20 Budget Winter Skincare Essentials for Your Routine

Today I’m sharing 20 budget winter skincare essentials for your routine.

If you suffer from dry skin, winter can wreak havoc on your face. And as someone with dry skin… I know just how harsh winter can be. Going from the cold outdoors to heated indoor spaces and hot showers can strip your skin of all of its natural moisture and oil. 

It’s hard enough on people with normal skin… but add dry, oily, or combination skin into the mix… and we’re screwed. 

Those of us with temperamental skin also get bombarded with ads for expensive creams, serums, and moisturizers that sometimes work… and sometimes don’t… but always manage to empty our bank accounts. There’s always someone, somewhere telling you that their $500 serum is the cure. 

This year, I’m going to share the tea on my favorite budget skincare essentials for winter. These products are tried and tested to help keep you confident and beautiful all winter long, without breaking the bank. 

Having the perfect cleaners, an additional winter moisturizer for the whole body, and moisturizing masks that are budget-friendly can make all the difference to your winter skincare routine. 

Winter Skincare Tips

Before I dive into my favorite winter skincare products, I want to share a few things I’ve learned over the years that can help you take better care of your skin during the cold winter months. 

The easiest way to transition to a winter skincare routine is to decrease the number of harsh chemicals in your products, while also decreasing the temperature of the water that you use to wash your face. 

Just because your face can handle a harsher product during the summer, doesn’t mean it will behave the same way in winter. On this note, also try to avoid exfoliating in the winter months. All of these things can strip your face of the moisture it so desperately needs to hold onto right now. 

If you’re wondering what this means in practice, keep an eye out for products containing active ingredients like retinol, hydroxy acids, astringents, and alcohol during the winter months. This can mean you have a summer and winter toner that you use depending on the season. Or you look for a gentler retinol for colder months. 

Another thing you can do to keep your skin happy in the winter is to sleep with a humidifier. I love this Mushoom RainCloud Humidifier that’s been all over my ‘For You’ page on TikTok, but any humidifier you find will save your skin over the winter.  

Now that you have a few of my winter skincare tips, let’s jump right into my budget winter skincare essentials. 

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Affordable Winter Skincare Essentials

I want to start with cleaners because how we clean our skin in the winter can make a big difference in our overall skincare routine and how dry or oily our skin is. Remember to always wash your face with slightly cooler water in the winter as well – it doesn’t have to be cold water, just keep it cooler. 

If you suffer from dry skin (like I do!) you might want to try one of these budget cleansers. 

Budget Winter Cleansers for Dry and Sensitive Skin

It’s formulated with La Roche-Posay’s prebiotic thermal spring water, which sounds fancy, but this product won’t break the bank! This face wash gently cleanses your skin of dirt, makeup, and all impurities while maintaining your skin’s natural moisture and pH. 

Pick up Toleriane Hydrating Facial Cleaner today for only $16.99. 

I’ve used Milk Jelly from Glossier for years. I’ve used gel-cream cleansers in the past that leave my face feeling sticky and clogged but with Milk Jelly my skin always feels clean and refreshed. It’s packed full of clean conditioning ingredients that leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and never stripped. 

Pick up Milk Jelly Cleanser from Glossier for only $19.

It’s perfect for anyone who suffers from sensitive skin. Pure Skin gently cleanses and removes oil without stripping your skin. It’s a lightweight cleanser with allantoin and aloe leaf extract that cools inflammation and reinforces your skin’s ability to fight environmental triggers. 

You can get First Aid Beauty Pure Skin for $24. 

Full Body Budget Cleansers for Winter

One thing we’re focusing on in 2024 is a full-body skincare routine. Skincare routines shouldn’t stop at your face, having dry skin in the winter can lead to feeling itchy, irritated, and uncomfortable all winter long. Especially when paired with fabrics that keep us warm in the winter like cashmere and wool. 

These are my favorite whole-body cleansers that will keep you comfortable and moist all winter long. 

Which definitely makes it very budget-friendly! This gentle, moisturizing body and face wash will provide 24 hours of hydration, starting in the shower. 

You can pick up Lipikar AP Body and Face Wash for only $16.99. 

Plus it’s made without harsh chemicals, parabens, sulfates, fragrances, and dyes that dry your skin out. 

You can get Aveeno’s Body Wash for only $11.99 from Target, making it a no-brainer for your full-body winter skincare routine. 

Affordable Toners for Winter Skincare Routines

It’s important to be very careful when picking a toner for winter months. Toners tend to have active ingredients and alcohol that dry the skin out, making it harder to keep your skin moisturized during the winter months. 

Using the wrong toner can leave you with chapped, flaky skin all winter long. I know that some of us skincare girlies really love toner, so I’ve picked a couple of gentle, affordable toners to add to your winter skincare routine. 

It’s alcohol-free but still contains hyaluronic acid and vitamin E that work together to clean your pores and lock in moisture. 

You can buy Dickinson’s Hydrating Toner from Target for only $4.99. 

You can buy this as a part of their Holy Hydration! Bundle or on its own from E.L.F. This product contains Hyaluronic Acid, Witch Hazel, and Aloe making it a superhouse for keeping your skin soft and glowing all winter long. 

On its own, you can pick up the Keep Your Balance toner for $8 or bundle it from Target with the cleanser, moisturizer, and toner for $15.00. 

Essential Budget Moisturizers for Winter Skincare

Let’s talk moisturizer! Of course, moisturizer is one of the most important parts of a winter skincare routine, because we need to keep our skin moisturized! It’s a bit of a no-brainer but I want to specifically share moisturizers that are going to transform your skin during the winter. 

