I Spend $275 a Month on Skincare—But These New Under-$20 Products Are Amazing

I wouldn’t call myself incredibly extravagant when it comes to my purchases, but I do have a weakness for the odd luxury. Currently, these consist of weekly blow drys at the Drybar, buying one too many Reformation dresses, and $19 Martinis at Sunset Tower Hotel. But I’ve noticed a grand portion of my paycheck disappears on luxury skincare. What can I say? I have a soft spot for $325 La Mer Soft Cream, $215 La Mer Eye Cream, $80 Eve Lom Cleanser, and $160 Dr. Barbara Sturm Face Masks. All of which strip my wallet of approximately $275 a month when I calculate how often I replenish them. (That’s $3300 a year—a business class ticket to Paris when you think of it that way.) Insert shocked face emoji here.

Curious to see if I could curb my luxury skincare kick for at least a few months (and save some major dollars for that getaway to Paris), I put Versed, our new sister skincare brand, to the test. The whole skincare range at Versed clocks in at under $20, is available to buy at Target, and prides itself on its clean, uncomplicated ingredients, and sustainably sourced, nontoxic, results-driven items—including cleansers, moisturizers, eyes creams, and oils to serums, peels, masks, and spot treatments. The cool packaging looks way more expensive than its price tag and is practically made for Instagram.

I tried and tested a selection of products catered to my dry skin. Scroll below for my thoughts and my favorites that I’m now using on repeat. (Perhaps that business class trip to Paris is closer than I think.)

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(Image credit: @joiedejude)

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(Image credit: @joiedejude)

Hydration Station Booster with HA

Look Alive Hydrating Plumping Mask

Just Breathe Clarifying Serum

Wash It Out Gel Cleanser

Vacation Eyes Brightening Eye Gel

Up next, our editors share their #1 beauty splurge that's actually worth it.

Judith Jones
Senior Fashion Market Editor

Judith is the senior fashion market editor at Who What Wear and has worked in fashion for nearly a decade. Judith started on the Shop Who What Wear team, creating content and managing a team of merchandisers for the Who What Wear shopping app. She later crossed over to the editorial team, where she shares the coolest, most desirable fashion market finds and brands in her shopping-focused stories and social takeovers. She has become one of the top affiliate earners during her six plus years at Who What Wear. Before working in fashion, Judith was a TV host on the PBS travel show Globe Trekker (airing on Netflix and Amazon Prime) and shared her passion for travel and food. She studied at the prestigious London Academy of Dramatic Arts as well as Stella Adler Studio of Acting in New York. She later studied fashion merchandising and design, which laid the foundation for her career in fashion.


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