In a world of beauty ambassadors, celebrity makeup brands and paid advertisements, it can be hard to suss out the genuine product recommendations from the, well, not so genuine. But after much internet sleuthing (and years of reporting on A-lister favourites), we've uncovered the true bargain buys they use and love.
From the best gradual tans to the top hyaluronic acid serums, it's a common misconception that quality must cost you. Like with anything, there are exceptions, for instance, rare or highly concentrated ingredients, but on the whole, you can find plenty of effective beauty buys under £10 and so on. Many of which, actually, have the seal of approval from celebs. And as individuals with access to a plethora of premium brands, we always find it very telling indeed when they prefer a pharmacy find, day-to-day. The same goes for when a pro makeup artist opts to use a £10 mascara, let's say, over a designer one for their client's red carpet look.
Thus, we've made it our mission to uncover as many of these budget buys as possible, and in case you're looking to achieve similarly sculpted brows to Alexa Chung's or hydrated skin like Victoria Beckham's, you're in luck...
10 drugstore beauty buys celebrities actually use and love
Whether you're planning an in-store Boots beauty haul or are doing a spot of online shopping, these are the affordable celebrity and MUA-approved products to snap up - ranging between just £2.50 and £45.
RRP: £8.95
Something of a cult favourite, Weleda's Skin Food moisturiser actually has quite a few celebrity fans, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Victoria Beckham. The latter previously told Into The Gloss that she actually uses it on her body, especially when she has a tan, praising its 'thick and buttery' formula.
RRP: £6.99
In 2024, Hannah Waddingham took to Instagram to share her go-to summer beauty products, and this instant tan from Rimmel was one of the standouts. The formula is matte and blendable, applying easily without leaving streaks. It's also water-resistant and smudge-proof, but that said, it still washes off easily with soap and water, making it far more forgiving than other fake tans out there.
RRP: £23
Sharing the contents of her beauty bag in a video with Harper's Bazaar, Jennifer Aniston quipped that she "never leaves the house or anywhere without lip balm," and cited the lip iteration of Elizabeth Arden's famed Eight Hour Cream as her particular favourite. It features a softening blend of vitamin E, coconut oil, and shea butter and is untinted - though you can shop this same balm in four chic shades.
RRP: £2.49
Ranked among the best clear mascaras on the market, and most affordable, we might add, given its under £3 price point, it's actually Alexa Chung's eyebrow gel of choice. She revealed that she was a fan of the 'cheap' formula whilst sharing the contents of her bag with Vogue, noting that she gets it from Boots and uses it to brush and keep her brow hairs up.
RRP: £11.99
Martha Stewart treated us to an array of her beauty tips and go-tos in a video with Vogue in January 2026, and this radiance-boosting formula instantly caught our eye. Not only is it very affordable, but it's actually one of our beauty team's favourite L'Oréal products, thanks to it's versality and glow-giving powers.
RRP: £9.39
Joanna Lumley is known to love this fragrance-free 'cheap as chips' moisturiser from Astral. It's something of a household name, instantly recognisable by its simple blue packaging. It's an effective, no-frills option, boasting rich, barrier-boosting ingredients that has been dermatologically tested and are suitable for all skin types.
RRP: £10
Reese Witherspoon's long-time makeup artist, Kelsey Deenihan Fisher, has previously shared that she uses this eye cream when prepping her skin. The formula is a best-seller among The Inkey List's line and features a blend of Matrixyl 3000 peptide and rich caffeine to depuff your under-eyes and reduce the appearance of dark circles and fine lines - for a brightened and smoothed appearance.
RRP: £6.49
Margot Robbie let slip to Harper's Bazaar back in 2016 that she was a fan of this Burt's Bee lip balm, specifically in the Rose shade. It's the sort of reliable product you can usually find in your local supermarket or pharmacy and is ideal for keeping in your handbag or car. Ingredients-wise, it features nourishing shea butter, coconut oil and conditioning beeswax and delivers a lovely pinkish tint to your lips.
RRP: £11.99
We spotted makeup artist Kelsey Deenihan Fisher list this budget mascara among the products Mandy Moore wore to the 2026 Peabody Awards. Maybelline's Sky High is actually touted as one of the best mascaras for short lashes, because, as the name suggests, it delivers almost gravity-defying, elongated lashes in just one coat.
RRP: £44
Kate Moss revealed in the Evening Standard in 2018 that Clarins' iconic treatment fragrance, Eau Dynamisante, was one of her favourites, and it's not hard to see why. Digital Beauty Writer, Naomi Jamieson says, "It's a very refined and mature sort of scent - citrus notes of mandarin and bitter orange sparkle to the surface, and there's also this herbaceousness and woody quality that is just so sophsitcated." Along with perfuming your skin, the formula also boasts toning ingredients like red ginseng and lemon thyme extract.
