Beauty Filter

http://www.britishbeautyblogger.com/2011/10/beauty-fatigue.html

Great post about all the new products that keep coming out trying to capture our attention if only for a moment. I think this is applicable to all the consumer packaged goods/services/things that people are trying to sell us. There's just a general sense out there that everyone is tired. Too much stuff is trying to be sold to too many people that have too little money.

How do we come back from the brink? Filtering. I posted a quote on my Facebook page about information overload. The crux of the problem is filter failure. Too much information is getting through that would have been filtered in years past (stopped by either economics or lack of access)
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10150333358682919&set=a.10150311598582919.346808.505287918&type=3&theater

I'd say one of the biggest problems I've encountered since working as an esthetician is that everyone has a favorite brand. I'm no different. I've found brands that I love since working at a med spa. And I'm sure I'll find more brands that I love. The problem comes when everyone assumes that I know everything about every brand. No, I'm sorry, I haven't heard of your skin care brand that you love. I'm sure it's awesome. But I don't have time in my life (or with my skin) to try every single product that is out there.

What's your beauty filter? Mine happens to be brands sold in professional only channels. I'm mostly familiar with and tend to trust more brands that are sold to beauty professionals. Why? Because they have to make the product good enough for a professional to like it. Professionals are picky and hard to please because  they need stuff that's going to work on their clients, or they won't get any repeat business. Also companies typically consult with professionals while creating the products. So the development process is entirely different than for products that are tailored to what consumers want. I'm not saying you can't buy products sold to consumers. Go for it. It's just not going to be the most optimal use of your money. So if you want to find a way to make the most of your limited dollars, professional brands could be a good filter.

The other filter is learn your ingredients. I think I've said this in a couple of posts. Knowing basic ingredients in beauty products allows you to look for the stuff you like in the higher priced brands and see if it's in your lower priced brands. Also you can make a call as to whether or not that expensive cream really has enough of a particular ingredient in it to justify its expensive price. The higher the amount of the ingredient, the higher it is up on the label. Take a moment to compare the first three ingredients in a professional moisturizer and a retail moisturizer and you'll see what I mean. But if you find that ingredient that you love in your professional moisturizer in some generic brand at the drugstore, get it! It may not be the best use of your money, but at least you know what you are paying for.