Those models, actresses and singers do not use supermarket

brands on their skin. They use prescriptive, clinical, targeted,

active skincare and that is why their skin looks as

good as it does. Australian skincare is phenomenal. Please

support our local industries because they are doing amazing work.

Anyone can sell skincare from the supermarket to

the pharmacy, doctors and medical skin clinics. But

who do you believe when it comes to your skin? The answer is

Welcome to The Holistic Skin Guru, where what's on the surface is

just as important as what's underneath. I'm your host, Aamena.

Let's dive deep into the world of holistic skincare. Welcome

back to Skin School and the school is in session. Okay,

let's get down to basics. Everyone is talking anti-aging

and injectables and touts this brand over another.

But do you know the 101 of skincare? Do you really

understand the difference between what you get in

the pharmacy as opposed to what is available in skin clinics

or even in doctor surgeries? Here is a quick breakdown of

the skincare industry. You see, skincare is one

of the most confusing industries to be in because anyone

can sell skincare, from the supermarket to the

pharmacy, doctors in medical centres and estheticians in

skin clinics. But who do you believe when it comes to your

skin? Well, The answer is simple, and

to know where you fit into this puzzle, you really need

to understand the industry and its traps. Let me

help you with this. You see, the skincare industry is made

of two camps really, the cosmetic industry and

the cosmeceutical industry. The cosmetic industry is really

all about mass production and heavy marketing and

is largely found and sold in various places including

chemists, supermarkets and sometimes department

stores alongside other cosmetics and makeup. Cosmetic

skincare is usually heavily branded with lots of marketing and

even popularized through famous brand ambassadors and

fancy packaging to lure the buyers into trying their

promise in a jar. And that is all it really is.

A promise in a fancy jar. Or should

I say a lie, in a fancy packaging, because most

of these companies are selling carrier creams with very little

active ingredients and they use marketing to help sell their

brands. Now there's nothing wrong with that, they're selling a brand,

and if you believe them, then you've been duped. They

mainly rely on famous movie stars or

singers to help them convince you to buy their

products. So let me tell you, those models, actresses and

singers do not use supermarket brands on their skin. In

fact, they use prescriptive, clinical, targeted, active

skincare and that is why their skin looks as

good as it does. So coming back to cosmeceuticals, these

are more clinical. They are targeted ranges that

have had research and development that back their claims

of efficacy in the skin. They contain active ingredients

such as hyaluronic acid, collagen, sometimes called

peptides, vitamin C, oleic acid derived

from olives, and so on. Cosmeceuticals are sold largely

in either dermatology clinics, skin clinics or

anywhere where skin is assessed and skincare is prescribed by

a professional skin expert. Now here is

where it gets interesting and a little bit muddy. In

recent years, the cosmeceutical industry has split into

two camps. One is the prescriptive clinics that

focus on a medical approach with a strong emphasis on

injectables and or chemical peels. While

the other camp is also prescriptive in nature, they

use a consultation process that leans more towards understanding

the individual's client's situation and needs and

forms a more holistic approach in finding solutions without

the need for chemicals or hurting the skin in any way. Guess

which one I belong to. So going back to

cosmeceuticals and understanding why they

are better than cosmetic products. Most cosmeceuticals

or all cosmeceuticals have got ingredients in them

that are targeted. So instead of a cosmetic product,

which has maybe less than 5% worth of active

ingredients in them, and the rest is just a carrier

cream, in a cosmeceutical product, you

have every single ingredient in

there doing something. So if it is, for

example, a product that says it's for

hydration, well then that product has got ingredients within

it that are formulated in such a way that work

in synergy together to increase hydration in the skin. And

the research and development that's gone into that product has

given that particular company the go ahead to put that

product on the shelf because they can stand by it and say, yes,

through our research and development, we have found that these key

ingredients have actually increased the hydration properties

in the skin by X percent. So this is the

difference between a cosmeceutical company and a cosmetic company.

So when you are buying from a cosmetic company like Chanel,

Chanel makes makeup, you know, and now they make skincare. Now

their skincare may be very, very expensive and they probably do

have some nice ingredients in them. But they're just pretty expensive

products in a nice, beautiful jar. So that

brand is not actually a cosmeceutical brand. It's a

cosmetic brand. They haven't really put in the research

and the technology into it to make sure that the ingredient

base is actually doing what it says it does. And if

you are brand driven, then you're going to buy their brand. So

sometimes having a fancy jar on a shelf is not

good for your skin. And I have had clients come to us and

say, oh, but your products, your bottles are not fancy. And I think to myself,

do you want results in your skin or do you want a pretty packaging on

your counter? I would definitely go for results in my skin because

people see my face more than they see what's on my bathroom, in my bathroom

cabinet. So really think about the ingredients

that are in your products. go to your shelf, pick up

your product, have a look where it's made. Is it made locally

or is it made in another country? Australian skincare

is phenomenal. Australian cosmeceutical skincare

is absolutely phenomenal. Please support our

local industries because they are doing amazing work and

our cosmeceutical skincare is made for our

environment. It's made for our weather, It

makes for, you know, people living

in a more humid climate up here in Queensland, we

have skincare that's more suited to us. And those

of you that are living down in more cooler climates like Tasmania and

Victoria, you would be getting offered products that

are a lot more, you know, thicker and

more protective for those colder months. So

really look at where your products are coming from so you can

not only support Australian businesses but also use products

that are made locally, sourced locally and are good for

your skin. Thank you for joining me on Holistic Skin

Guru. If this episode has helped you get one

step closer to achieving your skin goals, I'd love your

support with a five-star review on Apple Podcasts and

Spotify. And don't forget to subscribe on your favorite platform

too. If you've got any questions about your skin, I'd

love to hear from you. Connect with me at Holistic Skin Guru

on all platforms Don't forget, as a listener, you can get

10% off all treatments at our SkinFit New Farm Clinic in

Brisbane. Simply pop the word podcast in

your booking online or mention it on the phone when