Budget Skincare Products for Dry Skin

            Hello friends! Welcome and thanks for joining me for another blog post. Or I as I like to call it, “Keeping Up with my Shenanigans”. (You either laughed hard at that or you didn’t and I really hope it's the former). 

            Today I want to talk about one of my favourite things to discuss which is skincare and beauty. Since I already made two very extensive posts about my favourite beauty products which you can read here and here, I wanted to dedicate today to skincare.

            I recently got on a skincare kick because I cut down the amount of times a week I wear makeup. I used to be really insecure and could not leave my house without a full face of makeup.  But recently, I started going to work and school with no makeup at all! It probably doesn’t sound like much, but it took me a long time to build up the confidence to just embrace my dark circles and red patches and wear them proudly in public. 

            Instead, I’ve been focusing on taking care of my skin and letting it breathe as often as possible. I’ve invested more money into skincare products and have experimented with a lot of new items. (I like to call this “research” instead of “excessive and unnecessary spending habits.”)

            Everything on this list are items that I use either daily or weekly. They are really affordable and are best suited for dry skin, but also great for normal or combination skin. 

a. Neutrogena Face Wash - $9.97

I discovered this face wash about six months ago when I was on the search for an affordable but gentle cleanser for my dry and irritated skin. Since it’s called “ultra-gentle”, I decided to put it to the test. I am currently on my third bottle and I keep one on my sink and one in my shower at all times because I love it so much. It truly is “ultra-gentle” on my dry skin. The thing I like about it is that it foams up really well. I use it on my Clarisonic (which I totally would have included because I swear by it but it’s not so budget friendly). It foams extremely well so I feel like I’m getting a deep clean and honestly, I have nothing bad to say about it. Neutrogena actually makes really good facial cleaners like this one too so I trust them. If you’re looking for a new face wash, try this one (but maybe wait until it goes on sale for $7.99). 

b. Ponds Dry Skin Cream - $6.97 

I think everyone and their mother has tried Ponds by now but I was one of the few who only discovered it in the last year. Every time I mention to a friend that I use it, they say they’ve used it for years! It’s amazing for dry skin and keeps me moisturized for hours. It’s also really good under makeup too. The only con I would say is that since I slather it on because I’m so dry, it does make me look really greasy. I usually solve that problem but dabbing a tissue on my forehead and cheeks which are areas I don’t need the extra moisture. And if I don’t dab it well enough, it will give my foundation a dewy look which some people like, but I don't. But it keeps my dry patches moisturized which is more important to me. I’m on my second tub which I scored for $3.99 at the Real Canadian Superstore and I really recommend this as a daily moisturizer because it’s great.  

c. Eucerin Replenishing Face Cream - $14.67

This moisturizer used to be my go-to. I say used to because when I discovered Ponds, I stopped using Eucerin since it’s about three times more expensive. I recently picked up another tube because I missed it and I know once the weather starts warming up, the greasiness of Ponds is going to annoy me. I don’t know if I got a bad tube or if they changed the formula, but I’m a little upset at how this batch applies. I’m wearing it as I write this post and it feels very thick and a little sticky on my skin. It also doesn’t sink in as well as it used to, so when I slathered my face with it this morning, I had to really rub it in until it absorbed. It used to just sink it on its own. So those are the cons and they’re only apparent with this new tube. But I will say that no matter how much I apply, I never look greasy like I do with Ponds and it keeps my face moisturized all day. Eucerin makes really amazing products for dry skin so this is their specialty. It’s also absolutely amazing under makeup. Honestly, if it wasn’t $15 a tube, I would probably use it daily but right now I designate it as my night out or long day skin cream because it really is a dependable product. 

d. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Gel Eye Cream - $19.97

I recently realized that since I have such dry skin all over my body, my under eyes are soooo dry as well too. It’s really apparent when I wear under eye concealer and set it with powder. I have crow's feet and lines (which came from years of squinting before I got contacts and is super lame considering I’m only in my early twenties). Since Botox isn’t an option for me because $$$, I’m just relying on good under eye creams to help. This cream comes from Neutrogena’s new Hydro Boost line and all of the products are made with hyaluronic acid which locks in moisture. I must say it is one of the best eye creams I’ve found for dryness. I’m extremely picky and I have sensitive under eyes that burn from a lot of products but this one doesn’t irritate me at all and is generally really good. It was a little more money than I wanted to spend on a drugstore product but so far it’s lasted a long time. I’m wearing this right now and it feels amazing, doesn’t look greasy, sinks in immediately, and is invisible. I’ve had some eye creams that leave gold or red residue which is super annoying but this is amazing to wear on days that I don’t use make up and want my eyes to be moisturized. As for dark circles and wrinkles, it does a pretty good job but I don’t think any product will get rid of those for me. I do recommend grabbing this next time it goes on sale.  

e. Thayer's Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner - $12.99 to $17.99

