What Does A Good Cream Cost?
A couple of weeks ago I was approached by the programme De rekenkamer. The editing team wanted to run an item about moisturisers. What do we use them for? What should they contain, what can they cost and are more expensive products better? A lot of my colleagues were less willing to divulge any information. I actually enjoyed giving more clarity on this.
Click here for the item about creams at De Rekenkamer
Why we use creams
A cream needs to make sure that the skins barrier function remains working efficiently. This then helps the skin maintain moisture and it brings substances into the skin which bind moisture. Is that necessary? Yes, I think that for many people, their skin needs this. The defence mechanism is very exposed to harmful external influences, such as UV rays and air pollution, but also to such things as temperature change, air conditioning and cigarette smoke. This can cause the skin to become dry and irritated. As we get older our skins ability to repair itself after damage is reduced. The antioxidant stocks decline, and cell renewal is less efficient. Good creams are able to supplement that shortfall.
Hydration costs a couple of euros
If your only aim when buying a cream is hydration, then you don’t have to dig deep into your pockets. I have, together with the editing team from the programme De Rekenkamer, calculated what the lowest overall price should be for a simple hydrating cream. Such a cream is based on water + oil + emulsifying agent + preservatives + thickening agent + optional fragrance – and colouring agents. The ingredients I purchased cost around €1,33 for 50ml. There is normally, of course, the cost of packaging, the transport, the marketing, the processsing, safety and stability testing and dossiers, and the eventual development of patents and research. But, in principle, €5 should cover it. That is certainly the case for big companies which can purchase substantial amounts of packaging and raw materials.
Why are creams usually more expensive?
Most creams contain somewhat more ingredients than those listed in my example product. A cream needs to feel good, have the right colour and consistency. That is very important. And such trimmings make a product more expensive.
Moisturisers which also make use of more active substances are again more expensive. Would you like to have quality substances with a proven effectiveness such as liquorice root in your cream? Then your product will rise in price. Cosmetic greats such as resveratrol and stabilised vitamin C are among the most expensive active ingredients to put in a cream. But certain plant oils are also expensive, such as argan oil and abyssinian oil. An example cost. If you would like just 5% stabilised vitamin C in your 50ml of cream (because this is the optimal concentration if you want it to actually do something for your skin) then the cost of your product can increase by 4 to 5 euros.
And further costs
Ingredients only form part of the story. Many people don’t realise this but packaging has a big influence on the price: tubes are the cheapest, after that come the pots and the dearest are the airtight dispensers. Furthermore, the printing is important. Labels are quite a lot cheaper than an actually printing on packaging. And then the amount produced plays a part. If, as a company, you can make a large batch in one go, saving you a considerable amount of time, then you are naturally more cost effective than if you produce a small quantity. Cosmetics manufacturers who wish to preserve their active ingredients choose to produce smaller amounts more frequently, which is more costly.
Also the mode of preserving (chilled or un-chilled) has an effect on the price. Lastly, add the fact that manufacturers who sell via shops lose half of the profit margin to the middleman. Now you can easily see that it isn’t really feasible to produce a state-of-the-art moisturiser for under €15.
Work it out with me. For a product costing around €10, after taking out costs for research, packaging, marketing and overheads you are left with €0,50 for the contents. 50 cents… This would only be possible if your product is predominantly made up of water and oil, with minimal active ingredients.
Surely expensive is better?
No. A high price, unfortunately does not guarantee the eventual effectiveness. More than a 100 euros for a wonderful pot of cream? Be aware that no combination of ingredients justifies such a price. Even if the product contains high concentrations of active substances (and unfortunately this is seldom the case). On the other hand, good research into your product or ingredients does cost money. And alongside that, of course, such things as brand awareness. That also determines the eventual price. I read in a study that the effect of the purchase of a luxury product is measurable in the brain. Our brain literally tells us that the expensive product is better and we experience a good feeling.
Expect no miracles, not even from expensive products
Highly developed creams definitely work – but don’t expect any miracles. Not one product will help get rid of dry patches or fine lines within a week.
If we are talking about hydrating, then you can be rest assured that all creams – from cheap to expensive –will achieve this. The drawback is that a lot of rubbish also ends up in products whereby the skin is not only hydrated, but also irritated. And this will, in the long run, cause wrinkles.
Check the ingredients list
In order to decide whether a product is worth the price and a good quality, have a scan of the ingredients list. There is, however, a hidden snag. A beneficial substance on the packaging doesn’t immediately tell you the concentration. Unfortunately what often happens in the cosmetics world is something called angel dusting. This means that a minimal amount of an active substance has been added to a product; too little to have any effect. The active ingredient may, however, be displayed on the ingredients list.
Kind regards,
Jetske
Research Physician Cosmetic Dermatology
You can also read:
– Help with choosing your moisturiser