I love a lot of expensive skincare products, namely, Clinique takes the day off cleansing balm, Sulwhasoo first care essence, niod CAIS, Odacite Ro+Y, blossom Jeju pink camelia soombi line. Especially a few years ago when I was so enthusiast about skincare. I always buy new products every month and keep piling on my skincare stash. I am not justifying, but most of the expensive skincare products I purchased have amazing results on my skin. Realistically, I could not afford to keep buying that pricey skincare even if I want to. Instead, I try to find similar products with the same function at a cheaper price. I started to change my products as soon as I found suitable skincare to replace the current costly skincare I have. Some of the product I replace are:
Clinique Take the day off cleansing balm to Biore makeup remover cleansing oil
Price switching: Rp 545.000 to Rp 116.900
First of all, these two cleansers have a different form, one is a balm and the other is oil. Clinique Take the day off cleansing balm is the best cleansing balm I ever tried, melt on skin easily and clean thoroughly. I replace it with Biore makeup remover cleansing oil, even though it does not have the luxurious feeling as the Clinique take the day off cleansing balm, it gets the job done equally good and the price is ¼ the Clinique take the day off cleansing balm price.
With a balm cleanser some times when the weather gets too hot, the balm will melt on its own. So, it is not really traveling friendly to hot countries. On the other hand, I can just transfer traveling make up remover cleansing oil to traveling skincare containers without worrying about it melting. Additionally, it can be used as a make-up brush cleaner, and it can even get my foundation brush squeaky clean.
Hanyul rice essential skin softener to Isntree hyaluronic acid toner
Price switching: Rp 425.000 to Rp 210.000
Hanyul rice essential skin softener is an amazing toner, its easy to absorb, make my skin supple, pack full of moisture, and it smells soooo good. The packaging is a sturdy and slightly heavy glass bottle. The only thing I do not like about Hanyul rice essential skin softener is that it is so difficult to get the product out. I have to really shake the glass packaging and only a little product comes out. It is such a troublesome since I like the product, I transfer the toner into another bottle just to make it easier for me to use it with the struggle of getting the product out every single time. I wish they change the packaging. I use a lot of toner for 7 skin method, and Hanyul rice essential skin softener is the perfect toner for it. I would finish it in 2 months.
I replace it with Isntree hyaluronic acid toner. Compare to Hanyul toner, the Isntree toner is less hydrating. Isntree hyaluronic acid toner does not have a great floral smell as Hanyul though. The packaging holes (where the product comes out from) is a similar design to Hanyul rice essential skin softener, but way easier to dispense the product. Al I need to do is just tilt the bottle without struggling to shake the bottle until the toner comes out. Another toner that I also love is the Klairs supple preparation toner which is more expensive than Isntree hyaluronic acid toner but cheaper than Hanyul rice essential skin softener.
Clinique moisture surge 72-hour auto-replenishing hydrator to Iunik cantella calming gel cream
Price switching: Rp 655.000 to Rp 180.000
Moisturizer is probably the hardest product to match my skin. For years I only use Clinique moisture surge extend thirst relief (this is the previous name of the current Clinique moisture surge 72-hour auto-replenishing hydrator). I have tried many moisturizers and most of them failed, always cause me to break out. I wanted a gel-type moisturizer for my oily skin to use every morning and a richer cream for my night time moisturizer. After 3 years I tried Iunik cantella calming gel cream, finally another gel-type moisturizer that works well on my skin and it is in a tube packaging. I am so happy I find Iunik cantella calming gel cream. I still so in love with Clinique moisture surge 72-hour auto-replenishing hydrator,gel-cream using it. Iunik cantella calming gel-cream is lighter than the Clinique moisture-creamWhen I travel, I will carry Iunik gel-cream since it is more travel-friendly packaging. With Iunik cantella calming gel-cream is not exactly switching, it is more like complementing. I usually buy Clinique moisture surge 72-hour hydrator every 3 months, and nowadays I alternating the uses between the two and purchase it every 7 to 8 months. LOL, look at me trying to justify my purchase. But yeah, that is my moisturizer situation.
Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Cream to SKINRx Lab MadeCera Cream
Price switching: Rp 950.000- Rp 1.100.000 to Rp 450.000
Just like Clinique moisture surge 72-hour auto-replenishing hydrator, I have been loving Blossom Jeju cream for the past two years. Along the way, I have tried to find a replacement for it. The products I have tried include Mamonde moisture ceramide intense cream, Sioris you look so young night cream, Bon Air Blue velvet cream and all of it failed to suit my skin. For night time, I wanted a richer moisturizer than the morning time moisturizer, have anti-aging benefits and able to “sealed” all the goodness of all my skincare steps without irritating my skin. I don’t mind a slightly sticky texture as long as the cream is absorbed well into my skin. These criteria are tough to find. Even after 2 years, I always go back to my Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming Cream. All the new moisturizer I tried and failed are mostly left my skin irritated or causing acne. And it took more than 2 weeks to recover and get back to my normal skin condition. That makes me a bit skeptical whenever I want to try yet another moisturizer. I would wait for another 4 months to try a new one.
Then I saw the SKINRx Lab MadeCera Cream and give another shot for a new moisturizer. I got a sample sachet of SKINRx Lab MadeCera Cream, and able to use it twice. Twice are actually not enough to know whether the cream works or not on my skin. Since it did not aggravate my skin, I decide to give it a try and purchase the full-size products. I am loving it so far. It has an anti-aging ingredient, absorbs well to my skin and gives my skin intense moisture. I finally find my night moisturizer alternative.
Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming eye gel cream to Yuripibu Cucu Maronza Eye Cream
Price switching: Rp 710.000 to Rp 650.000
I know, I know this is not exactly “affordable”. Unlike moisturizers, I find an eye cream that suitable for my skin way easier. That is why I always try new eye cream every six months. Why six months? Because that is when the current eye cream expired, and it’s time to try a new one. Eye cream only lasted for 6 months after opening. The last eye cream I purchased was Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming eye gel cream. I also have bought Swisse Argan Anti-Aging Eye Cream which costs Rp 195.000, however it does not have the anti-aging benefit I am looking for. Then I opt for Yuripibu Cucu Maronza Eye Cream, it has a similar feel to Blossom Jeju Pink Camellia Soombi Blooming eye gel cream. Even though Yuripibu eye cream does not have a nice scent, it provides Creamy texture, hydrates the eye area well and reduces the appearance of fine lines.
The thing is, expensive skincare I have tried so far does have special things to offer whether it is the glorious branding, the pretty packaging, the wonderful scent, and truly a really great formula. I also consider having a decent budget allocation for my skincare routine. We need to remember to choose skincare according to your own personal version of a reasonable price, not someone else’s shopping list. Only eat instant noodles for 3 weeks to be able to buy that pricey cream is not really something you should pursue. I can’t buy pricey products from double cleansing products to eye cream, what I need to do is finding a balance that caters to my budget. Maybe meet halfway by buying some key product that has a steep price and buying the rest of the routine which have cheaper price. But hey, you do you 😊
ND PASSION 