Taking good care of your skin can be expensive. Really expensive. Brad Pitt’s skin care line charges customers hundreds of dollars for a little jar of cream, as reported by the Deseret News.
Giving your skin a little extra attention each day, and using the right products, can prevent aging, promote even tone and texture, tame acne and brighten skin.
“Investing early in the health of your skin, with regular skin care, will not only better protect it from the harsh effects of winter, but also keep you looking and feeling your best throughout the year,” says Steven Nwe, a dermatologist with Northwestern Medicine. “The key to skin resiliency is knowing your skin and treating it well.”
But while taking care of your skin is essential to its health, it doesn’t need to cost a fortune. Here are some popular cheap skin care products available at inexpensive prices.
What is a good cheap skin care brand?
A lot of skin care brands hike up prices for their products, but good skin care does not need to cost a fortune. Here are five skin care brands that offer high-quality products at reasonable prices.
1. Ordinary
Founded in 2013, Ordinary makes skin care affordable and accessible. It offers products with a high concentration of active ingredients at reasonable prices, such as a hyaluronic acid serum for under $10. Most of their products cost between $5 and $30 and can be found at Ulta, Target or Amazon.
2. CeraVe
CeraVe’s products were developed by dermatologists and all contain three essential ceramides that help restore and protect the skin barrier. CeraVe is the No. 1 dermatologist recommended skin care brand and offers budget-friendly products for every skin type.
3. Neutrogena
Neutrogena’s skin care products are all backed by science and skin-care experts. Plus, the brand is committed to sustainability — Neutrogena’s makeup wipes are are plant-based and compostable. Neutrogena offers award-winning products, such as its Rapid Wrinkle Repair cream and Hydro-boost Gel cream.
4. La Roche-Posay
La Roche-Posay’s products are high-quality and can be found at almost any drugstore. With over 25 years of research, La Rosche-Posay’s products are recommended by 90,000 dermatologists worldwide. Its moisturizer is known for giving skin a youthful glow, per Real Simple.
5. The Inky List
Founded in 2018, The Inky List is a relatively new skin care brand, and it wants to simplify skin care. Its website offers a free online quiz that creates a skincare routine for you so you don’t have to.
Cheap skincare products
Creating a skin care routine can get expensive, fast. Here are affordable products for cleansers, moisturizers and serums.
1. Cleanser
Washing your face morning and night with a delicate cleanser is essential to clear, healthy skin. At the end of the day, washing your face removes dirt, sweat, makeup and anything else that might clog up your pores, reports Self.
This Vanicream cleanser might have underwhelming packaging, but it gives results. It is gentle on sensitive skin, but effectively clears dirt and sweat from skin.
Price: $8.86.
Effective for all skin types, this cleanser is made with essential ceramides, to help preserve the skin’s natural barrier.
Price: $16.19.
2. Moisturizer (with SPF)
Using a moisturizer helps keep skin hydrated, soft and smooth, reports The New York Times. In the morning, it is optimal to select a moisturizer with SPF — that way you kill two birds with one stone. Wearing sunscreen daily prevents skin cancer and aging, as reported by the Deseret News.
With 30 SPF, this lightweight moisturizer is great for morning use. This product has received over 60,000 five-star reviews from Amazon shoppers.
Price: $14.62.
This oil-free moisturizer works well on sensitive, oily skin. One Amazon shopper wrote, “This product doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy, and it does seem to help with oil control as claimed.”
Price: $16.97.
3. Nighttime moisturizer
A nighttime moisturizer needs to accomplish something different than the one you use in the morning, so it can be beneficial to use a different product at night. According to The New York Times, night creams focus on damage repair and have a thicker texture. If you can invest in both, it is wise to do so.
Made for all skin types, this moisturizing cream contains niacinamide to calm skin after a long day and MVE technology for hydration throughout the night.
Price: $12.99.
For a low-budget moisturizer, this product exceeds expectations. One Amazon shopper called it “Magic in a bottle.”
Price: $20.99.
4. Face serum
Serums are used to smooth and soften skin complexion. They can often restore skin and remove red patches — so you get a more even skin texture, according to Northwestern Medicine.
This product contains niacinamide, which is a form of Vitamin B3. It is proven to repair skin damage, prevent acne and decrease skin inflammation.
Price: $6.
If you struggle with dark spots or acne scars, Amazon shoppers claim this product will really improve your skin. “I’ve had acne scars for over a decade and I’ve done the whole dermatologist thing and it never worked and made my break outs work. This works wonders, absolute wonders,” wrote an Amazon shopper.
Price: $19.95
5. Vitamin C serum
Vitamin C serum is known to prevent skin aging and improve the appearance of fine lines, acne and sun spots, per Harvard Health. A study from the journal Nutrients reported that after people who applied Vitamin C to their skin for three months saw an improved appearance of fine and coarse wrinkles on the face and neck.
Vitamin C serums can cost a fortune, and at less than $15, this lightweight serum promotes bright, even skin and reduces wrinkles.
Price: $14.54.
This Vitamin C serum is made with hyaluronic acid — which is know for hydrating skin — plus it has all the typical benefits of Vitamin C use.
Price: $21.27.
6. Retinol
Retinol is a derivative from Vitamin A — which plays a key role in promoting cell turnover, reports Vogue. As a result, retinol use brightens skin tone, tames acne and prevents aging. “I consider it a gold standard in skincare and often explain it to my patients as something that sweeps away dead skin cells, clogged pores, and dull skin,” says New York City dermatologist Whitney Bowe, per Vogue.
It is important to note that retinol products should only be applied at night, because they can make skin more susceptible to sun damage.
Using this product will prevent aging and repair previous skin damage “This product won’t let you down if you have dry skin (like me) and/or experience fine lines around the eye and mouth areas (also like me),” wrote one Amazon shopper.
Price: $21.
This contains 1% retinol in a water-free solution. It’s a great retinol option if you are shopping on a budget.
Price: $15.82.
