As trends change and the desire for skincare grows, so does its affordability, but maxing out your credit card isn’t the only option, because the skincare industry now offers affordable and accessible products for everyone.

Drunk Elephant, Glow Recipe and Tatcha are all excellent brands, but affordable labels like CeraVe, La Roche-Posay, The Ordinary, Black Girl Sunscreen and Pacifica work just as well.

I’ve tried many skincare products throughout the years, and I have found that these five products work best for their affordable price. These are my top five recommendations that won’t break the bank.

Cleanser- La Roche-Posay $16.99

La Roche-Posay’s Cleanser is my all-time favorite and it does an amazing job of washing my face and leaving my skin clean and free from impurities. I’ve tried many cleansers, like the Clean & Clear cleanser, and have found that La Roche-Posay does not strip the natural oils from my skin.

One of the reasons this cleanser is great is that it doesn’t leave your skin feeling flaky or dry, It is a gentle and soft product to use for washing your face.

It’s always good to make sure to double cleanse, washing your face twice with cleanser to make sure you remove makeup and other impurities, in the evening to ensure everything is off your face. La Roche Posay cleanser does an amazing job of leaving a fresh and washed canvas for the next step of my routine.
The great thing about La Roche-Posay’s cleanser is that it’s not expensive and there are different options for oily, dry, and combo skin, so you can best choose the cleanser that fits your skin’s needs.

Moisturizer- CeraVe Lotion $12.39

Making sure the skin is moisturized throughout the day is key to a morning routine and you can never go wrong with CeraVe’s Moisturizing Lotion.

What makes CeraVe so great is that it is not too heavy to wear and it sits great under makeup products while keeping the skin nourished.

CeraVe moisturizer is for all skin types, such as people with dry skin who tend to feel tightness on their face and be rough or flaky, while oily skin is when the skin overproduces sebum in the T-zone. This moisturizer contains a lot for the price, so you will be getting your money’s worth for it. The great thing about CeraVe moisturizer is that it comes in a travel size, so you can test it out before committing to the full size.

Sunscreen- Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 50 $9.99

Sunscreen is the number one most important product that everyone needs to be using, because it protects your skin from premature aging and skin cancer.

My favorite sunscreen is Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 50 and I will seriously never go back. I’ve struggled to find sunscreen because I find sunscreen can leave a white cast on the skin, break me out or be too heavy when wearing, but Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 50 does none of that.

Sunscreen is fundamental to a morning routine because it can protect the skin from the sun’s UV rays, prevent wrinkles and fine lines and lessen acne scars.

This sunscreen leaves a beautiful glowy look on my skin that I find myself not even using foundation because of how dewy my skin is and doesn’t make my skin pill.

Black Girl Sunscreen is made for all skin types and if you are on the oily side Black Girl Sunscreen also has a matte option.

This sunscreen has to be one of the most affordable on the market and is also water resistant.

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Under Eye Patches- Pacifica $6.99

As college students, we all stay up late studying and due to not getting enough sleep, we create unfortunate dark under eye circles but with the Pacifica eye patches, I find myself waking up feeling fresh and awake for the day.

I like to pop Pacifica’s Under Eye Patches on before I put on my moisturizer because it is like a serum for under your eyes that helps. Wake up and brighten the under-eye area. You can use these either at night or in the morning to kick off the day looking fresh.

The under-eye patches are at a really great price and their sustainable reuse will not break the bank.

Serum- The Ordinary Amino Acid $9.20

The last product on my list is a hydrating serum called The Ordinary Amino Acid+B5 Hydrating Serum, which deserves the hype and everyone needs to buy.

The Ordinary’s amino acid is an affordable hydrating serum, compared to labels like Hyaluronic and Niacinamide, and will leave the skin feeling moisturized and relieved.

However, I enjoy applying this after exfoliating my skin because of how harsh it can be to the barrier and how it brings my skin to life by sealing up my pores.

All these affordable skincare products are some of the best I’ve tried, and well worth the price to keep your skin feeling dewy and moisturized during this winter.