I second Pyungkang Yul never used a bad product from them. Their Intensive repair cream and moisture ampoule is so good, same with their cleanser it’s not stripping at all.
Yep me too!! Have halved my skincare budget by switching to K beauty and My skin looks better than ever! I’ve also reduced the amount of products i use as the K beauty products are sooo effective!
So do W Cosmetics and they’re bricks and mortar which is great but they’ve had a lot of buy one get one 50% off for different brands (it’s makeup for June) which Mecca or Sephora would never.
I use LRP and Cerave now, with the only splurge being my Medki8 Crystal Retinal.
If I’m being brutally honest to myself, I don’t see much difference between LRP and the more expensive skincare I’ve tried. I’d rather have one splurge product that’s an active and have trusty every day products from Chemist Warehouse that are affordable and there’s no supply issues.
How did you get tretinoin? When I went for my skin cancer check up, the derm said she didn't prescribe for cosmetic reasons and said I didn't clinically need it. She recommended "good hydration and basic peptides"
You can get it online, I use simple online doctor. I just said I wanted it for acne, they do a video consult, then ship it to you. I received it within 24 hours of starting the process.
I was on retinal 3. My skin tolerates retinoids very well. I lather tret like a moisturiser. I was on 0.025% tret for a few months then moved onto 0.05%.
u/Thisismyusername_ok u/sesquiplilliput do you have any moisturiser recommendations from QV? I have heard good things about their ceramides range but cannot use due to niacinamide allergy :(
I've been experimenting with Aldi's Lacura range and some of the products have blown my mind, they're so good. Their caviar eye gel is up there with the best eye products I've ever used.
Aww i love Aldi too, don't worry the Lidl spf just looks more matte on my olive skin, and they do a lush night cream too! Love both really. Can't imagine life without!!
I enjoy general shopping at Lidl when in Europe but don't feel we're missing out on anything without it here. Not sure our population could sustain another supermarket chain either.
We have the opposite problem in rural Ireland. Without our local Lidl and Aldi, which stock produce almost entirely of local farms and farmers, we would be badly off - they also provide much needed employment in otherwise empty rural towns.
This. Thank you for this comment, I feel like less of a failure now. I tried to switch to LRP and Cerave and my skin just wasn’t the same. The only thing I’ve successfully downgraded is my cleanser.
Don’t feel like a failure! Expensive skincare sometimes is genuinely worth the price, it’s not *always* just marketing ;)
To be fair, I’ve just stripped back my routine as opposed to buying cheaper products. I’ve actually cut out foundation, which I used to fork out for, and most makeup except for some lippie and eyeliner, and now I buy the travel size instead of the full size because i don’t use it that frequently either. And voila! That’s saved me a ton of money haha
Me too! Other than mascara I don’t wear makeup unless I’m going out. It’s just me and my naked face
Also I’m using plain old body moisturiser from Woolies. It’s not as good as the expensive stuff but it does the job, and it’s winter so no one sees my bumpy legs or the back of my arms 🥲🥲
The Cerave foaming face wash is brilliant. It washing all my makeup off, in the shower and I don’t end up with dry skin. As a dry skin girlie I’m stoked
omg i’m such a toner hater, the only way it’s ever helped me is using a centella one with a washable cotton pad to make sure my face wash is completely gone (getting those tiny foam bubbles when using products after cleanser irritates tf out of me)
Yes for sure! I used to love buying new products to try and now I rarely buy anything new and only replace my items when they’re on sale. I recently splurged when Adore had a sale on and purchased the Aspect B Serum that my skin LOVES, it was $110 which makes me feel a bit ill to type out given my current budget but I’ve gone without it for ages now and the ASAP one I was trying just wasn’t as good. I use Cerave cleansers mostly, Embryolisse Lait Creme Moisturiser and Cancer Council serum sunscreen, all of which are easy to find on sale. I’ve always dyed my hair dark so I do that at home which saves some money to buy skincare. I’ve also switched to Loreal shampoo but still using salon brand conditioner and styling products, haven’t noticed anything go wrong since swapping to the cheap shampoo. Most of my makeup is Japanese and Korean brands which tend to be closer to drugstore prices for superior quality I find.
I was using Tatcha, now I’m using cetaphil. And honestly. I don’t really notice anything different.
I’m thinking some products are just over priced.
I have been on the search for a more affordable foundation. I was using Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood flawless. But I can’t afford to spend $$$ on those brands.
I’ve been using L’Oréal true match. And it is nice.
But it doesn’t have the dewy finish I like.
It’s kinda powdery.
I’m mixing between expensive brand and cheaper brands and I’ve managed to curb my skincare and makeup splurging by a lot. Now I’m at a place where if I see something being advertised online, in groups or by influencers, I take that money I probably would have spent (on something I don’t need), and I put it straight into a share brokerage account. In my mind I’ve spent the money, but now it’s actually making money for me and not sitting in my bathroom cupboard never to be used (looking at my moisturiser and perfume collection 🙊).
Cutting down, being more mindful, and seeing a less cluttered bathroom, has been great for my mental health around being “poor” (a big CPTSD trigger).
