Use a brand’s ingredient list to judge a product, not their multi-million dollar marketing campaign.
The INCI, Not the Ad
I used to be so swayed by beautiful commercials with stunning actresses and grand promises. I’d buy a product based on the story it told me. But then I learned to ignore the marketing and to flip the box over. The truth of a product isn’t in the ad; it’s in the INCI list—the list of ingredients. Learning to read that list and to understand what the first five ingredients are has been so empowering. It allows me to judge a product based on its actual formulation, not on its aspirational, multi-million dollar fantasy.
Stop buying a product just because it’s “new”; wait for independent reviews instead of falling for the launch hype.
The Hype Cycle
I used to get so caught up in the excitement of a new product launch. The marketing would be everywhere, and I’d feel an urgent need to buy it on day one. But this “launch hype” is a manufactured frenzy. I learned to stop and wait. I now wait a few weeks for the initial hype to die down and for the real, independent reviews to start coming in from people who have actually purchased the product and used it for a while. This has saved me from so many disappointing, impulse purchases.
Stop thinking luxury skincare is inherently better; you’re often paying for packaging and marketing, not superior formulation.
The Luxury Lie
I used to believe that a $300 cream had to be better than a $30 one. The heavy glass jar, the beautiful box, and the fancy brand name all screamed “quality.” But I learned that you are often paying for those very things—the packaging, the marketing, and the “brand experience.” While some luxury products are beautifully formulated, many drugstore brands have more effective, scientifically-backed ingredients for a fraction of the price. A high price tag is not a guarantee of a superior formula.
The #1 secret that beauty marketers don’t want you to know is that “clinically-proven” can mean the study was done on just 10 people.
The “Clinical” Claim
The phrase “clinically-proven” used to give me so much confidence in a product. It sounded so official and scientific. The secret that marketers don’t advertise is that this term is not regulated. A brand can run its own “clinical” study on a very small group of people, for a very short period, and if they see any minor improvement, they can legally claim the results are “clinically-proven.” Always look for the details of the study: who conducted it, how many people were involved, and was it placebo-controlled?
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the beauty industry is that it wants to empower you.
The Empowerment Illusion
The modern beauty industry loves to use the language of “empowerment,” “self-love,” and “confidence.” The biggest lie is that the industry’s primary goal is to make you feel good about yourself. At its core, it is a multi-billion dollar business that profits by making you feel like you are not enough as you are. It creates insecurities and then sells you the “solutions.” A truly confident, self-loving person who is happy with their appearance is a terrible customer. Understanding this is key to seeing their marketing for what it is.
I wish I knew this about the difference between a brand being “cruelty-free” and its parent company not being cruelty-free.
The Parent Company Problem
I was trying to shop ethically and would only buy from brands that were certified “cruelty-free.” I wish I had known to look one step further. Many popular cruelty-free brands are actually owned by massive parent companies, like L’Oréal or Estée Lauder, that are not cruelty-free and still test on animals where required by law. While supporting the cruelty-free brand is still a good thing, I learned that for my dollar to be truly aligned with my values, I needed to also research the ethics of the larger corporation that was ultimately profiting.
I’m just going to say it: The “clean at Sephora” list is a marketing standard, not a legally regulated safety standard.
The “Clean” Seal
I used to see the “Clean at Sephora” seal and assume it meant the products were rigorously tested and certified “safe” by some official body. I’m just going to say it: this is a marketing standard, not a safety one. Sephora created its own internal list of “formulated without” ingredients based on consumer perception and demand. It is not a government-regulated or legally defined term. While it can be a helpful starting point for some, it’s important to know that it is a retail standard, not a scientific one.
99% of consumers make this one mistake during the Sephora VIB sale.
The Sale Siren
The big Sephora VIB sale used to be my Super Bowl. I would get so caught up in the excitement and the “20% off” discount that I would buy things I didn’t need or hadn’t properly researched. The mistake almost everyone makes is using the sale as an excuse to experiment with a bunch of new, trendy items. A much smarter strategy is to use the sale to stock up on your tried-and-true favorites—the products you know you love and will use to the very last drop. It’s for restocking, not for risky experimenting.
This one small habit of reverse-searching an ingredient list on a site like INCIdecoder will change the way you see a product’s true value forever.
The INCI Investigation
I used to be so swayed by a product’s promises. The small habit that has made me an incredibly savvy consumer is to reverse-search the ingredient list. Before I buy anything, I type the full INCI list into a website like INCIdecoder. It analyzes the formula, explains the function of each ingredient in plain English, and helps me to see if the “hero” ingredients are actually present in a meaningful concentration. It cuts through all the marketing fluff and shows me the true, scientific value of what’s inside the bottle.
If you’re still buying into “get ready with me” videos that feature 15 brand-new products, you’re losing money to undisclosed ads.
The Hidden Ad
I used to love watching “Get Ready With Me” videos. It felt like I was just hanging out with a friend. But I started to notice that every single product they used was brand new and they would talk about how obsessed they were with it. If you’re still watching these without a critical eye, you’re falling for undisclosed advertising. Many influencers are paid to feature these products, or they are sent them in PR. It’s not an authentic routine; it’s a very clever and often undeclared commercial.
Use a price-per-ounce calculation to compare products, not just the sticker price.
