Cosmeceutical V High Street

December 6, 2015

Choosing the right skincare routine can be an absolute nightmare. There are so many product’s out there that claim they have the latest technology in turning back the years, from caviar extracts, to placentas -yes, you did read that right-placenta… and some products are so expensive that if you don’t have an endless pit of money (now that is a miracle in its own right) the only way to get them is to, oh I don’t know, sell your kidney? In the end, is it all worth it? And how do high street brands compare to Cosmeceutical brands.

Ok, so here’s the low down.

High street products can make the skin appear better short term, usually by hydrating it. After a few hours of applying it, the skin may have an improved appearance by reflecting the light better, and have a plumped exterior. What high street brands can not, and will not do, is change your skin in the long term.
Beauty, cosmetic creams contain very, very little amounts of the active ingredients necessary to make changes to your skin on a long term basis. Laws regulating the amount of active ingredients in High Street products govern the amount that can go into them.

Beauty cosmetic products are loaded with extra ingredients that cause irritation and sensitivity, such as perfumes and oils to make the creams smell nicer and feel nice on the skin.

Cosmeceutical products on the other hand can actually change your skins appearance and reverse previous damage to your skin, such as sun damage- which as much as we all love frazzling in the sunshine to get the ultimate tan- this is the worst environmental aggressor and speeds up the ageing process. We all love a leather bag- but it doesn’t mean you have to look like one.

Cosmeceuticals are regulated by only being available from a medical source, hence they are allowed to contain higher levels of active ingredients, such as alpha hydroxyl acids (AHA’s), beta hydroxy acids (eg: salicylic acid), Vitamin A derivatives (eg: retinol, retinyl,) and growth mimicking peptides.
Cosmeceuticals are backed by science and medical research rather than percentages and polls. How many times do you see on adverts 78% of users agreed that their skin looked younger. This is a marketing gimmick and not generally backed by medical science.

They also give great value for money – yes they may be a little pricey sometimes, but remember you are investing in long term skin benefits. As many of these products aren’t campaign run by celebrities, you are paying for the product, and not the celebrity who was paid millions to say how great it might be – another reason to choose cosmeceutical over high street.

The cosmetic industry is one of the fastest growing in the UK. Don’t be drawn in by glossy magazines and high profile websites that will claim to make miracles. One is not saying that high street brands don’t work, but if you are really looking for a long term investment in skin care, cosmeceutical is the way forwards. Its better for your bank balance, ego, and of course – your skin.

The Aqua Team xxx

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