Despite what well-funded marketing campaigns might lead you to believe, luxury beauty products and clinical heavy-hitters with lofty price tags aren't automatically better quality products. While it's sometimes worth it to splurge, the never-ending carousel of options makes skincare confusing and expensive to shop.

Without the time and funds to do all the field testing on your own, it's tempting just to trust whatever is priciest because, hey, if it's this expensive, it must be good, right? But plenty of affordable skincare brands, like Cocokind, Maelove, and The Ordinary, to name a few of our favorites, perform as well or even better than luxury skincare products.

Thankfully, our team of beauty experts is here to test new products for their quality and value, so you don't have to. We cherry-picked a list of affordable skincare brands that are definitely worth your time and dollar.

Here are 15 affordable skincare brands you should know about:

Cocokind

Cocokind is an affordable skincare line that puts superfood-focused, sustainable values into its products. Each product is certified organic and doesn't feature a long scroll of ingredients. We love the brand's attention to customer reviews and interests, often reformulating and ideating to create the best product possible. We love the MyMatcha Moisture Stick for on-the-go hydration and the Chlorophyll Mask for deep cleansing. But you can't go wrong with any of their natural formulas. 

Read our full review of Cocokind skincare.

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• The unique oil-to-milk texture of this cleanser melts away makeup and lathers into a creamy milk. It leaves the skin feeling soft and hydrated.

• Simple yet effective, rosewater is known as a hero ingredient for soothing and balancing irritated skin.

• This skin barrier serum is meant for anyone looking to lock in moisture, with its hydrating formula of five ceramides and lipids.

• It's hard to find a clay mask that isn't overly drying. The Sea Kale Clay Mask manages to clear the skin after one use while keeping it supple.

Maelove

Maelove is a relatively new skincare founded by a group of MIT graduates. They set out to create simple, effective skincare products without compromising luxury quality. That's why they formulate products for all skin types in the same high-end cosmetics labs luxury brands use.

Its cult-favorite $32.95 vitamin C serum (which consumers have pointed out is very similar to SkinCeuticals' $182 version) put the company on the map and is prone to frequent sellouts.

Read our review of the Maelove Glow Maker Serum, our review of the Maelove NIA 10 Calming Serum, and our team's full review of Maelove skincare.

• The Glow Maker Vitamin C Serum is a powerful blend of vitamin C, ferulic acid, and hyaluronic acid. It's the perfect serum to try in your morning routine before your SPF.

• This soothing serum features 10% niacinamide as well as zinc and white tea extract to calm, balance, and hydrate the skin.

• Like other vitamin A products, Moonlight assists in the body's natural processes that combat signs of aging: cell turnover, collagen production, and improving discoloration.

• Maelove's gentle 10% glycolic acid cream works like a chemical peel without the harsh side effects thanks to the squalane and shea butter in the formula.

The Ordinary

The Ordinary is a well-loved, affordable skincare brand known for "clinical formulations with integrity." In other words, it uses familiar, effective clinical technologies with transparent communication and pricing. The Ordinary's Glycolic Acid 7% Exfoliating Toner is one of its most popular formulas for its gentle exfoliation that delivers brightness and clarity. Most products range from as little as $6 to as much as $30. With their super simple ingredients and excellent results, The Ordinary is a go-to brand for building out your skincare routine with basics. 

Read our review of The Ordinary AHA + BHA Peel, our review of The Ordinary Niacinamide + Zinc serum, and our team's full review of The Ordinary.

• Niacinamide aka vitamin B3 is known for its brightening and balancing properties. Paired with zinc, this basic serum supports healthy looking skin.

• If classic AHA's are too harsh for you, try the milder Mandelic acid. It gently exfoliates without irritating sensitive skin.

• This cult favorite serum packs in plumping hydration for under $9. Your skin will be looking smooth and more supple within one week of use.

• Rosehip seed oil is known for its naturally anti-aging properties, leaving the skin radiant, hydrated, and more firm.

Farmacy

Farmacy makes relatively affordable farm-to-face skincare that combines effective natural ingredients with scientific advancements. One of our favorite collections is the Honey line, featuring powerful products like the Honeymoon Glow resurfacing serum and the intensely hydrating, antioxidant-rich Honey Drop Cream.

Read our review of the Farmacy Green Clean Makeup Removing Cleansing Balm and our review of the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Antioxidant Hydration Mask.

• Finding a cleansing balm that melts away grime and makeup effectively is tricky. The Green Clean fits the bill without stripping the skin or leaving an oily residue.

• The Honey Potion is a warming mask that uses antioxidant-rich honey, vitamins, and glycerin to attract moisture and seal hydration into the skin.

• This moisturizer is a light gel-cream formulated with non-toxic ingredients that are good for your skin. It effectively hydrates, plumps, and nourishes your skin for amazon results.

• This cult-favorite uses zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to protect skin from the sun, while the antioxidants in the echinacea give skin a boost.