The Ounce-for-Ounce Outlook
I used to compare two moisturizers based only on their price tags. One was $40 and the other was $60, so the $40 one seemed like the better deal. But I wasn’t paying attention to the size. I learned to do a quick calculation on my phone’s calculator: the price divided by the number of ounces or milliliters. This “price per ounce” often reveals that the larger, more expensive-looking product is actually a much better value in the long run. It’s a simple trick to become a smarter shopper.
Stop being loyal to a single brand; be loyal to ingredients and formulations that work for you instead.
The Ingredient Allegiance
I used to be a very loyal customer. If I liked one product from a brand, I would buy their entire line, assuming it was all good. But this is a mistake. A brand might make a fantastic Vitamin C serum but a mediocre moisturizer. I learned to stop being loyal to a brand and to start being loyal to ingredients and formulations. Now, my routine is a “best of” album, with my favorite cleanser from one brand, my favorite sunscreen from another, and my favorite retinoid from a third.
Stop thinking an influencer’s “holy grail” product will work for you; their skin type, climate, and sponsorship deals are different.
The “Holy Grail” Hype
An influencer I followed would declare a certain product her “holy grail.” I would immediately want to buy it, thinking it would be my holy grail too. But I had to learn to be skeptical. That influencer might have a completely different skin type than me, live in a different climate, and, most importantly, they might be being paid to promote that product. Their “holy grail” is often just the product from the brand that is sponsoring them that month. You have to find your own holy grails, based on your own skin.
The #1 secret about how brands create buzz is a carefully orchestrated PR and influencer seeding strategy months before launch.
The Seeding Strategy
I used to be amazed at how a new product would suddenly be everywhere on social media on the day it launched. The secret is that this buzz is not organic; it’s a carefully planned military operation. Months before the launch, brands will “seed” the product to hundreds of editors and influencers. They will often have a strict embargo, meaning no one can post about it until a specific date. Then, on launch day, they all post at once, creating a massive, coordinated wave of hype that seems like a spontaneous phenomenon, but is actually a very clever PR strategy.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about dermatologist-founded brands is that the dermatologist is in the lab formulating it themselves.
The Doctor’s Brand Myth
I used to be so impressed by brands that were founded by a famous dermatologist. I had this image of the doctor in a lab coat, personally mixing up the formulas. The lie is that they are the formulator. In reality, the dermatologist provides their name, their credibility, and their clinical insights. But the actual formulation is done by a team of experienced cosmetic chemists, often at a private label facility. The doctor is the face of the brand, not the hands that mix the beakers.
I wish I knew this about the psychology of “unboxing” and how it’s designed to give you a dopamine hit and encourage future purchases.
The Unboxing Urge
I used to love watching “unboxing” videos and the thrill of opening a beautifully packaged product myself. I wish I had known that this is a powerful psychological tool. The anticipation, the beautiful tissue paper, the perfectly nestled product—this entire experience is designed to give your brain a hit of dopamine, the pleasure and reward chemical. This creates a powerful, positive emotional connection to the brand and encourages you to make future purchases to get that same “hit” again. It’s a very clever form of conditioning.
I’m just going to say it: The beauty industry’s “problem-solution” marketing model creates insecurities so it can sell you a cure.
The Manufactured Flaw
Have you ever worried about your “strawberry skin” or your “hip dips” before you heard those terms on social media? Probably not. I’m just going to say it: the beauty industry is a master at creating problems that you didn’t know you had. They will take a normal human variation, give it a scary-sounding name, and then conveniently sell you the “cure.” This “problem-solution” model is designed to manufacture insecurities. Recognizing this pattern is the first step to becoming immune to it.
99% of people make this one mistake when reading a product review online.
The Reviewer’s Reality
When I was looking at product reviews, I used to just look at the star rating. The mistake was not clicking to read the actual one-star reviews. Often, the reason for the bad review had nothing to do with the product’s efficacy. It would be things like, “The shipping took too long,” or “The box was damaged.” And for five-star reviews, I learned to look for specifics. A review that says, “This product is amazing!” is less helpful than one that says, “This Vitamin C serum faded my dark spots in six weeks.” Context is everything.
This one small action of unsubscribing from brand marketing emails will change the way you resist impulse purchases forever.
The Email Exodus
My email inbox used to be a constant stream of temptation. Every day, I was bombarded with emails announcing a “flash sale,” a “new launch,” or a “limited time offer.” This created a constant sense of urgency that led to so many impulse purchases. The one small action that has saved me the most money and has given me the most peace of mind was to go on an “unsubscribe” rampage. Taking an hour to unsubscribe from every single brand’s marketing list has removed that daily temptation from my life.
If you’re still chasing “limited edition” products, you’re losing to a manufactured scarcity tactic.
The Scarcity Scheme
I used to get so excited by “limited edition” holiday palettes or a “collector’s edition” version of a cream. I felt like I had to have it before it was gone forever. This is a very powerful and manipulative marketing tactic called “manufactured scarcity.” Brands intentionally create a limited supply of a product to create a frenzy of demand and a “fear of missing out” (FOMO). If you are still falling for this, you are letting a brand’s manufactured timeline dictate your purchasing decisions.
Use a cosmetic chemist’s review of a product, not just a beauty influencer’s.
