From smoothing haircare to glow-giving makeup: a beauty editor’s guide to the 20 best supermarket beauty buys.
While splurging on a high-end serum will always feel like a lovely treat, there’s a suite of effective, science-backed beauty products at the more affordable end of the scale, too.
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From cosseting bodycare and scented solid soaps to award-winning skincare and artist-backed makeup, this list proves you don’t have to spend serious coin to build a robust beauty routine.
Below is a definitive guide to the best products to shop for in the Health & Body aisle at your local supermarket.
Skincare
The Cleanser: Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, $14
If you’re looking to save in your skincare routine, cleanser is a good place to start. It remains on skin for only a short time before being washed down the drain, especially if you’re planning on a second cleanse (hint: you should). Garnier’s Micellar Cleansing Water is excellent, a market leader at the time when micelle technology was first breaking onto the scene. It helps to remove impurities, makeup and sebum when used with a reusable cotton round, and leaves skin soft, clean and comfortable.
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Advertise with NZME.Offer skin a tall glass of water with this hydrating and firming serum, which is formulated with a 1.5% concentration of pure hyaluronic acid to attract moisture to the skin and keep it there. The wonder ingredient is known to help retain up to 1000 times its weight in water - and here a 0.5% macro hyaluronic acid is twinned with 1% micro hyaluronic acid to smooth the skin’s surface while helping to plump fine lines and wrinkles.
The Eye Cream: Hada Labo Smoothing Anti-Fatigue Eye Cream, $31
I’ve been trialling this eye cream for the past four weeks and let me tell you – I’m impressed. Hada Labo is still relatively new to supermarkets but remains a best-seller in its native Japan. It is intensely moisturising and laced with hyaluronic acid, collagen, caffeine and silk tree extracts to reduce wrinkles, dark circles, puffiness and signs of fatigue, leaving under-eyes smooth, hydrated and radiant-looking.
The Moisturiser: Essano Visible Repair Day Cream, $40
While this daily moisturiser was designed for those with mature skin, the hydrating benefits of its natural yet powerful formulation work for all skin types. It harnesses Lapagyl, an extract from lapacho bark, which is said to help slow the skin-ageing process and improve skin firmness. Together with Oceandermx (which contains native New Zealand red seaweed and mamaku black fern), the formula is said to smooth lines and wrinkles, while hyaluronic acid keeps skin plump, hydrated and refreshed.
The SPF: Garnier Vitamin C Daily UV Invisible SPF50+, $23
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Advertise with NZME.Seeking a sunscreen with no white cast? Look no further than this lightweight fluid, which couples broad-spectrum protection SPF50+ to fend off harmful UVA and UVB rays with vitamin C to boost skin brightness and promote a more even tone. Unlike other sunscreens, which can leave a sticky skin-feel, this fast-absorbing formulation melts quickly into skin and won’t leave it looking or feeling greasy.
Makeup
The Foundation: Maybelline Fit Me Mattifying Liquid Foundation, $28
A makeup artist favourite, Maybelline’s Fit Me Foundation boasts 40 shades to suit a variety of skin tones and undertones. Ideal for those with normal to oily skin types, the lightweight formulation features micro-powders to help mattify shine and blur pores, promising medium coverage without looking heavy or cakey
The Concealer: Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Concealer, $28
Another industry go-to, this radiance-bringing concealer is infused with goji berries to deliver a hit of antioxidants to the under-eye area. The micro-corrector applicator ensures precise application, working to disguise dark circles, discolouration and fine lines in one swipe. Simply blend with fingers or a concealer brush for a seamless, skin-like finish.
The Bronzer: MCo Beauty Miracle Flawless Pressed Powder, $31
Smooth, blur and set liquid makeup with MCo Beauty’s ultra-fine finishing powder. The dupe beauty brand’s take on Charlotte Tilbury’s Airbrush Flawless Finish Powder contains a blend of rose flower extract and sweet almond oil to hydrate and soothe skin, while superfine particles get to work smoothing the appearance of texture, pores, fine lines and blemishes. Not only does it control shine, but it leaves skin with a soft-focus, airbrushed finish.
Add a healthy flush of colour to cheeks and lips with this multi-tasker. The creamy formula has jojoba and coconut oils to moisturise skin while imparting a healthy, natural-looking glow. Use sparingly for a subtle pop of colour, or build up for a stronger colour payoff. Oilier skin types may like to set the cream blush with a powdered version over top.
