Are Expensive Skincare Products Really Worth it?

One of the most frequent questions I get from patients is, “Are expensive skincare products really worth it?” Based on my experience working with a variety of companies and countless formulations, my answer is often no. In a nutshell, beauty behemoths like Unilever (the company behind Dove and Ponds), L’Oreal (responsible for lines like Vichy and La Roche Posay) and Johnson & Johnson (maker of Neutrogena and Aveeno) have deep pockets, so they have more resources to research, develop and test their products. Of course there are some higher priced companies like Estée Lauder that do great research and have products worth the cost. It really depends upon your skin type and what ingredients are right for you. Once you know your skin type—find out at SkinTypeSolutions.com-—it will help you decide when to save money on skin care and when to pay more.

When large personal care companies like the ones mentioned earlier start the product development process, it can take years (and millions of dollars) for the actual product to hit store shelves. They undergo extensive testing both in the lab and on real people, and many of these companies have their own research institutes devoted to product testing—because they can afford them. For example, a few years ago, Loreal’s research budget was over $200 million.

Smaller boutique brands, on the other hand, conduct their research and development on a much smaller scale. While they may create their formulations in smaller batches and with more rare or expensive raw materials, these costs are passed along to the consumer. But does this mean these products are more effective? Not always—and they seldom have the independent clinical studies to back their claims because clinical studies cost a lot of money. It is important to look for the words “clinically tested” on the packaging to know that the actual formulations have been studied.

When considering costs, consumers often turn to generic brands instead of brand names—but these products are not identical. Brands do the research and then generics just copy the ingredients, but the actual formulation is often different. The order in which the ingredients are added, the temperature used during mixing and the pH of the ingredients are trade secrets that greatly contribute to the efficacy of the products. While I love CVS, I have found that their generic versions do not work as well as the brand-name products they are copying. In my opinion, stick with Vaseline, Aveeno and Cetaphil—and don’t be fooled by the similar packaging.

A recent study featured in Consumer Reports compared mass-market anti-aging brands with pricier boutique counterparts, and the results may come as a surprise—especially if you’re one of those people who believe you get what you pay for. These creams were ranked by effectiveness (as determined by their effect on wrinkle reduction), and five of the top nine were inexpensive mass products.

So if less expensive products are often just as effective, or even more effective, than department store skincare offerings, you may be wondering what else contributes to their cost. In addition to the research and development mentioned above, elaborate packaging and celebrity endorsements contribute to the price as well.


(Article By Leslie Baumann, M.D.)


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