The $9 oil that beats a $100 serum

Can you actually buy great skincare at Target, Sephora, and CVS? I think so. But you have to be picky! But I’m picky when it comes to luxury skincare too. So, we get into it.

We talk about surviving a Sephora haul with a tween, the simple-actives brands I love (that aren’t going to give you more problems than you’re trying to solve), the $9 oil I’d take over a $100 serum, and the places it’s worth splurging.

Enjoy!

If you want to skip to the good bits, click the links!

Catching up

00:45 — My tried-and-true SPF got reformulated and now leaves a bright orange cast. We commiserate, then get into the good stuff.

Good skincare done cheap?

03:45 — The mission: navigate Target, Sephora, CVS, and the health food store for quality skincare that won’t cost a fortune.

Surviving Sephora

04:30 — Sephora is a rite of passage (and a Drunk Elephant zoo), but we get into how to send your kid in for something that won’t wreck their skin barrier.

Simple actives. Tiny prices.

06:13 — I’m not big on active ingredients. They can wreak havoc on your skin. Especially when they are strong and combined. We talk single actives at a super affordable price, and my favorite place to redirect a TikTok-fueled teen.