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The best luxury beauty products under £50, from Chanel to YSL

From foundation to eye masks, these are the ‘affordable’ luxury beauty products I buy on repeat

Lauren Cunningham
Tuesday 21 May 2024 13:01 EDT
No one necessarily needs designer mascara or a luxury label body oil but, for some of us, they’re pick-me-up perk
No one necessarily needs designer mascara or a luxury label body oil but, for some of us, they’re pick-me-up perk (The Independent )

When it comes to beauty products, almost every item seems to have a rather ridiculous price range. Vitamin C serums, for example, can cost from £5 to more than £150, and each and every one of us will have a different amount we’re willing to spend on just about every beauty buy.

A heftier price tag isn’t necessarily a sign of better quality, either. As someone who has tried a whole host of products, from bargain beauty finds to luxury labels, I’m sharing a few of my favourites that are worth your money.

Of course, for those of us who are a little more materialistic (guilty!), there is a certain feeling that comes with a Chanel, Prada or similarly high-end product. No £9 lipstick, no matter how lovely, will bring the same sophisticated feeling of a logo-emblazoned one, complete (probably) with a heavyweight case that’s sleek and shiny.

Clever marketing and brand reputation aside, however, there are some products that really are worth widening the purse strings for. Still coming in at less than £50, they’re actually relatively affordable for luxury beauty products, whether you’re treating yourself or a loved one.

Whether it’s a Prada foundation, Valentino mascara or a much-loved Chanel blush stick, keep scrolling for the more affordable luxury products worth picking up. Each one will add a special touch to your everyday make-up bag.

How I tested the best luxury beauty buys under £50

I share my go-to edit of luxury beauty buys
I share my go-to edit of luxury beauty buys (The Independent)

In order to compile this review, I’ve been using each of these products for months, if not years, regularly wearing the Dior lipstick and applying the Prada foundation as well as using the Augustinus Bader hair oil and much more. For each product, I considered its packaging, whether it performs as it should and how much use I get out of it. Read on, for my go-to edit of the best luxury beauty buys that are relatively affordable.

Dior forever skin correct concealer

Dior forever skin correct concealer.png
  • Product type: Concealer
  • Key ingredients: Iris extract, wild pansy extract, nasturtium extract
  • Size: 11ml
  • Why we love it
    • Wide range of shades
    • High coverage

Dior’s forever skin correct concealer is included as the best luxury option in my review of the best concealers – and for good reason. It offers full coverage, concealing redness, under-eye bags and blemishes effortlessly, and you really don’t need to use a lot at once. In fact, too many layers will leave it looking a little cakey.

The formula includes iris extract, wild pansy extract and nasturtium extract, providing a hit of hydration and helping to boost skin brightness, making this a particularly great pick for those with dry skin.

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Yves Saint Laurent NU bare look skin tint

Yves Saint Laurent NU bare look skin tint.png
  • Product type: Skin tint
  • Key ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, glycerin and marshmallow extract
  • Size: 30ml
  • Why we love it
    • Lightweight skin tint
    • Packed with skin-boosting ingredients

If you’re after a lightweight face base, Yves Saint Laurent’s NU bare look skin tint could be the perfect pick. With a reasonable RRP of £28, it delivers a soft shade that will help even skin tone and offer a dewy, healthy-looking finish. It’s also packed with skin-boosting ingredients, including hyaluronic acid, glycerin and marshmallow extract, to help hydrate the skin and boost radiance. In fact, I actually use it in place of a moisturiser some days, especially as we welcome the warmer weather.

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Chanel baume essentiel multi-use glow stick

Chanel baume essentiel multi-use glow stick.png
  • Product type: Highlighter/blush
  • Key ingredients: Synthetic wax and carnauba wax
  • Size: 8g
  • Why we love it
    • All-rounder
    • Lasts an incredibly long time

Yes, it’s seen as a cardinal sin to keep your beauty products longer than their expiry dates but I’ve used the same baume essentiel stick for about three years. Of course, I wouldn’t advise anyone else to do this, due to bacteria build-up and ingredient lifespans, but my point is this product will last you a long time before running out.

