The Price Point: Are Your Skincare Products Worth the Price Tag? 

100

Are you aware of what you’re paying for when you blow your budget on the latest anti-ageing serum “packed” with stem cells from a non-disclosed source? Paola Chellew gets down to the nitty-gritty with Dr Janine Olivier on how to choose your skincare products based on quality and science – and not necessarily brand. 

---

The latest statistics show that the skincare market is projected to generate a revenue of $186.60 billion in 2024, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.08%. The astounding number of products available on the shelves and online, along with advertisements and influencers encouraging us to buy the next best thing that erases the signs of ageing, create an overwhelming sense of confusion for the consumer. What used to be a simple ritual of cleansing, toning, and moisturising has become a nightmarish, multistep marathon of serums and essences that cost more than your average yearly school fees! 

What’s more, consumers are besieged with almost cult-like ingredients, like with the vitamin C trend. Sure, ascorbic acid is great for brightening, boosting elastin and collagen, and targeting pigmentation, but how do you know there’s enough of the active ingredient in the bottle you’ve just bought? If it’s got a citrus fruit on the label and smells like an orange, does it pass muster? It sometimes feels like smoke and mirrors, leaving nagging doubts every time you pick something new off the shelf. 

That’s precisely why I asked Dr Janine Olivier to elaborate on all things skincare, particularly when it comes to what to look out for when buying skincare products. 

Is the price of a brand-name skincare product worth it? 

Dr Janine: No, in my opinion, it’s not worth it. You are paying for expensive marketing, international currency fluctuations, import taxes, and several distribution middlemen that hike up the price considerably, regardless of the ingredients in the product.

But aren’t expensive products better than cheaper alternatives? If I spend more on skincare, doesn’t it mean better skin? 

Dr Janine: More expensive is not necessarily better – the fact that a particular version of aqueous cream is manufactured in northern Iceland might be why it is so costly! As a customer, you essentially want the most bang for your buck. As an aesthetic doctor, I want realistic expectations and good results for my patients – at a reasonable price.  

Are any skincare ingredients actually costly enough to justify the prices of luxury creams and serums? 

Dr Janine: No, not really. And there’s something else to bear in mind: I once heard an esteemed scientist talk about the size of matter – and particularly how small a molecule must be to penetrate our skin barrier. The majority of these expensive creams cannot even enter the skin. The research conducted to evaluate these products is usually funded by large cosmeceutical houses and ultimately by the consumer being taken in by their marketing campaigns – it’s very much a fiercely competitive, multibillion-dollar industry.

But then, are clinical trials significant? Would this be the way to determine the quality of my skincare products?

Dr Janine: There are studies that certainly add value to the efficacy of skincare products, but the key to evaluating the effectiveness of cosmeceuticals is to try to understand how they have been tested. Active ingredients are evaluated using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing, which is used to characterise biologic activity and determine if the ingredient is an antioxidant or anti-inflammatory in nature.  

The gold standard for dermatologists to confirm a product’s efficacy is an objectively designed study known as the double-blind, vehicle-controlled study. Sadly, most cosmetic manufacturers use open-label user studies, where subjects apply test creams for a few weeks and then assess their improvement over the baseline. These types of open-label studies do not assess the vehicle’s effect, and there are no objective measures. 

I typically try to test a few very promising commercial products on myself to have a better understanding of the feel and effect they have. But, once again, my skin, age, and genes are unique – so even such a recommendation may not be useful to a patient and can be a costly experiment. I constantly fall back to my old tried and tested skin routines. I tend to compound at a lab and prescribe and treat medically, where possible, according to specific skin concerns after a full medical and hormonal evaluation.

What does medical-grade skincare actually mean? 

Dr Janine: Essentially, it is the marriage between cosmetics and pharmaceuticals – cosmeceuticals. Like cosmetics, cosmeceuticals are applied topically, but they contain ingredients that influence the biological function of the skin and imply medical-grade pharmaceutical intervention. 

