I don’t know how you feel, but for me, it feels like February has been speeding by. How is next week the end of the month already? Maybe it’s the fact that Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, and Chinese New Year were all back to back this year. Being the sucker that I am for special occasions, of course, I couldn’t just let any of those days pass without a proper celebration (as much as we can celebrate being in a pandemic and all, with my quarantine pod).

Now that things have finally slowed down a bit, I feel my body aching (literally and figuratively) for a much-needed “me night” from my self-imposed busy schedule. I really don’t know how my younger self used to be able to work all day, party until 4 am, then do it all over again…

My body isn’t the only one telling me to slow down; my skin has also been breaking out more than normal. While I’m sure that sleep is in fact what I need most in the next couple of days, a girl can use as much help as she can get, right?

Here are the 9 skincare products that I can’t live without for beautiful glowing skin. I’ve been using some of these products for years now and would not be recommending them if they haven’t actually done wonders for me. Did I mention they are all under $100?

1. SK-II Facial Treatment Pitera Essence

For those of you who might not be familiar, SKI-II is one of the most famous Japanese skincare brands. The company’s story begins with a chance observation at a sake brewery in Japan, where scientists noticed that elderly brewers had wrinkled faces, but extraordinarily youthful-looking hands. What followed was years of research, digging into the time-reversing secrets of yeast and fermentation.

Now, every drop of the SK-II Facial Treatment Pitera Essence is produced by cultivating the one exclusive yeast strain that remains SK-II’s most valuable trade secret. This treatment is proven to visibly soften texture, reduce the appearance of dark spots and fine lines due to dryness, even the look of skin’s tone, and enhance visible radiance.

The Pitera Essence has made a big difference for me, especially because my skin can get dry easily. I’ve found that just depending on a moisturizer often isn’t enough to keep that healthy glow. As annoying as the extra step can be, I really needed to use a toner. But why use a toner when you can use the Pitera Essence?

I gently tap this Essence on twice a day, after cleaning my face in the morning and in the evening, before applying face cream. My skin always thanks me for the extra boost of hydration with this amazing product.

Skincare Hack: After cleansing your face, don’t dry your face completely with a towel before applying toner. Pat it dry just slightly, then apply toner immediately! The key here is to “lock-in” as much hydration in your face as possible; by not drying your face completely, you’re allowing moisture to “remain” on your skin as you go along your skincare routine to “trap it” for good.

SK-II Facial Treatment Pitera Essence, $99.00

2. Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Moisturizer

It’s been 3 years since I’ve discovered Drunk Elephant and I am completely obsessed. Drunk Elephant is known for its clean formulas and its refusal to use any of the 6 ingredients that often cause skin problems, including essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical sunscreens, fragrances/dyes, and SLS.

I’ve tried many different moisturizers over the years (again, because my skin gets super dry), and none of them have worked better than the Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Moisturizer. This is a protein moisturizer that combines signal peptides, growth factors, amino acids, and pygmy waterlily to visibly improve skin‘s tone, texture, and firmness. With the other brands, I often had to apply the moisturizer 2 or 3 times in one go, just to get past my skin feeling “tight” and dehydrated. With the Protini Moisturizer, this “repeat process” is something I no longer have to worry about, and it feels freaking great. I use this face cream daily and seriously can’t recommend it enough!

Skincare Hack: Similar to the hack mentioned above on how to correctly apply toner, make sure to apply your face creams just before your toner completely dries. Again, this allows you to “trap” the moisture literally into your face. #trapthatmoisture

Drunk Elephant Protini™ Polypeptide Moisturizer, $68.00.00

3. Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream

Skincare Hack: Retinol, a form of Vitamin A that promotes skin renewal and boosts collagen production (something that starts declining in your 30s), is the most highly recommended anti-aging ingredient by dermatologists. Unless you want to keep your fine lines and wrinkles (and I tip my hat off to people that do, including my husband), it’s time to incorporate retinol into your skincare products.

Since I get most of my fine lines around my eyes, I am so grateful to have discovered the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream. Specially formulated for the delicate eye area, the fast-acting retinol cream helps fade the look of stubborn crow's feet, brightens and evens skin tone in the under-eye area, helps smooth fine lines and texture, and reduces the look of dark circles.

I love that this very effective eye cream is also a drug store product, because aren’t I racking enough Rough Points at Sephora already?! Dab some of this eye cream on lightly around your eyes and know that you’ve done all you can to fight off them evil wrinkles!

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream, $26.99

4. Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil

In a perfect world, the natural oils your skin produces act as a protective barrier, preventing water from escaping that beautiful face of yours. Many people, including myself, experience dry skin because their skin is not naturally producing enough oil to keep that outer layer of skin functional and succesfully locking hydration in.

Skincare Hack: If you struggle with occasional (think seasonal or climate-related dryness) or persistent dry, flaky, or dehydrated skin, rather than continually searching for a new moisturizer, you can easily add a facial oil to your routine and see a huge difference.

