My favorite skincare items under $30
I’m back at it again with more esthetician-recommended facial products! In my previous blog post, I mentioned that the skincare products I use for my skincare routine are a mix of both expensive and inexpensive items. I choose skincare products based upon their ingredient blends and effectiveness vs. cost. Over my decade+ of being an esthetician and professional skincare addict 😉 I’ve been able to shop for and try out my fair share of skincare. Today I put together my list of the best skincare products I’ve found for under $30. These products are high quality, effective, and quite the steal!
scrub me secret: If you’re looking to gift yourself or someone you care for a high-quality luxury skincare item read my blog post “Esthetician recommended: 5 skincare products to splurge on”
These thoughts and product recommendations are my own. No paid advertising here! Just my straight up real recommendations.
BYBI Milk Melt cleanser: $17
I’m always on the hunt for a great creamy cleanser because I think it’s something that every skin type can benefit from. This milky gentle cleanser is a product I recommend to so many of my facial clients. It’s cleansing enough to feel like you got a deep clean but also lightweight and creamy so your skin will never feel sensitive or stripped of it’s natural oils. I love that it’s vegan and fragrance free.
This product is especially great for dry and sensitive skin types. It’s also a great option for those who are treating acne with retinol or benzoyl peroxide products. You can use this to cleanse your skin daily.
Heritage Store Rosewater facial mist: $11
If you’ve had a facial with me you know I’m completely obsessed with this rosewater. In my blog post “Incorporating hydrating toners into your skincare routine.” I talk about why I think everyone should have rosewater or hydrating toner in their skincare routine. A hydrating toner or hydrosol can help your skin absorb products better, soften your skin, and help soothe inflammation. You can even keep this rosewater in the refrigerator for extra soothing benefits.
This rosewater should be spritzed onto the skin after cleansing, before applying serums or moisturizer. You can also use it over your skincare/makeup throughout the day to give your skin a refresh. I love to spritz some on to give myself a dewy glow. It’s also so helpful for taming a red face or red cheeks post-exercise when kept in the fridge. This one is a no-brainer, I think everyone should own it.
scrub me secret: the two products that are shown above, the milk cleanser and rosewater mist, are items that I consistently restock for myself at home. I think I am on my 3rd bottle of milk melt cleanser and probably my 30th bottle of heritage rose water. that’s how you know I love these products!
MAELOVE the glow maker serum: $29.95
This vitamin C and E serum has a similar ingredient formulation to the high-quality, luxury vitamin C serum made by SkinCeuticals. If you’re a skincare enthusiast like me you know that the pricey SkinCeuticals serum is coveted by so many because of the antiaging, antioxidant results it delivers. When I heard this serum was similar I immediately bought a bottle and committed to using it for 6 weeks straight to see what kind of results it delivered. I was skeptical because of the affordable price but I found that I really like it! It delivers a dose of free-radical fighting antioxidants while giving the skin a really nice overall glow. It’s a great buy for anyone who doesn’t already have a high-quality vitamin C serum in their routine.
Use this serum every morning after cleansing and toning, before you apply your SPF. Using it in your morning skincare routine will ensure your skin is protected from environmental damage throughout the day. Daily use will help prevent skin from aging as well as give your complexion an overall even glow.
scrub me secret: my blog post “SKIN CARE LAYERING - THE PROPER ORDER TO APPLY YOUR FACIAL PRODUCTS.” I have a detailed guide of the best order to apply your skincare products.
scrub me nourishing serum facial oil: $24
The scrub me nourishing serum is a product that I make myself, but that is not the reason it’s one of my favorite products. I used my skincare knowledge and experience as an esthetician to create a facial oil that is both nourishing and lightweight feel. This facial oil’s base is jojoba oil, non-comedogenic oil that mimics our skin’s natural oils. That makes it really great for all skin types, even acneic ones. It won’t clog pores or create more oils, it will actually help balance the skin. A small amount of argan, lavender, and carrot seed oils add antiaging and anti-inflammatory benefits. This facial oil also has a lovely, natural scent that I love.
I use the nourishing serum for facial massage and as a pre-cleanse to remove makeup. You can also use a facial oil as the last step in your PM skincare routine to add extra moisturization.
scrub me wellness energy sea salt scrub: $25
A great body scrub is a must-have for your body care routine. Taking the extra time to exfoliate your body 1-3x a week has SO many benefits. Softer, firmer skin, & a more even complexion are just a few of these benefits. This body scrub is the perfect mix of detoxifying salts, antioxidant-rich tea, vitamin-rich oils, and essential oils. It feels so luxurious and smells like a spa!
The best way to get a deep, effective exfoliation from a body scrub is to use it on your body BEFORE you get your skin wet. Step into the tub or shower and before you turn the water on scoop some scrub out with your hands and buff down your body. This method will let the sea salts and oils do their best work. Then turn on your shower and rinse your body off. Don’t use soap after this if you want your skin to keep absorbing the almond oil that is in this product.
scrub me multipurpose balm: $10
I love this balm so much I have one in the skincare studio, one in my makeup bag, and one in my purse. This multipurpose product is another one I make that I am super proud of. It’s the perfect texture for using as a lip balm, cuticle balm, and also as a brow balm. The pumpkin seed oil and castor oil in this product can help strengthen and grow brows and lashes so it’s great for combing into those hairs. This candelilla wax and oil blend are also really amazing for protecting and healing chapped or cracked skin.
Apply this balm to chapped lips, cracked or chapped skin, or damaged cuticles with your fingertips and massage it in. If you want to use it for brows or lashes put some balm on a spoolie and comb it in.
ACURE soothing SPF day cream: $19
If you’re looking for an affordable, mineral SPF with great ingredients this is a great option. This defends against the sun with 15% zinc oxide but doesn’t leave your skin looking like it has a white film on it. I also love this product because it contains blue tansy and niacinamide. These two ingredients are amazing for minimizing redness or small blemishes. My sensitive skin loves that about this SPF.
Apply this SPF as the last step to your AM skincare routine. If you’re going to be outdoors all day don’t forget to bring it along so you can reapply every couple of hours. Even though this product doesn’t leave a white cast like other zinc oxide-based SPF’s it can sometimes be a little tricky to blend into the skin. I like to warm it up a little by rubbing it in my fingertips before I apply it to my skin.
AKT.Therapy D-luxe bronzer: $29
This is an organic product I purchased over the summer to test out for a sunscreen blog I was writing. I didn’t expect to love it so much but it’s actually become a staple in my makeup/skincare routine! This pigmented bronzing cream blends so well and gives the skin a “just got back from vacation” glow. I love that it has an SPF 30 for added UV protection and it has clean ingredients that I feel good about applying to my skin.
Use skin in your makeup routine as a contour or to give your skin an overall bronzed glow. I love to mix this with my tinted moisturizer to give it some shimmer and color. Esthetician recommended for sure!