Here’s the scoop on why medical grade skincare IS better: Medical grade skincare typically contains a higher strength of active ingredients, which generally is going to be more effective & achieve better results. Medical grade skincare is also most often sold in practices with medical providers (or authorized retailers), as it requires either a prescription (RetinA for example) or recommendation/advice from a provider for best use. Medical grade products also penetrate the skin to work at a cellular level, as opposed to just superficially like most drugstore & luxury brands. Medical grade products are also thoroughly studied & backed by evidence based science. Trust me, the price you pay is because of the percentage of actives, time spent studying the product’s ingredients, and evidence based products yield results. No product is one size fits all, which is why it is best to seek advice from a medical professional to make it easier on yourself.
Drug store skincare (CeraVe, Cetaphil, Neutrogena, etc.) is widely available, and for the most part, it is fairly inexpensive. The efficacy is lower due to the lower percentage of active ingredients. Remember, the formulation of a product is so important! While some thins are fine to use (and I do recommend), such as cleansers or moisturizers, the products are often “weak” & do not achieve desired results. With this being said, they are often safe for all skin types, even sensitive skin. So, I always say that while it may not do much for your skin, it likely will not harm it. Generally, these products only affect the surface of the skin, no matter their price. Personally, I think as long as you have medical grade core products (retinoid, vitamin C, AHA/BHA), then it is okay to cut cost by using a drugstore cleanser, moisturizer, and even SPF, as long as they are appropriate for your skin type.
Similarly, luxury skincare (Kiehl’s, Drunk Elephant, R&F, etc.) contains the same concentration of ingredients are drugstore skincare, but at a much higher price point. With luxury skincare, you are simply paying for the brand.
