Every woman wants to look great. And gosh darn it, it’s our constitutional right (possibly, we haven’t checked!) to expect to feel good about ourselves and be comfortable in our own skin. But self-confidence appears to be a precious commodity these days. And like any commodity, we’re expected to pay for it. But when it comes to keeping our skin plump, firm, clear and enviably youthful, this is a privilege we seem to be expected to pay through the nose for. While this may be fine for the infinitely wealthy, those of us on carefully orchestrated budgets need to find bargains wherever we can get them. As such, if you’re spending way too much on your skincare regimen, it’s time to stand up and be counted and say “no more!” to skincare ripoffs!
Not all brands are created equal
The beauty industry has given us a plethora of incredible products. But there are lots of less than reputable brands out there who are concerned less with building a reputation for quality and integrity than making a fast buck. The trouble is that it’s difficult to tell the good brands from the bad on the supermarket shelf. Both good and bad brands make bold claims backed by scientific research, but the good brands will be transparent about their findings while the bad brands will try to obscure, confuse, bamboozle and obfusticate. They’ll try to dazzle you with expensive sounding terms, but won’t bother to explain what they actually mean.
Know your active ingredients
So, how do you separate the genuine brands from the rip off merchants? The reasonably priced stuff that will get results from the snake oil? Well, for starters, brands worth your time will go out of the way to explain their active ingredients for you; just check out this piece on Hyaluronic Acid from beauty giant Avon. It’s a comprehensive guide to the ingredient and how it works in their products.
Less reputable brands will try to dazzle you with ingredients that may sound impressive, but are really just expensive and pointless. For example, avoid anything that contains collagen. While collagen is absolutely important for plump and youthful skin, we cannot absorb it into our bodies. The molecules are simply too large to absorb into the skin. The same goes for elastin! And anything that uses stem cells. Stem cells need to be alive to be of value to your skin, and if they’re in a skincare they can’t possibly be alive.
As a savvy consumer it’s up to you to get to know your ingredients and determine which will be most beneficial to your skin and which are simply a waste of your time and money.
The best skincare resources are free!
As the song says, the best things in life are free. Some of the most crucial ingredients of a healthy skincare regimen are completely free (but yet we somehow still neglect them). For starters, drinking more water can be an express ticket to younger, firmer and younger looking skin. Don’t believe us? Just take a look at how these women made themselves look 10 years younger in just 30 days simply by increasing their water consumption. Staying hydrated makes your skin better able to absorb nutrients and oxygen through your blood.
While we’re on the subject of free skincare, never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep. While we’re asleep our bodies go into “repair mode”, stitching together damaged tissues and fighting inflammation. That’s why when we’re sleep deprived, our skin looks grayed out, puffy and old beyond our years. Lack of sleep can also exacerbate skin problems like acne, eczema and psoriasis.
Why fork out for medicated creams when we can go to bed earlier instead?
You really are what you eat!
Never underestimate the importance of diet in your skincare regimen. You can blow your whole month’s wage on skincare products, but they won’t be nearly as effective if you’re pounding booze, smoking and gorging on fast food all week.
An easy way to healthy skin is loading your meals with skin nourishing foods. Green leafy veggies are essential as these contain chlorophyll which can purify your blood and give you clearer, healthier skin. Tomatoes and berries are rich in antioxidants which can prevent aging caused by sun damage. Likewise oily fish and nuts are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which can boost hydration, prevent acne and slow the signs of aging.
As you can see, you shouldn’t’t have to spend a fortune to get beautiful, glowing, youthful skin. You just need to make smarter choices as a consumer!