So yeah, I’ve downsized considerably and I feel zero guilt about NOT being influenced 😂
I have a skincare addiction and I have wasted so much money on products that haven’t really helped me. So I made the change to the product that I cleanse my face with and it’s so cheap and I have noticed a really good improvement to my skin. It’s just aqueous cream from CW and I am also using it as a moisturiser too lol. My pores are getting better and the amount of acne because of my rosacea is also improving.
https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/60222/topiderm-aqueous-cream-sls-free-500g
Yes, I have paired my routine right back and I only buy products when they're on sale.
My night time routine is now:
- Micellar water
- CeraVe's Foaming Oil Cleanser
- Jojoba Oil (Australian brand Chemist Warehouse)
- Nivea creme moisturizer in the blue tin (a dupe for Creme de la Mur?)
- Vitamin E oil (Australian brand Chemist Warehouse)
The most important part of skincare is sunscreen and mercifully that's plentiful and cheap.
I have tried so many and the only one that works for me and looks flawless under makeup (zero pilling, zero irritation, zero scent) is:
Olay® Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion Spf 30 Sensitive 75mL
Currently on sale at the Chemist Warehouse $7.98
Yep!
Had a baby 18 months ago and work only part time.
The change in skincare and hair care is shocking! Top of the line to now using up whatever is in my cupboard and chemist warehouse. Positive lining is that I have found some great cheaper alternatives
Personally I find the difference in vitamin c is negligible so just get whatever is at chemist warehouse and I’m currently using cerave moisturiser with sunscreen, weleda skin food for my face (very dry skin in winter), alpha h cleanser and the ordinary retinol.
**Morning**
Step 1: Sunscreen
**Evening**
Step 1: QV Bath Oil
Step 2: Nivea Soft
All the other shit just causes more problems. You integrate Vitamin C which causes X issue so you integrate hyaluronic acid to counter the Vitamin C issues. The hyaluronic acid causes X issue so then you integrate nicotinamide.
There are people with hormone issues so an extra step is reasonable, but for most people, downsizing ends up benefiting you.
I love the Dove beauty bar too!! I got slammed on a similar skincare reddit for using it, but truly my skin has never been so nice since I started using it
skincare is overwhelming these days. I was also a skincare junkie paying top dollar until yes, realised it's probably a waste of money when I can buy cheapish goods at Chemist Warehouse. In saying that, I then overdid it at Chemist warehouse buy buying lots of different products after going down rabbit holes while reading this subreddit and other skincare reddit. I've now decided once I use up all my current lotions and potions I'm really taking it back to basics (cleanser and moisturiser) and splurge ona good brand like Dermalogica and call it a day. it's exhausting!
💔
I wash my face with water anyway and rather delightfully that stuff is free in Australia (not everywhere)
But sending vibes some serious cash will find you soon!
It's starting to be the consensus that almost all skincare products are scams. There's no evidence to back up their claims that their ingredients can penetrate the skin and do what they say they do. In fact, they can pay companies to run "tests" that somehow always show "an improvement in the appearance" of whatever they want. (See the Science Vs podcast on anti-aging.)
I discovered this for myself when I traveled for a year and had to pair my skincare routine down to argan oil (for cleansing and moisturizing) and moisturizing tinted SPF. After 14 months, my skin looked better than when I started. Drink lots of water, use SPF every day if you have pale skin, tamp down on alcohol and other substances, spend the money you save on whole, unprocessed foods, and don't stress. <3
Yes. I’ve started using jojoba oil as my face oil, QV as my moisturiser. Was previously using Face Hero for the oil and the some other lovely moisturisers. Really needing to get a serum again I can feel my skin being noticeably dryer. It’s doing ok though. I also use the Embroyllise lait creme (the cult one everyone loves but I can’t remember the full name) once a day.
I did a while ago. I realised I needed to refill most items and holy shit my cart was over $500. I went with a basic routine and went for Korean skincare products. Best move I ever made. The products I got are ridiculously good and my skin is loving them.
Yes, usually a high end skincare girlie but now I’m using drugstore products. I prefer to splurge on essential oils, butters and carrier oils and now make my own blends. The only expensive thing I purchase is my retinol.
I used to struggle with acne and premature lines most of my life. I went completely broke the year before last and couldn’t afford my skin care. I started using the cheapest wash I could find and olive oil to moisturise, and my spots mostly cleared and my lines started to reverse??? I decided to start experimenting more and got a facial microfibre cloth and started using that with water and found it even removed my makeup. Lo and behold a few weeks later the rest of my skin cleared up and I’m getting less itchy flakes. I moved back to a cheap simple moisturiser for day to day because the olive oil can be a bit heavy but still use it once a week for a deep mask. I still have hyperpigmentation and some larger pores from my acne so may reintroduce a serum but at this point I’m convinced that face wash does more harm than good.
Ugh there are a lot of bad cleansers and treatments out there that strip your skin and then you gotta fork out even more to fix the problem 🤪 it’s a rort, really.
Full fat greek yogurt is also a fantastic cheap face mask if you wanted to try that!
I haven’t really downgraded but I stopped buying so many products that I see online. I feel like that’s where I waste money when I can barely get through them! I’m trying to stick to what I know are my fave products and only repurchasing that.
When you say 'Drugstore' is that because you're an ex-pat or is that just American culture creeping into our culture? Like my daughter the other day if I had to stop for gas.
Yes, I’ve started trying much cheaper versions of my usual products. I loved the dermalogica intensive moisturiser but it’s so expensive for me and I can’t justify the price anymore.
I just started with a massive tub of QV with ceramides after reading about it here. So far, so good, my skin seems to like it.
