Skin Care & Makeup: Brand Name v. Generic

Mother always said there are some things you just can’t buy generic—but does that apply to makeup and skincare products? According to a study by www.mint.com, women spend more than $15,000 on makeup in their lifetime ($3,770 of that on just mascara!), and the average woman shops for makeup five times per year.

 
Makeup is one of those things we often splurge on, but should we really turn our noses up at store brand, generic options?  In terms of status, nobody will be able to tell if you are wearing generic makeup; however, if it’s skincare you’re worried about, a quick look at the list of ingredients will reveal that there is little, if any, difference in your favorite products and the generic equivalent.
 
If you’re worried about quality and safety, take a look at the order in which ingredients appear on a label. Ingredients are listed in order of importance and volume. Here are a few products to think about:
 
Buy generic eye makeup remover, cleansers and scrubs. If you check the label on most of these, you will find the same four primary ingredients.
 
Buy generic body washes and lotions. As long as the soap foams and the lotion doesn’t make your skin feel oily, just choose your favorite comparable scent, and you won’t be able to tell the difference.
 
Don’t buy generics anti-aging serums and moisturizers. If you are loyal to a brand name, this is one area to stick to your guns. If something is going to be on your skin for a long period of time, you should buy quality.
 
Don’t buy generic facial masks. Generic facial masks are often clumpy and dry, leaving your skin feeling similar.
 
Buying quality sunblock is important for your skin’s health. Brush On Block® Broad Spectrum SPF 30 mineral powder sunscreen contains naturally-occurring ingredients like titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, green tea leaf extract, safflower seed oil, chamomile and honeysuckle for full coverage sun protection—ingredient you won’t find in other brands!