The Chemist’s Choice
I used to get all my product recommendations from beauty influencers. But I learned that a much more reliable source of information is a cosmetic chemist. Influencers can tell you how a product feels and if they liked the results, but a cosmetic chemist can break down the ingredient list, tell you if the formula is stable, if the active ingredients are at an effective concentration, and if the product is actually worth the price. Following cosmetic chemists on social media has made me a much more educated and discerning consumer.
Stop falling for “greenwashing” where brands use nature-based language to imply they are sustainable.
The Green Façade
I would see a product with a green leaf on the label and words like “earth-friendly,” “eco,” and “botanical,” and I would assume it was a sustainable choice. This is a common marketing tactic called “greenwashing.” A brand will use nature-inspired imagery and vague, unregulated buzzwords to create the impression of sustainability, even if their actual practices are not eco-friendly. You have to look past the green packaging and look for real, third-party certifications and transparent reporting to know if a brand is genuinely sustainable.
Stop thinking that a patent on an ingredient means it’s miraculously effective.
The Patent Ploy
I would be so impressed when a brand advertised that their product contained a special, “patented” ingredient or complex. It sounded so official and scientifically advanced. But I learned that a patent does not guarantee efficacy. A patent is just a legal document that protects a unique invention. A company can patent a specific blend of common ingredients. It doesn’t mean that the blend is a miracle cure; it just means that no other company can use that exact same blend. It’s often more of a marketing tool than a sign of a scientific breakthrough.
The #1 secret about “dupes” is that while the main active might be the same, the overall formulation and vehicle system is what you pay for.
The Dupe’s Difference
I love a good “dupe”—an affordable product that is similar to a more expensive one. But the secret that you need to know is that they are rarely identical. A dupe might have the same main active ingredient as the luxury product, but what you are often paying for in the more expensive version is the elegance of the formulation. The vehicle system—the blend of emulsifiers, emollients, and solvents—is what creates a beautiful texture, enhances penetration, and ensures stability. That’s the part that is very hard to replicate cheaply.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about French pharmacy brands is that they are all simple and gentle.
The French Pharmacy Fact
There’s a romantic myth around French pharmacy skincare. We think that every product is a simple, gentle, universally beloved classic. While there are many fantastic, gentle products, the lie is that they are all that way. French pharmacies are also full of some very potent, clinical-strength products. You can find high-concentration acid peels and other powerful treatments that are not necessarily “gentle.” It’s important to research the specific product, not just to trust the “French pharmacy” mystique.
I wish I knew this about the power of affiliate links and how they influence the products that get recommended.
The Affiliate Angle
I used to trust my favorite bloggers and influencers implicitly when they recommended a product. I wish I had known about the power of affiliate links. When an influencer links to a product and you buy it through their link, they get a small commission. This is a great way for them to make a living, but it also creates a financial incentive for them to recommend certain products over others. It doesn’t mean their recommendation is dishonest, but it’s a factor to be aware of when you are consuming their content.
I’m just going to say it: The concept of a “beauty subscription box” is a way for brands to offload overstock and test new products.
The Subscription Box Story
I was so tempted by the idea of a monthly beauty subscription box. It seemed like a fun way to discover new products. I’m just going to say it: for the brands, it’s often a very strategic business move. It’s a fantastic way for them to get rid of products that are nearing their expiration date or are not selling well. It’s also a relatively cheap way for them to get a new, unreleased product into the hands of thousands of people for market testing. It’s not always a curated box of the best new things.
99% of people make this one mistake when they see a product is an “award winner.”
The Award Ambiguity
I would see a product with a shiny “award winner” sticker on it and immediately think it must be the best of the best. The mistake I was making was not asking, “Who gave it that award?” Many beauty awards are from magazines, and they are often heavily influenced by which brands advertise with that magazine. An “award” can be more of an indication of a brand’s advertising budget than the product’s actual superiority. It’s important to be skeptical and to see who is behind the award.
This one small habit of checking a brand’s parent company will change the way you understand their true ethical stances forever.
The Parent Trap
I was trying to be a more conscious consumer, supporting small, independent, or cruelty-free brands. The small habit that opened my eyes was to start checking who the brand’s parent company is. I was shocked to find that many of my favorite “indie” or “clean” brands were actually owned by massive conglomerates like L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, or Unilever, whose broader ethical stances on things like animal testing or sustainability did not align with my own. Knowing who ultimately profits from your purchase is a crucial part of ethical consumerism.
If you’re still buying a product because of its celebrity founder, you’re losing sight of the formulation and chemists behind it.
The Celebrity Façade
The market is flooded with celebrity beauty brands. It’s easy to buy a product because you love the famous person who is the face of the brand. But if you are doing this, you are letting the celebrity’s fame overshadow what actually matters: the product itself. The celebrity is not in a lab coat, mixing up the formulas. There is a team of experienced cosmetic chemists and formulators who are doing the real work. It’s so much more important to judge the product based on its ingredients and formulation, not on the famous face attached to it.
Use your consumer power to demand transparency, not just accepting marketing claims at face value.
The Demand for Data
I used to be a passive consumer. I would just accept a brand’s marketing claims without question. I learned that as consumers, we have immense power. I started to use that power. I would email brands and ask them for more information about their ingredient sourcing, their labor practices, or the clinical data behind their claims. The more of us who demand this kind of transparency, the more brands will be forced to provide it. Your curiosity and your questions are a powerful force for creating a more accountable industry.
