I have been wanting to write this for a long time and finally have made the time to do it. I love sharing what products I am LIVING for with you guys. A few months ago, I made a A Broke Girl’s Guide To Makeup post that a lot of you babes loved so I decided to go a step further and make a similar post all around my favorite skincare products. I want to make this a series so let me know what other Broke Girl’s Guides you want me to make. Maybe I can do one on food or grocery shopping, let me know what you think.
Makeup and skincare can get SO expensive but honestly, it doesn’t have to be. It’s true that luxury products tend to work better and last longer because of the ingredients that go into it but most people can’t afford to spend $83 on a serum. You don’t need to spend a lot of coin to have great skin.
Skincare routines can get super extensive which can also boost up the price. All of it isn’t necessary and your routine will look different than someone else’s because your skin can vary. There is a lot of noise out there and if you are someone like me, I watch a lot of Youtube videos educating myself on the products that are out there. While some products may work for the masses, it may not work for you so you may get discouraged but don’t let that stop you. A part of self-love is understanding what works for you and being confident in that. This principle applies to skincare and makeup too.
I am not a dermatologist but I do love skincare because its the basis of good makeup. Your skin is your biggest organ so how you treat it, matters. I find my skincare in all sorts of places. Thankfully my skin doesn’t get irritated when I test out different products but if you are more sensitive, figure out which ingredients work for your skin and which one’s don’t. That’ll narrow down your search on finding a routine that works for you.
Depending on the season or the climate I am in, my skin will fluctuate on what it needs. When it’s colder outside, I moisturize like crazy but when it’s humid I will use serums instead of creams. Again, you don’t need to be as extensive. All you really need is a good face wash, an exfoliant, moisturizer/serum, and a toner. These 4 or 5 products will help balance your skin.
Before you keep reading: These products work for my combo skin. Since it’s colder outside, I am drier but over the summer ya girl was OILY. Oily skin does need moisturizer too because it’ll help regulate your oil production on your face and it’s just good for your skin to be hydrated.
My skin needs will vary depending on how much sleep I get, how much water I am drinking, what I eat, and so many other things. This is what works for me right now so it can change. I am not acne prone unless I’m getting close to my period. I also try not to wear makeup too much because I like to let my skin breathe. If I have a meeting or an event to go to, I will put my blending brushes to work but for the most part, I don’t wear a lot of makeup on my day-to-day.
I am pretty picky when it comes to product. I love to try new stuff but my tried and true products are really near to my heart. Let me know what products you’re loving so I can test them out.
Facewash
You shouldn’t spend a lot of money on face wash in my opinion because it’s one of those things that you will go through fast. A lot of drugstore brands are stepping up their game so the products are high quality
Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Face Wash– I bought a 3 pack and have been using it ever since. It is gentle and it foams so you really feel like you’re getting a deep clean. It hydrates as you wash it so you don’t feel like it is sucking your skin dry. I will do this after I take off my makeup with a Neutrogena Fragrance-Free Makeup wipe.
Cetaphil Face Wash – Love this one too but I use the Eucerin face wash more. This is a good face wash to have because it makes you feel clean and just gets off all the oil and dirt off your face. I’ve recommended this to some of my guy friends and they like it. Also, it’s $7 and will last you a long time.
Milky Jelly Cleanser from Glossier – Okay so not technically drug store but they have a travel size that has lasted me quite a bit. This is the softest cleanser I have ever used. It is super gentle and smells like roses. It makes your skin feel so smooth but clean. I know I keep saying that but this product doesn’t foam too much since it’s gel-like. It feels like you’re rubbing water on your skin in the best way. Try the travel sized first before making the commitment. I use 1-2 pumps on my finger and a little goes a longggg way.
If you’re acne prone: Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Pore Cleansing Acne Wash – Again, I am lucky to not have really bad acne but I heard good things from friends who use this. Let me know what other acne face washes you like so I can add it in.
Moisturizers/Serums – *Cue halo sound*
I loveeeeeeeeeeeeee a good moisturizer. I literally lather myself in oils and creams before I go to bed so my skin can stay hydrated. I have a few that I love for different reasons. During the day, I like to have something light and with SPF (it matters, trust me) and in the evening I like to go to bed feeling like I have been dipped in a vat of cream. Some people may not like that but waking up with soft skin is such a simple pleasure of mine. I love it so much.
