Splurge or Save?

Aside from BASE questions, the other queries that often fill my inbox are about my product recommendations, and specifically, when to splurge and when to save. So, since it’s January, I thought I’d share my top tips for where it’s worthwhile to invest your money and equally, when to tighten your purse strings…

Save: Mascara

I have tried more mascaras than I can possibly count. From the high-end designer brands all the way through to high street, budget ones.

What I can tell you from my endless research is that in this instance, you can definitely save a few pennies. High street mascaras have come such a long way over the past few years and can completely transform your face for under a tenner. The quality of ingredients are pretty similar across the board, so all you need to focus on is finding a brush and finish (volume, length, colour) that suits your taste.

Spend: Face Makeup
(foundations, concealers, powders)

I swear that the majority of my breakouts in my younger years were caused by poor quality makeup. It would sit on my face all day, nestle into my pores and before I knew it, another breakout would appear.

This is because poor quality makeup is made using poor quality ingredients such as mineral oil, parabens and alcohol. Each of them cause huge amounts of irritation at all ages and as they’re in contact with your skin for most of the day, I always suggest investing in the best formulas you can, to avoid any issues. This ensures your skin will look as healthy, clear and glowing with the makeup, as it does when you wash it all off.

Save: Body Lotions

If you read last week’s blog, you’ll know that the skin on your body is much thicker than the skin on your face. This means it doesn’t become damaged or sensitised as easily and therefore only needs a nourishing moisturiser, rather than a complete routine. And the moisturiser doesn’t need to be fancy either!

In fact, a bog standard, fragrance free, emollient lotion will do just the trick. As the skin is so dense, active ingredients are unnecessary and all you need is good, old-fashioned hydration. You can find an ideal product for under £5 and if you use it regularly, you’ll be blown away by the soft, supple skin it delivers.

Spend: Skincare

Skincare is very similar to makeup…Use the wrong products and they can do more harm than good.

Although many high street brands now offer products with the right headline ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamin C and Retinol, underneath, they’re often filled with filler ingredients such as mineral oil, parabens, alcohol and fragrance. This ultimately means that the actives aren’t used in concentrations strong enough to treat your concerns and the filler ingredients will just cause your skin irritation.

This is why you will never find any filler ingredients in BASE. My philosophy is to use results-driven ingredients only, so that each product actually benefits your skin and does what it says on the bottle. This way, it’s always worth your investment.

Save: Lash Serum

I absolutely love lashes and it’ll come as no surprise that mine have had their own routine since my early teens. It started off with a simple layer of Vaseline which was supposed to condition them and make them grow longer. However, I quickly learnt that was a painful recipe for disaster and started trying lash serums instead.

As many of these products were previously ‘clinic only’ brands, unfortunately they came with hefty price tags. However, in recent years, product development has advanced hugely and you can now get the same results from the high street alternatives. These days I pay 75% less than I used to, but the results are 100% as good.

Spend: Conditioner

Now it goes without saying that I’m not a practising hair expert, however when I trained in aesthetics, one of the core subjects was hair growth. This is where I discovered the importance of a good conditioner.

Unlike shampoo which is washed away after a couple of minutes, conditioner residue is designed to stay on your hair to nourish and repair it. It also protects your hair from damage caused by styling, the great outdoors and chemical treatments such as hair dye. This is why I always advise spending a little more on your conditioner that you do on your shampoo. The higher quality ingredients will hydrate your scalp and allow your hair to grow healthier, shinier and stronger.

I hope that helps to clarify where your investments will pay off and where your savings are worthwhile. As with everything in life, it’s all about balance 🥰

Amy x