Do expensive skincare products perform better?

Rhonda SG

By ACA staff

American author Paula Begoun says women shouldn't shop for beauty products without knowing more about the tricks cosmetics companies use. Here's a selection of her best beauty-myth-busting tips.

The "beauty cop" who has authored several volumes of her best selling beauty bible Don't go to the cosmetics counter without me" says product marketing is used to bamboozle consumers into buying beauty products they do not need.

Moisturisers: Spending up big on that tub of designer cream may make you feel better, but it doesn't always have that effect on your skin. A pump action moisturiser is best. Dove, Olay and Clinique's moisturisers get Paula's personal tick of approval.

Eye cream: While more expensive than regular moisturiser, over the counter creams for under-eye areas have the same formulation as face cream. Experts say this is because the windows to your soul don't need anything you can find in a face cream.

Price: Sure it might seem better to buy the top-shelf skin products, but as Paula's review of commonly available products demonstrates, spending more may achieve little for your complexion.

Science sells : There's a reason the ads for some skin care products includes lots of complex-sounding terms along with diagrams and charts, it sells consumers the idea the goods have scientific merit. This may not be the case. For example, if you are applying a cream to your face, could it really fix the "damage" shown to have taken place in much deeper layers of the skin?

What you really need: The skin needs a lot less product than you'd think. A gentle cleanser, sunscreen and a pump-action moisturiser are what you really need. Your face needs sunscreen every day of the year too as UV rays on even a cloudy day can be damaging over time.

Foundation: DON'T apply a moisturiser underneath as this means it will sink into the pores and lines which doesn't look so great. Instead, apply a light poweder on top of a liquid foundation. This makes make-up stay on as the powder "sets" the base.

Rhonda SG

If, like me, you love to read the labels on everything, you might be interested in this link that directs you to Paula Begoun's website where she has a list of ingredients commonly used in skincare and makeup. That might demystify what we see on the labels for us.

Rhonda SG

Today, I spent the entire daytime out and am supposed to be studying now but I can't settle down, so instead of being totally unproductive, I shall be partially unproductive, and conduct my very own little comparison studies here, just for the fun of it!

Here, I shall compare four hand moisturisers of varying costs, to see if they are actually similar in terms of composition. Our very own not-quite Brainiac 'experiment'! Like the idea?

OK...

Moisturiser #1 : Cheapest of the three! Avon Silicon Glove Protective Softening Hand Cream; Cost : AUD2.00 for a 60g tube

Ingredients : Purified Water, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, Dimethicone, Imidazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Fragrance, Disodium EDTA, Methylparaben.

Moisturiser #2 : Vaseline Intensive Rescue Relief & Repair Balm; Cost : AUD10-12.00 for a 100mls pump container

Ingredients : Petrolatum, Aqua, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Isopropyl Palmitate, Stearic Acid, Potato Starch Modified, Glycol Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Alcohol, Stearamide AMP, Potassium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Ethylene Brassylate, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Phenoxyethanol.

Moisturiser #3 : Cetaphil Moisturising Cream (Fragrance Free) for dry, sensitive skin; Cost : AUD20.00+ for a 550g tub

Ingredients : Purified Water, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Propylene Glycol, Paraffin Soft White, Dicaprylyl Ether, Peg-5 glyceryl Stearate, Glycerol, Dimethicone & Dimethiconol, Cetyl Alcohol, Sweet Almond Oil, Acrylates / C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate, Crosspolymer, alpha Tocopherol Acetate, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium Edetate, Sodium Hydroxide, Lactic Acid.

Moisturiser #4 : L'Occitane en Provence 20% Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream; Cost : AUD40.00 for a 150ml tube.

Ingredients : Aqua / Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Glycerin, Dimethicone, Cetearyl Alcohol, PEG-100 Stearate, Glyceryl Stearate, Polyacrylamide, Linum Usitatissimum (Linseed) Seed Extract, Mel/Honey Extract, Propylene Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Cocus Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Brassica Campestris (Rapeseed) Sterols, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Ceteareth-33, Alcohol Denat, Chlorphenesin, Methylparaben, Fragrance, Althea Officinalis Root Extract, Laureth-7, Rosemary Leaf Extract, Sunflower Seed Oil, Benzyl Alcohol, Xanthum Gum, Benzyl Benzoate, Citronellol, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Coumarin, Butylphenyl Methylpropional, Linalool, Hexyl cinnamal, Alpha-Methyl Ionone Limonene.

