3 Budgets, 3 Smart Skincare Routines Broken Down by Cost Per Wear

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(Image credit: @lovlaej)

We get it. Skincare—and the process of creating your own unique routine—is daunting. Not only are there what seems like a gazillion products to choose from, but there are also other important factors to take into account as you surf the aisles of your favorite beauty retailer or the galactic depths of the internet (Godspeed). Of course, there are obvious considerations like your skin type and skin goals, and then there are more intimidating considerations like cost and budget. Sure, a $200 serum or moisturizer is tantalizing, but can you actually afford it? More importantly, do you actually need it in order to whip your skin into its firmest and most glowing shape? Probably not.

Since it's part of our job to scout, test, and retain knowledge of all the best skincare products out there—the affordable and the expensive alike—we know it's 100% possible to spend as little as $60 every couple months on your skincare routine and upward of, um, $1000. We also know you can reap amazing benefits with either spending strategy. Of course, we're not dermatologists (nor are we pretending to be), and it's important to know that every individual has unique skin needs that depend on skin type and other potential conditions like acne, psoriasis, and eczema. However, we thought it might prove helpful to communicate that it's totally possible to equip yourself with an A+ skincare routine regardless of your budget.

Ahead, we've created three fairly basic skincare routines (all centered around relatively normal skin types) featuring the must-have products and price tags both your skin and budget will thank you for. Obviously, you might need to swap or add here and there depending on your skin concerns, but here's to getting your shopping list started in the right direction. Plus, most of the brands we feature for each product will have roughly the same pricing regardless of the particular serum, cream, or cleanser you choose, so use this as a template and then adjust formulas as needed. Ahead, three budgets and three smart skincare routines broken down by cost per wear. We're guesstimating you'll need to replenish your stock every month or two, especially since you'll be using some products both morning and night, so we've decided to divide the price of each product by 31 to keep things consistent.

Keep scrolling! The 18 best skincare products for every budget await.

Step 1: Cleanser

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Step 2: Toner

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Step 3: SPF (for Morning)

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Step 4: Specialty Serum (for Evening) 

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Step 5: Moisturizer (for Evening) 

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Step 6: Your Fun Add-On

Save: $

Spend: $$

Splurge: $$$

Beauty Director

Erin has been writing a mix of beauty and wellness content for Who What Wear for over four years. Prior to that, she spent two and half years writing for Byrdie. She now calls Santa Monica home but grew up in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and studied writing, rhetoric, and communication at University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. She studied abroad in Galway, Ireland, and spent a summer in L.A. interning with the Byrdie and Who What Wear family. After graduating from UW, she spent one year in San Francisco, where she worked as a writer for Pottery Barn Kids and PBteen before moving down to L.A. to begin her career as a beauty editor. She considers her day-to-day beauty aesthetic very low-maintenance and relies on staples like clear brow serum (from Kimiko!), Lawless's Lip Plumping Mask in Cherry Vanilla, and an eyelash curler. For special occasions or days when she's taking more meetings or has an event, she'll wear anything and everything from Charlotte Tilbury (the foundations are game-changing), some shimmer on her lids (Stila and Róen do it best), and a few coats of the best mascara-type product on earth, Surratt's Noir Lash Tint.