A fiver will get you further on a jaunt around a pharmacy beauty aisle in the UK than here in Ireland. Products you can pick up for £5 or less will often reel slightly over the €5 line here at home, so this is probably technically a list of five very good products under €6 rather than the much better sounding five products under €5.
However, they are all in and around the €5 mark. There are many excellent uses for the fiver and change you might be lucky enough to have at the bottom of your pocket, wallet or bag. Believe me, I've done the research. For €5.90, you can purchase two 204g Galaxy Caramel bars (a good hefty weight of bar). With a fiver, you can buy six litres of whole milk from Tesco with a few cent left over. You could even buy a few of those delicious jars of pureed apple dessert for babies, which you should on no account eat with delight yourself, but should probably feed to a baby.
If, after having purchased all of these essentials (especially the Galaxy Caramel), you still have a fiver and change to play with, there are many joyous, beauty-related products well worth sacrificing your fiver for.
Your Good Skin ProVitamin Overnight Cream (€5.99 from Boots)
Until now, Boots hadn’t released a skincare range since Botanics in 1995. Your Good Skin is seven years in the making, and was formulated with unique input from Boots customers. Though I don’t love the packaging – the range is enormous and the packaging makes it harder to navigate – you really can’t go wrong with the ProVitamin Overnight Cream, which softens and nourishes skin very effectively at an excellent price.
L’Oréal Fibrology Shampoo and Conditioner (€4.39 for 250mls)
This affordable thickening shampoo is one I choose every time over fancier, more expensive alternatives. There are no-nonsense claims about improving or affecting hair loss. Rather, the formula thickens each hair shaft, giving the appearance of more hair overall. It smells great, lathers like it costs far more than it does, and leaves hair full, fresh and bouncy. The conditioner boosts the thickening affect and leaves hair soft and shiny.
PS My Perfect Colour Liquid Concealer (€3 from Penneys)
This concealer is not available in a wide variety of shades, but if you can find a match, it’s an absolute bargain. It doesn’t take a very long look to recognise that it is probably modelled on a vaguely similar looking (and wildly excellent) concealer from NARS. While it doesn’t compete with its high-end predecessor, it is a rather good concealer, particularly around the under-eye area. Apply it atop a primer to ensure it behaves and enjoy the concealing power, which is far more effective than the price tag suggests.
Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil (€4.79)
Every makeup wearer loves a soft black liner. Rimmel eyeliner pencils tend to be very good, and this one blends softly to a smoky smudge, and makes a brilliant base for eyeshadow. You will get a bit of movement – but that is the nature of even the most expensive kajal liners. Blend with fingers or a fluffy brush, then apply shadow over the top for a smoky eye look.
Catrice High Glow Mineral Highlighting Powder (€5.50)
This highlighter is such a cult favourite that I am almost sad to share it. Impossibly finely milled for something so affordable, this Catrice highlighter is the one I consistently reach for over far more expensive alternatives. A tiny whisper of it will make skin glow, but you can build it seamlessly until skin looks almost damp with gloss. It doubles as a sensational eyeshadow and looks as good swept down bare shins or across shoulders as it does on the high points of the face. Did I mention that it’s €5.50?