Skincare Tip: Do not forget to moisturize your neck and your chest. Whatever you spread on your face, carry it down to your neck and collarbone to prevent early aging.
CeraVe Moisturizing Cream – I wish I got the one with the pump but this is a good overall daily and nightly moisturizer. She’s thick you guys so be careful. This is an amazing daily moisturizer. It doesn’t clog your pores and makes your skin so soft. I also use this on my body too sometimes. It will last you a long time so you get a ton of product. I love the cream feel as opposed to a gel because I like to make sure my skin is getting the most moisture.
CeraVe SPF Facial Moisturizer – Say it with me “SPF matters”. No seriously, it does you guys. I didn’t care about it until recently when I was like “Oh I should really start caring because aging is a thing and so is sun damage”. Wear your SPF. Just do it. What I like about this is that it doesn’t smell too much like sunscreen and it absorbs really fast into the skin so you don’t feel sticky.
Serums
Serums are another way to keep your skin healthy. They are more gentle and the ingredients will seep into your skin differently than a moisturizer. It allows your skin to get deep hydration while staying light on your face. I use a serum inversely as a moisturizer, I don’t know if that’s what you’re supposed to do so facialists and estheticians, help me out with this one. Serums are also great because they can treat specific skincare needs. So for example, if you’re feeling really dry or dehydrated after a night out (🙋🏽) then you may want to go for a serum with hyaluronic acid versus. Or a serum to treat fine lines and wrinkles.
Skincare Tip: TJMaxx and Marshall’s has REALLY good skincare products (hit or miss depending on where you live) for cheap. When I was perusing the skincare shelves one day, I found so many amazing products that are normally really expensive but they had it for less and its the same. exact. thing. I was shook!
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum – Can you tell I love Neutrogena? I recently bought this and I love it. It is more watery but I expect that from a hydrating serum. If you don’t like fragrance or are sensitive to this, do not buy it. I’ll be honest, I don’t like fragrance in my skincare products. I think its unnecessary. The smell is there but it goes away once you rub it in. It leaves your skin feeling quenched and will absorb super quickly.
Valjean Labs Facial Serum – I found these at TJMaxx and am hooked. They’re simple ingredients in them. They have different ones for Glow, Restore, Hydrate, etc. I have those 3 and I have repurchased them. I think originally they’re like $15 but I bought them for $6 or $7. They last you a long time and like I said before, they treat certain things. I’ll use the Glow serum as a base sometimes before I apply my makeup to add some dewiness into my foundation. They absorb fast, do not have any bad smell to them, and I like how it has 2 ingredients. It keeps it simple and you know what you’re adding on your face.
Masks
Mask and chill, anyone? A good face mask and a nice movie is my kind of night. Please do not spend a lot of money on face masks unless you can afford it. I buy so many face masks a year (I should probably invest into a subscription). I have a few that I really like. Some I use as an overnight mask and other’s I’ll just put a sheet mask on and it gives me 20 minutes where no one can bother me.
I talk about these A LOT. I love them, they aren’t “drug store” but they’re $3 from Amazon. I love all of them. The Lavender Hydrating one is by far one of my favorites. Tony Moly makes a GOOOOOD face mask. I believe they are a Korean brand too and they do skincare REALLY well so I trust it.
Another Amazon find, I know a lot of people use this. It’s crazy how much it pulls out of your skin. I feel like my pores were vacuumed. This is the Aztec Clay Mask . This will last you a long time, you only need a little bit and it’s literal clay on your face. Wash it off and put some moisturizer on afterward and you are good to go. It can be messy so be careful.
Neutrogena Hydro Boost Moisturizing Overnight Gel Cream Face Mask – This is $2 from Walgreens. An awesome hydrating overnight mask. I put it on at the very end of my routine and go to sleep. I think Neutrogena killed it with their Hydro Boost line. I am so happy they came out with it (not sponsored, but hit me up Neutrogena) because I think it’s super accessible. They have a deep clean one too that I haven’t tried but I want to.
Also, another Neutrogena product I am loving right now is their Deep Clean Sheet Mask. I think it gets the job done and it smells good to me. With sheet masks, I don’t really mind the smell of them.
I hope you enjoyed this post. I will be updating my routine as life goes on but again, skin care doesn’t need to be super expensive. I hope you all have a happy week wherever you are and be kind to yourself.
Is Anyone Really Listening? 