The Popular Skincare Product You Should Stop Spending So Much Money On

Everyone wants beautiful skin, and now, with the evolution of social media and influencers, you are constantly bombarded with endless options of skincare products promising you miracles. Whether you can afford expensive skincare or are comfortable buying drugstore products, truth is that expensive doesn't always mean better. According to Mind Body Green, you can get quality products at a cost you are most comfortable spending. Plus, you don't need to spend the same amount on every product, especially that washes off or stays on your skin for a couple of minutes.

In the world of luxury skincare, you will always see the name Augustinus Bader on products that come in a beautiful cobalt blue and copper packaging. This iconic brand was created by professor Augustinus Bader of the University of Leipzig in Germany, who was originally researching the regenerative properties of stem cells on burn victims (via Editorialist). The products contain patented Trigger Factor Complex (TFC8) that has the power to reduce acne, fine lines, dryness, and hyperpigmentation, according to celebrity aesthetician Joanna Czech. Their rich cream can be yours for a hefty tag of $89 for 15 ml. But do products need to be pricey to work? Not always and according to dermatologists, there is one product that you don't need to spend your entire paycheck on, and that is a face cream.

Take "Sex and the City" actress Sarah Jessica Parker, for example, whose number one face moisturizer is La Roche-Posay Toleriane Moisturizer, per Today. The French brand is known for quality products available at drugstores, and you don't need to spend an arm and a leg for it. According to Healthline, a moisturizer's job is to hydrate the outer layer of your skin to relieve dryness and reveal soft and healthy skin. They recommend looking for a moisturizer with ingredients like glycerin, ceramides, and SPF to hydrate and protect the skin, and affordable brands like CeraVe and Cetaphil make those moisturizers that do the job.

New York City-based dermatologist Charlotte Birnbaum told Byrdie, "The difference between an affordable moisturizer versus an expensive moisturizer can be a few things: marketing, packaging, and possibly proprietary ingredients." She added that the proprietary ingredients are generally rarer, which can explain the price hike, but often, there is no scientific proof that they work. Board-certified dermatologist Kavita Mariwalla calls face moisturizers "a totally overrated expense in skincare" because more expensive does not mean more hydration, per Mind Body Green. Instead, she recommends choosing a moisturizer that your face needs in your budget. And there are also other skincare products that are a total waste of money.

The face moisturizer or cream is not the only skincare product you can go the affordable route. There are plenty of other products that you don't need to spend tons of money on. One of them is cleansers, because they get washed off quickly, and their only job is to remove dirt, oil, and makeup, per The Every Girl. They added cleansers don't generally treat skin issues beyond cleaning them and can be more expensive if they have extra ingredients. Sunscreen is vital for skincare, and Insider reported that it is one product you can save on because Consumer Reports tests show that drugstore sunscreen works exceptionally well. Mona Gohara, MD, told the outlet, "Expensive packaging doesn't mean more protection," which is similar to how expensive face creams don't provide more hydration.

How many of you take collagen supplements for better skin? According to dermatologist Erum Ilyas, "The collagen is, of course, ingested, spends time in the acidic environment of the stomach, and theoretically needs to be absorbed and transferred to the skin to boost the skin's support," and whether or not it works is still up in the air (via Glam). For now, they consider it just "a marketing technique." It is totally up to you to spend money on skincare products but with these, it might just be bad for your wallet with no results. However, some skincare products are worth the big bucks if you have the budget.

The sky is the limit when it comes to spending money on anything, and that applies to skincare as well. A cosmetic scientist at The Beauty Brains shared that spending a little extra on the foundation is worth it because the pricey ones are packed with quality ingredients that "help improve your skin condition (via Elle). Dr. Heather D. Rogers recommends splurging on antioxidant serums that dermatologists love because they are backed by research to show they work. Research costs money, meaning the serum will automatically cost more, per Dermstore. It doesn't matter how much a skincare product costs if it doesn't work. In the end, you need to see proof.

Face creams will hydrate the top layer of the skin, and according to Mind Body Green, serums are specially formulated with active ingredients to go deeper into the skin to work its magic and in those cases, spending a little extra makes sense. The truth is skincare products don't have to be expensive to be effective but depending on your skin type and issue, you might need more specialized serums and treatments that could cost more. Do your research because nowadays, you can find effective products at various price points, giving you the option to spend and splurge based on your budget.