Wednesday 24 April 2013

Beauty Products...Where to Spend The Money

On average most people will spend money on a designer handbag or shoes but when it comes to skincare budget items will do. Step away from the supermarket and pharmacy shelves, it's time to step it up a gear. When it comes to skincare the term "you get what you pay for" really does come into play. Budget and over-the-counter cosmetic products are usually full of alcohols, fragrances, mineral oils and other nasties.

If you are comfortable spending hundreds of pounds on a designer handbag but use supermarket cleansing wipes and a £2.99 moisturiser ask yourself why? By the time your 60 you will have a wardrobe full of out-of-date clothing and the face of a shrivelled up prune. Harsh but true. So where should you spend your money?

Firstly, serums. They are this first thing that will touch a cleansed skin and the product that will penetrate the deepest to give results. Look for serums containing antioxidants, vitamins A,C,E, hyaluronic acid and AHA's. You should expect to spend between £40-150 for a good serum.c

Cleansers, most people scrimp on a cleanser. Assuming that because the product is just washed off there is not need for a high tech, expensive product. However, what you will find is that a lot of cheap cleansers will contain large amounts of alcohol which will strip your skin of natural oils, resulting in an unbalanced acid mantle, increased sensitivity and breakout. As Caroline Hirons said "foaming is what you want your Fairy Liquid to do, not your cleanser". Cleansers are very advanced now and will often contain AHA's to promote healthy cell turnover and aid better penetration of products. Oils, balms and milky cleansers are best for deep cleansing skin, balancing pH and promoting a healthy acid mantle. You should expect to pay around £15-40 for a good cleanser.

SPF is another product you can definitely not scrimp on. UVA rays can penetrate through cloud, windows and even light clothing, so the need for a broad spectrum SPF used on a daily basis is essential to prevent against premature photo-ageing. The difference between and SPF 15 and 50? Not a lot except for the added chemicals a product needs to reach an SPF of 50. For day to day use opt for a 15 or 30. And don't use a moisturiser containing SPF, you need to get it from a separate product.

Remember 80% of your skin results come from your at home products and what you do on a day to day basis. Don't scrimp when it comes to your skin, preventiotion is the key so don't wait until you have concerns to treat your skin. Start now!

1 comment:

  1. This was really helpful, I always wonder which parts of skincare I should splurge on and where I can get away with less expensive products. Thanks!

    Nic xx

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