Searching for loose change under the sofa cushions? Playing the lottery as a retirement plan? Gently weeping over the latest utility bill? Since inflation has outpaced wages, and rent, food and energy bills remain sky high, most of us are feeling the pinch somewhere in our pay packet. One consolation? In lean times, you don’t need to sacrifice high standards when it comes to your personal care routine.

There’s a collection of grooming brands that promise to give you more bang for your buck with lower prices and savings through subscriptions and bundles. At the same time, they won’t have you slathering yourself in chemicals or compromising quality, performance or environmental standards.

So, no matter how tight the budget, you can always be smooth of skin and sweet of armpit. Read on to find out the top 10 names in wallet-friendly skin care, hair care and body care.

Dr. Squatch

Dr. Squatch was born after Jack Haldrup began experimenting with homemade natural soap recipes in his garage. Fronted by a cartoon Bigfoot or ‘Sasquatch,’ this cabin-in-the-woods style, 98-100% all-natural origin, B Corp-certified grooming brand takes inspiration from the rugged, wild terrain of North America and hairy chest rugs from all over.

Chances are, Dr. Squatch might be on your radar already, thanks to Sydney Sweeney of Euphoria and Anyone But You fame, who lends her skills as the ‘body wash genie’ to the latest campaign.

Really, it needn’t take a curvaceous blond to bring your attention to its extensive wares: we think the product speaks for itself, or the fragrances certainly do. Shop cologne, body lotion, deodorant, shampoo and conditioner, face wash, beard oil, toothpaste, grooming tools and accessories that’ll leave you freshly scented and looking sharp.

Dr. Squatch Bar Soap

The all-over bar soap will leave your skin thoroughly cleansed, nourished and buffed smooth, with a seriously good scent for well under a tenner. It’s made using a recipe of cold-pressed olive oil, fruit oil, kaolin and shea butter, mixed with varying grit levels of natural scrubs like sand, oatmeal and corn, so it’s a micro-bead-free zone.

Versions such as Coconut Castaway, Wood Barrel Bourbon and nose-tingling Pine Tar sit alongside novel seasonal editions and Comic Con-style collaborations with Star Wars, Avengers, Minecraft and Harry Potter for those who want to slather up like Slytherin.

We’re stashing a few boxes in our underwear drawer for extra-scented smalls.

Buy now at Dr. Squatch

Dr. Squatch Natural Body Wash

The generous 414ml Body Wash is served in a wood grain effect, recycled plastic bottle. The range crosses over with the signature scents, so expect to find more Fresh Falls, Wood Barrel Bourbon and Pine Tar in liquid formula.

Made with glycerin, saponified coconut oil, saccharide isomerate, and natural exfoliants for the scrub versions, and without parabens, phthalates or sulphates, this skin-friendly soap will leave your body feeling squeaky clean and hydrated.

Buy now at Dr. Squatch

Harry’s

The legacy razor brands were left chasing their tails after the launch of subscription razors, and one of the biggest disruptors was Harry’s. Saving a bundle on overpriced razor cartridges was a winner, even when we were making more hay.

Expanding into skincare, with day and night creams and blemish-busting treatments, Harry’s now offers a full beard care routine. Order the Truman gift set of shaving essentials, and there’s currently a chance of hitting a Wonka-style Golden Handle with a £5,000 jackpot. Now, that would take care of the rent for a while. Prize or no prize, consider the two latest offerings for your chin hair routine.

Harry’s Beard Conditioning Spray

This leave-in mist will tame and soften spiky beard hair using a gentle formula of nourishing grape seed oil, jojoba oil and shea, all while caring for that oft-neglected skin beneath using a blend of fruit acids to exfoliate.

Non-greasy, it absorbs easily and leaves the hairs lightly scented with citrus and cedar. Just one tip – it comes out quite thick, and the spray isn’t a fine mist. So, we find it easier to apply by spraying into the hands and then distributing it evenly across the beard area.

Buy now at Harry’s

Harry’s Beard & Face Wash

This foaming cleanser is a dual-action formula specifically designed to cleanse and exfoliate both the hair and the skin surface simultaneously without a scrub action.

Powered by White Willow Bark extract, it gently lifts away dirt and oil without drying or stripping, resulting in a soft, touchable beard and revitalised skin with a fresh, lemony scent.

Buy now at Harry’s

Horace

Horace is the French word for devilishly well-groomed. Well, it is in our book, especially when you drop the ‘H’ and call it ‘oh-rass’, as they do.

Ever since it crossed La Manche, we have been thoroughly obsessed with the whole gamut of stylish grooming essentials at seriously reasonable prices. Stalwarts in our bathroom include the shower gel, purifying face mask and super-powered serums.

Horace Anti-Fatigue Under Eye Patches

Snazzy eye patches aren’t reserved for fancy skincare brands—these are a snip at £22 for five pairs. Packed in individual sachets, these hydrogel patches are good to go wherever you go.

Silicone-free, they contain algae extract and Swiss ice wine to minimise dark circles and shrink puffy eye bags while smoothing and hydrating the eye area.

