20 Beauty Buys Under £20 for Black skin
As an experienced beauty editor, I know a thing or two about the temptation to want to snap up every product you come across, whether it’s new make up or shiny lauded skincare that’s been around for ages. You create a list in your head of all the reasons why you need the product, even though it’s highly likely that you already have multiple products that have similar (if not the same) benefits. So, if you’ve vowed to spend less on beauty products in 2024, I’m with you, let’s be sustainable together.
The January blues don’t make things easy either, Apparently this is the month where we need the most pick me ups. The festive season is well and truly over, the bills are rolling in, it’s cold and stormy and pay day can’t come soon enough. We’re nothing if not a helpful bunch at Black Skin Directory, so here’s our selection of 20 feel good skin, beauty and hair care buys under £20 to turn your frowns into smiles. From CeraVe to Morphe to Nars, there’s something in our guide to lift everyone’s spirits.
CeraVe Foaming Cleanser - £9.50
When it comes to budget skincare brands that are effective and efficacious, it’s safe to say CeraVe tops the list. Everyone needs a good cleanser in their routine and what makes this one so great is that it’s suitable for most skin types (sensitive, normal to oily, blemish prone). It contains three essential ceramides and powerhouse ingredients niacinamide and hyaluronic acid to keep your skin barrier in good health and its moisture levels in tact, ultimately promoting a healthier complexion.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution - £11.50
This toning solution from The Ordinary exfoliates and smoothes skin, providing a boost of radiance and clarity. There’s a lot of talk online about whether glycolic acid is suitable for Black skin and the answer is yes. When incorporating glycolic acid into your skincare routine, the key is not to overuse it - start with a lower percentage, use little and often and see how your skin responds. This toner is gentle on the skin, which makes it perfect for newbies. A bonus is that it contains ginseng root and aloe vera to offer soothing benefits. However, if you have super sensitive skin, give this a miss.
Revolution Pro Miracle Cream - £18
It’s quite rare for a budget beauty buy to rack up a waiting list but that’s exactly what happened when twice sold out Revolution’s Pro Miracle Cream launched. In fact there were 13,000 people on a waiting list for this cream, which has been designed to help encourage brighter and firmer looking skin. Hailed as a worthy dupe for the Charlotte Tilbury Magic Cream, it contains several skin loving ingredients which all work together to rejuvenate the complexion. It’s suitable for all skin types, lightweight and can be worn with or without makeup.
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF30 - £15.00
Looking for the right sunscreen when you have Black skin is a challenge - not only does it need to absorb quickly into the skin, it also needs to not leave a white cast or break you out. It also needs to be nice enough for you to enjoy using it everyday because that’s essential. Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen is a popular choice for Black skin because it’s invisible, weightless, oil-free and leaves a natural finish. A bonus is that it can also be used as a primer to prep the skin for makeup application.
Bioderma Hydrabio Moisturising Serum Dehydrated Skin - £18.49
We know Black skin has the tendency to experience more dryness, so for healthy and hydrated skin all year long, incorporate hyaluronic acid into your skincare routine. The powerhouse ingredient provides the skin with extra hydration while strengthening the skin barrier, leaving a youthful and radiant complexion. It’s also non-comedogenic (won’t block your pores!) which makes it suitable for oily skin types.
Bobbi Brown Vitamin Mini Enriched Face Base - £19
Facebeat gang or not, never underestimate the importance of having a good primer in your make up routine. It creates the perfect base for your makeup - smoothing out fine lines, wrinkles and blurring and uneven skin tone. If you have oily/combination skin, invest in a primer that controls shine and minimises the appearance of pores. For added benefits, choose a primer that contains skincare ingredients. It contains a number of vitamins and shea butter that keep skin moisturised and well prepped for flawless makeup.
Morphe Filter Effect Soft-Focus Foundation - £18
When Fenty Beauty revolutionised the beauty industry with the launch of 50 foundation shades, many beauty brands followed suit and diversified their shade ranges. Morphe was one of them - their filter effect foundation comes in 40 shades and instantly delivers the lightweight, second-skin finish we all want from a foundation. Judging by the brand’s website, the colour accuracy is promising as they’ve covered all bases with offerings for those with light, medium, tan, rich and deep complexions.
Rimmel Lasting Mega Matte Liquid Lipstick - £7.99
If you love wearing lipstick but don’t have time to touch it up during the day, then you might want to consider using one with a matte finish. When it comes to matte lipsticks, you’ll probably find that you have to try a few before you find one that works for you, but when you do it’s so worth it. This liquid lipstick from Rimmel offers a colour drenched matte finish that lasts up to 16 hours. It also offers instant hydration so your lips won’t feel dry and it contains squalane and coconut oil, which work together to protect your lips.