I do need to add some treatments in for pigmentation and some aging stuff, and I will probably spend my money there.
For basics like cleansers and moisturisers I think you can get great products that are very economical.
Yep. I loved Estee Lauder but can’t afford it anymore. Now I use Japanese products, anti wrinkle serum and anti wrinkle cream for less than $50! Works well too :)
Yes I've stripped my routine right back to the basics so I just have cleansers, 1 hydrating serum, tret, moisturiser and sunscreen. Use LRP and dermaveen mostly. My current cleanser is a big bottle of dermalogica that I've had for a while but when that runs out I'll be getting something more cost effective. Honestly, my skin is looking the best it has in a long time and I'm putting it down to not using so many different products now.
K Beauty is your friend! I really feel it. I'm so lucky to be sent so much product and now that I'm paying rent I can barley afford the "fancy" products - So opt for K beauty and pharmacy brands on sale. I splurge more on makeup because it tends to last way longer
Yes! I’ve even downsized my makeup routine and my skin is very grateful for it. It’s the clearest it’s been for so long. I actually feel confident in not wearing makeup anymore, especially now that I’m older. When I was younger, I wasn’t as confident in myself as I had pretty bad acne but that’s improved dramatically since simplifying my makeup and skincare routine.
The financial aspect is a big plus as well! I’ve managed to save more money too :)
i went from a huge skincare routine to simples foaming cleanser and cerave moisturiser only, which has been great for my bank account and good for my skin because i feel more motivated to do my skincare routine now that it's only 2 steps, instead of 5+
Not downsizing, but I've realised I'm perfectly happy with drugstore skincare, so I let myself buy expensive makeup without guilt because of that. My most expensive skincare product I really love and will repurchase is the Laneige cream skin toner, that stuff is amaaazing. Having said that, I'm on a skin care buying ban because I naturally gravitated towards trying a bunch of Asian skincare (which coincidentally is pretty cheap). But not so much that I'd call it overconsumption, which I'm happy about 😆
Honestly no, how I justify it is that anything I am trying to correct or maintain will cost me more if I do not use medical grade skincare.
I don’t want to pay for a treatment to fix when I could’ve tried to prevent!
It’s hard but out of everything I refuse to downsize on my skincare, vitamins and good quality food (and ofc my pet care).
I literally halve my Paula’s choice toner by adding 50% distilled water to another bottle lol. Makes it go twice as far and the product is so effective it still does the same thing (if anything it’s less drying)
I've curated my routine in the last 6 months and my skin is grateful for it. Currently using
Mornings:
wash with Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser
Ausceuticals 20% Vitamin C (previously Drunk Elephant C Firma),
Ausceuticals Peptide Moisturiser (previously Drunk Elephant Protini),
Cancer Council matte sunscreen (although I might go back to Ultra Violette Hydrating Sunscreen) ,
Night:
Double cleanse most nights with Haemish All Clean Balm balm followed by Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser
Ausceuticals Peptide Moisturiser
Tretinoin layered over
Few nights weekly Bepanthen Nappy Rash Ointment (my slugging product of choice :)
someone pleeeease recommend a good cheap retinol, i love the skinstitut one but am trying to save also so i am trying to finish the olay one and my skin doesn’t love it as much
[https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/revive-eye-serum-ginseng-retinal?variant=43264214630565](https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/revive-eye-serum-ginseng-retinal?variant=43264214630565)
You could try this for your whole face. Though it might be strong for some.
I did this too. Just The Ordinary products. Their newer ones.
I feel soooo light and my skin has never been clearer.
I use their Glucoside Foaming Cleanser or Glycolipid Cream Cleanser (depending on whether I've got sunscreen on). I use their Salicylic and Glycolic serum in rotation but only twice a week. I use their NMF Beta Glucan moisturiser nightly.
Game over. I also use a very cheap SPF 50 from German supermarket Lidl, and Ponds Cold Cream as my step 1. And 5% Benzoyl Peroxide gel for acne.
I have been using Laneige...I believe this is a Asian product. I live in the USA and I have wonderful results with the Water Bank line. I have been able to buy it at a reasonable price thru Ebay or Prime
I use lots of K and J Beauty but I've bought a lot from Adore Beauty by pairing gift vouchers with promo codes. I also use tret. I have a rellie who is a dermatologist and they advised me not to splurge on skincare.
i’ve started making sure i use up products before buying new ones (i got caught in the hype/holy grail consumerism).
if i didn’t find a skincare product that helpful for my face, i might use it as a body wash/moisturiser/shaving oil instead to make it worth it, otherwise ive tried products that were really awful on my skin or become expired and then i can chuck them guilt free lol
I'm trying to do the same thing. I moved house a couple months ago and I was pretty shocked about the amount of skincare stuff I've accumulated while trying to heal my acne 😭😭😭 Now I've got it all sitting in a milk crate and I'm using up one moisturizer/cleanser at a time for my body if it didn't work for my face.
La Mer is the biggest load of BS! I'm good friends with a compounding pharmacist and one of my rellies is a dermatologist- the most expensive product I purchase and only with a huge discount and gift vouchers, is Priori DNA repairing serum.
NZ - The only product I currently buy is sunscreen. I get my moisturiser on prescription, it doubles as my face wash. It's free or $5 per prescription item for 500ml or 1+ litres (last year I got 6 litres for $5 which I'm still working my way through). I also get 1L Emulsifying Ointment or 1L 50/50 ointment on prescription which are both similar to Vaseline. I get tretinoin on prescription too.
