My current affordable skincare must-haves

by | Apr 17, 2017 | Products

Affordable skin care products that work is not a myth. You can enjoy great skin using products that won’t break the bank. About two and a half years ago, I started to experience severe breakouts on my face. These breakouts, I realised were caused by my diet, too much sugar in the form of chocolates, ice-cream and biscuits. Not wanting to cut these things from my diet, I realised I needed to up my skincare game and so, I did.

I started by first going back on the contraceptive pill which because of the hormones in it, helps to combat acne.  I noticed significant improvements, I then went on Clinique 3 Step Skin Care System and even started using the Clinique Anti-Blemish Solutions foundation. While this worked for me for two years, it hasn’t been very kind to my pocket. Granted, your skin is something you shouldn’t be frugal on, and Clinique is technically in the mid-range category and not so pricey in comparison to other skin care products but hey, a girl’s gotta do what she’s gotta do.

My current skincare products are not only affordable but they work too!

Here are my current skincare must-haves:

  1. Garnier Pure Active 3 in 1, R102 at Clicks

    This is no ordinary face wash,  it can be used not just as a wash but also as an exfoliator and a mask. This product is not new and I used it for the first time about two years ago. It worked for my skin then but I could never find it each time I went back to Clicks which was where I originally discovered it. So, when I saw it recently, I knew I had to grab it.

    The Garnier PureActive 3 in 1 has a light and creamy texture and the micro blue particles are what makes it a scrub. I use it daily as a wash, once a week as a scrub, and biweekly as a mask. My face feels smooth and radiant after the mask process which I leave on for about 10 minutes. Because it has menthol, you have to be careful and make sure you wash your face completely free of the product otherwise it’ll make your eyes water. Once the product is washed off your face, your face is left feeling clean and refreshed.

  2. Clean and Clear Black Head Clearing Cleanser, R49.95 at Clicks

    A part of my teenage years was spent in the United States and I remember watching the Clean and Clear ads on television. The slogan was “clean and clear and under control”, so I guess when I went shopping for a cleanser and I couldn’t find a Garnier cleanser, I went with what I was familiar with from my childhood.

    For someone prone to an oily face, I was sold when I read the prominent words,  ‘oil-free’ on the bottle. This cleanser removes dirt and impurities from your face after washing. I don’t suffer from blackheads but it helps to clean the impurities like dirt and oil which is good enough for me. The only thing I don’t like about this product is that it has alcohol, something I didn’t bother to find out about before I purchased the cleanser. Alcohol-free products are gentler and better for the overall health of your skin.

3. Garnier Micellar Oil-infused Cleansing Water. R84. 95 at Clicks

As someone who wears makeup regularly, I need something to remove my makeup before I go to bed at night. Washing your face is not enough to get rid it of the makeup and I find that there are sometimes makeup stains on my towel when I wash without pre-cleansing or wiping. Prior to my discovery of Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, I would get away with just using face wipes or baby wipes but since I discovered the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water I’ve been faithful to the brand because it isn’t just very affordable but it is also effective. I’ve used the cleansing water for combination to oily and sensitive skin. It lasts and is very gentle on the skin.

When they launched the oil-infused cleansing water, I was very slow to purchase it and by the time I was ready, it was sold out. I finally managed to get my hands on this cleansing water almost two months ago and I am so glad for it. Although it is for dry and sensitive skin which I do not have, I am especially looking forward to using it in the cold winter months.

The oil-infused cleansing water has a delicious scent which makes me want to rub it all over my body, I just might some day. I use the cleansing water with baby wipes – about three to four wipes – depending on how heavy my makeup is. My face feels soft and moist but not oily after my cleanse. They say it can go for 200 uses and I can’t refute the claim because I’ve known the Garnier cleansing water to last a very long time, a bottle lasts me months. Absolutely love this product because it is so gentle and you can use it to wipe your eye and mouth makeup too. The only thing to note is if you’re sensitive to scent, perhaps do a tester or go for one of the other types of cleansing water that is more suitable for sensitive skin.

Those are my current affordable skincare products. They work and the three together are just under R400. I would totally recommend them to anyone with oily skin that may be looking to save some bucks.

Are there any affordable skincare products for oily skin that you’ve used that’s changed your life? Let me know in the comment box below. 😉