May 27, 2010

Musings of the Day: Are You a Skincare Cheater?

Most times we go through life never changing certain things about our existence. For example, chances are you’ve been banking with the very same bank you’ve done business with for the last 10 or more years. There isn’t any reason to change a bank really right? You pick one, you start doing your banking, and chances are you never bother changing it for some other bank….

Alot of tiny things like this fall into out daily routines…heck even skincare sometimes becomes something we rarely change. We pick a brand and most times we stick with it because it’s what works best for us.

Do you mix and match brands?

Or do you stick with one brand and just use everything from the brand…..

Say your skincare is Lancome do you have Lancome Night Cream and Lancome Eye Cream and Lancome Cleanser…etc…etc…

Or are you completely unfaithful to your brand and simply use a night cream from Philosophy and a cleanser from MAC and maybe you throw in a daily moisturizer from Shu.

Question is, are you a skincare cheater?

Jump to see if I’m cheating on my skincare!

Yes, I cheat.

At one time in my life (and hell even on occasion now) I was very meticulous about skincare. For example, I used Lush for most all my skincare needs and I rarely venture away from it. I’ve always found that I wanted to stay true to Lush and never venture into mixing it up with other brands. Prior to Lush, many, many years ago I was a Philosophy girl and again I stuck with that brand only.

For some odd reason I’m under some weird assumption that it’s not a good idea to mix and match brands when it comes to skincare. So if I’m using a cleanser from Lush I had to be using a moisturizer, eye cream, night cream, etc…from them as well. Could be a little OCD in there I’m sure.

In recent years I became an utter skincare cheater.

I throw all sorts of stuff together to get the best results. Lush Gorgeous Moisturizer is my staple and I blame my healthy skin on it but lord knows I do NOT feel the need to stick with Lush for everything anymore so I mix it up and purchase cleansers from various places, eye creams, night creams, etc…my complete skincare regime probably consists of 7 or more brands.

How about you?

Does your skincare have to come from all the same brand?

Or are you ok with cheating?

Share it!

About the Muse

Isabella MuseIsabella is just an average everyday geeky girl who doesn’t blend her eyeshadow correctly, wears too much blush, and hopes she never finds her holy grail products because she likes the thrill of the chase so much. Her mission is to bring you super honest reviews on makeup, skincare, fragrance and all things beauty. She’s in no way an expert on the topic and she sure as hell isn’t a super model. But she’s passionate about makeup and is seeking like-minded individuals that like pina coladas, getting caught in the rain, and ones that enjoy spending hundreds of dollars at Sephora without feeling buyer’s remorse. If you’re that person feel free to reach out and leave a comment or follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Bloglovin‘.

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Comments

  • My Chau

    I used to use Biotherm skincare products. Then, I was using Lush products… And, now… I’m a terrible cheater :).

  • Karrie

    I use to be very loyal to Shiseido and used only their products for 8 years.
    Then in the last two years I found myself straying and trying other products.
    But everytime I strayed, all the products came from the same brand.
    Now, my stash is a mashup of alot of brands.
    It took me some time to be okay with cheating.

  • Phyrra

    I wouldn’t call it cheating, but I can’t choose just one 😛 I’m really loving the mark dark chocolate and blueberries spf 30 moisturizer, my body shop seaweed purifying cleanser, and the seaweed night clarifying treatment. I constantly try things out for my blog as well.

  • Tohnia

    I cheat. I like different things from different brands! I love Biore, Clean & Clear and Neutrogena for their cleansers, Biore for their toner, and Nature Republic (whitening cream), and Clean & Clear for their moisturizer, Body Shop for masks (<3 their Tea Tree Oil mask!), and Clearasil and Benzagel for their acne products. And I can't forget Soap & Glory and St. Ives for their exfoliator!

  • myolie

    yup i’m a cheater too,but i’m not guilty( need to prioritize on what stuff i really really need and what product i could replace with drugstore brand i’m on a very tight budget).my cleanser is cetaphil or cerave or walgreen skin cleanser, my toner (which i only use when my face feels itchy) neutrogena triple action.i splurge on my creams and serums which are quite pricey, i use laneige serum and philosphy moisturizer.

  • Fuuka1209

    I do. I love the Bihada Ichizoku line. I use the makeup remover, face wash, and concealer. The chamomile and lavender in the cleansing gel and concealer really help my red blemishes. I used to use the moisturizer as well, but have strayed to Shiseido Aqualabel’s milky lotion to see if it can help my acne out. I strayed for a while, trying out different make-up, but went back to CLINIQUE. I have even been debating going to Clinique concealer once my Bihada Ichizoku runs out! But I generally go with the three: Bihada Ichizoku, Clinique and Shiseido.

