Despite the extremely bi-polar weather that we are currently experiencing, it is officially Spring. Spring is often associated with new, fresh beginnings. This means we often switch up our make up too. Fresh, lighter make up, and a perfect excuse to refresh our product stock. (I’m using the word stock purposely, because I own so many products I could indefinitely open a shop).

Here are my favourite picks of what I’ve been loving this April;

1. Malin + Goetz Cilantro Conditioner, £20 for 236ml

Although this seems rather pricey for a conditioner, this 236ml size would last me years as I have been co-washing my hair recently. However, when I dye my roots every 6-8 weeks consequently I have to wash my hair (annoyingly as it’s so much commitment); and have fallen in love with this conditioner. It smells like a spa treatment, a natural relaxing scent. And it contains absorbent fatty acids, which are brilliant for over processed hair such as mine. It doesn’t weigh my hair down like some conditioners do, but leaves hair feeling revitalised and healthy.

2. Rodial Clear Brazilian Tanning Gel, £35 for 150ml

This is an amazing product for busy individuals wanting a natural looking tan. Again, it’s quite pricey but you can use it sparingly.

The formulation is super lightweight, meaning you can apply the gel like a normal moisturiser and gain a light, even tan.

3. Reb’l Fleur Body Must by Rihanna, reduced to £5 at Boots

Found this complete bargain whilst picking up all my beauty essentials on a recent trip to Boots. I don’t usually buy celebrity perfumes, which is probably not the wisest of choices from an economical point of view. I’ve realised they are usually cheaper than their designer counterparts, and can become some of your favourite scents. This Rihanna body mist smells gorgeous, it’s a girly scent perfect for Spring. Plus the 236ml bottle means that even wasteful individuals like myself won’t have to worry about using it up too quickly.

4. NYX Lid Lingerie Eyeshadow Palette, £9

This is £9 very well spent. Consisting of 6 basic looking colours, this palette has taken me from Winter to Spring effortlessly. With a beautiful combination of natural nude shades and bright colours. You can create an array of looks by experimenting.

(As pictured) You can create natural, pretty looks with the nude shades. You can easily convert these into more dramatic looks by adding in the brights; or alternatively by building the colour up.

How to get more beauty bang for your buck

On another note I wanted to talk about one of my personal goals for Spring, that I think may help everyone. I’ve been really disciplined in saving money this year, and yes that includes spending on beauty products (waaaah *sadface*).

As I’ve mentioned I took a trip to my local Boots last week to stock up on some essentials; and I managed to get all the products in this picture for £25!

I would like to share my tips on how to get the best beauty bang for your buck. Here are my top tips;

1. Special Offers

Of course when shopping everybody keeps their eye out for special offers, but you can be smart with offers. By stocking up on products that you don’t need immediately but in future, you will save yourself some serious money. For example, on my shopping trip I didn’t need two bottles of dry shampoo but seeing as they were half price, I got one for future use.

Building up a useful stock of products helps you not to buy needlessly. I’ve made a pact this year to use a product up fully before buying another similar product.

2. Clearance

Again, always check the reduced items on sale. I picked up this lovely Rihanna body mist for £5, which doubles as a perfume for me. I didn’t need it right now, but I was aware that my current perfume is running out; and £5 is much cheaper than any perfume I would have picked out in Boots. You will save a lot of money buying in advance.

3. Don’t double up

Another important fact to remember about beauty products, is that they do in fact have expiration dates. So we may think having 10 moisturisers in our drawer is a good idea – but actually you only use one at a time, and by the time you come to use the other 9, they may not be fit for purpose. Consumer wastage is a huge part of our capitalist culture, but it needn’t be. We can avoid endlessly throwing away products by sensibly buying what we need. Unless, as stated above it’s a product that you are aware you use everyday, and gets used up fairly quickly.

Ultimately, what we need to do is shop with a clarity. Instead of being blinded by pretty marketing campaigns, think about what you actually need and actually use.

4. Don’t be blinded by names

There are also certain products whereby you needn’t buy a known name brand. For example, I needed hay fever tablets. Instead of opting for Piriton allergy tablets which were around the £4 mark. I got an unbranded packet of allergy tablets for 85p, and generally when you cross check the ingredients in both branded and non branded – you find they are scarily similar. Naturally, this won’t be applicable for every product. But where you can, I would advise sticking to non branded as you will save a bundle of cash.

Happy saving!