GLOSSIER Boy Brow Volumizing Eyebrow Gel-Pomade - £18
If you want to halve the time it takes you to do your brows, then you need a Glossier brow product in your collection. The best-selling Boy Brow is a volumizing gel pomade that quickly and visibly thickens, conditions and grooms brows into place without leaving them feeling stiff. Once you get the knack of applying, remember a little bit does go a long way making it very good value for money.
NARS Mini Radiant Creamy Concealer - £15
Legendary beauty brand NARS offer mini versions of a selection of their products, including their best-selling concealer. Mini’s are perfect for discovering and experimenting with new products without investing in a full-sized one. The concealer offers lightweight, medium-to-high buildable coverage and light diffusing technology to create a softer, smoother complexion. Who wouldn’t want that?
Sanctuary Spa Signature Natural Oils Super Rich Shea Butter - £16
With more cold weather on the way, it’s important to use nourishing products that replenish the natural moisture of the skin and keep dryness at bay. This body butter from Sanctuary Spa contains a rich, buttery blend of shea butter, cocoa butter and sesame oil. All ingredients work together to melt seamlessly into the skin, offering the intense hydration that skin needs during this time of year.
Vaseline Intensive Care Body Lotion Cocoa Radiant - £5.99
If your skin doesn’t get dry during the winter, then you might wonder why you’d need to use products that have been designed with dry skin in mind, but they might just be what your skin needs in order to flourish during the colder months. You can’t go wrong with this body lotion from Vaseline. In addition to vaseline jelly, it contains powerful moisturisers and 100% pure cocoa butter to restore dry and dull looking skin, bringing out its natural glow.
Naturium The Smoother Glycolic Acid Exfoliating Body Wash - £18
Naturium is a brand to know about. They formulate highly effective, potent skin care formulas and this vegan friendly body wash is no exception. It’s packed with actives such as glycolic acid and lactic acid which work together to cleanse, exfoliate, hydrate and resurface the skin. It also tackles rough and bumpy textured skin too. If you fancy taking your bodycare game to the next level, you can leave it on your skin for a few minutes before rinsing it off.
Elle Coco Amour Fragrance Mist - £8.99
I have it on good authority, that body mists are making a comeback in 2024. They are a great lightweight choice for daily use and this Elle Coco fragrance mist is a great choice. It’s sweet and fruity and can be used as a go-to spritz whenever you need to freshen up. Containing notes of peach, coconut, milk, toffee and vanilla, it will have you positively longing for the warm summer days to come.
Hydrea London Combination Detox Massage Brush - £11.99
There’s so much more to bodycare than using the right body wash and body lotion. Exfoliating regularly will also help you achieve smooth, glowing skin and this is where dry body brushing enters the chat. This has become quite popular in recent years and this dry brush from Hydrea London has been fitted with flexible nodules and natural bristles that stimulate circulation and your lymphatic system to remove toxins and smooth the skin simultaneously.
Pattern Microfibre Towel - £19
Pattern’s line up of products and styling solutions have been created with curls and coils in mind. If you’re looking for products that will simplify your wash day routine in 2024, then you might want to consider adding a microfiber towel to the mix. This towel has been created to give hair the TLC it needs on wash day. It quickly absorbs excess water post-washing and diminishes the need for friction and heat styling, minimising stress to your strands.
Camille Rose Sweet Ginger Cleansing Rinse Shampoo - £10.99
When caring for Afro hair, it’s important to keep in mind that it needs a lot of moisture. So on wash day, you should be using a shampoo with cleansing properties like this one from Camille Rose. It has been designed to deeply cleanse hair by removing impurities and build-up without stripping it of its natural moisture. A bonus is that it's infused with sweet ginger and lemon peel to add an invigorating aroma to your hair washing ritual.
Carol's Daughter Goddess Strength Blend Oil Hair & Scalp - £12.99
Created with curly, coily and frizzy hair types in mind, the Goddess system from Carol’s Daughter might be just what your hair needs to thrive. The four piece system includes a sulfate-free shampoo, conditioner, leave-in cream and oil. The oil contains growth enhancing castor oil and black cumin seed and supports the strength of hair as it gets longer by fortifying it and preventing breakage in the process.
Tangle Teezer The Wet Detangler Hairbrush - £13
We know that detangling is the key to a successful wash day, but we also know how time consuming the process can take. Having a tool like the The Wet Detangler, the newest addition to Tangle Teezer’s collection of detangling products can help with this during the conditioning process. It has over 300 unique teeth that detangle every strand of hair quickly without pulling, tugging or causing breakage.
Afroani Hydrate and Strengthen Hair Mask - £19.99
A hair mask is a great way to maintain hair health in between washes. It’s also a great self-care practice because once you’ve washed your hair, you can put a mask on and relax while it works its magic. This one from Afroani is a great choice because it contains a wealth of ingredients that boost hair health such as jojoba oil, amla, shea putter and hydrolysed protein to nourish and heal dry, damaged or colour treated hair. If you have a dryer at home, you can sit under it for 35 minutes for a more intense treatment.