  • Ricci

    I cheat on Queen of Complexion soap with Coalface sometimes ,, 🙂

  • LithiaBlack

    I cheat all the brands and make my own skincare 😀
    My routine is:
    OCM with an oil made of ricin + rapeseed oil with some lemongrass EO
    A scrub made from sugar,almond oil, glycerin and lemongrass EO (once every week)
    My toner is rose water in the vinter and now I use a water made off bird cherry flowers
    A skincare cream made of almond oil, jojoba oil,rose water and beeswax
    During the winter I also use an aspirin mask but it makes me sun sensitive so I have to stay away from it during the summer months. I have great skin if I dare to say so myself 🙂

  • María

    I’m a cheater without a doubt but with a logic. I mean, I love organic skincare because it really works for me. So, I use different brands but always within the organic range. Just to be consistent.

    By the way, I don’t use organic make up, probably I’m not as consistent as I think, LOL

  • Robyn

    im a cheater in the essence that i dont really bother with skincare
    its so bad
    i actually feel guilty about it how weird is that ?
    but you know in the morning i never have time
    then a night im shattered so i just flop into bed
    i keep meaning to start a skincare regime becaus ei know once i got the routine going it would become second nature

    lol i really do feel guilty haha

  • Ceriene

    I can’t resist trying this and that from different lines, especially when I know one brand is famed for one thing and another brand for another. (ie: Kose’s Sekkisei line has an awesome toner, but horribly sticky emulsion) So, I’m a major skincare cheater. 😛

    I’ve been lured into the real of Aromatherapy Associates though, and I’m tempted to purchase the entire line.

    Oh, and a question, if you don’t mind, muse. Sorry to be a bother. What would you recommend from Lush for someone with oily skin?

  • Kristina

    I’m a little OCD so I like to use the same brands at the same time and have everything “match”. I don’t stay loyal to any one brand though – I switch all the time.

  • Brooke

    I don’t do it with skincare products because my skin is pretty sensitive so I go with what works.
    That being said, I am OCD about using the same shampoo and conditioner products. i.e. if I use Dove shampoo, I have to use Dove conditioner.

  • KiwiBerry

    I can happily say that I remain faithful to my skincare brands, although mainly out of OCD-ness with packaging than loyalty.
    *coughcough*
    Um, I mean, I’m totally normal =P

    • the Muse

      lol kiwiberry you aren’t the ONLY one with that problem. not me of course, never me LOL!

  • Chelsea

    I went through a Lush-only skincare phase, and I’m happy to say I’m now a cheater. MD Formulations (toner and moisturizer with SPF), Murad (AHA serum for night), Caudalie (night moisturizer), Kiehl’s (cleanser and exfoliator), and Bobbi Brown (moisturizing serum for day) round out my regimen. It’s just about perfect, and I don’t plan on mixing it up anytime soon!

  • Ling

    Lol.. that’s the same with me.. i started out as a hardcore Origins fan, from the checks and balances face wash to a perfect world lotion, Plantidote Mega- mushroom face serum, Plantidote Mega-mushroom face lotion, eye doctor eye care, and finally Out smart sun screen. Even all the masks i used for the entire time consists of the Clear improvement, drink up and the out of trouble masks…My friends always tagged me as the skincare companies’ dream customer..

    Then came Clarins…Nowadays, i just use whatever that works for me.. haha..

  • jonnie

    I used to try and stick with the same brand for everything too, but in the last couple years of mix and matching I have been having better luck… currently at my house I am using Skin Food Black Sugar cleansing foam, Philosophy Microdelivery, Lush Breath of Fresh Air toner, Clinique All About Eyes, and Korres Quercetin and Oak Day and night creams. At my BF’s house my stash is Philosophy Purity Made Simple foaming cleanser, BOFA again, Body Shop aloe eye cream, Skin Food Cucumber and Lettuce water jelly as a day cream, and Shu ACE B-G reinforcing gel cream for night. Plus various masks, whatever happened to strike my fancy… I have some random My Beauty Diary sheet masks and some Lush Mask of Magnaminty laying around right now.

