affordable skin care

It's January: time for "out with the old and in with the new," particularly for those of us glow-getters who buy the latest and greatest affordable skin care products--on the Daily. If you watched my recent YouTube video on resetting for the new year, you'd know I'm all ears for a fresh start. And what better way than to start with your skin!? Its the perfect month to refresh our mountain o' beauty products. You know, the ones that once made us blush with anticipation?

Remember how excited you were when you bought that one awesome cream? Taking it out of its crisp, beautifully branded box, dabbing a bit under your eyes or on your cheeks, and making it your No. 1 go-to elixir for the week? Wow. It held so much promise! It was "micro" this and "macro" that and triple detoxified the sh*t out of your face. Until, of course, the next dewy balm in killer packaging grabbed your attention, and then, the poor forgotten product became wedged behind the toothpaste and Neosporin in your bathroom cabinet for the next year--or more. I mean honestly, when was the last time you checked the expiration date? OK, skin queens. Let's refresh. We need to ditch those outdated, and often over-priced products and give your daily skincare routine a boost with some amazing affordable skin care products that are on our radar.

We get it. There is a seemingly endless array of lotions and potions for us to slather on fine selves. But girl, we have foraged the beauty landscape to identify some awesome and affordable skin care products that we think are gonna dazzle your dermis. These pillars of skin care address all of our beauty concerns ranging from hyperpigmentation, dry skin, oily/combination skin, and sun care -- and girl, they include some super affordable skin care products, made mostly from all-organic ingredients! Together, we are gonna regenerate that damaged skin without wrecking your wallet.

Indoor Sunscreen?

And let's talk for a sec about all the things that wreak havoc on our skin. Topping the list is too much screen time. Yeah, this past year of intermittent lock-downs and Zooming didn't do us any favors to reduce exposure to all that blue light. Yup, concentrated sources of blue light energy from phones, indoor lighting and computers stressed our skin right on out, causing photo-aging and hyperpigmentation. There's this chemical in our skin called flavin and it absorbs blue light. This produces free radicals that damage our dermis. Obvs we need to step up our game to repair and hydrate our skin because, damn, we don't need yet another age-y thing! Well, we found a mineral sunscreen to help both indoors and out!

C'est Moi Gentle Mineral Sunscreen Lotion Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($14.99 on Amazon) is an affordable skincare product and super effective! While gently nourishing sensitive skin types, this fragrance-free lotion delivers moisture and hydration while guarding skin from free radical damage.

We also love Cerave's Broad Spectrum SPF 30 tinted mineral sunscreen because it's 100% mineral and has a great blend of ceramides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid to keep skin hydrated and protected ($15.99 on Amazon). And it also gives you a lovely glow without a white cast.

Cleanse + Purify

If you've ever looked at your skin super up close (like in one of those magnifier mirrors), you might see some gnarly stuff hanging around your pores. Imagine putting product on top of that? Eww. Starting your skin routine off with a good scrub down really helps purify your skin and allows other products to glide on easier -- and absorb better. We recommend Aveeno's Positively Radiant daily scrub ($5.64 on Amazon). Made with natural soy extract, this cleanser is great to use on the daily to wipes away impurities for softer brighter even-toned skin.

And if you're prone to acne, we recommend a product with salicylic acid like Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Fighting Facial Cleanser ($15.72 on Amazon) This affordable skin care product helps fight breakouts while cleansing your skin.

Seeing spots

One of the worst things about aging skin is hyperpigmentation. UGH. This happens when we have an excess production of melanin -- that's the pigment that gives skin its color. But sometimes due to sun exposure or hormones, these unsightly blotchy spots start to surface on our hands and face as we get older.

Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Dark Spot Corrector Face Serum with Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol & Vitamin C ($17.96 on Amazon) is da bomb when it comes to eliminating unsightly pigmentation. The daily facial serum helps make your skin oh so bright and even-toned and helps ditch those stubborn dark spots and skin discoloration. Because who wants their skin looking like cowhide?

