With all the promos and envisaged discount on the 2020 Black Friday, you can be on the look-out for self-care products to pamper yourself with, like creams, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lip balms and beauty treatments. The money you spend on these products represents a good part of your budget, so you hope they will give you optimal results for every dollar invested in them. We offer you some tips on choosing the best selfcare products with high quality, and how to make the most of their benefits.

Know Your Skin Type

Before searching for consumers feedback, you have to, first of all, know your skin type. When buying your creams, facial cleansers or masks, be guided by the needs of your skin type and your age. Using the ones that are not suitable for you will only damage your epidermis. Go to your dermatologist to evaluate you with a skin test and guide you on the characteristics and specific care that your skin requires, depending on whether it is classified as normal (endemic), dry, oily or mixed, as well as according to its degree sensitivity.

Read the Labels

Brands sometimes claim that their “wonder cosmetic” does not contain synthetic or harmful elements, even when this statement is blatantly false. Reading the labels gives you great power as a consumer because that way, you will know the ingredients and compositions of the products you use daily and you will not be fooled by advertisement or sensationalism. Pay attention to the names of the ingredients and the order in which they are listed: their position is related to a higher percentage used in the formula.  

Look for Local, Cruelty-free, And Artisanal Brands

Supporting local cosmetic companies, whose practices are ecological and artisanal, means promoting responsible, informed and sustainable consumption. Buying their merchandise not only contributes to your physical beauty, but also to the economic activation of small producers in your region, to the care of the environment and to your empowerment as a consumer against those brands that prioritize their profits over your well-being. If you are interested in trying a viable alternative to traditional products, gradually switch to the use of bio cosmetics. Start with shampoo, hand soap, and moisturizers. Platforms such as Dyson Black Friday are avenues to get some cruelty-free self-care products.

Prefer Products Made with Natural Ingredients

Most beauty products are rich in silicone and other petroleum derivatives. These elements are used in cosmetics because they temporarily soften, have a good consistency and are cheap. However, they do not repair in-depth and instead leave a layer of residue that prevents water from penetrating the skin or hair, dehydrating them in the long term. Therefore, we suggest you develop a preference for cosmetics that are made with vegetable oils, extracts and different kinds of butter, instead of those made with mineral oil, alcohol, sulfates, salts, parabens and silicones. You can identify parabens with the endings: -paraben; and silicones are identifiable by suffixes such as -cone, -cona, -xane, -xane.

Check The Expiration Date

Cosmetics have a PAO (Period After Opening) or extended period after opening: usually between 6 and 24 months, depending on the ingredients in their formula.

However, before applying, check the package for the expiration date. Do not use the product if it shows any alteration in consistency, colour or aroma, as it can cause irritation or allergies.