Written by: Kelsie Matthews, L.E
Why should I invest in my skin care products?
One of the most common questions I hear as an Esthetician is “Why should I buy my products here instead of over the counter at the drugstore?” There is a long list of reasons why it is worth it to invest in your skin care. Having a good at-home regimen is one of the best things you can do for your skin, especially if you are coming in for facial treatments like lasers, injectables, resurfacing, etc. If you’re investing in your skin with facial treatments, using low quality products at home is like going to Soul Cycle 5 days a week but eating McDonald’s every night for dinner. A lot of people want to save the few extra bucks, but don’t realize maintenance at home is just as important as the $1000 treatment they just received.
What is the difference between “Over the Counter” and “Medical-Grade” skin care?
The main difference between these, is what goes in them. The type of Ingredients, number of ingredients, and amount of each ingredient really distinguishes the difference between high and low quality skin care products. For example, medical-grade skin care products such as SkinMedica, use clinically tested ingredients to formulate advanced skin care products without artificial colors, perfumes, or parabens. Many popular over the counter brands often use fragrances, as well as fillers like petroleum, alcohol, gums, and artificial dyes. Typically these are used in higher quantities than the active ingredients to create bulk in their products. These ingredients are not good for your skin, nor are they good o
n your wallet considering you’re spending money on products containing very small amounts of the ingredients you actually want.
Medical-grade skin care focuses on the science and histology of the skin, to ensure the products are going to not only make your skin look good, but also keep your skin healthy from the inside out. The medical-grade products we use here at L Aesthetics are backed by more clinical studies than other topical cosmetic companies. Unlike some of the common products available at the drugstore, physician-grade skin care can actually penetrate to the dermis of the skin, instead of just sitting on the surface, giving you better results.
Why are medical-grade products more expensive than drugstore products?
The answer is simple…you get what you pay for. For me personally, I would rather spend a little more money now on something that is going to save me a lot of money in the long run. As I have said many times before, taking care of your skin is an investment. Good skin care isn’t cheap, and cheap skin care isn’t good (typically). Another reason for the higher price tag, is that the ingredients used in the products are tested (not on animals) over and over again until perfected, and hand chosen from the cleanest sources to ensure that it’s the highest quality and the most pure. These products are also so potent, that a tiny bit goes such a long way, and each bottle is designed to last you several months instead of a few weeks.
Do yourself a favor, and make sure you’re feeding it well. It is the largest organ in our body for Pete’s sake…take good care of it!