Why use Professional Products vs Over The Counter.
What is the difference between $40 moisturizers and $10 products?
The over the counter products are made in large batches.
This means they are made for the mass market and general consumption.
The products are intentionally made to have a lower risk of irritation and in doing that they have a much lower amount of actual effective ingredients in them.
In a nutshell, they have less active ingredients and more filler.
This reduces the cost but also reduces the effectiveness and quality.
For example, ULTA sells a hyaluronic acid serum where the hyaluronic acid is listed as the 11th ingredient. This means it doesn’t have a very high concentration. *Denatured alcohol is the 3rd ingredient.
One of the hyaluronic acid serums I carry has it is the 5th ingredient. And, it is way cleaner. With less preservatives and more hydrating ingredients. It has aloe and jojoba oil. And, it is also a plant based hyaluronic acid.
Having a licensed esthetician, who you see regularly, can help you choose the right products. A professional can also help you determine what product will help you address specific skin issues.
PS I am a skin ingredient nerd. If you have questions about ingredients and what they do, please email me.