10 (Wildly Affordable) Skin-Care Products to Try in 2021 — All From e.l.f. Cosmetics

When your heart wants new skin-care everything but your wallet says, "Not so fast," consider the e.l.f. Cosmetics Antioxidant Booster Drops ($10). This concentrated antioxidant mix of vitamin C, vitamin E, and snow-mushroom extract can be added, one drop at a time, to any liquid, cream, or foundation. (Or use it as you would a serum — your call.) It's a best-of-both-worlds situation that supercharges the skin care you already have.

Since 2020 was largely one enormous mess of stress, you've more than earned the right to start 2021 in a significantly more mellow state. This e.l.f. Cosmetics 50 mg. CBD Body Cream ($18) is an all-over moisturizer infused with argan oil and shea butter for optimal hydration, plus 50 mg. of full-spectrum CBD. Massage it in to let your anxiety melt away.

Here's a smart 2021 resolution for healthier skin: never go to sleep with makeup on, not even once. Create a cleansing ritual that you look forward to doing, and you'll have no problem sticking to it. Taking the day off is surprisingly enjoyable with this e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm ($10), as its smooth formula lifts up even long-wear makeup and leaves skin feeling refreshed. Consider it the skin-care equivalent of removing your bra at the end of the day.

No need to rub or scrub with the makeup-removing pads in the e.l.f. Cosmetics Cleansing Cloud Duo ($6) set. Simply dampen them with water, then marvel at how deftly the soft fibers lift up foundation, blush, and all of your other makeup. Oh hey, and since they're endlessly washable and reusable, they're better for the environment, too.

You know how some cleansers leave skin feeling tight and dry? They're probably damaging your skin barrier, which can leave skin parched, red, and easily irritated. Not so with the e.l.f. Cosmetics Holy Hydration! Daily Cleanser ($6), which contains hyaluronic acid (to lock in moisture) and ceramides to fortify the skin barrier. That means calmer and moisture-rich skin, so your face never winds up feeling stripped.

Some skin-care products are effective. Others are fun. This e.l.f. Cosmetics Gentle Peeling Exfoliant ($10) is both. This award-winning scrub sloughs off dead skin without requiring harsh rubbing that can damage skin. Papaya extract exfoliates, licorice-root extract improves skin tone, and antioxidant-rich tangerine extract defends skin from all sorts of stressors. But who are we kidding? The real joy comes from massaging this gel into your skin and watching it ball up, lifting no-longer-needed cells with it to reveal brighter skin.

The light, fresh fragrance of this e.l.f. Cosmetics elf+ Glow Dewy Mist ($8) invites frequent use. That means you'll happily use it to refresh makeup, add hydration, or simply wake yourself up after the day's seventh Zoom meeting. And because it's made with coconut water, argan oil, and hyaluronic acid — three ingredients that hydrate and draw moisture into the skin — this radiance-boosting mist is good for your skin, too.

Oil glands working a little bit *too* well? Sop up the excess with the e.l.f. Cosmetics Oil Control Pink Powder Mask ($8). A kaolin clay mask absorbs what you don't need, while ingredient-of-the-moment niacinamide helps pores look tighter. The look of the pastel pink powder (with matching brush) are just bonuses.

Since it's next to impossible to safely go to a spa right now, create your own DIY situation with this e.l.f. Cosmetics Pore Refining Brush and Mask Tool ($6). It allows you to apply and layer masks with ease, much like an esthetician would. Pour yourself a flute of Champagne and turn on some quiet music, and it's as though you're at the actual spa.

If your pores are carrying the weight of the world, clear them out with the e.l.f. Cosmetics SuperClarify Cleanser ($6). Its light foam lifts dirt and oil, leaving skin clearer than before. Niacinamide makes pores seem to tighten up while helping skin find its perfect balance of moisture.