There’s something about January that makes it feel as though it lasts aeons longer than any other month. With pay day still a few days away and the weather back to being bleak, you might be in need of a little cheering up. With that in mind, here are some of Vogue’s best budget treats to brighten your day.
Mecca Cosmetica SPF20 Lip Protectant
Okay, we may be a few months off even considering SPF for our lips, but if you’re planning a ski trip any time soon, or are simply ultra diligent around sun protection, then this cheery pink lip tint is a dream. SPF aside, this little pot of pink is brilliant at cosseting lips and making them feel comfortable while looking glossy and polished. Plus, it lasts ages. Do as TikTok suggests and wear with a darker lip liner, for a cool ’90s-inspired contrasting look.
Mecca Cosmetica SPF20 Lip Protectant
£20
Mecca Cosmetica
L’Oreal Elvive Oil Control Scalp Serum
If your hair feels as bleurgh as you do, this brilliant scalp serum is a small yet mighty means of reinstating a healthy scalp and silky strands. Formulated with a gently exfoliating blend of salicylic and glycolic acids to promote cell turnover and remove product build-up. An application of this before shampooing and conditioning means your hair care products will be far more efficient.
L’Oreal Elvive Oil Control Scalp Serum
£12.99
Boots
Nyx Professional Make-up The Brow Glue Instant Styler
Great brows are the foundation of any good make-up look, and this tiny tube is a fast way to get arches that look laminated (minus the effort and cost). Offering brows that are big and full without looking bushy, this strong-hold gel is a doddle to use and doesn’t leave the brows tacky or flaky with product residue. Best of all, it stays in place all day without the need for touch-ups. A must for fans of a pared back but polished look.
NYX Professional Make-up The Brow Glue Instant Styler
£7.99
Cult Beauty
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Icon Matte Revolution Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen
What better way to instil some cheer into your complexion than with the mother of all red lipsticks? This one comes courtesy of – who else? – Charlotte Tilbury and uses 3D colour pigments to coat the lips in a layer of matte colour that feels anything but flat. As if that weren’t enough, the red case is just the thing to brighten up your make-up bag, and make application that little bit more thrilling.
Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Beauty Icon Matte Revolution Lipstick in Hollywood Vixen
£27
Charlotte Tilbury
Max Factor Miracle Pure Infused Cream Blush
A good blusher is essential if you’re prone to sallow skin during the winter months. Not only is this one filled with brightening pigments that bring an enlivening rosy flush to skin, the formula is loaded with plumping hyaluronic acid that keeps skin looking healthy and hydrated at the same time. The slim tube is perfect for popping in your handbag or gym bag, for whenever you need to fake a glow.
Max Factor Miracle Pure Infused Cream Blush
£9.99
Superdrug
Jones Road Neutralizer Pencil
A brilliant multi-use buy that can be used to hide a multitude of January skin sins. Helping to colour correct and conceal darkness wherever you have it on your face, the really clever point of difference is that they’re designed to match your skin’s undertone. Easy to use even without a mirror, the creamy crayons glide over skin without dragging, and help to create a more seamless, uniform tone.
Jones Road Neutralizer Pencils
£24
Liberty
e.l.f Cosmetics Lash XTNDR Mascara
For the price of a couple of coffees, longer, fuller lashes and brighter, more wide-awake eyes can be yours. This brilliant tubing mascara belies its price tag, and does a great job of imparting natural looking length to lashes without clumping or flaking. A great everyday option that will refresh your face as well as your beauty routine.
e.l.f Cosmetics Lash XTNDR Mascara
£7
e.l.f
CeraVe Blemish Control Cleanser with Salicylic Acid
Feeling great starts with great skin, and whether or not you’re on a budget, this gel-to-foam cleanser is just the ticket for refining skin texture, unclogging pores and reducing oiliness and breakouts. Although it’s perfect for purifying skin, it doesn’t strip its natural oils and so leaves it feeling clean, supple and hydrated.
Cerave Blemish Control Cleanser with Salicylic Acid
£12.99
Superdrug
Revolution Haircare 5 Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Lock Hair Mask
If months of cold weather and hats and scarves has left your hair thirsty, damaged and more than a little lifeless, get it back on track with a hefty dose of hydration. Providing all the moisture and nutrients you need – including ceramides, which help strengthen and build resilience against future damage and breakage – this luxurious hair mask also delivers beautiful shine, making it the perfect addition to your weekly wash and care routine.
Revolution Haircare 5 Ceramides and Hyaluronic Acid Moisture Lock Hair Mask
£8
Look Fantastic
Tan-Luxe The Bronze Instant Bronzer
If your January plans are more Brighton beach than Palm Beach and you have the pallor to prove it, worry not. One layer of this shimmering golden essence will leave you looking like you’ve just come back from an exotic holiday. Applying it is a cinch thanks to the mist spray applicator, and because it’s tinted you know exactly which areas you’ve covered, and which you haven’t. Transfer-proof and full of nourishing extracts to soften and condition the skin, simply blend away any lines in with a brush or tanning mitt, and wash off when you’ve had enough.
Tan-Luxe The Bronze Instant Bronzer
£11.60
Look Fantastic