When it comes to buying skincare, there are endless creams, serums, pills and potions available to choose from. We sat down with one of our experienced Nurse Prescribers Caroline so that she could answer some of your most frequently asked skincare questions…
When it comes to buying skincare, do you have to spend a lot to get good results?
With cosmeceutical skincare products, the pricetag is often a reflection of the strength and concentration of the ingredients. It is important to look for clinical grade products with active ingredients, meaning that the ingredient components are biologically active and will deliver proven results. Generally, such products are only available to purchase from clinics and not from the high street.
That being said, you don’t always need to pay hundreds of pounds to get a great clinical grade product, with prices starting often from around £30.
As your skin ages, is it necessary to spend more on your skin?
After the age of 25, skin begins to lose its natural collagen, so prevention really is the key. If you start looking after your skin while you’re young, you’ll have less to correct as you age. One of the most important things is to wear a daily SPF (even when it’s cloudy) to prevent the problems of premature skin ageing, including sun spots, hyperpigmentation, loss of elasticity and thickening of the skin. Products that are formulated to target these signs of ageing effectively can be more expensive, so using a daily SPF now could save you money in the future.
Product Recommendation: Heliocare Gel SPF 50 £17.95
Which types of product are worth an extra spend?
Serums are worth the investment – look for ones containing antioxidants such a Vitamin C, Phloretin and Ferulic acid. These powerful active ingredients will protect your skin, improve skin tone and texture, improve elasticity and keep your skin hydrated and healthy!
A clinical grade eye treatment cream is worth every penny. The skin around the eye area is so delicate compared to the rest of your face and it’s vital to look after it.
Product Recommendation: iS Clinical Youth Eye Complex, which treats everything from puffiness and dark circles to fine lines. £80
Which types of products can you save a bit of money on?
Daily cleansers and toners are often the most affordable products in a skincare regime. On average a good cleanser will cost you between £20 and £35.
Product Recommendation: iS Clinical Cleansing Complex £33.99
When it comes to looking after your skin, is consistency important with your products?
Consistency is key! It can take up to four weeks for the product benefits to become apparent, so don’t give up with a new product if you don’t see immediate results. You often find that people with fabulous skin have been using their products for months or longer and have ‘tried and tested’ favourites that they swear by.
Do you find people overuse their skincare, or under-use?
From my experience, clients tend to overuse their products. Your skin is very absorbent (even if it feels dry) and overusing a product will not always increase its efficiency. With clinical grade products, a little usually goes a long way and on average, products should last 3-4 months. Having said that, in terms of coverage it’s important that people don’t forget to apply products to their neck and décolletage – if you neglect these areas, in the future they will be your tell-tale areas of ageing!
How many steps of skincare are really necessary?
It depends on your skin type and skin concerns. The absolute basic 3-step skincare regime should include a cleanser, a treatment serum or moisturiser and an SPF, applied in that order.
All products will serve a purpose for some people. You can buy products that are formulated for specific skin concerns and you can also buy great ‘all-rounder’ products which will achieve an overall improvement in skin hydration, tone and texture.
Product Recommendation: SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel £42.99
Interview by…
Caroline Hill
Nurse Prescriber
RN Adv Dip NIP
