Like most women, I have always cared about my skincare routine, so I justified spending a fortune on skincare products. There was a time when I thought that was the only way to go. But when I noticed that an entire paycheck would go towards my skincare products, I realized something had to change.
Does Affordable Skincare Exist?
There is a mentality that if a product is expensive, has a lovely fragrance, and is wrapped in luxurious packaging, then it must be effective. That's not exactly true. As you may know, it's the ingredients that make a product effective, not the name-brand or high-quality design. We often take for granted that if a product is pricey, the ingredients are top-notch.
However, you don't need to spend a fortune on top-notch ingredients. You just need to know where to look. After searching for an affordable skincare company with all-natural ingredients, I came across Routine 10, a new company with a diverse product line.
If you’re looking for unnecessary packaging materials and lovely, albeit synthetic fragrances, then Routine 10 is not the company for you. However, if you want all-natural and organic ingredients that are widely tested and scientifically proven to work (and a product line that can treat a variety of skincare conditions and skin types), then what I have to say may interest you.
Stop Paying More for Luxury Packaging
When I ordered a few products from Routine 10, I was initially surprised by how simple the packaging was.
The box wasn’t embellished with a huge logo, and there were no bright colors or heavily scented wrapping paper.
In their simplicity, Routine 10 was basically saying that the package isn’t an integral part of the product – or any part of the product. This is a skincare company that doesn't need luxury packaging to show the world that its products are worthwhile. They let the product and its ingredients speak for themselves.
Let’s talk about that for a second: luxury packaging.
You probably purchased high-end skincare products wrapped in luxury packing but haven’t heard the term before. Well, it’s a thing. In fact, it's very common among high-end name-brand companies. It’s a clever marketing strategy, as many of us believe that expensive, beautifully packaged products must be worth the money.
It’s natural to assume that more expensive means we’re paying for better ingredients. In many cases, what you're actually paying for is the company’s marketing campaign and the product's luxury packaging. The company claims its products have all the ingredients you want to hear (i.e., retinol, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, etc.), and this may be true. However, it's common for these key ingredients to be added in such a small concentration that they’re deemed ineffective.
Prove That the Product Works
If you’re like me and you work a standard 9 to 5 job that doesn’t pay obscenely well, you shouldn’t pay $225 on a 15 ml pot of eye serum – unless you really want to. Instead, look for affordable skincare products and prove that they truly work.
The first step is to look at the ingredient list.
What are you trying to target? I knew exactly what I needed. As someone who struggles with dry skin, I needed hydrating ingredients, like natural oils and butters, which I found in the Ultra Rich Daily Face Moisturizer by Routine 10. Its key ingredients are baobab oil, watermelon extract, and shea butter.
I also needed a facial serum to reduce my hyperpigmentation, so I sought out products with niacinamide. The Niacinamide 3% & Hyaluronic Acid Serum by Routine 10 was a winner for me.
So, before buying a product, you should:
- Know the skin issue you want to target
- Understand which ingredients can treat your skin issue
- Read the ingredients on all skincare products – ingredients at the top of the list have the highest concentration
After that, you should test the product.
Skincare products typically show results within 28 days if you use them consistently. However, you should use a product for a few months to see a significant change in your skin. I recommend taking before and after pictures for the first 28 days – take a picture on the first day where you applied the product and a second picture on the last day to see if there is any change.
Start Paying for Effective Ingredients
Now that I know there’s an alternative to paying for expensive products and fancy packaging, I’ll never look back. Routine 10 proves the main ingredients and product experience are most important when buying skincare products. The billion-dollar skincare industry can reinvent itself to the point where that 15 ml eye serum doesn’t cost $225 but $25. Until that day comes, if ever, perform your due diligence as a consumer.
- Look at the main ingredients
- Research the company
- Look for proof that the product works
In the end, fancy packaging and overpriced skincare products don’t tell you how effectively the product works.
