Five Reasons You Should Never Pick Your Own Products!

We understand that social media makes buying new skincare so irresistible these days! But just because one product works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for your skin. We hate to break it to you, but those popular skincare brands you see on your feed are loaded with unpopular ingredients and most likely won’t give you a quick fix either.

We have never been one for following the masses when it comes to skincare, and neither should you.

You’ll end up with pore-cloggers 

You may make a list (and check it twice) but stil miss naughty pore-clogging ingredients. Don’t be your own detective. It’s easy to miss comedogenic ingredients (here are some common ones) that feed acne bacteria and lead to clogged pores.

It can take months for these products to clog your pores! Don’t think you are safe just because you have been using them for a couple of days without issue. Also, other factors like stress, diet, and hormones mixed with pore-clogging ingredients can add to active pimples.  

You haven’t seen them work 

The reason we carry the products that we do is because we know the science behind them and have seen them make improvements in many clients’ skin. Can Sephora say that? We know it is tempting to pick up the latest and greatest (learn more here) – but remember, the point of skincare is not to look, smell, and feel good. The point is for it to work! (But also, at Skin MPLS, our products do all the above!) ;)

They may not be strong enough or they may be too strong  

Knowing skincare ingredients is great and it helps you understand why you should use what you are using. However, just looking at the ingredients alone doesn’t really tell you how active a product is, you need an expert when it comes to actives! Percentages and product claims can be manipulated so the only way to know if a product is the right strength for you is a professional's opinion after seeing your skin! 

They may be more expensive than you need  

We all fall into the “expensive is better”  trap at times. Most “high-end” or designer labels are owned by large corporations and the money you pay for your products mostly goes to marketing, celebrity endorsements, supply chain, and even science to make those products more cheaply for them! But you also need to be wary of products that are shockingly inexpensive as well (AKA: The Ordinary). This means that not only are the raw ingredients low quality, but the formulation will also be lacking. However, just because a product is expensive, doesn't mean it works better. Here are our top 5 skincare scams.

They may contain skin irritants  

So often we hear clients say specific ingredients don’t react well with their skin. Some of the ones we hear the most are: benzoyl peroxide, retinol, salicylic acid, and sometimes even hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid. Nine and half times out of ten, it is more likely something else in the formulation that irritates the skin. If you aren’t letting an expert pick your products, you need to take a look at every ingredient in every cosmetic you use. Then, if your skin feels dry, irritated, looking red, or congested – it is most likely one or several of these ingredients that are contributing to your problem. Find out more if you are using too many products here.