We get it: choosing the best skincare routine can be completely overwhelming.

There are so many products and brands on the market.  We’re constantly flooded with choices in skincare from commercials on TV, walking into Target, or even from our besties on Instagram.

How are you supposed to know which product to choose?
What makes one skincare line better than the other?
How can you afford the products you need?

Here are some tips if you’re feeling overwhelmed!

Choose Medical-Grade Skincare

Medical-grade products are made up of proven ingredients that can only be purchased with a medical license, and they can only be sold through physicians’ offices.  These products are developed through clinical research, and the amount of active ingredients—in other words, the stuff that’s actually going to make changes in your skin—is much higher than what over-the-counter products are legally able to obtain.  (Sorry, Target.)  Medical-grade products penetrate the skin better and are able to deliver a higher concentration of active ingredients, which leads to healthier, glowing skin.

Find Your Game-Changers

You don’t need to buy the entire skincare line in order to see results!  Choose one or two game-changing products based on what your skin needs the most—not necessarily what your favorite influencers are promoting on Instagram.  Not only will this help keep you from feeling overwhelmed, but it’s easier on your wallet, too!

Have Realistic Expectations

Spoiler alert: any product that claims it can make you look 10 years younger overnight or reduce the appearance of aging within a week is simply too good to be true.  Skincare products deliver modest results.  You won’t get the results of a facelift from a cream (as much as we wish that was possible!).

Pro Tip: Just because it says it’s “clinically proven” doesn’t mean that the product underwent clinic trials and received approval from the FDA—it just means that it was given to consumers to try!

Our advice?  Spend the money on a serum or a treatment instead of a basic face wash.  At the end of the day, you know your skin better than anyone.  Concentrate on what you want to improve and invest in that!