Creams, Serums, Lotions, and Potions: Making Sense of Cosmeceuticals (Part 1)

We’ve all been there; either at the corner drugstore or in the department store looking dazed and confused at the endless aisles filled with bottles of skin care items. All promising to make us look younger, brighter, firmer, and cover shot worthy. I am victim to this as much as the next girl; spending hundreds of dollars on a plethora of products in pretty packaging only to face the harsh truth a few weeks later….I still don’t look like a supermodel. It may smell good or feel nice on my skin but is it really doing anything? Or even worse…now I’m having breakouts, oily or dry patches, and red blotchy cheeks! What’s a girl to do with so many choices out there? How do I know what I need and what is going to work for my concerns?

   

Well, there is the first and most important step. You must know what outcome you desire. Do you want relief from acne, your crow’s feet minimized, or smoother texture?  This list could go on forever but break it down into one or two really important issues and start from there. Once you have decided what problem you are going to correct then you can look for active ingredients that target that issue.

   

Trust me, you don’t need an arsenal of 20 products day and night to keep you looking your best. As you age, your skin goes through changes so your problem of focus will change as well. Each year revamp your list of major problem targets to reflect the current status of your skin. You will be surprised that after just six months to a year of good quality skin product your acne is cleared and you can move on to the next item on your list…pesky pores or bothersome brown spots.

   

Everyone needs to start with a basic face wash, an exfoliating product, and most importantly top it off with an SPF 30 or higher. So that is three, possibly two things (if you combine the wash and exfoliator) every bathroom counter should hold. From there you add in your specialty products fit to your desired outcomes. No need to go overboard with these either; typically one or two targeted products is plenty.

Choose your targeted products wisely based on the main active ingredient. That is what is going to get you results. Steer clear of products that list water or alcohol as their primary ingredient; unfortunately this is just fluff and a waste of time in your skin care routine.

   

To help you get started, I will review a list of a few active ingredients and what they do for your skin in Part Two of this article. Find your target problem, see what treats it best and try products with that ingredient as the primary one.

    

Beth Storey (RN, BSN, MEP-c)

Clinical Director, Sōna MedSpa - Houston