The Mascara: MCo Beauty Xtend Lash Lengthening Mascara, $30
I’m a long-time devotee of this lengthening, tubing mascara, so believe me when I say that the formula lasts and lasts (even through a tear-jerker film). I’ve repurchased Xtend Lash many times, and remain impressed by its ability to lengthen and define lashes, without looking spidery or clumpy. The lightweight formula creates tubes around each lash, and is surprisingly easy to remove with warm water and a reusable cotton round.
The Brow Gel: Maybelline Super Fluff Brow Mousse, $26
One of the newest products in Maybelline’s makeup stable is the Superfluff Mousse, a product-loaded spoolie which grooms brow hairs in one swipe. Its fuss-free application means you don’t have to bother with pencils or pomades to fill in sparse areas; instead, the volumising mousse blends easily into hairs for a fuller finish, without flaking or stiffness.
Haircare
The Shampoo & Conditioner Duo: L’Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic Gloss Shampoo, $20, and Conditioner, $20
Hair gloss products are trending, as seen in the flurry of new release shampoos, conditioners and treatments said to restore a shiny, smooth surface to dull or porous hair. This includes L’Oreal Paris Elvive Glycolic duo, a two-step system enriched with an 11% glycolic acid complex to restore damaged hair fibres, boost hair health and seal the hair cuticle for long-lasting shine.
The Hair Treatment: Garnier Fructis Banana Hair Food, $17
If your hair is feeling dry or depleted after a wet and windy winter, Garnier’s cosseting hair mask is just the ticket. It combines vitamins C, E and F to restore moisture where it’s needed most, improve hair strength and leave hair soft and shining with health. Not to mention it can sub into routines as a conditioner, a three-minute hair treatment or as a leave-in product to nourish mid-lengths and ends.
The Styling Essential: Tresemme Lamellar Shine Gloss Spray, $20
As one of the newest products to be added to Tresemme’s stable of hair styling products, the Gloss Spray is designed to smooth the surface of hair for a salon-worthy gloss finish. It serves triple-duty to banish humidity and frizz, provide heat protection up to 230C, and leave hair shiny for up to 72 hours.
Bodycare
The Body Wash: Glow Lab Coconut & Sandalwood Body Wash, $19
It’s a two-time Viva Beauty Award winner for a reason. A comforting blend of pineapple, coconut, vanilla and sandalwood, Glow Lab’s Coconut & Sandalwood Body Wash is enriched with a hydrating betaine, shea butter, argan oil and vitamins B5 and E to wash away dirt and impurities without leaving skin feeling stripped or dry.
The Solid Soap: EcoStore Coconut Soap, $3.50
For a trusty solid soap option, consider EcoStore’s plant-based soap, which harnesses real coconut to gently cleanse and exfoliate skin at the same time. The triple-milled formulation promises a creamy lather, and each bar comes housed in fully recyclable FSC cardboard packaging to tread lightly on the planet.
The Scented Body Lotion: Chalon Paris Rose & Sandalwood Body Lotion, $15
The brainchild of New Zealand beauty entrepreneur Jaimee Lupton, Chalon Paris’ selection of scented bodycare was developed in partnership with a Parisian perfumer who devised scents that would linger on skin long after application. This includes rose and sandalwood, with top notes of bergamot and mandarin, a heart of rose, pear and freesia, with a warming sandalwood, patchouli, amber and musk base.
The Sensitive Body Lotion: Mixa Body Cream Urea Cica Repair+, $20
Those with sensitive, dry, or bumpy skin might like to smooth on this cosseting option by Mixa instead – and allow the hypoallergenic, non-greasy formula to get to work at moisturising and soothing rough patches and flakiness. Touted as the No 1 body moisturiser brand in its native France, the pharmaceutical brand launched into supermarkets and pharmacies earlier this year, and has quickly amassed a fan base locally.
The Deodorant: Essano Roll-On Natural Deodorant Rose & Jasmine, $10
Promising eight-hour protection from body odour, Essano’s New Zealand-made deodorant is free from aluminium and alcohol (meaning it won’t dry out delicate armpit skin). It’s also non-comedogenic, which is great news for those who struggle with pesky bumps in the area.
The Fragrance: MCo Beauty Fragrance Mist No 7 Guava & Fresh Coconut, $22
MCo Beauty offers an excellent alternative to aerosol-based body sprays with its selection of fragranced hair and body mists. Every sweet-scented option is a gourmand lover’s dream, with scents spanning juicy Black Plum & Vanilla, sweet Dragonfruit & Jasmine, comforting Vanilla & Macadamia, heady Salted Caramel & Pistachio or summer-ready Guava & Fresh Coconut. Prefer not to spritz? Each scent also comes in a roll-on format.
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