Do you use skin care products from the same line or brand or do you mix and match your skin care? This was a thought I had a few months ago which I was reminded of by reader Reeka a while ago in an email. I also received a similar query from Mei Ping in a comment earlier.
My answer to both Reeka and Mei Ping was: I mix and match so long as my skin stays fine.
The reason I do is because not every product in one brand or skincare line suits me all the time. I personally do not believe that one has to use all the products from the same line for it to be effective.
I save on cleansers
In my case, I do not believe in spending a lot on cleanser. A long time ago, I read an article in a magazine where it essentially said:-
Spend on the products you will leave on and save on the products you will wash off.
I found it made sense so I have kept to this. I save where possible, on cleansers (wash off) but splurge on moisturizers and serums (leave on). If I were to buy it all from the same line, I might find myself spending more on the cleanser than I would otherwise for a similar product from the drugstore or pharmacy that works as well.
Different skincare products serve different skin needs
Secondly, I also believe that different products serve different needs. I like toners that are moisturizing, not astringent. I find that such toners or lotions as they are usually called in Japanese skincare lines, help make my skin feel more moisturized. So, I use Japanese skincare for toners – Kanebo Banchir Clear Conditioner or Hada Labo Super Hyaluronic Acid Lotion. I recently tried a sample of Dermalogica Multi-Active toner that you spray on the skin which was introduced by a friend and I rather liked that too as I did the Kiehl’s Acai Toning mist. Uhoh… 😛 Incidentally, as I’ve run out of the Hada Labo lotion I’ve been using my the Kiehl’s Toning Mist and I think I’ll have to revise my earlier opinion. This is pretty good stuff! I think its helping keep my skin balanced in tone and texture.
However, after much experimentation, I found that Japanese moisturizers don’t do it for me so I turn to European brands for creams. I use a variety ranging from Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream to the Lancome Primordiale Nuit cream because I know they just work better for me.
While I may like certain products in certain brands or lines, I do not believe that every product in a brand or line will work as well as the other. So, I like to take the best of every line – after all, I’m all for the best my skin can handle! 😉 That said, a caveat is in order.
Acne treatment or Whitening Skincare works best if you use the same brand
I do have one caveat – treatment skincare. For treatment skincare e.g. for acne treatment or for whitening products, I’ve learnt from experience that it is most beneficial to stick to one line or one brand to get optimum results. The reason may be to do with the ingredients that layer on for best results.
I’ve tried mixing and matching treatment skincare but it never really works out as well as when you use the same brand throughout. However, I now do mix and match different products e.g. Kiehl’s Ultimate White Scrub, Lancome Bio-Cellulose Mask and Clinique Derma White Brightening Essence because I’m not undergoing treatment but using products I like for the different results I achieve with them.
Your turn: Do you believe in using all the products from one line or do you mix and match your skincare like I do?
Paris B
I mix my skincare too!!! Currently am using Kiehl’s Acai berry facial cleanser ( I believe in spending less in cleanser but somehow I got suckered into it, cuz…..) Kiehl’s Whitening toner (its quite a big bottle as i was using their whitening range) HAda Lado Lotion- cured my dull complexion due to dehydrated skin, Kiehl’s Acai BErry serum- love the smell and since then I realize my face somehow much clearer due to the high antioxidant (now u know y i got the cleanser) Kiehl’s some spot treatment, Kiehl Yerba Mate lotion moisturizer & Dior sunblock spf 50
hrmm…after listing it down. I realize its leaning towards Kiehl as I’m using their Rare EArth Masque, Micro-dermabrasion, Midnight Recovery & YErba mate cream moisturizer with Estee Lauder Advanced Night repair
Dang Kiehl’s should endorse me!!
Anyway 2 quest…is there such thing as using too many things on the face & do your face gets immune to a certain product/brand after using it for a long period that u need some new range to ‘shock’ the skin?
Erm… depends on what you mean by too much. I’m using the regular 3 step + a serum so that’s about 4 items on my skin. I think it’s alright. As for whether skin gets “immune”, there are schools of thought that think so. I don’t stick around long enough to find out unfortunately 😛
I used to go through phases where I’m obsessed with a certain brand so I buy everything in that line only to discover I only like 1 or 2 products.
However, I now understand that simplicity is really the best for my skin, so I just mix and match whatever my skin likes.
I’ve never believed in buying expensive cleansers because if it stays less than 2 minutes on my skin, it’s not worth spending more than $10 (CDN).
great tip on the ‘save on products that you wash off’… i never thought of it that way. I have always mixed brands… long ago I heard from some people that it is better to switch brands every now and then… been a loyal skincare customer of SK2, Clarins, and Lancome. Occassionally will try out other brands in between. Lately.. been thinking of moving to organics/natrual skin care products…
after using the same facial products for a long period of time, is it best to try something new for a while as your skin gets usse to it and does not work as well?
may I know that if we should use same or different brands of serums and how to layer them? How would you suggest to layer among: Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Corrective Serum and DiorSnow D-NA Reverse Night Concentrate?
This post on layering serums might be useful for you. In your case, I think it might be too many – EL ANR and Shiseido do roughly the same thing. So I’d do the Diorsnow and then either EL ANR or Shiseido Bio-Performance.
thank you very much ^^
Currently, I mix Shiseido skin care lines — future solution, bio-performance, white lucent. I mixed different brands before. I used Clarins cleanser and toner (both for normal to dry skin), then layered Estee Lauder pore refining serum and anti-wrinkle cream. However, the result was not good — my skin tended to become oily, especially nose. Some serums, such as Elemis Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Serum and Borghese Moisture Intensifier, can have good results mixed with other brands of moisturizers. I use different serums based on my skin needs.
Man, am I late in replying haha. While I do agree on only splurging on products you leave on, I find myself buying rather pricey cleansers. Yes, I succumbed to the pretty set on vanity case.too, and coincidentally found myself loving the most expensive cleanser I’ve ever used. Aesop Cream Cleanser, though I couldn’t for the life of me remember the exact name. At RM 125 per tube it was madness (in my case) but my skin loved it. I suffer from rather dry skin and foaming cleansers don’t do it for me 🙁 Any other suggestions on milk/non foaming cleansers that won’t break the bank? I took Nivea Cleansing Milk for a spin but hated how my skin felt after. It felt like a film was left on the skin.. ick 🙁