It’s made with aloe and hyaluronic acid – these are ingredients that you’re going to see over and over in this winter skincare guide because they’re essential for our skin! 

Pick up Frozen Over for $15.97 from Walmart. 

Normally, I do not like ‘gel’ moisturizers, but this formula targets the top layer of your skin to restore moisture and soothe. And I can assure you that it’s not sticky at all. 

Fall in love with Bio-Oil’s Dry Skin Gel for only $11.99. 

I love their Cicaplast Baume because it’s a multipurpose balm that is designed to target dry, irritated, and inflamed skin on your face and body. 

As someone who suffers from dry skin all year round, the winter can cause certain areas to become inflamed and this balm has become my lifesaver. If you suffer from dry skin or you have sensitive skin, I highly recommend adding this to your winter skincare routine. 

Pick up La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume for $15.99. 

Essential Budget Full-Body Moisturizers 

Like I said, 2024 is the year of your full-body skincare routine! That means full-body hydration this winter. Here are two of my favorite full-body moisturizers. 

This specific hydrating body moisturizer is a non-greasy, moisture-rich cream. It’s thick and it lasts all day. Designed specifically for very dry to dry and sensitive skin, this is the perfect winter skincare moisturizer. 

Pick up Cetaphil Cream Body Moisturizer for $13.49 today. 

There’s a reason this product has been around since 1870 – it works! Vaseline Healing Jelly is made with 100% petroleum jelly and it’s the original skin protectant. You can use it to protect, help heal, and lock in moisture for dry skin. 

If you suffer from cracked feet, elbows, or knuckles during the winter, make sure you always have Vaseline in your medicine cabinet for quick healing.

Restock your Vaseline Healing Jelly for only $1.79. 

Affordable Serums for Your Winter Skincare Routine

Adding a serum to your winter skincare routine can help lock in moisture and keep your skin glowing. You should mix up your serums depending on the time of year because some will benefit your skin more during the summer months and others are essential for winter months. Here are two of my favorite serums to include in your budget winter skincare essentials. 

Press Restart is a gentle Retinol serum that’s a non-irritating nightly treatment to reform your skin texture and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It also boosts collagen production and evens out your skin tone. Plus it does all of this without the ‘dryness’ of typical Retinol Treatments. 

If you’re looking for a gentle Retinol Serum to use this winter, pick up Press Restart today for only $27. 

This is a non-tacky super serum! It’s been clinically proven to deliver instant and long-lasting hydration to plump your skin and reduce fine lines. 

Get the Inkey List HA Serum today for only $9.99. 

Essential Hydrating Face Masks for Winter

For additional hydration this winter, add a face mask to your budget skincare routine. A hydrating face mask can be a relaxing way to end the day while keeping your skin happy and hydrated. I love a good face mask, and here are three of my favorites for hydration. 

It’s designed to help you have glowing, hydrated skin all winter long. It also promotes an even skin tone, which is something that us dry skin girlies really struggle with. Packed with Vitamin C, Marshmallow Root extract, and Olive Leaf extract, this face mask is everything you need. 

You can buy Bliss’s Mighty Marshmallow Face Mask from Amazon for only $9.04. 

Moisture Surge is a creamy, penetrating night mask that helps your skin drink deep to replenish lost moisture and build reserves for tomorrow. In other words, a must-have during dry winter months! 

Smooth your skin and hold in moisture with Clinique’s Moisture Surge from Target for only $13.90. 

After using this mask for just 5 minutes your face will feel a burst of hydration helping it feel calmer, relieved, soothed, and replenished.

The important ingredients in this mask are Calendula Flower petals and Aloe Vera that pack your skin with glowing hydration. While this mask usually costs around $45 from Kiehl’s, you can pick it up on Amazon for $13.98! 

Additional Budget Skincare Essentials for Winter

Here are some additional products that I love adding to my winter skincare routine! 

If you struggle with dry, cracked lips all winter long, try this overnight lip mask from Laneige. It’s been a game-changer for me. This lip mask delivers intense moisture and antioxidants while you sleep. Wake up with baby-soft lips. 

Pick up the Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask on Amazon for $24 (and trust me, this one container will last you forever!) 

Sunscreen is your nonnegotiable skincare product all year long. Yes, even in the winter months you need to be wearing sunscreen! It’s simply the best way to protect your skin. This gentle sunscreen from CeraVe will protect your skin without clogging your pores. It’s also Oxybenzone-free, avobenzone-free, and benzene-free – which means it’s reef-safe. 

You can pick up CeraVe’s Mineral Sunscreen on Amazon for $12.72. 

Last up, I wanted to share a calming facial oil that I’ve discovered recently and LOVE. This facial oil is made with Oats and Squalane which help calm and soothe redness. It can also help reduce breakouts, shrink your pores, and even out your skin tone. 

Korean skincare is all the rage! And if you haven’t tried any Korean skincare products yet, let this facial oil be the first! You can pick it up for only $15.10 on Amazon. 

There you have it! 20 budget winter skincare essentials to add to your routine. Keep in mind that the most important thing with your winter skincare routine is to find products that pack a punch with moisture, and don’t contain harsh chemicals that dry and irritate your skin. That means that some products you usually love should be replaced with a gentle alternative during the winter season. 

What are your favorite skincare essentials? Hang out with me over on Instagram (@basiarestepo) to be the first to know when I discover a new product! And make sure to follow me on Pinterest (@basiarestrepo) to stay up to date on the latest trends in fashion, skincare, and beauty!