As someone who is constantly searching for cheap skin products and has witnessed the money struggles proper skincare takes, I’d like to take this opportunity to review the best affordable skincare products I could find.

More Than Magic Bath Dust

I found this bath bomb substitute at Target for $5. When I first opened it I could not smell anything. However, once I put it in the bath, the smell became a lot stronger and was actually quite nice. The powder comes in a bag with a scoop, and one only needs two scoops per bath. While it isn’t necessarily as strong and seems to lack any skin benefits or deterrents, it is far less expensive than a normal bath bomb and still makes your bath a bit more pleasant. Overall, I would buy it again, but it doesn’t compare to the rest of the products on this list.

Trader Joe’s Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer

Let me just say, I loved this product. Previously, I bought an expensive name-brand moisturizer. After I tried this moisturizer out, I doubt I’ll ever go back, especially with the $8.99 price tag for a 75 ml jar. I’ve tried a few gel moisturizers before, but I have often found that after a few hours my skin was left feeling tight and more irritated than it would with a cream. Sadly, nicer brands are much more expensive. However, the one from Trader Joe’s is great as it left my skin feeling hydrated and far softer than other brands. I’ve also noticed that my skin has been way less oily than before. The only downside is that it has a bit of a weird smell, but it’s not that strong. Overall, I would definitely buy this again.

P.R.E.P. Mint + Eucalyptus Bath Salts

I’ve never been a big bath salts person, as I have always much preferred either bath bombs or nothing at all. After trying these for about a week, I am impressed. When I was looking for products to try this was one of the first ones I found, as I had heard great things from them. With a small handful, a bath became much more enjoyable. They prove very effective in helping me to relax and counter tense muscles that come with cold weather. I found my jar for $10 on Amazon, although they are also sold at Target for $7.90. After using it three times, I expect that I’ll get about ten more baths out of it. All in all, the product provides great quality and quantity for its price. Plus the blue color is cute.

Trader Joe’s SPA Face Wash with Tea Tree Oil

I’ve always been a fan of Trader Joes and their products. Unfortunately, I didn’t like their face wash very much. While the other products on this list exceeded their price to value ratio, the face wash was priced at about $6. I found that, contrary to popular opinion, there is such a thing as too much tea tree oil, a product used for skincare that people treat like a magic elixir. The essential oil overdose made my eyes water while I was using it, and left my face stinging. While my face was clean afterward, the ten-minute sting will keep me from running back for another bottle. The skincare aspect of it just wasn’t anything special. The only real big plus is that it only sets you back six bucks.