The INKEY List

Like The Ordinary, The INKEY List strives to educate consumers through simple yet effective skincare and marketing. Their products are low-cost but certainly high-performing, with many winning beauty awards. Our favorites are their basic staples like the Hyaluronic Acid Serum and BHA Serum which both easily fit into any skincare routine. 

• The Oat Cleansing Balm is a great cleansing balm if you've never tried one because of its budget price tag. It easily melts away makeup and SPF as a first cleanse.

• If you're used to chemical exfoliants and you want something powerful, try this 10% Glycolic Acid Toner. It quickly works to minimize the size of blackheads and fine lines.

• Caffeine is a natural antioxidant and this eye cream visibility reduces the look of puffiness under the eye. It's lightweight and cooling as well, which makes it perfect for morning use.

• Ideal for dehydrated oily skin types, this lightweight moisturizer has niacinamide and a ceramide complex to keep the skin clear and hydrated.

Neutrogena

Neutrogena has been a trusted drugstore brand for years. Their classics, like the Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, remain staples in our routines, but they've recently expanded formulas to feature some holy-grail ingredients. Their Hydro Boost line is one of our favorites, focused on the hydrating effects of hyaluronic acid. Each product offers lightweight gel textures that leave the skin glowing.

• Thanks to its extra-gentle formulation, this cleanser is fine to use morning and night and the foaming lather never leaves the skin feeling stripped.

• This moisturizer has a gel-like formula with quick absorption. Packed with hyaluronic acid, it keeps the skin hydrated all day.

• Finding a retinol product that works for you is tricky. Luckily, this oil is a great starter product for those beginning their journey.

• The lightweight water-gel formula makes this sunscreen go on completely sheer, leaving your skin feeling dewy and protected with SPF 50.

COSRX

This Korean skincare brand took the industry by storm with its use of a controversial ingredient:  snail mucin — a snail secretion filtrate that has been shown to plump, hydrate, and soothe the skin. Now, if that doesn't intrigue you, we've tried COSRX's Advanced Snail Mucin line and have been left with deeply nourished skin after just a few weeks of use. They're an affordable skincare brand surely climbing their way to holy-grail status.

• This jelly cleanser contains the COSRX cult-favorite, hydrating ingredient – snail mucin. It deep cleans the skin without stripping the skin's moisture barrier.

• BHAs are a great place to begin if you're starting to add chemical exfoliants into your routine. With the addition of niacinamide, the BHA 4% Blackhead Power Liquid keeps skin clear and balanced.

• The Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence uses snail mucin – a deeply moisturizing and brightening ingredient – to repair and fortify your complexion.

• Made with royal jelly, a black bee propolis complex, this lightweight gel-cream is nourishing and plumping without being too heavy.

Every Man Jack

Every Man Jack is one of the few grooming brands that prioritizes being eco-friendly. With 97% of the ingredients in its body wash being naturally derived, the brand uses as many clean ingredients as possible without limiting its effectiveness. Not to mention, each of their products has an intoxicating and soothing scent that leaves you smelling good all day.

Read our review of the Every Man Jack subscription.

• The activated charcoal in this gel texture cleanser helps to purify, leaving the skin clear without feeling dry.

• Shaved skin can often feel irritated and dry. This lightweight lotion refreshes post-shave skin with cooling mint and moisturizes thanks to shea butter and aloe.

• Made with cocoa butter and coconut oil, you can have smooth and nourished skin with this Sandalwood Hand + Body Lotion from Every Man Jack.

• A little bit goes a long way with this gentle and hydrating body wash. At only $9, it's one of the best affordable body care products we've found.

Hero Cosmetics

Hero Cosmetics makes Hydrocolloid patches that draw pus from pimples, resulting in noticeably minimized and less inflamed blemishes overnight. The treatment was initially used to treat wounds, but it has gained popularity lately as an answer to acne.

Here's how it works: Place a sticker on top of a blemish and remove it after a few hours or overnight wear. In a nutshell, it's an overnight miracle product. Multiple Insider Reviews reporters credit the Mighty Patch as the only quick fix worth its money — and one we earnestly wish had existed years before. 

Read our team's full review of Hero Cosmetics hydrocolloid patches.

• These award-winning patches do a great job of absorbing pus from forming pimples, resulting in noticeably smaller and less inflamed blemishes overnight.

• If you're tackling bigger breakouts, this pack has the same hydrocolloid formula, but in five extra-large patches to fit your nose, forehead, cheeks, and chin.

• Waking up with a pimple can feel like a nightmare. Luckily, this ultra-thin iteration is designed so you can wear them during the daytime.

• Hero Cosmetic's new Mighty Patch formula targets fine lines with 1,390 dissolving Micropoints. Retinol and adenosine gently renew the skin without making it dry.

Cerave

Developed by dermatologists, CeraVe is another excellent standardized skincare system. The hero ingredients in each one of the brand's products are ceramides, which help maintain the skin's barrier, making it soft, moisturized, and protected against irritation and air pollution.

Read our review of the Cerave Hydrating Facial Cleanser, one of our favorite products from the brand.

