Purse wisdom for skin

To look good within budget, or to pay off credit card debts, one has to be clever when it comes to all manner of things. This year my bread making and preparing of allotment for future produce has netted me some lovely savings. Of which I splurged on a pair of sunnies as detailed in he who dares wins.

Now I may have saved myself £59 on that purchase but my savings aren't great and my credit card debt is still too high. Once my S/S 08 wardobe is sorted for work and self satisfaction I will be attempting to clear it all by the end of the summer.

Always on the look out to keep the household budget on track, plus incorporate my beauty needs into it, I've made a lot of compromises along the way. My birthday and Christmas list is with out fail Laura Mercier's almond coconut body range and Chanel (no need to narrow the potential). When it comes to products I love Environ, I save dollars and always make someone on a US tripmget me Kiehl's Creme de Corps. When I go to France, it's straight to the pharmacy for Embryolisse and Bioderma Crealine H2O.

So when Emma Cook reviewed SPF moisturisers in the Guardian Weekend, I was captivated by the review for Skin Wisdom's Reverse ultimate lift day cream SPF 15, £8.47, by Bharti Vyas for Tesco, 0800 505555.

Price aside, Bharti Vyas is an amazing facialist. Her recipe for acne which off the top of my head incorporates tumeric, honey and salt - don't rely on me for this one - all combined has saved many a young person from the torment of acne within a month!

Monday morning I hot footed it to Tesco - only to have been beaten either by Janet Street Porter or the Guardian reading population of South London/Surrey. Instead I purchased a detox facial mask for 69p, the energising facial scrub and the creamy facial wash. I'd just run out face cleansers. Across the aisle I was tempted by the bnatural body products, so opted for the conditioning salt scrub and intensive body cream. Having lost the receipt I'm guessing I spent at max £12 for all 5 items.

What do I think? The energising facial scrub is delightful - this is from the person who adores Chanel's Gommage microperle eclat. It delivers the same gentle feel and gives your skin radience. It is March and I've been looking like someone in need of the sun for the last 12 weeks. Perfect start to the day, the lemongrass does the trick. The creamy facial wash is nice and I like the ease of use. But bear in mind, I struggle to find the perfect end of day wash - I've done it all from Eve Lom to Liz Earle. Anything that scrubs me up at the end of the day without a muslin cloth and isn't a wipe, suits me. It doesn't seem to strip the skin and so far so good. I'm saving the mask until the weekend!

As for the body stuff, well the scrub is nearly on a par with Elemis! It is really good! The intensive cream is very thick and is good for knees and elbows but probably not absorbant or nice enough for rest of body - a good staple alongside Vaseline intensive when money is tight.

I'll be fighting you for the day cream....

Image supplied by BMA Communications