The Quest for Glowing Skin on a Budget
Who doesn’t wish for good skin? We see gorgeous celebrities on our phones and TVs, with shiny skin and glowing faces, and we can’t help but long to look like them. The majority of us can’t afford expensive skin care items in the first place, and the beauty industry make us feel guilty for looking at our dead skin sitting on our dry face. They make us feel like we can only have beautiful skin if we buy their hundreds of dollars products, which is super infuriating. So, what if I told you can have true beautiful skin without losing your wallet? Because it’s possible! There are few old and new skincare products that can give you beautiful skin without putting hard on your wallet. Products that don’t even cost more than $20!
Welcome to today’s blogpost about budget skincare products that actually work. And I mean really work, as it’s tried-and-tested, to the point where it has become a favorite among thousands of people round the globe, needs no introduction and then some because you don’t have to be rolling in cash in order to have good skin. So make yourself some tea, lie down somewhere comfortable and let’s talk dollars and cents, as in cents as in pennies.
Understanding the Skincare Basics
Let’s set out why the barebones basics – cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing and protection – make for a radiant complexion, but shopping for no-frills versions of all of them will buy you good skin you assumed only the well-to-do could afford.
Cleansing: The First Step to Clear Skin
A cleanser will get rid of the dirt and oil built up on your face throughout the day, and remove any traces of makeup you’re stupidly wearing to bed. Unless you want to turn your face into a breeding ground for dead skin and toxins, a good cleanser is essential – but nevertheless you want to get it for as little money as possible. It’s not as easy as it looks. If your skin is dehydrated, you’ll want a moisturizing wash, but moisturizing cleansers often contain oils that your skin already makes enough of. But maybe your skin is actually combination skin, where the balance is wrong, you have oily patches dominating a generally parched landscape. Start to get streamlined, an oily skin cleanser will dry you out and exfoliate while stripping your skin of sebum. Whatever you do, don’t overdo it.
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CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($15)
This cleanser is fragrance-free and not as rich as the Cetaphil, but it’s a good hydrating option for people with dry or sensitive skin. There are usually three simple steps to a CeraVe-based routine: face wash, face moisturizer and eye cream. CeraVe created their Hydrating Facial Cleanser with ceramides and hyaluronic acid, both of which help retain water in the skin and restore your skin’s natural barrier. It’s also non-comedogenic so it won’t clog up your pores.
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash ($9)
Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash is good for calming down very oily skin, and also for acne-prone, this antimicrobial facial wash contains salicylic acid that removes blackheads and whiteheads by dissolving its oil-filled pores to treat and stop future acne. You can safely use it daily because it is pretty mild and won’t irritate your skin in any way.
Exfoliating: Sloughing Away Dead Skin Cells
Exfoliation is also part of that routine; it certainly removes the dead skin cells and leaves fresh, glowing skin behind – and who doesn’t like that? – but, alongside keeping pores clear and reducing spots if you don’t overdo it and inflame and damage your skin, it really does make your face feel smoother and soft.
The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 7% Toning Solution ($9)
If you use Ordinary products, you will probably have tried this toner already – it’s low-cost, it works, and it works really well. As do most well-formulated acids, this gently exfoliates. If you have textural skincare issues, or look a bit dull, you might like to use this toner two or three times a week, and protect yourself in the sun with sunscreen during the day.
St. Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub ($5)
My favorite physical exfoliant is St Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub, which has been my go-to product my entire life. The formula has a traditional combination of natural exfoliants that can cleanse dead cells off the surface, leaving the skin clean and soft. Apply gently to avoid over-exfoliation.
Moisturizing: Locking in Hydration
It is good that your skin is moisturized to keep your skin healthy and well-kept. It is a good idea to apply some moisturizer because it intensifies the moisture and keeps your skin smooth and soft
Cetaphil Daily Hydrating Lotion ($13)
One of the best-known is Cetaphil, which boasts a top-10 bestseller among skincare lines with its Daily Hydrating Lotion, made of that light, silky, non-greasy, hyaluronic-acid-containing hydrating liquid; its protective barrier; and, if you opt to splash out even on such basic staples, its SPF action. Which is good. Very good. Very inexpensive. In other words, a really good every-day lotion for every skin type.
