Back when we started our own skincare business in 2016 it was a hobby, something we were just doing for ourselves with no vision of creating a business out of it. We had no idea how big the market for skincare was or how many big brands and indie brands already existed. It was a hive of exploration online and in stores to just find something that worked for us and not spend thousands trying to figure out which brand would work for our dry and sensitive skin issues. It never occured to us how many people also have this issue years later. You want to find skincare that works for you without feeling like you're doing a research report for your final major project at uni? Here are our top 5 tips to help you find the best skincare for you.
1. Know your issue first
Sounds simple enough to know the issue you personally have before looking for something to solve it right? Well, you'd be surprised how often we unconsciously look too broadly for things in our search engines and expect the perfect results straight away. If you have an acne issue, you need to look at what causes acne first. Could it be something in your diet? Definitely. Or something in your environment causing breakouts such as stress or pollution. Knowing what is causing your issue could be half the battle before you even consider buying a product to solve it as a sole solution. Figure out your issue first and then let the hunt begin. You'll be able to narrow down your search significantly.
2. Popular doesn't always mean better
When we see the same brands over and over again, our first thought is that it must be really good and gets results since I see it everywhere and so many people are talking about it. This could be true and not at the same time. Knowing the difference between a brand that has a product that could actually work for you and one that has the illusion that it could is down to budgets. Advertising and marketing play an extremely significant role is a brand's ability to be seen by people who could benefit from it and the costs continue to rise with millon pound budgets behind many large brands, especially for indie brands who pore their heart and soul into products that could be a lifesaver for you but they don't have the budgets to compete.
A tip; find a brand you're interested in and read comments on pages they don't necessarily control i.e Youtuber reviews and their comment sections or Facebook groups where people are discussing them. They tend to be ones less likely to be paid for their reviews and come from genuine customers.
3. Test the waters
Brands that offer samples at low costs are a great way to try a variety of products without costing you an arm and a leg. A shameless pitch thrown in here to prove a point but we've put together our own Discovery Set made up of 10 items at the lowest cost possible to a new potential customer. Why? When a brand believes in what they create and offer, they're sincere in their belief that it can work for you, even if it doesn't, they believe it can and that has to count for something. To at least have a brand be able to pitch for your patronage is the least they want. An opportunity to get in front of you like Dragon's Den and say 'here I am'. So look for brands that offer samples, at a reasonable price to you, and give them a go.
4. Choose natural as a first call
It may not come as too much of a surprise that choosing a natural option first would be a preference to us as all of our own products are made from natural ingredients, however natural can be sold in various ways. Some products may have a few natural ingredients and use them as a selling point for an overall product but you'll have to look closely at the ingredients label if you're hoping not to see ingredients of things you can't pronounce or only came across for the first time. Now, this isn't a knock on products that do use some form of chemical or preservative. Many are harmless in small quantities but over time and multiple uses, like anything, too much of one thing isn't good for you. Everything we ingest and absorb makes it way around our bodies and could be adding to the issue you have rather than helping it. Be on the safe side and use a product that's as natural as possible. You'll limit any potential side effects to allergies rather than severe reactions.
5. Know when to stop searching
When the internet and shopping around becomes unbareable with information overload, stop! You can do more damage to your skin by trying multiple products and stressing about it then not using anything at all. Take a break, re-evaluate what you need and come back to it with a clearer head. Those same brands will be around for you to look out for and you'll find time to sort out the issue you have sooner than you think.