Affordable Skin Care Routine 

Hello! It’s only been about a lifetime since I’ve posted. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I’ve had some of these post ideas sitting in my drafts since September. I started my new job at the beginning of September and life has been kind of crazy. My blog has slipped through the cracks and I hope I can make a solid comeback!

Anyhow, I wanted to talk about some affordable skincare options. I’ve found that acquiring cruelty free skin and hair care has proved to be much more of a struggle than cruelty free makeup. It seems that high end products seem to be some of the only cruelty free options as well. However, I’ve found some cheaper alternatives that I love. Cheap skincare is essential in my opinion, as it’s something that’s constantly being used up and being bought. I thought I would share the products that I use in my current routine that won’t break the bank.

I first wanted to touch on E.L.F’s skincare line. E.L.F. has been killing the game recently, but their skin care products have really proved to be outstanding. In the morning, I use the daily moisturizer. It’s a medium consistency. It certainly provides moisture to my dry skin, but my face also doesn’t feel greasy, and I can use the product under my makeup with no issues. It retails for about eight dollars and is truly worth every penny. There are also two more products from E.L.F’s line that have become staples in my nighttime routine. The first is the hydrating water essence. I bought this thinking it was a different product, but I ended up loving this one! It’s a water based, almost gel like consistency. I have extremely dry skin, so I love to moisturize. I’ll pop some of this product on a cotton pad and apply it to my whole face for almost a base moisturizer. I definitely feel like you could use this in the morning as well, and that the results would be fine. It’s light enough to not be overkill but feels cooling and hydrating on the skin. The last thing from E.L.F. is their nourishing night cream. This is so crucial if you have dry skin or just want to pamper your face once in a while. It’s definitely a thicker consistency, and I would not be comfortable putting this on under makeup. I find that this really seeps into the skin overnight and leaves my skin feeling very nourished, which is claims to do. I’m so impressed by these E.L.F. products and I feel like they compare to higher end skincare.

Another category, which I found surprisingly affordable, was Mario Badescu. The only things I’ve tried – and don’t really know how I was living without them – are the facial sprays. I have both the infamous rose water, as well as the cucumber aloe. I personally love the rose water for the scent, but these are both incredible. I always thought these were pricy but the medium bottle retails for eight dollars. I believe you can buy a larger version of the rose, as well as travel sizes of both. I’ll use these as part of both my night and morning routines. I’ll also use this after setting spray, to really have my makeup sink in. In addition, this works well for wetting eyeshadows. Finally, it’s great for touch ups once your makeup has sitting all day. If you buy one skin care item, I highly recommend this, as it is so versatile.

I also have a cheaper item from Lush that I highly recommend. I really love their toners. I currently only have their tea tree water. This is great for blemishes, as it still has the same effects of tea tree oil, without being as harsh. I also used to own the Eau Roma toner and it was super gentle for all over the face. I will definitely repurchase that at some point. While Lush can be rather pricy in some areas, I believe the small toners are in the ten dollar range. The company really does a great job and I would certainly recommend trying out some of their cheaper products.

Finally, I have a product that’s not super brand specific. Twenty seventeen will be the year I became obsessed with micellar water. It is truly amazing. I’ve been using the Garnier one, and while I have enjoyed it, it’s not cruelty free. I have a NYX one lined up ready to try. But I feel like micellar water has changed my life (am I dramatic?). Although I still use makeup remover wipes, I feel like they don’t get everything off. Once I go in with micellar water after, I finally feel clean. I don’t find mascara clinging to my lashes or foundation stuck in my pores after I use this product.

I hope there are some helpful recommendations in here! I have been trying to get into skincare more and more, so if you have any cruelty free recommendations, please let me know!

Until next time!

Xoxo

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