E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Face Cream ($10)
While E.l.f is best known for its make-up, its skincare offerings are also very good. Nothing to write home about, perhaps, but every bit as affordable as their make-up. Their Holy Hydration! Face Cream, with the star ingredients of hyaluronic acid and peptides, brings the hydration.
Protecting: The Secret to Youthful Skin
sun protection: use sunscreen: essential for beauty routine. Using sunscreen frequently can prevent both aging and damage to the skin from the sun, and even avoid skin cancer 1.
Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 55 ($8)
One is Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen, a lightweight, non-greasy sunscreen that can be applied any morning and that absorbs nicely into skin for broad-spectrum protection.
Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen SPF 50 ($7)
For athletes, outdoor enthusiasts, or anyone out biking or swimming – hey, it’s beach season – Banana Boat Ultra Sport Sunscreen could be a good choice (for active people or those spending long amounts of time outdoors, or just anyone who needs a water-resistant sunscreen (80-minutes sweat and water-resistant) that combines water-spray ease of application with all-strong UVA/UVB protection.
Addressing Common Concerns
“Affordable products can’t be as effective as high-end ones.”
In many cases, you can get good skincare products from inexpensive brands that contain good natural ingredients already known to be effective and properly studied and tested. This isn’t you getting way more than what you’re paying for; it’s the fact that the continued research is the reason why you’ll be led to what’s effective, and then you’ll buy it (if you can afford it).
“I have sensitive skin. Can I still use budget-friendly products?”
Definitely! Many of the inexpensive cosmetics brands (the French brand Bioderma is worth a try as well as Cerave by CeraVe in the US) carry inexpensive ranges of sensitive-skin formulations. Very gentle, fragrance-free, and most are formulated with soothing aloe vera, chamomile, and oatmeal. Look for Cetaphil (also available in Canada), Eucerin and the lovely Nivea Blue line (which is widely available in Europe and Japan).
“How can I be sure these products will work for me?”
Skincare is very idiosyncratic, however, and what works for someone can be a complete disaster for someone else. For this reason, it’s always a good idea to patch test new products before you launch them onto your face, and definitely to introduce new products into your routine slowly. Reading reviews and recommendations from people whose skin you identify with can also help you narrow down the options for products that are more likely to work for you and your skin concerns.
Tips for Maximizing Your Skincare Routine
1) Consistency is Key. If you want to maintain a flawless complexion, you have to follow your skincare routine day in, day out. Results can take a few weeks, so be patient.
2. Drink a lot of water: This moisturizes the skin from the inside out.
3. Yummy food Yummy food will have a positive effect on your skin: Eat a balanced diet including fruits and vegetables (for Vitamin C) and some healthy fat.
4. Sleep Enough: You should aim for 7-9 hours of sleep a night to allow your skin to repair, rebuild and renew itself.
5. Manage Stress: High levels of stress can cause your skin to break out. Work on reducing your tension through methods such as meditation, exercise and deep breathing.
Beautiful Skin on a Budget
There is no need to go dearer than a blind date to get great-looking skin. The right combination of ingredients, in the right, inexpensive skin-care formulations, is all it takes to have healthy looking skin without it costing the earth. The real skin secret is simplicity: you simply need to stick to the fundamentals that work: the simple cleansing, exfoliating and moisturizing steps and – if possible – top up with a proper sunscreen.
So the next time that you are shopping for skincare at your drugstore, think about these affordable jewels. Your skin (and your wallet) will thank you! Beauty doesn’t have to be expensive, especially not if you use top range skincare products under $20. This list of skincare products under $20 will put you on the road to having a dewy glow.