The Under-$30 Skin-Care Products Our Beauty Editors Use Until the Last Drop

If you’ve taken a look at the drugstore aisles lately, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that getting your hands on high-quality, effective skin care doesn’t have to cost you an entire month’s rent. One other place where you can find A+ products that won’t break the bank? The Well+Good Shop, which is chock full of products that the W+G team has tried, tested, and fallen in love with. 

As beauty editors, we have the opportunity to samples a lot of different products, ranging from basic, $3 cleansers to high-tech, $435 face masks. And while there are plenty of splurges out there that are well worth their cost, we’ve found that some of the best products will run you nothing more than $30. Scroll through to shop the affordable, effective, under-$30 skin-care products that have become mainstays in our routines, and that you’ll use down to the very last drop, too. 

Tower 28 Beauty SOS Daily Rescue Facial Spray — $12.00

I take this facial spray with me everywhere. It’s great for rehydrating dry skin in the middle of the work day, and has anti-bacterial properties that help do away with dirt and grime. I’ve got one on my desk and another in my purse to ensure that I can give my skin exactly what it needs at any time. 

KNC Beauty Rose Supa Balm — $22.00

A good balm can serve about a zillion different purposes, and that’s exactly what this rose-packed formula is meant to do. You can use it on your lips, elbows, hands, cuticles—really, anywhere—and it will help to hydrate your skin and seal in moisture all over.

Three Ships Refresh Papaya + Salicylic Acid Cleanser — $23.00

No joke: This cleanser helped me get rid of a pimple in 24 hours flat. It’s made with exfoliating papaya enzymes and zit-squashing salicylic acid, making it enemy number one for acne everywhere. Though it’s got some heavy hitting ingredients, it won’t strip your skin like many other acne treatments on the market, and is okay to use on all skin types. 

Henné Red Organic Lip Exfoliator — $26.00

Exfoliation is a critically important—but often overlooked—step in de-chapping your lips. Sloughing away dead skin cells helps moisturizing ingredients penetrate the surface and hydrate from the inside out. This sugar scrub will do just that, while also infusing your lips with nourishing ingredients like coconut oil, beeswax and jojoba seed oil. And what’s more? It leaves behind a subtle berry tint, rendering your usual lipstick obsolete. 

Eir NYC Surf Mud Pro — $30.00

This mineral sunscreen was designed for people with active lifestyles top of mind, which means that it stands up to skiing, surfing, sweating, and everything in between. It offers SPF 50 to keep you protected from the sun, plus antioxidants to defend against other environmental stressors like pollution. 

Dedcool Watermelon Balm Stick — $18.00

Consider this watermelon-flavored lip balm the grown-up version of the Lipsmackers you swore by in middle school. It’s made with natural, vegan ingredients, and will give you a (literal) taste of summer every time you apply. 

Apprenti Or'ganik Elixir Facial Oil Serum — $27.00

Part serum, part oil, this double-duty product contains vitamin E and skin-similar lipids to leave your complexion healthy and strong. It’s got vitamin-A-packed carrot seed oil to stimulate cell turnover, and smooths and nourishes skin while diminishing discoloration and textural signs of aging. 

ZITSTICKA KILLA™ KIT — $26.00

These nearly-invisible patches are an instant fix for those pesky pimples that seem to pop up out of nowhere. They’ve got tiny microdarts covered in salicylic acid that work to get to the root of your zits, making them disappear before they have a chance to get worse. 

Surface Deep Anti-Odorant Pads — $20.00

Unlike traditional deodorants, which tend to use aluminum and fragrance to do away with sweat and B.O., these “anti-odorant” pads use glycolic acid to wipe away dead skin cells and neutralize odor-causing bacteria. They’ve also got probiotics, aloe leaf juice, and glycerin, which help to balance the underarm microbiome, while hydrating skin to stave off itchiness. 

Ursa Major Essential Face Wipes — $30.00

Infused with Ursa Major’s cult-fave 4-in-1 Face Tonic, a single swipe of one of these wipes will cleanse, exfoliate, heal, and hydrate the skin at the same time. Use them on your face, neck, chest, or anywhere else your skin needs a little extra love, and toss them away when you’re finished. 

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