Jelly cleansers can be a godsend to those dealing with extremely sensitive skin, as they remove makeup (and excess oil), without causing unwanted irritation. Plus, it's cloud-like texture can also be calming to inflamed skin, especially when chilled in the fridge for a good hour or two. The Drunk Elephant Beste No. 9 Jelly Cleanser, $32 — long one of our favorite cleansers — is definitely a prime example of this.
For a similarly gentle, makeup-busting experience, we're big fans of the Neutrogena Hydro Boost Hydrating Cleansing Gel & Oil-Free Makeup Remover with Hyaluronic Acid, $10.99. Like the Drunk Elephant option, it's refreshing and hydrating and it foams up nicely too.
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Vitamin C also gives your eyes a lift, especially when it comes to correcting dark circles... which is precisely the reason the lightweight-yet-hydrating Drunk Elephant C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream, $64, is so popular.
The Paula's Choice Clinical Ceramide-Enriched Firming Eye Cream, $14, on the other hand, pumps up your peepers for more than half the price. This Paula's Choice product also has a lot going for it, as it blends brightening vitamin C with retinol and five ceramides, making it quite the eye cream multitasker you won't want to miss.
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The vegan Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream, $74, delivers an ultra-effective plant-based retinol product (yes, really!) that helps fight fine lines and dark spots. We love the hardworking encapsulated retinol formula, but it costs quite the pretty penny.
As luck would have it, the Versed Press Restart Gentle Retinol Serum, $21.99, also happens to feature vegan, encapsulated retinol. It helps correct dullness and clogged pores — and saves you some hard-earned green in the process.
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The Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF 30, $36 effectively takes the concept of tinted moisturizer to a whole new level — it lightly blurs imperfections while protecting your skin and it sinks into skin almost immediately. Still, it's definitely on the pricey side...
Enter: Badger Tinted Sunscreen Unscented SPF 30, $13.59. It also offers adequate UVA/UVB protection and is made with sensitive skin-safe zinc oxide, while providing a similar "no-filter" filtered effect. Another bonus? Like Drunk Elephant's option, it's EWG-approved, meaning it's super safe for skin.
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Drunk Elephant's Slaai Makeup-Melting Butter Cleanser, $34, makes the makeup removal process a whole lot easier, as the cleanser's blend of fruit extracts and lightweight oils removes water-resistant eye makeup and leaves the skin ultra-hydrated.
The Banila Co. Clean It Zero Cleansing Balm Original, $19, is a great, affordable option — it removes stubborn makeup in seconds. And just like Drunk Elephant's makeup-melting superstar, this cleansing balm also steers clear of icky ingredients (i.e. parabens, sulfates, and mineral oil), making it a win-win for both your wallet and your skin.
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