A skincare routine on a budget: what to buy first

A good routine does not need ten bottles. Our skin test now asks what you want to spend on the whole five-step routine, and the answers fall into four budgets: Starter, under ৳4,000; Smart, ৳4,000 to 7,000; Premium, ৳7,000 to 10,000; and Luxe, above that. This guide is the same thinking written out, so you can see what each budget buys and why.

One thing first. A cheaper product that you finish is worth more than an expensive one sitting half-used in a drawer. Skin changes over months, so whatever you buy, use it daily for six to eight weeks before you judge it.

The order to buy in

1. Sunscreen. Nothing else you buy works as well if the sun undoes it every day. Dark spots, tan and early lines are mostly sun damage, and our sun is strong all year.
2. A gentle cleanser. One that leaves your face clean but not tight.
3. A moisturiser. Yes, for oily skin too. Gel textures exist for exactly that.
4. One serum for the one thing that bothers you most: spots, acne, dullness or dryness.
5. A toner, last and optional. A hydrating toner is pleasant, not necessary.

If money is very tight, the first three steps are a complete routine. The skincare routine order guide explains how to layer them.

Starter: under ৳4,000

At this budget, every step can still be a product people buy again and again. We checked our own shelf when we set this tier: a complete five-step routine fits under ৳4,000, and the four steps below leave some room.

Sunscreen. Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun: Rice + Probiotics suits normal to dry skin and leaves no white cast. If you are oily, Beauty of Joseon Relief Sun Aqua-Fresh is the lighter version.

Cleanser. COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser for oily and combination skin, or Simple Kind to Skin Refreshing Facial Wash if you prefer something plain.

Moisturiser. Simple Kind to Skin Hydrating Light Moisturiser for oily and normal skin in our humidity. For dry or easily irritated skin, Illiyoon Ceramide Ato Concentrate Cream is one of the most comforting creams we sell at any price.

One serum. Pick by your main concern:

• Dark spots, tan or uneven tone: Anua Niacinamide 10% + TXA 4% Serum.
• Dry or dehydrated skin: COSRX Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence.
• Redness or breakouts: SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Ampoule.

That is a routine most dermatologists would recognise. Nothing about it is a compromise.

Smart: ৳4,000 to 7,000

This is where most people end up once they know what works. The extra money is best spent in three places, in this order.

A sunscreen you actually enjoy. If the Starter sunscreen feels heavy by noon, switch the texture. SKIN1004 Centella Hyalu-Cica Water-Fit Sun Serum and Isntree Hyaluronic Acid Watery Sun Gel are thin and wear well under makeup. Our sunscreen guide compares textures.

A second cleanse at night. If you wear sunscreen and makeup every day, an oil cleanser removes them properly without scrubbing. SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Light Cleansing Oil suits most skin; Anua Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil is aimed at oily skin and blackheads.

A toner, or a second treatment. Anua Heartleaf 77% Soothing Toner is a calm, hydrating layer. Or keep your morning serum and add a different one at night: Beauty of Joseon Glow Deep Serum: Rice + Alpha Arbutin for dullness, or Anua Azelaic Acid 10 Hyaluron Redness Soothing Serum for redness and post-acne marks.

For a richer moisturiser at this budget, CeraVe Moisturizing Cream and Dr.Althea 345 Relief Cream are both good for winter.

৳7,000 and up: Premium and Luxe

More money does not mean more steps. Past ৳7,000, the honest advice is to spend it on the step that does your targeted work and on textures that feel good, because a routine you like is a routine you keep.

• Sunscreen: La Roche-Posay Anthelios UVMune 400 Oil Control Fluid for very oily skin, with strong long-UVA protection.
• Moisturiser: Anua 3 Ceramide Panthenol Moisture Barrier Cream, a light ceramide cream that suits our heat.
• Treatment: for firmness and fine lines, COSRX The 6 Peptide Skin Booster Serum in the morning; for texture and early lines, a night retinoid such as The Ordinary Retinol 0.2% in Squalane. Start it slowly: our retinol and acids guide explains how.
• Toner: Round Lab 1025 Dokdo Toner, gentle and hydrating.

If you are tempted to buy everything at once, don't. Add one new product every two weeks, so that if something disagrees with your skin you know which one it was.

Where not to save, and where you can

Spend on sunscreen and on your one treatment. Save on cleanser and toner: a cleanser is on your face for under a minute, and a toner is the easiest step to drop.

And be careful with deals that look too good. A big Korean brand at a fraction of its usual price is often a fake, and a fake sunscreen may not protect you at all. Our guide to spotting fake Korean skincare shows what to check.

We sell everything named here, so weigh our picks with that in mind. Prices move, so we have kept them off this page: each product page shows today's price. The skin test builds a routine inside your budget and shows the other budgets beside it.