Spend V Save Skincare Edition

One of the first posts I ever did on this blog was "Beauty Products Worth (and Not Worth) the Money" , where I detailed the makeup items that I like to use cheaper options and which I am willing to pay a bit more money for. Now, I have decided to do a similar breakdown but for skincare items. Skincare is a bit more subjective for me than makeup because skin itself is so individualized, and a person's needs will vary greatly, depending on their skin type, individual sensitivities. and the conditions they are seeking to treat. But my general rules of thumb are--

Cleansers and Makeup Removers: This is definitely an area where I prefer cheaper options. The main ingredient I try to avoid in cleansers and makeup removers is sulfates, which are quite harsh on my dry skin, but many, many cleansers that are found at the drugstore avoid this ingredient and have very effective face washes. Brands from whom I particularly enjoy their cleansers are Burt's Bees, Aveeno, and Pacifica, and many of the cleansers each of them offer are sold for $15 or under USD.

Exfoliants and Exfoliating Acid Toners: This is an area that I don't dabble in all that often because I use these products quite sparingly, but I do think that these would be a splurge item in order to get a refined and well-balanced formula that is at a proper pH to effectively exfoliating without burning or, in the case of physical exfoliants, that the exfoliating particles aren't so big that they scratch and tear the surface of the skin too much. With an exfoliating product, having it be effective but gentle is crucial, so these are usually more splurge items for me. But for a really effective and cheap way to safely exfoliate (with one's own hands), check out my other article here.

Face Mists and Hydrating Toners: I've tried many beautiful, refreshing formulas from many price ranges, but since these products are mainly composed of water, aloe vera, glycerin, or some combination of these three, these are fairly cheap products to make and still have them be lovely to use. I think this is definitely an area where you can find very similar products at every price point, so it is very easy to go with cheaper options here and not worry about any difference in quality.

Spot Treatments: My rule here is to assess how my skin has been behaving recently. If I am going through a period where I am breaking out a lot, I might be willing to pay a bit more for a spot treatment that is more based in essential oils ,like tea tree or eucalyptus for example, that will be less harsh on my skin for continued use. If, however, I need a spot treatment quickly but am just trying to treat one big zit that popped up out of nowhere, many drugstore options work great for that, even if their formulas may not be as gentle long-term.

Serums: No matter if you are looking for a serum to help with hydration, curbing excess oil production, reducing fine lines and wrinkles, or treating dark spots, serums will likely be the most expensive single item in your routine. Serums are often very specialized products and are concentrated formulas aimed to address specific skin concerns by reaching the deeper layers of the skin. This means their formulas are usually complex, potent, and difficult and expensive to make. Brands selling at every price range make great serums from Olay to Drunk Elephant, but these will always be among the most expensive items within any range. Whether one needs an expensive one or not, will depend on the concern are treating and what combination of ingredients your skin ends up responding best to.

Essences: Essences are a fairly recent addition to the US Beauty market. They are liquid products that act like a serum but are usually thicker and stay more on the surface of the skin to add more hydration as well as more targeted treatment ingredients for any concern like serums also do. Essences are not as common in the drugstore beauty world, so these are pretty much splurge items if you are thinking of incorporating them into you routine.

Facial Oils: Facial oils that blend essential oils with carrier oils are often complex blends that are meticulously produced. For this reason, these are also going to be a relative splurge. However there are some brands like Pacifica and Acure make a variety of facial oil blends that sell for under $20 USD. With facial oils, it is not so much an advanced formula that you want to look for but the quality of the ingredients harvested for the bottle and to not have those ingredients diluted with things like water or mineral oil, which will hurt the efficacy of the oil blend, so try to avoid oil blends with those ingredients, even though they might be inexpensive.

Moisturizers and Night Creams: This is an easy area in which to save. Moisturizers and night creams are the last steps in skincare routines, and, while they do cushion the skin and help to protect and fortify its barrier, the main thing they will do is seal all the other layers of treatment product in to keep them working throughout the day and night. There are many cost-effective creams out their that perform this job beautifully, so you can definitely save.

SPF: There are differing opinions on SPF, but I personally would say overall to rely on cheaper, mineral-based sunscreens. Mineral-based suncreens (those made with zinc and zinc oxide) tend to last longer on the skin and keep the skin from absorbing any harsh chemicals and also usually do not have to be reapplied as frequently. It is important, however, that when you wear sunscreen, you apply ample amounts of it, so to feel comfortable with generous applications, I say that cheaper is better.

Face Masks: I used to rarely use face masks, so I have never really spend nor save much on them. And even though there is one I am really into right now that is at around a $20-40 price point (depending on the size you buy), I would say whether masks are a splurge-worthy item comes down to how often you would use them and what your needs are. If you mask once a month as a treat, then maybe splurging on a luxury mask is just the thing. However, if you do a weekly mud mask, a cheaper option may be the right choice or else a supersize of the mask (if available) so the cost per fluid ounce is less. I've seen that many masks are very similar out there in types of masks in function as well as key ingredients across all price points, so I think it would be easy to ""dupe" your favorite expensive mask with a cheaper version or, if it is a natural product, try blending the same ingredients from your cupboard yourself and create your own homemade version to save some money as well.

These are simply my thoughts on where you can perhaps save some money in your skincare routine, and where you should be prepared to splurge a little more. I hope that was helpful in kickstarting your beauty cabinet for 2020.