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4 hours ago
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As a beauty editor who covers skin care for women over 40, I spend the majority of my work day testing and writing about anti-aging products. It's my job, of course, but at 52, I'm also personally invested in this work, genuinely interested in uncovering the serums, lotions and at-home devices that can help improve the appearance of ever-increasing lines, bags, spots and droops that come with my many alive years. When I'm testing a new product, I never expect miracles, but I do want to see some kind of result. Which is why I'm so often discouraged to the point of enraged when 90% of what I try has absolutely zero effect on my wizened visage. All too often, "firming" neck creams don't firm, wrinkle-smoothing serums do little more than pill on my skin and, please, do not get me started on the brown-spot-lightening "soaps" that achieve nothing more than suds. The infuriating uselessness of these products goes double for the expensive stuff — I've found high-priced, buzzy brands are rarely superior to the drugstore stalwarts your mom used for years, even if their false-promise marketing often is.
On only the rarest of occasions (which I'll get to below) will I recommend or shell out cash for expensive skin care, no matter how much it's pushed on me by Instagram. It's not that I don't prioritize taking care of my skin — I do — but I'm confident that I can find quality budget alternatives that work just as well as the luxury potions influencers recommend. In the spirit of public service (and to help everyone avoid getting ripped off!), I reached out to two top-of-their-game dermatologists to put this affordable skin care theory to the test. While they agreed that most beauty basics can be acquired for a song, there are a few important cases where you may want to justify a splurge. Here's what the skin pros had to say.
Is expensive skin care worth the cost? Or can I get an effective result with more budget-friendly brands?
"You absolutely do not have to overspend to get effective skin care," explains Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, a cosmetic and medical dermatologist in Newport Beach, CA. "What matters most is choosing products with the right active ingredients in stable, well-formulated vehicles — and products that are well suited to your skin." Murphy-Rose says there are loads of truly stellar skin care brands at accessible price points and what's actually more important is, "building a consistent, sustainable routine you’ll stick with that won’t break the bank."
What should I look for in budget skin care?
Ingredients
"Choose well-studied ingredients that are known to work well for your treatment goal," says Murphy-Rose. "Remember, you don’t need a ton of ingredients or the next exciting technology to get great skin care results."
In terms of precise ingredients, most dermatologists agree that, depending on your specific concerns and level of skin sensitivity, a quality anti-aging routine over 40 usually includes at least some of the following: vitamin C for clarifying skin tone and brightness, retinol for collagen building and a potent daily sunscreen.
"For certain ingredients (like vitamin C), packaging that protects against oxidation is critical. Opaque, airless packaging will prolong the potency of a product's contents so that you’re getting the most bang for your buck before it's used up," says Murphy-Rose.
Safety
"Safety is the number one priority, so always look for products that are safe for your skin," says board-certified dermatologist Dr. Dara Spearman. "Obviously, the goal is to improve the skin, not make it worse with irritating products simply because they are at a lower price point."
In terms of finding safe, affordable formulas, seek out dermatologist-tested brands (like those below) and, when trying a new product on your skin, always do an initial patch test on a small area before going all in.
Potency and effectiveness
Skin care ingredients are ordered by concentration — with the most potent listed first. Read labels and, for best results, choose products where you find the hero ingredient in the first 5 or — for actives like retinol, which are effective in lower doses — the first 10.
"You want to look for budget-friendly products that don't skimp on the effectiveness of ingredients just to make it less expensive," Spearman says.
What's a quality skin care routine for someone who's over 40 and also on a budget?
"A thoughtful, budget-friendly routine for someone in their 40s or beyond should focus on protecting collagen, hydrating deeply and supporting cell turnover — as well as continuing excellent sun protection," says Murphy-Rose. What that means in regular people words: Stimulate collagen production with retinoids, peptides and/or vitamin C; find an effective moisturizer that works for your skin type; exfoliate a few times a week and slather on the SPF every day.
"I would stick to the foundational basics of cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen," echoes Spearman. "Over the age of 40, I would also consider retinol and/or vitamin C if you can tolerate them."
Another trick for saving money on skin care? "Combining products for double duty can be more cost-effective. For example, finding a good moisturizer with SPF means one less additional product," Spearman suggests. "You really just want to find a minimalist routine that works well for you — it's better to adhere to a plan with 3-4 products instead of brand hopping in hopes of finding something less expensive or 'better.'" And, remember: "Most routines take time and consistency to reap the benefits," she says.
Both Spearman and Murphy-Rose recommend the entire line of products from French pharmacy line La Roche-Posay, including this popular face wash.
"There's no need to splurge on cleansers," says Murphy-Rose."Choose one that you love using and that cleans well without stripping."
This silky cleanser fits that bill: It’s non-irritating and soap-free which means it will gently remove dirt, makeup and impurities without stripping an older face of much-needed moisture. Plus, it has even more to keep things hydrated: ceramides, niacinamide, glycerin and prebiotic thermal water. With over 30,000 five-star reviews, this face wash has become a holy grail for many. It’s gentle and fragrance-free, yet effective enough for sensitive skin.
Retinol is one of the few skin care ingredients clinically proven to prevent and soften wrinkles, but it can be a bit harsh on your skin, especially at the start. This gentle, beginner's retinol cream was formulated by a team of scientists in Philadelphia with retinol and bakuchiol, both ingredients that help increase collagen production, though bakuchiol has fewer side effects and tends to be less irritating. They work well together really well. In fact, research shows that bakuchiol can enhance the effectiveness of retinol while helping stabilize it.