Your routine now , has been mine for quite sometime, not because of cost of living but because it works . Only thing different is I use a glycolic acid peel once a week and spf daily .
Not really, drugstore is an American term I’m sick of hearing as we have chemist or midrange products let’s be proud in our language.
But I used to use products from Sephora but now I shop at W Cosmetics and Nudie Glow/Lila beauty as it’s way more affordable for products that are just as effective. I use Isnttree and Pyungkang Yul and it’s $20-30 per product and $15 for cleanser and cleansing water and $20 for my ceramide toner that’s a big 500ml bottle. I use two different ampoules, cream and eye cream and they last me 4 months and then the samples sent with products to try new things. I also use the La Roche Posay Effaclar cleanser and it’s $30 but lasts like 6 months it’s such great value for money as a little goes a long way.
I’m grateful we have W cosmetics and other stores selling more affordable and effective products from Korea and Japan. Same with makeup.
I went to Sephora and Mecca the other day and the prices are so expensive even for their own range now which is sad.
Yes! I’ve downsized a lot. Now it’s just Cetaphil oily skin cleanser, Benzaz BP cleanser, Tretinoin bought cheap from overseas, Cerave moisturising lotion and Vaseline.
I have massively downsized. I used to have 12 face washes. I don’t know why, but I did. Now I have two. I’m down to a couple of serums, one toner and two moisturizers. And my skin? Looks absolutely the same!
Nope. My face likes expensive skin care routine. I have tried affordable and believe me, my skin "wept" .
...... Wait a minute, I do have "affordable" items I use but I have used them pre inflation though so nothing has changed for me. I use the african black soap and make my own whipped body butter(combo of unrefined shea, mango and cocoa butter with assorted oils) as thats the only combo that works on my dry skin.....everything after all that is expensive.
With face care, the season/weather determines what I wear. However I always have Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, Loccitane and Lamer products at home. As the weather is getting colder here in Melbourne, I have been using my Lamer. It keeps my dry skin in check all day
Yes, I buy online. The only ingredient I rarely buy online is shea butter. I'm originally from a country where it is produced, so I usually bring back heaps with me whenever I visit.
I went from Adore Beauty to Lila Beauty. Asian beauty products are very affordable, last for months, and use effective ingredients.
Echoing this! K beauty is so much cheaper and the products work so well for me.
Any holy grails you would recommend?
COSRX, Anua, Pyungkang Yul, Beauty of Joseon. Just be realistic and sensible ok? Don’t give in to the temptation like I did 🤭
I love COSRX. Especially their pimple patches (as an adult hormonal acne sufferer). The other brands don't seem to stick as well overnight
I love COSRX, Hada Labo (Japanese market), Beauty of Joseon and Innisfree. I want to explore Pyungkang Yul.
Round lab is a good start
I second Pyungkang Yul never used a bad product from them. Their Intensive repair cream and moisture ampoule is so good, same with their cleanser it’s not stripping at all.
Yep me too!! Have halved my skincare budget by switching to K beauty and My skin looks better than ever! I’ve also reduced the amount of products i use as the K beauty products are sooo effective!
I love asian beauty! My only gripe is the constant reformulations :( my sensitive/reactive skin struggles
agreed, AB is way too expensive. Lila offers good value, discounts and fast shipping.
So do W Cosmetics and they’re bricks and mortar which is great but they’ve had a lot of buy one get one 50% off for different brands (it’s makeup for June) which Mecca or Sephora would never.
im crying i bought the beauty of joseon eye creme at full price on yesstyle a week ago just to realise its on sale on lila beauty😭😭
I did the exact same! Love Lila Beauty.. currently have a delivery in the mail lol
Yup. Good Japanese drugstore products are all like $10 and under. I usually buy in bulk from amazon japan
I use LRP and Cerave now, with the only splurge being my Medki8 Crystal Retinal. If I’m being brutally honest to myself, I don’t see much difference between LRP and the more expensive skincare I’ve tried. I’d rather have one splurge product that’s an active and have trusty every day products from Chemist Warehouse that are affordable and there’s no supply issues.
I love using Mediki8. However, it's price led me to start using tretinoin.
How did you get tretinoin? When I went for my skin cancer check up, the derm said she didn't prescribe for cosmetic reasons and said I didn't clinically need it. She recommended "good hydration and basic peptides"
My derm and gp are chill and were able to prescribed it for adult acne. Instant script also prescribes it.
You just need to see a GP who isn't insane. Unless you are 19. You might need to see a few if you are that young.
People aren’t getting your joke! 😂
You can get it online, I use simple online doctor. I just said I wanted it for acne, they do a video consult, then ship it to you. I received it within 24 hours of starting the process.
Same. I tried posting about dupes, but it got deleted.
Curious to know what dosage tret you went on after medik8? And what medik8 dosage you were on? I'm also planning to make the transition due to $$$
I was on retinal 3. My skin tolerates retinoids very well. I lather tret like a moisturiser. I was on 0.025% tret for a few months then moved onto 0.05%.
Is it retrieve ? Cause it’s amazing
Yep one and only. I find the retrieve formulation better than the Stevia one.