FireIce SG

some drugstore brands work wonders too.

depends on fate and a lotta trial and error
each individual's skin different
wat works for others may not work for u..... vice versa.....

branded skincare is expensive bcos of the R&D and the ingredients used
and they own big counters in nice shopping malls, hire pretty ladies to serve u
u are paying a lot for the marketing and packaging actually

Rhonda SG

Notice that in all four moisturisers, irregardless of price, there are a few common ingredients, one of them being Glycerin, and all other Glyceryl's and Glycerin derivatives, are more-or-less similar.

Glycerin is a natural fat (lipid) and can be of either plant or animal origin. Its purpose is to attract and retain the right amount of water into the skin to maintain suppleness and keep dehydration at bay. Its presence apparently helps other skin lipids to work better as well, and for that reason, glycerin is an essential ingredient in moisturisers.

Glycerols and Glyceryls are emollients and thickening agents. They contribute to the overall texture of the moisturiser.

Next, Cetyl Alcohol. "Fatty alcohol used as an emollient, emulsifier, thickener, and carrying agent for other ingredients. Can be derived naturally, as in coconut fatty alcohol, or synthetically. It is not an irritant and is not related to sd alcohol or ethyl alcohol."

FireIce SG

by the way, alcohol in skincare is generally bad
but there are good and bad alcohol

http://www.savvyskin.com/alcohol-in-cosmetics

Rhonda SG

Branded skincare is not necessarily expensive because of the ingredients used. That's why I'm doing this mini investigation.

As for R&D, there are labs that exist which are not exactly owned by particular cosmetics and skincare companies but rather, these companies pay the labs a certain amount for the privilege of using the new formulas and what-not first. It kinda works like the drug system where any company that comes up with a new drug is allowed to have exclusive rights to be the sole producer for a certain no. of years, afterwhich any and all other drug companies can then produce the same drug and market it under their own brand name.

And you're right about the marketing, packaging, and the staff.

Rhonda SG

by the way, alcohol in skincare is generally bad
but there are good and bad alcohol

http://www.savvyskin.com/alcohol-in-cosmetics

Look at my post before yours on Cetyl Alcohol... that is not alcohol in the true sense, so Cetyl Alcohol is ok. Can pass!

Rhonda SG

Paraffin (aka wax) seems to be prevalent in moisturisers too.

But Paraben has quite a write-up!

parabens. Group of preservatives, including butylparaben, propylparaben, methylparaben, and ethylparaben, that are the most widely used group of preservatives in cosmetics. It is estimated that more than 90% of all cosmetic products contain some form of paraben. Parabens are believed to cause less irritation than some preservatives. There is research showing that in animal models (and in vitro) parabens can have weak estrogenic activity. Whether that poses any health risk for humans who are using cosmetics is unknown. The technical findings of the study, which involved both oral administration and injection into rat skin, did show evidence of a weak estrogen effect on cells in a way that could be problematic for binding to receptor sites that may cause proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells. The study concluded that “future work will need to address the extent to which parabens can accumulate in hormonally sensitive tissues and also the extent to which their weak oestrogenic activity can add to the more general environmental oestrogen problem” (Source: Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, January 2002, pages 49–60).

Does this mean you should stop buying products that contain parabens? That’s a good question, but the answer is neither simple nor conclusive, even by the standards of the study itself. This is a potentially serious issue and the FDA is conducting its own research to determine what this means for human health (Source: The Endocrine Disruptor Knowledge Base (EDKB), http://edkb.fda.gov/index.html). To keep the concern in perspective, it is important to realize that parabens are hardly the only substances that may have estrogenic effects on the body.

Any estrogen, including the estrogen our bodies produce, may bind to receptor sites on cells either strongly or weakly. So, parabens can either stimulate the receptor to imitate the effect of our own estrogen in a positive way, or they can generate an abnormal estrogen response. Ironically, plant estrogens, or phytoestrogens (such as those found in soy), also produce chemicals that mimic estrogen. It is possible that a weak plant estrogen can help the body, but it can also be possible that a strong plant estrogen can make matters worse. For example, there is research that shows coffee to be a problem for fibrocystic breast disease. The reason for this is thought to be because coffee exerts estrogenic effects on breast cells (Sources: American Journal of Epidemiology, October 1996, pages 642–644; Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association, spring 2002, pages 85–90; and www.som.tulane.edu/ecme/eehome/newsviews/whatsnew/archive/jan_dec2002.html).

