It's always the way, you're reading about some terrific new product, reviewed by a lovely blogger, it sounds terrific, and you're just about to open your wallet and achieve the skin of your dreams when...
You want me to spend HOW much on a cleanser?
(source)
I've been there, and so, to avoid awkwardness let's talk money.
Unlike your shoes, sixpack or handbag, skin is always visible, particularly to you, and there is something quite lovely about waking up, looking in the mirror and not wincing.
HOWEVER, unlike the lovely Liz Lemon, I'm not dancing under cash, or washing my face with it.
Which means that, if I spend too much on the one product, I just won't use it.
Instead, I'll walk past it and dream of the day when I can use it. Christmas? My birthday? My wedding day? (by which time it will likely be way past use-by)
As a result of my research, I've started to group my skincare into three categories. I'll be referring to these categories as I blog, hopefully offering options for each level. You can easily access products in a particular group by clicking on the tags at the top of the page.
Save <$30 These are pharmacy favourites, impulse buys, staples. The kind of thing you can pick up on special and use every day, guilt free, or turf if it's not working for you.
Mid-Range- $30-70 More pricy, these guys can be used daily, but you'll need them to be justifying their price and doing some serious heavy lifting, I'll be putting in some research before buying a Mid-Ranger.
Splurge >$70 This is birthday present stuff, if I splurge on something, I've got to absolutely need-it-can't-live-without-it. Serious research and window shopping will occur before a splurge is made, but sometimes, it's absolutely worth it.
(source)
That's all very interesting, but when should I splurge and when should I save?
I've got a bit of an analogy for what I expect from my skincare.
When I was younger, we used to travel a lot, and wherever we went, my mum would always order the most ambitious thing on the menu. Undoubtedly she'd be disappointed. Meanwhile, my brother had a knack for ordering well, because he didn't expect too much
He once told her, the problem, when he was eating a delicious steak and she was battling with some kind of seafood risotto/glue. She expected too much. We were in a pub, a very long way from the ocean, she should have gone with pub food.
I feel the same way about budget skincare.
If you're not paying much, don't expect too much.
I'll go budget when I'm looking for a great cleanser, moisturiser or a really decent daily SPF. That's a pretty basic requirement, clean gunk off my skin, keep hydrated. I'm happy that a good budget buy can do the job (so long as I read the ingredients etc etc)
It is very hard to find a product that will do heavy-lifting and is also cheap, for example, you're not going to be able to fade scars or deal with complex skin issues on the cheap. These things are quite expensive to research, which can translate to pricier products, for that reason I'm happy to splash out on serums or treatments.
Occasionally there is a miraculous cheap product, but it's a gamble, and just like my mum at the pub, you might be stuck with a dud.
So, if you're still with me after all that, here's the summary. Know what you want your skincare to do, and how much you think that costs, then purchase accordingly.
Does that make sense?
You want me to spend HOW much on a cleanser?
I've been there, and so, to avoid awkwardness let's talk money.
Unlike your shoes, sixpack or handbag, skin is always visible, particularly to you, and there is something quite lovely about waking up, looking in the mirror and not wincing.
HOWEVER, unlike the lovely Liz Lemon, I'm not dancing under cash, or washing my face with it.
Instead, I'll walk past it and dream of the day when I can use it. Christmas? My birthday? My wedding day? (by which time it will likely be way past use-by)
As a result of my research, I've started to group my skincare into three categories. I'll be referring to these categories as I blog, hopefully offering options for each level. You can easily access products in a particular group by clicking on the tags at the top of the page.
Save <$30 These are pharmacy favourites, impulse buys, staples. The kind of thing you can pick up on special and use every day, guilt free, or turf if it's not working for you.
Mid-Range- $30-70 More pricy, these guys can be used daily, but you'll need them to be justifying their price and doing some serious heavy lifting, I'll be putting in some research before buying a Mid-Ranger.
Splurge >$70 This is birthday present stuff, if I splurge on something, I've got to absolutely need-it-can't-live-without-it. Serious research and window shopping will occur before a splurge is made, but sometimes, it's absolutely worth it.
(source)
That's all very interesting, but when should I splurge and when should I save?
I've got a bit of an analogy for what I expect from my skincare.
When I was younger, we used to travel a lot, and wherever we went, my mum would always order the most ambitious thing on the menu. Undoubtedly she'd be disappointed. Meanwhile, my brother had a knack for ordering well, because he didn't expect too much
He once told her, the problem, when he was eating a delicious steak and she was battling with some kind of seafood risotto/glue. She expected too much. We were in a pub, a very long way from the ocean, she should have gone with pub food.
I feel the same way about budget skincare.
If you're not paying much, don't expect too much.
I'll go budget when I'm looking for a great cleanser, moisturiser or a really decent daily SPF. That's a pretty basic requirement, clean gunk off my skin, keep hydrated. I'm happy that a good budget buy can do the job (so long as I read the ingredients etc etc)
It is very hard to find a product that will do heavy-lifting and is also cheap, for example, you're not going to be able to fade scars or deal with complex skin issues on the cheap. These things are quite expensive to research, which can translate to pricier products, for that reason I'm happy to splash out on serums or treatments.
Occasionally there is a miraculous cheap product, but it's a gamble, and just like my mum at the pub, you might be stuck with a dud.
So, if you're still with me after all that, here's the summary. Know what you want your skincare to do, and how much you think that costs, then purchase accordingly.
Does that make sense?
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