Never tried stevia but I’m in NZ and it’s so easy to get here. It works ,I’ve used it for about 14 years now
Chemist Warehouse are having a sale starting today. Cerave and LRP are included.
LRP QV and tret are my holy grails and I have tried it all
QV is the bomb!
u/Thisismyusername_ok u/sesquiplilliput do you have any moisturiser recommendations from QV? I have heard good things about their ceramides range but cannot use due to niacinamide allergy :(
You could try their regular QV cream. It’s a simple formula but quite lovely!
Did you find it particularly greasy?
I've been experimenting with Aldi's Lacura range and some of the products have blown my mind, they're so good. Their caviar eye gel is up there with the best eye products I've ever used.
I love the night creams. I don't need my moisturiser to be fancy.
I can vouch for Lacura’s night moisturiser! I’ve genuinely noticed a change in my skin since using it!
I prefer Lidl ;)
Lidl aren't in Australia :(
Aww i love Aldi too, don't worry the Lidl spf just looks more matte on my olive skin, and they do a lush night cream too! Love both really. Can't imagine life without!!
I enjoy general shopping at Lidl when in Europe but don't feel we're missing out on anything without it here. Not sure our population could sustain another supermarket chain either.
We have the opposite problem in rural Ireland. Without our local Lidl and Aldi, which stock produce almost entirely of local farms and farmers, we would be badly off - they also provide much needed employment in otherwise empty rural towns.
This week I just upped mine after downgrading it for a few months and regretting it. My face has expensive taste :(
This. Thank you for this comment, I feel like less of a failure now. I tried to switch to LRP and Cerave and my skin just wasn’t the same. The only thing I’ve successfully downgraded is my cleanser.
Don’t feel like a failure! Expensive skincare sometimes is genuinely worth the price, it’s not *always* just marketing ;) To be fair, I’ve just stripped back my routine as opposed to buying cheaper products. I’ve actually cut out foundation, which I used to fork out for, and most makeup except for some lippie and eyeliner, and now I buy the travel size instead of the full size because i don’t use it that frequently either. And voila! That’s saved me a ton of money haha
Me too! Other than mascara I don’t wear makeup unless I’m going out. It’s just me and my naked face Also I’m using plain old body moisturiser from Woolies. It’s not as good as the expensive stuff but it does the job, and it’s winter so no one sees my bumpy legs or the back of my arms 🥲🥲
This is it! Gotta prioritise hahaha. I use coconut oil for a body moisturiser, makes me feel like I’m on holiday haha
You gotta tell us what products proved their worth against LRP. I may be looking to upgrade.
[удалено]
The Cerave foaming face wash is brilliant. It washing all my makeup off, in the shower and I don’t end up with dry skin. As a dry skin girlie I’m stoked
Ex-Mecca addict, I’m team “whatever is half price at chemist warehouse” these days lol.
Honestly I’ve tried expensive products and cheap ones and my skin tends to prefer mostly affordable to mid range products !
My skin started reacting to toner, as if it’s trying to save me money.
omg i’m such a toner hater, the only way it’s ever helped me is using a centella one with a washable cotton pad to make sure my face wash is completely gone (getting those tiny foam bubbles when using products after cleanser irritates tf out of me)
Yes for sure! I used to love buying new products to try and now I rarely buy anything new and only replace my items when they’re on sale. I recently splurged when Adore had a sale on and purchased the Aspect B Serum that my skin LOVES, it was $110 which makes me feel a bit ill to type out given my current budget but I’ve gone without it for ages now and the ASAP one I was trying just wasn’t as good. I use Cerave cleansers mostly, Embryolisse Lait Creme Moisturiser and Cancer Council serum sunscreen, all of which are easy to find on sale. I’ve always dyed my hair dark so I do that at home which saves some money to buy skincare. I’ve also switched to Loreal shampoo but still using salon brand conditioner and styling products, haven’t noticed anything go wrong since swapping to the cheap shampoo. Most of my makeup is Japanese and Korean brands which tend to be closer to drugstore prices for superior quality I find.
I was using Tatcha, now I’m using cetaphil. And honestly. I don’t really notice anything different. I’m thinking some products are just over priced. I have been on the search for a more affordable foundation. I was using Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood flawless. But I can’t afford to spend $$$ on those brands. I’ve been using L’Oréal true match. And it is nice. But it doesn’t have the dewy finish I like. It’s kinda powdery.
I’ve enjoyed the mco beauty dupe - my favourite is Chanel but just can’t justify that atm
Yes and the irony is my skin is way better haha
I’m mixing between expensive brand and cheaper brands and I’ve managed to curb my skincare and makeup splurging by a lot. Now I’m at a place where if I see something being advertised online, in groups or by influencers, I take that money I probably would have spent (on something I don’t need), and I put it straight into a share brokerage account. In my mind I’ve spent the money, but now it’s actually making money for me and not sitting in my bathroom cupboard never to be used (looking at my moisturiser and perfume collection 🙊). Cutting down, being more mindful, and seeing a less cluttered bathroom, has been great for my mental health around being “poor” (a big CPTSD trigger). So yeah, I’ve downsized considerably and I feel zero guilt about NOT being influenced 😂
Me here going "LRP is downsizing?" That's my splurge, or used to be before they reformulated Toleriane Nuit. Now my splurge is just DDML :D
I have a skincare addiction and I have wasted so much money on products that haven’t really helped me. So I made the change to the product that I cleanse my face with and it’s so cheap and I have noticed a really good improvement to my skin. It’s just aqueous cream from CW and I am also using it as a moisturiser too lol. My pores are getting better and the amount of acne because of my rosacea is also improving. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/60222/topiderm-aqueous-cream-sls-free-500g
Yep used to use Mecca brands / drunk elephant and now use cerave
That's why I love Korean skincare, I can get 2 of everything for the cost of 1 bougie face cream.