When my skin is feeling extra dry, especially when I’m not sleeping enough, when I’m getting too much sun, or when I’m traveling, I reach for the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil for an extra boost of hydration. Untouched by any chemical or fragrance, this highly absorbable oil quickly sinks in to visibly diminish fine lines and wrinkles. Appropriate for all skin, including the most sensitive, this oil contains essential antioxidants and omegas 6 and 9 that moisturizes, nourishes, and visibly balances your skin while restoring a youthful-looking glow.

After I apply my face cream, I apply two to three drops of this face oil evenly onto my face and neck. My face always feels extra loved after using this luxe product.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury  Face Oil, $72.00 — Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil, $72.00

5. Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum

Skincare Hack: You can buy the most expensive skincare products in the world, but if you don’t exfoliate regularly, no product can “penetrate” the layers of built-up dead skin cells on your face to actually be effective. In other words, exfoliate, exfoliate, exfoliate!

With that in mind, let me introduce the life-saving Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum. With a blend of glycolic, tartaric, citric, and salicylic acids, T.L.C. Framboos™ delivers a light chemical exfoliation without dryness or sensitization, curbs excess oil, and reveals clarity and luminosity. It lifts away dead skin cells and visibly improves skin tone, texture, fine lines, wrinkles, and pores. Most importantly, it allows your other skincare products, like your toner and face cream, to actually work their magic.

I use this glycolic serum every 3 to 4 days. On the nights that I use the serum, I skip the toner and apply the serum directly onto my clean and dry face before bed. I also layer on some Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil for an added dose of moisture and barrier-boosting fatty acids.

How do you know if the glycolic acid is working? You know it’s working when you wake up in the morning and can easily “rub” some dead skin off your face. I know. It’s gross. But hey - no pain, no gain, am I right?

Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Resurfacing Night Serum, $90.00

6. Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion Scrub

Speaking of them dead skin cells that get “lifted” with the help of products such as a glycolic serum, what’s the best way to get them off your actual face? Standing there “rubbing” them off with your own two hands is definitely not the way to go (your skin does not need that kind of unnecessary stretching).

To bring the exfoliation process full circle, I adore the Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion Scrub. This formula squeezes out like a thick face wash, but when you take a closer look, you will see it’s actually made of a million “micro shells.” You know how your feet get silky smooth after a visit to the beach, because the sand has naturally exfoliated your skin? This product works the same way, but for your face!

I use this scrub once a week to make sure all that dead skin cells actually gets off my face. After cleaning my face with a facial cleanser, I apply a nickel-sized amount of this micro-dermabrasion scrub and work it in a circular motion on my skin for about 30 seconds. Get ready to see some serious fresh skin after using this scrub!

Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion, $41.00

7. fresh Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Face Mask

As crazy as it sounds, I often equate how I take care of my skin to how I would take care of an indoor plant. I definitely need to water the plant, right? The plant also gets lots of nutrients from photosynthesis. But even with sufficient water and sunlight, the plant still needs good soil to really blossom. And what’s in that good soil? Minerals!

Introducing the fresh Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Face Mask, a mineral-rich clay mask and face wash for all skin types that cleanses and minimizes pores and shine, without over-drying or clogging pores. I use this clay mask every 2 weeks to give my skin an extra dose of nutrients I feel it must needs to stay healthy and glowing. Eat it up skin, eat it upp. I got you.

fresh Umbrian Clay Pore Purifying Face Mask, $58.00

8. MINON Amino Moist Face Sheet Mask

Skincare Hack: Remember that thing I said about #trapthatmoisture? Well, sometimes you need to actively introduce that moisture onto your skin, so you can then trap it. This is where sheet masks come into play.

I use sheet masks twice a week. Sometimes, I use it first thing in the morning to help me feel super refreshed and ready for the day. Other times, I use it after I’ve showered in the evening as part of my night-time skincare routine.

This MINON Amino Moist Face Mask is my favorite sheet mask in the world. I first discovered it in one of those magnificent “beauty drug stores” in Japan almost a decade ago and have been using it ever since. Lucky for us, it’s also sold on Amazon! The best thing about this product is that, unlike other sheet masks I’ve tried in the past, this one actually sticks to your face! I can walk around the house without fearing it’s going to slide off (you ladies know exactly what I’m talking about). Put one of these on and make some tea. So necessary. So satisfying.

9. COSMEDIX Rescue Intense Hydrating Balm and Mask

The last skincare item I can’t live without is this miracle COSMEDIX Rescue Intense Hydrating Balm and Mask, an intense honey-like formula that helps relieve extremely dry, cracked, or chapped skin with the help of powerful antioxidants that dramatically soothe, nourish and comfort for a radiant, healthy-looking glow.

If there’s one product on this list that really really works magic, it is this one. I seriously love this product so much! I was first introduced to this product after having a facial laser treatment done. Facial laser treatments, with all its benefits, is still using high doses of heat that could be damaging to your skin. To ensure my skin remained healthy after the fact, the clinician recommended this Rescue balm.

This balm is now part of my regular skincare routine, and I recommend it to anyone who will listen. Every 2 weeks, instead of using my face cream, I glaze this balm all over my face and neck and get in bed with it. This product is a must try for sure!