My Under 50€ Updated Skin Care Routine

A while ago, I showed you guys a skincare routine I was starting.

Unfortunately, I didn’t stick with it as long as I would have liked, because I got caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life and forgot the important things. It happens. We moved apartments and some of my products ran out, and before I knew it I was back to using just regular facewash and body lotion as my face moisturizer.

This time I’m doing things differently. I’m starting off with a simpler routine and building up as the habit sticks. Budget is also a big factor: I can’t afford to splurge a lot of money on skincare and not use it.

Let’s review my goals first:

So let’s review my goals first shall we?

1. Texture – obviously I got a lot more texture over the months when I stopped exfoliating properly. And on the days I was exfoliating I wasn’t wearing sunscreen so that further aggravated my skin.
2. Reduce pores visibility – look, I know this is technically not possible, but I can try okay?

Now that we have the basics covered let’s move to what I’ll be using.

1. Cleanser – I chose the Cerave foaming cleanser. So far I love this cleanser. All I need is a small pump to get a tiny sized amount and that’s more than enough to wash my entire face. It also takes care of any residue makeup I might have after removing it. I would seriously give this cleanser a 10/10. Plus is comes only at a whopping price of 8,19€.
2. Toner – since my budget is limited and have no room to buy a separate exfoliating serum, I chose to buy an exfoliating toner. And no, I won’t be using it everyday. For now, I use it every Monday but perhaps I will increase the number of times I use it later. I am using the Inkey List Glycolic Acid Toner for 9,95€. It’s an AHA and will improve the texture of my skin. Later on, I will also add a hydrating toner to my routine.
3. Niacinamide – I love this product and I promise it delivers! My life hasn’t been the same ever since I used this product. It does the job of removing texture and minimizing pores so well. I love how lightweight it is and I noticed that they have improved the formula because it is less slimy and doesn’t have that slight smell like before. If you don’t have this, run don’t walk! I am using the Ordinary Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1% for 7,14€.
4. Moisturizer – this time I chose the Ordinary Hydrators and Oils for 8,04€. I love how lightweight is and it leaves my skin feeling moisturized. Previously I used a moisturizer from Avène which is 5 times more expensive and yet my skin felt like it was still dry after applying. Proof that sometimes, prices isn’t everything.
5. Sunscreen – Nivea Sun LSF 50 for 16,99€. This is a mental note to self not to buy this cream again. Whilst I appreciate that it is creamy, leaves my skin feeling moisturized and is absorbed by my skin pretty fast, it does tend to cause me to become oily. I also noticed that when I apply it around my eyes, it causes them to hurt.
6. Retinol – perhaps the most controversial product on my routine. I told a friend recently that I was using retinol and she was like, “Girl, you ain’t that old to need retinol.” Look I am no skincare expert, but according to my research it is perfectly okay for a 25 year old to use retinol in their routine. Just a deep dive into retinol: it is a derivative of vitamin A is one of the few skincare ingredients clinically proven to reduce wrinkles among other benefits like unclogging pores and reducing dark spots. I don’t know about you, but that sounds like something pretty good for my skin. I am using the one from the Ordinary for 6,96€.

So the total of my skincare comes in at a total of 57,27€. Perhaps I’ll add some K-beauty products later but for now I’m going for effectiveness and not luxury.

This skincare routine is a great way to get started with optimizing your skin health. If you want to look for a skincare routine that works for you, try this one out and see how it works. This routine is specifically optimized to reduce texture and minimize the visibility of pores, while being budget-friendly and effective. So, if you’re looking for a skincare routine that will help you achieve your skin goals, then this is the perfect one for you.