Using the right skincare can make a world of a difference when it comes to the look and overall feel of your skin. You should always do your homework before spending any of that hard earned cash and always question the latest and “greatest” products your cosmetics counter has to offer. To help in choosing the right skincare, here are 5 reasons why you should always research before purchasing.
When choosing the right skincare, it is always very important to know good ingredients vs bad ingredients and making it a habit of checking the back of the labels. Many cleansers, creams, toners, lotions or specific treatments will include harsh detergents, essential oils, bad alcohols and fragrance, to name a few, in their formulations and claim to sell a “natural” or effective or gentle product.
It is important for ANY skin type to stay away from these particularly irritating ingredients including Fragrance (sometimes labeled Parfum), Sodium Lauryl Saulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Alcohol, Alcohol Denat, Ethanol, Methanol, all fragrant essential oils (Lavender, Eucalyptus, Mint, Orange, Lemon, Bergamot, Geranium…), Linalool, etc.
To learn more about these components, check out this Ingredient Dictionary for an in-depth analysis.
A second useful tip when researching the right skincare, would be to call bullshit on most companies and the outlandish claims they make on their products. Your pores will not magically shrink (pores do not open or close) or clear out by using an overpriced clay mask or serum, nor will any type of rare foreign mud or thermal water transform your skin into a glowing, clear and youthful canvas.
None of the trendy “natural skincare” products containing fragrant essential oils, including rose face mists, will appease and hydrate sensitive skin (it will actually only irritate and sometimes dry it out) and all those anti-aging products that tout pseudo-scientific nonsense like “cutting-edge” or “age reversing” technology, are flat out lying.
Look for products with the best available evidence and try to not get suckered in by pretty packaging, miracle claims and oftentimes hefty price tags because remember, pricey does not always equal superior.
The next tip to follow when choosing the right skincare is to learn about packaging. Depending on the product you plan on purchasing, you need to be able to consider when jar packaging is appropriate or when an airtight pump or a tube would be more suitable.
With tubs or jars, it is better to stick with thick moisturizers and ointments, airtight pumps and tubes work best for anything with unstable or delicate ingredients like Vitamin C or Retinol, clear plastic packaging, where sunlight can get through, works best for products like cleansers and toners that don’t contain sensitive ingredients and peel pads are always best used when individually wrapped.
For more in-depth info, check out Allure and Paula’s Choice.
Finding the right skincare isn’t only about filtering through all the crap the cosmetics companies and advertisers throw your way, it is also about finding what will work for your particular skin type.
Knowing which ingredients or formulations to look for when you have dry skin with discolouration, extremely oily, acne prone skin or even hypersensitive skin with rosacea, is what will ultimately help you when building a proper skincare routine.
Many reputable sources online can help you get started including these popular, board-certified dermatologists like Dr. Dray, Dr. Sam Bunting and Dr Davin Lim or these knowledgeable skincare enthusiasts like Beauty Within and Cassandra Bankson.
A final tip for researching the right skincare is always question the “hyped” products of the moment. They are often promoted by celebrities, your favourite influencers and seem to have some of the highest ratings on beauty websites.
However, many of these companies will pay for endorsements, product plugs and fake reviews to help sell their latest lotion or potion, many reviewers you watch may not have tested the product long enough to actually form a proper opinion, the placebo effect is real and finally, just because it works on most peoples skin, does not mean it will automatically work on yours as well. Do your research!
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