Skincare 101: What Products To Save On And The Ones Worth The Investment

A wise woman once said, ‘ You can never have enough skincare’. Or ‘You can never spend too much on skincare’. We are blurry on the details. Also because the wise woman in question is me and like Chandler, I am better off giving a sarcastic comment than offering advice. But hey, you do see the merit of what I said, right? That good skincare would need you to commit and not just with time, with money as well.

And while you are up to spending money to make your skin glow and be all radiant, we all have a budget and bills to pay. How do you know what skincare products you should splurge on and which ones you could be a scrooge with? We could help you out here. Here are the skincare products you should go all out with and the ones you could save on.

Cleanser

Verdict: Save!

Even the most basic girl, the one who shuns most things skincare, has a cleanser in her beauty cabinet. And this is something that you don’t need to drop a pretty penny on. Given that a cleanser will be swishing around your face for not more than 30 seconds (maybe more if you are particularly dedicated!), so it’s okay if you don’t want to spend too much on it. This one is a save.

Plum Green Tea Alcohol-Free Toner (Rs 390)

Toner

Verdict: Both!

It may sound like we are sitting on the fence here, it’s because we are. A toner should be alcohol-free, a feature which may drive up the cost of the product. This is because alcohol can be drying for the skin, not something that’s great. However, a toner, like the cleanser, won’t be adhering to you skin, so buy a good one, but don’t spend all your money on it.

Moisturiser

Verdict: Splurge!

This is a product that’s going to be on your skin, potentially the first layer of hydration and protection you are going to give it. You want to really put in the money here. A small tub will probably last you a while, so think of this is a long-term investment. Moisturiser definitely needs your monies and this is well spent.

Innisfree Perfect UV Protection Essence Water Base SPF50+ PA+++ (Rs 950)

Sunscreen

Verdict: Save!

If we apply the same theory to sunscreen that we do to moisturiser, that it’s going to be on all day, you’d gather that this one is a splurge. But honestly, sun protection is what you are looking for and even a Rs.100 sunscreen might be able to offer it. What you are really looking for is that it doesn’t leave a greasy film on your face or a white cast. If it does none of this, you are golden.

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (Rs 3650)

Serum

Verdict: Splurge!

This is the one product doing most of the heavy lifting, it’s got to be the serum. A night serum helps repair the skin, improve cell production and could help you wake up looking a couple of decades younger. We suggest going all out with this one and getting a serum that comes with the works.