5 Problem-Solving Skin Care Products You Need Right Now (All Under $40!)

It's time for my newest short-list! This time, it's all about inexpensive solutions to common skin-care issues that I'm occasionally plagued by. Below, you'll find products that are new to me and quite impressive-- and everything can be had for under $40 (sometimes well under $40).

Ginger Chi Argan Wrinkle Roller $20

Ingredients: Argan oil, rosehip oil, hemp oil, vitamin E, rosemary oil, frankincense, geranium, German chamomile, fresh ginger oil, myrrh oil

One of the biggest surprises of the year so far for me has been the brand Ginger Chi. I'd heard the name before, but had I known how gorgeous and reasonably priced their products were, I would have jumped on them when I first heard of them. Their closely-edited selection of ginger-based, natural skin care products are so tasty, you'll have trouble choosing just one, so I made the sacrifice and did the work for you. (I know, I'm very self-sacrificing like that).

Ginger Chi Argan Wrinkle Roller is comprised of simple, organic, powerhouse ingredients that frankly, is just not available anywhere else in this exact combination. And it is this combination that works so well against wrinkles, blemishes, acne scars and much more. The rollerball packaging allows precise application of the product directly to the areas that need it, which is a nice bonus. Very neat, and nothing wasted. Argan, rosehip and hemp oils... just saying those words together out loud gives me a tingle at the base of my spine. If you love a smartly blended facial oil, buy this. Then, snag one or two of Ginger Chi's great little sets so you can try the rest of the line.

Wild Naturals Manuka Honey Eye Serum $39.95

Key ingredients: aloe gel, sodium hyaluronate, glycerin, Vitamin E, manuka honey, cehami, vitamin E, retinyl palmitate

Not long ago, I expounded on the virtues of micro-micro brand Wild Naturals' only other product, their Manuka Moisturizing Cream. I've been waiting very excitedly for this eye serum to come out. Not only is it fabulous, but it's not just for the eye area. I heartily recommend that it be used on the entire face and neck. It's not a sticky gel, nor is it loaded up with silicones to create unnatural texture. It's soothing, cooling and comfortable on the skin while it's firming and toning. It blends and layers well with other products, and it's brilliant on its own. If you have sensitive eyes or sensitive skin in general, this gel-serum is a must-have. It works wonders on puffiness and brightens the entire eye area-- any time of day.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Liquid Recovery $38

Key Ingredients: Glycerin, red algae extract (Ahnfeltia Concinna), oat kernel extract, hyaluronic acid, propolis, feverfew, licorice root extract, green tea leaf extract

I've been quite enjoying several First Aid Beauty products lately, and am really smitten with this one. It's meant to heal and smooth troubled skin, meaning: acneic skin, sensitives, rashes, clusters of hormonal breakouts, dry patches, psoriasis, and the list goes on. When you've got skin that has a compromised barrier, you just can't use very many things. Of the things you CAN use, even fewer don't hurt, sting, or itch when you do use them. That's why Ultra Repair Liquid Recovery rules. It's got the consistency of a toner, and you just pour some into your cupped palm, bring your hands together, then pat into the skin. It's helped me to heal areas of my facial skin that couldn't tolerate anything else. I love it so much that I'm now using it every day to keep my skin hydrated without needing to use much else on top. Sometimes, creams and oils can't do the job that a liquid can do. And I suppose that is the main reason why I've cleared a space for this one into my daily regimen.

HandcraftedGoodies on Etsy Hemp & Organic Cotton Facial Cleansing Rounds $12.50 for 25

I love these super-soft hemp/cotton rounds! They have a slightly different texture on each side. One is really soft but is still absorbent, and the other is a bit more exfoliating, but still soft. They're washable, eco-friendly and very inexpensive. I use them for toners, cleansers and masks, then I just collect the used ones in a mesh bag and toss it in the washing machine. Super easy, and NO lint that you get with disposable cotton rounds! There are several makers of these on Etsy and elsewhere, but I use and love the ones pictured here, by HandCraftedGoodies on Etsy.

Yu-Be Foaming Skin Polish $18 for 7oz

Key Ingredients: walnut shell powder, bamboo stem extract, green tea, panax ginseng, ginger root, rice bran wax, geranium, glycerin, camphor

Japanese brand Yu-Be is the maker of one of my all-time favorite lip balms, so I was really excited to try their very popular body scrub. Its scent is very mild, yet incredibly, enticingly fresh, and it's a fairly low-foaming formula. I happen to think foam is a bit overrated, so it's actually perfect for me. It's pretty intensively exfoliating, so I won't be using it on my sensitive facial skin, but it feels so wonderful everywhere else. It leaves my skin feeling softer and silkier than pretty much every other body scrub I've tried, so it's a slam-dunk. If you are prepping your skin for swimwear, self-tanning, shorts, a cute minidress or generally just going out in public with any measure of your skin exposed, treat yourself to Yu-Be's Foaming Skin Polish.

Samples of Wild Naturals eye serum and Yu-Be polish provided by respective companies for my consideration. All others were purchased by me.

New Natural Skin Solutions with Becca and Mars

I've been a fan of Becca and Mars' homemade bath, body and skin care products for maybe a year and a half now, and I still get geeked when new products are added to the line. The reason? because proprietress Erica Wolfe keeps outdoing herself. In the time since I've started using the brand, some sort of something  special happened somewhere along the line to kick up the magic quotient. Case in point: the new Calming Complexion Serum.