I feel like most people either love or hate witch hazel. I am one of the few who absolutely loves it. I’m on my fourth or fifth bottle and I plan on repurchasing forever. I discovered this a couple of years ago when I was in need of a toner to keep my hormonal acne under control but I knew that most toners dry out my skin more than it can handle. Witch hazel is magical because not only does it help with acne but it also has anti-redness properties so it keeps my dry patches under control. Most nights, I can put on a layer of this toner and no face cream and my dry skin feels totally fine! I’d say this is good for absolutely any skin type and probably works even better under a layer of moisturizing cream (I say probably because I’m too lazy to add on more than one layer of product at night so I've never tried it). I usually find a bottle of this at Marshalls for $9.99 which is a really good price compared to the one I linked to.  

f. The Ordinary Squalene Oil - $7.90

So if we’re talking affordable products, then this brand is the queen of budget skincare. The Ordinary is an amazing brand that offers full size bottles of serums and moisturizers for usually less than $10. This oil is literally $7.90 and that just blows me away. Squalene is a really great moisturizing oil for dry skin and it was recommended by a beauty vlogger who had similar skin issues to me. The brand she recommended was pricey but when I saw that this existed for a fraction of the cost, I just had to try it. I'm now on my second bottle and I plan on repurchasing it forever. It’s moisturizing enough for the night but sometimes when I wake up, my dry patches are scaly so it doesn’t last as long as other high-end serums. But it does the job as a basic face oil and I really like it. And for the price, I don’t mind slathering my face in it because it’s so cheap. Bonus fun fact: squalene is produced naturally in both sharks’ livers and in women’s vaginas (what a gross word) and acts as a natural lubricant. But rest assured that this product is made entirely from plants. 

g. Freeman Avocado and Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask - $4.97

Freeman masks are the epitome of an amazing mask at a budget price. I mean $4.97 for a tube that lasts months and months is amazing. So far, I have tried the Dead Sea Minerals and Avocado and Oatmeal and I’ve loved both of them. The Dead Sea Minerals is a little bit drying but great for acne prone skin. The Avocado and Oatmeal is awesome for both acne and dryness and it feels amazing on my skin. I would recommend this as a basic brand for face masks since they haven’t let me down and I'm excited to try more of them.   

h. Mario Badescu Facial Spray - $11

This is another product that I'm sure everyone has heard about by now, but I still need to mention it. To be honest, I'm not even sure who Mario Badescu is but I really really like him and his products. This face spray is amazing and I use it almost every day because it feels so good on my dry skin. I’ve tried both the rosewater and cucumber scents and even though I'm a huge rose lover, I actually prefer the cucumber one a bit more. I use this spray in two ways: when I don’t wear makeup, I spritz it on my skin to wake it up a bit and add an extra layer of moisture, and when I do wear makeup, I spray it on as a refresher halfway through the day. It’s amazing for both situations. The price is pretty good but even the small bottle lasts me for months so it’s totally worth a try. I’d also say this is probably good for every single skin type, even oily. It’s very good.  

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So there you go. A few more products to add to your skincare inventory that hold a big place in my heart. 

Thanks for reading and see you next post!

Christmas Gift Ideas!

🎵🎵It’s the most expensive time of the year🎵🎵

          Hello! I hope you're doing well. Before I start this post, I just want to thank everyone who’s been reading some or all of my blog posts so far! Your likes and comments mean a lot. If you’re reading my blog but haven’t told me about it, please do! You have no idea how much it means to me when someone comes up to me and tells me they enjoy reading my posts. 

            Today I’m going to provide some gift giving ideas because I love gift giving so I thought I’d share some of my ideas with people who are drawing blanks this year. 

            I feel very lucky every Christmas season because I have quite a few people to buy for and I’m very happy that I have so many great people around me to give gifts to. It’s worth every cent to have good people who love and care for me.

            My biggest tip I’ll share is that I make a little note on my phone and I list the names of everyone I have to buy for. Then beside each name, I put a budget which varies from person to person. That's just easier for me to keep track of what I want to spend and stay within a reasonable budget.

            The next thing I do is list everything that I think each individual person would enjoy. If I have a price for each item, I add that beside it.

            For the next few weeks I’ll be adding and subtracting to this list on a daily basis. I basically spend every waking minute thinking about things everyone would like. It’s also this time of the year that I can be caught sitting alone in silence and all of sudden shoot up and scream “MOM WOULD LOVE THAT” before I frantically add my idea to the master list. 

            My list layout is just something that keeps me organized and makes the busy holiday season a little bit easier. I obviously do spontaneously buy things while shopping that I didn’t plan to buy someone, but I always add it to the list later to keep myself on track. 

            Now I’m going to share some bullet point ideas of Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Festivus gifts for your friends and family.

       

For the Makeup Lover

            If you know someone who’s into makeup, consider giving them a gift of essentials. The only key here is to not buy anything made for specific skin tones (aka foundation or concealer). 

·     Mascara

·     Setting spray

·     Highlighter (Becca Champagne pop if you want to splurge!)

·     Eyeshadow palette 

·     A nice lipstick

·     Face spray (not mentioned in my previous posts but this is a good one)

·     Blending sponge

If you want specific ideas, feel free to check out my top faves post here and here.

