There are a lot of skincare products available out there. How do you determine what is good and what isn’t? Here is the cliff notes version of the good, the bad, and how to avoid the cheap.
Types of skincare products available
When it comes to skincare, there are a lot of different types of products that you can purchase. It can be confusing to decipher what product does what and in what order you need to do them. Here is an overview of what you will find and what order they are done in.
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- Cleanser – daily face wash.
- Toner – Primes your skin to absorb the rest of the list better.
- Serum – Basically, they are shots of nutrients for your skin.
- Eye Cream – We wrote a fabulous post on these last year (check it out).
- Treatment specific – Anything you need for a specific skincare goal.
- Moisturizer – This is towards the bottom because it helps seal in the previous products.
- Sunscreen – Never leave the house without it.
Other products that you may not use every day include:
Exfoliators – Helps remove dead skin to give you more glowing skin.
Masques – Great for self-care and are used after cleansers.
Cosmetics vs. Skincare
It can be hard to tell a cosmetic product from a skincare product with everything being pushed together on the shelves and some cosmetic makers getting into the skincare game.
Think of it this way. Cosmetics are something that you put on for, well, cosmetic reasons. These are used to alter your appearance and can be customized for any occasion.
Skincare products take care of your skin’s health. They can cover up and minimize the appearance of certain conditions, but their purpose is to heal or take care of a problem.
In short: Cosmetics are for covering up. Skincare is for your health.
You get what you pay for
When it comes to skincare products, the old adage, “you get what you pay for” is a good saying to live by. Good ingredients cost money and you won’t find them in the $5 drug store special products. Here are a few ways to tell if you are getting the most for your dollar:
Concentrations and potency
When cheaper products have the same or similar ingredients as the more expensive brans, it’s because the cheaper stuff watered down their ingredients to sell it cheaper. The more expensive brand, however, will have a higher potency. This is where learning to read your labels becomes helpful.
Ingredient sourcing
The cheaper the product, the cheaper the source of their ingredients. This will impact the quality of the product and while you might be paying less at first, you won’t be getting the same results at the same quantity as if you just bought the more expensive stuff with the higher grade ingredients to start. You’re paying for both the quality of the ingredients as well as the quality control behind it.
Marketing/Packaging
When all else fails, look at the packaging and the marketing of the product. The better stuff will have a higher marketing budget and will put more into the appearance of the product to catch your attention.
How do you tell a good product from a bad?
At the end of the day, you could be reading labels, paying attention to the ingredients, and looking closer at the overall appearance of the product and still not know what is the best one for you.
In this case, the simple answer is to ask the right people, like your Skincredible provider. They stay on top of the trends and what is out there so they are a perfect resource for what is right for your skin. Also, and this is a big one… don’t buy from Amazon or other online discount store! It is harder to spot a fake product in an online store than in person. And when in doubt, go directly to the manufacturer’s website.
Are you ready?
Our trained clinicians are available to assist you in achieving your skincare goals and recommend the best products for you! Contact us today to schedule your consultation to find out if one of our recommended products is right for you!
As the leaves begin to change and the fall social scene beckons, this is the perfect time to kiss that tired, summer skin goodbye!