It's got some very attractive and well-researched ingredients, this was not a slap-dash formulation. With hazelnut oil, borage seed oil, jojoba, vitamin E and vegetable glycerin, and a touch of lemon and lavender essential oils, it really did calm my very sensitive skin and hydrate it for the entire day. It softens effectively and quickly, perfect for my evening facial massages, and and is only $17.50 for a 1 oz bottle. It seriously makes me embarrassed about all the money I've spent on face oils, but we need to look forward, not back!

Also new is Becca and Mars' Tangerine Sugar Lip Scrub ($3.50). You know those delicious looking lip scrubs that come in every flavor from green apple to red velvet cake? This product is just as good, if not better (all-natural ingredients here), and literally a fraction of the price. It's a gorgeous hydrating balm made with tangerine essential oil, sweet almond oil, beeswax and grainy sugar to exfoliate the lips. You remove the scrub with a damp washcloth, and once the sugar is gone (you can also lick it off if you want to), what you're left with is the moisture and protection of the sweet almond oil and beeswax. I now consider lip scrub to be an essential and quick beauty trick for die-hard lipstick fans and for anyone who needs to smooth out their flaky lips.

It's also great for sensitive lips, too. What, you've never heard of sensitive lips? I had never had a problem with any lip product until I tried a scrub in a lipstick tube by Korres, and my lips felt like they were on fire when I used it. Needless to say, I trashed it and never had the courage to try another lip scrub until now. The judiciously-chosen, healthy ingredients make a big difference.

All of Becca and Mars products are affordable, and I'm happy to say, of fantastic quality. If you're looking to get about eight times your money's worth from some of your skin care products, you need to check out this little corner of Etsy heaven.


[samples provided by company for my consideration]

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Enzyme Exfoliating Mask

I have recently become pretty obsessed with natural and organic (when possible) skin care products, mostly due to the influence and encouragement of my fellow blogger Nav of Beauty Huile. With a little nudge from her, I've decided that I'm going to start posting once a week or so about my experiences with skin care products as an ultra-sensitive skin type. I'll be using a rating system: 0-5, 0 meaning no sensitivity or irritation whatsoever, to 5, meaning that I pretty much burned my face off (nod to Victoria J, EauMG).

To start things off, I'll be reviewing Dr. Alkaitis Organic Enzyme Exfoliating Mask. Exfoliation is one of those words that gives me shivers down my spine, because I rarely know what I'm in for. That's because my skin is so reactive and so unpredictable, that I'll be sensitive to something today that I had no problem with last year. It's not an unusual occurrence. I broke out in red bumps all over my face as soon as I entered the pre-surgical area of the hospital when I had my gallbladder out a couple weeks ago. I was honestly more worried about my skin than the surgery, and I had the anesthesiologist in stitches over my kvetching.

Dr. Alkaitis Organic Enzyme Exfoliating Mask: Irritation Factor= 0 out of 5

This mask is one that comes in powder form (my favorite kind), and you mix a teaspoon of the mask with a teaspoon (or a bit more) of water and make a thin paste, sort of like pancake batter. There is enough in the jar for 25 masks. Application is sloppy, slimy fun, and it's left on the skin for 5-7 minutes. One major caveat: you must keep the mask moist on your face, or the enzymes will be inert. I take a wet muslin washcloth that I use specifically for masks and lay it over my face as I loaf until it's time to wash it off. You can also mist face with a spray-bottle at frequent intervals. The scent reminds me of steel cut oats soaked in milk, and I love that. After rinsing and completing my toning, oiling and creaming steps, I stared hard at my skin in the mirror. No redness, no irritation (not even when the mask was on), I see and feel a subtle, beautiful refinement in the tone and texture of my skin, and my complexion is calm and happy.

Trish and Dr. Saul Alkaitis, my most favorite father and daughter team ever

It's hard to believe something could truly exfoliate the skin without my even feeling a single tingle, but I'm a believer now. Not only are there work-horse enzymes contained in the mask to devour surface debris and dead skin cells, but also phyto-nutrients, antioxidants and minerals which are delivered to the skin. It brightens, and with continued use, even lightens, and it serves as an overall gem of an anti-aging treatment that is a pleasure to use. I am so into this brand. You can expect more reviews of this product line in the future, because I become a little more obsessed with it every day.

So, my sensitive-skinned siblings-in-spirit, Dr. Alkaitis' Enzyme Exfoliating Mask is not only acceptable for you, but I heartily recommend it as the only product of its kind that I've used that delivers visible results after just one use, and actually soothes angry, moody skin in the process. Put your mad scientist outfit on and get to mixing, because your skin wants this mask, like, yesterday, for its very own-- sooner rather than later.

EDIT: Trish Alkaitis mentioned that it's very important that everyone knows that this particular mask is only to be used twice a month, tops. Just because it doesn't sting doesn't mean it's not getting down to business. 

Ingredients list:
Organic Oat Buds*, Blueberry*, Bilberry*, Strawberry*, Raspberry*, Grapes* and Blackberry*; Extracts of Barley Grass*, Turmeric* and Cat’s Claw; Enzyme Exfoliating Complex consisting of Cellulase, Lipase, Lactase, Protease Complex, Xylinase, Amylase, Bromelain, Papain, Maltase, Beta-Glucanase, Invertase, Pectinase, Mannanase, Phytase, Alpha-Galactosidase, Arabinosidase and Glucoamylase.
* – Signifies certified organically grown. 


[Product purchased by me for my own use. It is available for $55 at several fabulous online shops, including Alkaitis.com, Spirit Beauty Lounge, Saffron Rouge and Bella Floria]