The drugstore is filled with so many amazing beauty and skincare products, and they're all pretty affordable, too! But, it turns out that not every product is the best for your skin. In fact, some dermatologists say that it's better to splurge on the high-end products instead! Here are the drugstore skincare products that you should definitely avoid in 2018 to get your best skin ever:
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Brightening Creams
"Drugstore lightening and brightening creams are often not worth wasting your time and money on," board-certified dermatologist Jessie Cheung, MD, tells Byrdie. "They tend to be less effective, inefficient, and even irritating when compared with the more expensive products."
Retinol
"Drugstore retinoids are simply not the same as prescription Retin-A," Cheung says. "The efficacy of some drugstore retinols is a big unknown." If you want to incorporate the popular ingredient into your skincare routine, Cheung suggests to "invest in the real deal" and see a dermatologist.
Peptides
Products with peptides in them might be on your radar if aging skin is your main concern, but Cheung says that it's worth the splurge to buy it from a skincare expert instead of your local drugstore. "The nourishing benefits are worth the price," she says. "These products are expensive to formulate and the results are backed up with clinical research."
Exfoliators
Every skincare regimen include an exfoliator, but not if your go-to brand comes from the drugstore. "Many of these drugstore products contain scrubbing particles made from ground seeds, which can actually damage skin and exacerbate breakouts because they don't have smooth surfaces," Cheung explains. "Higher-end scrubs contain safer scrubbing particles such as jojoba beads...I also personally prefer a scrub that also contains gentle acid exfoliants such as lactic acid or salicylic acid instead of just mechanical exfoliation."
