When we talk about skincare, there’s one thing running in the back of our minds: “It’s expensive.” Well, here’s the thing! Until and unless your skincare routine is not inspired by a top-tier Hollywood celebrity or gimmicky influencer, it doesn’t have to be expensive. It really doesn’t take much to keep your skin well-maintained with even the most basic products.
If you are getting started with your skincare routine but don’t have a lot of bank to splurge on fancy skincare products, you are at the right place. Today, we will be discussing a complete daily skincare routine for people who don’t have a fortune to spend on luxury products. And trust us, luxury products are not the answer anyway. It’s just the combination that matters, and that’s what we will be focusing on!
Let’s jump in!
Your Skincare Essentials on a Budget
So, you’re a student. You barely have money to make ends meet, and spending on skincare might feel like a luxury at this point. But fret not! You don’t need a hundred products to maintain your skin—just the right combination of basic essentials will work perfectly fine to keep your skin tip-top.
Here are those!
1. Cleanser
A clean skin is a healthy skin. And for healthy skin, you require a gentle cleanser that’s not too harsh on your skin while still being able to clean it thoroughly. There are many high-quality, yet affordable cleansers available that will get the job done. Just make sure to choose a dermatologist-approved brand and products that are ideally fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, and soap-free.
2. Moisturizer
A well-moisturized skin is necessary to prevent dryness and flakiness that could harm your skin tone and texture. However, it’s necessary to use a product that’s well-suited for your particular skin type. For example, if you have naturally dry skin, you would like to go for something containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides. Niacinamide works well for oily skin and niacinamide for acne-prone skin.
3. SPF
Nothing harms your skin as much as being exposed to sunlight all day long. Which means using sunscreen is almost non-negotiable. It protects your skin from the adverse effects of UV radiation and keeps it fresh and youthful for longer. We recommend using an SPF 30 sunscreen for optimal long-term benefits, as anything below that won’t work as well.
For Intensive Care
While the above should be good enough to keep your skin in great condition, sometimes, some people require intensive care for certain skin conditions. If you are one of them, investing in some high-quality serums could be helpful. Following are some splurge-worthy additions that you could include in your skincare routine along with their benefits:
- Retinol: Noticing signs of aging on your skin? Including a retinol serum in your skincare routine could be a good option. It helps you target visible signs of aging and fight them by reducing wrinkles, fine lines, and loss of firmness in the skin.
- Vitamin C: It’s ideal for people dealing with skin pigmentation. It reduces dark spots on your skin and helps you restore a revitalized, even skin tone. It also calms irritated skin and helps reduce redness caused by acne or other skin conditions.
- Mineral Sunscreen: We highly recommend this to people who have sensitive skin. It not only protects your skin from harmful UV rays but also keeps it hydrated and nourished throughout the day. Not to mention the protection it provides from various environmental pollutants.
How to Apply the Products Throughout the Day:
The overall routine is pretty much the same for morning and evening with the exception of sunscreen. In the morning, you will simply need to cleanse the skin, moisturize it, and then apply sunscreen if you’re going out in the sun. You can put in a vitamin C or hyaluronic serum in between cleansing and moisturization for some extra perks.
At night, you just need to cleanse, exfoliate (every second day), and moisturize your skin, and that’s it. If you have a skin condition that requires extra care, you can apply those products in between too, such as retinol, etc. And that’s it; there’s nothing extra to a proper skincare routine. It’s that simple! You don’t have to spend a major chunk of your money and time to maintain healthy skin.
Even the bare minimum works when done the right way!
How to Save Extra Money on Skincare:
Use Targeted Products
Using products that are specifically suited for your skin will give you guaranteed results. Not to mention the amount of money it could save that you would otherwise spend on products that were practically useless. To identify what products are best for you, you simply need to know your skin type. Although you could identify it by yourself, consulting a dermatologist beforehand could be highly beneficial.
Never Skip on the Reviews
We understand you’re on budget. But you know what’s worse? Spending a limited budget on brands that have poor quality. Therefore, make sure to do proper research and be very conscious of which brand you are going to choose. A good brand always has ingredients of all their products listed on their website and has generally positive organic reviews from their customers. A money well-spent is money saved.
Never Miss on Deals
There are times of the year when brands provide huge discounts to their consumers. If you find such deals, never miss them. In fact, buy as much supply as you can if the discount is huge. This will save you a lot of money that you would otherwise spend on skincare products.
Always Test the Samples
A blind buy is never a good idea. We highly recommend buying a sample before the full-size product to see if it works for you or not, preventing you from wasting your money on subpar products. Many good brands provide sample products for their customers. Make sure to request one before investing in the product.
Conclusion
That was pretty much it! As we said in the start, a good skincare routine doesn’t mean that it has to be expensive. Your skin requires very little to remain in its best condition. It’s just using the right products at the right time. In other words, the simpler, the better. We hope this article has been helpful in enabling you to design a proper skincare routine on a low budget.
We’ll see you with another one!