Best Drugstore Products For Dewy Skin
7 Affordable Skin-Care Products I'm Using to Get Dewy Skin This Wedding Season
Every summer when my timeline gets flooded with content of influencers with near flawless skin, paring down their makeup routines to just skin tint and mascara, I feel an anger arise inside of me. I'm not mad at them — if you were blessed with beautiful skin, capitalize on it. My anger lies mostly in the fact that I don't have that same genetically-given (or laser treatment secured) blemish-free complexion.
And while perfection is never a goal of mine, it would be nice to go makeup-free most days. Add in the weddings that I have on the calendar this summer — for which I would like to wear very little foundation but still look fantastic — and it just feels like a conundrum that I can't avoid. There goes that anger welling up again.
In an effort to get ahead of the problem and save myself money on meditation classes, I've decided to invest in some dewy skin-care products instead. Since skin care is so key to me, I'm open to trying different products and ingredients that come highly recommended by my favorite derms. I love the Mermaidcore and Barbiecore looks that I'm seeing all over social media right now, but for me, wedding season (and pretty much the whole summer) is all about dewy skin that looks blemish-free, feels healthy, and doesn't give away the fact that I just reached a big age milestone. Here are the products that I'm using in hopes to achieve my goal.
1 Best Drugstore Cleanser For Makeup Removal
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser ($7)
To know me is to understand that I don't skip a face washing session — ever. And while I'm not one to sleep in my makeup, I can admit that at the end of a night filled with champagne and dancing — you know, like a wedding — makeup removal can be a nuisance. I appreciate this cleanser because I don't need to double cleanse when I use it. It doesn't strip my already dry-ish skin, but it gets all the face products (mascara is a different story) off of my face and hairline. It feels really silky when I'm using it, and my skin feels soft after, not tight. I can't wait to hit the eight-week mark to see the long-term benefits of gently exfoliating with this cream cleanser.
2 Best Drugstore Serum For Dark Spots
L'Oréal Paris 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum ($40)
I'm not shy about the fact that I have hyperpigmentation and have even accumulated my share of dark spots from chemical peels and skin-care treatments gone wrong — part of the consequence of trying everything in the name of skin care, I suppose. This serum has become my dark spot secret weapon this season. It contains niacinamide to help reduce the appearance of all types of dark spots, plus lesser-known ferulic and amino sulfonic acids to gently exfoliate the skin. I'm feeling like I could come out of this season with, dare I say, a campaign-worthy complexion.
![L'Oréal Paris 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum](https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/UNrH_uXc-D7_ub6M7_bsClmd3e4/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2023/06/29/862/n/1922153/c5ddd947649dde7bd7b300.87985424_loreal_serum/i/LOréal-Paris-12-Niacinamide-Amino-Sulfonic-Ferulic-Acid-Dark.png "L'Oréal Paris 12% [Niacinamide + Amino Sulfonic + Ferulic Acid] Dark Spot Serum")
3 Best Hydrating Serum For Dry Skin
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Pure Hyaluronic Acid Serum ($33)
This tried-and-true customer favorite has been in my skin-care wardrobe for years now. After I cleanse, and before I put on any other serum or lotion, I give my skin a hit of hyaluronic acid. Immediately my face feels softer, and I notice how much smoother it is when I'm consistent with my use. Since my skin can be on the drier side, this moisture-locking serum is a must, helping me retain the hydration that's needed to keep my complexion dewy, bouncy, and youthful-looking. Jello skin, here I come, baby!
4 Best Drugstore Eye Serum
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid + 1% Caffeine Eye Serum ($33)
Eye cream is one of those products that often gets overlooked in a skin-care routine because many people are dubious about whether it works. It works! That is, if you have the right one. It also depends on what you're trying to address. For me, dark circles and puffiness are my undereye archnemeses. This eye serum helps to combat both, brightening the delicate eye area (thank you, caffeine) and depuffing under my eyes (cheers to you, triple rollerball applicator). It is made with hyaluronic acid as well, helping me bring some much-needed hydration to all areas of my face.
5 Best Drugstore Day Cream
L'Oréal Paris Revitalift Derm Intensives Micro Hyaluronic Acid + Ceramides Line-Plumping Water Cream ($33)
Once my serums are all absorbed I move on to moisturizer, and I love this pick because it contains hydrating hyaluronic acid, and it has a water-based formula that feels light on the skin — super important for the hot weather months. If you have oily skin you'll want to invest in this lightweight moisturizer that won't feel occlusive or make your face greasy or slick as the day goes on. It's also fragrance-free, which is nice if you're averse to overly fragrant products or have sensitive skin.
6 Best Drugstore Night Cream
L'Oréal Paris Age Perfect Skin Care Cell Renewal Midnight Cream ($37)
At night I indulge in this decadent night cream that former RHONY star Bethenny Frankel is wild about. It has a soufflé-like, whipped texture that feels so rich when you smooth it over your face. Unlike the aforementioned water cream, it does have a soft scent reminiscent of fresh fruit and flowers. It's not overwhelming though, it just adds to the luxe feel of the product. And while all those surface benefits are great, the best part is that it's formulated with powerful actives that can help to repair my skin barrier while I sleep. I can't think of anything better than improving the look (and feel) of my skin when I'm doing absolutely nothing.
7 Best Drugstore Sunscreen
L'Oréal Paris Bright Reveal Broad Spectrum SPF 50 Daily UV Lotion ($33)
Of course the follow-up to all of this is sunscreen. I'm no dummy; I know that the only way I'm going to successfully avoid future dark spots and secure dewy skin is by wearing SPF every single day. So this lightweight sunscreen serum has become part of my daily routine. I like how thin it is because that helps me spread it evenly and helps the sunscreen absorb quickly. It also gives my skin a slightly radiant appearance without making me look oily. On the days that I do decide to add some foundation or a bit of concealer, this sunscreen layers under my makeup well without pilling and never leaves a white cast on my caramel complexion.