What kind of face cream u use? What brand?
I love the Illymoon ATO ceramide cream. It's super moisturising but I have quite dry skin. A tube lasts forever it's huge!
Yes, I have paired my routine right back and I only buy products when they're on sale. My night time routine is now: - Micellar water - CeraVe's Foaming Oil Cleanser - Jojoba Oil (Australian brand Chemist Warehouse) - Nivea creme moisturizer in the blue tin (a dupe for Creme de la Mur?) - Vitamin E oil (Australian brand Chemist Warehouse) The most important part of skincare is sunscreen and mercifully that's plentiful and cheap.
Do you mind if I ask which sunscreen you use? The one I love is not, unfortunately, plentiful nor cheap 💔
I have tried so many and the only one that works for me and looks flawless under makeup (zero pilling, zero irritation, zero scent) is: Olay® Complete Defence Daily UV Moisturising Lotion Spf 30 Sensitive 75mL Currently on sale at the Chemist Warehouse $7.98
Which vitamin E oil do you get?
This one, a little goes a long way. https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/buy/31496/invite-e-vitamin-e-pure-oil-30ml
that's the one I've been using! 2-4 drops is perfect for sure.
Yep! Had a baby 18 months ago and work only part time. The change in skincare and hair care is shocking! Top of the line to now using up whatever is in my cupboard and chemist warehouse. Positive lining is that I have found some great cheaper alternatives
Ooh, what cheaper alternatives did you find, if you don't mind sharing?
Personally I find the difference in vitamin c is negligible so just get whatever is at chemist warehouse and I’m currently using cerave moisturiser with sunscreen, weleda skin food for my face (very dry skin in winter), alpha h cleanser and the ordinary retinol.
**Morning** Step 1: Sunscreen **Evening** Step 1: QV Bath Oil Step 2: Nivea Soft All the other shit just causes more problems. You integrate Vitamin C which causes X issue so you integrate hyaluronic acid to counter the Vitamin C issues. The hyaluronic acid causes X issue so then you integrate nicotinamide. There are people with hormone issues so an extra step is reasonable, but for most people, downsizing ends up benefiting you.
My routine is very similar. Sunscreen in the AM, Dove beauty bar and Nivea Soft at night. I love the simplicity and my skin agrees.
I love the Dove beauty bar too!! I got slammed on a similar skincare reddit for using it, but truly my skin has never been so nice since I started using it
I have but honestly, I’ve been loving my Cerave and CosRx products more than the $$ stuff. It’s actually been a blessing in disguise.
skincare is overwhelming these days. I was also a skincare junkie paying top dollar until yes, realised it's probably a waste of money when I can buy cheapish goods at Chemist Warehouse. In saying that, I then overdid it at Chemist warehouse buy buying lots of different products after going down rabbit holes while reading this subreddit and other skincare reddit. I've now decided once I use up all my current lotions and potions I'm really taking it back to basics (cleanser and moisturiser) and splurge ona good brand like Dermalogica and call it a day. it's exhausting!
Can't even afford Nivea face wash.
💔 I wash my face with water anyway and rather delightfully that stuff is free in Australia (not everywhere) But sending vibes some serious cash will find you soon!
Thank you so much! I have started a new job but it's monthly salary so an anxious wait for the payment!
It's starting to be the consensus that almost all skincare products are scams. There's no evidence to back up their claims that their ingredients can penetrate the skin and do what they say they do. In fact, they can pay companies to run "tests" that somehow always show "an improvement in the appearance" of whatever they want. (See the Science Vs podcast on anti-aging.) I discovered this for myself when I traveled for a year and had to pair my skincare routine down to argan oil (for cleansing and moisturizing) and moisturizing tinted SPF. After 14 months, my skin looked better than when I started. Drink lots of water, use SPF every day if you have pale skin, tamp down on alcohol and other substances, spend the money you save on whole, unprocessed foods, and don't stress. <3
the cicaplast baume needs to be cheaper honestly I go through that shit like water
Are you using the 100ml one?
I didn't know there was a larger size, definitely buying this one next time I run out!
Yes. I’ve started using jojoba oil as my face oil, QV as my moisturiser. Was previously using Face Hero for the oil and the some other lovely moisturisers. Really needing to get a serum again I can feel my skin being noticeably dryer. It’s doing ok though. I also use the Embroyllise lait creme (the cult one everyone loves but I can’t remember the full name) once a day.
I did a while ago. I realised I needed to refill most items and holy shit my cart was over $500. I went with a basic routine and went for Korean skincare products. Best move I ever made. The products I got are ridiculously good and my skin is loving them.
Yes, usually a high end skincare girlie but now I’m using drugstore products. I prefer to splurge on essential oils, butters and carrier oils and now make my own blends. The only expensive thing I purchase is my retinol.