Offering a subtle shade of colour, the creamy consistency glides right onto the skin, providing a healthy glow. Plus, it can be used anywhere on the face (or body), including eyelids, cheeks, lips and more, making it a great all-rounder for monochromatic make-up looks.

Although this popular glow stick is currently sold out, you can sign up to be notified when it’s back in stock.

  1.  £38 from Chanel.com
Prices may vary
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Chanel hydra beauty lotion, very moist

Chanel hydra beauty lotion very moist.png
  • Product: Hydrating lotion
  • Key ingredients: Magnetic water complex, Camellia alba and blue ginger
  • Size: 150ml
  • Why we love it
    • Hydrates skin

While you’re more likely to find affordable high-end make-up than you are luxury skincare, this Chanel lotion is an exception. When my skin is feeling particularly dry (often during winter), I’ll add this to my routine (post-cleansing and before moisturising) as an extra hit of hydration, and it really works.

Camellia alba and blue ginger work to boost moisture levels in the skin while boosting cells’ natural defence system, and a very scientific-sounding magnetic water complex helps to keep H20 molecules on the face. So, if you’re after an extra boost, try tapping it into dry, dehydrated skin and I’m sure you’ll soon notice a difference.

  1.  £48 from Chanel.com
Prices may vary
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Dior rouge Dior forever lipstick

Dior rouge Dior forever lipstick.png
  • Product type: Lipstick
  • Key ingredients: Jojoba esters, beeswax and sweet almond oil
  • Size: 3.2g
  • Why we love it
    • Transfer-proof
    • Long-lasting

I’ve raved about this lipstick before and I’m still just as in love with it. In fact, I’m yet to find another bullet lipstick that offers the same level of colour payoff while being smudge and transfer-free. Shade 100 ‘forever nude look’ is my personal favourite, offering a soft pink shade that’s incredibly flattering. Plus, it has great staying power, meaning no more re-applying regularly throughout the day. Just be sure to leave it to dry for a full two minutes to reap the full transfer-proof rewards.

  1.  £37 from Dior.com
Prices may vary
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Yves Saint Laurent touche éclat highlighter pen

Yves Saint Laurent touche éclat highlighter pen.png
  • Product type: Highlighter
  • Key ingredients: Glycerin, ruscus aculeatus root extract and calendula officinalis flower extract
  • Size: 2.5ml
  • Why we love it
    • Helps sculpt the face
    • Looks incredibly chic

This is probably one of the most famous beauty buys and yet very few people actually know how it works. As the name suggests, it’s a highlighter pen, which can be used to accentuate the natural features of your face. Opting for a lighter shade than your foundation, think of it as the opposite of a bronzer or contour stick. The inner corners of the eye, cupid’s bow and centre of the nose are great areas to apply it to, along with the cheekbones and smile lines to help brighten the face in a subtle, natural-looking way.

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Valentino magnificent mascara

Valentino magnificent mascara.png
  • Product type: Mascara
  • Key ingredients: Parafin, carnauba wax and synthetic beeswax
  • Size: 10ml
  • Why we love it
    • Makes lashes look longer and fuller

One of my favourite mascaras is the budget-friendly Maybelline sky-high (£6.66, Amazon.co.uk), proving you don’t need to spend a fortune on the product. If you are looking for something a little more luxurious, however, Valentino’s magnificent mascara is a great way to go. Not only is the pretty pink packaging immediately eye-catching, making it incredibly easy to spot in your make-up bag, but the product is also a standout. The ultra black formula instantly makes my lashes look longer and fuller without being OTT. Plus, it’s suitable for those with sensitive eyes, too.

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Augustinus Bader the hair oil with TCF8

Augustinus Bader the hair oil with TCF8.png
  • Product type: Hair oil
  • Key ingredients: TFC8 complex, argan oil, vitamin E
  • Size: 30ml
  • Why we love it
    • Heals damage

Named best hair oil for damaged hair in my comprehensive guide, this Augustinus Bader product is worth its weight in gold. Included in the formula is the brand’s patented trigger factor complex called TFC8, which is comprised of more than 40 ingredients that deliver incredibly impressive results. For me, this means shinier, softer, healthy-looking hair, as the ingredients work to stimulate the body’s natural renewal process, healing damaged strands and restoring and regenerating new ones. Plus, most other products from the brand cost more than £100, so, this feels like a real bargain.

