When I was about 16, and in an attempt to find my own “image” to express myself in my late adolescence and imminent adulthood, I decided it was time to go deeper into the beauty world. I remember how much time I spent watching various influencers and Youtube channels, sharing the “my top 10 products of the month” type of content. I have to admit, I became slightly obsessed with trying to find the holy grail products for my skin type – one, that would almost magically make my acne and other imperfections disappear.
Since I was looking for the best of the best in terms of efficacy, I would often gravitate towards high-end products. There must be a good reason why they are so much more expensive than drugstore alternatives, right? However, I no longer believe the question is so black and white.
There are many factors that affect the price of a product, skincare included. One, of course, is the quality of active ingredients, the substances that are meant to bring their desired hydrating effect or the reduction of blackheads. I have to ask, however, whether this is what contributes to the final price tag the most.
Most high-end brands rely on a good marketing strategy to make their products desired and sought after. Advertisements, a pretty bottle design, and paid partnerships with influencers are just some of the many ways the industry uses to make their products appear more attractive, portraying them as luxurious items that seem to be worth the price. And indeed, many people do prefer a trendy brand name on their beauty cabinet. Naturally, this inflates the price way beyond the cost of raw materials. In essence, part of what you are paying for is the atmosphere the brand has succeeded to create, as well as the feeling of belonging, whether to your favourite beauty guru or the kind of people you think own that product.
As such, you might argue expensive skincare isn’t actually worth it. Why spend double the money when you can own a similar product with potentially a negligible (or none) difference in effectiveness, even if the packaging is not as pretty? Brands like The Ordinary and The Inkey List are based on this philosophy, focusing on the release of cheaper, minimal, and to-the-point skincare. Instead of “miracle revitalising cream”, their products are simply called “vitamin C cream” or “salicylic acid cleanser”. Interestingly, this approach seems to be working wonders.
Nonetheless, I would not go as far as to say expensive skin care isn’t worth it at all. I argue there are many factors that can affect the price of a product, such as there are many factors that influence our decisions to purchase any item. For me, beauty and skincare is not only about the lotions, but also about having an experience which involves all my senses. As such, a nice texture, a pleasant smell, a delicate packaging, is a big part of what I’m looking for in my skincare routine: a relaxed moment with myself, for myself.