Sick of dropping hundreds of dollars on a skincare routine? The beauty industry is one of the most overpriced industries, with insanely high markups on products being the norm. For example, a night cream can easily cost a beauty brand $4 to make, but they will turn around and charge you $54 for it.
But why can brands like La Mer and Drunk Elephant get away with this? Because we continue to purchase from them! Contrary to popular belief price is not a direct indicator of quality when it comes to skincare and beauty. Yes, there are amazing high-end skincare products out there. But you can also find great products, even dupes for high-end products, for a fraction of the price.
Recently brands like The Ordinary and The InKey List have shaken up the beauty industry, by coming out with great quality yet inexpensive products. These budget-friendly products are often comparable to the high-end brands you see at Sephora. But these high-end brands are charging three sometimes four times the price. If you want to know more about how brands like The Ordinary and The InKey List are able to charge such low prices, check out, “Why are brands like the Oridinary are so Affordable?” (coming soon!). In this blog post, I will go over my top favorite budget-friendly skincare products for the “broke b*tch” or just the financially savvy woman.
Day Time Skin Care Routine
Cleanser: I personally skip cleanser in the morning and just go in with cool water to wake me up and refresh the skin. However, if you like to wash your face in the morning a great budget-friendly cleanser is Simple Kind to Skin Moisturizing Facial Wash. This product works well with any skin type, doesn’t include fragrance or sulfates, and is only $5. It does a thorough job of cleansing without overly stripping or drying your skin out. Don’t worry you won’t feel that horrible tight skin feeling after this cleanser.
Serums: Next, we need a serum to add powerful active ingredients that penetrate deep into our skin. One of my personal favorites, for the day, is Q10 from The InKey List. For only $7, this serum contains loads of anti-aging ingredients, like peptides and antioxidants. Antioxidants are extremely important because they protect your skin from harmful free radicals and environmental stress, like pollution. It doesn’t matter if you live in a busy city, like Los Angeles, or the country in West Virginia, you need to protect your skin by incorporating antioxidants into your skincare routine.
Moisturizer: The brand CeraVe has some of the best budget-friendly moisturizers out there. CeraVe has far superior formulas and ingredients compared to anything else you can find at the drugstore. The ingredients are gentle enough for sensitive skin but powerful enough to be effective and keep your skin hydrated and glowing all day. For dry skin try the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and for oily and combination skin try the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion.
Eye Cream: Surprisingly, eye creams are not necessary. Before you think I’m crazy and click away, hear me out. Yes, the skin around our eyes does need moisture too. This area is usually the first place where signs of aging begin to appear. However, eye creams are just a marketing tactic used by beauty companies to get more money from us. They are basically overpriced moisturizers, with the same formulations as our face serums and moisturizers, but in a smaller bottle. Instead, just use the same moisturizers and serums, (with exceptions like acids, for obvious reasons) we use on our face, around our eyes! I know mind blown. How much more broke b*tch budget-friendly can you get!?
However, there are a few exceptions. If you have bad under-eye darkness, caffeine can help by tightening the blood vessels around the eyes. This causes less blood to fill up under the eyes, which is what causes most (not all) dark circles. A great eye serum with caffeine in it is The Ordinary Caffeine Solution 5% + EGCG.
Sunscreen: If you have only one item in your entire skincare routine it should be Sunscreen. Sunscreen protects your skin from the sun’s harmful rays, which is the number one cause of premature aging. Even women and men with darker skin tones need sunscreen. Yes, people with darker skin tones do have more protection from the sun but the sun can still do longterm damage. Sunscreen should be worn every day, even in the winter, on cloudy days and in areas where it is not that sunny…no matter what always wear sunscreen. Try CeraVe Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 this is a great mineral sunscreen that protects your skin without harmful ingredients. It also does not give you that horrible white cast, like many other sunscreens. 🙌🏼
Night Time Skincare Routine
Makeup Remover: Over the years, I’ve tried countless techniques for removing makeup from makeup wipes, liquid makeup removers, micellar water, and special makeup removing towels…I’ve tried it all. But I never found a technique that really worked. I always found myself tugging at my skin, struggling to get the last bit of mascara off, and losing lashes in the process. I occasionally found great products I loved, but they would only last me a few weeks and spending $30+ every few weeks was starting to add up.
One day, I randomly discovered the best makeup remover, Coconut oil! And from that moment on my life was forever changed…dramatic but I’m serious. Coconut oil just breaks down the makeup so easily, while also hydrating the skin and the lashes. No more lashes falling out! Raw, virgin, or cold-pressed coconut oils are the best. Here is one of my favorites, Nutivia Virgin Coconut Oil. And the best part, a large jar for $10-$20 can last you months! Coconut oil is a great first step/cleanse in a double cleanser routine. Trust me try coconut oil and thank me later.
If you have acne-prone skin, instead, try The Oat Cleansing Balm by The InKey List. This cleansing balm is great for breaking down your makeup, while not disrupting acne-prone skin and causing breakouts. The price point is still great, it is $10 for 5 oz.
Cleanser: After applying coconut oil to break down the makeup. Go in with a gentle cleanser, try Simple Water Boost Micellar Facial Gel Wash Sensitive Skin (see day time routine for more details). The process of going in with oil and then a cleanser is called double-cleansing. This is a great way to ensure a deep clean with no leftover makeup or dirt. On days where you are not wearing makeup, skip the coconut oil, and go right in with the cleanser.
Exfoliant: A chemical exfoliant is a great way to remove dead skin cells, revealing the fresh, new, glowing skin underneath. It also helps in the skin cells turnover timeframe and process, which is something that begins to slow down as we age. More commonly used, physical exfoliants, like the ones with grit or sugar in them, can actually be very damaging and cause micro-tears in the skin. Chemical exfoliants, like AHA’s and BHA’s, are much more effective and safe options. One of my personal budget-friendly options is The Ordinary Lactic Acid. Lactic acid is one of the most gentle AHA exfoliants.
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Serum: Retinol is the best-proven ingredient when it comes to anti-aging so it is essential to include it on your skincare routine if you have any concerns with aging, which I mean who doesn’t. Retinols can get really expensive but a great broke girl option is The Ordinary Granactive Retinoid 2% Emulsion. This retinol is not very potent, so it is perfect for someone new to the retinol game. The powerful ingredients in this serum are also encapsulated, which means it has a time-release effect, the product will slowly release and work for hours after you applied it. Retinol can help repair and create new collagen, tighten the skin, and even help with acne.
Mixing up your use of chemical exfoliants and retinol will help prevent any irritation and sensitivity caused by these powerful products. Both chemical exfoliants and retinol should be started slowly. Start with 1-2 days a week and see how your skin reacts then slowly add more days as your skin can handle it.
Eye Cream: As I mentioned in the day time routine, just use your serums and moisturizers you use on your face around your eyes. If you have dark circles try a serum or moisturizer with caffeine in it.
Moisturizer: Try out the CeraVe Moisturizing Cream for dry skin and for the CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion for oily and combination skin. Again checkout Day Time skincare routine for more information.
If you have dry skin or it’s the middle of winter and your skin is craving some much-needed moisture, one of my favorite hacks is Vaseline. I literally, liberally apply Vaseline all over my face at the very end of my skincare routine. This layer acts as a barrier, locking in all the other products, moisture, and ingredients. Warning: This is for sure not something to try on your first sleepover with your new man lol. You will look like a crazy, shiny, mess but your skin will be thanking you in the morning.
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