Welcome back to the SkinScholar Blog!

Every day I’m asked, what makes our skin care products different from the cosmetic creams and serums that you buy at drug stores, department stores or specialty cosmetic stores and I love answering this question and helping people make the best choice for their skin!

I am sure you’ve been approached, more than once, by a salesperson asking you to try a pretty-foiled sample packet of their cream or serum. You went home, tried it and loved the “perfumey” smell, creamy texture, and the picture of the pretty jar it comes in. And that’s how they get you! We’re attracted to all the things that don’t have anything to do with how the product actually performs. We are attracted to the marketing!

Cosmetic skin products that are sold only in physician’s offices have been tested and proven to yield the best results for a particular skin type. The ingredients are, for the most part, stronger than the creams and serums sold in stores. Vitamin C and retinols, for example, are expensive to produce and they come in various strengths, and they need to be in certain forms to really penetrate the skin.
Your skin care physician or esthetician can act as your personal skin care consultant and recommend products they have tested and approved for your type of skin. Over-the-counter products are good for hydrating the skin, but they don’t have the ingredients or strength required to make much of a difference.

This blog is not intended to tell you that your department store creams are worthless. I always tell our patients that using anything is better than using nothing at all and hydration, as well as using sunscreen, is key to anti-aging so do not throw away your store-bought products! This blog is meant to educate you on the difference between the creams that your physician sells and those sold at the drug store.

I could go on forever about this topic – but I will elaborate in a later blog to keep your interest peaked…

I love feedback and questions so please reach out to me if you need help!

Love the skin you’re in!

The SkinScholar

Next Blog: What is the difference in SPF numbers? Most people don’t know what it means! It’s going to be a great blog – don’t miss out!