Like many questions, the answer to this one is yes… and no.  Frustrating, right?  The answer is more complicated than the question! However, we can give you some information to help inform your choices. 

Why is some skincare more expensive?

Some brands can base their cost on their reputation and brand recognition.  Well respected brands have earned their customers through great results.  Getting the product that produces those results can certainly be quite a process. 

The Ingredients: Aquiring potent, safe, and pure ingredients requires effort, and effort = cost. Many tests and certifications are required by regulatory agencies, and many more are optional: such as Organic, Cruelty Free, Vegan, etc. Each of these standards adds a cost to producing your product. 

The Recipe: A lot of trial and error goes into creating a formulation that does what it says, and also feels good to put on.  Just like baking a cake, it can’t be too thick, too thin, too smelly, too strong, too weak, the wrong color, well, you get the idea! 

The Patents: Patents for skincare require testing, planning, researching, the legal process of filing for the patent…which all incur a cost.  Those costs are recovered (hopefully!) though the sale of a successful product. 

The Packaging: A product’s packaging keeps it safe from the elements (air, moisture, sunlight), which prolongs its efficacy and shelf stability. 

After all that, you still have the marketing and distribution to manage! 

Where to spend your money?

Whether you have a bottomless skincare budget or (more likely) not, it’s good to know where to put the bulk of your investment.  (Because that’s what skincare is, an investment in YOU!) 

Largely this will depend on your skin goals and age range. Check out our blog on matching your skin care to your age to find out what ingredients you might want to focus on. Once you narrow that down, make sure your product has the correct active ingredients for you.