With its popularity rising, skin care products have become more expensive than they used to. These cosmetics companies tempt us into buying their products, spending over $100 for a small bottle of facial cream. In my opinion this seems excessive and unsatisfying; I want to be able to have glowing skin and keep myself from breaking the bank. Like many of us, we aren’t rich millionaires that can splurge on luxury skin care products, most of us live a normal life. However, just because we can’t afford luxe skin care products, doesn’t mean our skin has to suffer. There are thousands of affordable skin care products that work the same, if not better than those luxury products.
When spending hundreds on high-end skincare products, we expect that what comes inside the packaged to be of high quality. With more expensive skincare products comes better ingredients and research behind it, however this is not the case. Cosmetic Chemists have stated that many major cosmetics brands have no problem in taking a formula from a product that's doing well, and repackaging it to make it their own, spiking the price if they want to. This also works with affordable skincare products; cosmetics companies will reuse a formula from a high end brand and take out any expensive ingredients like a signature scent to make it cheaper and more affordable. Taking out a signature but insignificant ingredients help bring the prices down on affordable products, while making them still the highest of qualities. In a way, when you purchase a high-end cosmetics product, you are usually paying for the brand and not the ingredients inside it.
Here are some products that we found to be more worth than it's expensive counterpart:
Vitamin C
Amire's Vitamin C ($18)
- 30% Vitamin C
- Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Jojoba Oil
- Witch Hazel
- Aloe Vera
Paula's Choice C15 ($49)
- 15% Vitamin C
- Vitamin E + Ferulic Acid
- Hyaluronic Acid
Vitamin C is an antioxidant, meaning it can protect the skin from harmful UV exposures. Vitamin C also inhibits melanin production in the skin, aiding in lightening the skin and preventing hyperpigmentation. Vitamin C has an overall effect in helping the skin fight aging signs while evening and toning the skin.
Comparing Amire’s Vitamin C serum to Paula’s Choice, you receive more benefits for less of the price! Amire’s Vitamin C Serum contains a stronger concentration of Vitamin C of 30% while Paul’s Choice has 15%. With a higher concentration in Vitamin C, Amire’s serum is stronger at fighting aging signs. Beside the key ingredients found in the serum, Amire’s contains Jojoba Oil, Witch Hazel, and Aloe Vera. Jojoba Oil is known for treating skin conditions like acne, eczema, and psoriasis. Witch Hazel when applied onto the skin, is great in countering any itching or inflammation of the skin. Lastly, Aloe Vera is a source of antioxidants and vitamins that helps protect your skin from harmful UV radiations. With all its added benefits and its reasonable price, Amire’s Vitamin C Serum is worth more than Paul’s Choice.
Drying Lotion
Amire's Drying lotion ($10)
- Salicylic Acid
- Sulfur
- Camphor
- Zinc Oxide
Mario Badescu ($17)
- Salicylic Acid
- Sulfur
- Calamine
- Zinc Oxide
- Camphor
Drying lotion is a type of spot treatment that dries your skin out overnight. It is mostly used for skin blemishes such as pimples to reduce the look it has on the surface of your skin.
As you can see both drying lotions contain similar ingredients. However Mario Badescu contains Calamine while Amire’s does not. Calamine is an ingredient that delivers a cooling and soothing effect when applied to the skin. Other than that both have the same drying effects that minimizes blemishes. If your skin is more sensitive, you may want to opt for the Mario Badescu drying lotion as it may be easier for your skin to handle with its cooling effect. However if you are on a budget, you may want to choose Amire’s Drying lotion as it does the same without the cooling effects.
Argan Oil
Amire's Argan Oil ($15)
- Argan Oil
- Linoleic Acid
- Oleic Acid
- Vitamin E
Moroccanoil ($44)
- Argan Oil
- Linseed Extract
Argan Oil is great for both your hair and skin. When applied to your hair, it increases the shine in your hair. It is also great for dry or frizzy hair. When using argan oil on your skin, it can help with dry skin and moisturize it. It has an overall positive effect on most skin conditions and is known to have anti-aging effects.
Both products contain natural argan oil, however the main difference between the two products is that Amire’s Argan Oil can be used for both skin and hair, while Moroccanoil only targets the hair. Moroccanoil also uses artificial coloring such as Red 17 and Yellow 11 to get its unique coloring. Something interesting to point out in both products is that they both contain a fatty acid that helps improve the health of your hair; Moroccanoil has Linseed Extract and Amire’s has Linoleic Acid. Amire’s Argan Oil also has Oleic Acid and Vitamin E to help hydrate and prevent any signs of aging. If you are looking for a product that targets both hair and skin, definitely look more into Amire’s Moroccan Argan Oil.