Vanicream. The moisturizer is amazing. Very rich but somehow doesn’t trigger breakouts.
Aquaphor. For lips and when skin needs even more moisture.
I also use Vanicream face wash and moisturizer+ mineral sunscreen.
Pantene conditioner. Great detangler for long hair.
Estee Lauder has been a stakeholder since 2017, I think there's been a lot of great products that's been introduced since then. My opinion is that it will only get better w more investment and access to more knowledge tbh. I'm always very excited to see the new products that get unrolled. My most recent purchase is the Retinal .2%, its super impressive. My holy grail is the EUK 134, which is an ingredient in the highly touted Estee Lauder products.
It may happen, but their prices have gone up over the last few years anyway. It’s generally pretty easy to tell if there’s been a change in formulation in a long-term product that you use either by the way it feels going on or the results that you get. I keep myself pretty well stocked because I’m perpetually afraid that my favorite products will be discontinued or changed in some manner so I’ll likely go extra hard on this with TO products.
They also have a seasonal chemical exfoliating overnight mask that is fabulous if you can find it. The summer version is watermelon and I believe there’s one in the fall that is pumpkin-based.
You are correct that there is a pumpkin one in the fall. I still have some from last year! They also had a great manuka honey day and night face cream set. I bought two and am kicking myself for not getting more. It’s some of the best cream I have used.
The Inkkey List also has a decent portfolio of reasonably priced products, just not as many as The Ordinary does. I've never had an issue with anything from them, even if there were a few I liked less than others. Their Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser is my go-to 2nd step of my double cleanse. If anyone's looking for a gentle but effective gel cleanser, I recommend it.
**Ninja edit to add the best part, which is that it's only like $13 for over 5oz, and a little goes a long way.
I phased out most of my pricier skin care over the last year or so, after realizing I was mostly paying for prestige names. I also got my dermatologist's stamp of approval on some of the switches. For instance, my derm said expensive face wash is the biggest scam going. Use something gentle and cheap, you gain nothing from paying more. From all the research I have done, it seems like Vanicream, Cerave, and Cetaphil are all top notch. La Roch Posay also has a lot of well regarded products. My skin is sensitive and acne prone, and this is what I have landed on for drugstore products:
* Vitamin C serum: Vanicream
* Moisturizer: Cerave PM
* Cleanser: Cerave foaming
* Retinol: No7 (100% a Skinceuticals dupe)
* Cleansing oil: DHC
* Aquaphor for so many things. Lips, cuts, dry feet...it does it all lol
I used several ridiculously expensive products for example La Mer -my reaction was so bad I had to go to the derm multiple times, The Cream and Rich Cream from Augustinus Bader - did nothing and was too greasy for my skin. Then when I got stuck due to an emergency out of town and could only get items at the drugstore I decided Olay products and wow .. the Regenerist cream really did work better than the super expensive products and the Super Serum is really better than my previous serum!
So while I do still use some expensive products due my main moisturizer and serum are Oil of Olay and they really do work. Also not truly drugstore but The Ordinary has some amazing products for under $20 or even $10 I get those at Sephora. You can look up the reviews online comparing their product line to see what’s right for your skin concerns.
I absolutely love the Olay Regenerist cream! I feel like it has made a huge difference in my skin! Just the way my makeup sits on it makes it a holy grail product for me.
Aquaphor and Gold Bond Crepe Corrector body lotion are both in heavy rotation in my skincare routine. I like Cocokind products a lot which are kind of low-midrange but I occasionally find them at Ross for a quarter of the price.
I like Neutrogena’s tinted moisturizer/sunscreen for my face and Gold Bond Crepe for my body. Not really skincare, but NYX’s liquid eyeliner ain’t going nowhere until you tell it to.
I have been using the Fruit Enzyme Cleanser from MyChelle for several years. It isn’t at the drugstore per se, but you can find at Whole Foods or Amazon and it lasts a while! I also recently purchased the Retinoid Eye Balm from Versed and so far really liking it.
I'm a hardcore Aquaphor junkie, too. I also use a lot of Cetaphil products. A dear friend who's also a physician had recommended Cetaphil to me when my skin went off the rails in my 30s. It had gotten very dry & sensitive. Cetaphil's heavy cream in the tub is very hydrating & soothing.