Stop thinking that a long ingredient list means a product is more effective or luxurious.
The Laundry List
I used to be impressed by a product with a very long, complex-looking ingredient list. It seemed so much more sophisticated than a product with just a few ingredients. But I learned that this is often a marketing trick. A long list of dozens of botanical extracts is often just “angel dusting”—tiny, ineffective amounts are added just so they can be put on the label. A shorter, more focused ingredient list, with a few key active ingredients at a high concentration, is almost always the more effective choice.
Stop buying a product because of its packaging; the “shelfie” appeal is a deliberate marketing strategy.
The Shelfie Strategy
I was so guilty of buying products just because they would look beautiful on my bathroom shelf. I was curating my “shelfie” for Instagram. Brands are very aware of this. They invest a huge amount of money into creating photogenic, aesthetically pleasing packaging because they know it’s a powerful marketing tool. But I had to learn to separate the appeal of the container from the quality of the contents. The most effective products sometimes come in the most “boring” packaging. It’s what’s inside that counts.
The #1 secret about pricing is the “masstige” category, where brands use mid-range pricing to create a perception of high value.
The Masstige Market
I used to think of products as either “drugstore” or “luxury.” The secret I learned about pricing strategy is the existence of the “masstige” category—a portmanteau of “mass market” and “prestige.” These are brands that are priced in the middle range. The pricing is a deliberate psychological tool. It’s not as cheap as the drugstore, so it feels more “premium,” but it’s not as expensive as luxury, so it feels like an accessible indulgence. It’s a clever way to create a perception of high value.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about “innovation” in beauty is that most of it isn’t just repackaged science from years ago.
The Innovation Illusion
The beauty industry is obsessed with “newness” and “innovation.” Every week, there is a “revolutionary” new product or ingredient. The lie is that most of this is truly new. More often than not, it is just old science being repackaged and re-marketed to a new generation. Ingredients like niacinamide and retinol are not new; they have been studied for decades. Brands are just getting more creative about how they tell the story. True, game-changing scientific breakthroughs are actually very rare.
I wish I knew this about how “private label” cosmetics work and how many different brands can come from the same factory.
The Private Label Picture
I used to think that every single beauty brand had its own unique factory and laboratory. I wish I had known about the world of “private label” manufacturing. A huge number of brands, from small influencer brands to large store brands, are actually made by the same handful of massive, third-party manufacturers. They will choose from a menu of stock formulas, put their own label on the packaging, and sell it as their own unique product. It’s a reminder that many brands are more about marketing than they are about manufacturing.
I’m just going to say it: The beauty industry thrives on trends, not on providing you with a lifelong, stable routine.
The Trend Mill
The beauty industry is structured like the fashion industry. It thrives on a constant cycle of new trends. One season it’s “glass skin,” the next it’s “cloud skin.” I’m just going to say it: the industry does not want you to find a simple, stable routine that you love and stick with for years. That makes you a bad customer. Its business model is based on making you feel that what you are currently doing is outdated, so that you will buy into the next new trend. It profits from your dissatisfaction, not your contentment.
99% of consumers make this one mistake when they see a “50% off” sale.
The Sale’s Seduction
When I would see a big “50% off” sale, my brain would go into a frenzy. I saw it as a huge opportunity to save money. The mistake I was making was buying things I didn’t actually need or want, simply because they were heavily discounted. I wasn’t saving 50%; I was spending 100% on something I wouldn’t have bought otherwise. A sale is only a good deal if it’s on a product you were already planning to purchase at full price. Otherwise, it’s just a very clever trick to get you to spend money.
This one small action of waiting 24 hours before making an online purchase will change your relationship with impulse shopping forever.
The 24-Hour Pause
I was a chronic online impulse shopper. I would see something I liked, and the urgency to “add to cart” and “checkout” was overwhelming. The one small action that has completely transformed my shopping habits is the 24-hour rule. Now, whenever I want to buy something online, I put it in my cart, and then I force myself to close the tab and wait a full 24 hours. Most of the time, when I come back to it a day later, the initial, intense desire has completely faded, and I can make a much more rational decision.
If you’re still trusting a brand’s own “before and after” photos, you’re losing your critical thinking skills.
The B&A Bias
I used to be so impressed by the dramatic “before and after” photos on a brand’s website or social media. The results looked incredible. But if you are still taking these at face value, you are losing your ability to think critically. These photos are marketing materials. They are almost always shot with different lighting, different angles, and different facial expressions to maximize the appearance of a transformation. They are not scientific evidence. Look for independent reviews with un-retouched photos from real users instead.
Use a budgeting app specifically for your beauty spending, not just guessing where your money goes.
The Beauty Budget
I never really knew how much I was spending on beauty products each month. A little purchase here, a little purchase there—it all added up. I started using a budgeting app and created a specific category just for my beauty spending. Seeing the total number in black and white at the end of the month was a shocking wake-up call. It made me so much more mindful and intentional with my purchases. It’s a simple way to take control of your spending and to align it with your actual financial goals.
Stop being influenced by “haul” videos; they are a celebration of overconsumption.
