'As a beauty editor, I reckon these supermarket buys work harder than the expensive stuff.'

I realised today that I've been working as a Beauty Editor for 13 years, which doesn't feel correct considering 2000 was only 10 years ago, and you can't tell me otherwise. Basically, I've been in the industry for a long time, and I've tried every product under the sun.

There are expensive products I will live and die by—Skinceuticals C E Ferulic, the $200+ Vitamin C serum that has never failed me, for example. My Glossier You perfume, which I used to beg people travelling to the US to buy for me in bulk before they started stocking in Mecca. But honestly, there are loads of supermarket budget beauty buys that work just as well, if not better than, their expensive counterparts.

Watch: That time of year is officially here. Here is Mamamia's You Beauty roundup (narrated super well). Post continues below.

Since we're all in the business of saving cash right now (hello, chaotic Trump tariffs and a cost-of-living crisis), I figured you might want a few recommendations from the shopping aisles. These are the products I still throw in my trolley when I'm picking up bread and milk.

L'Oreal Paris Lash Paradise Mascara, $19.49.

Image: Adore Beauty.

I rarely stray from a supermarket mascara. Maybelline New York was my go-to brand for years and years, I still love anything that comes out in their Colossal and Falsies ranges. But their sister brand, L'Oreal Paris, surprised me with Lash Paradise. It's the best mascara for anyone who loves an inky black lash look that isn't clumpy but also isn't so light-on that you can barely notice you applied anything.

The texture is sort of waxy, but in a good way — it clings to lashes without getting chunky or feeling heavy, adding length and volume. I don't find it smudges at all, but I will flag that oily-skinned friends of mine will ONLY use tubing mascara because everything else smudges. If that's you, another supermarket buy that is god-tier is MCo Beauty Xtend Lash.

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Cream, $25.95.

Image: Adore Beauty

As someone with skin that likes to fluctuate between normal/combination and "oh my god, the world is ending" levels of sensitivity (why?), I have to have a tube of La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 Cream on hand at all times. The holy grail for anyone who gets itchy, dry, or flaky skin for any reason – after treatments, in winter, from using too much retinol, just because your face decided to — it will soothe and restore that skin barrier faster than you can say "I look like Samantha Jones in that SATC episode where she had a chemical peel". 

The key is a mix of recovery ingredients like madecassoside, vitamin B5, panthenol and a prebiotic complex, but if that flew over your head, just know that it's rich, feels like a protective barrier on your skin, and when you apply it overnight, has you waking up with way less irritation. It's often on sale, so I usually buy a tube when the price drops.

Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Cream, $35.99.

Image: Priceline.

Again — my skin likes to play up! I need a lot of moisture! I am basically a greasy seal when I get into bed (sorry to my partner) because I lather up my face with lotions and potions, and then my body with Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturising Lotion.

I always buy the gigantic bottle — it's regularly half price at chemists and supermarkets. I mean, once a month, I reckon you can score it at 50 per cent off. I don't mess with the other version, the Daily Moisturising Lotion, because while it's also good, I need the extra TLC from Skin Relief, which is designed for dry and sensitive skin types. If your body turns into a scaly crocodile during winter, you'll love this. 

Maybelline New York Fit Me Concealer, $19.99.

Image: Adore Beauty

There is a, *ahem*, expensive Mecca concealer that I love, but honestly, this Maybelline New York Fit Me Concealer is such a close second that it's almost a dupe. It's got a creamy texture and a really good colour range so you can match it effortlessly to your skin tone. It's so easy to blend and covers my dark circles — what's not to love? Again, it's often on sale so I wait for the big price slashies before I buy. 

Dermal Therapy Lip Balm, $6 (currently on sale for $4.20).

Image: Priceline

The lip balm to end all lip balms. Okay, that's a bit dramatic, and I do have a wide range of lip balms I love. But when things are dire (think flaky, sore and red), I turn to Dermal Therapy Lip Balm. It's $6 (and often on sale), it's available everywhere, and it starts healing lips the moment you swipe it on. 

Bring it up with friends, and you'll probably find at least one person grips your arms with vice-like strength, stares you down and starts rattling off all the reasons they love it. People go wild for this balm, truly. Probably because we've all suffered enough with chapped lips to know a saving grace when we see one.

Sukin Signature Botanical Body Wash, $9.99.

Image: Chemist Warehouse

Look, in a perfect world, I'd be a millionaire and have Aesop Coriander Seed Body Cleanser in my bathroom at all times. But I'm not, and yet I still love a herbal day spa environment when I rush through my nightly wash before bed. Enter Sukin Signature Botanical Body Wash. It's cheap, I can get it at the supermarket, and it still has a really lovely, "I'm in Bali in an outdoor shower" scent. 

I'm also a fan of the brand's commitment to omitting some of the more controversial beauty product ingredients, but I buy this mainly because it smells great, does the job, and doesn't cost me half my paycheck.

TBH Skincare Rebound Serum, $49.95 (currently on sale for $39.96).

Image: Adore Beauty

This is such a great serum, and I love how TBH Skincare is now stocked at Coles! I recommend their Rebound Serum to everyone because building up and maintaining your skin barrier is the best way to combat anything — hormonal acne, fine lines, uneven skin texture, the works. Yes, you might need some other heavy-hitter serums in the mix, but this is baseline skincare for everyone, and I have gone through many a bottle. 

The formula is a clear gel that sits well under moisturiser and makeup. It's soothing for dry or sensitive skin and is packed with great ingredients like niacinamide and ceramides (great for keeping skin healthy and in your good books). 

So, there you go! A few goodies to throw in the shopping trolley on your next supermarket visit.

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