Today we're delving into some of my spicier skincare takes... Obviously I'm being a little tongue-in-cheek with my headings, but we're also going to get into the nuance of my controversial skincare opinions!
I honestly can't even think of a single-ingredient serum I regularly use these days... even my retinoid has other added and supporting ingredients in there that help boost and balance the star player. Even the Ordinary (who started the single-ingredient active trend) have stepped away from this type of product and towards blending together different ingredients to create a great overall formula to address the skin concern in question. Most of the time, you want whatever active you're using to have at least added hydrators. And these days, I like to take it a step further; such as a Vitamin C derivative with peptides or niacinamide or a retinoid with skin barrier support. Whereas before single-ingredient skincare, products were shrouded in vague language, I prefer where we've landed now with concern-based skincare that brings together a number of beneficial ingredients to provide antioxidant benefits, reduce fine lines, improve hyperpigmentation and so on. I don't have the time or patience to apply three different serums in my routine; I don't think it feels good on the skin or is realistic for a person to maintain. And that's why I'm not a fan of single-ingredient actives...
Honestly, I use some premium moisturisers and cleansers because I simply love the products, but I don't think you need to spend on this category to get results. If you're on a budget; I strongly recommend saving your money for the serum and treatment steps of your skincare routine and just going for simple, functional moisturisers and cleansers that do the job without breaking the bank. I don't think these products are generally going to be the ones that change your skincare game, unless you're using completely the wrong kind of texture and formula for your skin, but that's not really something that's down to price-point. I'm not denying that people who really wear by expensive cleansers and moisturisers truly do see the benefits of the products they're recommending, but I don't think you need them (even if you might enjoy them if you tried them!)
Hyaluronic acid is an effective humectant. Humectants are a class of ingredient that pull hydration into the skin. There are different types of hyaluronic acid that are going work in slightly different ways for your skin. For example, multi-molecular hyaluronic acid can deliver water to multiple layers of the skin. However, I don't think it's some miracle ingredient that's going to make or break your skincare routine and I certainly wouldn't spend a lot of money on a serum where this is the main ingredient. It's just hydration. It's probably in your moisturiser already... And, actually, I think the much cheaper and basic humectant glycerin works just as well!
Beauty marketing will have you thinking that if you don't have a full regimen for your body and scalp with serums and exfoliants then you're somehow neglecting a basic element of personal care. That's not true! If your scalp and body skin is - by and large - happy, moisturised, healthy and balanced then you don't really need to mess around with it too much! I use body care because I have extremely dry skin and keratosis pilaris. If your skin almost never feels dry or tight after showering and you don't have acne on your body; you don't need a body care routine. At most, you need a simple body moisturiser to use once a week or as and when needed just to keep things ticking over. I have a sensitive scalp that doesn't like a lot of products and can become dry and flaky. If you don't suffer with these sorts of issues and your scalp doesn't get irritated, then congrats: just keep doing what you're doing and keep using whatever shampoo keeps your scalp in harmony. You don't need to try and fix issues that you don't personally suffer from!
What do you think of my hot skincare takes...?
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