The Haul’s Hidden Cost
I used to love watching “haul” videos, where influencers would show off a mountain of new makeup and skincare they had just purchased. It was entertaining, but I realized how toxic this format is. These videos normalize and celebrate massive, mindless overconsumption. They create a culture where the goal is just to acquire more and more stuff, without any thought for whether it’s needed or will even be used. I stopped watching them, as I realized they were just feeding a part of the consumer culture I was trying to break away from.
Stop thinking that because a product is expensive, the brand spends more on its ingredients.
The Cost-of-Goods Myth
It seems logical to assume that a $200 cream must contain more expensive, higher-quality ingredients than a $20 cream. But this is often not the case. The actual “cost of goods”—the price of the ingredients and the packaging—is a surprisingly small fraction of a product’s final retail price. The rest of the cost is made up of marketing, advertising, retailer markups, and brand profit. An expensive product does not necessarily have a more expensive formula; it often just has a more expensive story.
The #1 secret about “professional” haircare brands is that many are owned by the same conglomerates as drugstore brands.
The Conglomerate Connection
I used to think that the “professional” haircare brands sold in salons were a completely different and superior world from the brands sold at the drugstore. The secret is that many of them are owned by the exact same handful of massive corporations. L’Oréal, for example, owns high-end brands like Kérastase, but they also own drugstore staples like Garnier and L’Oréal Paris. While the formulations may be different, it’s important to remember that the same parent company is often profiting from both your salon and your drugstore purchases.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about “clean beauty” is that it’s a regulated term.
The “Clean” Façade
I see the word “clean” everywhere in the beauty industry now. The biggest lie is that this is a meaningful, regulated term. It is not. There is no legal or official definition of “clean beauty.” Any brand can create its own list of “forbidden” ingredients and then market themselves as “clean.” It is a powerful, but ultimately hollow, marketing buzzword designed to make you feel like you are making a safer choice. You always have to look past the “clean” label and investigate the ingredients for yourself.
I wish I knew this about the difference between marketing hype and genuine scientific breakthroughs when I was younger.
The Hype vs. The Hope
When I was younger, I would get so excited by every new “breakthrough” ingredient that was advertised. I didn’t have the tools to distinguish between real innovation and clever marketing. I wish I had known how to tell the difference. A genuine scientific breakthrough is usually backed by independent, peer-reviewed, published research. Marketing hype, on the other hand, is usually just based on a brand’s own internal “studies” and a lot of persuasive language. Learning to look for the real science is key.
I’m just going to say it: Your favorite influencer’s glowing skin is often the result of filters, facials, and genetics, not just the product they’re promoting.
The Influencer Illusion
I used to watch an influencer’s video and think, “Wow, if I just buy that serum they are holding, my skin will look as perfect as theirs.” I’m just going to say it: you are being sold an illusion. Their incredible skin is often the result of a combination of factors: good genetics, expensive professional treatments like facials and lasers, a healthy lifestyle, and, most importantly, a very good lighting setup and a subtle blurring filter on their camera. The product they are holding is just one small piece of a much larger, and often invisible, puzzle.
99% of people make this one mistake when trying to return a used beauty product.
The Return Reluctance
I once bought a foundation that was completely the wrong shade for me. I used it once and hated it. The mistake I made was just letting it sit in my drawer because I felt too awkward to return it. Most major beauty retailers, like Sephora and Ulta, have incredibly generous return policies. You can absolutely return a product, even if it’s been lightly used, if it doesn’t work for you. Don’t be afraid to take advantage of this policy. It’s a much better option than letting your money go to waste on a product you’ll never use.
This one small habit of looking at the price per ml/oz will change the way you perceive the value of a product forever.
The Per-Unit Price
I used to compare the prices of two serums based only on their sticker price. One was $50 and the other was $70. The small habit that has made me a much smarter shopper is to always look at the price per milliliter or ounce. Often, the serum that looks more expensive actually contains twice as much product, making it a much better value in the long run. The packaging can be deceptive. A quick calculation of the price per unit is the only way to truly compare the value of two different products.
If you’re still falling for “fear-based” marketing (e.g., “free of…”), you’re losing your ability to make informed, scientific choices.
The Fear Factor
The “clean beauty” movement has become dominated by “fear-based” marketing. Brands will boast about their products being “free of parabens, sulfates, silicones…” creating a long list of scary-sounding chemicals to avoid. If you are falling for this, you are letting a brand’s marketing department dictate your science education. This tactic is designed to make you afraid of your current products so you will buy their alternative. A much more empowering approach is to learn about what is in a product and why, not just what it’s “free of.”
Use your knowledge of INCI lists to find drugstore diamonds, not just buying luxury products.
The Drugstore Detective
I used to think that effective skincare had to be expensive. But as I learned to read and understand INCI lists, I became a drugstore detective. I could look at the ingredients list of a $20 drugstore moisturizer and see that it had a fantastic formulation, full of ceramides and hyaluronic acid. I could compare it to a $150 luxury cream and see that the formulas were remarkably similar. Using your knowledge of ingredients is a superpower that allows you to find incredible, affordable “diamonds in the rough” at the drugstore.
Stop buying into the “magic” of an ingredient; understand the science instead.
