I’ve recently coined myself a little hashtag favourite on twitter, which is #lusthave, given to all items I just feel I need to add to my fashion/beauty/lifestyle collections as a matter of urgency.

So many gorgeous discoveries on a weekly basis steal a little piece of my rather sizeable heart, be it a sparkly piece to add to my already bulging collection or a fab innovative new product.  However, some staple items remain constant, and I thought I’d better share these with you to make the beauty aspect of your lives that bit easier,as I have done with mine. It’s all very well investing in quality, well known brands of skincare, but sometimes they just don’t do the job, as I have discovered recently.

Firstly, the make-up removal products I literally cannot cope without, are these products from Simple, Clean & Clear & T-Zone.  I went through a stage around 6 months ago of having really awful skin, for me. I’ve been quite fortunate until now, just having the odd breakout if I’ve been burning the candle a bit too much or being a bit over indulgent. This was an awful phase though, a little lump would  randomly appear, then get increasingly larger and more painful, with tiny rosacea type friends and family breeding around it! I’d try everything to try to alleviate the problem but as a naughty serial picker, I just seemed to be in a vicious pimple circle! Every time I got rid of one, along would come another. Finally, after seemingly exhausting all my quick-fix tricks and trying quite extreme ways of zapping said craters, I happened across this spot taming trio.

Regular make up removal with this gentle blackhead clearing exfoliator from Clean & Clear (2.99) was taking away the majority of my Mac make up after my usual 12-hour full face day, then topping off with these Simple for spot prone skin wipes clearing away any residue remaining (£2.49).  My final step was applying this absolute gem from T-Zone, the spot zapping gel. These tiny tubes really are the answer to all my outbreak prayers. Budget priced at a ridiculous 99p & cute but clinical packaging means you can have them in multiple locations for frequent application, so never need to hide a lumpy face strategically behind your hair/hand etc again!

The soothing Witch Hazel and Tea Tree oils are traditional neutralising remedies and this works! In just four hours, the inflammation has lessened and redness is calmed. Keep applying at regular intervals and this true skin hero completely wipes out the problem.

Now I still have the odd issue with my skin but I stick rigorously to this 3 step plan and am able to tame any tremors and maintain a good working balance.

The two other products on my perma #lusthaves list are Radox Muscle Soak (£1!) and Skin Deep tanning wipes (£2.99).

Now, I am a spray tanning addict. I run my own spray tan company which you can make contact with on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bronzedbyamanda That’s a whole other post (here) but the crux of the matter is, the week-old tan needs to come off and the fresh one needs to go on…otherwise I’m just not leaving the house! Soaking off a quality spray tan is never easy, especially when I renew mine religiously once a week. So, for a good hour soak in a bubble bath whilst devouring the lastest copy of Grazia, this Radox is essential as it’s just the right blend of ingredients to help break down the layers of the tan and aid exfoliation. It simultaneously eases my tired muscles too, product of running around after two mischievious monkeys all day, every day.

Later, I re-apply my fresh spray tan, but due to the aforementioned skin tribulations, I only apply it from the chin downwards, and always use these cheap and cheerful yet incredibly effective tan wipes to my facial area. Spray tan solution can often clog the pores, but weirdly, these wipes actually seem to boost my skin overnight and I am bronzed and smoothed for action the next day!

I buy all of these items at my local www.bodycare.co.uk and not one of them costs more than £3!

Whats your budget beauty routine? If you have any great items I should be trying out, I’d love to hear about them!