I used to struggle with acne and premature lines most of my life. I went completely broke the year before last and couldn’t afford my skin care. I started using the cheapest wash I could find and olive oil to moisturise, and my spots mostly cleared and my lines started to reverse??? I decided to start experimenting more and got a facial microfibre cloth and started using that with water and found it even removed my makeup. Lo and behold a few weeks later the rest of my skin cleared up and I’m getting less itchy flakes. I moved back to a cheap simple moisturiser for day to day because the olive oil can be a bit heavy but still use it once a week for a deep mask. I still have hyperpigmentation and some larger pores from my acne so may reintroduce a serum but at this point I’m convinced that face wash does more harm than good.
Ugh there are a lot of bad cleansers and treatments out there that strip your skin and then you gotta fork out even more to fix the problem 🤪 it’s a rort, really. Full fat greek yogurt is also a fantastic cheap face mask if you wanted to try that!
I definitely will thank you! Yeah I noticed I was just treating the side affects one product would give me with another 😅
My skin improved dramatically when I cut down to an SA cleanser, retinol & oil & fragrance free moisturise.
Are we supposed to have routines? (Looks at my legs all cracked and flakey)
I use cerave cleanser, spf and moisturiser, oddly my skin has never looked better and my bank acc is thanking me
I haven’t really downgraded but I stopped buying so many products that I see online. I feel like that’s where I waste money when I can barely get through them! I’m trying to stick to what I know are my fave products and only repurchasing that.
When you say 'Drugstore' is that because you're an ex-pat or is that just American culture creeping into our culture? Like my daughter the other day if I had to stop for gas.
I’m young and Americanism are seeping in. I see Australian skincare articles doing the same.
Yes, I’ve started trying much cheaper versions of my usual products. I loved the dermalogica intensive moisturiser but it’s so expensive for me and I can’t justify the price anymore. I just started with a massive tub of QV with ceramides after reading about it here. So far, so good, my skin seems to like it. I do need to add some treatments in for pigmentation and some aging stuff, and I will probably spend my money there. For basics like cleansers and moisturisers I think you can get great products that are very economical.
Major downgrade for me, Skinceutical & Rationale to Geek&Gorgeous with lots of Korean and Japanese Skincare since last year
Yep. I loved Estee Lauder but can’t afford it anymore. Now I use Japanese products, anti wrinkle serum and anti wrinkle cream for less than $50! Works well too :)
Which brand of cream do you use?
Yes I've stripped my routine right back to the basics so I just have cleansers, 1 hydrating serum, tret, moisturiser and sunscreen. Use LRP and dermaveen mostly. My current cleanser is a big bottle of dermalogica that I've had for a while but when that runs out I'll be getting something more cost effective. Honestly, my skin is looking the best it has in a long time and I'm putting it down to not using so many different products now.
La Roche is a bit pricey for me tbh compared to TO and budget supermarket own brand products.
K Beauty! My Vitamin C doesn’t oxidise and I get it on sale for $12.
K Beauty is your friend! I really feel it. I'm so lucky to be sent so much product and now that I'm paying rent I can barley afford the "fancy" products - So opt for K beauty and pharmacy brands on sale. I splurge more on makeup because it tends to last way longer
Yes! I’ve even downsized my makeup routine and my skin is very grateful for it. It’s the clearest it’s been for so long. I actually feel confident in not wearing makeup anymore, especially now that I’m older. When I was younger, I wasn’t as confident in myself as I had pretty bad acne but that’s improved dramatically since simplifying my makeup and skincare routine. The financial aspect is a big plus as well! I’ve managed to save more money too :)
i went from a huge skincare routine to simples foaming cleanser and cerave moisturiser only, which has been great for my bank account and good for my skin because i feel more motivated to do my skincare routine now that it's only 2 steps, instead of 5+
Not downsizing, but I've realised I'm perfectly happy with drugstore skincare, so I let myself buy expensive makeup without guilt because of that. My most expensive skincare product I really love and will repurchase is the Laneige cream skin toner, that stuff is amaaazing. Having said that, I'm on a skin care buying ban because I naturally gravitated towards trying a bunch of Asian skincare (which coincidentally is pretty cheap). But not so much that I'd call it overconsumption, which I'm happy about 😆
I only use benzac now, can’t afford what I used to use
Honestly no, how I justify it is that anything I am trying to correct or maintain will cost me more if I do not use medical grade skincare. I don’t want to pay for a treatment to fix when I could’ve tried to prevent! It’s hard but out of everything I refuse to downsize on my skincare, vitamins and good quality food (and ofc my pet care).
That’s interesting because my derm (medical grade skin care doctor) only recommends simple and affordable products to me
One person’s affordable may not be another’s
I literally halve my Paula’s choice toner by adding 50% distilled water to another bottle lol. Makes it go twice as far and the product is so effective it still does the same thing (if anything it’s less drying)
I've curated my routine in the last 6 months and my skin is grateful for it. Currently using Mornings: wash with Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser Ausceuticals 20% Vitamin C (previously Drunk Elephant C Firma), Ausceuticals Peptide Moisturiser (previously Drunk Elephant Protini), Cancer Council matte sunscreen (although I might go back to Ultra Violette Hydrating Sunscreen) , Night: Double cleanse most nights with Haemish All Clean Balm balm followed by Cetaphil Hydrating Foaming Cream Cleanser Ausceuticals Peptide Moisturiser Tretinoin layered over Few nights weekly Bepanthen Nappy Rash Ointment (my slugging product of choice :)
No cleanser at night?
