(links marked * are affiliate links, for more info see disclaimer below post)
Well it looks as though we have ourselves a new beauty series; I uploaded a Youtube video about supermarket beauty on Sunday night and it was an instant hit. It was a video I had been meaning to do for a while – a quick “supermarket sweep” style vlog where I pick out the best beauty buys in my local supermarket. I originally intended it to be a sixty second video for Instagram, something I might do quickly every week with just one product (might still do it, actually) but when I got to Sainsbury’s I had nowhere to prop my camera without looking like a berk and I also had Ted with me, who was being (understandably) grumpy and had to be fed mini scotch eggs at a rate of one per twenty seconds.
So I changed the idea slightly, grabbing the beauty bits I needed and heading home to talk through my choices. To be quite honest, it probably made the video more useful, because it meant I could go into more depth with the product reviews and ramble about supermarket beauty buying in general. Had I tried to film the whole thing in-store, I would have rushed it and probably just done a very quick precis for each item whilst looking nervously over my shoulder to see whether anyone was coming to admonish me. (Also: supermarket lighting tends to be DIRE for filming in. It makes you look about twenty years older and ten times more sallow.)
Anyway, here begins a whole new series: I thought I’d make it a regular thing to go to different supermarkets and find the best buys, discover new exciting products and investigate the more niche brands that you’d probably never expect to find between the kitchen roll aisle and the deli counter.
What do you think? What would you like to see from this series? Some great suggestions in the Youtube comments section included: an entire skincare routine built from supermarket products, best body products and then a comparison of the offerings from the more expensive supermarkets such as Waitrose and M&S and the lower-priced like ASDA and Lidl. I’m going to go and film another one this week, so buoyed am I by the general enthusiasm!
The first edition is here: my Supermarket Best Beauty Buys, this time from Sainsbury’s. I’m afraid I can’t embed the video on the page as something dire seems to have happened, but it’s just a click away! Everything shown in the video can be bought from Sainsbury’s but I’ve added online shopping links below in case you want to look online. (Handily, some bits are cheaper. Just FYI.)
KORRES Fig Body Milk*: https://amzn.to/2NjZg6h
Burt’s Bees Almond Hand Cream*: https://amzn.to/2obVS2D
Superfacialist Cleanser*: http://bit.ly/2BMQZXb
L’Oreal Revitalift Cream-Mask*: https://amzn.to/2MSXADJ
Garnier Eye Makeup Remover*: https://amzn.to/2P7ZyOi
Just a little bit of blurb, for those of you who really can’t be arsed to click through (do, though, if you want to see Baby Ted with his mouth stuffed full of beige food); I chose the KORRES body milk because I was so impressed that KORRES were in a supermarket. Also the milk is light but very nourishing and makes a perfect aftersun. The Burt’s Bees hand cream jar, though possibly one of the priciest products per ml that you’d find in a supermarket, is delightful. The packaging alone makes it gift-worthy, if you’re in a blind panic and en route to someone’s birthday (how often do you find yourself stopping the car and running in to buy a card, bottle of prosecco or similar – grab a jar of this instead!) and the cream itself is more lard than cream – I challenge you to present me with hands so dry and cracked this won’t fix it…
What else? Oh yes, the Super Facialist cleanser – just gorgeous. Very gentle, but very effective, a robust cream cleanser that needs to be flanneled off, but comes in a handy tube. Rare. And won’t break the bank. The L’Oreal night cream needs no introduction, I must have mentioned it around a thousand times, the Garnier makeup remover is just a cheap little hero that gets off stubborn mascara and the like without burning your eyelids off. Always a bonus.
Watch the video here for a little demo and more chat on all five products!
Hello – About Korres, love this make. I use the hair tint and get my hairdresser to apply it every three weeks. The colour is true and doesn’t vary from box to box and the conditioner is super and goes a long way for the the following weeks and beyond. It is made from all natural ingredients, no parabens, or amonia, no chemicals of any kind. I also use their shampoo for tinted hair and again my colour stays true. I have been using these products for about three years now and doubt I’ll change.
Thanks for your research,
Swan
Love this! I’m on a mega budget at the mo, will you be doing reviews of supermarket own brand skincare? I’m using a cleanser from Sainsburys, I think it was £2, and it’s not great (surprise?!) but would love to know if there are any hidden gems in the supermarket’s own brand ranges. Happy Sunday xx
Loved this Ruth! Wish supermarkets in Australia sold Korres and Burts Bees! I’m taking notes regardless though. And a quick note re your August Favourites, I too am unable to read David Sedaris in public. Hilarious reading indoors though!
I live in Canada where our market is a bit different. In some places Korres is considered part of the Prestige section. I would love to see what is available in the UK in the supermarkets. Would it be possible to describe the type of supermarket you are buying from? Ex; is it upmarket, regular market, is it a full grocery store etc.
Full store, with stuff like kitchen utensils, clothing, pharmacy and in-store bakery. More upmarket than the average store, which I would say is Tesco, but not as upmarket as Waitrose or M&S, both of which require a bank loan before setting foot inside the door. Lidl, Aldi and ASDA are cheaper than Tesco. x
I love the concept of this series ! Can’t wait to read more about it !
https://thefrenchiestblog.wordpress.com
Supermarket lights are dire, but you still manage to look beautiful. Is this a new foundation?
Anne – Linda, Libra, Loca
Thank you! It’s the new Max Factor Radiant Lift! xx
I’ve often grabbed some nice bits from WR on the way out to somewhere, as they have passable stuff, but never would have expected to find Burt’s or Korres in Sainsbury’s.
Fantastic idea for a series!! You’re a total genius
I’ve always thought so – an undiscovered genius. Haha. x
Love this idea! I’ve found a new supermarket gem in the L’oreal Brow Stylist Boost and Set. It’s a tinted brow gel that is just as great as the Glossier Boy Brow and Benefit Gimme Brow versions. It gives volume, not just color. It’s very natural looking and it doesn’t dry stiff or sticky.
Oooh! Why have I not tried this?!
Just don’t confuse it with the L’oreal Brow Stylist Plumper! I don’t like that option. It’s really just for color and hold. It doesn’t provide volume, although it claims to. It dries very crunchy too, I’m guessing it’s all of the alcohol it contains.
Right! I’m ordering now before I get it wrong.
where can you get this from???? I can’t find it in the UK but it’s on Amazon’s US site. I can’t seem to find a brow product I like after the one I used to use was discontinued so would like to try! Thanks
PS I love the supermarket idea
Same, can’t find. You mean the L’Oreal right? x
Great idea – supermarkets certainly have a great range of very good beauty products these days! Looking forward to more of your reviews. Can you also pop into M&S as they have quite an extensive list of interesting brands too!
Love this series idea! I am terrifically lazy (and cheap), and further hate buying products I know nothing about for fear of waste – buy most of my products in Aldi to be honest (in fairness, often the special buys of seaweedy joyous things). Anyway, I might expand my remit a bit with this series as I definitely shlep around lots of supermarkets. Looking forward to it.
Hello, your skin looks amazib in the picture and in the video! What are you wearing?
The new Max Factor foundation – review upcoming! xx