Cosmeceuticals are divided into categories based on their active ingredients and schedule strengths of active ingredients.  

When I look at a list of these ingredients, what should I be aware of?  

Dr Janine: There are quite a few factors to consider here, so let’s break it down: 

Antioxidants 

These can reduce the harmful effects of free radicals, which are molecules that injure the skin’s cells and cause inflammation, increase sun damage, and contribute to the development of skin cancer. They essentially “mop up” these radicals that speed up the ageing process. 

Retinol and other vitamin A derivatives are still our most valuable tool for skin rejuvenation, helping to promote cellular turnover and long-term improvement of skin elasticity. The available percentage is 0.25–1%. It’s mostly tolerated well at about 0.5%, depending on the condition treated, as everyone is different and conditions are varied: acne, ageing, hyperpigmentation, etc. 

Peptides 

These are smaller proteins that stimulate the production of collagen and thicken the skin. As we age, the skin becomes thinner, and we need to strengthen this matrix with the help of peptides. However, peptides are a bit of a grey and heavily debated area. These complexes are expensive and often patented, so the exact formulation is not known, and the evidence of specific penetration and stimulation, as well as the dosage in the product, is not always clear. 

I would recommend PRP (platelet-rich plasma) microneedling in patients (where the procedure is not contraindicated) every 4–6 months for collagen stimulation and barrier strengthening rather than the application of expensive peptide creams with scant evidence. 

Growth factors 

These are compounds that act as chemical messengers between cells and play a role in cell division, new cell and blood vessel growth, and the production and distribution of collagen and elastin. These components help to give the youthful plumpness we desire and maintain the integrity of the skin complex as we age. 

Once again, it is difficult to ascertain whether the growth factors in the specific product are concentrated enough (how much is enough for a specific patient?), active or inactive, or able to penetrate the barrier. I would rather opt for PRP in this instance to stimulate barrier collagen and elastin production – twice or thrice a year. 

Ascorbic acid 

Note: L-ascorbic acid penetrates better and is best compounded by your doctor in combination with ferulic acid and vitamin E if clinically indicated. 

Vitamin C can be found in various cosmeceuticals. It may also help to protect the skin from harmful ultraviolet rays when used in combination with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. There are some studies that have shown that combining vitamin C with other topical ingredients, namely ferulic acid and vitamin E, can diminish redness and help to protect from long-term damage caused by harmful solar rays. Different formulations of vitamin C can alter its strength and effects on the skin. 

Consider purchasing vitamin C products from your dermatologist’s office, aesthetic doctor, or a verified online retailer, with a clinical formulation that contains an active form of vitamin C (e.g. L-ascorbic acid), has a strength of 10–20%, and a pH lower than 3.5. This combination has been studied in clinical trials. 

A few drops of vitamin C serum after cleansing and before moisturising is a potent anti-inflammatory agent that assists with acne, pigmentation, and the general mopping up of free radicals. 

Zinc oxide sunscreen 

A zinc-oxide-based, SPF 30–100, non-comedogenic sunscreen for sensitive skin, with broad-spectrum UVA and UVB protection, still seems to reign supreme. 

I usually order from a compounding pharmacy, but there are quite a few well-priced options available. It also makes economic sense to choose a tinted BB or CC cream version with a good SPF broad base as a 2-in-1 product.  

Combination cosmeceuticals 

The new trend in cosmeceuticals is combination products. These products might contain ingredients such as multiple antioxidants, retinol plus antioxidants, growth factors plus vitamin C, and other unique combinations.  

Although the individual ingredients in combination products have been studied, the combination of their active ingredients has not. More rigorous scientific studies are needed to ensure that biologic activity is maintained when ingredients are formulated together.  

There are some products that target certain areas (like the delicate eye area). Do these have a valid place in an otherwise standard set of products? 

