s a skincare therapist I get asked all kind of weird and wonderful questions. But there is one in particular which comes up in conversation, time and time again, which I would really love to address.
Skincare: Salon vs. Supermarket
“Why should I spend money on professional skin care, when I can get it for half the price or less at the supermarket?” This actually is a great question! So I’ve decided to properly explain it here, once and for all.
So, what is the difference?
So many terms are thrown around these days; ‘active ingredients’, ‘paraben free’, ‘cosmeceutical’, ‘enzymes’ and all the different vitamins. These terms get your attention don’t they? But what do they mean? Does your individual skin actually need them? Our products contain a lot of these fancy terms too. However, just because two products have the same or similar active ingredients does not mean they work to the same efficiency. Usually the cost of a salon product is more expensive as they use higher amounts of active ingredients than salon brands or the delivery method is more advanced; the ingredients are better absorbed into the skin.
How do I know what will suit my skin?
Secondly, I would like to touch base on skin types and the importance of skin assessments. Our skin is one of largest organs in the body; its major functions are protection, regulation and sensation. If our skin is not functioning to its full ability, these functions may become compromised. When people come into the salon and we do a consultation, they often describe their skin to have a different type to what we later assess them to have. This means that without professional help they would have walked into a supermarket and picked up a product that may not be suited to their skin, and therefore cause damage instead of good.
Cost vs. Usage
Lastly, have you ever compared cost to usage? We have found that most people buy a new cleanser from the supermarket every month or so. Our salon brand cleansers usually last a couple of months at least! Why? Because supermarket brands contain more fillers to make their product go further; so you go through your bottles a lot faster.
Want to know more?
So many terms are thrown around these days; ‘active ingredients’, ‘paraben free’, ‘cosmeceutical’, ‘enzymes’ and all the different vitamins. These terms get your attention don’t they? But what do they mean? Does your individual skin actually need them? Our products contain a lot of these fancy terms too. However, just because two products have the same or similar active ingredients does not mean they work to the same efficiency. Usually the cost of a salon product is more expensive as they use higher amounts of active ingredients than salon brands or the delivery method is more advanced; the ingredients are better absorbed into the skin.
