5 Easy Ways for Savvy Recessionistas to Save Big on Skin Care

With economy concerns running rampant and the holiday season quickly approaching, what’s a savvy skin care recessionista to do (besides break out and endure dry skin, that is)?  Here are 5 ways to make sure your skin glows — and that your wallet doesn’t have to pay the price for it.

1.  Find products that do more than one job. 

Numerous products serve more than one purpose.  Take, for instance, Neutrogena 3-in-1 Eye Cream ($17.00 for two, Amazon.com), which is an eye cream, sunscreen with SPF 20, and concealer all in one.  Using it in place of your regular eye cream every morning will make your eye cream last twice as long — and you get the benefits of a concealer and sunscreen!

Another cult favorite is Neutrogena Daily Moisturizer SPF 30 ($23.63 for two, Amazon.com).  A daily moisturizer with antioxidant vitamin E, it keeps skin hydrated and smooth, while providing the super anti-aging benefits of sunscreen – a win-win situation!  🙂

2.  If you must sacrifice a product, ditch the expensive cleanser or toner first. 

Unless you have acne or breakout issues, or are recommended a specific regimen by a dermatologist or other licensed physician, you may not need that high-priced cleanser or toner.  In general, cleansers and toners generally don’t have the same level of effective ingredients as similarly-priced moisturizers or toners.  In addition, according to renowned dermatologist Dr. David E. Bank, cleansers need to be applied to the skin for at least one full minute before rinsing in order to achieve their full benefit.  With that said, why not opt for a cheaper, yet still effective cleanser (like Cetaphil) and invest in a high-performance moisturizer or serum?

3.  If you must eliminate or add in products, do so one at a time. 

That way, you will be able to determine which product you “need” to keep your skin clear, moisturized, firm, etc.  Allergists take a similar path when they are determining what is the cause of a specific symptom.   Take too much away at once, and you’ll never be able to tell which is the product that has been saving your skin.   Same thing goes with adding in new products – stick with just one new product for at least two weeks through twice-daily application (unless it is irritating or whatnot), and see how your skin reacts.    

4.  Consider using certain body products on your face. 

This is a definite “consideration,” and I say this with some reservation.  In general, face products tend to have less potentially irritating ingredients, and have a greater variety of formulations for different skin types (dry, oily, normal, etc.).  However, if you are blessed with normal skin and are really in a pinch financially, there are some body products that should be fine for use on the face.  Take, for instance, the body-formulated Olay Quench Body Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin ($18.64 for two 20.2 ounce bottles, Amazon.com) versus the face-designed Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream ($19.10 for 1.7 ounces).  For 50 cents less, you get nearly 24 times as much product when you go with the body cream!  And they are very similar ingredients-wise, as shown from the lists below.  The major differences are that the more expensive for-the-face Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Cream contains a high degree of silicone-based cyclopentasiloxane, which will help to temporarily fill in fine lines and make for a smoother application, and its addition of firming pentapeptide-3.  However, for the difference in price, if you consult with your skin care expert and s/he gives the OK, substituting with a body lotion should be better than going without any moisturizer at all. 

Olay Quench Body Lotion for Normal to Dry Skin: Ingredients
Water, Glycerin, Niacinamide, Isohexadecane, Petrolatum, Isopropyl Isostearate, Dimethicone, Stearyl Alcohol, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol, Aluminum Starch Octenylsuccinate, Polyethylene, Caprylic/Capric Triglycerides, Sodium Acrylates, Behenyl Alcohol, Fragrance, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Benzyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Glucoside, Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Tin Oxide, Ethylparaben, Dimethiconol, Disodium EDTA, Stearic Acid, PEG 100 Stearate, Chamomilla Recutita Extract, Propylene Glycol, Sodium PCA, Betaine, Sorbitol, Glycine, Alanine, Proline, Serine, Thereonine, Arginine, Lysine, Glutamic Acid, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, C12 13 Pareth 3, Laureth 7, Sodium Hydroxide

Olay Regenerist Night Recovery Moisture Cream: Ingredients

PEG 100 Stearate, Water, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Polyethylene, Niacinamide (Vitamin B3), Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Dimethicone, Stearyl Dimethicone, Propylene Glycol, Butylene Glycol, Panthenol, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide 3, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavendar) Extract, Arnica Montana Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Alanine, Arginine, Betaine, Glycine, Lysine, Proline, Serine, Threonine, Glutamic Acid, Sodium PCA, Sorbitol, PEG 10 Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Cetyl Ricinoleate, Disodium EDTA, Phenoxyethanol, PEG 10 Dimethicone, Benzyl Alcohol, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Red 40, Blue 1, Fragrance

5.  Invest in just one high-ticket item for morning and night. 

…And then build the rest of your skin care regime around it.  In my particular case, I like 3-4 drops of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic ($89.88, Amazon.com) for day, and since it boosts sunscreen protection and provides great antioxidant protection and some hydration for my normal skin, I can go with a cheaper (yet still high SPF) product after.  And then for night, I like a high-potency retinol like Green Cream Level 9 ($50.00, Amazon.com), and since retinol is potent, then I can go with a gentle, cheaper cleanser and moisturizer. 

Be sure to share your favorite ways to save below!  🙂