"For mass-marketing safety reasons, drugstore dark spot correctors do not have lightening ingredients in high concentrations, like physician-dispensed brands. However, they can still be quite effective on brown spots or stains that are less than one to two months old. Look for ingredients such as kojic acid, arbutin, Vitamin C, and hydroquinone. All of these ingredients have been extensively studied over decades and do have skin-lightening properties. If you have a new sun freckle or brown mark left over from a pimple, drugstore brands containing these ingredients should do the trick.

Neutrogena Rapid Tone Repair Dark Spot Corrector, $23.99, is a good drugstore dark spot corrector under $25. It contains stabilized vitamin C and a retinoid complex. Retinoids help with cell turnover, which combined with vitamin C helps get rid of dark spots efficiently. Patients have to be realistic with their expectations. No cream can get rid of old dark spots, especially ones that are over a year old, as the pigments are buried deep in the dermis." --Dr. S. Manjula Jegasothy, MD

"La Roche-Posay Effaclar Astringent Lotion, $23.99, is a great final step after cleansing for acne-prone skin. It contains salicylic acid to exfoliate and clear pores of debris. It also leaves the skin feeling refreshed and not dry and tight." --Dr. Eric Schweiger, MD

"RoC's Retinol Correxion Eye Cream, $22.99, contains the vitamin A derivative retinol, which is incredible for helping target fine lines and wrinkles. Additionally, it upregulates collagen formation, so that crepiness and under eye circles are minimized. It has been voted a great eye cream, even when compared to much pricier alternatives, such as La Mer. This eye cream is a workhorse for those looking to fight signs of aging around the eye." --Dr. Dendy Engelman, MD, FACMS, FASDS, FAAD

"For an inexpensive exfoliator under $25, I like the Glycolix Elite Gly-Sal 5-2 Pads, $19. They contain 5 percent glycolic acid and 2 percent salicylic acid. They are excellent at removing dead skin cells with their glycolic acid, revealing renewed skin, and the salicylic acid provides acne-fighting, pore-tightening effects. They are also quite versatile. The pads are great for face and can be used for the rough bumps on upper arms caused by Keratosis Pilaris." --Dr. Jeannette Graf, MD

"My go-to face wash from the drugstore is CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser, $12.99. It doesn't strip the skin and leaves it feeling soft. It can be used alone or with a Clarisonic or similar brush. Since alone it doesn't always remove all makeup with one pass, I suggest patients use a pre-moistened makeup remover towelette first, like the ones from Simple or Neutrogena. Before bed, after the gym or on an airplane, the towelette alone can be used to remove makeup or sweat without water." --Dr. Heidi A. Waldorf, MD