Kate Demolder: 8 affordable beauty products to see you through to payday

With that in mind, here are some of the Irish Examiner’s best budget treats to brighten your day.

1. COSRX Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream (€13 for 50g tube, millies.ie)

Korean cosmetics brand COSRX has landed in Ireland. 

For those looking for glass skin, Advanced Snail 92 All in one Cream delivers it instantly. 

It repairs, soothes, and moisturises all by way of snail mucin — which is a bit mental, yes we know. 

However, the proof lies in the pudding. And this pudding is juicy, dewy, and hydrating.

2. Bioderma Pigmentbio Night renewer face cream (€23.15, cloud10beauty.com)

Have you picked up a face of pigmentation following a summer of sun? 

No panic, as Bioderma’s expert Pigmentbio range boasts LumiReveal™ technology which helps to reduce inflammation, limit melanin production, and eliminate dark spots. 

The range is enriched with vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant that brightens the skin. 

As someone with stubborn dark spots on their forehead, I can attest to its greatness. The full range is under €31.

3. Seoulista Instant Wonder® Oil-to-Milk Cleanser (€18, seoulistabeauty.com)

Begin your autumn skincare routine with Seoulista’s oil-to-milk cleanser which dissolves dirt, oil, and makeup while nourishing and hydrating the skin. 

With a blend of 10 multi-dimensional hyaluronic acids as well as vitamin E, it leaves even sensitive skin feeling baby-soft and ready for bed.

4. Lacura Peptide Lip Treatment (€3.99, Aldi)

Aldi Beauty is coming up trumps this autumn. 

Among the best in the range is its dupe of a much pricier vanilla-scented lip oil. 

Its iteration is much the same, and a fraction of the price. Snap this up whenever you see it.

5. Patchology SmartMud™ Smooth Mask (€7, Space NK)

Patchology’s sheet masks are great for zhushing up a complexion pre-night-out or simply signalling all systems to shut down pre-night-in. 

The Smooth Mask does this all while providing a smoother, cleaner complexion by way of a combination of AHAs and BHAs to gently dissolve and slough away dead skin cells.

6. Lottie London Extreme Ink waterproof liquid eyeliner (€5.95, lookfantastic.com)

A jet-black liquid eyeliner, that is highly pigmented, for under the price of a sandwich? 

Few liners are worth your money, but this one from Lottie London is actually very decent. And with colder weather coming, the opportunity for feline flicks is nigh. 

Easy to use, 100% vegan, and cruelty-free too.

7. Luna Gentle Wash Shampoo (€14, lunahaircare.com)

We should all be gentler with our hair. Fine and delicate, we only really find out that it’s damaged beyond repair when it’s too late. 

That’s where Luna comes in with its latest product. Expertly formulated to cater for the specific needs of delicate and damaged hair, Luna’s Gentle Wash is infused with proteins that lock moisture into every strand, leaving hair silky, soft, and nourished. 

The result? Luscious hair that’s neither overprocessed nor stripped.

8. Clean Curls (range from €8.95 to €15.95, Superdrug)

While we’re on the topic of hair care, few product lines cater to those with thick, coiled curls. 

Thankfully, Sarah Jane Crawford has changed that and created Clean Curls, a cult favourite range in the UK. 

Finally, they’ve graced us with their presence on Irish shores, and have shown that eco-friendly hair products do not have to scrimp on excellence.