At a .1% retinol concentration, and with the addition of high-quality skin-nourishing ingredients like grape-seed oil, this affordable cream is an ideal skin-firming agent, and it's an especially good entry point for retinoid newbies.
For a long time, there was only one vitamin C serum that most experts could agree was worth recommending — the cult-favorite C E Ferulic from SkinCeuticals ($182), which boasted such famous skin-brightening qualities that it was independently studied in labs worldwide. But the patent on Skinceuticals' formula expired in March, clearing the path for much less expensive swaps, like this one from Dr. Brenner, which utilizes L-ascorbic acid, ferulic acid and vitamin E just like the Skinceuticals original. With the addition of calming and hydrating hyaluronic acid, Dr. Brenner's serum is less irritating to the skin and — for my money — lends much more value, especially for the cost.
Naturium's cream is a gorgeous 2-in-1 product that will make even the dullest, deadest-looking skin appear glowing and perked-up. It's non-sticky, absorbs quickly, doesn't pill and lends a healthy sheen all while protecting your skin with some of the most potent sun protection on the market.
Peptides have been clinically proven to help with cell turnover, to build new collagen and are among the most potent skin-care ingredients you can find.
"A must have," raves one 5-star reviewer of this peptide serum from The Inkey List, which is formulated to help skin appear plumper and firmer and reduce the appearance wrinkles. "This is a game changer at an affordable price — the collagen makes my face more supple, absorbs quickly, hydrates and has no smell — don't let the size fool you one drop covers your face!"
Studies show that prolonged, unprotected exposure to the sun can not only increase one's risk of skin cancer but also significantly increase the signs of aging. This powerful mineral sunscreen has been recommended to me by several dermatologists. It comes in three lightly-tinted flexible shades, which means no white cast and — depending on your skin clarity and tone — perhaps no makeup, too. Murphy-Rose suggests trying multiple mineral sunscreens until you find the right one for you: "You want to choose one with a texture you’ll love wearing every single day."
While not exactly cheap, these toner pads work triple duty cleansing, de-clogging pores and exfoliating and promoting skin cell turnover. "Skincare Junkie’s Pore Therapy Daily Toner Pads are a budget-friendly way to incorporate salicylic acid into your routine and gentle daily exfoliation will remove dullness and discoloration from your skin," says Murphy-Rose. "These are dermatologist-formulated, effective for keeping pores clear and much less expensive than many prestige acid toners."
"I like Maelove for moderately priced but effective products," says Spearman.
What makes Maelove's retinoid special is it's actually made with retinaldehyde (also known as retinal, with an "a"), which is the strongest retinoid you can buy over the counter. And at .11% retinal concentration, this balanced, award-winning serum is 10 times more potent than retinol (with an "o"), so it delivers prescription-level skin-firming and smoothing but without the harshness or breaking-in period.
When is it worth it to splurge on skin care?
"Some skin care categories do justify the higher price tag," says Murphy-Rose. "Growth factor serums, advanced peptides and certain cutting edge delivery systems are simply more costly to produce, so you’ll rarely find them in inexpensive formulas."
Below, three products that, though ridiculously pricey, we've tested and found actually (sadly?) live up to the hype.
This award-winning serum is an excellent foil for dark spots and melasma as it contains a malassezin, a powerful antioxidant that targets pigmentation, as well as niacinamide to help even skin tone.
My colleague Marie Lodi credits it with fading hyperpigmentation on her cheeks earlier this year and it was even used on the set of the most recent season of The White Lotus to keep the actors’ skin from developing further damage in the hot Thailand sun.
For the unfamiliar, growth factors are proteins that communicate to different cells in the human body. They’re famous for their wound-healing powers, but they can also stimulate collagen and improve hydration, elasticity and firmness — all things beneficial to over-40 skin.
World-renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Jason Diamond created this at-home version of his famous $4,000 Instafacial. The red-hued serum is chock-full of growth factors and peptides and, over time, is meant to mimic the results of his in-office treatment, resulting in glowing, smooth and youthful-looking skin.
Like Murphy-Rose said, growth factor products aren’t cheap, and this one is definitely a splurge, but they can be incredibly effective at improving the appearance of lax, crepey or lined skin.
While I hate spending big money on beauty purchases, LED masks are one catagory where investing is a must. Here's why: Cheaper, unregulated devices can both expose you to harmful chemicals like lead and potential burns due to faulty wiring.
That said, the CurrentBody LED face mask is among the best I've tested for a multitude of reasons. For one, it's powerful, with 132 bulbs (30% more than many popular masks) that deliver both red and near-infrared light, enabling it to penetrate deeper layers of the skin. This mask is FDA-approved. It's also clinically proven to significantly reduce wrinkles in 28 days. Additionally, it's more comfortable than many I've tried, made of a smooth, highly flexible silicone that's easy to use and clean.
Note: Not everyone is a candidate for LED therapy — for example, people with photosensitivity should avoid these devices, as should those with specific diseases like lupus and those taking certain medications. It's a good idea to consult with a dermatologist before purchasing and trying any LED mask, including CurrentBody's.
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