Affordable Skincare Products My (Acne-Prone, Sensitive) Skin Loved In 2023

Here are the affordable skincare products my skin loved in 2023. This is a highly curated list following months of consistent use. I have acne-prone skin, sensitive skin, so I have to be extra about what I use. These guys made it to the top and I’ll tell you why.

Table of Contents

Favorite affordable skincare products for acne-prone, sensitive skin

Best oil cleanser: Manyo Pure Cleansing Oil

Price: Approximately USD 16-18, depending on where you buy it from

Size: 200ml

I’m always wary about using any oil-based products. Some oils just don’t work and cause more breakouts. So, for many years I was using a very expensive, but also very good cleanser because it seemed to be one of the few that did not irritate my skin or burn my eyes. I still highly recommend this one, but then I discovered the Manyo Pure Cleansing Oil and, well, it’s all I used in 2023.

The two main reasons I love it: it’s affordable and super gentle on the skin. The Manyo Pure Cleansing Oil effectively removes all my makeup including mascara and without burning or irritating the skin. I use two pumps and apply directly to my face and massage for 30 seconds to first to melt away makeup and debris, then add water to emulsify to a milky texture to further cleanse the skin. My skin feels clean, but not stripped, and supple after use.

Best essence/toner: numbuzin – No. 3 Super Glowing Essence Toner

Price: Approximately USD 18-20, depending on where you buy it from

Size: 200ml

I discovered the numbuzin – No. 3 Super Glowing Essence Toner through social media — it went viral for creating the more ethereal ‘glow from within’ effect on the skin. So, I had to give it a try and the hype is real. Whenever I use this essence in my skin prep before makeup, I am guaranteed to receive compliments on my glowy skin. The product contains ingredients designed to soothe the skin and improve texture, so that the face looks healthy and radiant.

The essence toner is slightly thicker than a toner and thinner than a serum; it’s the perfect consistency to add a good layer of hydration to the skin without make it extra sticky or wet. My acne prone skin seems to love this. The numbuzin – No. 3 Super Glowing Essence Toner contains 50 fermented ingredients, which are known to have soothing and healing properties. It also contains extracts from meadowsweet plant, which brightens the skin and also offers similar benefits to salicylic acid.

So, I bought it for the glow and then bought it again for the fact that it also heals my skin. There is so much product the bottle that it will take you months to finish one. Great value for money!

Best vitamin C serum: GOODAL Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot

Price: Approximately USD 16-18, depending on where you buy it from

Size: 40ml

Serum

I’ve tried so many different vitamin C serums and the truth is most of them are pretty good. I always thought that I needed stronger vitamin C serums with 10-15% l-ascorbic acid to see any improvement on my skin. But with sensitive skin, the rules are different because I have to be extra careful.

The GOODAL Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum is created with 70% Vitamin C from Jeju green tangerine extract and designed to be very gentle and suitable for sensitive skin. Honestly, I tried this product on a whim because I needed a new vitamin C serum and I wasn’t too sure how it would perform given that its made from natural fruit extracts. It turns out: stronger is not always better. I was very pleasantly surprised to see how gentle yet effect the GOODAL Green Tangerine Vita C Dark Spot Serum

It’s a simple product that does what it’s supposed to: take care of dark spots and brighten skin tone. I have freckles and sunspots, but I use this product every day and see how bright and even my skin looks.

The serum has a gel-like consistency and absorbs right into the skin (I use two pumps). It’s not sticky or gloopy and leaves the skin feeling hydrated, supple and radiant. Bonus points because makeup wears beautifully on top of it.

Best moisturizer: Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream (Dry To Very Dry, Sensitive Skin)

Price: Approximately USD 21, depending on where you buy it from

Size: 453mg (approx. 450ml)

Affordable Skincare Products cetaphil moisturizing cream

Why are moisturizers so expensive? Given that it is one of the most commonly used skincare products, I am truly shocked at how expensive they are. Well, not really, because it’s brilliant from a business standpoint. I have tried so many amazing moisturizers that work amazingly on acne-prone skin and wear well under makeup, but my issue every single time is the price. I don’t want to be shelling out USD 30-40 a month on face creams and creating so much packaging waste.

So, while elbows deep in my moisturizer research I stumbled on the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. At first, I got a small trial version and tried it at night to see how my skin reacted to it seeing that it’s a richer formula and designed for dry skin, I was a bit worried about it leaving my skin greasy. I was left very pleasantly surprised (again!) because while the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream has a rich and creamy texture, it absorbs into the skin really well, but you have to be careful of the amount of product applied on the face. In the mornings, I use a very small pea-sized amount on the face and it absorbs in less than a minute. In the evenings, I use more and generously apply it all over my face and then wait for 5 minutes for it absorb fully. The cream is so rich that is can function as a night sleeping mask. I wake up to hydrated and plump skin every day, it’s amazing!

I like this moisturizing cream because it is affordable and offers incredible value for money — one tub will last you at least 5-6 months. The product is safe for sensitive, acne-prone skin and very multifunctional (use it as day cream, night cream, sleeping mask, or on other parts of the body) and works in different climates.

Affordable skincare products for acne-prone, sensitive skin: before and after pictures

If you made it this far in this review, then here’s a little bonus content for you 🙂

I’m sharing photos of my skin from the beginning and end of the year, just to show you that these products made a visible difference: more glow, less darkness around the eyes, and reduced redness.

I’ll say it again skincare products are not magic. There are no instant results or solutions. It takes a lot of time, effort and consistency to see results.