Cost Of Living: The Top 10 Beauty Products Budget-Focused Brits Will Forgo   

As the cost of living bites, many Brits are re-evaluating their spending and cutting back on what they no longer deem ‘essential.’ From shrinking Christmas spending and cancelling entertainment subscriptions to forgoing beauty products, the current crisis is collectively felt across the UK.  

A Beauty Daily survey reveals that 93% of Brits are worried that the rising cost of living will negatively impact their quality of life.  

Beauty enthusiasts and skincare savvy have already felt the current situation, with one in four Brits forced to cut back on beauty purchases. This affects one in three women and 15% of men. 

To explore how the crisis will affect our purchasing behaviour, we surveyed 2,000 British women to find the top 10 beauty products they’d forgo if money were an issue. Read on.  

The Top 10 Beauty Products On-The-Budget Brits Would Stop Buying

Our findings revealed that most Brits find face masks, perfume, and facial exfoliators a luxury, not essential items. Therefore, they had no problem dropping them if they were forced to make cutbacks.  

Toners, face serums, eye creams/eye serums, cleansers, primers, body exfoliators and lip balms also made the list of non-essential beauty items: 

1. Face Masks 
2. Perfume 
3. Face Exfoliators 
4. Toner  
5. Face Serum  
6. Eye Cream/Eye Serum 
7. Cleanser 
8. Primer 
9. Body Exfoliator 
10. Lip Balm 

Industry experts, however, believe that beauty and personal care priorities won’t change, but purchasing behaviour will. Consumers favour discretionary spending and considered choices, looking at value and cost. 

Beauty Products Brits Would Hold On

Despite letting go of 10 beauty products, many Brits will still hold on to their face moisturiser, with 83% revealing they can’t live without it.    

Charlotte McHale, Clarins Training Manager, also highly recommends investing in your ‘actives’ when choosing over certain beauty products.  

Actives, or active ingredients, deal with different skin concerns. They include retinol, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA), Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA), niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C, SPF, ceramides, and benzoyl peroxide.  

“You want to invest in your ‘actives,’ which treat the deeper layers of the skin or specific skin conditions like ageing or hyperpigmentation. There’s a difference in quality in different price brackets. You get what you pay for.”  

Sarah Joan Ross, Beauty Daily Editor, says she will certainly be looking at cutting back on a few items, except SPF.  

“This should be considered a non-negotiable staple. There’s also a case for looking into formulations – high-tech and concentrated products that you use less of – and inevitably can last much longer – could be the way to go. Plus, products should always be rigorously efficacy-tested in a scientific lab on multi-ethnic consumers and proven to work. Otherwise, they waste your money and the planet’s resources.” 

Beauty Alternatives   

The same survey revealed that 92% of Brits would consider more affordable beauty alternatives before eradicating products from their beauty routine.  

45% of respondents revealed they’d find a cheaper moisturiser, followed by a cleanser at 43%.  

“If you are trying to cut costs, find drugstore face cleansers and exfoliator alternatives. It would certainly cost much less than premium luxury brands. You could save a few quid from each step but don’t do that with your actives,” McHale advises. 

 

Make-up Over Skincare

The survey also revealed that Brits might be willing to slash some pounds off certain skincare products, but that would not be the case for their make-up essentials. Only 12% cited they’d find cheaper alternatives for contour products, 13% for lashes and 14% for lip liner. Brits placed more value on make-up than skincare if forced to make cutbacks.  

Another beauty product most likely to bid goodbye from beauty cupboards is perfume. While it makes sense as perfumes tend to be on the pricier side, it’s also the first one that would make a comeback once money is no longer an issue.  

57% of women cited that fragrance is essential to their beauty routine. This reveals that what we deem “essential” changes drastically when we no longer have the financial means.  

The findings also reveal that haircuts are the top treatment British women would stop getting professionally done, followed by hair colouring, gel manicures, and nail acrylics.  

Christmas is coming. Are you looking for ways to cut some costs? We have listed five purse-friendly, affordable Christmas ideas for a frugal – yet fabulous – festive celebration. Read next: Have Yourself An Affordable Christmas