Department Store Skin Care Lines vs. Professional Skin Care Lines

Let me first say that I love so many of the department store products; I love Estee Lauder, Clinque, Lancome (one of my favorites) and I even like Mary Kay eye shadows. Okay, so I am a make-up junkie. Skin care has always been a passion of mine, cosmetics in general have always been something I want to play with and enjoy.

 I can remember as early as fourteen years of age, after I got my very first paycheck for working in an office that summer, I celebrated by going and buying Estee Lauder's latest and greatest futuristic-looking blue tube of some miracle gel. It was all the rage in the late 80's and it had been heavily advertised for weeks before I bought it. Although, the store clerk laughed at me for buying the tube of gel, apparently she didn't realize that taking care of your skin is a life long journey through the ages and it is never too young to start.

As I've grown older, and as I have learned more about skin care, I realized that these department store products might not be as great as I thought they were. They come in beautiful packaging and appeal to a wide audience via fashion magazines, however, they lack something extremely important: CHANGE. Most of the products feel like they just sit on my skin and never absorb, and more importantly there was never a change in my skin's appearance. Even after weeks of use, with the line's specific skin care regimen, no change.

When I trashed my department store products years ago, and started to use professional products, I immediately noticed a change in my skin. I could see results fairly quickly (usually within 2 weeks) of using a professional skin care line. I was thrilled because I could see a glow; reduction in fine lines; and a more even skin tone.

The other thing to keep in mind are the sales people behind the beauty counter are not usually licensed estheticians. Their training consists of the product line they are selling; they are trained to sell not preserve and protect the health of the skin. They are giving expert advice when many haven't sat through one esthetics lesson.

Estheticians work very hard, even after getting their license to practice, most estheticians choose to obtain further credentials in skin care. Estheticians are proud to advocate good skin care health, and while we are not dermatologists and cannot diagnosis or prescribe, we certainly are an effective mentor in skin health, preservation and beauty which is beyond incomparable to beauty store advisers. Consumers have tons of choices, and many will go the beauty counter route, but for those consumers who want optimal results they will need a licensed esthetician to guide them and create a customized skin care regimen, not a one-sized fits all approach.

Grace Riley author of JumpStart Your Esthetics Career: A Guide For Newly Licensed Estheticians