Another amazing serum you might try to maintain your skin's buoyant appearance is The Ordinary's Buffet ($14.80 on The Ordinary website). Their 'Buffet' serum is a peptide serum for morning and night use to target multiple signs of aging at once. We love how it takes on all annoying signs of damaged skin with bona fide technology... including "Matrixyl‚Ñ¢ 3000 peptide complex!" Color us impressed. I mean a lot of people in lab coats researched the heck out of this one so you can continue to look fab. #Grateful

Hydrate your thirsty skin

We're always telling you babes to hydrate. Well, guess what, that means your skin, too. Using a good basic hydrating lotion is a must in your affordable skin care arsenal in fighting against aging skin. One of my favs is the Paula's Choice Replenishing Moisturizer ($29 on Amazon). This moisturizer fits the bill for an affordable everyday moisturizer with a proprietary blend of plant- and vitamin-derived antioxidants and other ingredients for instant and lasting hydration for dry skin. It's even good for those with sensitive skin and those who have eczema. You might get all cheeky when you drench your dermis with this because your face will feel as soft as a baby's bottom!

Puffy Peepers

When we look tired, one of the main culprits is dark, unsightly circles beneath our eyes. A good eye cream does wonders for smoothing away wrinkles and brightening the skin under our peepers. Because crepes belong in the kitchen, not on our face.

A good eye cream can be an investment. We like La Roche Posay's Redermic C Eyes Anti-Wrinkle Firming Moisturizing Filler ($49.99 on Amazon). This all-in-one eye cream addresses dark circles, free radical damage, fine lines and wrinkles, crow's feet and firmness. That's what we call multi-tasking! Sure, it's a wee pricier, but a little goes a long way, and also it's French, so. Yeah.

Saggy skin sucks

OK, so that time you looked in the mirror and saw a Shar-Pei looking back at you? Aaaack. We all know you're still gorge! But shocking, isn't it when gravity pulls at your face and neck and you never saw it coming because you exercise, eat right and on occasion even do those strange facial exercises? Several factors can contribute to skin sag like weight loss, pregnancy & fluctuating hormones, and of course aging. We have one word for you: Collagen.

Skin aging has been linked to the reduction of collagen production. Good news is that there are products that help us get back our skin's elasticity. Products with collagen pack a punch when it comes to regaining our skin's firmness. After all, it's one of the biggest building blocks in providing structure to our skin. And kinda bad News: Collagen can also be expensive.

Algenist's Genius Liquid Collagen ($110 on Amazon) is made with plant collagen with added Microalgae Oil beads to hydrate and nourish, among other amazing vitamins, antioxidants, and acids to plump your skin. The company says its vegan formula helps enhance skin's bounce and resilience in just 10 days! Woah. And if you slather on their buttery sleep mask ($85 on Amazon) on a nightly basis, you wake up looking all supple and dewy.

A more affordable skin care option containing collagen is Derma E's Advanced Peptides & Collagen Moisturizer ($21 on Amazon). Loaded with peptides and collagen, this moisturizer is a good bet for restoring vibrancy to your skin.

All around must-have salve

We always love discovering that one all-around great affordable skin care product that top celebrity make-up artists have in their stash. This year's "find" is Green Goo ($24.95 on Amazon), an all in one natural salve for acne spots, scars, wrinkles, puffy eyes, sunspots, minor burns, sunburns, and sun-damaged skin. And… we can even use it to create a dewy look on cheekbones after we apply our make-up. Your friends will simply be green with envy! We especially love this product because the company, Green Goo, is women-owned, family-run, and B-Corp certified!

Babes, we hope we helped uncover some affordable skin care products that can invigorate your skin care regime without denting your bank account. Now go and check expiration dates, toss those old lotions and replenish your cabinet! We'd love to hear how they work out for you!And let's not stop the reset here! If you loved this blog, you'll love my blog where I give you all the deets on what I'm doing to reset my life for 2021.