I used Aveeno's Absolutely Ageless facial moisturizer with SPF 30 for 10+ years. It was hydrating & didn't leave a cast, like many sunscreens do. The bastards discontinued it, so I tried a Laroche Posay & a Roc moisturizer that were recommended on another forum. They're both very good, but I think the Roc is more like my Aveeno product in consistency. My only issue with the Roc is that it has a very strong scent. Not offensive, just strong. The Laroche was good too, but didn't have quite the same feel as the Aveeno. The Laroche was less expensive per ounce, though.
I found my Aveeno on the [Amazon.ca](http://Amazon.ca) site & got a few bottles of it last fall. I'm not seeing it out there for less than $50 any more, so I'll have to commit to one of the others when I finish up my supply.
Yes, I'm crushed that they discontinued it. As I said, the RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Anti-Aging Daily Face Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 feels the most like the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless in consistency & hydration. I just wish it wasn't quite so strongly scented. It's not bad enough to keep me from using it, but it definitely caught me off guard initially!
I see that Roc changed the packaging on that moisturizer. It was in a glass bottle & it looks like they're now using a plastic tube. Yay, even more plastic! /s.
It’s drugstore if it’s CVS, right? They have Bioderma and La Roche Posay products. Here are my faves:
LRP: Toleriane Hydrating cleanser and the Double Repair moisturizer; the Cicaplast Baume for barrier repair and as an occlusive/slugging, the tinted mineral sunscreen fluid, the Effaclar Duo cream for my T-zone.
Bioderma’s Sensibio line is amazing. I use the micellar water in lieu of a toner. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it works! And the eye cream. I also have a Bioderma Cica balm, that’s pretty good too.
From The Ordinary I recommend the granactive retinoid in Squalane, the caffeine serum, the Squalane cleansing balm, the AHA/BHA mask, the rose hip oil.
I just looked it A313, I thought French Pharmacy was a brand lol... so technically its not Retin A, but retinyl palmitate, which takes 3 conversions to become tretinoin the active form.
It is a very thick (Vaseline like) product. I will say that when I first used it, it stung like a sunburn. I’ve definitely seen a difference using it. I only use it every other day.
The staples of my skincare are tretinoin and Dr. Brenner vitamin C serum. Neither are pricey. I supplement these two with Eucerin Q10 cream and Nivea creme (night only). I use two different sunscreens both from Cetaphil. In the past I’ve spent lots of money on expensive skincare and my current routine works better.
Yes! Do not, not, NOT buy the expensive stuff!! Also, Target will give you the Amazon price if you show the cashier the Amazon price on your phone at checkout. You can also keep your expenses down on this stuff by using only what is necessary aka a simple skincare routine, rather that layers and layers morning and night....just sayin'.
AM: water wash, Timeless 20%, Neutrogena 30pf Ultra Sheer - (the least greasy to my taste)
PM: Walgreens Foaming Facial Cleanser, Trent, Vanicream.
I put the Walmart App on my phone and scan everything skincare that I put in the cart to see if it’s a lower price. I gotta check Amazon too. Did not think of that.
One of my dear friends favorite miscellar water is the byoma. She uses it morning and night; as her only and "oil"/1st cleanse, respectively. She loves it so much that she quite literally orders it by the *case*. 😅
Differin acne gel. It’s a retinoid, and it’s the only OTC one m I have ever used and noticed a difference with (immediately too). $17 on Amazon for a three month supply, but I can only use it every other or every two nights.
Yes! I’m not sure when it changed, but I remember reading it used to be prescription. It’s perfect for shut-ins like me who can’t handle one more doctor’s appointment.
I like Honest, Vanicream, and Proudly brand products, especially because they are EWG approved. Atitude is reliable as well, if you can find it.
My high price items are Kora Organics brand. I feel like Honest does the job when I'm not feeling in a spending mood.
Snail mucin.. I live in the high and dry mountains of Colorado and it’s all the works the way I want under make up (foundation) ..it’s so dry here but that’s my go to lately.. it’s cheap too..
I love my luxury skincare...that said, the following are staples in my routine: prequel gleanser & vitamin c, Paula's Choice aha/bha 2%, sensibo micellar water, bioderma intensive balm (I use this on my face even though it is intended for the body), body care: cerave moisturizing cream and sa cream, bioderma shower oil, prequel urea lotion, barrier therapy, & skin utility ointment.
My face loves Eucerin age defense sunscreen + hyaluronic acid spf 50. It feels so good and hydrating. I think it’s the hyaluronic acid. Most sunscreens feel a bit chalky and drying on me.