The Magic vs. The Method
The beauty industry loves to sell us “magic.” A rare orchid from a remote mountain, a secret formula passed down through generations. It’s a beautiful story. But I learned to be more interested in the science than the magic. Instead of being swayed by the romantic story of an ingredient, I now want to know its mechanism of action. How does it actually work on a cellular level? Understanding the science behind an ingredient, like how a retinoid binds to receptors in the skin, is so much more powerful than just believing in its “magic.”
Stop feeling pressured to have an opinion on every new product launch.
The Launch Fatigue
The beauty industry is a relentless machine of new launches. Every single day, there is a new “must-have” product that everyone is talking about. I used to feel this intense pressure to keep up, to have an opinion on every single new release. It was exhausting. I finally gave myself permission to opt out. You do not have to have an opinion on every new serum or palette. It’s okay to just be happy with your current routine and to let the endless cycle of hype pass you by.
The #1 secret that brands use to get you to buy more is creating a multi-step system that feels incomplete if you only buy one product.
The System Sell
Have you ever noticed how brands will launch a new product as part of a three or four-step “system”? The cleanser, the serum, the moisturizer, all from the same line. This is a very clever marketing strategy. It’s designed to create a feeling of incompleteness if you only buy one of the products. You feel like you won’t get the full benefit unless you buy the entire system. This is a powerful psychological tool that encourages you to spend more money than you originally intended.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about the industry is that it’s run by creatives; it’s run by massive corporations.
The Corporate Curtain
We have this romantic image of the beauty industry being run by visionary makeup artists and passionate founders. While those people certainly exist, the lie is that they are the ones pulling the strings. The reality is that the vast majority of the global beauty industry is controlled by a handful of massive, publicly traded corporations, like L’Oréal, Estée Lauder, P&G, and Unilever. These corporations own hundreds of individual brands, from the drugstore to the luxury counter. It’s a business, first and foremost.
I wish I knew this about the lack of regulation in the US cosmetics industry compared to the EU.
The Regulation Gap
I used to assume that if a product was being sold in a store, it must be completely safe. I wish I had known about the significant difference in regulation between the United States and the European Union. The EU has banned or restricted over 1,300 chemicals from use in cosmetics. The US FDA, on the other hand, has only banned or restricted about 11. This “regulation gap” means that brands can use ingredients in the US that would be illegal in Europe. It made me a much more critical reader of ingredient lists.
I’m just going to say it: The concept of a “holy grail” product keeps you on a constant, expensive search.
The “Holy Grail” Hunt
The beauty community is obsessed with the idea of finding your “holy grail” product—that one perfect item that will solve all your problems. I’m just going to say it: this concept is a trap. It keeps you on a constant, endless, and expensive hunt for a perfect product that probably doesn’t exist. It fosters a sense of dissatisfaction with what you currently have. A much healthier mindset is to find products that are “good enough,” that you enjoy using, and that work well for your skin, and then to just be content.
99% of people make this one mistake when they see a brand using social justice language in their marketing.
The “Woke-Washing”
In recent years, many brands have started to use the language of social justice, diversity, and empowerment in their advertising. It’s easy to see this and think, “Great, this is a progressive company.” The mistake is taking this at face value. This practice, often called “woke-washing,” can be a cynical marketing tactic designed to appeal to conscious consumers without any real, meaningful action behind it. You have to look at the company’s actual practices. Who is on their board of directors? What are their labor policies? Actions speak louder than ads.
This one small action of unfollowing accounts that constantly push new products will change your bank account and your mental health forever.
The Unfollow Freedom
My social media feed used to be a constant barrage of “new product” content. It was making me feel like my own collection was inadequate and was fueling a constant desire to shop. The one small action that has had the biggest positive impact on my finances and my mental health was to do a massive “unfollow.” I unfollowed any influencer or account whose primary content was just promoting new stuff. Curating my feed to be inspirational and educational, rather than just commercial, has been so liberating.
If you’re still thinking your loyalty to a brand is rewarded, you’re losing sight of the fact that you are a data point to them.
The Loyalty Illusion
I used to be a very loyal customer to a few specific brands. I thought that by consistently buying their products, I was building a relationship and that my loyalty was valued. But I learned that in the age of big data, to a massive corporation, you are not a person; you are a data point. They are tracking your every purchase to build a consumer profile so they can more effectively market to you in the future. It’s a business transaction, and it’s naive to think that a multi-billion dollar company sees you as a loyal friend.
Use a critical eye when you see a celebrity “no-makeup” selfie promoting a skincare brand.
The Bare-Faced Bluff
I would see a celebrity post a “no-makeup” selfie on Instagram, looking absolutely flawless, and in the caption, they would talk about how it was all thanks to a certain skincare brand. It’s easy to believe them. But you have to use a critical eye. That “no-makeup” photo often has the benefit of professional lighting, a subtle filter, and is the result of that celebrity having access to the best dermatologists, facialists, and treatments in the world. The skincare product they are holding is a tiny piece of a very large, expensive puzzle.
Stop thinking that a brand’s founder story is the most important part of the company.
The Founder’s Fable
The beauty industry loves a good founder story. The narrative of a passionate individual who created a brand in their kitchen is very compelling. But I learned to stop being so swayed by this story. While it can be a nice bonus, it is not the most important thing. The quality of the formulations, the ethics of the supply chain, and the company’s labor practices are all far more important than the founder’s charming fable. A good story does not automatically equal a good product or an ethical company.