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Prada reveal skin optimising refillable foundation

Prada reveal skin optimising refillable foundation.png
  • Product type: Foundation
  • Key ingredients: Vitamin E, niacinamide and lactobacillus extract complex
  • Size: 30ml
  • Why we love it
    • Buildable coverage
    • Skin-boosting ingredients

Foundation is one of the trickiest beauty products to buy. After all, it covers your entire face and everyone’s requirements for what makes a great one can differ quite significantly. Prada’s reveal skin optimising foundation provides mid-weight coverage that’s easily bendable and leaves a soft matte, natural finish.

Available in 33 shades, this product is my go-to for summer, as it promises day-long wear that’s a little less shiny than some other lighter-weight options. Boasting skin-boosting properties, it’s packed with vitamin E, niacinamide and lactobacillus extract complex, to help improve texture and skin hydration from the inside as well. Plus, the bottle looks incredibly chic, complete with a gold-tone logo, and refills cost £39, making it a little cheaper to buy on repeat.

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Chanel le vernis, ballerina

Chanel le vernis ballerina.png
  • Product type: Nail polish
  • Key ingredients: Ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, introcellulose
  • Size: 13ml
  • Why we love it
    • Long-lasting
    • Good range of shades

Included in my guide to the best nail polish brands, Chanel’s le vernis is a fan favourite. Not only does the bottle look incredibly luxurious, complete with a logo-emblazoned cap, but the nail polish lasts an incredibly long time. In fact, it’s one of the sturdiest nail polishes I’ve tried – a big plus point for at-home manicures (being a little lazy, I often use this polish without any base or top coat, too).

Shade ballerina is the brand’s bestseller but there’s a whole host of colours to choose from, to suit every style, and new seasonal shades are released regularly. This product makes for a perfect present, too.

  1.  £29 from Chanel.com
Prices may vary
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Tom Ford private blend soleil blanc shimmering body oil

Tom Ford private blend soleil blanc shimmering body oil_.png
  • Product type: Body oil
  • Key ingredients: Olive oil, jojoba seed oil, fragrance
  • Size: 45ml
  • Why we love it
    • Lovely scent
    • Adds shimmer to the skin

Of course, a shimmery body oil is far from an essential item. I only use mine for special occasions when I want to feel particularly fancy, but it does always rack up quite an impressive number of compliments.

There’s plenty to rave about this product – it gives a gorgeous glow to the body, emphasising any tan (both real and fake), adds a boost of radiance, and the scent is divine. It’s florally with an amber-sandalwood base that lasts a lot longer than perfume, making it a great two-in-one find.

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Gucci blush de beauté cheeks and eyes powder

Gucci Blush de Beauté cheeks and eyes powder.png
  • Product type: Cheek and eye blush
  • Key ingredients: Shea hutter, hyaluronic acid and black rose oil
  • Size: 5.5g
  • Why we love it
    • Two-in-one product
    • Easily buildable

Gucci’s beauty range seems to be lesser known than the likes of Chanel and Dior but that’s not to say it doesn’t deserve a spot in your make-up bag. The cute-meets-kitsch packaging makes for great gift-giving, as every product looks particularly special.

My favourite item in the range has to be the cheek and eye blush, which, as you’ve probably guessed by the name, doubles up as a blush and eyeshadow, making for the perfect monochromatic make-up look. Shade 03 radiant pink is my personal favourite, delivering an easily blendable swathe of colour that instantly adds a glow that’s subtle yet instantly adds a healthy boost.

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The verdict: Luxury beauty buys under £50

Of course, no one necessarily needs designer mascara or a luxury label body oil but, for some of us, they’re pick-me-up perks that can make our every day feel a little bit elevated. If you’ve got the money to spare and are tempted to try one, why not?

The Chanel baume essentiel multi-use glow stick is something I use almost every day, along with Dior’s concealer. For an extra treat or for special occasions, I’d thoroughly recommend Augustinus Bader’s hair oil.

For more luxury beauty buys, take a look at our review of the latest Chanel fragrance

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