• If you're on the hunt for a cleanser that works well on uneven skin, this cleanser will leave your skin feeling fresh but not stripped.

• This refreshing gel-cream formula – with 3 different ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin B5 – replenishes skin hydration while helping to restore the protective skin barrier.

• Developed by dermatologists, this 100% mineral sunscreen hydrates and protects with niacinamide, ceramides, titanium dioxide, and zinc oxide.

• The Renewing Night Cream is an anti-aging night cream that gives you smoother, more radiant skin without the hefty price tag.

Mario Badescu

Mario Badescu, founded in 1967 by the European facialist, is the brand behind the popular acne spot drying lotion that everyone from beauty editors to supermodels like Bella Hadid and Kylie Jenner swear by. Badescu products have a potent combination of the usual scientific suspects as well as botanicals. 

Read our review of the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion.

• This popular facial mist from Mario Badescu hydrates the skin with the use of aloe and rosewater. You can use it at a toner after cleansing or as a refresher for makeup.

• The Drying Lotion features two solutions in one bottle that work together to shrink the appearance of pimples overnight.

• Energize and brighten your skin's complexion with this powerful vitamin C serum. It's lightweight and works on combination, dry, and oily skin types.

• If you want to wake up with glowing and more youthful-looking skin, then try the Seaweed Night Cream. It's rich and moisturizing without clogging pores.

Cetaphil

Cetaphil is a favorite brand among our minimalist colleagues and many dermatologists we confer with for articles. The brand specializes in simple, universal formulas — and they work well. It's a great affordable brand to try if you're just beginning to delve into the world of skincare with their easy-to-use, no-frills products. 

• This foaming wash is perfect for oily skin. It cleanses while targeting excess oil and impurities, leaving you with a clean but never stripped feeling.

• Formulated with hyaluronic acid and strong humectants – the keys to moisture retention – this lotion provides daily hydration to skin.

• A classic for a reason, this moisturizing body cream is rich yet fast-absorbing and delivers long lasting hydration.

• Looking for something a little richer? The Cracked Skin Repair Balm is designed for very rough, dry skin in need of deep layer healing.

Aveeno

Aveeno was built on the philosophy that natural ingredients and science-backed formulations develop nourishing, solution-oriented products. In our experience, Aveeno makes one of the best affordable body moisturizers: the Daily Moisturizing Body Lotion. It's hydrating, packed with nutrients, and is an accessible price point. We've found that our skin feels hydrated for hours with a noticeable "glow" throughout the day. It's also lightweight and fast-absorbing, so it's the perfect lotion for after a shower.

• Oat is known to calm irritated and dry skin. The Nourishing Oat Face Cleanser hydrates and preserves the skin's barrier while leaving your skin feeling clean.

• Aveeno's Clear Complexion Blemish Treatment Daily Moisturizer formula has salicylic acid to treat acne but is still gentle enough for daily use.

• Intensely nourishing, this body lotion has a lightweight yet creamy texture that absorbs quickly and keeps skin feeling hydrated for up to 24 hours.

• Prebiotic oat, the Active Naturals Skin Relief Hand Cream's spotlight ingredient, helps to replenish and soothe dry, flaky skin.

Brickell Men's Products

After finding their options lacking, Josh Meyer and Matt Bolduc founded Brickell Men's Products to introduce a premium men's skincare line that uses natural and organic ingredients. The products are almost all standouts, but we especially love the Purifying Charcoal Face Wash for its ability to deep-clean pores and leave a refreshing and invigorating sensation without any of the harsh chemicals.

Read our team's full review of Brickell Men's Products.

• Packed with aloe and olive oil to nourish, this cleanser also has charcoal, peppermint, and eucalyptus to deeply clean the skin without irritation.

• This anti-aging serum boosts collagen production thanks to protein peptides, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

• Packed with vitamin C for brightening and borage seed oil for intense hydration, this daily moisturizer is a great pick for all skin types.

• This lotion is a fast-absorbing moisturizer with shea butter and jojoba oil for preventing the skin's water loss throughout the day.

Acure

Acure is making a name for itself as the 100% vegan and "0% pretentious" brand for skin, hair, and body products. You won't find any parabens, sulfates, mineral oils, petrolatum, silicones, or animal testing — and the Brightening Facial Scrub, which works on all skin types and uses a chlorella growth factor to stimulate new cell growth, has over 3,000 five-star reviews on Amazon. 

Read our review of the Acure Seriously Soothing Cleansing Cream.

• Acure's Brightening Facial Scrub contains sea kelp and French green clay to cleanse and exfoliate dead skin without being too harsh.

• This lightweight cream has a whipped texture that is surprisingly rich and moisturizing. The argan oil and hyaluronic acid help to maintain the skin's moisture barrier.

• If you're beginning to add retinol into your routine, this is a great product to start with thanks to its gentle retinoid complex and hydrating squalane.

• Exfoliate while you sleep with this Resurfacing Overnight Glycolic Treatment which contains a blend of glycolic and lactic acids that gently exfoliate without irritating the skin.

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