Stop buying a whole “line” of products; cherry-pick the best formulations from different brands instead.
The Cherry-Pick
I used to believe that if I was going to use one product from a brand’s skincare line, I had to use the entire system to get the “full benefit.” This is a clever marketing strategy designed to make you buy more products. The truth is, it’s very rare for a brand to be the best at everything. They might make a phenomenal cleanser but a mediocre moisturizer. A much smarter approach is to “cherry-pick” the best-in-class products from a variety of different brands, creating your own all-star team of formulations that truly work for you.
The #1 secret about travel-sized products is that they have an incredibly high price-per-ounce markup.
The Mini Markup
The aisle of travel-sized “mini” products is so tempting. They are cute, convenient, and the low sticker price makes them feel like an affordable indulgence. The secret is to always look at the price per ounce. You will find that these mini products have an astronomical markup compared to their full-sized counterparts. You are paying a huge premium for the convenience of the small packaging. It is so much more economical to just buy the full-sized product you love and decant it into a reusable travel container.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about “natural” is that it’s synonymous with “ethical.”
The Natural vs. Ethical
I used to believe that if a product was “all-natural,” it must also be “ethical.” The lie is that these two things are the same. An ingredient can be 100% natural but harvested in a way that is incredibly unethical and unsustainable. The harvesting of some natural ingredients, like mica and sandalwood, can be linked to child labor and the destruction of ecosystems. A truly conscious brand is concerned not just with the natural origin of its ingredients, but with the human and environmental cost of obtaining them.
I wish I knew this about how much money brands pay for prime shelf space in stores.
The Shelf-Space Sell
I used to walk into a store like Sephora and assume that the products that were displayed at eye-level or on the prominent end-caps were the best or most popular ones. I wish I had known that this is prime real estate that brands pay a huge amount of money for. The placement of a product in a store is often not a reflection of its quality, but a reflection of the brand’s marketing budget. The real hidden gems are often tucked away on the lower shelves.
I’m just going to say it: The beauty industry doesn’t want you to be satisfied with what you have.
The Dissatisfaction Drive
I was on a constant quest for the next best thing. As soon as I bought a new product, I was already thinking about what I would try next. I’m just going to say it: this feeling is by design. The business model of the beauty industry is based on creating a state of perpetual dissatisfaction. It thrives on making you feel like your current routine is not good enough and that the secret to your happiness is in the next new launch. True contentment is the enemy of their bottom line.
99% of people make this one mistake when watching a “declutter” video.
The Declutter Delusion
I love watching makeup declutter videos on YouTube. It’s so satisfying. The mistake almost everyone makes is to get inspired and then immediately go online and buy all the “perfect” acrylic organizers that the influencer was using. This completely defeats the purpose of the declutter, which is to reduce consumption. The goal should be to appreciate the process of letting go and to be more mindful about what you bring in, not to just immediately buy more stuff to organize the stuff you decided to keep.
This one small habit of researching the parent company of a “cruelty-free” brand will change your ethical purchasing decisions forever.
The Cruelty-Free Check
I was so proud of myself for only buying from brands that had the “cruelty-free” bunny logo. The small habit that took my ethical consumption to the next level was to start researching the brand’s parent company. I was shocked to learn how many of my favorite cruelty-free brands were owned by massive corporations that still conduct animal testing for their other brands in countries where it is required by law. Knowing this allowed me to make a more informed choice about where my money was ultimately going.
If you’re still buying a product based on its fragrance or texture alone, you’re losing sight of its actual efficacy.
The Sensory Seduction
I am a sucker for a product that has a beautiful, luxurious texture and a gorgeous scent. I would often buy a cream based on this sensory experience alone. But if you are only focused on the “feel,” you are losing sight of what actually matters: the ingredients. A brand can create a beautiful sensory experience with a very basic, inexpensive formula. It’s so important to make sure that beyond the lovely scent and silky feel, the product also contains the effective, active ingredients that are going to deliver the results you are paying for.
Use a browser extension that alerts you to a brand’s ethics, not just relying on their own website.
The Ethical Extension
It can be so time-consuming to research the ethical and sustainability practices of every single brand I’m interested in. The tool that has made this so much easier is a browser extension like “Ethical Elephant” or “DoneGood.” When I am shopping on a brand’s website, these extensions will pop up and give me a quick summary of the brand’s ratings on things like animal testing, sustainability, and labor ethics. It’s a fantastic, easy way to have that crucial information right at my fingertips while I shop.
Stop thinking that more expensive means fewer “filler” ingredients.
The “Filler” Fallacy
I used to believe that a more expensive product must be more “pure” and contain fewer “filler” ingredients than a drugstore product. This is a complete misconception. Those so-called “fillers”—like water, glycerin, and silicones—are actually the fundamental components of the formula’s vehicle or base. They are what create the texture and allow the active ingredients to be delivered effectively. Both a $20 cream and a $200 cream are mostly made up of these “filler” ingredients. The difference is usually in the small percentage of actives and the marketing story.
Stop feeling “brand shame” for using affordable, effective products.
