Before I begin the list, I’d like to make a disclaimer: this is my opinion and my list of what works for me and what I can recommend. I am not endorsed by any company, this is only my honest opinion.

Skin care is important. I love feeling my smooth skin, and the look of my face glowing. But getting good skin care products can sometimes be a challenge, or cost too much. There are products that work, and there are products that don’t. The absolute unfortunate thing about skin care, is that everyone is different. So why should everyone treat their skin the same? Some skin is naturally more oily, and some needs more moisture. There are some drugstore cheap products that work just as well as the top leading brands. And then there are some products that are worth the investment. Again, all this is my opinion, based off of my own experiences.

I should start off by explaining that my skin is very oily. I tend to try products that promise “oil/shine reduction,” or “minimizing pores.” I am also a big fan of face masks and attempt to try all sorts of them.

1. Clinique’ 3-step Skin Care System.

I can honestly go on and on and rave about Clinique and their products. I have never had a bad experience with a Clinique skin care product, or their make up. It’s great that there is a skin care set that is made for a specific skin type. The famous 3-step system starts with a facial cleanser, then a toner, and a moisturizer. There are different types of each suited for the skin type [dry, dry-combination, oily, oily-combination]. Again, everyone’s skin is different, so it shouldn’t be treated the same.

Their “dramatically different” moisturizer lotion is definitely dramatically different. I have used drugstore moisturizers and it always left my skin feeling heavy, and oily. It wasn’t until I tried Clinique’s moisturizer that I really felt how important putting on moisturizer was. There are so many choices of moisturizers, and I honestly can say that I love everything Clinique.

It’s all fragrant and allergy free. It’s one of the higher ends products, not available at drugstores, however, it is definitely worth the investment. Also, Clinique is notorious for giving away a bag of samples, so it’s a great way to see if it’s the right product for you, without spending the money for the full price.

2. Neutrogena’s Fresh Foaming Cleanser.

I have been using this product for years. It’s such a simple, mild cleanser that takes off your make-up. Why make it more complicated than it has to be? Washing your face at the end of the day while also taking off the make-up is a great win-win. This is always my go-to product at the drugstore. Plus at a price of $4.99, there’s not reason to not love it!

3. Tea Tree Toner [The Body Shop]

This toner is suitable for acne-prone skin, and is great to get a clear tone. Plus it feel very cool on the skin and make your face feel like it’s literally glowing. I have always been a fan of the body shop, but not necessarily the price. You could easily spend $50 there with only two or three products. But of the toners I have tried previously, I definitely enjoyed this toner. And it’s a very nice pleasant smell.

4. Clinique’s Charcoal Mask

Again, I could go on and on about Clinique. I have spend many nights mixing various household items and then applying it to my face. It got messy, sticky, and not really effective. so I started investing in actual facial masks. Again, a lot of products were sticky, cheap, and not that effective. BUT THEN I tried the Clinique Charcoal Mask. It was a very nice texture, good consistency, and did not feel like it was drying my skin out too much. It was a nice cooling sensation, and after washing it off, my skin felt amazing. Again, it’s a bit pricey, but definitely worth the investment.

5. Burt’s Bees

A lot of people forget that chapstick is a very important part of the skin care routine. I love Burt’s Bees because of the many different varieties and the great quality. It’s a bit on the higher-priced end of the drugstore selection, but it’s still a great choice. I personally like the peppermint option because of the cooling sensation after applying it. After I do my 3-step skincare Clinique routine, I apply my Burt’s Bees and I’m ready.