In the age of social media, the skincare industry is more booming than ever! There are a million new products and so many new trends and pieces of advice on what to use can really get overwhelming. Many people might think that the price of a product directly correlates to its quality and, although this might be true in some cases, price shouldn’t be the deciding factor when it comes to your skincare routine – ingredients should!
For many years, companies have benefitted from having uninformed consumers who don’t really understand formulations, simply basing their skincare choice on the popularity of the brand. Now consumers have become experts in their own right, interested in the way a product is made, what ingredients are used and especially if the price point is justified by the quality of the ingredients. We are living in the information age and there is no need to be spending £150 for a moisturiser with the same ingredients as a £10 moisturiser from the corner shop.
This being said, how can you build your perfect routine on a budget? Here’s some simple tips:
1. Understand your skin’s needs
Start by identifying what skin type you have: oily, combination, dry, acne-prone, sensitive? To help you self-assess your skin type, watch this video from the skin expert Hyram, a great resource to start your self-discovery journey.
2. Research what ingredients will cater to your specific skin needs once you know your skin type. For instance, if you have dry skin, Lactic Acid is a great moisturising agent. If you have oily or acne-prone skin, Salicylic Acid can help clear up clogged pores.
3. Investigate which products carry these ingredients but also fit your budget. There is nothing wrong with purchasing an expensive moisturiser as long as you are informed. You’d be surprised as to how many brands are using the same components but charging differently.
It is worth mentioning that you don’t need THOUSANDS of products to have an effective skincare routine. The “perfect” routine is one that works for you! In fact, dermatologists suggest that you keep your routine as simple as possible. Just never skip sunscreen!
A few extra tips to help you navigate the skincare world:
- Ingredient lists are organised in descending order, this means that the ingredient with the largest concentration is at the top. If you are looking for a heavily moisturising product, you will want Lactic Acid, Salicylic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid to be at the top of the list and so on, depending on your specific needs.
- Some products cannot be layered because of their formulations or because the ingredients don’t interact well together. There are many guides online on how to layer products and ingredients, so always do a bit of research, especially if you’re layering acids.
- Don’t get persuaded into purchasing a product simply because it has an “exotic” new ingredient. Remember charcoal masks? Well, there is no proof that this ingredient does anything special, yet this is an extremely popular ingredient in tons of skincare products.
Now that you’ve got your skincare routine in order, how to fix your sun-damaged hair – check our blog here!