If you've noticed your spending creeping upward for anti-aging creams and serums, it may be time to reset your budget—at least around the basics. The good news? Maren Locke, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and content creator known on social media as The Budget Dermatologist, recently went to Dollar Tree to see what she could get for $10 and left with "an entire anti-aging skincare routine" for a total of $9.32, including tax.
"The moral of the story is don't count out Dollar Tree—you can find some interesting products and some skincare staple restocks," she said in her recent TikTok post. Wondering which brands to look out for? These are the seven anti-aging skincare products at Dollar Tree that Locke says are well worth the money.
RELATED: Dollar Tree Shoppers Find 8 Luxury Brands for Just $1.25: "Hit the Jackpot."
1 | B-Pure Gentle Skin Cleanser
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokLocke's first purchase at Dollar Tree was a gentle skin cleanser from the brand B-Pure. Formulated as a dupe for the popular cleanser Cetaphil, it's paraben-free and made for sensitive skin.
Trying out the product in the video, Locke is pleased with the results. "It's hydrating and fragrance-free. It feels nice and clean," she says.
An eight-ounce bottle of B-Pure cleanser retails on Amazon for $7.99, meaning if you can snag it at Dollar Tree for their flat rate of $1.25, you're getting a great deal.
2 | Global Beauty Care Lift & Firm Eye Cream
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokNext, Locke shares that she purchased an anti-aging eye cream from the brand Global Beauty Care.
"This has retinol, vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, and peptides. The consistency is a little lightweight, but it feels really soothing on the skin," she says.
Once again, getting the product at Dollar Tree for $1.25 will save you big bucks. On Amazon, the same half-ounce bottle goes for $5.79 and at Walmart it retails for $8.
RELATED: Shopper Reveals the "Most Underrated" Section at Dollar Tree—And 10 Must-Have Items.
3 | Global Beauty Care Smooth & Lift Collagen Facial Serum
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokThird in her anti-aging skincare routine is the Smooth & Lift Collagen Facial Serum from Global Beauty Care.
"It has peptides in it which can build collagen in your skin without the irritation of retinoids. It feels nice on the skin," she says.
If you buy the product directly from the company, it retails for $9.99—more than Locke's entire budget for the day.
4 | Global Beauty Care Glowing Vitamin C Skin Cream
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokTopical vitamin C serums and creams can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, dark spots, and acne, research shows. That's why Locke opted for the Global Beauty Care Glowing Vitamin C Skin Cream, which she says includes niacinamide and alpha hydroxy acid in addition to vitamin C.
Though Locke admits that the cream is "smaller than expected" once taken out of the box, she's happy with her purchase overall. Buying the product directly from the company would have cost the dermatologist $9.99, so she saved $8.74 by buying it from Dollar Tree.
5 | Miss Spa Retinol Anti-Aging Mask
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokLocke also picked up a retinol anti-aging sheet mask, which says it can help reduce the appearance of fine lines on the skin.
At Walmart, the exact same product retails for $6 per mask, so the dermatologist saved $4.75—an almost 80 percent discount—by heading to Dollar Tree instead.
RELATED: Dollar Tree Shoppers Find Olay Anti-Aging Dupes for Just $1.25.
6 | B-Pure Hydrogel Under-Eye and Lip Mask
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokWith money to spare in her $10 budget, Locke also decided to try the B-Pure Hydrogel Under-Eye and Lip Mask.
A separate product reviewer, known as Jessica the Dollar Diva on social media, tried the products and said she enjoyed the eye masks for their cooling effect and easy application. However, she did warn that the lip mask was difficult to keep in place for the recommended 15 minutes of treatment time.
7 | Dove Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar
copyright @thebudgetdermatologist / TikTokFinally, Locke used her remaining money to snag a "skincare staple"—Dove's Sensitive Skin Beauty Bar. This hypoallergenic bar soap contains cleansers and one-fourth moisturizing cream, making it a great daily body cleanser to have on hand.
