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From luxurious gift sets to high-tech devices, skin care can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking to build out the skin care toolkit of your dreams without breaking the bank, there are plenty of affordable skin care options that are also effective and enjoyable to use. With the help of Drs. Joel and Daniel Schlessinger, board-certified dermatologists, Mohs surgeons and cosmetic surgeons, we’ve picked the best affordable medical-grade skin care across several different categories, including:
Why we love it: A potent, effective vitamin C serum for less than $150? Yes, please! This anti-aging facial serum from Dr. Schlessinger’s own LovelySkin LUXE line is an absolute skin care staple.
It’s one of the best affordable skin care products because it combines 15% ascorbic acid (vitamin C) with 1% tocopherol (vitamin E) and ferulic acid to extend this serum’s potency and stability. It also contains an octapeptide blend with a trans-epidermal carrier that brings the active ingredients deep into your skin.
With regular use, this serum helps fade the look of fine lines and wrinkles as well as hyperpigmentation and dark spots while also supporting collagen production. “We saw excellent clinical results with this formula, including a 63% reduction in the depth of wrinkles in as little as 28 days,” says LovelySkin founder and CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger.
Why we love it: This serum’s serious hydrating abilities and subtle, fruity scent from real strawberry and rhubarb juices make it one of the best affordable skin care products. Made by Eminence, a Hungarian skin care brand dedicated to using organic plant-based ingredients, this formula combines hyaluronic acid with marshmallow root for deep hydration that will help keep your skin looking and feeling soft and smooth throughout the day.
Why we love it: Retinol is a holy grail ingredient for your anti-aging arsenal, but face treatments with retinol can get pricey. This serum from Vichy is proof that inexpensive skin care and impressive clinical results aren’t mutually exclusive. During a clinical grading study of thirty-nine women ages 45 to 64, 100% of the participants had a visible reduction in wrinkles. The formula combines a 0.2% concentration of retinol with peptides and hyaluronic acid to help boost cellular turnover and visibly smooth and firm your skin.
Why we love it: Chemical peels from a professional aesthetician are a great way to improve skin issues such as hyperpigmentation and uneven texture. However, if you’re on a budget, regular spa visits might not be in the cards right now.
These single-use face peel pads are one of the best affordable skin care products because they help reduce age spots, acne and rough skin texture and also help reduce excess oil on your skin. “Glycolic acid is an AHA that is very effective when it comes to skin resurfacing,” says LovelySkin Medical Director Dr. Daniel Schlessinger. “This peel contains 10% crystalline-grade glycolic acid, which is a very pure form that goes beyond the industry standard.”
Why we love it: If you have acne-prone skin, chances are you’ve spent plenty of money on various treatments over the years trying to clear up your skin. From Dr. Joel Schlessinger’s own LovelySkin LUXE line, this facial cleanser is one of the best affordable skin care products to help keep breakouts at bay.
A powerhouse trio of ingredients—glycolic acid, salicylic acid and afaLUXE™, a derm-developed antioxidant blend—helps boost cellular turnover and prevent clogged pores, all with a gentle touch that won’t dry out or irritate your skin. “This particular cleanser is my go-to favorite in my medical practice,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “Just about everyone is a great candidate for it, and it does a great job for conditions ranging from acne to fine lines and sun damage.”
Why we love it: This daily facial wash balances a great price with effective yet gentle cleansing action, earning it a spot on our list of best budget skin care. Made with hydrating glycerin and mineral-rich Avene Thermal Spring Water, this foamy formula is suitable for normal to combination skin as well as sensitive skin types. As an added bonus, the packaging is made of 100% recycled (and recyclable) plastic.
Why we love it: When you’re building out an affordable skin care routine, consider adding a facial toner to help remove lingering traces of makeup and prep your skin for moisturizer and makeup. This toner from Epionce features hydrating glycerin and a soothing blend of botanical extracts derived from willow bark, cucumber, grape seed and marshmallow. A touch of menthol adds a light minty scent and a cooling sensation.
