One of the things I love to talk about is skin care routines. You’ll find my listening to any skin care talk happening in front of me and shouting I DON’T KNOW WHAT IS THAT!! to know better about the ingredients, what does what and why should I use that instead of this. What are the cheap skin care alternatives to luxury products? What are the latest cheap skin care products and how to use it!? Even when I scroll ITG, my mind shouts the same words and my fingers take the next step.
Today, I’m going to share what I experienced in the past few months when I actually started to take care of my skin. I bought cheap skin care products online and followed a minimalist skincare routine. There’s a huge noticeable difference, and you’ll find me proud of my face every now and then on my Instagram, and every day on the Insta stories.
Since it’s Summer taaahhhymmme, I feel the lighter, the better. I don’t combine multiple formulations in a single regimen. When I first started taking care of my skin, I was following the 10 Korean skincare steps. Then I felt that my skin doesn’t absorb everything I put on. Even if I used fewer drops and let everything bake for a while… can we please use the bake definition on skin care routines not only on makeup!!!?
If I did, and if I felt that my skin needs more than just one step after cleansing, I put on the water formulation first (serums) then the moisturizers and cream formulas then my makeup (if I ever did). I feel that it’s more than enough to put my dewy mask on and go… ok, maybe some Glossier makeup, but then I’m seriously done. Let me now get you the juice of the most effective and cheap skin care products and a review on each product I used.
Cleansers
My skin is acne prone. So I’ve used La Roche Posay Effaclar cleanser for as long as I can remember. Then one time, I couldn’t find it anywhere, and I tried La Roche Posay Toleriane Dermo, which is a milk cleanser for sensitive skin. After getting used to stripping my face from all the oils with Effaclar—and getting used to the idea of more foam equals cleaner—I thought it didn’t do a fair job to my skin. Until I saw it on my skin after two months of using it. My skin was clear even in my hormonal time! Not even one pimple showed when I used it. Super calming and moisturizing.
After I finished that bottle and learning not because the bottle says it’s good for your skin condition then you blindly use it—maybe you don’t even know what your skin needs. I got into the experimental mode and started using La Roche Posay Toleriane foaming gel. It’s not so harsh, not so mild, it’s between the two other products. But nothing I can compare to Toleriane Dermo now.
My skin regimen depends on what my skin needs every day. My skin is a combination of oily and normal. I tried most of The Ordinary skin care line, and I combined it with a few other cheap skin care products. So that’s what I use when:
I Want A Super Dewy/Anti-Aging Skin—All-Time Favorite Skin Care Routine
I’ve dealt with acne in my teenage years and took a medical treatment course (Isotretinoin that contained retinol) that got my skin into a much better place. I don’t have acne anymore, I get hormonal acne every now and then though.
At Morning: My morning routine is very light and fresh. I cleanse my face and put 2-3 drops of The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5. It plumps the face and locks the water on the skin so you can feel the hydration all day long. Then I use The Ordinary Buffet as my makeup. I use it in the morning as my last step of skin care regimen. I call it Blurriness. You know that dewy look that you want and the blurriness of the skin all combined in few drops? My nose/chin areas become visibly blurry and moisturized (I have large bores on these areas). I never put my serums on my hands as I feel that half of it is wasted on my palms. So I put it directly on my face and rub it gently. Not because it’s cheap skin care products that I’m going to waste are you kidding me!?
At Night: Now I use The Ordinary Retinoid 2% Emulsion right after my cleansing. I don’t use toners. I know that’s not fully right because the toner balances the PH in your skin and makes the skin absorb the products better. But I feel it’s like a barrier between the retinoid and my skin, and it won’t give 100% of its efficiency. I use it two times a week at night and wake up with a face that I don’t wanna clean in the morning! The silky clear feeling makes you do wired stuff. Retinoid’s Bff is sunscreen, so I make sure to use it because I sometimes forget, a lot. I use La Roche Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Sunscreen. Best sunscreen I found so far, it’s super light and absorbed easily.
I Breakout
Morning: I use The Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% after cleansing when my hormonal pimples say hi. It softens the blackheads and blurs the big pores. This bottle is nearly finished, and I’m gonna order it again. Highly recommend it. Best drugstore serum for oily skin.
I Feel My Skin is Super Dry
At morning: I use The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 to lock on moisturization and plump my face.
At Night: When I feel that my skin is super dry I use vitamin C. The Ordinary Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10%. I put it at night and wake up with very soft skin. Not dewy but soft from the inside. There’s nothing else I used that made my skin noticeably soft for days. However, if I’m using retinoid, I don’t use Vitamin C with it because it makes my skin go coco.
Exfoliating & Massaging
I exfoliate once a week with The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution. I tried to do it two times a week once. And my skin felt very sensitive, so it’s always great to just adjust your skin care routine to what you feel is right to your skin. The AHA exfoliates and improves the texture of my skin and BHA clean the pores. I follow with Glossier Priming Moisturizer. I don’t use retinoids or Vitamin C on the same day or the day after.
And I keep 100% Cold-pressed Virgin Marula Oil on my desk to massage my face for 5-10 minutes every day (trying). I always forget to do that, so I keep it in front of me to remember.
I also massage my face with ice in a soft circular motion. It makes the skin so refreshed and awake. My mom used to do it all the time, so it kinda stuck with me.
So here it is. My best skin care tips to try with cheap skin care products. You can bookmark it, share your experience, I’m sure you used most of these products. And tell me what is the best affordable skin care products you’ve tried and really worked? As I’m sipping my third cup of coffee for today.
