Designer Skin Care: A Letter of Concern

Dear Designer Who Shall Remain Nameless,                       

I can’t help but love your impeccable sense of style, your provocative ad campaigns, and your willingness to push the envelope. You have taken the fashion industry by storm and developed a brand that exudes a cool, sophisticated excellence. But when I saw your name on a bottle of skin care, I was more than a little confused. When, exactly, did you find the time to develop your expertise in skin care? 

Now to be fair, you’re not the first, nor will you be the last individual to expand the boundaries of their brand. And bravo to you! But skin care? Some things are better left to the experts.

Let me explain.

To create a product that’s worthy of your skin, you need to have an incredible amount of cosmecuetical knowledge. You need to understand ingredients, how those ingredients work together and the results they should produce. I can hardly draw a circle and you don't see me partnering with Frank Gehry and designing the Los Angeles Music Center. Your creation of a skin care line is the same thing. And no, I'm not exaggerating. 

To create a product that’s worthy of your skin, you need to have an incredible amount of cosmecuetical knowledge. You need to understand ingredients, how those ingredients work together and the results they should produce.

Now I’m sure you could justify yourself by saying you only hired the best team of developers to create a product that embodies what you like most about skin care. Good for you! But you should have kept the line in your own bathroom for your own personal use. I’ve spent years watching clients spend thousands of dollars on designer brands only to walk around with broken out or uneven skin tones, so I’m sure you understand my frustration.

Still, I had to see what all the fuss was about.

My curiosity led me to a department store where I purchased a few pieces from your skin care line.  The most interesting one to me, and the first one I opened, was priced at whopping $250. The packaging was absolutely gorgeous; a thick beautiful textured carton with an impeccable graphic.  I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.  When I opened the box I found a stunning square glass bottle, even more elegant than the outer packaging. The serum had the consistency of thin liquid and was clear. After reading the directions I applied it to my skin. Then I turned to the ingredient list. It was much worse than I could have imagined.

The first few ingredients: squalene, evening primrose oil, coconut oil, and jojoba oil were fine. A nice blend for most normal to dry skin types, and a boilerplate formula that many brands have. But it was the following ingredients that shocked me. Patchouli oil, ylang ylang oil, sandalwood oil, bergamot oil...these are ingredients suitable for fragrances, not skincare. The serum also contains coffee, which works to dehydrate fatty cells, and is often used in body products for the treatment of cellulite.  So perhaps, by way of dehydration, your skin would be smoother after use.

The best I can do is recommend this product to those looking for a nice body oil with a pleasant scent. Even if I found some quality ingredients like tetrapeptide-7 or seramides, it wouldn’t matter due to the serum’s horrible combination of perfume oils.  One would have to hope your skin could be beautified by osmosis from the sleek and sexy outer packaging, because what’s inside has no redeeming qualities. With so many volatile oils in the formulation of this serum, it would need to change its name to Intensive Facial Perfume: Use at Your Own Risk!

All too often we're expected to put our trust, and our money, in an individual rather than an expert. Skin care is an investment; you should know exactly what you’re paying for.

All too often we're expected to put our trust and our money in an individual, rather than an expert. Skin care is an investment — you should know exactly what you’re paying for. This is your face we’re talking about. Be savvy, informed, educated consumers, and make sure your skin care is coming from an expert!

Best of luck,

Olga