The skincare industry relentlessly strives to offer a plethora of products for its consumers. And the result? We end up being more confused than ever.
Imagine, after religiously searching for a product that radiates our skin glow, we then encounter an introduction to another novel product with similar benefits.
Skincare can be a very expensive affair, especially if we let ourselves question a conundrum like this. By allowing ourselves to many more options, it will be difficult to cease this repeat for every skincare product that comes into the growing industry.
So, how can you stop this? You should only determine one difference between budget and luxury skincare products: their price tags.
Now, which skincare item type is worth spending or saving on? Here’s what we found out.
1. Cleansers
BUDGET: You would want to save money on your cleansers. Cleansers literally just hug your skin for a couple of minutes before being washed down your sink. So, it’s safe to say that it is much more worth it to splurge on something that stays on your face for an entire day.
The idea is to get a cleanser that does not entirely strip your skin off its moistures and natural oils, whilst at the same time not congest your pores.
Our pick for the best cleanser in Malaysia:
2. Toner
BUDGET: Though toners leave a cool and refreshing sensation on the face, they do not offer any special benefit and have the potential to either dry out or irritate your skin.
The notion is that if you have the right cleanser, then toner would not be necessary unless you have really oily skin. They do help to prep the skin for other product applications.
But it’s much more effective to apply your incoming products before your skin dries up from cleansing (Think, the skin is like a wet sponge; it absorbs better when wet).
Nowadays, there are toners that have been formulated differently to be more moisturizing and alcohol-free. They also contain anti-inflammatory, antioxidant or exfoliating ingredients. Lucky us, many drugstore picks have these capabilities and are as good as their luxury counterparts!
Our pick for the best toner in Malaysia:
3. Serums
SPLURGE: To ward off any specific skin concerns, serums have higher concentration levels of ingredients to deliver effective results. They also often come in a packaging that does not compromise the quality of the formula. That’s why splurging on highly effective serums will surely bestow the benefits you long for.
When you come across serums with price tags that aren’t reflective of their ingredients nor benefits, that just shows that these serums are not as effective.
Our pick for the best serum in Malaysia:
4. Moisturiser
BUDGET: Truth to be told, there are tons of moisturisers that are compact with cheap filler ingredients.
Unless your skin reacts well to the ingredients in a pricier moisturiser, you are likely to be paying for its fragrance, packaging or brand. Therefore, you may want to save on moisturisers because they contain mostly basic ingredients no matter their brand and price.
It is best to go for moisturisers that target to quench your skin’s hydration as well as gentle formulas.
Our pick for the best moisturiser in Malaysia:
5. Sunscreen
SPLURGE: Your sunscreen should be your holy grail. Make it a priority to get a good sunscreen with a good-quality formula that works well with your skin type.
They should provide an effortless base for makeup application and avoid white splotches. Most importantly, they should withstand the scorching Malaysian heat and strong UV rays to lessen the risk of premature aging. Definitely worth spending on!
It is recommended to choose a well-formulated sunscreen that covers a broad-spectrum formula with at least SPF 30.
Our pick for the best sunscreen in Malaysia:
All in all; if you have a limited budget, it is best that you spend on skincare products that guarantee the best and simplest routine to deliver promising results.