With Skincare, it seems anything goes when it comes to pricing. From Crème de La Mer charging a small fortune for their teeny-tiny eye cream to May Lindstrom’s overpriced organic/natural products. With all the noise and efficacy claims it can be difficult deciding whether to go with an expensive product, or it’s cheaper alternative.

In this post I’m going to share some tips to help you decide which skincare products you can save on and which you should spend a little more on, in a game I call: SAVE, SPLURGE OR SCAM!

SAVE  

SUNSCREEN


This is one product were price is not relevant, drugstore brand sunscreen products are just as good as their high-end counterparts. Some great options for sunscreen include:  Elta MD,  Biore , La Roche Posay.  As long as you choose one that is broad spectrum with at least 50 Factor Protection (SPF50), you are protected from both UVA and UVB rays.

NIACINAMIDE
This is a great product for reducing redness and inflammation, but does not need to cost an arm and a leg to be effective. As long as the product has between 2 – 4% of Niacinamide you are good to go and some popular brands include: The Ordinary, Revolution Skin Care and Paula’s Choice.

BENZOYL PEROXIDE


This is probably the first skincare product you used, it certainly was for me. Thankfully Benzoyl Peroxide is a relatively inexpensive, but effective product, widely available at drugstores.

SALICYLIC ACID
This is relatively new on my radar as the best chemical exfoliant for acne prone skin and is also a product you can save some of your coins when purchasing. Fortunately, you can find effective and affordable salicylic acid products and don’t have to break the bank for it.

SPLURGE

RETINOL


Retinol is one of the only objectively verified anti-aging products on the market. Which makes it possibly on of the most recommended products by Skincare Experts & Dermatologists. However to get the best results this is not a product you scrimp on, formulation matters. So to get the best results buy Retinol from a doctor’s office because they are able to retail the medical grade standard; which has a higher percentage of retinol in a more stable formulation rendering it much more effective.

VITAMIN C

Key product when it comes to reversing free radical damage as well as brightening your skin. Unfortunately, VitC is difficult to stabilize and easily oxidizes therefore cheaper versions may be completely ineffective. Formulation as well as the Percentage of VitC in a product is very important in determining it’s efficacy.

HYALURONIC ACID
When it comes to keeping your skin moist and hydrated the real G is Hyaluronic Acid (HA), however  not all were created equal. If a product hasn’t got at least 5% HA don’t bother. So check the ingredient list for the percentage because a good number of products that claim to have HA only have trace amounts that are not effective.

SCAM

COLLAGEN

We all know that collagen is the building block for skin so it makes sense for it to be included in skincare products right? Wrong. Products that contain collagen do nothing to stimulate your own collagen production nor are they able to penetrate your skin tissue. At best they act as excessively expensive hydrating serums so don’t even bother with them.

I hope this was useful in letting you know which skincare products are actually worth the hype, so when a brand comes out with a serum that is supposed to be pure magic you can refer back to this list to see if it is worth splurging on.