Are Expensive Creams worth the HYPE?

Hey Ladies,

I got a email from one of our readers asking me if she should invest in popular skincare line that cost about N30, 000 a jar, so I got inspired to write this article. 

As an Aesthetician, part of my job is recommending the appropriate skincare products for the skin-type of my clients. Oftentimes I get clients that are attached to a skincare brand because of the BRAND name and not the functionality of the product. Other times I get clients who, when told to stop using certain products refuse because the product was too expensive to get.

I have an older female client in Ikoyi that swears by Obagi and another one that says only Clarins will touch her Face. After consulting and treating them, they like their results, but when I tell them to stop reduce the use of some of their “medicated” skin products, they refuse, only for them to further damage their skin.

There are a million skincare brands in the world, some can be purchased for N100 while others will cost you 3 months salary. Regardless of the price, every brand promises to keep you looking younger, clearer, brighter and clean! What I know from my years of trying different products is that the truth of  whether a skincare product is good or not lies in the MAIN INGREDIENT.

Expensive brands like Obagi, Clarins, La Mer, Dr.Sebaugh are that way because they contain active ingredients that are very hard to source while more affordable brands like Neutrogena, Avon, Boots brands and many more contain more available ingredients. Another reason why some skincare products can be more expensive is because of their formulations, have you noticed how serums and gels can be more expensive than body creams? That’s because the formulations of serums and gels are more potent, and produce results faster than body creams.

Now you know why some brands are expensive than others, the next question is why are consumers especially Nigerian consumers so attached to certain skincare brands? And are those brands better?

If you have normal skin, meaning you rarely breakout, develop rash and irritation then you are but a few of the 10% of women that can use ANY brand of skincare products without experiencing irritation. But the truth is that most of us cant, so it is important before your SPEND your hard earned money buying something you don’t know, you consult with a Skin-Care therapist to figure out your SKIN-TYPE.

Truth is we all have different skin types and varying levels of Skin health. If like my older client you are using the Obagi Nuderm with RetinA and Hydroquinone, your skin is being exfoliated so much that it is now sensitive, so you have to use gentle cleansers, hydrating serums and moisturizer. Using this potent product, means you can’t switch to another big name brand, that is known to use very strong active ingredients.

Also lines like Obagi Nuderm were created for clients concerned with aging, so if you’re in your 20’s-30’s, I would not advice you use this.

Here are quick tips on to remember when buying a new skincare product, ask yourself

-What is the active ingredient in this product? 

-What is my main skincare concern?

-Does this product achieve it? If not what products can I buy to achieve this goal.