Drug Store Finds

Want to know a secret? Fancy, expensive skincare is pure fluff, like seriously most of the time. All of the creamy whipped textures, pretty scents, and “Instagrammable “packaging are fun (who does not like glitter?) but they aren’t actually going to give you better skin. Let me be clear before I proceed. I am NOT saying expensive products cannot be great products. Often, they are. What I am saying is they don’t HAVE to be expensive to be great.  Keep in mind, that fancy packaging and advertising is not free. Who do you think they pass those costs on to? If you said the consumer, you are absolutely right. 

I see a variety of patients in my Dermatology practice. Not everyone can afford a $100 eye cream. I give my patients a skin care recommendations from various price points because everyone deserves great skin on any budget. 

Here are a few of my favorite drug store brands. 

Honest Beauty Magic Organic Beauty Facial Oil
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Use this oil as your last night time step to add intense moisture to dry skin. 
The blend of sunflower, avocado, and jojoba oils is USDA-certified organic and free from added fragrance or dyes.

Pixi Overnight Glow Serum Concentrated Exfoliating Gel
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Containing 10 percent glycolic acid, this drugstore serum from Pixi works double duty to resurface your skin and nourish it with vitamins A, C, and E. Use it before bed and notice your dark spots start to fade—and your wrinkles reduced over time.

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum Boost Sheet Mask
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I this brand and their sheet mask does not disappoint. It contains several vitamins and also has hyaluronic acid. This will give a glow for less than 10 bucks. 

Burt’s Bees Micellar Cleansing Water
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Micellar water is my JAM! It has little cleansing bubbles that trap make up and dirt leaving you with a clean (but moisturized) slate. 

Differin Adapalene Gel 0.1% Acne Treatment
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Listen up, one of the best things you can do for your skin is to apply a retinoid. You used to only be able to get a retinoid by prescription. Kudos to differin for offering their once prescription only formula over the counter. I recommend this to my patients almost every day. It contains 0.1 percent adapalene—a retinoid that helps clear up acne by increasing skin cell turnover and reducing excess sebum production and inflammation. It is also great to uneven skin tone, dark spots and fine lines. This stuff is strong, though, so use it sparingly until your skin builds up tolerance.

I like to give my skin the “high/low “approach just like I do my clothing by mixing high end and more affordable products. Sure, you are worth that $100 eye cream so if you want it go for it but don’t feel like you have to break the bank to have great skin! 

If you want a customized skin care plan with product recommendations that fit any budget, click on the link to schedule a 20-minute video consultation and a FREE follow up call to make sure you are on the path to perfect skin.

Kimberly
Creator & CEO of Perfect Skin Code