Skincare for Life
By J.T. Alvarez
When it comes to skincare, we're often bombarded with the hottest hypes, newest trends, and revolutionary technology that promises miraculous results. While hopping on the trend train can feel fun, there's something to be said about the beauty of consistency. Using the same simple ingredients your whole life may sound counterintuitive in a world of endless options, but it can be a game-changer for your skin. Let's explore the benefits of sticking with tried-and-true skincare for life.
Supply v. Demand
To understand why consistency in your skincare routine matters, it’s important to know Big Beauty’s best kept secret: supply creates demand. You might be thinking, isn’t the other way around? In some spaces, sure, and especially so when the product in question is prohibitively expensive to manufacture like rare medications and certain luxury goods. Everything in the Health & Beauty aisle? Not so much.
Since the Industrial Revolution, manufacturing consumer goods is easier and faster than ever. In the early 20th century, production was so efficient that soap manufacturers in particular found themselves with a surplus of products. By that time, the general public was already convinced that the daily soap bath was the thing to do (obviously, we think otherwise), so attracting new customers became a struggle. Then, someone had a big idea that would change beauty forever.
If soap brands couldn’t attract new consumers, they’d just have to create them. Their deceptively simple (and just deceptive) solution was achieved through…drum roll, please…slight packaging changes between the exact same product. Not quite the innovation you were expecting, is it? By insisting that different genders, ages, and skin types needed specific, ‘just for them’ soaps, soap manufacturers ushered in a new era of marketing that carried over into every personal care and beauty space since.
A century of ad campaigns, lifestyle magazines, and celebrity endorsements later, and the same story plays out in skincare. The truth is, a lot of separately branded products on the market share nearly the exact same formulas. Often, they’re even manufactured by the same parent company, sometimes even in the same facility! Having your pick of the lot isn’t a bad thing, but it does promote a false sense of choice in this scenario.
Read more on the dirty history of soap and the rise of Big Beauty here.
Keep up the Good Work
Our skin and its microbiome thrives on balance and consistency. By using the same trusted formulas over an extended period, you establish a routine that supports your skin's natural equilibrium. Consistency also allows your skin to adapt to and fully reap the long-term benefits of a truly soap-free routine. Skipping from trend to trend means exposing your skin and its delicate microbiome to a range of potential ingredient interactions and skin reactions. Committing to a formula that works for you eliminates that uncertainty and enables you to develop a deeper understanding of your skin. Sticking with the same routine allows you to become attuned to your skin's specific needs, sensitivities, and preferences. This knowledge empowers you to make informed decisions about the ingredients that help you achieve optimal results.
While it's exciting to explore new skincare products, there's undeniable value in using the same products throughout your life. Consistency fosters stability in your skin's health and offers a deeper understanding of your skin's needs. It allows your skin to weather all the changes that life and aging bring and ensures your skin's microbiome remains robust and resilient. So, embrace the beauty of consistency and let your skincare work for you, for life.
“If you’ve tried everything and nothing works, stop trying everything.” - Denise Cartwright, CRUDE Founder/CEO & Master Esthetician
Clean Up for a Cause
This month, CRUDE is donating 10% of Wash sales to the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health. Your purchase of our certified Microbiome-Friendly formula supports the research of sunflower oil in skin barrier therapy by Dr. Gary L. Darmstadt. Dr. Darmstadt’s research is committed to improving health outcomes for preterm infants by furthering our understanding of babies’ microbiomes.
About the Author
J.T. Alvarez is a writer and editor for CRUDE and the School of UnLearning. Find them on Instagram or Twitter @judeanism.
