My Favorite Buys for Less Spendy Skincare

Once upon a time, there was a girl. She was spry 28, with no mortgage, husband, child, or dog. Her time was her own, her money was her own, and she was blissfully happy spending copious amounts of it on pricey lotions and potions that promised to keep her young forever.

Now, that girl has morphed into a woman of 42, with a mortgage on an old house, a husband, two dogs (one with diabetes), a 401k, a crippling Starbucks habit, and a beloved daughter who eats berries like she pays for them herself. The serums and creams did not keep her young forever and she wishes every dollar of her late-20s skincare money was in the aforementioned 401k. But never fear, her need for affordable skincare that works as well or better than the spendy products of her youth has led her to this post.

Prequel Face Wash // I have written about this face wash before, several times, and I’m going to keep writing about it. The face wash is gentle, works well, doesn’t irritate my skin, doesn’t dry my skin, and the $18 bottle lasts forever. I started using the product in January and I bought my second bottle in early August. In September, I bought another bottle to keep in the shower, and I now use it as body wash. Plus, they carry it at Target now, so throw next time, I can throw it in with my daughter’s yogurt and banana restock.

Prequel Lucent-C Serum // I would like to have all of the money I ever spent on Skinceuticals back. All of it. This vitamin C-serum brightens, evens tone, and isn’t sticky. For under-$25, there isn’t a better quality c-serum on the market. Also available at Target.

The Inkey List Water Cream // While my aging skin needs moisture, it needs light moisture. The Inkey List is one of the best affordable skincare brands out there, so when I spotted their Niacinimide Water Cream for just $12, I snatched it up. It is an awesome daily moisturizer. Completely unscented (which is basically unheard of these days), my only complaint is that they need to make it in a bigger size.

Element Hypochlorous Acid Spray // Recently, I fell in love with Tower28’s Hypochlorous Acid spray. With a little spritz, this product reduces redness and treats acne. The only issue with the product was the price. So I was so excited to find this Element spray that does the same job for less than half the money.

Eos 24-Hour Body Lotion // My skin has changed so much in my 40s. The lotion I apply in the morning has evaporated by lunch. Until now. Eos makes a shea butter lotion that really does last all day without being heavy or greasy. It costs under-$10 and comes in a fragrance free option.

GrandeBrow Growth Serum // The only over-$50 product on this list, but still less than half the price of the name brand, GrandeBrow will regrow your brows. It has completely regrown mine. If your brows are looking sparse, spend $27 on the mini-size and use it every other day until it runs out. I promise you will see growth. If you over-plucked your brows in the early-aughts, this is the product for you.

If you have a favorite mid-price product, drop it in the comments.

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