Drugstore Skincare Products Celebs Actually Use

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Would celebrities even be celebrities without their impossibly smooth skin, seemingly untouched by the blemishes most of us battle daily? Sure, some of it comes down to filters and aesthetic procedures, but we occasionally get unfiltered glimpses through GRWM videos, interviews, and paparazzi shots without makeup. Even then, their bare faces tend to look incredibly clear.

We might assume it's because they use pricey, clinical-grade skincare — the kind that costs more than our rent. But surprisingly, many celebrities with stunning skin swear by affordable drugstore skincare products that you can get over the counter or order online. The key difference might just be that they use them consistently in a solid cleanse, treat, and protect routine, with the splurge products mixed in. (Okay, plus private chefs and water IVs.) From cleansers to lip balms, several A-listers keep it simple with the same brands you can grab at your local drugstore. Turns out, celebrity skincare routines don't always require a black card.

Taking your makeup off before bed is skincare rule number one, and Dua Lipa doesn't ignore it. As the "New Rules" singer told GQ, her go-to is the affordable and gentle Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water. Micellar water is already one of the best and most hygienic ways to remove eye makeup, and Bioderma's version is free of alcohol, fragrance, and essential oils. It's also packed with soothing ingredients. After cleansing, Lipa layers on a serum and moisturizer, but if you wear heavy makeup, you can add a gentle cleanser afterward for a deeper clean.

Model Gigi Hadid's makeup-free photos are flawless, so we know she's doing something right for her skin. Turns out, she starts her routine strong with a staple drugstore brand: Cetaphil. "Whenever I'm working a lot or I'm wearing a lot of makeup or I'm coming from a shoot, I use Cetaphil because I just feel like it really cleans my skin," she told Vogue. "I've always really gone for drugstore skincare. [...] I really just wanted good products, and I don't always think that you have to pay a lot for that." Hadid didn't name the exact wash, but she mentioned having very dry skin. Since Cetaphil makes formulas tailored to skin type, she may use Cetaphil's Soap-Free Gentle Skin Cleanser.

If there's one name you probably didn't expect on this list, it's Kim Kardashian. But believe it or not, her $3,000 beauty routine includes not one but two drugstore staples. On one hand, it hints at just how luxurious the rest of her lineup is, but on the other, it proves that even Kim K. sticks with what works, no matter the price tag. As she shared on her Instagram stories in 2023, she starts with Neutrogena's Night Calming Makeup Remover Wipes, made with soft, plant-based cloth and infused with micellar water and soothing ingredients. And when it comes to body care, she's been using Bio-Oil Skincare Oil for at least a decade. It's a multitasking formula with vitamin E that aims to fade scars and stretch marks.

Hailey Bieber may run Rhode Skin, but she's not above shopping in the drugstore aisle, as her routine includes Aquaphor Healing Ointment. It's packed with 41% petrolatum, making it a tried-and-true fix for dry, cracked skin, but the model skips applying it to her face and goes straight to the lips. "I think it's the best lip balm," she said while sharing her night routine in a YouTube video. And if Hailey Bieber's pictures without makeup are anything to go by, this tip is worth stealing. Even with a bare face, her lips look soft and glossy.

Beauty gurus will tell you to keep bar soaps far away from your face, but Sofia Richie Grainge clearly doesn't agree. She kicks off her skincare routine with one of the most common drugstore staples out there: the Vanicream Cleansing Bar. "I use Vanicream bar soap for my face. It's the only thing that, literally, doesn't break me out," she told Vogue. If you've got sensitive skin, this might be your green light to give it a try. Just make sure to lather it in your hands first before applying it to your face. 

Like Hailey Bieber, she's also a huge fan of Aquaphor for lips. "Aquaphor is my lip holy grail, tried and true," she added to Vogue. Affordable, accessible, and double model-approved? We're sold.

Drew Barrymore owns a skincare brand, but that hasn't stopped her from keeping a few drugstore staples in her rotation. As seen on her social media, one of her go-to products is the classic Nivea Creme. It's a rich, budget-friendly moisturizer that works across most skin types. Nivea claims to be deeply hydrating and non-comedogenic. Meanwhile, for sun protection, she keeps it simple with Neutrogena's Clear Face Oil-Free Sunscreen for acne-prone skin. It's lightweight, oil-free, fragrance-free, and oxybenzone-free, making it a solid choice for anyone with oily skin.

Cardi B is glamorous and gorgeous, so we expected her beauty shelf to be stacked with luxury products. And while she does own a massive collection of skincare, a surprising number of her go-tos are OG drugstore staples. As seen in her social-media posts, her stash includes Dove body washes (she uses the Dove Peony and Rose Oil body wash), Vaseline, Palmer's Cocoa Butter, Dr Teal's, St. Ives, and Lubriderm, all affordable and trusted. Dove even made our list of the best drugstore skincare products for $20 or less, so the "Outside" rapper's body routine is fully Glam-approved.

We love Taylor Swift, but few celebs guard their beauty routines as closely as she does. However, fans got a peek inside her must-haves when she sent out gift boxes filled with her "current makeup obsessions" (via Harper's Bazaar). One of the OTC products was Smith's Strawberry Lip Balm, a favorite skincare product that's as affordable as it is iconic. It's deeply hydrating and moisturizing, and it has a nice tint.