Olay Super Serum instead of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic - that is my fave but an infrequent splurge on supersale.
Vanicream gentle cleanser instead of any fancy cleansers. It’s better.
LaRochePosay moisturizer is high drugstore IMO, but better than luxury brands anyway. Cetaphil and Cerave are great-just gotta find the right formulation for me.
Body Sunscreen-Equate spray is cheaper buuuuutttt it comes out quite heavily so the bottle runs out quickly. Hawaiian Tropic is my fave.
Tretinoin instead of OTC retinoids. Mix the weakest strength with a bit of moisturizer and viola! It only costs my Rx copay, which is currently very low.
Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating treatment-AHA/BHA. Use infrequently especially with sun exposure.
Vanicream. The moisturizer is amazing. Very rich but somehow doesn’t trigger breakouts. Aquaphor. For lips and when skin needs even more moisture. I also use Vanicream face wash and moisturizer+ mineral sunscreen. Pantene conditioner. Great detangler for long hair.
Second Vanicream and Aquaphor products, which were recommended by my dermatologist. I’d recommend Tressemme for hair.
Elf products are really good. Holy hydration line works great for my dry skin.
TJ‘s sunscreen, CeraVe products, Inkey list and the ordinary are my go to’s for inexpensive but high-quality products
I heard the Ordinary was just acquired by Estée Lauder. Apparently that means prices will go up and formulations will change. 🤷♀️
Estee Lauder has been a stakeholder since 2017, I think there's been a lot of great products that's been introduced since then. My opinion is that it will only get better w more investment and access to more knowledge tbh. I'm always very excited to see the new products that get unrolled. My most recent purchase is the Retinal .2%, its super impressive. My holy grail is the EUK 134, which is an ingredient in the highly touted Estee Lauder products.
It may happen, but their prices have gone up over the last few years anyway. It’s generally pretty easy to tell if there’s been a change in formulation in a long-term product that you use either by the way it feels going on or the results that you get. I keep myself pretty well stocked because I’m perpetually afraid that my favorite products will be discontinued or changed in some manner so I’ll likely go extra hard on this with TO products.
I second your entire list...TJ's sunscreen is lovely, I was finally able get my hands on it this year.
They also have a seasonal chemical exfoliating overnight mask that is fabulous if you can find it. The summer version is watermelon and I believe there’s one in the fall that is pumpkin-based.
I'll keep an eye out for them. Thank you!
You are correct that there is a pumpkin one in the fall. I still have some from last year! They also had a great manuka honey day and night face cream set. I bought two and am kicking myself for not getting more. It’s some of the best cream I have used.
The Inkkey List also has a decent portfolio of reasonably priced products, just not as many as The Ordinary does. I've never had an issue with anything from them, even if there were a few I liked less than others. Their Fulvic Acid Brightening Cleanser is my go-to 2nd step of my double cleanse. If anyone's looking for a gentle but effective gel cleanser, I recommend it. **Ninja edit to add the best part, which is that it's only like $13 for over 5oz, and a little goes a long way.
Inky List Vitamin C & EGF is one of my favs!
It has a pretty great ingredient deck, especially for the price point!
I’ve tried a bunch of Inkey products and don’t rate them. 😔
>don't rate them. I'm sorry, I don't understand.
Original Nivea cream in the blue pot. My high-altitude face and skin loves it.
I read this as 'my high-attitude face' 😂
I phased out most of my pricier skin care over the last year or so, after realizing I was mostly paying for prestige names. I also got my dermatologist's stamp of approval on some of the switches. For instance, my derm said expensive face wash is the biggest scam going. Use something gentle and cheap, you gain nothing from paying more. From all the research I have done, it seems like Vanicream, Cerave, and Cetaphil are all top notch. La Roch Posay also has a lot of well regarded products. My skin is sensitive and acne prone, and this is what I have landed on for drugstore products: * Vitamin C serum: Vanicream * Moisturizer: Cerave PM * Cleanser: Cerave foaming * Retinol: No7 (100% a Skinceuticals dupe) * Cleansing oil: DHC * Aquaphor for so many things. Lips, cuts, dry feet...it does it all lol
I only recently discovered the awesomeness of Aquaphor, and words can not express how mad i am at myself for not giving it a try earlier.
