Here at Chez Robbins we've been trying to cut back on some expenses. Some of it was a great idea, some not so much. See, I tried to cut back the costs of my beauty routine and it was a disaster!

Ok, maybe you just rolled your eyes. That's ok. But even if you don't believe me, it has been a disaster. I haven't had a breakout like this since junior high. Actually, I don't think I have ever had breakouts this bad!

The problem is that I tried to go back to drugstore brands for face wash, moisturizer, etc. And my skin is NOT HAPPY about it. Apparently my skin was spoiled by the Arbonne products it was used to. For two years I exclusively used Arbonne, specifically the Calm line and the Genius exfoliating pads. And my skin was awesome. Soft, smooth, nary a blemish. Ok, I did have the occasional spot or two. But overall it was fantastic.

So I decided that my skin was ready to go back to drugstore brands. Or at least my wallet was. Arbonne prices are on par with Clinique and department store brands, and I was aiming to keep costs down so I wanted to switch to something I could pick up at Wal-Mart.

I made the switch. And it was not awesome. Right now I'm using Aveeno Naturals. I don't care for it at all. Well, that's not entirely true. I do like the face wipes (though they are super similar to the Neutrogena wipes) and the facial scrub is alright. But the moisturizer is just awful. It feels heavy and yet not very moisturizing. (If you hate the word moist, I'm sorry for this post!)

While Arbonne products are more expensive than what I'm currently using, I've come to the conclusion that they are worth every penny. And I am anxiously awaiting the delivery of the Calm line to my front door! I'll find another way to cut expenses - maybe drink beer instead of wine at happy hour for awhile? (#firstworldproblems)

What's your go-to skincare routine? Do you use drugstore brands or department store? Or do you do an Arbonne or Rodan & Fields kinda thing? (Full disclosure: I do still sell Arbonne now and then, so if you're ever interested let me know! Or you can visit my link: http://jenniferbryant.arbonne.com/)