helps to keep skin supple and firm. As an organic brand, UNE’s foundation comes with wholesome ingredients like jojoba, argan oil and beeswax that have enriching and nourishing properties for the skin.
14 Uniq-One Hair Treatment, Dh100
This revolutionary all-in-one, leave-in treatment spray is a steal thanks to its 10 hair-saving benefits for luscious-looking locks. Whether you’re looking for heat protection when styling hair, trying to detangle from teasing too much or want to prevent split ends, this multitasker is worth every penny and extremely easy to use – just spritz on and gently blend with your hands for effective results.
15 Daiso Japan False Lashes, Dh7
Say hello to fluttery full lashes this year at a fraction of the cost you’d pay at high-end stores. The quality, surprising to many, is amazing. These falsies can be re-used up to three times if applied and taken off carefully and add the perfect amount of drama to your eyes. All you need to do is apply the lash glue that comes in the kit, all along the strip and wait for it to get tacky before applying.
16 Benefit Stay Flawless Primer, Dh153
This primer promises to keep make-up on for 15 hours and it does just that. A little goes a long way with this product to help make-up stay put and fresh all day – it’s no wonder that it has quickly become a favourite with makeup artists and beauty insiders. Just twist and apply a tiny amount directly to the face, blend if necessary with fingers and finish with your favourite foundation.
17 L’Oréal Elnett Hairspray, Dh13.75
Always a classic and thankfully affordable too, L’Oréal Elnett Hairspray has been holding up fabulous hairstyles for decades. Forget crunchy helmet heads – this gold can is a hairstyling saviour and the perfect companion to any on-trend look season after season, giving unlimited all-day strong hold without stickiness and a brilliant, glossy sheen.
18 Nivea In-Shower Body Moisturiser, Dh14
This genius product has got rave reviews throughout the beauty industry and is regarded as the new generation of body lotions. Apply after cleansing to wet skin while in the shower and simply wash off. The result is super-smooth, fully moisturised skin without the stickiness or extra time of moisturising post-shower. We genuinely love it – the only problem we have is getting through it too quickly, but at this price you can stock up.
19 Sephora Universal Lip Liner, Dh52
This is a must for your make-up bag. Colourless and waterproof, use this parabenfree lip liner as a primer that locks in lip colour all day and stops it from smudging. Use it to perfect and contour the shape of your pout and kiss goodbye to feathering and bleeding of lipstick.
20 Prestige Total Intensity Mascara, Dh59
Build up your lash drama with this precision mascara. The heart-shaped wand means every last lash gets a slick , helping them to look full and voluminous. Twirl and twist the wand outward for more curl and a long-lasting false lash finish.