Do you have three drawers full of skin care products? Well get ready for a bit of a shocker – some of them just aren’t necessary! You don’t need a dozen-step regimen or tons of product labels all claiming the same results – just not true!
Never thought you’d be told to get rid of products in your skin care routine? Well I’m here to give you a refreshing wake-up call. No matter how attractive the packaging or impressive-sounding the ingredients in some products are, they may be nothing more than empty promises. Here are a few products you need to toss out for good!
Toners
Toners are a trick of the industry for the most part. To me, toner is only really useful for those with acne. Incorporating witch hazel and some chemical peels in your skin care routine can really help unclog pores and keep acne at bay. But in regular skin care, I’m not a fan of toners and think toners are a waste of money.
Here’s why I think toners are a waste of money: A lot of the big skin care brands tell you to cleanse your skin and then use a toner to get rid of any residue and reset your skin’s pH. But if your cleanser is formulated properly, there’s no need to reset your pH. And your cleanser should be good enough that it’s clearing out all that skin residue.
Unless you have acne, the only reason to use a toner is if your cleanser didn’t work. So quit wasting your time and money on skin care that’s not needed.
Skin Lighteners with Hydroquinone
The United States is one of the few countries that still allow hydroquinone to be used in skin care. In other countries, hydroquinone is banned because it is potentially a carcinogen. But American skin care brands are still touting hydroquinone as safe, and the FDA allows them.
You can use natural skin brighteners, like Arbutin or Kojic Acid. My favorite natural skin brightener is Vitamin C because it’s also an antioxidant and is excellent at protecting your skin from free radicals. You can even opt for a combination of these to lighten brown spots and even out skin tone without using toxic chemicals. People swear by hydroquinone because they claim it works faster than the natural products I listed, which is true. I don’t know about you, but I rather wait an extra week or two for my results than add toxic ingredients to my skin.
Expensive Skin Care Products
Trust me – don’t assume that more expensive products will always work better. Don’t get me wrong – you often get what you pay for, so of course the low end brands you see at the dollar store are not going to do much for you. But you don’t have to go to the other extreme and pay a lot of money.
I’ve worked with enough skin care brands to know that with expensive skin care products, a lot of times you’re paying for the packaging and advertising, not the effectiveness. Always flip over the bottle and read the label. Figure out what ingredients you’re looking for. If the first thing listed in the ingredients is water, that means most of the product is water.
Instead of wasting money on expensive skin care that’s not doing anything special for you, your best bet is to find a moderately priced brand you trust. And always ask them questions.
Time to Re-Curate Your Skin Care Routine!
If you’re using a toner, lightening your skin with hydroquinone, or spending too much money on designer skin care products – stop it! You don’t need any of those things to have healthy, beautiful skin. This isn’t about being frugal – it’s about being informed and taking care of yourself.
Check out my post on creating a skin care routine that works for you. I’ll help you figure out what steps you actually need to take to get the skin you want without wasting time or money on useless products.
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