Time for something non bookish. I love to pamper myself with an at home spa day from time to time, so I thought I’d list my favorite and most used skin care products for you all!
I wish I could afford the pretty and expensive skin care products I drool after all the time, but alas, I am a poor grad student. Luckily my skin works with me more often than against me, so my skin care products are affordable, and for sale at your local Walgreens or TJ Maxx!
Face masks
I looove the Feeling Beautiful masks. They’re super cheap, and feel so good on my skin. One day I want to have tested them all. For now though, I’ve had a few different kinds.
I use my watermelon + aloe gel mask in the summer, after I’ve spent a day in the sun. It’s super soothing on warm skin. The clay masks are amazing, too. I haven’t tried the peel-off ones yet, but one day!
I’ve had a few other random masks, mostly with charcoal in them. I get a lot of my stuff at TJ Maxx. Their skin care can still be brand name, but for a steep discount.
Scrubs
I don’t use scrubs too often, but every now and then it feels really nice. I usually have two different scrubs at a time; one for exfoliating and one for my small (big) blackhead problem.
My current exfoliator is Skin Active Glow Boost 2 in 1 by Garnier. It’s completely cruelty free, and 99% of the ingredients are naturally derived. It also smells really nice, and you can use it as a mask! I use the mask function about once a week.
For my blackheads I currently use a Bioré scrub. This one is very gentle, so it doesn’t leave my skin all red and irritated after a goods scrub, which I love.
I love using their nose strips, too, because they actually work really well for me. They come off my nose super gross, so it’s worth my money.
Toners & Serums
So I actually have a bunch of toners that I use. I read somewhere that witch hazel is a really good ingredient in toners, so I bought a basic one at TJ Maxx. It says it has no alcohol in it, but if I accidentally put it on broken skin it kind of burns, so I think they lied.
The toner I used the most currently, though, is a very basic Neutrogena alcohol free one. It feel so nice on my skin, and doesn’t burn at all. It also doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry.
As for serums, I only have one at the moment. I use Pearlessence’s Radiance Perfecting Serum with Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid. I love using the little dropper every day, and this stuff LASTS. I bought my bottle for a few bucks at TJ Maxx last summer, and I still have more than enough left, even after using it almost daily for the past year.
Moisturizers
My moisturizers are probably the most important part of my skin care routine, minus actually washing my face. My skin tends to be a combination of dry in some areas, but oily around the nose and forehead, so it’s important I have a water-based moisturizer. The one I currently use the most is the Neotrogena oil free moisturizer for combination skin. It’s great and I use it every day.
I have another moisturizer that I love using, and that’s the Garnier Skin Active Hydrating Moisturizer. Like the Garnier scrub that I have, this one is also cruelty free, naturally derived, and can be used as a mask! It also has aloe juice, which makes it super soothing for the skin. I love using it as a mask after a long day out.
Make Up Remover
Rubbing with wipes or cotton pads with regular remover makes my eyes hurt like a bitch, so I needed to find some gentle alternative. I found my answer in coconut oil after I saw someone on Instagram do it. I scoop at bit in my hands, let it melt, and then gently rub my face with it. I look like a clown, because the oil really doesn’t take the make up off, it just loosens it.
But after that I use a cotton pad with some micellar water to take all the make up off my face! It’s super gentle, and at the same time, it’s moisturizing, too. I use the Garnier mattifying cleansing water, because my face is shiny and I’d rather not look like a lighthouse all the time.
And those are all the skin care products I use! I don’t use all of them at the same time obviously, but a daily use of toner and moisturizer is a must for me. Either way, these are the products that have been keeping my skin happy!
Find more lifestyle posts here!
