With the financial year coming right up, it is the best time to plan a new budget for your skincare in a way so that you’re able to stick to it for the rest of the year. Skincare budgeting can be challenging; you do not want to invest too much in it because you aren’t sure if certain products will work for you, nor do you want to purchase cheap products which will only adversely affect your skin. The challenges that come with knowing and purchasing the right skincare are plenty, but we are here to help you out with it.
By now, everyone is well versed with the multi-step skincare routine that involves cleansing, toning, treatment, moisturising and using sunscreen. Here’s some insight into which steps of your routine you can afford to compromise on and which products need critical attention and deserve to be splurged on.
1. Save: Cleansers
The main requirement of any cleanser is to effectively get rid of any residual makeup and pollutants on your skin, and leave your skin feeling fresh and clean. Any cleanser does the job, but it should be suitable for your skin type, otherwise it could lead to side effects such as acne. Even drugstore cleansers are really great candidates for this purpose. If you’re looking for a vegan and cruelty-free product, you can opt for the Fixderma Non Drying Cleanser.
2. Save: Toners and Face Mists
Toners and face mists mainly aim to restore the pH of your skin and provide a boost of hydration, prior to applying a serum or a moisturiser. Simply said, it is not that important to include a toner in your routine, and even if you do, you do not need to spend a large chunk of your budget on it. The Detoxie Anti-Pollution & Pore Tightening Face Toner is an affordable toner that meets your daily requirements, per se, yielding a clean skin, free of external pollutants, and keeping your pores tight, and your overall skin hydrated and moist.
3. Splurge: Serums
Serums contain active ingredients like hyaluronic acid, retinol, vitamin C, niacinamide, salicylic acid, to name a few. The wider the research on a particular ingredient, the pricier it will be in the market. It is anyday wiser to use products that have been clinically tested rather than those which have not undergone trials. Serums are tailored to penetrate deep into your skin and fight underlying problems from within the skin, thus necessitating the need of authentic products. The Neemli Naturals 2% Salicylic acid comes in a 15 ml container, but it lasts for several months as only a few drops of the serum is sufficient to get results over a short period of time.
4. Save: Moisturisers
Moisturisers mostly work on the surface and do not work skin deep. They only provide external nourishment to your skin, and need to be replenished from time to time. For this purpose, you can choose low-priced products as they won’t harm your skin to any extent. The Deconstruct Hydrating Moisturizer is a low-cost moisturiser, but is very effective at keeping your skin moist and nourished throughout the day.
5. Save: Sunscreen
These days, almost all sunscreens offer wide UV coverage and protection against sun damage. What you do need to look out for is that the sunscreen doesn’t leave behind white cast and does not have a greasy texture, as that can lead to excessive sweating and consequent skin problems. The Fixderma Shadow 50+ gel is a favourite among users owing to its non-greasy and oil-free formulation, and also because of its suitability for acne prone and sensitive skin.
6. Splurge: Treatments
Treatments such as exfoliants can make all the difference to your skin, which is why it is extremely important that you do not compromise on them. As these products contain very expensive actives which take a lot of time to research and formulate, the products also tend to be on the pricier end. The Suganda BHA Exfoliating Serum not only exfoliates dead skin cells from the surface, but also cleans pores from within, ensuring deep exfoliation.
The primary requirement before investing in any skincare product is to research your skin type and determine what it is that your skin needs. It has been established by research that when it comes to your skin, less is more. But that aspect of less also needs to be fitting for your skin type. Once you get clarity about it, it’ll get much easier to formulate your budget, and with our recommendations, the process is bound to get only smoother.
FAQs
1. Which product can I spend less on without impacting my skin?
Moisturisers are a safe bet even if they are dirt cheap. As long as it is keeping your cream nourished and preventing it from running dry, it can serve your purpose.
2. How should I make a budget for my skincare?
You should first recognise your skin’s needs and make a list of products that you need to improve your skin health. Depending on your financial status, you should then figure out how much you can allocate towards your skincare, and accordingly purchase the products following our recommendations.
3. Does buying expensive products ensure better skin?
This is a big no. Great branding and fancy packaging should not be associated with the authenticity of a product. You must solely focus on the ingredient list.
- Srishti Chakraborty