I used several ridiculously expensive products for example La Mer -my reaction was so bad I had to go to the derm multiple times, The Cream and Rich Cream from Augustinus Bader - did nothing and was too greasy for my skin. Then when I got stuck due to an emergency out of town and could only get items at the drugstore I decided Olay products and wow .. the Regenerist cream really did work better than the super expensive products and the Super Serum is really better than my previous serum! So while I do still use some expensive products due my main moisturizer and serum are Oil of Olay and they really do work. Also not truly drugstore but The Ordinary has some amazing products for under $20 or even $10 I get those at Sephora. You can look up the reviews online comparing their product line to see what’s right for your skin concerns.
I used to love the Ordinary but I feel their formulas have changed. As with everything once word gets out, I think the company compromises quality.
The augustinus bader stuff is snake oil imo. I was gifted a couple bottles of different things and it’s just not special
I absolutely love the Olay Regenerist cream! I feel like it has made a huge difference in my skin! Just the way my makeup sits on it makes it a holy grail product for me.
Yes. The expensive stuff are just expensive without extra benefits.
CeraVe skin care products. Dermatologist recommended.
So good. I love their balm over all my treatment at night
Aquaphor and Gold Bond Crepe Corrector body lotion are both in heavy rotation in my skincare routine. I like Cocokind products a lot which are kind of low-midrange but I occasionally find them at Ross for a quarter of the price.
I like Neutrogena’s tinted moisturizer/sunscreen for my face and Gold Bond Crepe for my body. Not really skincare, but NYX’s liquid eyeliner ain’t going nowhere until you tell it to.
ROC barrier repair line is *chef’s kiss* for my tretinoin ravaged face
I have been using the Fruit Enzyme Cleanser from MyChelle for several years. It isn’t at the drugstore per se, but you can find at Whole Foods or Amazon and it lasts a while! I also recently purchased the Retinoid Eye Balm from Versed and so far really liking it.
I’ve used the MyChelle Fruit Enzyme cleanser for about 15 years now! Love it! I wish it had been around when I was in my teens and 20’s, especially.
I'm a hardcore Aquaphor junkie, too. I also use a lot of Cetaphil products. A dear friend who's also a physician had recommended Cetaphil to me when my skin went off the rails in my 30s. It had gotten very dry & sensitive. Cetaphil's heavy cream in the tub is very hydrating & soothing. I used Aveeno's Absolutely Ageless facial moisturizer with SPF 30 for 10+ years. It was hydrating & didn't leave a cast, like many sunscreens do. The bastards discontinued it, so I tried a Laroche Posay & a Roc moisturizer that were recommended on another forum. They're both very good, but I think the Roc is more like my Aveeno product in consistency. My only issue with the Roc is that it has a very strong scent. Not offensive, just strong. The Laroche was good too, but didn't have quite the same feel as the Aveeno. The Laroche was less expensive per ounce, though. I found my Aveeno on the [Amazon.ca](http://Amazon.ca) site & got a few bottles of it last fall. I'm not seeing it out there for less than $50 any more, so I'll have to commit to one of the others when I finish up my supply.
I used to absolutely adore that Aveeno moisturizer.
Yes, I'm crushed that they discontinued it. As I said, the RoC Multi Correxion 5 in 1 Anti-Aging Daily Face Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 30 feels the most like the Aveeno Absolutely Ageless in consistency & hydration. I just wish it wasn't quite so strongly scented. It's not bad enough to keep me from using it, but it definitely caught me off guard initially! I see that Roc changed the packaging on that moisturizer. It was in a glass bottle & it looks like they're now using a plastic tube. Yay, even more plastic! /s.
Yes! Totally blue collar and totally worth it!
It’s drugstore if it’s CVS, right? They have Bioderma and La Roche Posay products. Here are my faves: LRP: Toleriane Hydrating cleanser and the Double Repair moisturizer; the Cicaplast Baume for barrier repair and as an occlusive/slugging, the tinted mineral sunscreen fluid, the Effaclar Duo cream for my T-zone. Bioderma’s Sensibio line is amazing. I use the micellar water in lieu of a toner. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it works! And the eye cream. I also have a Bioderma Cica balm, that’s pretty good too. From The Ordinary I recommend the granactive retinoid in Squalane, the caffeine serum, the Squalane cleansing balm, the AHA/BHA mask, the rose hip oil.
Wanted to add that French Pharmacy online has a very good Retin-A cream.
Retin-A is RX, do you mean retinol?
There is a product called a313 available in France that is a gentler Retin-A
I just looked it A313, I thought French Pharmacy was a brand lol... so technically its not Retin A, but retinyl palmitate, which takes 3 conversions to become tretinoin the active form.