Why we love it: Not too heavy and not too light, this is the sweet spot of face moisturizers—and it’s also one of Dr. Joel Schlessinger’s go-to recommendations for rosacea patients and those with reactive, sensitive skin. Ceramides help your skin maintain moisture throughout the day while niacinamide helps soothe and restore any traces of irritation. Its approachable price point earns this product our stamp of approval when it comes to the best affordable skin care.
Why we love it: From healing cracked cuticles and flaky elbows to taking the sting out of insect bites and poison ivy, this is definitely one of the best affordable skin care products to have on hand.
“I created this product as a teen when I couldn’t find a product to heal my dry, chapped hands,” Dr. Daniel Schlessinger says. “With the help of my father Dr. Joel Schlessinger and grandfather, Bernie Schlessinger, who has a PhD in physical chemistry, I developed the formula and brought it to market.”
Cocoa and shea butters and meadowfoam seed oil combine with 1% hydrocortisone to create a melt-proof formula that works quickly to repair dry, damaged skin anywhere on your body. It also comes in a smaller version for lips.
Why we love it: When it comes to affordable skin care, a good sunscreen is worth its weight in gold, and having a reliable product that’s pleasant enough to use every single day is key. “This is one of my all-time favorite sunscreen recommendations, especially for those with acne-prone skin,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “It goes on smoothly, provides excellent broad-spectrum protection with 9% zinc oxide and 7.5% octinoxate and has some bonus skin care benefits as well.”
The sunscreen includes niacinamide to help prevent breakouts, lactic acid for gentle exfoliation and hyaluronic acid for moisture retention.
Why we love it: This mineral-based face sunscreen featuring 18% zinc oxide is Dr. Daniel Schlessinger’s go-to choice for daily sun protection. “It offers effective broad-spectrum protection, goes on smoothly without a white cast and it’s an added bonus that it happens to also be quite affordable,” Dr. Daniel Schlessinger says. Thanks to the brand’s innovative plant-based HydroSeal technology, it offers eighty minutes of water resistance and forty minutes of sweat resistance as well.
Why we love it: The lips are not to be forgotten when it comes to sun protection, and having a broad-spectrum SPF lip balm on hand is key for all times you’re out and about, from your daily commute to sunny beach days. This subtly tinted balm protects your lips with 4% titanium dioxide and 5.5% zinc oxide and features a fruity scent with notes of lime, kiwi and ginger.
Why we love it: Using multitasking products is another way to make the most of affordable skin care in your routine. This all-mineral face sunscreen from Dune Suncare provides broad-spectrum protection with 4.8% zinc oxide and 2.34% titanium dioxide and delivers an anti-aging boost with peptides, vitamin E and antioxidant-rich carrot seed oil. If you’ve been searching for a sunscreen that wears well under makeup, you’ll love how this formula dries down to a velvety soft finish.
Why we love it: Known for its eco-friendly ethos, affordable skin care brand Mad Hippie offers a variety of wallet-friendly options, including one of the best inexpensive wrinkle creams. Named for the three forms of vitamin C it contains, this night cream also contains antioxidant-rich cloudberry and reishi mushroom extracts and turmeric to help even out skin tone. In an eight-week clinical study, 97% of participants noticed a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles.
Why we love it: Investing in skin care can add up fast, especially when adding specialty products to your routine, like eye treatments. This is one of the best inexpensive wrinkle creams with bonus bonus benefits for the eye area, including reducing the appearance of bumpy under-eye texture caused by milia. Its exfoliating power comes from a blend of lactic acid, papaya enzymes and multi-fruit acids while green tea extract helps protect against free radical damage.
Why we love it: When it comes to great affordable skin care products, don’t overlook the utility of a well-formulated hand cream. This rich hand treatment helps moisturize dry skin while fading visible signs of aging at the same time. It features NIA-114™, StriVectin’s patented form of niacin, which goes to work guarding skin from moisture loss, and also helps reduce the look of crepey skin with peptides and plantain leaf extract.
Are you curious about BOTOX and fillers? You can learn more about the difference between these popular injectables on the LovelySkin Blog.
Aaron serves as Editor at LovelySkin. Since graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2016 with degrees in Creative Writing and English, he has immersed himself in the beauty industry. When he’s not writing about the latest beauty trends, he spends time cuddling his dogs, scouring antique stores, playing tennis and hiking.
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