'I tried replacing my everyday beauty products with similar items from Poundland and saved 50'
As a full-time beauty lover, I am always on the hunt for shiny new products that promise to boost my skin, hair, life, the works. As a committed bargain-hunter, I am also always looking for places to get said beauty products for cheaper, whether that's the real deal on sale or high-performing dupes.
Until now, my strategy has largely revolved around relentlessly comparing website prices, scouring the internet for discount codes and keeping tabs on sales. This method is, unfortunately, not foolproof, being both somewhat time-consuming and the occasional cause of impulse splurges ('If I spend just a few more pounds I'll get free delivery!')
Then, strolling through Poundland's well-stocked beauty aisle for a recent article - testing out the selection of makeup - I thought, 'Hang on, there might be a better long-term solution here.' Shampoo, conditioner, deodorant... I was seeing everything I used day-to-day, but at much more cutthroat prices. I wondered: How easily could I replace my long-curated, holy grail line-up of daily hair, face and body products? How much would I be saving on (hopefully similar) items?
The first set of replacements was an obvious choice: I'd already noticed the neat rainbow wall of hair products lining the left wall while traversing the beauty section earlier. More mindful inspection now revealed several household names: Alberto Balsam (£1), Pantene or L'Oreal Elvive (£2), Tresemmé (£3). My eyes lit up at spotting a line of bottles from Aussie, my go-to hair brand, on the top shelf - then withdrew upon realising they were all identical (Colour Mate Shampoo) and £2.50.
My eyes slid to the floor, darting from red '£1' label to red '£1' label until they were snagged by two sets of colourful, cuboids in smoothie-worthy shades - seemingly a shampoo and conditioner duo. One sported a cartoon strawberry on its front, the other, a pictorial bunch of bananas. I didn't recognise the brand (XHC) but the label's description of a 'nourishing' formula that would leave hair 'sleek, shiny and smooth' promised to tick all the same boxes as my current products - only for £1.
But just in case they didn't, I'd be needing a frizz serum too. Except... I couldn't see one. While shampoo and conditioner had been plentiful, other hair products were few and far between. The most likely candidate - a £1 Argan Treatment Oil, also from XHC - was stripped clean from the shelves, possibly because on Amazon it costs £5.99. This left only the brand's Heat Defence Leave In Spray (£1) or a Wella Shockwaves Ultra Strong Messmaker Crème Gel (£2). I selected the latter on the basis that it boasted 'gel' in the name and should do a fine job with a light hand.
These ticked off, it was on to the body. First, shower gel, which I'd spotted spread amidst the haircare. There were two brands to choose from, each £1 and offering a variety of flavours: Radox (mint, citrus) and Nivea (coconut, rose, cashmere). I reached for the latter, partly because its creamy texture promised greater similarity to my current one, partly as coconut was the scent I'd envisioned replacing that with when it ran dry. Score.
Body lotion I bypassed since I don't regularly use it unless I'm trying to preserve a tan (which I never have) or avoid a sunburn (which I try to avoid) - but for reference, the offerings were largely Dove for around £2. For deodorant, I inspected the distinct men's and women's sections respectively, determined to find the best deal regardless of prescribed gender. (The one in my current bag is men's anyway - I mean, it's summer.)
After turning down a roll-on Lynx Africa (£1) for fear of smelling like a teenage boy, I grabbed what looked to be an equally well-priced spray bottle with a label I didn't recognise. Regrettably, I was too busy mentally grumbling that the women's deos were a minimum of 25p more ('Pink tax in action!') to notice that Staycool's provision was actually a body spray, not anti-perspirant. So, that one's my bad, not Poundland's.
Now came the category I was most nervous about: facial skincare. As someone with tantrum-prone skin, I'm picky when it comes to putting things on my face and integrate new products with extreme caution. Poundland had not got this memo and, though home to an impressive array of different face-centred items, offered very little choice among its sub-categories. A stroke of luck on my part, though, had somehow engineered that the brand the retailer's merchandising team favoured for its beauty shelves was also one of the brand's I do trust.
Nivea's Micellar Cleanser and Toner (£2), Micellar Rose Wash Gel (£2) and Soft Moisturiser Cream 75ml (£1.50) were promptly added to cart, ticking off cleansing oil, face wash and moisturiser in one fell swoop. (FYI, the latter was also the only moisturiser I could spot that wasn't designated as a night or day cream but an all-rounder.)
Just sunblock and serum to go but again my decisions were sped up by... not needing to make them. I could only spot one option for each. So, though neither was ideal in terms of pricing (£4, £5) or similarity to their predecessors (the Poundland own-brand retinol serum was targeting anti-aging and the sunblock's didn't suggest use on faces), I was soon heading to the till to pay my £20.50 total.
The verdict
On the whole, I was seriously impressed with what Poundland was able to deliver, and the whopping £50 it slashed off my beauty bag bill. True, in categories that were particularly under-represented I had to make a few less-than-ideal swaps (hair serum, facial serum) and didn't get as much price wiggle room (sunscreen, though to be fair it was boujie Piz Buin, so technically a steal).
However, the decent selection of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and deodorant meant I could get products in line with what I was after, while Poundland's love of Nivea also aided me on the sensitive skincare-aware facial skincare front. So, for all of those latter products - and the incredibly helpful grand total of £9.50 for only them - I'll absolutely be returning to Poundland. And maybe the others if they work out too. It's hard to ignore savings like those.
Items in beauty care routine: Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo 300ml (£4.19), Aussie Miracle Moist Conditioner 350ml (£5.99), John Frieda Frizz Ease Hair Serum (£6.70), Urtekram Men's Deodorant (£4.40), Dove Nourishing Silky Body Wash (£2), The Ordinary Squalene Cleanser 150ml (£13.90), La Roche Posay Effaclar Purifying Cleanser Gel (£13), The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% 30ml (£5.60), Solait SPF 30 Sensitive Skin Moisturising Sun Spray 200ml (£6.49), Nivea Naturally Good Day Cream 50ml (£5.99).
Total: £68.26
Replacement items purchased from Poundland: XHC Banana Shampoo 400ml (£1), XHC Strawberry Conditioner 400ml (£1), Shockwaves Mess Constructor (£2), Staycool B/Spray Blues 150ml (£1), Nivea Shower Gel Coconut 250ml (£1), Nivea Micellar Cleanser and Toner 200ml (£2), Nivea Micellar Rose Wash Gel 150ml (£2), #6 Retinol Serum 2% (£4), Piz Buin SPF15 Spray 200ml (£5), Nivea Soft Moisturiser Cream 75ml (£1.50).
Total: £20.50
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