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Posted by Dain, Tuesday, July 10, 2007 5:49 AM (Eastern)
There are two kinds of skincare products, maintenance and treatment. Maintenance, as the name implies, is what takes care of your skin on a daily basis. For the majority of women, maintenance is enough. Like most things in life, skincare is about balance. Too much of a good thing will only stress skin out. But this is not what most companies will tell you, because they'd rather you buy more products.
Here's an example, from CHANEL. I've taken the Precision quiz. Keep in mind, I have young skin that rarely breaks out, though it gets quite dry in the winter, with some mild sensitivities. The number of products, as you might guess, ought to be minimal. But let's see what CHANEL says I ought to use:
(1) Démaquillant Yeux Intense ($30)
(2) Activateur Hydration ($38)
(3) Le Lait ($38)
(4) Masque Déstressant Hydration ($48)
(5) Gommage Microperlé Hydration ($42)
(6) Hydramax+ ($58)
(7) Hyramax+ Serum ($72)
(8) Age Delay Rejeuvenation Serum ($69.50)
(9) Age Delay Time-Fighting Rejeuvenating Lotion SPF 15 ($55)
(10) Age Delay Nuit ($65)
I have tried a few of these, and they're nice (they should be, at that price), but hardly remarkable. But the surprising thing about this list, is the number of extraneous products recommended. Why would I need two serums and two face creams? Why should a $40 cleanser require a $40 toner to clean it off afterwards or to prime the skin for a $60 cream? And what if I don't wear heavy makeup, do I need a makeup remover? Does one really need a mask? And the sunscreen has a great deal of laughable copy ("Proticell Complex reinforces natural defense system and stimulates the self-defense proteins. Chronobiologic Energizing Complex recharges skin around the clock."), but never offers exactly what the blocking ingredient is. So much for "Précision"! Of course, most consumers don't buy exactly what is recommended them. They buy a night cream if they are looking for a night cream, and not the whole system, but that doesn't mean that they are being sold the most beneficial products for their skin.
So, what is beneficial to skin?
When it comes to maintenance, there are four things that are necessary.: cleanser, moisturizer, exfoliation, and sun protection. Everyone needs these four things, however they might get it. A cleanser should be gentle, in that it does not strip, even for oily skin (the skin will overcompensate by producing more oil), but effective at removing makeup, dirt, and excess oil, without leaving a film. Moisturizers ought to be fairly basic, whether rich or light. If you desire an effect other than hydration, I suggest using a product intended specifically for treatment, a serum or essence or whatever, underneath your regular moisturizer, rather than depending on a multitasker. A potent serum is much more effective, especially applied to clean skin, and the fact that you can switch the treatment to suit your needs while keeping the same moisturizer gives you a great deal of flexibility. Exfoliation, whether it is in chemical or physical form, is essential for healthy skin regeneration. And sun protection, of course, the only real anti-ager.
Beyond maintenance, when one has specific issues to address, is treatment. Acne, aging, sensitivity, that sort of thing. Concentrated ingredients with minimal fillers are hallmarks of a good treatment product. You want the product to have direct contact with the skin and absorb readily, and leave hydration to a moisturizer.
A final word on expensive skincare: I honestly believe that expensive skincare works better, and not merely because the ingredients are better and the formulae better put together. Expensive skincare is a bit like gambling—it's not about saving money, just like gambling is not really about winning—it's about losing money. It's as if people feel more license to feel good because they've spent a load, and they see more results because they expect and want to see it. High prices encourage the efficacy of a product, and though that doesn't make any sense, until you realize that the psychological factors of a product, the texture, the scent, the packaging, the price, the copy, all contribute to the sum total of the product.
Labels: alchemist's apprentice, beauty notes, skin
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