I guess my suggestion for Vaseline (to seal in any moisture) or organic coconut oil is not going to go over well with this crowd… 
@abasket
Lol I am just going to suggest organic coconut oil (courtesy of Costco, huge jar under $14, I think?) just wonderful and perfect!
OP,
Before I “discovered” how wonderful OCO is for my skin, I used mineral fusion’s intense hydration https://www.amazon.com/Mineral-Fusion-Intense-Hydration-Cream/dp/B0055FF2VW?psc=1&SubscriptionId=AKIAILSHYYTFIVPWUY6Q&tag=duckduckgo-iphone-20&linkCode=xm2&camp=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=B0055FF2VW
Olay regenerist in the red jar. Sometimes on sale as part of a package, otherwise $28. Mine doesn’t say night cream but maybe there is a night version.
Olay in the red jars:) I get it at Costo 2 for 30… Perfect for moisturizing, not oily. https://www.amazon.com/Moisturizer-Collagen-Olay-Regenerist-Micro-Sculpting/dp/B0012J30LY?ref_=ast_bbp_dp&th=1&psc=1
@abasket , I do vaseline once a week on my face overnight. Not crazy at all.
I know some people swear by Vaseline and coconut oil. I have rosacea, so that’s out for me, but is probably great for some people.
I have rosacea, too. A brand I have had a lot of luck with in the past is First Aid Beauty and they have Ultra Repair Hydra-firm sleeping cream. It is free from parabens, petroleum derivatives, and fragrances. It is a little more expensive but under $40. My skin is super dry and gets red and angry with a lot of chemicals. As a side note, they also have an anti-redness serum that contains caffeine and sulfur that works really well, if you can get past the smell…
@abasket - re your suggestion to use Vaseline. My mother has been using vaseline on her face for at least 50 years. And I have to admit that you’d never guess her age based on her skin. Her face has very few wrinkles and her skin looks glowy. She applies it 2 times a day rather generously but it has worked very well for her.
I don’t use it - my husband hates to feel greasy skin, so in deference to my marriage, I use a lighter cream. I use Neutrogena - I get it at Wal Mart for about $10 a bottle. It comes in a lighter and heavier formula - so winter and summer. Seems to be fine to me.
The Boots No7 line is truly excellent - Target sells it, and it’s inexpensive.
Really, just compare and contrast ingredients, the expensive creams just have better marketing. Most of these creams are just an emulsification of at least 60% water with tiny amounts of actives. If you know what the active is you want, the approach might never be just one product.
Cerave was recommended my dermatologist, but I also use Olay Regenerist (or something close to that) when it goes on sale at Costco.
I still buy Clinique also, when it’s on sale.
Another vote for La Roche Posay products. They are my favorite “value” skin care line for my face and you can almost certainly find ones for your needs.
Aveeno is my favorite for "value " body cream.
Of course, if I decide to splurge, there are a million ways to do that!
No. 7 for me, too. I get it at both Target and Ulta.
2 I fluctuate between Organic Coconut oil (at the same time I slather it into my hair at night as a moisturizer) and Gold Bond Ultimate “healing” - a large tube costs less than $10 everywhere - I also like that they make it is smaller tubes (including the travel size). In the winter my skin is crazy dry and both of those products really save my skin.
I buy LaCura night cream from Aldi’s $3.79 a jar. It gets 4.2 out of 5 stars on Amazon,but is $9.50 on that site… It gets great reviews…LOL!! I am super cheap.
When I use lotions or cream, we buy whatever unscented or low scent we can find between Aveeno, Lubiderm, Cetaphil, or similar. Just found some nice face cream at Trader Joe’s—navy box and label, metal 3oz tube @$5. I’m allergic to sulfates, which are in some creams & lotions so I’m not very adventurous generally. Also bought a tube of Aloe Vera from TJs for $4 for 3oz. All of the above seem ok for me and also highly allergic D.
Costco has good prices for Lubiderm and several lotions. Some of the other drug stores can have great prices from time to time. I guess we are very cheap in spending on lotions and creams—but so far so good.
I don’t wash my face in the morning any more, just rinse, and I never get the winter dry skin patches any more. I read this advice somewhere for aging skin and it works for me.
My dermatologist had some very blunt recommendations regarding skin care products. 1) Prescription hydroquinone for age spots 2) Prescription retinol for collagen production/fine wrinkles. She said that anything you buy non prescription for these purposes (lightening, retin A, etc), no matter how cheap or expensive, is like a “baby retinol” with a fraction of the prescription active ingredients and why bother. Moisturize if you need it, with any basic moisturizer, forget about anti aging products. And she’s right…when I started the prescriptions, I saw excellent results. The hydroquinone takes a while but it works. The Retinol works very quickly.
It’s kind of awesome for me to be off the product train of always searching for great yet not too expensive face creams. I find the prescription creams cheaper online/Canada, and use coconut oil or Aquaphor when I have a dry patch (which doesn’t really happen since I quit the AM washing).
Thank you for this thread!
I’m newly determined to find a less expensive face lotion to replace the IT Secret Sauce.
OMG that is one long list of ingredients LOL, the quantity of the latter ingredients has to be minuscule (so minuscule as to be impossible to state effect) and amazing that they would all play together in this product. Normally one could look at the list and find similar, I would suspect major BS in that list.