Jackie Tee
2 years ago

Skincare is a scam (?)

Just watched an interesting video by a (now former) dermatologist, who kind of rages against the skincare world. He basically states that skin care is a scam and that there is very little evidence for the claims made by brands and content creators - of which there are many. There are some things we do know about skincare (see screenshot below), but even then it's very hard to tell which products are good: we don't really know the concentration and stabillity of actives in any given product, so it's really hard to recommend brands or products. Content creators get brand deals, but even dermatologists get samples and will be biased towards a brand or product - often without actual scientific basis.

Now I don't think any of this is very groundbreaking, we usually know on some level a lot of content on the internet is advertising, but despite that I know that I'm vulnerable - and probably a lot of you as well. I see a Vogue get ready with me or a dermatologist on tiktok listing the 5 best sunscreens of 2022, and I will be curious about the products.

It's so seductive, that promise of that 'holy grail' product. Anyway, that's also kind of why I'm here: I want a no nonsens skincare routine that works. I don't want a 27 step routine with products I don't know the purpose of.

(And even on here I get that feeling of always wanting to find a better product. I know that's not the point of this website! I'm just illustrating the notion that they play into our insecurities so much. As someone with a history of terrible skin problems as a teen, it's something that lingers.)

So I'm going to try and burst the bubble and find a simple, cheap routine, and stick to what works for me. No more seduction towards fancy claims and the promise of an expensive product or celebrity 'holy grail'.

What do you guys think? Are there any products you bought because you saw it recommended by an influencer / content creator? Are you maybe using more products than you really need?

Acne & clogged pores Dry skin Wrinkles & elasticity loss Uneven skin tone Sensitivity Oiliness
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I see that the image isn't large enough: you can find it in the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3aIeABbNvY&ab_channel=Dr.UsamaSyed

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I ended up figuring this out myself, but wish I had known earlier. Since cutting my routine in half, my skin has never looked this good in my entire life. My routine is:

Am: Miscellar Water (mw) cleanser, niacinamide moisturise, sunscreen. Pm: mw cleanser, Peptide moisturiser.

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I love the idea of micellar water but can't seem to find any that doesn't leave my face red and itchy. What brand do you use? I know it's not supposed to be needed, but do you wash it off?

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Drunk elephant micellar water. It’s expensive but it doesn’t irritate my skin so I’ve stuck with it. And I wash it off.

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Pretty much agree with the derm from everything I’ve learned about skincare. There are some actives that work and are well researched. They are a handful. Most of everything else is a nice (but not necessarily helpful) marketing stories.

I believe it is changing though. People like us want skincare that works, and some brands get it and start focusing on evidence-based formulations. These brands are a minority now, but this is a start. I’m hoping for a skincare revolution :)

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I agree. It's so confusing with all the marketing. My face reacts to everything, so I'm always trying to find the product with the fewest and safest ingredients, but it's os expensive. Which brands would you say are the most evidence based in your opinion?

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i was using a very expensive skincare 1,000 or more, every 2 month used it for years when i was younger that only clean my skin, but if i would skip a night my face felt very dry but 13 years ago completely changed for me

morning wash face with an light oil face wash, after i use moisturizer, then sunscreen, night i wash face with light oil face wash, then a vitamin C serum and night cream, sometimes i don't wash face every day because i don't need to i just add sunscreen.

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Yes! I have seen that video too on Youtube Jackie! It is eye opening how much these products promise how much they under deliver!

I live in the UK and we have brand here called Superdrugs. I have been using their Me+ range which does Niacinamide, Retinol, Tranexamic Acid boosters. I then switched to Inkey List Tranexamic Acid with Vitamin C which has done a good job (I won't say great) of reducing my hyperpigmentation and dark spots left from acne. I now use these Superdrugs Me+ boosters (Niacinamide and Retinol) with Simple moisturising cream.

I have learned that the other brands over promise and under deliver sadly.

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Victory, I’ve emailed several companies about their tranexamic acid products to inquire about their lasting effects for reducing/eliminating hyperpigmentation, even after the product is discontinued. All finally admitted that the effects last only as long as I continue using the product. Are you still using it? Effects still apparent? TIA!

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I watched that same video. I think it was one of the best skin care videos I’ve ever seen. It’s so true how we get sucked into buying so much stuff that we don’t even need.

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