13 Under-£20 Beauty Products I Always Spot Backstage at Fashion Week

Ever since starting out in my career as a beauty assistant, I've been venturing backstage at London Fashion Week, and being behind the scenes is as busy as you can imaginee. Makeup artists, hairstylists and nail techs are up against the clock to prepare the models for each show (there's usually someone with a clipboard telling them to get a wriggle on as they prepare for rehearsals), so I always feel for them when we nosy beauty journalists then head backstage to find out all the details on the beauty vision for that show. 

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(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

Usually, the hair and makeup are sponsored by a brand (such as MAC or Nars), and the MUAs and hairstylists will exclusively use that brand to prepare the models for the show. However, regardless of the beauty sponsor, there are products I see time and again in the pros' kit bags. These are top-tier professionals who need their products to work and deliver results. Models are often hopping from show to show on zero sleep and subjected to a lot of makeup application and removal throughout the week, so those pros need products that work across skin types and hair textures. Whether it be a hair spray that will hold a style in place or a makeup remover that will effortlessly (and gently) remove a model's smokey-eye look from the previous show in seconds, there are certain products they depend on in their kits. The good news? They're all seriously affordable.

After being invited backstage for the autumn 2023 shows, I took note of the 13 cheap beauty products I kept spotting backstage that come with the experts' approval. See them below. 

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(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

1. Weleda Skin Food

2. Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour Cream

3. Egyptian Magic

4. Bioderma Sensible Cleansing Micellar Water

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(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

5. Avène Cold Cream

6. Schwarzkopf Got2B Glued Blasting Freeze Spray

7. Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré

8. Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1

9. Vaseline Intensive Care Essential Moisturiser Daily Body Lotion

10. CO Bigelow Rose Salve Tin

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(Image credit: @eleanorvousden)

11. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Mat

12. L'Oréal Paris Hairspray by Elnett for Strong Hold & Shine

13. Weleda Skin Food Body Lotion

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Opening image courtesy of Tove. 

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Eleanor Vousden
Beauty Editor, Who What Wear UK

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at beauty website Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections with written and styling work.Working as a beauty journalist since 2015 after graduating in fashion journalism at the London College of Fashion, she has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is to provide readers with honest and helpful beauty content. Through words, video and live broadcast, she has interviewed several celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and top dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson. She has a particular interest in finding solutions for acne and eczema, which she has experienced firsthand. She has also amassed a large collection of fragrances and can never say no to a new candle.When she’s not writing or testing the latest beauty product or treatments, she’s on the seafront in her hometown of Brighton and Hove, where she lives with her partner and her miniature dachshund.