Skincare is a multi-billion dollar industry, and it is no surprise. Women use these products every day to protect their skin, renew their looks, and even repair imperfections. It should not be a surprise that face creams get so much attention because of all that is asked of them. However, it might come as a surprise to learn that the price many women pay to apply these face creams often has nothing to do with what is in the jars.
What is all the hype?
Consider some of the most expensive and well-known beauty and skincare products. There is the Mason Pearson hairbrush, which carries a price tag over $150. Or consider the Adore gold sheet mask which retails for more than $3,000 (and promises to provide the restorative power of gold). At more than $100 per ounce, Crème de la Mer Moisturizing Cream is one of the most hyped products on the shelves.
So, where does all the hype come from, anyway? Are the ingredients so vastly different or rare? Do the manufacturers possess elusive knowledge of secret ingredients? In a word, no.
Many of the skincare products which carry significant price tags do contain quality ingredients. Their manufacturers very well may have access to industry research and information. And consumers rely on the words of these manufacturers.
The issue is that these words are loosely regulated compared to other industries. Manufacturers do not have to prove that their Face cream is worth hundreds more per ounce. The reality is that the more expensive products are often quite similar in formula to other skincare options, but cost a fraction of those such as Crème de la Mer creams.
So why pay more?
If consumers aren’t getting extraordinarily more or different ingredients, what are they paying for with those high-priced products? They are paying for the middleman. They are paying for the process of getting the skincare product from the manufacturer to their own homes.
This middleman process includes everything from the marketing to get the jars and bottle to the stores, to the cost of premium shelf space, and the middleman salespeople who tout the virtues of the products, but who do not directly work for the manufacturer. The process is what lives behind the labels, but is nowhere on the ingredient look.
The bottom line is that consumers do not have to pay more for quality products. The answer lies in part in finding products which contain the desired ingredients – whether those are natural plant based extracts such as those from green tea leaves or shea butter.
Not all products are created equally, and consumers should know which ingredients are best for their own skin. This sometimes just comes through trial and error – trying different products to find the one that gives the best results. But who wants to spend a fortune just experimenting with high priced face creams?
Consumers also need to find those products which leave out the middleman. Extra money spent on advertising, transporting products, and third party salespeople will do nothing to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or minimize the appearance of skin spots. Focus on the ingredients and finding a product that is available directly to the consumer – and the results don’t need to empty the bank.
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