How much does it cost to maintain an average beauty basket? £300 per month? More?

Talking from my personal wallet experience if you buy cheaper cosmetics - you end up replacing it much often - Mascaras drying out quicker, some say mascara has to be replaced every month.

Let's count average beauty products we need to purchase every 2 to 4 months and these are just the basics:

Shopping List

1. Skincare: 

Daily cream: £30-65 

SPF protection: £15-25

Face Serum: £35-55

Eye cream: £25-45

Lip Balms: £15-20

Make Up Removers:  £15-25

Facial wash: £15-25

Face Toner: £15-25

Face Mask: £15-25

2. Make up:

Foundation: £30-40 

Powder: £15-30

mascara: £15-30

eyeliner: £15-30

lipstick: £15-30

Seasonal eye palette: £35-55

3. Body products:

Shower gels/Bath foams: £10-15

Body creams: £15-25

Hand creams: £15

4. Hair products:

Shampoo: £10-15

Conditioner: £10-15

Hair oil £18

Thermal protection: £10-15

Hair mask - £15-20

5. Fragrances:

Seasonal fragrance: £35-100

Deodorants: £10-30

Total: £453 - £793

Remember these are just basics, I have included things like Night Creams or Beauty Balms, Make Up Primers, etc.

If you buy High-end beauty products you are expected to spend on average £793, or £198.25 every month for just bits and pieces.

Sounds about right, £60 spent in Boots, £80 in Debenhams, adds up very quickly.

"I have realised that a long time ago, and to be fair this is one of the ways to become a salary slave, you'll always want more.

Do you think we need too many things to maintain beauty?" 

There is a solution to how you can save on Beauty products without compromising on your beauty routine. 

1. Handmade soap instead of commercial Shower gels. 

Opt to a good quality handmade soap that made from good quality cold-pressed oils and only natural ingredients. If you have Dry skin try Cold Soaps which are more super fat and you'll see that you won't need to squeeze out that plastic body lotion tub every day!

2. Buy a bigger size.

Even though I'm not buying any skincare products anymore as I use my own I always buy a bigger bottle of shampoo, 1L bottle will last you from 6 to 8 months even if you use it together with your partner.

3. Buy versatile products.

Choosing an eye shadow palette with eye liver in it can reduce space in your handbag and time to get ready.

Shea butter can be used as Lip Balm, Overnight Hand cream, Body Cream and even as an emergency make up remover (as most of make up oil-based, and oil attracts oil).

Most of good quality handmade Body or Facial Oils can be used as make up remover as well.

4. Choose smart shopping. 

Choose independent beauty brands out there, buying a small bottle of shampoo from a supermarket can become quite expensive over time.

Buying things online on special offers or some items on eBay can really make a difference in price. Many things you can buy in TK Maxx, as for myself I always buy my toothpaste, shampoo and all Hair Products from there! And the price is awesome and I always happy with the quality. 

I have noticed how quickly run out even High-end skincare products: you buy a serum and it is so lovely, you use it every day, one month and it's gone! It is all because of "empty ingredients" - texture enhancers, dimethicone, silica. Since I have started using my own Handmade products - my skin and wallet both happy. Plus no matter how much you pay for a face cream there is no guarantee it will do the job.

"As for myself, every face cream made my shiny and I couldn't apply makeup with face cream on, face powder was my daily friend! That's because the main problem of my whole skin routine was face wash that contained surfactants (detergents) and over-washing my face and then applying light face emulsion my skin had no choice but producing more oils to moisturiser itself.

Now I'm using only fat soap bar Facial Bar which has very little to do with the soap that you can buy from the shop. 30% of this bar are Oils and Butters that haven't turned in to soap, the rest 70% is a natural alkali soap, that cleanses skin without disturbing natural skin balance."

Mindful and conscious shopping in a trend right now.

Think big: we do not need to accumulate things to show our status or feel more special.

There are so many beautiful brands out there, online and in retail shops - all you need is an open mind and even a simple, not fancy packaging product might turn up your the most favourite thing in that world.