13 Of The Best Affordable Skincare Products For Under £20

Concocting an effective skincare routine doesn’t have to cost the earth – a cursory glance at any glowy-skinned influencer or beauty editor’s skincare arsenal will confirm that. Nowadays, we want efficacy at a good price, and the skincare brands have it noted, formulating hardworking products at a snip of the cost of some luxury brands.

Does affordable skincare actually work?

“Yes,” says dermatologist Dr Alexis Granite, who works with CeraVe, one of the UK’s most loved budget brands. “There are definitely affordable skincare brands out there that are very effective. Product formulation is quite a complex process and some ingredients, especially high grade actives, do come at a premium. However, brands can find ways of including very efficacious, high quality actives and textures by focusing on a few select ingredients and paring back packaging and fragrance to really focus on the formulation.”

The Ordinary is one brand that shook up the market when it launched, offering ingredient-led formulas at really good prices. Now, having grown, they offer more innovative products – still at excellent prices – thanks to the fact they now work on a bigger scale. “This includes larger production volumes which help reduce costs and allow us to pass those savings on to our customers,” The Ordinary Lab Team share. “Many of our products focus on a few key ingredients, making them highly targeted to specific skin concerns and more efficient to produce.”

The Ordinary team also note that clinical testing provides objective, evidence-based results that demonstrate the efficacy of their products – which is a good tip for anyone unsure on whether a formula will work for them: Look for the clinical trials. “Ultimately, the true measure of efficacy comes from testing and proven results, rather than just the price tag,” they add.

Where should we invest and where can we save?

While you can get an effective skincare routine without spending lots of money, there are some formulas that – should budgets allow – are best to splurge on, and others where it makes sense to save. “I equate this with fashion, where you mix ‘high’ and ‘low’ pieces,” says Dr Granite. “I recommend investing in active ingredients based on your targeted concerns, whether that’s pigmentation, redness, blemishes and fine lines and wrinkles. These tend to come in the form of serums, but not always.” When you invest in problem-focused formulations, which often come at a premium, you can save on the rest of your supporting routine – think cleanser, moisturiser and SPF.

What is the best skincare under £20?

Here we share our edit of the best affordable skincare products.

Best for first signs of ageing: The Ordinary GF 15% Serum for Visible Skin Repair and Wrinkles

The Ordinary GF 15% Serum for Visible Skin Repair and Wrinkles

From fine lines and wrinkles to rough texture and dullness, this formula blends plant-based growth factor peptides to rejuvenate the skin, while bolstering its barrier. An good all-rounder, it’s perfect for those wanting to address the first signs of ageing.

Best for gentle cleansing: La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Anti-Bacterial Cleansing Wash

La Roche-Posay Cicaplast B5 Anti-Bacterial Cleansing Wash

If you’re someone with acne, a disrupted skin barrier or any number of other skin issues, this ultra-gentle cleanser is perfect for you. It contains copper, zinc and manganese, which are antibacterial ingredients that work without drying or disrupting the skin’s natural balance, while panthenol helps to soothe and hydrate. It’s gentle (so gentle you can use it on babies and intimate areas) and incredibly effective, which is why dermatologists often recommend it to their patients.

Best for very dry skin: CeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment

CeraVe Advanced Repair Ointment

A handbag essential, this CeraVe formula contains the brand’s signature ceramide complex, along with petrolatum and hyaluronic acid to protect, nourish and prevent dehydration. It’s also a brilliant lip balm.

Best for acne-prone skin: Dose by VH Azelaic Acid 10% Serum

Dose by VH Azelaic Acid 10% Serum

This £15 formula harnesses the powers of azelaic acid, an active ingredient that is brilliant at reducing inflammation, redness and spots, while working on evening out skin texture. That makes it a great formula for teenagers and anyone struggling with acne-prone skin or rosacea.

Best for hydration: The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

The Inkey List Hyaluronic Acid Serum

The difficulty with super affordable hyaluronic acid formulas is that they can often feel sticky or tacky on the skin. This one doesn’t. With two per cent multi-molecular hyaluronic acid and matrixyl 3000, a peptide that helps firm, it ticks a lot of boxes.

Best affordable SPF: Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Brightening Fluid Glow SPF 50+

Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Brightening Fluid Glow SPF 50+

A favourite among beauty editors, Garnier’s vitamin C-infused SPF protects against UVA, UVB and long UVA, while delivering a dewy finish to the skin. With a slight tint, it can be worn alone or underneath other base formulas, plus it’s not greasy and doesn’t leave a white cast. It’s a yes from us.

Best for redness: Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment

Dr.Jart+ Cicapair™ Tiger Grass Colour Correcting Treatment

A cult classic, Dr Jart’s Cicapair colour corrector is a brilliant product to even out skin tone and neutralise redness. Morphing from green to beige upon application, it blends cica with a probiotic ferment and humectants, which moisturise while soothing the skin.

Best for glow: Weleda Skin Food

This is a make-up artist favourite for a reason. It’s a rich moisturiser that works quickly on dry skin, but it also makes a brilliant natural highlighter when mixed with a foundation or tinted moisturiser. One tube sells every 11 seconds around the world – so give it a try if you haven’t already.

Best multitasker: Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream

Nivea Soft Moisturising Cream

One of my personal favourites, you simply can’t go wrong with a big pot of Nivea. I use this on my face, hands and body, plus it’s incredibly easy to travel with. With vitamin E and jojoba oil, it doesn’t irritate the skin but gently hydrates, plus it also sinks in quickly too.

Best for plumping: Byoma Phyto-Mucin Glow Serum

Byoma Phyto-Mucin Glow Serum

The idea behind Byoma is that its formulas work to repair and restore the skin barrier – and this is no different. This little blue bottle houses phytomucin and plant-powered peptides to hydrate, plump, even out skin tone and protect the skin from external aggressors.

Best for smoothing skin texture: Beauty Pie Superdrops Brightening Niacinamide (10%)

Beauty Pie Superdrops Brightening Niacinamide (10%)

80 per cent of people who tested this serum for four weeks said their skin looked smoother, while 91 per cent found it was brighter. High praise indeed. The blend of 10 per cent niacinamide and evermat makes large pores look smaller and helps with the skin’s overall tone. It is not to be missed.

Best for everyday cleansing: Perricone MD Clean Correction Gentle Cleanser

Perricone MD Clean Correction Gentle Cleanser

Free of 26 known allergens and non-comedogenic, this is a low-foam cleanser that does an excellent job of removing the day’s grime and sebum, but without stripping or drying out the skin. It’s great for all skin types, including those that are sensitive.

Best for SPF touch-ups: Bioré Aqua Rich UV Invisible Face Mist SPF 50

Bioré Aqua Rich UV Invisible Face Mist SPF 50

It’s relatively straightforward applying your SPF first thing, but what happens at that point in the day when you’re supposed to re-apply? Many of us don’t do so to avoid ruining our make-up. This new face mist from Bioré makes it easy, providing SPF 50 protection on top of your base.

Best for moisturiser for sensitive skin: Cetaphil PRO Redness Prone Skin Moisturising Night Cream

Cetaphil PRO Redness Prone Skin Moisturising Night Cream

Cetaphil is a great brand to explore for affordable formulas. This specific formula is brilliant for those suffering with skin sensitivity – whether that be irritation, roughness, tightness or redness – and contains allantoin, niacinamide, panthenol and vitamin E to moisturise while alleviating redness and stinging.