    It all seems to work together just fine… 🙂 When something seems to not be doing the job any more, I start the search for something new. I don’t know if it’s just me, but sometimes things just seem to stop working the same over time. (I’m looking at you, Hope in a Jar that became breakout in a jar…)

    • the Muse

      ugh jonnie I HATE the stench of hope. smells like wet dog…wish I could get on with it but no luck!

  • Basak

    I was very faithful with Dior. With my first salary I ve bought a gift to dad, Classical music CD and a set of DIor skincare. It took me more than 5 years to try the others. So long. Pity that I did not give a chance to other products before..

    Now I am using Clarins skincare and Shiseido.

    For body: Nivea (all time favorite) and Avene products (+Clarins for anti capitons).

    Mixing is good : )

    Bests,
    Basak

  • deejay

    Well I first started with proactiv. That didn’t work out for me.
    The I went on to Clinique 3 step system #2 and it sucked but maybe it was because i didn’t use it regularly. Then I just didn’t use anything because my skin was fine without but I started breaking out again. So I decided to go back to the clinique counter to get the acne treatment. The sales lady said i didn’t need it cuz my acne wasn’t as bad and that the 3 step would work. So this time I guess my skin type changed and they gave me #3 and it worked fine but not good enough. I then went and bought clean and clear stuck to it and didn’t work as well then i went on to juice beauty did’t work out then back to clinique and then to Philosophy. Now I use the philosophy purity cleanser and clinique toner every other day and clinique moisturizing gel and my skin look so much better. I have some redness still but it’s so much better that before. So I’m sticking to this routine for now.

    I’m actually scared of changing it up now. Sorry its so long.

  • regina

    no way. i have too many brands i like to stick to one. nor do i feel guilty either cause i love all the brands i have in my stash^^

  • Rengirl

    I’m a total cheater – yes. But only because I haven’t exactly found “the one” so I will continue to play the field. I really love Boscia everything but it’s a tad overpriced and I feel stupid paying so much for something that will sit on my face and wash down the drain moments later.

    But I must say that I’m “seeing” Yes to Tomatoes right now (cleanser and moisturizer) and I must say that I’m intrigued. She’s well priced and my skin likes her. We’ll see where this goes…

  • Selenite

    I certainly do. One brand might not have all that I need. Example: Beauty Without Cruelty doesn’t have a bha product but has a lovely moisturizer.

  • Liz

    I guess I’m a cheater too. I use whta works for me regardless of brand, because I’ve found that I never like *everything* a brand makes. For example, right now I use Lush Dark Angels in the shower in the morning followed by Bliss sunscreen mixed with those new Lush pigments to make my own tinted sunscreen. In the evening it’s Philosophy Purity Made Simple followed by Clinique Even Better most days, Philosophy Hope in a Bottle if I’m breaking out. I mix it up all the time too, which might be one reason why i still get spots at mysemi-advanced age. You have to have fun with it!

  • Elle

    I definitely mix my skincare products. Aveeno and Clinique are my staples but I also use Japanese products that aren’t available here in Canada (they just tend to mix better with my skin, dunno if being Japanese has anything to do with that lol).

  • Taryn

    Constantly. I can’t understand these people who say they’ve seen improvement in their skin after one use of a product. The only time it happened to me was when I used a My Beauty Diary mask, and it was temporary. Everything else has been an abysmal failure.

    I think my diet contributes to my skin looking like crap, but I’m so picky that it’s hard to find things that aren’t sweets or carbs that I actually like.

    • the Muse

      aw sorry to hear it taryn. I’m sometimes lucky and see instant results but sometimes not so much 😛 drink lots of water?

  • sormui

    I have always been a cheater! I dont believe one brand has the best of everything!

  • Nik

    No one wants to be a cheater, but claims are proved wrong! I find different brands excel in their own departments!

    Beauty cheater, OF COURSE, YEAH!!!!

  • Annabella Freeman

    I mix and match different brands. I don’t call it cheating as such I just think that sometimes my skin needs different things. My skin changes depending on the time of year or month. What I used 10 years ago is different to what I use now. There are some staples I stick with like Avene skincare because of my blotchy skin but I will use Aveda, Clarins, Boots, Burt’s Bees, Aesop etc. when I feel like it. I think you miss out on all the different things to try when you stick with one brand. I used to use everything from Lush too but now I just use the Ocean Salt. Sticking to the same brand to me is like wearing the same hairstyle I had in high school!

  • nia

    funny you brought this up.

    i have always been a mixer matcher, but lately i have been wanting to stick to one line in one brand.

    haha – guess i am gonna cheat on my mixer matcher skincare now 😛