7 Underrated Skin Care Products You Should Add to Your Skin Care Routine

Everyone’s always buzzing about the trendiest skin care products of the moment, like sheet masks and cica creams, and we can’t blame them. New beauty trends are always exciting! But sometimes, it just feels so good to go back to basics. That means it’s time to stop overlooking some of the tried-and-true skin care products you may have tossed aside in favor of new favorites. Is your foaming facial cleanser collecting dust? Has your lip balm been pushed down to the bottom of your makeup bag? No more! Without further ado, let’s give these underrated skin care products their due!

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #1: FACIAL CLEANSER

When it comes to taking care of your skin, you don’t necessarily have to get all fancy. Cleansing your complexion should be part of your morning and nighttime routines—and all you need to do is look for a cleanser that’s formulated for your skin type to help keep your skin in tip-top shape. That’s it! Need help finding one? We’ve got you covered!

If you have dry skin…try the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser. Not all facial cleansers leave dry skin feeling tight and uncomfortable. A cream facial cleanser can help remove all traces of makeup and impurities while enhancing smoothness and radiance.

If you have oily skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Clay Purify & Mattify Cleanser. This clay-to-mousse facial cleanser goes beyond daily cleansing to deep clean and remove excess oil, so that skin is left with a clean, clear look. No more resembling an oil slick!  

If you have combination skin…try the L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean™ All Skin Types Foaming Gel Cleanser. Finding a facial cleanser that works when you have some a mix of oily and dry spots can be a challenge, but a cleanser that’s suited to all skin types should do the trick.

If you have sensitive skin…try the L’Oréal Paris Micellar Cleansing Water Complete Cleanser Waterproof – All Skin Types. You’d be hard-pressed to find a facial cleanser that’s gentler than a micellar water, making this the perfect pick for sensitive skin types. Plus, there’s no need to rinse off afterwards—talk about convenient.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #2: MAKEUP REMOVING TOWELETTES

Sleeping in your makeup is a major skin care no-no, since it can lead to clogged pores—and clogged pores can lead to breakouts. On those nights when you’re just too exhausted to cleanse your face, makeup removing towelettes can be a skin care savior. If you’ve ever scrubbed and scrubbed until you got every last bit of mascara and eye shadow off, then you’re going to want to turn your attention to this next skin care product. Try the L'Oréal Paris Ideal Clean™ Makeup Removing Towelettes to gently cleanse and remove all makeup—even waterproof mascara. They’re alcohol-free, so they won’t dry out your skin. Plus, makeup removing towelettes are travel-friendly—toss one in your gym bag or suitcase for an easy on-the-go cleansing option.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #3: FACE SCRUBS

Chemical exfoliators—containing AHAs and BHAs—may be a hot topic, but don’t forget about other ways to exfoliate. We can all agree that sloughing away dead skin cells is a must (assuming you’re seeking smooth, radiant skin) but there’s no reason you have to leave mechanical exfoliation in the past. Remember how you used to love exfoliating your skin with face scrubs back in the day? That’s still an option! A few times a week, consider adding a gentle sugar scrub to your skin care routine.

If you want smaller pores…try the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Purify & Unclog Face Scrub. You may not be able to get rid of large pores, but you can trust that overtime this light, gel face scrub will help pores appear tighter, unclogged, and less visible.  

If you want a brighter complexion…try the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Smooth & Glow Face Scrub. Immediately after sloughing your skin, you’ll see a noticeable glow that can be attributed to this ultra-soft face scrub. 

If you want extra nourishment…try the L’Oréal Paris Pure-Sugar Nourish & Soften Face Scrub. You may not need any more chocolate in your diet, but your skin care routine sure does. Formulated with cocoa, this buttery-soft face scrub works to make skin feel nourished, softer, and suppler over time.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #4: TONER

Toner often gets a bad rap—although it shouldn’t! If you’re afraid to go anywhere near toner, you’re probably thinking of ones that are alcohol-based, which, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, can irritate your skin. But that just means you need to find a toner that’s alcohol-free. In fact, adding an alcohol-free toner to your routine can offer quite a few benefits. For a 99 perfect alcohol-free toner, try the L'Oréal Paris HydraFresh Toner. Formulated with beta hydroxy acid, and Pro-Vitamin B5, this gentle, non-drying toner can help gently sweep away dull, tired-looking skin and protect against moisture loss. Apply it with a cotton ball morning and night after cleansing.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #5: EYE CREAM

No matter how devoted to your skin care routine you maybe be, there’s a chance you’re overlooking an important step—eye cream. Be honest, have you been slacking on taking care of the skin around your eyes? Despite what you might assume, eye cream is an absolute essential. The skin that surrounds your eyes tends to be extra thin, making it prone to early signs of aging—aka fine lines and wrinkles. As for why your regular moisturizer won’t cut it, consider that it isn’t formulated for the area around your eyes. Your standard face lotion or moisturizer may contain ingredients that you don’t want getting as close to your delicate eye area. To avoid dealing with that, stick with an eye cream that’s meant specifically for the eye area, like the L’Oréal Paris RevitaLift Anti-Wrinkle + Firming Eye Cream.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #6: SUNSCREEN

If we had to pick just one skin care product to use each and every day, it’d be broad-spectrum sunscreen—hands down. Chances are you value sunscreen during the summer, making sure to keep your beach bag stocked, but once the weather cools off SPF gets the cold shoulder. Here’s why you need to change that habit ASAP: When you spend prolonged periods of time in the sun without wearing protection, this can lead to visible signs of aging down the road, like dark spots and wrinkles. Even on days when the sky appears cloudy and there’s a chill in the air, your skin is at risk. As far as picking out a sunscreen to wear on the daily, you should opt for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF value of at least 15, as recommended by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Of course, if you’re a busy bee, you may not have time to layer on a sunscreen after getting through the rest of your skin care routine. If that’s the case, we feel you! Instead, reach for a moisturizer formulated with broad-spectrum sunscreen to help make your routine a little easier.

Try the L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Bright Reveal Brightening Day Moisturizer SPF 30, which is formulated with glycolic acid, vitamin C, Pro-Retinol, and broad-spectrum sunscreen to help brighten the look of your complexion and protect against UV rays. Apply it 15 minutes before heading outside—and don’t forget to keep it with you so that you can reapply at least every two hours.

UNDERRATED SKIN CARE PRODUCT #7: LIP BALM

Applying lipstick to dry lips may not result in a look that you’re happy with—especially if you’re wearing a bold or matte hue. The lip color ends up clinging to dry patches which makes for an uneven, less than appealing lip look. Although you may think of lip balm as boring, we happen to believe it’s anything but. Layered under lipstick, it can totally save your pout from looking parched. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a tube or tin of moisturizing lip balm in your purse so that you can reapply as needed—bonus points if it has SPF!

So, you’re in the know about which underrated products deserve a spot in your skin care routine—but when are you supposed to use them? To incorporate these skin care staples into your routine, you’ll need to first answer the question, How Do You Layer Skin Care Products?