Different Products. Or Maybe Not…
Many people don’t realise that in the land of cosmetics, there are great deal of identical twins to be found. In other words; the shelves are full of products with the same ingredients but very different names. Very amusing when you realise this… You may even find that the same list of ingredients from a cheaper product is also found on its three times more expensive twin brother. It is therefore not uncommon for ‘different products’ to come out of the same factory.
A real puzzle
In order to make it more confusing for us, a miniscule amount of ingredients is sometimes added (known as Angel Dusting…) or a basic ingredient is replaced by an equivalent ingredient with another name. To confuse us even more you often find almost identical ingredients lists printed on products with different functions. Consider the formulas for a day cream, night cream, eye cream or sometimes even a body lotion or hand cream.
Kill two (or even more!) birds with one stone
It’s good to know that many different products have more than one function; that saves money. And imagine what room you have left over in your suitcase if you use your mild shampoo instead of a shower gel or soap, your hair conditioner as shaving foam for your legs and that body oil as a bath oil…
Then you’ll definitely have enough room next summer to take those favourite 10 pairs of shoes on holiday 😉 Have a great party tomorrow! And I wish everyone a happy and healthy 2012…
Regards Jetske
(Dr. Jetske Ultee-Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology)
I can’t go without showing you this example below of two ‘different products’ which are really very similar. Lancome with a retail price of almost 70 euros (for 30ml) is more than 45 euros more expensive than Youth code from L’oreal. Even though, in fact, the product from L’oreal actually contains more active ingredients than the product from Lancome. I’d also like to mention that both these products contain a high concentration of alcohol; so if you have dry and/or sensitive skin then both of these products are less suitable for you….
Water, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denatured, Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane
Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate , PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Palmitoyl
Oligopeptide, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide 7, Adenosine, Ammonium Polyacrylatedimethyl Taurate, N Hydroxysuccinimide, Sodium Benzoate, Xanthan Gum, Chrysin, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Citric Acid, Limonene, Fragrance
Wate, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., Dimethicone, Hydroxyethylpiperazine Ethane Sulfonic Acid, Sodium Hyaluronate, Phenoxyethanol, PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate,
PEG-60 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Salicyloyl Phytosphingosine, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Xanthan Gum, Caprylyl Glycol, Disodium EDTA, Octyldodecanol, Citric Acid, Citronellol, Limonene, Fragrance
You can also read the blogs:
‘The Safety of Cosmetics; Who Actually Regulates It?‘,
‘Research Shows that…‘,
‘Myth; a Night Cream is Specifically for Night Time ‘,
‘Is an Expensive Moisturizer Better?‘,
‘Do Anti-Oxidants also Really Work in a Cream?‘ and
‘Anti-Wrinkle Creams‘.