Skin care routines can be complex and for a busy collegiate, knowing what to buy can be difficult and stressful. Many collegiates can’t afford to buy $70 anti-wrinkle cream and since drugstores have rows upon rows of products, you wouldn’t know where to start. Deciding when to splurge on a skin care product and when to stick to the drugstore is important because it’ll be one less thing to stress over. Who can’t appreciate that? Take care of your skin while taking care of you wallet.
Sunscreen
I wouldn’t splurge on Sunscreen because it isn’t hard to find. Searching for the proper sunscreen consists of ensuring the ingredients won’t harm your face. You can find sun blocks for dry skin, oily skin and normal skin. One thing to look out for is the SPF. Your SPF should be at least 30 and the higher, the better.
Make-up Removers
Drugstore makeup removers can be as affective as high-end. When searching for a makeup remover at the drugstore, you’ll have to make sure that you find a brand that won’t hurt your skin by drying it out. If the makeup remover doesn’t effectively remove your makeup, don’t worry, you should follow with a cleanser.
Cleansers
I wouldn’t splurge on a cleanser unless you have sensitive skin or need a cleanser with medication. Cleansers help take off makeup, dirt, oil and any other impurities your skin may have picked up throughout the day. While you could splurge on an expensive cleanser that works well, I recommend saving your money. Use a make-up remover wipe before washing your face to ensure your skin is properly cleaned. Cleansers are also great for treating acne prone skin, just make sure that it doesn’t dry out your skin. Follow up with a spot treatment to fight those tough-to-beat face demons.
Exfoliates
Exfoliators are easy to find and easy to DIY so I wouldn’t recommend splurging on an exfoliator. Exfoliators are good for preventing skin breakouts, smoothing your skin’s texture and minimizing the appearance of pores. Make sure that the exfoliator isn’t too rough on your skin, if it is it can strip your skin of the important nutrients.
Toners
Toners are meant to help restore your skin’s natural pH level after you cleanse and help prepare your skin for the next step in your skincare routine. When choosing your toner, make sure it doesn’t have any alcohol as this will disrupt your skin’s pH level. Matching the toner to your skin type will get you the best results. I wouldn’t recommend splurging on a toner.
Serums
Serums are a product I would recommend splurging on so you can be sure your skin is getting the best. Serums are used for many reasons such as brightening skin, combating wrinkles, improving the texture of skin and getting rid of dark spots. If you want to start using serums but don’t want to spend, do some research so you know whether or not the drugstore brand you’re looking at has caused negative effects.
Moisturizers
Keeping your skin hydrated is very important in making sure that you don’t get wrinkles and that your skin stays healthy. Moisturizers come in many shapes and sizes – one does not fit all. When buying a moisturizer, making sure you know your skin type is very important. This will allow you to choose between a mattifying moisturizer or a super-hydrating moisturizer.
Face Masks
I wouldn’t recommend splurging on all of your face masks because you can find good face masks at the drugstore and at amazon.com. Face masks are not only fun but they’re also multi-purposed. They’ll extract dirt from your pores, smooth your skin and give you the hydration your skin needs. Face masks should be used once a week, because of this it’s okay to splurge, but I would recommend checking the drugstore first.
Anti-aging
I would recommend doing some research before splurging on an anti-aging cream, especially one that will be applied under the eyes. Your under-eye area is very sensitive and if you apply the wrong cream, you won’t see results. Checking ingredients and reviews is very important because it’ll ensure that you’re getting the biggest bang for your buck. If you don’t want to spend a crazy amount for a cream, you can still find anti-aging products in the drugstore that give good results.
Lip Balms
Hydrating your lips is something a lot of people forget. Neglecting to hydrate your lips can have negative effects; you’ll end up with chapped lips and your lips will start to age. Finding a lip balm that gives you the moisture you need isn’t hard and doesn’t require you to break the bank. Apply during the day and before bed.