Drugstores…they’re convenient, close by and are packed full of items we know and love. Sure, it’s one of the easiest and most affordable places to purchase skin care products but often those low prices are linked to low quality and it’s important to take note of why these brands can be harmful.
We’re not suggesting you go and splurge your entire paycheck on high-end lines at Sephora or other retailers, but it’s important to be aware of why these products can be harmful. Here are a few reasons to be careful when purchasing skincare from your local drugstore.
They Lack Active Ingredients
Most luxury brands boast a number of benefits from specific ingredients like peptides, vitamin E and aloe vera that work specifically with functions of your skin to provide everything from diminishing wrinkles to hydrating dry skin.
Most drugstore brands fall short in the ingredients department. They’re often using harmful ingredients like parabens, bad sulfates and often lack active ingredients that really have the power to provide results, especially for wrinkles and lines.
Powerful ingredients often come at a higher price point, making it difficult to believe that a drugstore brand is able to pack effective ingredients into their products at such a low cost. These products can either lack the necessary ingredients or purchase lower quality ones that will not deliver results.
They Have Very Long Expiration Times
Remember when people would experiment with McDonald’s food, leaving it outside or on a table for months at a time and the food never seemed to rot or age? It’s because their meat, bread, and toppings are packed with harmful preservatives that most people deem “unsafe” to consume. If you’re wary of food lasting that long, you should apply the same mentality to your skin products.
Your first red flag with a drugstore brand should be a long expiration time. That often means the cream has more preservatives than it does anti-aging ingredients which means it will last for years on your shelf but won’t ever take years off your appearance. We always suggest looking at the expiration date and if the cream is suggested to last more than 12 months, you might want to skip it.
They Don’t Provide A Comprehensive Routine
Skincare isn’t solved by one miracle product like the snake oil salesman would like you to believe. The fact is your skin requires specific care and often a comprehensive routine in order to really turn back the clock or care for highly demanding skin.
Most drugstore brands are known for their one key item which doesn’t make the cut when it comes to caring for your skin. Nowadays, more and more higher end brands are providing results by targeting different problems through a multi-step routine.
The moral of the story is, if they’re promising you the world in one $5 bottle, buyer beware.