1. Change your nail varnish: This is the cheapest way to follow trends and update your look. It won’t cost you more than a few euros to liven things up and the cheaper ranges such as Rimmel and Bourjois always have great up-to-date fashion-led shades.
2. Muslin cloths: Pick up a packet of these in The Body Shop or Boots. They’re inexpensive and guaranteed to improve the performance of most cleansers by gently exfoliating and deep cleaning.
3. Anti-aging creams: A good anti-aging night cream will work wonders for your skin, and if you’re going to spend, this is the area to do it. However, there are some fantastic purse friendly creams to be found on supermarket shelves. The Olay stable of skin creams is famous for being the affordable face if anti-ageing skincare. You honestly can’t go wrong with Olay – throw the Night Firming Cream in your trolley when you’re doing the weekly shop. You could also try the Regenerist range for even more science.
4. Glycolic peels: These really work. If you can’t afford an expensive salon treatment try Lancome’s resurface peel. This has a lower level of ingredients than salon versions but it will still do a good job. I can honestly say that the course of glycolic peels I had was one of the best things I’ve ever done for my skin. For me, clearing up areas of congestion was the main reason for getting the peels done, but if ageing and lines are your concern, glycolics (like microdermabrasion) will lift off the surface layer of skin, making fine lines appear reduced and leaving your complexion much fresher.
5. Face masks: Is there any real benefit to using a face mask, I hear you ask? Oh, you betcha. A good mask can be a very effective weapon in the anti-aging battle, providing immediate lifting, brightening and hydrating benefits to the skin. Head to Tesco to pick up one of their best kept beauty secrets – Skin Wisdom by Bharti Vyas. An expert facialist, her products are cheap as chips but really, really good. Try the Peel Off Face Mask, part of the Age Reverse Line.
6. Body Scrubs: I’m very fond of body scrubs and all manner of body exfoliation and I particularly like salt scrubs. They’re honest and do the job they say they will. For those on a budget, it’s simple to make your own body scrub and many people prefer them. Mix up sea salt and oil to make a paste, and that’s it! You can add a drop or two of your favourite aromatherapy oil to the paste if you like, to make it smell delish and if you rub this on to your skin and leave it for a minute or two before showering off, you’ll give the sea salt a chance to work its skin detoxifying magic.
7. Body Moisturising: People tend to go mad moisturising their faces but can sadly neglect their body moisturiser. If we’re spending money, we just don’t want to spend it on body moisturiser do we? Not when there are gorgeous products for the face and make-up to die for. Thankfully, this is another area where less expensive products really do work and you can happily substitute away if you want to. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter is an old reliable. Found in every chemist in the land, it’s a good price and does a good job of descaling too. And if you’re a fan of the smell of cocoa, sure that’s just a bonus.
8. Mane Attraction: While I’ll admit to being a posh hair-care girl, there are some good products out there that don’t cost half a month’s rent. Colet earth is a great line of naturals-based products that are kind to hair and Yes to Carrots shampoo and conditioners  come in great big bottles, are brilliant value and don’t add much build-up.

Aisling McDermott’s  book The Beaut.ie Guide to Gorgeous is published by Gill & Macmillan, priced at €16.99.

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