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1. A La Roche-Posay foaming facial cleanser so a) you get quite the bang for your buck (just look at the size of that bottle!) and b) you can wash off all your makeup, remove excess oil, and end the day with a fresh face in a few minutes flat. It's extra gentle, yet super effective!
2. A pack of Rael pimple patches for healing breakouts FAST without causing scarring (or letting you pick). They're gentler than acne cream, speed up recovery to practically overnight, and do all the ~heavy lifting~ for you. Pimples will no longer have a chance to leave their mark.
3. Or! A set of Avarelle acne cover patches to tackle every single breakout that dares to challenge your complexion. They're powered by tea tree oil and calendula oil (all of which are gentle on sensitive skin) to reduce inflammation and absorb pus ASAP. *And* extra-large patches are included for when you need defeat multiple pimples at once.
4. A Nooni foaming cleanser, because this'll make your daily skincare routine feel a little more rich when adding it to your usual face wash. How? It transforms regular ol' cleansers into a *fluffy marshmallow texture*. Talk about cloud nine.
5. A bottle of Teddie Organics rose water toner spray that'll let you treat your acne on-the-go and tell redness and oily T-zones to take a hike. You just have to spritz. Not to mention it has a heavenly 🌹rose scent 🌹.
6. An Inkey List caffeine eye cream so you can send puffy, dark under-eyes a super strong ~wake-up call~ . It's hydrating, lightweight, and will definitely erase any evidence of reading GoT theories at 1 a.m. It even creates a smooth canvas for makeup!
7. A bottle of tea tree oil for ensuring acne, redness, and uneven skin tones are effectively treated before they even BEGIN to think about diminishing our ✨natural glow✨. Nothing should stand in our way.
8. A CosRX gel facial cleanser that'll start your mornings off with some *perks* by combining tea tree oil and natural BHA to shrink pores and improve your complexion's evenness. Essentially, it tells harsher cleansers to clear out in the name of gentle treatment and fast results.
9. A Yes To charcoal scrub and cleanser stick, because this'll help you wish pimples adieu with just a flick of your wrist. It uses charcoal, moisturizing avocado, and coconut oil to gently exfoliate your way back to clear skin *and* no more excess oil.
10. A set of Cosrx one-step toner pads that'll calm redness once and for all after merely a swipe. Its combo of green tea and witch hazel minimize pores, decrease excess oil, and soothe both redness and dehydration. Color. Me. IMPRESSED.
11. A bottle of Foxbrim orange blossom toner so you can treat oily complexions and enlarged pores ~head on~ by balancing your pH levels and providing the level of hydration your skin needs.
12. A retinol serum (a fancy name for vitamin A) for balancing your complexion, stimulating collagen, and fading hyper-pigmentation. If you've ever so much as sat in a dermatologist's chair you've probably heard of this, because it's so 👏 darn 👏 effective 👏.
13. A double-sided exfoliating cleansing brush, because this'll take your skincare game up to a whole new level. It'll clear excess oil, remove dead skin cells, and deep-cleanse your pores — all while using your usual face wash!
14. A tub of Aztec healing clay that'll help you wage straight WAR on the most intimidating pimples. Seriously, this acts more like a vacuum than a mask — no matter how deep your acne goes, this mask will suction out every clogged pore in its path. AND it works on cystic acne!
15. An Alba Botanica pineapple enzyme facial cleanser so you DEFINITELY get your money's worth thanks to pore-minimizing papaya and pineapple enzymes, *plus* acne-clearing exfoliants. Your skin will be brighter, your credit cards will be unscathed, and your bottle will last longer than most pricier alternatives.
16. A bottle of Ebanel drying lotion for killing your zits on sight and keeping you from popping or picking — aka making everything worse. Dab this on, go to sleep, and wake up a whole lot happier.
17. A Mario Badescu healing powder, because this'll both conceal and treat your acne at the same time. It doubles as a setting powder to absorb excess oil, but it'll also drastically reduce redness and irritation. Basically you can speak "pimple, what pimple?" into existence after putting this on under makeup.