Dr Janine: There is no valid place for them, in my opinion. Indeed, the opposite is true: certain products like retinol derivatives (which are super effective in the right regime) should not be applied in the delicate eye area or on the lips, as they can cause drying, irritation, and burning of the thin, delicate skin. 

I think a good basic cleanser, moisturiser, active serum, and sunscreen should be gentle yet effective enough to be applied everywhere. We just need a basic kit according to age, skin concerns, genetic profile, hormonal profile, and chronic illnesses. Chronic medication usage may contribute to inflammatory and/or other skin concerns, and patients need to be advised accordingly. 

There is rarely a one-size-fits-all regime. We also change products as we age and our concerns change, or as our preprogrammed genetics start to emerge. Your physician can advise on how to adjust these as needed. 

Once again, targeted PRP needling – of the under-eye area, lips, and décolletage – is a great collagen/elastin stimulator that avoids the use of any fad product. 

When products are “organic” and “green”, are they necessarily better? 

Dr Janine: Quite the contrary. Despite high consumer demand for cosmeceuticals that contain natural or organic ingredients, the notion that these ingredients are safer than synthetic ones is a common misconception. There is no scientific data to support this claim. 

Skincare products labelled as natural are less tested and scrutinised than synthetic products and pharmaceuticals. Most compounds, as they exist in their natural state, cannot be formulated into skincare products. They must first be chemically altered before they can be incorporated into cosmetics, thereby negating the claim of being natural. Enhanced natural ingredients, which have been chemically altered, tend to be more stable, penetrate better, and have more long-lasting effects on the skin than unaltered plant extracts. 

The most studied botanicals pertaining to dermatological uses, such as cosmeceuticals, include teas, soy, pomegranate, date, grape seed, pycnogenol, horse chestnut, German chamomile, curcumin, comfrey, allantoin, aloe, and date. The research is inconclusive for long-term results, actual penetration, and the vehicle of delivery. 

Specific, individualised patient concerns cannot be effectively managed without clear dosage indications and balancing of the individual, both hormonally and medically. Most of the products containing these botanicals are unclear about the exact formulation. 

In theory, these may help, but it is unclear whether the botanical promise is indeed represented adequately in the product to the point where it is active. 

In summary, what should we look out for when choosing skincare? 

Dr Janine:  

• Anything that sounds too good to be true probably is! 

• Brands with a long-standing reputation that cater for eczematous and sensitive skin, acne-prone and rosacea skin, or other general dermatological concerns are often the go-to products for dermatologists with a broad client base. These companies have more funds available for adequate and prolonged testing on dermatology patients, and their products are typically more scientifically supported.

• Be aware of how a brand’s website is advertising its products – many have no scientific basis for their claims. 

• Consider paying good money for expert advice: this may be a better investment than a once-off miracle cream – always ask the practitioner to explain to you how products work. You must make your own informed decision based on your doctor’s recommendation after an evaluation of your specific skin condition. This is influenced by hormones, the ageing process, general health, and medication. You may also have undiagnosed autoimmune thyroiditis, diabetes, insulin resistance, or another disease affecting your skin, which can be addressed systematically in conjunction with basic products.  

Any closing words of advice? 

Dr Janine: Have realistic expectations: the path to repair and restore is a lifelong journey. 

Author’s Note:

The consumer is entitled to know the facts regarding ingredients, quantities and additives to formulas that accompany the claims from the product manufacturers: intended use, efficacy and expectations on the part of the consumer.

After that, it’s up to you.

Personally, knowing that a delicious facial mist is a combination of water and glycerin is not really going to stop me from buying it and spritzing liberally, as it gives me great pleasure to see the ensuing glow. 

Much the same as owning a pair of Chanel pumps or an Armani jacket, a luxe neck cream will adorn the wearer just like the desirable Hermès scarf.

And just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that gloriously expensive serum or jar of face cream on your bathroom counter lends a certain je ne sais quoi to the ambiance.

Maybe the price point is linked to the ultimate luxurious experience. It’s your choice.

---