The Best Budget- friendly Drugstore Cleansers for Oily Skin
Keep the shine away with these budget- friendly Drugstore Cleansers for Oily Skin
So I must admit it…. I'm a little skincare obsessed. Okay okay more than a little. I'm a lot skincare obsessed. I have been on this quest for amazing skin ever since puberty came storming in like a woman with a vengeance. With acne, it's chief accomplice, more than willing to show up and show out all over my face. Morning after morning, I woke up with my face looking like an oil slick. I tried more drugstore cleansers for oily skin than I could count. And ever since then, it feels like it’s been a never-ending battle for gorgeous skin.
I don’t know about anyone else, but my skin is the biggest informer/rat/stool pigeon/tattle tale (you get the picture) on the planet. If my diet has been terrible, then my skin will let you know. If I've slacked off on my skincare routine, my skin will let you know. It's literally the biggest accountability partner I have in these streets. And it stays on my ass like Matlock.
Like most people, I've been on this skincare journey for years. Thank God the days of overwhelming acne breakouts are behind me and now I have more short flares than anything else. And as mentioned before, it's usually when I'm not taking care of myself or my skin. My thoughts and prayers are truly with chronic acne sufferers and those with serious skincare conditions. Please see a dermatologist as soon as possible. All hope is not lost.
But as I was saying, I've been on this skincare journey for years and I've made a lot of mistakes along the way. A looooooot of mistakes! My skin has been absolutely terrible in the past but now I think I'm finally getting a better handle on it and I thought I'd share a skincare series with you to educate you all on skincare products you can use to help create your skincare routine and to find products that actually work for you. I know the journey to clear skin can bee scary but once you get that glow, it'll definitely be worth it.
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I know we all want gorgeous, glowing skin. Who doesn't want to look and feel amazing in their own skin knowing that when people see us we look like glowing Goddesses?! We crave it. The only thing is…. Skincare often feels like it's expensive. Whenever we hear about celebrities or influencers skincare routines, you know the ones with absolutely fabulous skin, it usually includes some pretty pricey products that the average budget probably cannot buy once much less use it as a part of our skincare routines indefinitely. It can make you feel like the only way to fabulous skin is to fork over the big bucks. But, gorgeous skin doesn't have to break the bank.
Over the years, I've tried and experimented with many a drug store products. Sometimes out of sheer love for the product, other times because many of the high end brands aren't available in my country and it's not until I take a trip abroad or get products shipped to Jamaica that I can get my hands on it. Which obviously isn't happening now as often during this pandemic.
The drugstore has been doing it's best to try and keep up with the changing beauty industry over the years. It seems like everyday more and more brands are popping up out of the woodworks to offer the much needed variety to the beauty industry. And while I love this new beat, as I mentioned before access can sometimes be a problem where I live and that's where old faithful, the drugstore, comes into place. Drugstore products are some of the most widely available and budget-friendly on the market. They sometimes get a bit of flack compared to higher-end products but there are some real gems there that can be great for your skin.
Personally, I have oily skin; even though I do notice my skin has been shifting to a more combination type behavior in recent times. So the products I'll be talking about will be geared towards oily/ combination skin. But I know there are drugstore products available for dry, sensitive and normal skin types as well. So, if that's your skin type, then you can browse the interwebs for some product recommendations and then check them out to see if you can find something that works for you. The products listed are just some of my tried and true favourite drugstore face cleansers that help keep the shine away so I can glow in a good way.
*NB not all the products may be available in your drugstore.
*This post contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no cost to you.
1. Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Shine Control Cleansing Gel
The Garnier brand has slowly but surely crept into my heart to be one of my favourite drugstore brands. The products are really affordable and tend to work very well with my skin. And this product is definitely on the frontlines when it comes to my oily skin. The brand promises that this cleanser removes excess oil and mattifies skin and trust me they delivered. The cleansing gel cleans my face very well and leaves a refreshing look and feel after each wash. It leaves my face with a nice mattified feel and keeps the oil and shine at bay for about 4-6 hours for me. And bonus is that I don’t find it overly drying to my skin.
2. Garnier SkinActive Clean+ Pore Purifying 2-in-1 Clay Cleanser/Mask
Much like the cleansing gel, this product also works wonders for my skin. I mean, first of all, who doesn’t love a 2-in-1 product? Talk about score. I personally love a versatile product, especially one that works. It can be used as a daily face wash to cleans the face and give it the nice matte look and feel, or you can leave it on for a little longer as a face mask and use it for a more thorough cleansing of the skin.
3. Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser
Activated charcoal is an oily gals best friend so whenever I see a product with that ingredient, I instantly gravitate towards it. Biore is another brand I’ve found myself gravitating more and more towards lately. I’ve found their products really suit my skin as well. The main ingredient of activated charcoal is well suite to bind with dirt and impurities and pull them out of the skin. I find after I use this cleanser, my skin has a sort of smoothness to it. It feels so refreshed and not overly dried out. I noticed my face is significantly less oily throughout the day. Plus, it’s gently enough for everyday use.
4. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser
This classic drugstore fave has been in many a skincare enthusiast arsenal for years. It's like an ancient family secret passing down through generations. It’s probably one of the first skincare products many of us were introduced to when we were younger. And for good reason too… it works. Because it’s unscented, it’s great for those of us with oily skin AND sensitive skin. In fact, it can be used for all skin types. For us oily skin gals, it works really well to remove excess oil and dirt from the skin without drying or irritating the skin. It’s so good that many a dermatologist recommends it. This cleanser is timeless and continues to work really well for my skin so many years later.
Wrap up
I know that it can feel like you need an arsenal of skincare products just to stop oil in its tracks and keep your skin clean and looking matte all day. Furthermore, it may seem like you need to get expensive skincare products in order to truly get your hands on products that work. But, these drugstore cleansers are not only affordable and easily accessed, they are also very effective formulas for keeping skin clean, gorgeous and keeping the shine at bay. And while I know there are much newer products on the block, but these have been part of my skincare army for so long and I wanted to share them with you.
How about you? Do you have a favourite drugstore or budget-friendly cleanser that you know is great for oily skin that you think I left off the list? Have you eve tried any of these products before? Have any other skincare recommendations? Drop your responses in the comments below. I love hearing from you.