Skincare on a budget: my top 8

I’ve suffered from acne and sensitive, picky skin for years. When my skin was at its worst, I would spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on high-end skincare products in hopes that they would heal my skin. What I’ve learned over the years is that just because something is luxurious or pricey and comes in a pretty jar, does not mean that it will work.

Don’t get me wrong, my skincare routine does include a few pricey serums and creams that do work great, but I also have a few trusty and very affordable skincare products that I use on daily basis. Today I’ll talk about some of the best budget-friendly skincare products that work for acne-prone and sensitive skin.

No. 7 Beautiful Skin Cleansing Balm–I wrote about this balm only few weeks a go (find my review right here) and I still love it just as much as on the first day I used it. One of the very first things that I do after coming home from work is to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin. For the last couple of weeks I’ve been using this balm and love how soft and supple my skin feels after each use.

Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater– I can’t even tell you how many bottles of this I went through ever since I’ve discovered it a few years a go. It’s great for sensitive skin, helps to soothe and calm the occasional redness and helps my skin feel hydrated as well. I love misting this on my face right after washing it or throughout the day, just for a quick hydrating boost.

Studio 35 Beauty Alpha Hydroxy Face Cream– I’ve reviewed this cream a while a go here on the blog (you can find my full review right here) and I still think that it’s one of the best AHA creams that I’ve used. It’s very affordable and really works great at restoring the skin and improving its texture.

Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen SPF 50– this is pretty much one of the very few SPF moisturizers that does not irritate or burn my skin upon application. It’s formulated especially for sensitive skin and it works pretty well under makeup.

Aquaphor Healing Ointment– This is another great multi-tasker that’s pretty much the same thing as Vaseline, but I think that it has a slightly thinner formula. I can’t live without this stuff during winter. When my skin feels extremely dry, I always seal my moisturizer with a thin layer of this ointment at night and always wake up to smooth and soft skin. I also use it on my hands, cuticles, elbows, knees, etc.

Vaseline Healthy Hand & Nail Lotion– another product that I already wrote about here on the blog. It’s been one of my favorite hand creams for years now, it works great and smells amazing. I always carry this in bag and also have one on my night stand.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Retinol Facial Treatment with Multi-Vitamins– This is a great retinol night treatment. I’ve used this before I was prescribed the tretinoin gel and it really helps with reducing age spots and acne scars. Another very similar night-time retinol treatment is ROC Multicorrection Night Treatment. I’ve used it for years and it’s one of my favorite skincare products, one that I always come back to.

Smith’s Rosebud Salve– a girl can never have enough lip balms and this is still one of my favorite ones, it does wonders for dry, chapped lips. This also can be used for treating your cuticles, etc. It smells amazing and I also love the vintage tin packaging.

What are your favorite skincare products?