Celeste Hilling, CEO Skin Authority
Lauroly Opening- Welcome Celeste. I really appreciate you taking the time to drop in and share your beauty expertise and wisdom with World Wise Beauty. I know you are the “go to” beauty expert for leading media outlets like FOX News, NBC, ABC, The New York Times, Women’s Wear Daily, Forbes and Businessweek and we are lucky to have you here! With 20 years in the beauty and wellness industries and CEO of your own prestige skin care line “Skin Authority”, you really are the ideal expert to share a few insider tips about purchasing beauty products. Even with a plethora of options both on-line and down the beauty aisles at department stores, it is still challenging for a woman on a budget to find good value when shopping for cosmetic and personal care products. We all aspire to be savvy and want to become a wise connoisseur of beauty products no matter where we are shopping. Hope you’ll share some secrets!
Lauroly Q- So let’s start with a double play and ask you two questions for one! Does spending more on a particular beauty product necessarily mean you are getting a superior product? And what is your criteria when searching for “good value” in the beauty aisles?
Cost Per Ounce – Shop for skin care the way you shop for food, by looking at the cost per ounce. When you see a product that is $20 for .2 of an ounce, multiply and see that it’s actually $100 for one ounce… not a great deal. Instead, visit spas and salons. What you’ll find is that spa and salon-quality products are a bargain as they include complimentary consultations with licensed experts. Concentrate on Concentrations – After evaluating the ounces, concentrate on the concentrations. Take a look at the active ingredients and ensure that any treatment product has a pH below four. The human skin ranges from 4.5-5.5 pH. A product should be below the pH level of the skin for maximum penetration. Otherwise, you might as well be using water! Lauroly Q- I didn’t know this! Good tip! Ok, how about packaging? The packaging can be quite elaborate for some beauty products, does this also mean it is a better product? Lauroly Q- What about ingredients? Sometimes we all feel like we need a degree in cosmetic chemistry, and it’s hard to know what is good and what is bad. Most of us know a few buzz words like “no parabens” and “no phthalates” but it’s really confusing to read some bottles because the ingredients listed are often in the tiniest typeface! Here at World Wise Beauty we focus a lot on natural and organic ingredients but what about just “safe” ingredients for all of us? While I don’t buy products that test on animals, how do I know the products I buy will be safe for me? Sorry Celeste, I loaded this one up! Dyes or Added Color pigments often listed as FD&C: These are chemically synthesized colors made from coal-tar which can have also have traces of metal salt. Artificial or added Fragrances: Artificial fragrance contains a large number of chemical compounds which can be a cause of allergic reaction and skin sensitivity including rashes and breakouts. In addition, headaches and eye sensitivity often occur from artificial or added fragrances. Parabens: These petroleum-based preservatives are a concern for long-term toxicity and carcinogenic effects. Essential Skin Care Kit My company Skin Authority is committed to products that do not include parabens, dyes or added fragrances, plus we never test on animals. Lauroly Q- Thanks so much for sharing your savvy expertise and practical wisdom with us Celeste. I think we may be ready to “rule the beauty aisles” armed with savvy shopping skills to help us recognize the difference between marketing “hype” and a good value! Now we know why you named your skin care line “Skin Authority”! Since Celeste highly recommends the salon and spa experience, I thought I would share this SpaFinder link so when you feel like splurging ( or you want to be splurged on) you can find a wonderful place near you! You can search both the salon and spa categories. Just plug in your zip code and you’re on your way… Trulyherself, *World Wise Beauty shares information about products but does not endorse one product over another.
Lauroly
Always Be your Own Guru!