Saving money sucks. Just ask the copy of the Barefoot Investor lying under your bed, unread.
Skincare shouldn’t be another expense to worry about, and it doesn't have to be. Follow these three simple steps to keep your skincare spending to something the Investor himself would be proud of.
1: Diagnose what your skin type actually needs
There’s no point spending money on products that aren’t actually suited to your skin. Assess your skin type: dry, oily or combination. You don’t have to be a doctor for this diagnosis. Just use your eyes, hands, and common sense. If you are a doctor, check for moles.
Once assessed, you can be confident you’re buying products that will work best for your skin.
Oily skin might enjoy using a face scrub more often. Dry skin might benefit from dedicated hydration twice a day. Knowing how often to use your products can help maximise the results from the bottle, meaning you get more bang for your buck.
2: Care for your skin in more ways than one
A solid routine is super important, but it shouldn’t end there. Doing these things will help you glow like a pro:
- Drink plenty of water. It doesn't have to be a chugging competition, as long as you get your recommended two litres a day. It’ll help keep your skin hydrated and clear.
- Eat antioxidant-rich foods. This includes dark chocolate and red wine, so there’s really no reason not to.
- Eat foods rich in fatty acids which keep your skin looking plump (a very good thing). Foods like salmon, avocado, chia and sunflower seeds. This step is basically just go out for brunch.
- Get your beauty sleep. Face creams can do a lot, but they’re not infused with water from the fountain of youth, and they can’t work miracles. Sleep is when your skin repairs, so try to go for eight hours.
- Wear an SPF every day as the sun is the biggest contributor to signs of ageing. Aragorn must have worn heaps.
3: Invest in products that actually work
Try to avoid getting caught up in the latest craze of some million dollar serum made from beetle’s dung with gold flakes and packaged in unicorn hair.
There are so many cleansers, moisturisers, toners, serums, oils, acids, potions, treatments, masks, hang on, did that say potions? That’s not a thing. Is it? Anyway.
Strip it back to the basics, and prioritise your skin’s most basic needs. To be cleansed and moisturised. That’s it, the fundamentals.
Find a brand you trust that can deliver these two steps with sound expertise, but without the bells and whistles. Once that’s under lock, it’s entirely your choice whether you get that beetle dung golden serum with your leftover splurge money.
Charles + Lee skincare is designed with effectiveness and affordability in mind, plus they look great. Go on, take a look for yourself. You can’t afford not too.