Pop them straight on or keep them in the fridge for extra de-puffing power.

Buy now at Horace

Horace 12H Protection Deodorant Stick

All-day odour protection? You got it. Okay, at £10, this deodorant might be a notch higher than your average supermarket fare, but this won’t induce a coughing fit or leave your pits on fire.

It’s super skin-friendly, alcohol- and aluminium-free and leaves zero marks on clothes while extinguishing any pungent aromas using different fragrant combinations.

You can choose between Bergamot and Sea Fennel, Sandalwood and Labdanum, Eucalyptus and Sage, or unscented for those who prefer.

Buy now at Horace

CeraVe

The affordable, effective facial cleansers first brought CeraVe to our attention, but it’s the high-performance formulas made with three essential MVE ceramides that keep us coming back for more.

As a dermatologist-led brand, this slow-release hydration technology takes care of all skin types—no matter how tricky—meaning troublesome conditions like acne, eczema and psoriasis are in safe hands here.

The Foaming Cleanser and the Hydrating Cleanser are no-nonsense, long-lasting products that work. Plus, you can get all the latest skincare actives—retinol, Vitamin C and hyaluronic acid—for a fraction of the cost of a premium brand.

CeraVe Oil Control Moisturising Gel-Cream

When you have oily skin, it can seem like a tall order to keep it supple without adding to the headache of more breakouts. Good hydration might seem counterintuitive, but it actually helps to minimise excess oil production, keeping the skin clear.

This unscented, innovative gel-cream contains advanced oil-absorbing technology to mop up excess shine. It also contains the signature three essential ceramides, hyaluronic acid and niacinamide, which rebalance the skin and protect the barrier, keeping it hydrated for up to 8 hours.

It feels fresh to the touch and absorbs quickly with a traceless, mattifying texture.

Buy now at Boots

CeraVe Skin Renewing Eye Cream

Once you’ve appreciated the benefits of a dedicated eye cream, it’s hard to go back. Even the eyes need a caffeine fix in the morning – and this daily grind improves microcirculation to reduce puffiness.

Add the three essential ceramides, a peptide complex to stimulate collagen and elastin, hyaluronic acid to smooth the appearance of fine lines, and niacinamide to strengthen the skin barrier, and you’ve got a brighter, smoother set of peepers.

Buy now at Boots

Cetaphil

Don’t let sensitive skin rule your life when there are solutions to manage it more kindly. Cetaphil is designed explicitly for easily triggered skin and is recommended by dermatologists.

Its clever formulations look after the typical five indicators that your skin is out of whack: a weakened skin barrier, dryness, irritation, roughness and tightness, especially after contact with water.

Sensitive skin is often far more complex than just dry or flaky, so if you’re prone to acne, blemishes, redness or rosacea, excess oil or uneven tone, Cetaphil has targeted lines to suit all needs.

Cetaphil Daily Defence Moisturiser SPF 50

High, broad UVA protection and lightweight moisturisation? Cetaphil ticks both boxes with its Daily Defence Moisturiser. Glycerin and Vitamin E work to nourish and hydrate, while SPF 50 will protect skin on the slopes this ski season, and every other day of the year.

The only downside? Swerve this if you’re not fair-skinned. It leaves a white cast on darker skin tones.

Buy now at Boots

Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser

Oily and sensitive skin? This Oily Skin Cleanser offers a gentle, deep clean without stripping the barrier of its natural moisture.

Made with niacinamide and Panthenol, it’s soap-free, non-comedogenic and non-irritating, so it won’t cause redness, itching or a flare-up.

Buy now at Amazon

Purifide by Acnecide

Conditions like acne should improve as we leave our teens behind, but there’s often no age limit on individual spots or smaller breakouts. If you’re prone to lumps and bumps, Purifide has got you (discreetly) covered.

Now there’s an armoury of dermatologically tested and approved fixes for nipping offending zits and blackheads in the bud, on both the face and body.

Purifide Blackhead Control Deep Exfoliating Cleanser

What this cleanser lacks in a scent, it more than makes up for with its skin-clearing properties. Using a combination of 2% salicylic acid, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid, this cleanser gets deep into the pores to blast away any blockages and reduce blackheads on the chest, back and face.

Skin-plumping hyaluronic acid and glycerin leave it feeling smooth and hydrated, never tight or dry. You only need a tiny bit, so that tube will last.

Buy now at Amazon

Purifide Power Patch

Feel an unwanted eruption coming on? No need to reach for the paper bag. This pack of 36 zit-busting invisible patches can help stave off a whitehead at the first sign of redness or tenderness under the skin, and reduce the temptation to squeeze or pick.

Impregnated with three ingredients, the Power Patch uses salicylic acid to shrink the impending volcano, Centella Asiatica to reduce redness from inflammation, and Canadian willow herb to soothe the underlying infection.

Use at the first sign of an incoming bump, overnight or all day, and on repeat until the skin has fully healed.

Buy now at Lookfantastic

L’Oréal Men Expert

Thankfully, the company that likes to tell women “they’re worth it” would never overlook the opposite sex. L’Oréal Men Expert make the latest skin science accessible, using the same top actives found in the company’s stable of luxury brands, only at prices more people can afford.

