7 Skincare Products I’d Buy With My Own Money If I Had To
Having worked as a beauty editor and writer for these past six-and-a-half years, I try out close to a gazillion beauty products in an effort to kill my acne, hydrate my dry skin, banish eczema that's around my face, and make my melasma disappear during the different seasons. But there are some skincare products I'd buy with my own money and some that I would not.
Who knows just how many chemicals have come into contact with my face over the years, but if there's one thing I know for sure, it's that the below four products work and continue to outshine the others on my vanity shelf. Despite all the brilliant newness that gets sent to my mailbox daily, below you'll find the worship-worthy products that I'd actually spend my own, hard-earned freelance funds on if the day ever came that I no longer had the pleasure of getting products sent to me free of charge to test out and write about. I find it challenging to find products that work, which, at the same time, can be used for maintaining a healthy complexion. I give grace to myself while continuing to find other products; however, as a matter of fact, these are three that I have kept turning to.
Skincare Products I’d Buy With My Own Money
Avène Tolerance Control Soothing Skin Recovery Cream
This cream came to me when I most needed it-senior year in college, just coming off heavy antibiotics for my acne. I really think the strong medication made me breakout very heavily with eczema all over my face. Not only was I incredibly hungover on my graduation day, but my skin was absolutely caked in makeup, trying to cover up the redness and itchiness my eczema left behind.
These times have passed, and since then, I always suggest to everyone this cream in case you have super sensitive skin like mine or a skin type that's quite similar. Its super thick and moisturizing, so if you prefer lighter consistencies, I wouldn't recommend it. But doesn't feel as heavy as a facial oil, though. It's been great during cold winter months, and this lifesaver has been even more helpful for my younger brother also dealing with eczema. The product uses minimal ingredients but is highly effective.
Other Avène products I can’t live without:
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Salicylic Acid Exfoliant
Note: This exfoliant is not a fash wash.
I apply it to a cotton pad and use it once a day on clean skin, let it dry, and then apply her Skin Recovery Replenishing Moisturizer ($35) over it. I have gone through several tubes of this moisturizer, and it is yet another Paula's Choice product I wholeheartedly endorse. I want to add-which is super important if you have super sensitive skin-is that all Paula's products are 100% fragrance-free. Your skin instantly feels so safe and calm when you put this on. It isn't an overwhelming product; it's seriously great for those prone to rosacea and eczema. Actually, it is also a great product for acne-prone skin.
Other Paula’s Choice products I can’t live without:
PCA Skin Hydrating Serum
I love so many PCA products, but this serum is one of the anchors in my skincare routine. It feels beautiful, soaks in seamlessly, and truly hydrates the hell out of my dry dermis. I commonly put this one on in the morning, and then at night too if I'm feeling extra parched-right after cleansing and toning. It feels like a treat to put on and is luxurious. The brand also does another popular serum, the Hyaluronic Acid Boosting Serum; I find that particular one a bit too slimy for my taste, while the Hydrating Serum is perfect in consistency-it never fails me! Texture matters, yes. And, yes, I know that the price point on this one is high; I believe it is worth it, though. When using this product, I can promise you that your face feels soft, plump, and hydrated. One added benefit I love with this serum is that it makes a huge difference in how my foundation looks every single time I put this on.
It allows makeup application to feel seamless. It somehow manages to make my loose mineral foundation look a bit more luminous, which I'm in love with. This serum serves as a great base onto which one can put other products without losing the dewy effect one may often be going for. This product will get your skin tone to the next level with use over time. It's not only a very helpful product in terms of hydration, but it is also a very instrumental product to take care of inflammation. It's usually gentle but, at the same time, very effective. No greasiness, no icky perfume scents either-so it's win-win!
Other PCA Skin products I can’t live without:
Supergoop! Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40
No skin care routine is complete without sunscreen as the last step-seriously. It's so important to protect your skin-on your face, neck, and chest, especially-from the sun's harmful UV rays. I have tried a bunch of sunscreens and must say this Supergoop! is the best of its kind. Unseen Sunscreen SPF 40. Yes, the name is cute and it rhymes, but more importantly, this product lives up to its name: it truly is unseen-meaning that it doesn't leave a white caste like other pasty mineral sunscreens. Because of that, I could recommend it to friends who are more melanated. I'm not alone in my devotion to this sunscreen.
In fact, more than 12,000 people have rated Unseen 4.6 out of five stars. One particularly glowing review: "Absolutely the best sunblock I have ever used. It's not greasy at all; it goes on like a silicone primer. Actually, I wear it as my primer before I put on my liquid foundation.". "The best part is that it doesn't pill at all when I add my liquid foundation and cream blush."
CeraVe Healing Ointment
Natalie Arroyo Camacho of The Daley Dose swears by this mineral oil-based product, working its magic on her scars that she thought would be a forever problem. She is also 99% sure this is one of the things that has helped in completely healing the eczema on her hands. She tells me that the pain and itching of eczema would be on and off so terrible, it would make her want to cry. This product is formulated with mineral oil and has petrolatum-two elements both good for retaining water in your skin. Occlusives help in the form of a barrier between your skin and the outside world.
Natalie uses a pea-sized amount of the ointment every night to wrap up her skincare routine. "I feel like it helps lock in all the good stuff, and my skin is so smooth when I wake up in the morning," she says. She has been doing this for three years and has bought three of these bad boys. She has also put her roommate and many friends onto this top-tier product. She learned this from the creator herself, Tiara Willis, and she wants to make sure that we shout her out-so hey, Tiara!
Available on Amazon ($20)
Other CeraVe products I can’t live without:
- CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser ($16)
- CeraVe AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion SPF 30 ($15)
- CeraVe Vitamin C Serum with Hyaluronic Acid ($24)
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Water Cream
As you might be able to gather from her selection above, Natalie isn't one for a splurge. That said, if she had to choose one product that was actually worth the extra cash, she'd go with this one: "This moisturizer truly is every bit as magic as it claims," she says. "I've used it in so many climates, and it does its job in everything from the tropics to a chilly Midwest to a dead-heat Los Angeles summer."
It's also great for all skin types because it's highly hydrating and contains niacinamide, helping to show less the pores. Its consistency is mostly true to its name since it's not as thick as the moisturizers we've tried. That said, it is not super runny and its composition is definitely like a cream instead of a serum.
Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water
This pick proves Natalie really is all about the basics. "This is a skincare product that I'd buy with my own money. In fact, I always do," she says. "I like to use it to remove my makeup since it makes for an easier cleanse," she adds. "But I'll also use it as a gentler cleanser if I know that I've been inside all day or if I didn't get particularly sweaty.
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