A study in the Journal of Applied Toxicology (volume 24, issue 1, January-February 2004, pages 5–13) mentioned that “although recent reports of the oestrogenic properties of parabens have challenged current concepts of their toxicity in these consumer products, the question remains as to whether any of the parabens can accumulate intact in the body from the long-term, low-dose levels to which humans are exposed.” The study discussed the fact that , but was quick to point out that it is unknown if this would be the same in healthy breast tissue. Parabens present in tumors may not be the causative factor, but rather a result, of finding parabens when cancer cells are examined. It is also important to realize that parabens are used in food products as well (Source: Food Chemistry and Toxicology, October 2002, pages 1335–1373), which could very well be the source. As yet, no one has any idea (or has evaluated) whether it is the consumption of parabens or their application to the skin that is responsible for their presence in human tissue. And no one knows what the presence of parabens in human tissue means. See preservatives.

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/learn/cosmetic_dictionary.asp?id=21&letter=P

BLOODY HELL!!!

Rhonda SG

Got a lot more to analyse, but my quick verdict - of the four moisturisers, #2 performed the worst. The texture was oily and it wasn't absorbed quickly, and I didn't see any marked improvements in my skin from using it. #2 felt like I had applied liquid wax on my skin... awful sensation!

#1 did help to prevent further dryness, but it seemed to perform better at preventing moisture being lost from the skin than in replenishing moisture.

#3 is a brand that is sold in pharmacies for use on sensitive skin. There are dermatologists and GP's who'd recommend this as one of the brands that generally do not aggravate current skin ailments and irritate sensitive skin. However, I found that whilst it does feel good and it does perform well to a certain extent, it wasn't my favourite.

And, the top performer in this mini-test... #4!!! L'Occitane's 20% Shea Butter Dry Skin Hand Cream! Bloody expensive, but if you scrutinise the ingredients list, it's full of natural products sourced from different parts of the world. That has to make it expensive! I love this moisturiser because it really does make the skin feel softer and smoother without feeling overly-greasy and uncomfortable.

In this case, the more expensive one DID win, but only because it was expensive due to the ingredients, not due to fanciful marketing and packaging.

Interesting study that made me feel less guilty about not studying and doing my assignments because although I was procrastinating, at least, I produced some mind-stimulating work! Excuses, excuses!

elindra SG

I don't think it's a fair test because I do know you love L'Occitane's Shea Butter products :P

*runs away*

And whatever I say does not count coz I spent so much $ on their products soooo :P

mochou SG

it's the placebo effect http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo makes you feel that the expensives one are better, more effective.

actually there are cheapers one that works better than the expensive ones. But because it's expensive and you believe that more expensive stuff are more effective, and when the placebo effect occurs, the result may show that the expensive ones are really better.

bluepaperclip SG

i hear, expensive products have a lot of chemicals in them. And they are not good for the skin.

fairlady_xoxo SG

I don't think it's a fair test because I do know you love L'Occitane's Shea Butter products :P

*runs away*

And whatever I say does not count coz I spent so much $ on their products soooo :P

Is it good? i've been looking but i've yet to buy them LOl...

Rhonda SG

it's the placebo effect http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Placebo makes you feel that the expensives one are better, more effective.

Did you even bother to read the comparison studies I posted?

And yeah... placebo effect... it's like telling an Accountant how to use the calculator!

Rhonda SG

i hear, expensive products have a lot of chemicals in them. And they are not good for the skin.

Did you bother to read the above posts too? Because if you did, you'll realise that cheap or expensive, all moisturisers will have the same basic ingredients present.

kopiosatu SG

i use soap, water. good enough!

Rhonda SG

I don't think it's a fair test because I do know you love L'Occitane's Shea Butter products :P

*runs away*

And whatever I say does not count coz I spent so much $ on their products soooo :P

Et tu, Brute?!

And, WHY do I love that moisturiser.

Simple answer - because it works for me. I dislike how bloody expensive it is, but so far, it worked best.

I decided to compare the moisturisers only because I was wondering why that one seemed to work whilst the others didn't.

Sigh... I wanna peng sanz liao!

Rhonda SG

i use soap, water. good enough!

#1 : You're a non-metrosexual man.

#2 : You do not have skin problems like I do.

#3 : You live in a country with high humidity, which doesn't dry out the skin as drastically, if at all.

elindra SG

Et tu, Brute?!

And, WHY do I love that moisturiser.

Simple answer - because it works for me. I dislike how bloody expensive it is, but so far, it worked best.

I decided to compare the moisturisers only because I was wondering why that one seemed to work whilst the others didn't.

Sigh... I wanna peng sanz liao!

Aiyo I was teasing you!!!

I use their moisturisers too because it works!!

Try the other brand I pmed you too it works for me too and cheaper though I don't like the 'Packed in China' label they put there for the other brand I mentioned.

And their Creamy Honey Lip Balm is my fav and I think the best I ever used and it taste great too :P

And I love their perfumes much better than the popular over the counter brands