The Editor-in-Chief rounds up well-loved products you can Splurge on or get something similar at a Steal.
by Nejla Matam-Finn

There is always a time you splurge and there is also always a time where you only want steals. If you're on our mailing list, you'd know of our monthly Splurge At A Steal emails which does very well amongst our Collectors. Hence we thought: Why not put one together that's more beauty oriented? So here we are with this instalment of Splurge VS Steal: The Beauty Edition. And no we're not talking about dupes here, but a wider range of products that can do the same hard work for a little less $.

As you know I love my beauty products. I read tons of reviews and even discuss some of the products I am reading about with the team as well as friends. That's because sometimes, I just can’t seem to justify the splurge. Except around Christmas and my birthday - those are the only two times in the year where I will make a big splurge on fashion and beauty. In other words, I have been lucky enough to test the splurge products I'll refer to because they were either under the Christmas tree or a birthday treat. As for the steals... they are on constant rotation in my beauty regime.

1) Cleansing Oils

I came across cleansing oils thanks to a sample of Tata Harper's Nourishing Oil Cleanser, and immediately fell in love with it. From the smell to the texture, everything was on point! So yes, I did shed the dollars at first, but seeing that I would be using this daily, I decided to find a cheaper alternative. And that's where the Muji Mild Cleansing Oil comes in as the perfect alternative. You don’t get the amazing smell of the Tata Harper one, but it does what it promises and does not irritate your skin, most importantly - the bonus price point is just sweet.

Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser - 109 SGD for 125ml, Muji Mild Cleansing Oil - 13 SGD for 200ml

2) Classic, Simple Moisturizers

I love the Chanel La Solution 10 as well as the concept behind it. La Solution 10 is made from only 10 ingredients and nothing else. It was developed by a renowned dermatologist for extremely sensitive skin types. I love how you can layer this cream and the fact that it is a 30ml bottle also means that it is the ideal cream to take onboard with you. The only sad part - the price. So I splurge on this only when I am shopping duty free 😃 For the rest of the time, the steal would be the Lait crème Concentré from Embryolisse (available on Net-a-porter and every French pharmacy). This is a well known beauty secret in the model world as most modesl use it to keep their skin healthy after removing the heavy makeup. The smell is as gentle as the texture of the cream and the great part is that you can even make hydrating mask out of it. And the price point is so good that you won’t be tempted to keep it only for the special occasions.

Chanel La Solution 10 - 125 SGD for 30ml, Lait Crème Concentré Embryolisse -35 SGD for 75ml

3) Heavy Duty Moisturisers

Once in while, we all need a heavy duty moisturiser, that not only keeps our skin hydrated but goes a longer distance and does a little more. This is when everyone raves about how amazing Crème de la Mer is. However for me, it did not do much as I felt it was too heavy for our tropical climate, but I can see how in cold countries this can be a must-have. But who wants a must-have that you can only use sparingly at such a price point? I managed to finish the pot I had but I really had to force myself to do so as I did not want to cream to go bad. After bit of research (thank you Google), I came across Weleda's Skin Food. Weleda is one of the early green cosmetic brands at pretty good price points - more so if you shop for it in Europe. I used this one as a thick mask at night when I find that the AC has been too harsh to my skin, or when I have been out too much and the bubbles got the better of it. I also take it with me when traveling to colder climates to make sure that my skin doesn't shed. The trick with the Weleda Skin Food cream is to break it down or warm up the cream in your palms before applying it due to it's thick consistency. I recommend giving it some time to be fully absorbed by your skin. I personally use it only at night. The price depends on where you purchase it but in Europe its about 9 Euros (14 SGD). The bonus is that you can also use it on your body. Personally I use it on my hands and feet once in a while because despite having a stash of hand creams next to me at all times, I rarely remember to apply those.

Crème de la Mer - 290 SGD for 30ml, Weleda Skin Food- 14 SGD for 75ml

For the days when I don't get enough sleep and spend way too much time behind a screen that includes my phone, of course, I start my day with coffee and an eye mask. Having an olive skin tone means that I am prone to dark circles, and espite being diligent at applying eye creams, I feel that an eye masks help me much more. One of my favourites is from Verso - I love the texture and how the products gets easily absorbed by my skin. What I love less however is that I need way too many eye mask to only purchase the Verso one. While looking for alternatives that where widely available and at a nicer price point, I coincidentally (and with a bit of luck) got the Tony Moly Panda Dream Eye Patch as a gift from a colleague. It works wonder on my dark circles and I love how you can use it during a power nap. And I also love how it does not slip or slide when on your eyes. There is nothing more stressful then having to readjust your sheet mask while relaxing. Best of all, the sweet, sweet price.

Verso Eye Mask - 70 SGD for 4, Tony Moly Panda Dream Eye Patch - 3.50 - 5 SGD for 5 pairs

How about you, do you have a steal beauty product you'd recommend? Leave us a comment below because we'd love to know and try it out!