Are Expensive Skincare Products Worth the Price?

Are luxury expensive skincare products worth the cost? Are expensive face serums worth the money? This guide will help you decide when to splurge and when to save on skin care.

The short answer is: It depends on your Baumann Skin Type and what skincare products you need before you can know if skincare products are worth the price.

Its always best to shop according to your Baumann Skin Type.

Are expensive skin care products worth the price?

Example

Hyaluronic acid serums come in many price ranges from cheap to expensive. All of these HA serums probably work the same. So you can save money on HA serums. However, expensive Vitamin C serums are worth the price.

Some skin care products are expensive to make properly, and these expensive skincare products are worth it (IF they are right for your skin type). Other high-end skincare products are not worth it because they are really not anything special and are not different from cheaper skincare products. Many high-end skincare products are expensive because of the celebrity endorsement or packaging, but the actual formulation is not worth the money.

How Do You Know Which Skincare Products to Splurge On?

The easiest way to know if high end skincare is worth it is to take the skin type quiz to find out your Baumann Skin type and get product suggestions from many brands and multiple price points. Our team of doctors is here to help you decide which products are worth the money.

Take the Quiz

16 Bauman Skin Types

Are High-End Skincare Products Worth It?

Why are some skin care products very expensive? Is it because of the ingredients, the packaging, the celerity endorsements, the low supply? The Top 10 skincare brands tend to be the luxury expensive ones. Why is this?

Face serums are usually the most expensive of the skin care products in a routine. They are expensive because of the ingredients and the packaging.

If face serums and other expensive skin care products are worth it depends on many factors.

Things to consider when deciding which skin care products are worth it

Things to consider when deciding which expensive skincare products are worth it

Does it have ingredients that are right for your Baumann Skin Type?

Is there a cheaper skincare option that is well made with the same ingredients?

Is it manufactured and packaged properly to stay effective after being opened?

Does it contain ingredients that help the ingredient penetrate into the skin?

Does it contain ingredients that are expensive but not effective?

Does it contain potable water or USP Purified water?

Skincare Products with Expensive Ingredients that Are Not Worth the Money:

Bee venom

Birds Nest

Caviar

Gold

EGF

Exosomes (plant derived)

Pearls

Some peptides

Snail mucus

Snake venom

Stem Cells

High-end skin care vs drugstore brands

High-End Skincare vs Drugstore

There are many skincare products on the market that seem identical. You will find drugstore brands with the exact same colors and ingredients as more expensive skincare products. Even if the ingredient list is identical, the products may not be the same. The only way to know if a cheap skin care product is as good as an expensive one is to know a lot about how the product was made. Many companies do not divulge this proprietary information. That is why you need medical advice on skincare from experts like me. I have visited the manufacturing facilities, reviewed the source of the skincare ingredients, interviewed the cosmetic chemists, and worked with other dermatologists to test the final products on patients to see if they really work and are worth the money.

Is expensive skin care worth the money?

Is Expensive Skincare Worth the Money?

If skin care is worth it depends upon your skin type, the ingredients, the way the product is manufactured and packaged and the formula (the recipe). The skincare formula is the most important thing to consider when deciding if a skincare product is worth the cost.

The best way to explain this concept is to compare formulating a skincare product to baking cookies. When you compare two different cookie recipes, they may have the exact same ingredients but different recipes. My grandmother’s cookies were better than mine- even when I used the same ingredients. Why is this? Creaming the butter first before adding the sugar, for example, will give a very different result than if the butter is melted before it is mixed with sugar.

Formulating skincare is the same concept as baking- science matters. Every step and how it is performed changes the final result. Waxier lipids like ceramides must be added into the formula at a higher temperature so it is more fluid, however this same high temperature will inactivate the antioxidant power of ingredients like green tea. In order to be done properly- the ceramide is added into a warm formulation and let cool before green tea is added. When and how green tea and ceramide are added into the formulation affects the efficacy of the final product. This is just one of dozens of examples of how the order of ingredients and how they are added affects whether or not the skincare product works.

Other factors that affect if skincare products really work are:

Quality:

Are they made with high-quality ingredients? For example- the efficacy of botanical ingredients differs based on what soil they were grown in. Were they harvested at the right time?

Were they stored properly to keep their properties (such as antioxidant ability) intact?

Does it contain USP Purified water or cheaper potable water?

Product Chemistry:

How good was the cosmetic scientist who formulated the recipe for the product?

Do the ingredients make each other work better or inactivate each other?

Were the correct types of fatty acids chosen? Stearic acid causes different effects than oleic acid for example.

Product Recipe:

Was the recipe used to make them correct?

Were they put in the formulation in the correct order?

Were they put in the formulation in the correct temperature?

Were they stirred at the correct rate?

Were they stirred in an airless light free environment or in an open vat?

What kind of water was used?

Packaging & Storage:

How were they packaged?

Was the formula transferred into tubes, bottles or jars in an airless light free environment?

Were they hand transferred or machine transferred

How long did they sit before the lids were placed on the container?

Product Application Order:

What order will the skincare product be used in the skincare routine?

What goes before and after each product?

What other products will be used with this product. Moisturizers and cleansers can inactivate expensive serums so you must choose the correct ones.

Use research to guide decision making in skin care

Use Research to Guide Decision Making in Skincare

In many situations, less expensive products are just as good as high-end skincare products – the key is finding the best products for YOUR skin.

Take the skin type quiz to find out what ingredients your skin needs and find skincare products that are worth it- because they are customized for your skin type. The quiz is free- the education is free- and it will save you time and money. Once you know your skin type- you will be able to find the most affordable skincare products to include in your skincare routine.

I have been a dermatologist for almost 30 years and have spent hours discussing with my patients when to splurge and when to save on skincare. In most cases, there is a cheaper skincare option. In some cases, however, a unique ingredient that has evidence-based research is the best for your skin type- and if it’s the only option it is worth the price.

My advice is to only buy products that you know are right for your Baumann Skin Type and stick with medical-grade skincare brands that have been tested by dermatologists. Take the first step towards saving money by knowing your Baumann Skin Type.

We will empower you to make better skin care choices and stop wasting money on worthless skincare products that do not work.

DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek. “Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more. Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals. Sunscreen “We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.” Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup. Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand. Vitamin C Serum “A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging. Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation. Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants. Peptides Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.” Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses. Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively. This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek. At-Home Peel Pads Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate. “The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.” According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says. Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection. KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids. Emollient Night Cream “In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.” “Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products. Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme “The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.

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