For the Skin Care Queen

            If you have someone who’s big into taking care of their skin, then consider putting together a gift with key skin care items. Again, you’ll want to be careful of buying items made for specific skin types (like oily or dry skin).

·     Face mask (either sheet or clay mask or both!)

·     Face cream

·     Eye cream

·     Lip balm

·     Treatment for lips/hands/feet/other body part

·     Face spray 

·     Face toner (I swear by this one)

·     Face oil (this one is my life)

This just made me consider writing an entire post on my fave skincare products….

For the Body Conscious Pal 

            This can be combined with the skin care stuff but these are also some great things to make a whole gift with. 

·     Body lotion

·     Body scrub

·     Hand cream

·     Foot cream with fuzzy socks (for a deep treatment experience)

·     Nail polish (can also branch into a manicure/pedicure set)

·     Body wash and a loofah 

·     Body spray

For the Hair Care Gal

            This is a nice idea for someone who dyes their hair often or generally cares for their hair. This is also a nice list of things that everyone uses and would help them if you know they can't splurge for themselves on stuff like this.

·     Shampoo (a "boujee" one or a good purple shampoo for someone blonde)

·     Conditioner (go boujee or go home)

·     Hair mask 

·     Hair oil

·     Leave in conditioner

·     Hairspray

·     Hair treatment (such as a pre-styling spray)

·     Hair brush (one of those cool detangling ones!)

For the Tea Lover

            As I write this, I’m starting to wonder if I’m just writing lists of things I want because so far I am all of the people I’ve listed. Once again, as someone who loves tea, getting more tea and tea ware is a dream come true. 

·     Loose tea or a premade sample kit (David’s Tea will always be the best)

·     A pack of tea bags or an infuser  

·     A cute mug 

·     Matcha (I recommend this one)

·     A matcha kit (I’d say only if you know they like matcha already or you think they will like it)

·     A travel mug 

The only thing missing from this list that is required to make tea is water. Please do not include water in your gift. That would be really weird. 

For the Coffee Lover 

            This kind of goes hand in hand with the tea lover. But if there’s anything I’ve learned in life, it’s that tea lovers and coffee lovers have two completely different personalities…

·     Coffee (a nice flavoured one, something someone wouldn’t buy for themselves) 

·     A nice big mug 

·     Coffee-Mate powder (if you don’t like Coffee-Mate that’s your opinion but you’re wrong)

·     A flavoured syrup (vanilla or hazelnut is probably the safest option for personal preferences) 

·     A fancy stirring spoon (because why not?)

·     A milk frother (if it’s in your budget $$$ or you really like the gift receiver)

·      I want to include instant coffee in this list but it’s disgusting and you might as well give them coal. It would taste about the same. 

Once again, you do not need to supply the water. Or the milk. 

For the Baker

            I’m really making this whole post about myself I think. Oh well. If you know someone who likes baking or is trying to get into it, considering buying them some items from this list.

·     A cupcake pan (with silicone cupcake liners!)

·     A Bundt cake pan, loaf pan, or brownie pan 

·     Piping bags and a set of tips 

·     A baking cookbook 

·     Cookie cutters 

·     Measuring cups 

·     A cute apron 

·     A spatula, whisk, and rolling pin 

For your friend who talks about wine a lot more than necessary

            We all have one.

·     A bottle of good wine (or two)

·     A wine glass set (one with a funny saying that maybe hints at the fact that you’re concerned about how much wine your friend drinks)

·     A really nice wine stopper (as if they’ll even open the bottle and not finish it)

·     Wine glass markers (even though your friend probably doesn’t share their wine)

·     A cheese board 

·     Crackers and snacks (for when the bottle finishes and they have the munchies)

You could consider buying grapes and cheese but it goes without saying to probably not leave those wrapped in the bag for days….

            It will probably be no surprise that I actually made a note on my phone with all of things I thought I should include in this list. There are still some miscellaneous items that weren’t part of the categories I listed but are still nice things to add to gifts for more substance or variety.

·     A candle (or two or three or seven)

·     Chocolates or candy (or both!)

·     A calendar (for the coming year…..duh)

·     Pens and pencils (or both!)

·     A notebook (I can’t tell you how many people buy me notebooks because they know I’m a writer but I don’t have the heart to tell them I haven’t written my thoughts onto paper since 2003)

·     Homemade food (I always include homemade cookies in my gifts because I’m a housewife apparently) 

·     Christmas themed socks

·     A scarf or pair of gloves (or…..both!)

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           Thank you for reading this very festive post! 

            If you have any good gift ideas you’d like to share, feel free to comment them below. 

            I also wanted to add that any of these gifts could be put into a decorative basket with ribbons and cellophane rather than just throwing them into a bag. It’s a nice way to display your items. 

            I hope that this gave you some ideas and alleviated some of the stress of holiday gift giving this year. I know that when life is hectic it’s hard to sit down and think about what to give all of the people around you. But everyone deserves something special to open on Christmas morning.

            Hopefully my ideas sparked some thoughts for you!

            Thanks for reading and happy hohoholidays.