L’Oréal Men Expert Hydra Energetic Vitamin C Shot Serum

Ward off dull, grey, ashy skin this season by upping your daily Vits.

An immune system defender, in skincare Vitamin C works as a super brightener. Made with 10% Vitamin C, this potent power shot is designed to boost youthfulness, even out scars or pigmentation and smooth away fine lines and dryness when added to a regular moisturiser or used directly on its own.

Buy now at Amazon

L’Oréal Men Expert Power Age Revitalising 24H Moisturiser

The nights are drawing in, and the heating is primed to come as soon as the mercury dips. It’s a recipe for dry skin. How to prevent waking up feeling desiccated? You need a long-lasting hydrator, like this one.

Used day or night, the Power Age Revitalising 24H Moisturiser uses hyaluronic acid to help the skin the feel firmer and refreshed, and it doubles up as a soothing post-shave treatment.

Buy now at Lookfantastic

ManCave

Making a sustainable choice can often be more expensive – not so with ManCave. Talking the talk and walking the walk, ManCave is vegan, cruelty-free and doesn’t contain any harmful ingredients such as petrochemicals, phthalates, synthetic dyes or mineral oils.

It only uses natural ingredients in its performance-driven formulas, and the packaging uses post-consumer plastic as a mono-material for both caps and bottles, making them easier to recycle. The expansive range includes ludicrously affordable scents and caffeine-formulated hair and skin care.

ManCave Lemon & Oak Shower Gel

A solid best-seller, the Lemon & Oak Shower Gel offers a therapeutic dose of essential lemon oil, bitter orange oil, orange oil and rosemary oil, vetiver and sandalwood, together with aloe vera and L-arginine, an amino acid that helps protect the skin barrier.

Buy now at Amazon

ManCave Hyaluronic Intense Hydration Moisturiser

Packed with hyaluronic acid, caffeine, shea butter and Vitamin E, this super hydrator is rich, luxurious, and absorbs quickly.

Caffeine helps to pep up tired skin, hyaluronic acid adds firmness and smoothes out fine lines, while shea butter and Vitamin E nourish and protect—a perfect face cream for winter.

Buy now at Amazon

Heath

With its high-end, dark green, minimalist design, Heath looks like it should be expensive, but it’s not. It’s made in the UK, proudly vegan, and free from sulphates and parabens.

The range is concise but covers all bases, with 10 products for the face and four for the body designed using clinically proven, natural ingredients. It make it easy to find exactly what you need without getting bogged down by endless options.

Heath Sensitive Face Wash

Alongside the original and oil control face washes, Heath has added a sensitive face wash to its collection.

This fragrance-free, foaming cleanser contains extracts of calming aloe vera, oatmeal and cucumber, along with preBIULIN FOS, a pro-biotic to help balance the skin’s microbiome, and Pentavitin – a plant-derived humectant that binds with the skin’s natural keratin to help form a moisture barrier.

Healing and hydrating, it cares while it cleanses for smoother and rejuvenated skin.

Buy now at Heath

Heath Shower Mask

Heath’s shower mask is a staple in Ape’s bathroom. We let the shower run for a bit before applying this creamy, clay mask all over our face and neck.

Then we get under the water but let it sit, warming the skin for a bit and keeping our face dry until we’re ready to rinse off. The hot steam helps draw out deep impurities from the pores.

The Shower Mask is good for all skin types and uses gentle exfoliants, fruity AHAs, glycolic and azelaic acid, and soothing aloe vera, to eliminate dullness and dead skin. In a double win, our skin looks noticeably smoother, brighter and more healthy-looking, and it barely adds any extra time to our shower routine.

Buy now at Amazon

Bulldog

Bulldog has blazed a trail in men’s grooming, offering effective, affordable personal care products whilst working hard to reduce its planetary impact.

Vegan and cruelty-free, Bulldog make recyclable razor handles from low-impact materials like glass and bamboo, creates formulas using high natural origin content, and uses plastic made from sugar cane or post-consumer waste.

They also do refills and offer a recycling scheme with First Mile, making it easier for their customers to go the extra mile to help the planet.

Bulldog Sensitive Ceramic Razor

A sensitive shave doesn’t require armloads of products; it’s all about tools and technique. This Sensitive Ceramic Razor is designed to prevent skin irritation. It has five tempered steel blades, a pivoting head, and a lubricating strip impregnated with baobab oil.

Fancy razor handles often cost a bit more. This handle is made from natural kaolin clay, which gives it a nice weight and feel in the hand without upping the price tag.

Buy now at Bulldog

Bulldog 24h Spray Deodorant

With a three-month supply of fresh and dry pits per can, we can’t argue with the 24-hour protection from Bulldog’s deodorant spray. Available in the Original and long-lasting scents of Bergamot & Sandalwood and Fresh Mint & Cedarwood, the canisters are also propelled by nitrogen, not damaging aerosol.

The ingredients are of 98% natural origin and dermatologically tested, so they will never cause stinging or burning on your underarms.

Buy now at Amazon