Drugstore Skin-Care Buys Better Than the Pricey Stuff

Low-cost skin care has become the beauty industry’s “fast-fashion” twin. Packed with up-to-date ingredients, the most wanted formulas (often vetted by dermatologists) and groundbreaking innovations, these wallet-friendly products make improving, repairing and protecting mature skin a cinch. I’m a beauty editor who has specialized in the 50-plus demo for decades, so researching and comparing products is part of my job, but I’m also practical. I can’t imagine spending $400 on a face cream or $100 on a serum, and my guess is neither can you. So … can affordable skin care that’s sold at drugstores, mass retailers, e-tailers and supermarkets match or rank better than the expensive stuff? The answer is absolutely! Here’s what to look for now:

(Left to right) The Ordinary Squalane All-In-One Face Cleanser; e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm; Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Meiko Takechi Arquillos (3))

1. Gentle multitasking cleansers

Spending more than $20 on a cleanser is pointless. After 60 seconds on your face, it whooshes down the drain! However, what used to be a frill-free suds and rinse is now a prep step for a.m. and p.m. regimens. While expensive lines do have cleansers, lower-cost brands have listened to consumer needs and are offering cutting-edge makeup-dissolving balms, micellar waters and cleansers that go from balms or creams to soothing milks or hydrating foams as you wash. They not only prime aging skin for creams and serums but also remove sunscreen and makeup without stripping away moisture. Try an oil-based salve-to-milk formula with squalane like The Ordinary Squalane All-In-One Face Cleanser ($11, ulta.com), a balm-to-oil-to-milk formula with hyaluronic acid and peptides like e.l.f. Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm ($11, target.com) and a no-rinse-necessary cleansing water with glycerin like Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water with Rose Water ($12, cvs.com) for a quick fresh-up or makeup redo. Need more feel-good incentive? You’re certainly saving since Lancôme, La Mer and Chanel have micellar waters in the whopping $52 to $100 range and La Prairie’s balm is $180.

(Left to right) Byoma Moisturizing Rich Cream; Burt’s Bees Renewal Intensive Firming Serum; Mad Hippie Triple C Night Cream; Covergirl Clean Fresh Skincare Dry Skin Corrector Skin

Photo Collage: AARP; (Source: Meiko Takechi Arquillos (4))

2. Clean, green, vegan formulas for mature skin

So-called “green and clean” beauty is on the rise as more older consumers make a lifestyle switch to products that are vegan, good for the planet, cruelty-free and also free of potentially toxic ingredients like parabens, sulfates and phthalates. Costly brands like Tata Harper and Vintner’s Daughter may get social media attention and celeb endorsements, but more accessible brands won’t break the bank and are targeting the specific concerns of women over 50. While some are all-out vegan, others are leaning into the green space with cruelty- and toxic-free products. To get going, try Byoma Moisturizing Rich Cream ($15, walmart.com), vegan, with the retinol plant-alternative bakuchiol; Burt’s Bees Renewal Intensive Firming Serum ($24, cvs.com), also with bakuchiol and hyaluronic acid; the Mad Hippie Triple C Night Cream ($33, ulta.com), with ceramides and antioxidants; and Covergirl Clean Fresh Skincare Dry Skin Corrector Skin ($15, target.com), which is 100 percent vegan, with hyaluronic acid, soothing jojoba and shea butter.