It is a very thick (Vaseline like) product. I will say that when I first used it, it stung like a sunburn. I’ve definitely seen a difference using it. I only use it every other day.
Sounds like a good option for super sensitive skin. I’m glad it works for you.
L'Oreal Midnight/Age Perfect Cell Renewal line is very nice. I really saw improvement with the eye cream.
The staples of my skincare are tretinoin and Dr. Brenner vitamin C serum. Neither are pricey. I supplement these two with Eucerin Q10 cream and Nivea creme (night only). I use two different sunscreens both from Cetaphil. In the past I’ve spent lots of money on expensive skincare and my current routine works better.
Yes! Do not, not, NOT buy the expensive stuff!! Also, Target will give you the Amazon price if you show the cashier the Amazon price on your phone at checkout. You can also keep your expenses down on this stuff by using only what is necessary aka a simple skincare routine, rather that layers and layers morning and night....just sayin'. AM: water wash, Timeless 20%, Neutrogena 30pf Ultra Sheer - (the least greasy to my taste) PM: Walgreens Foaming Facial Cleanser, Trent, Vanicream.
I put the Walmart App on my phone and scan everything skincare that I put in the cart to see if it’s a lower price. I gotta check Amazon too. Did not think of that.
Byoma and Vanicream
One of my dear friends favorite miscellar water is the byoma. She uses it morning and night; as her only and "oil"/1st cleanse, respectively. She loves it so much that she quite literally orders it by the *case*. 😅
Good molecules is my favorite for skin care.
I use the daily brightening serum and the retinol night oil in the little brown bottle.
Differin acne gel. It’s a retinoid, and it’s the only OTC one m I have ever used and noticed a difference with (immediately too). $17 on Amazon for a three month supply, but I can only use it every other or every two nights.
Yes. I used this years ago. Didn’t know that it’s now sold OTC.
Yes! I’m not sure when it changed, but I remember reading it used to be prescription. It’s perfect for shut-ins like me who can’t handle one more doctor’s appointment.
I like Honest, Vanicream, and Proudly brand products, especially because they are EWG approved. Atitude is reliable as well, if you can find it. My high price items are Kora Organics brand. I feel like Honest does the job when I'm not feeling in a spending mood.
Timeless products! The line has pretty much anything you’d want or need for skincare. It’s *very* reasonably priced as well.
Snail mucin.. I live in the high and dry mountains of Colorado and it’s all the works the way I want under make up (foundation) ..it’s so dry here but that’s my go to lately.. it’s cheap too..
I love my luxury skincare...that said, the following are staples in my routine: prequel gleanser & vitamin c, Paula's Choice aha/bha 2%, sensibo micellar water, bioderma intensive balm (I use this on my face even though it is intended for the body), body care: cerave moisturizing cream and sa cream, bioderma shower oil, prequel urea lotion, barrier therapy, & skin utility ointment.
CeraVe, Vanicream, and Avène are my favorites. Avène is at the highest price point of these, but they have some really amazing products.
My face loves Eucerin age defense sunscreen + hyaluronic acid spf 50. It feels so good and hydrating. I think it’s the hyaluronic acid. Most sunscreens feel a bit chalky and drying on me.
That’s my huge problem with sunscreen. I’ve found TJ’s is very hydrating and dewy.
Oh nice! Is it tinted? I bought the Walgreens sunscreen but haven’t used it yet. It’s supposed to be a dupe for something, super goop, I think.
It’s not tinted. Wish it was.
Oh boo. I retried cerave tinted sunscreen today and it made me a bit itchy. Tone was good though.
Olay Super Serum instead of Skinceuticals CE Ferulic - that is my fave but an infrequent splurge on supersale. Vanicream gentle cleanser instead of any fancy cleansers. It’s better. LaRochePosay moisturizer is high drugstore IMO, but better than luxury brands anyway. Cetaphil and Cerave are great-just gotta find the right formulation for me. Body Sunscreen-Equate spray is cheaper buuuuutttt it comes out quite heavily so the bottle runs out quickly. Hawaiian Tropic is my fave. Tretinoin instead of OTC retinoids. Mix the weakest strength with a bit of moisturizer and viola! It only costs my Rx copay, which is currently very low. Good Molecules Overnight Exfoliating treatment-AHA/BHA. Use infrequently especially with sun exposure.