As a beauty editor I’m often asked, “Are expensive beauty products really better?”. At one time, my honest answer would have been “yes”. But not anymore. Case in point: Habi, the new skincare brand by Boots that launches today.

Accessible skincare has been booming since the Pandemic. The Ordinary and Glossier famously both made it into the top ten most searched-for skincare brands in 2020; while Boots continues to be an incubator for innovative skincare, boasting impressive, patent-led technologies.

And that trend is only gaining steam. Habi is the new kid on the purse-friendly block and it’s betting on consumer demand for efficacy at a good price, as well as TikTok‘s obsession with colourful, playful packaging.

Ahead: My full Habi skincare review

Habi is a new 360 degree skincare and wellness brand. The supplements – featuring sea moss, biotin and magnesium to name but a few – have already launched, each with a £10 price point. Now it’s the turn of the eight-piece skincare line, where the cheapest product rings in at £4 and nothing costs over £7.50.

I’ve spent the last few weeks trialing the new Habi skincare line and these are my honest thoughts on the products I tried…

Habi Moisture Melt Cleansing Balm & Clean Slate Jelly Cleanser

First impression: I really like that Habi has two different cleansers in its offering as oily skin has very different needs to dry skin. My skin is prone to an oily T-Zone, especially in summer, so I’ve been using the Clean Slate in the morning, which is laced with antioxidant green tea leaf water and hydrating allantoin.

Then at night, I applied both the cleaning balm and jelly cleanser in quick succession for a more intensive double cleanse. The Moisture Melt, which is powered by shea butter and jojoba oil, lives up to its name and easily melts away makeup and SPF (F.Y.I, oil attracts oil and most SPFs are oil-based). The second cleanse with Clean Slate removed any remaining residue without leaving my skin feeling tight or uncomfortable.

I’d happily keep both in my skincare routine going forward as they do exactly what they say on the tin – plus, I don’t believe that you need to spend a lot on a cleanser as it’s only on your skin for a matter of minutes.

Habi Hydra Glow Hydrating Serum

This was by far my favourite Habi product. Don’t be fooled by its lightweight, watery texture – this serum still packs a powerful hydrating punch thanks to the inclusion of hyaluronic acid while niacinamide, a brilliant multitasker, helps to calm, brighten, curb oil production and keep the skin barrier strong.

My skin immediately looked dewy, it felt hydrated but not greasy and it primed my face for the rest of my skincare routine.

For me, Hydra Glow is the perfect example of how a brand can effectively focus its energy on solid ingredient-led formulas at a good price point while paring back on other frills such as fragrance.

Habi Hydra Glow Hydrating Serum

Habi Hydra Boost Cream Moisturiser

This was another product that I genuinely looked forward to applying every day. It has a Goldilocks rightness about it: it’s creamy but it’s not heavy and won’t suffocate your pores. The Hydra Boost also contains two key ingredients that I always look for in a moisturiser: ceramides and squalane.