I've had a whole lot of fun this summer—concerts, a trip to Europe, etc.—but not a whole lot of stability. Not to mention, my bank account is basically begging me to chill out. So for fall, my goals are simple: Stick to a budget and get back into a routine, especially when it comes to my skincare. Consistency is key, after all.
I tapped my friend and Who What Wear Beauty Director Stephanie Johnson to help me find some new budget beauty buys. She pointed me straight to e.l.f. SKIN, which she's been eyeing for her own skincare routine revamp. "My skin goals are fairly simple: Reverse as much damage as I can from acne, sun exposure, free radicals, and so on, while also protecting my skin from future damage," she says. With e.l.f. SKIN products, "all my concerns are covered for under $60," she says. Read on to see why she recommends the brand.
An Affordable Alternative to Pricey Brands
Stephanie comes across a lot of high-priced skincare products that genuinely work—and even more that don't—as well as lower-priced formulas that don't deliver on their promises. But e.l.f. SKIN hits that rare sweet spot, making products that work on your skin but don't work out your wallet. "When shopping on a budget, I refuse to sacrifice quality ingredients for price point," Stephanie says. "Other drugstore products may be cost-effective, but their ingredients are never this high-quality or potent."
Effective Ingredients
Stephanie spends a lot of her workday studying ingredient labels to figure out if a formula is worth her readers' time and money. That's how she knew e.l.f. SKIN was worth her coin before she even tried it. Its ingredient lists are practically interchangeable with luxury labels. "E.l.f. SKIN uses the same ingredients that my favorite higher-end brands use (like vitamin C to brighten my complexion, ferulic acid to neutralize free radicals that can cause further dark spots and damage, and niacinamide to calm redness) without the markups," she says.
There’s Something for Every Skincare Concern
With its wide variety of formulas, e.l.f. SKIN makes it easy to build out an affordable routine that targets your skin's specific needs. Stephanie is focusing on dark spots and uneven skin tone with the Bright Icon Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Serum ($17), Holy Hydration! Barrier Goals Cream ($13), Thirst Burst Drops ($13), and Suntouchable Invisi-Stick SPF 50 ($15). "The Bright Icon serum brightens and evens my skin tone, the Barrier Goals Cream calms my rosacea, the Thirst Burst Drops hydrate my skin, and the Invisi-Stick SPF keeps my skin protected," she says.
And now that she's pregnant (say congrats!), her skin's needs are changing. "A fun, new pregnancy-related concern is acne," she shares. "I'm currently dealing with hormonal breakouts all along my jawline and have my eyes on the Blemish Breakthrough Triple-acid Resurfacing Serum ($15), which contains an 8.5% triple-acid complex of salicylic acid, tranexamic acid, and PHA plus to help improve my skin's tone and texture."
