This Under-£15 Skincare Brand Will Change the Way You See Your Skin

It often takes a minute for beauty to catch up with conversations that have been circling in social media communities. Skin-acceptance and skin-positivity movements have been making their way around for a while, but no brand has really been able to capture that in an authentic way. Yes, unretouched photographs of models are a huge deal, but this authenticity needs to follow through in all areas of the brand. I'm talking everything from prices to how they're engaging with their audience.

Enter Skin Proud with its call to have us all embracing our skin. Not just one type of skin, either, as the brand has made it a priority to make the products and language it uses as inclusive as possible. Not a single person or skin type will be left behind, and in an industry with so many barriers, it's seriously refreshing. 

Skin Proud backs all of this up with an affordable range of products under £15 that are cruelty-free and 100% vegan and focus on transparency. Already crushing? Well, wait until you try the products. I was fangirling after simply reading up on the brand, but once the products landed on my face, it was a game changer. 

I tried out the entire range of products, which are super easy to use, look great in my bathroom cabinet and actually work. As in, after using Skin Proud, my skin is softer, bouncier and more radiant than it was before. I'm well aware that I sound like I'm auditioning for a three-minute TV advert here, but trust me—this is some good stuff. 

Want in on the action? Keep scrolling to read my review of the products.

I don't know if I ate too much jelly and ice cream when I was younger, but I'll buy any beauty product that has a jelly-like feel. This moisturiser melted into my skin and felt like a breath of fresh air on an uncomfortably hot, fan-free day. It honestly feels like splashing your face with water, and the soothing rose flower and hyaluronic acid provide all the bouncy-skin results. 

This serum is gentle yet oh so effective. If you've been nervous about giving retinol a go, then this serum, which is also filled with rose-hip oil, hyaluronic acid and 0.5% retinol, might be just what you're looking for. Eight hours of sleep later, and my skin was exfoliated and tighter (in the best way) but still super supple. 

Thanks to the insufficient thickness of my yoga leggings, I've got a very sad case of dry patches on my knees. Luckily, this balm came into my life at just the right time, and I've been slathering the jojoba and coconut oil base all over my sore knees ever since. They're back to normal now, and I credit this all-rounder with the transformation. 

It's always a risky move when you try new skincare the night before hosting a Zoom event, but the scent of this overnight mask reeled me in. In case you're wondering, it smells like berry sweets in a bag of pick 'n' mix. That'll be the nourishing cranberry seed oil and raspberry extract. 

I usually like thick, mascarpone-like masks, so I wasn't sure how well this super-lightweight texture would fare. All I have to say is that I woke up to dewy skin that felt deeply hydrated and somehow changed how well my makeup application went. Sold. 

I haven't been riding the hyaluronic acid wave, and it's for no reason other than that I got distracted by other ingredients. I always got the hype, but there is one too many half-full bottles of the stuff taking up space in my bathroom. This one is set to be a keeper, though, as the refreshing gel is the perfect texture, and it delivers so much glow and hydration that I've not needed to use as many other products.

I must admit I don't rate eye creams at all, as I am yet to find one that delivers on its promises. But my under-eyes have been getting pretty dehydrated recently, so I put my skepticism to one side and tried this. With the mighty trio of shea butter, vitamin C and niacinamide (my ride-or-die), my hay fever eyes feel much less irritated and more moisturised. 

The texture of the cream is so light it disappears instantly when you apply it. From this day onward, heavy eye creams are no longer welcome. 

Up next, how to make your skin routine more mindful.