18. A pack of Bioré cleansing pore strips so you have a sidekick that acts as a magnet to efficiently draw out dirt, oil, and blackheads both from your nose and your forehead (or really anywhere requiring *assistance*). Deep clean does not even BEGIN to define these.
19. A set of Nip + Fab glycolic cleansing pads for resurfacing new skin with in no time at all, thanks to their formula of exfoliating 2.8% glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, witch hazel, and a light moisturizer. Whether you're mid-breakout or just want *brighter* skin, these are an easy step to add to your routine.
20. A Beauty by Earth tinted sunscreen with SPF 20, because now you'll actually be rewarded for remembering the most important product of the day (UV PROTECTION, PEOPLE). It'll even out your skin tone, provide light coverage, and moisturize your complexion in one easy-peasy step.
21. A Seoul Ceuticals vitamin C serum that'll thoroughly nourish irritated complexions with a powerful blend of hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. It'll reduce pores and breakouts, target discoloration, and make your overall complexion ~brighter~. I think this serum is already more productive than I'll ever be.
22. A jar of Andalou Naturals pumpkin honey glycolic mask so you can enjoy a *treat yourself* moment that will leave your skin brighter, smoother, and clearer, courtesy of vitamin C and exfoliating properties. All you have to do is sit back and turn on Netflix.
23. A bottle of Acure brightening facial scrub for exfoliating away excess oil (the pesky cause of most breakouts). It's gentle enough to use every day, meaning treated acne won't have a chance to come back. We are on 👏top👏 of👏 it — all while bringing out a clear, glowing complexion from underneath.
24. A Kose cleansing oil, because this'll bring you all the benefits of (usually expensive) double oil cleansing even if you use this alone. It'll work overtime to remove stubborn makeup, unclog pores, and get you squeaky clean without the need of a second cleanser. It actually has a gold metal in Olympic sprinting, but it doesn't like to brag.
25. A Burt's Bees deep-cleansing cream packed with soothing agents like chamomile, aloe, and soap bark that'll clear breakouts in the gentlest (yet most effective) way possible so you walk out of that bathroom with soft, dewy skin.
26. A Mizon's black snail all-in-one cream so you bring the rewards of the lauded ~black snail~ right to your fingertips. It won't be slow to show you why it's usually so expensive: minimized pores, cleared blackheads, and a brighter complexion are just some of what this brings to the table.
27. A Freeman anti-stress mask for a pick-me-up whenever your skin is feeling *the blues*. Dead sea minerals absorb excess oil, purify clogged pores, and show pesky breakouts the door (all in just ten minutes). It even relaxes you with lavender aromatherapy. Can spas do this? Maybe, but not for $4.
28. A Shea Moisture coconut oil to properly hydrate and counteract shiny complexions. It may seem weird to treat excess oil with *more* oil, but your skin actually just needs the RIGHT kind of moisturizer. This'll help restore the balance your skin is missing.
29. A Radha Beauty rosehip oil, because this'll help you maintain dramatically clearer skin when incorporating this into your routine. Just a few drops tackle redness, scarring, pimples, and everything in between. Nothing will get in your way of glowing skin again...not on this bb's watch.
30. A Skin Food steam pack that'll eliminate clogged pores just by masking your nose (or wherever needs TLC). It's loaded with volcanic ash and egg protein to control sebum, reduce blackheads, and exfoliate your skin. In three to five minutes, those pesky dots will be a distant memory.
31. A bar of African black soap so you can fight breakouts ALLLL over (hello, surprise butt pimple) before you have time work yourself into a lather. Its combo of shea butter, vitamin E, and coconut oil work together to quickly wash those unwelcome zits down the drain.
32. A Jivi moisturizer for enlisting the help of exclusively all-natural ingredients to not only provide all-day hydration thanks to shea butter, cucumber peel, and aloe vera, but also protect you from the sun with SPF 12 mineral sunscreen. SO LONG, overpriced lotions. Come back when you learn how to multitask.
What are we going to do when faced with overpriced skincare?
Need more for your skin? Check out Korean skincare products you need to know, drugstore products that actually fight acne, products to help deal with dry skin, or check out all of our beauty content for even more great stuff for your hair, skin, and more.
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