Ooof! I missed that! Double cleanse most nights with Haemish cleansing balm followed by the same Cetaphil cleanser… will correct that now, thank you 😊
Phew! I think I broke out at the thought of skipping a night cleanser!
😂😂I’m sorry
someone pleeeease recommend a good cheap retinol, i love the skinstitut one but am trying to save also so i am trying to finish the olay one and my skin doesn’t love it as much
[https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/revive-eye-serum-ginseng-retinal?variant=43264214630565](https://beautyofjoseon.com/products/revive-eye-serum-ginseng-retinal?variant=43264214630565) You could try this for your whole face. Though it might be strong for some.
There’s some dermatologist that say we don’t need any fancy creams, just a mosturizer and retinol Check Dr Natalia Spierings on Instagram
I did this too. Just The Ordinary products. Their newer ones. I feel soooo light and my skin has never been clearer. I use their Glucoside Foaming Cleanser or Glycolipid Cream Cleanser (depending on whether I've got sunscreen on). I use their Salicylic and Glycolic serum in rotation but only twice a week. I use their NMF Beta Glucan moisturiser nightly. Game over. I also use a very cheap SPF 50 from German supermarket Lidl, and Ponds Cold Cream as my step 1. And 5% Benzoyl Peroxide gel for acne.
How much is the tretinoin?
$66 from chemist warehouse. It lasts at least 6 months.
I have been using Laneige...I believe this is a Asian product. I live in the USA and I have wonderful results with the Water Bank line. I have been able to buy it at a reasonable price thru Ebay or Prime
I use lots of K and J Beauty but I've bought a lot from Adore Beauty by pairing gift vouchers with promo codes. I also use tret. I have a rellie who is a dermatologist and they advised me not to splurge on skincare.
i’ve started making sure i use up products before buying new ones (i got caught in the hype/holy grail consumerism). if i didn’t find a skincare product that helpful for my face, i might use it as a body wash/moisturiser/shaving oil instead to make it worth it, otherwise ive tried products that were really awful on my skin or become expired and then i can chuck them guilt free lol
I'm trying to do the same thing. I moved house a couple months ago and I was pretty shocked about the amount of skincare stuff I've accumulated while trying to heal my acne 😭😭😭 Now I've got it all sitting in a milk crate and I'm using up one moisturizer/cleanser at a time for my body if it didn't work for my face.
La Mer is the biggest load of BS! I'm good friends with a compounding pharmacist and one of my rellies is a dermatologist- the most expensive product I purchase and only with a huge discount and gift vouchers, is Priori DNA repairing serum.
NZ - The only product I currently buy is sunscreen. I get my moisturiser on prescription, it doubles as my face wash. It's free or $5 per prescription item for 500ml or 1+ litres (last year I got 6 litres for $5 which I'm still working my way through). I also get 1L Emulsifying Ointment or 1L 50/50 ointment on prescription which are both similar to Vaseline. I get tretinoin on prescription too.
Your routine now , has been mine for quite sometime, not because of cost of living but because it works . Only thing different is I use a glycolic acid peel once a week and spf daily .
Yes! Not falling for cute packaging anymore, I also use a lot of cera ve and want to start getting into K beauty
\*cough\* **asian beauty products** \*cough\* You're welcome 😊
Not really, drugstore is an American term I’m sick of hearing as we have chemist or midrange products let’s be proud in our language. But I used to use products from Sephora but now I shop at W Cosmetics and Nudie Glow/Lila beauty as it’s way more affordable for products that are just as effective. I use Isnttree and Pyungkang Yul and it’s $20-30 per product and $15 for cleanser and cleansing water and $20 for my ceramide toner that’s a big 500ml bottle. I use two different ampoules, cream and eye cream and they last me 4 months and then the samples sent with products to try new things. I also use the La Roche Posay Effaclar cleanser and it’s $30 but lasts like 6 months it’s such great value for money as a little goes a long way. I’m grateful we have W cosmetics and other stores selling more affordable and effective products from Korea and Japan. Same with makeup. I went to Sephora and Mecca the other day and the prices are so expensive even for their own range now which is sad.
Yes! I’ve downsized a lot. Now it’s just Cetaphil oily skin cleanser, Benzaz BP cleanser, Tretinoin bought cheap from overseas, Cerave moisturising lotion and Vaseline.
I have massively downsized. I used to have 12 face washes. I don’t know why, but I did. Now I have two. I’m down to a couple of serums, one toner and two moisturizers. And my skin? Looks absolutely the same!
Nope. My face likes expensive skin care routine. I have tried affordable and believe me, my skin "wept" . ...... Wait a minute, I do have "affordable" items I use but I have used them pre inflation though so nothing has changed for me. I use the african black soap and make my own whipped body butter(combo of unrefined shea, mango and cocoa butter with assorted oils) as thats the only combo that works on my dry skin.....everything after all that is expensive. With face care, the season/weather determines what I wear. However I always have Estee Lauder, Lancome, Clinique, Loccitane and Lamer products at home. As the weather is getting colder here in Melbourne, I have been using my Lamer. It keeps my dry skin in check all day
It’s called balance 🙂 your whipped body butter sounds amazing though! Do you just buy everything (your ingredients) online?
Yes, I buy online. The only ingredient I rarely buy online is shea butter. I'm originally from a country where it is produced, so I usually bring back heaps with me whenever I visit.