Maybe you already really love to pamper yourself with a super committed—must-do—holy grail beauty regimen or maybe you want to start getting into skincare (in those times when just a splash of water isn’t cutting it anymore), but aren’t sure where to start. Well, you’re in luck! Regardless of where you are in your skincare and beauty journey, it’s never a bad idea to find more products to add to your collection—especially products that are good for you and even better for your budget! So I’m here to map out a few of my personal skin and body faves.
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CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser
(Photo by Amazon)
This product was first on my list for a reason! I’m not exaggerating when I say that this facial cleanser restored my skin from gloomy to glowing fast! It is formulated for Normal to Oily (#TeamOily) skin and is meant to do a few great things such as, cleanse the skin by removing oils without disrupting the sensitive, protective skin barrier for example.I’m sure we’ve all experienced a face wash or two that was way too harsh for your skin and made your skin concerns even worse. But with this product, you won’t have to worry about that.
What’s really great about this foaming cleanser is that it is formulated with ceramides that are gentle on the skin and tough on dirt. The CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser also happens to be non-drying and fragrance free. In my own skincare journey, this is super important to me because not only is my skin oiliness-prone but it’s also extremely sensitive. I was relieved to find out how moisturizing this felt on my face without all the usual irritants found in many facial cleansers claiming to be suitable for many skin types. But most importantly, this contains hyaluronic acid or, HA, which is good for restoring the natural skin moisture for a more supple, youthful appearance. And as I mentioned, this is a foaming facial cleanser so to use wet your skin with lukewarm water (I tend to use hot), lather cleanser into the skin in a gentle, circular motion, and rinse.
Did I forget to mention that it’s only $12.99 on Amazon Prime (16oz)
2. CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion
(Photo by CeraVe)
I know what you’re thinking, ‘ANOTHER CeraVe PRODUCT? Sponsored much?!’ But I promise that this isn’t a brand review (although it should be because I’ve liked everything that I’ve tried so far!). This, however, HAD to be a part of my list because it’s done my skin well. This is CeraVe’s PM facial moisturizer and as the name suggests, it’s meant to be used at nighttime after the previous cleansing step in order to moisturize your skin throughout the night so you can wake up feeling refreshed. But I’m hardheaded and I like to use this particular product day and night. I’m a rebel who must be stopped. I’ve found that this product is gentle and hydrating enough that my oily-sensitive skin can handle another layer. But by all means, try it once each night after cleansing to see what wonders it can do for you as well. I also want to mention that this product contains Niacinamide, a water-soluble found in the vitamin B3, meant to calm the skin. Give your skin what it craves with the CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for a rejuvenating, luminous look and feel in the morning then finish your night off with the CeraVe PM moisturizer, putting fine lines and enlarged pores to rest too.
What’s great about this moisturizer is that it works well with their other products in a way that it isn’t eradicating the hard work of the cleanser by clogging your pores with excess product. Instead, it’s adding a little life back into the skin. Again, like the foaming facial cleanser it is fragrance free, contains those wonderful hyaluronic acids to give you a baby fresh face and is formulated ideally for Normal to Oily skin. This generally ranges for about $16 and like many of CeraVe’s products you can find this at the drugstore, Ulta, and of course Amazon.
3&4. Esfolio Pure Skin Essence Mask (top) and DABO First Solution Mask (bottom)
(Photos by ShopMissA)
(Photos by ShopMissA)
I’m clumping these two products together because they essentially are the same, i.e. facial sheet masks that can be purchased from Shop MissA. There isn’t much to say about these masks, but I like them each for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, these masks are $10 for a pack of 12. That’s right. $10. That’s the beauty of Shop MissA, they carry skincare essentials for an affordable price. As a result, you may find yourself bulk ordering 20+. Secondly, the packaging is visually pleasing which is actually an important, yet underrated quality of beauty and skincare products. In the same way that I wouldn’t want to try on an ugly outfit, I wouldn’t want to pick up a beauty product that didn’t capture my attention. But thirdly and most importantly, it feels amazing on my skin. After you’ve washed your face for the night (I would skip the moisturizer on mask nights just to let my skin breathe from too many different formulas), put one of these on your face for 10-20 minutes, peel it off and pat the leftover solution into your skin for a visibly radiant look and super soft feeling
Fun fact: Did you know that it’s better to pat solution into your skin according to J-beauty and K-beauty consumers because harsh rubbing causes friction and can irritate the delicate skin especially around your eyes? So be conscious by patting, not rubbing, leftover serum solutions on your face to avoid dragging or pulling on your skin!
You can pick up these masks here.
My skin after a few weeks on the daily CeraVe/bi-weekly sheet mask skin regimen. Look at the glow!
(Photos by Ayanté Hardy)
I hope you find a new beauty essential that you’ll not only love, but also feel good about using. Your skin and your wallet will thank me.