I can’t believe how good some of the products in the drugstore have gotten. I used these brands as a teenager and quickly moved on the moment my budget allowed. When I started looking to simplify my skincare routine, I found myself in a whole new world with drugstore products. It has been not only fun for nostalgia purposes but to a great surprise to see how the improvement in quality fits in with my life now that I’m older.

I love having painted nails but don’t like the time, expense, or damage that comes with getting them done regularly. This inexpensive polish dries quickly and I can do two coats in under ten minutes. The tradeoff is the polish lasts for just a few days but it’s easy to remove and I can either polish them again quickly or let my nails breathe until the next time. It’s easy to apply in thin coats and just ticks all of the boxes for me right now.

I have pink undertones to my skin and also have rosacea. This mask is one of the only things that actually soothes the redness. I apply it once a week after exfoliating and then top with a moisturizer to lock it all in right before I go to bed. It’s a cool treat after the summer heat. I’ve tried dozens of sheet masks and this is the only one I buy on repeat. (I didn’t intend for that all to rhyme but here we are!)

I hate shaving. Like, hate hate shaving. Enter Veet–a depilatory cream that I slather on once every week or two and ten minutes later wipe off with a washcloth in the shower. This isn’t one you want to multi-task on, so make sure to set a timer to ensure you don’t go over ten minutes. Smooth results last for a week or longer. Make sure to slather a lot on if it’s been a while since you shaved. Not that I know anything about that (ahem). 

I don’t wear much makeup on a daily basis but when I do, I really like to use a primer so foundation goes on smoothly. I couldn’t believe this was Wet & Wild. It soaks in and leaves a great base to apply a thin layer of foundation. I like that I still feel and look like I’m in my own skin.