When you make a family budget, a lot of things can fall by the wayside—but your skincare shouldn’t be one of them, especially with dry winter air fast approaching. Your appearance can have a major impact on how you feel during the day, and great skin begins with great skincare.
Caring for your face doesn’t have to break the bank, though. How can you dive into the expansive world of skincare, even on a tight budget?
Learn Your Skin Type
Before you make any purchases, it’s important to know what you’re working with. Different products are made for different skin—if you’re prone to breakouts, you’ll want to steer clear of oil-based products. However, oily or combination skin can sometimes benefit greatly from a little added moisture.
So how do you determine your skin type? You can ask a consultant at any beauty store like Sephora or Ulta, or at the makeup counter of your local Macy’s.
However, if you want to avoid any potential sales pressure, you can identify your skin type at home in front of your bathroom mirror in less than an hour.
Splurge vs. Save?
Once you’ve determined which products will work best for your skin, it’s time for the fun part: finding how skincare products can fit into your budget.
The essential skincare routine should include:
- Cleanser
- Toner
- Eye cream
- Day moisturizer
- Night cream
But take one step into Sephora and you’ll quickly see how pricey these products can be. Which products should you spend on, and which can you buy on the cheap?
Dermatologists recommend splurging on toners (drugstore brands can overly dry your skin) and eye creams (cheaper brands tend to be less effective.)
You can shop at the drugstore for skin cleanser, which has a basic job and doesn’t stay on your skin for long periods of time. Moisturizers and night creams also don’t have to break the bank: as long as they protect and nourish the moisture barrier in your skin, they’ll perform their job just fine whether they cost $10 or $100.
However, if there’s a particular brand you have your eye on, you can usually find online savings that will allow you to fit that product in your budget.
Clean Beauty vs. Traditional Products?
Clean beauty is quite the buzz word these days, but not without reason. The products you use on your skin are absorbed directly into your body, and exposure to products containing chemicals or toxins can have unknown effects on your health.
According to Juice Beauty, only 10 percent of beauty ingredients have been FDA tested for human safety. If that statistic alarms you, you might want to consider researching any product before adding it to your skincare regimen.
Is there anything wrong with traditional products? The short answer is, it’s an unclear topic. You’ll have to make the decisions that are right for your lifestyle (and your budget), and flex your buying power accordingly.
So, can selfcare be a priority, even on a budget? Of course, it can—you just have to be discerning about your purchases and know when to hunt for the best bargains around.