The Drugstore Diamond
I used to be a bit embarrassed to admit that my favorite moisturizer was a simple, “boring” cream from the drugstore. I felt like I was supposed to be using something more glamorous and expensive. I had to get over my “brand shame.” There is absolutely no shame in using a product that is affordable, accessible, and effective. In fact, it’s a sign that you are a smart, savvy consumer who is more interested in the formulation than the marketing. A great product is a great product, regardless of its price tag.
The #1 secret that ad agencies use is tapping into your deepest insecurities to sell a product.
The Insecurity Engine
Have you ever wondered why beauty advertising is so effective? The number one secret is that it’s not really about the product. It’s about you. Advertising agencies are masters at identifying a collective insecurity—the fear of aging, the desire for social acceptance, the feeling of not being enough—and then presenting their product as the solution to that deep-seated emotional problem. They are not selling you a face cream; they are selling you hope, confidence, and a feeling of belonging. Recognizing this tactic is the first step to becoming immune to it.
The biggest lie you’ve been told by a sales associate is that you “need” their entire 7-step system.
The System Sell
I would go to a beauty counter to buy one product, and the sales associate would try to convince me that to get the best results, I “needed” to buy the entire 7-step system from that same brand. The lie is that you need all of it. This is a sales technique designed to increase their commission. A much smarter approach is to cherry-pick the best products from different brands. You might love their cleanser, but a different brand might have a much better serum. You don’t need to be loyal to a whole system.
I wish I knew this about the difference between a product being “vegan” and “cruelty-free.”
The Vegan vs. Cruelty-Free
I used to think that “vegan” and “cruelty-free” meant the same thing. I wish I had known the difference. “Cruelty-free” means that the product and its ingredients were not tested on animals. “Vegan” means that the product does not contain any animal-derived ingredients, like honey, beeswax, or carmine. A product can be vegan but still be tested on animals. And a product can be cruelty-free but contain beeswax. If you care about both issues, you need to look for a brand that is explicitly both.
I’m just going to say it: The beauty industry is one of the biggest promoters of unsustainable consumerism.
The Consumption Cycle
I love the creativity and fun of the beauty industry. But I’m just going to say it: as a whole, it is a massive engine for unsustainable overconsumption. The constant cycle of new launches, limited edition products, and fleeting trends is designed to make you feel that what you own is never enough. It encourages a disposable mindset where products are purchased, used a few times, and then discarded for the next new thing. This relentless drive for “newness” is fundamentally at odds with a sustainable mindset.
99% of people make this one mistake when a brand they love gets acquired by a mega-corporation.
The Acquisition Aftermath
A small, independent, cruelty-free brand that I loved was recently acquired by a huge conglomerate that is not cruelty-free. The mistake that many people make is assuming that the small brand’s policies will automatically stay the same. Sometimes they do, but often the parent company will change the formulations or will start selling the brand in countries where animal testing is required by law, which means the brand loses its cruelty-free status. You have to stay vigilant and re-evaluate a brand’s ethics after an acquisition.
This one small action of creating a product inventory will change the way you see how much you already own forever.
The Inventory Insight
I felt like I was constantly buying new makeup, but I also felt like I had nothing to wear. The small action that completely changed my perspective was to do a product inventory. I took one afternoon and wrote down every single product I owned in a spreadsheet. Seeing the sheer volume of what I already had—the 15 nude lipsticks, the 7 black eyeliners—was a shocking wake-up call. It made me so much more grateful for my existing collection and so much less tempted to buy more.
If you’re still trusting an influencer who doesn’t disclose their sponsorships, you’re losing your trust and your money.
The Disclosure Deception
I used to watch influencers who would rave about a product as if they had just discovered it themselves. I didn’t realize that they were often being paid thousands of dollars by the brand to promote it. In many countries, it is legally required for influencers to clearly disclose when a post is a paid advertisement, using hashtags like #ad or #sponsored. If you are still watching influencers who do not make these disclosures, you are putting your trust in someone who is not being transparent, and you are being sold a deceptive advertisement.
Use your brain to analyze a product, not just your emotions.
The Head vs. The Heart
I used to be a very emotional shopper. I would buy a product because the packaging was beautiful, the story was romantic, or the ad was compelling. I was leading with my heart. I learned that to be a smart consumer, I have to lead with my head. I now force myself to ignore the emotional pull of the marketing and to critically analyze the product. I look at the INCI list, I research the clinical data on the ingredients, and I compare the price per ounce. It’s a more logical, less romantic, but much more effective way to shop.
Stop buying a serum just because it has a “waitlist”; this is a manufactured hype tactic.
The Waitlist Ruse
I would see an article online about a new “miracle” serum that had a 10,000-person waitlist. This would immediately make me want it. I thought the waitlist was a sign of its incredible efficacy. But I learned that this is often a deliberate marketing tactic. A brand will intentionally limit the initial supply of a product to create a sense of exclusivity and massive hype. The “waitlist” is a tool for generating buzz and a fear of missing out. It’s not necessarily a reflection of the product’s actual quality.
Stop thinking that a brand’s aesthetic is a reflection of its quality.
The Aesthetic vs. The Efficacy
I was always drawn to brands with a very chic, minimalist aesthetic. The simple glass bottles and the clean typography made me feel like the product itself must be sophisticated and high-quality. But I learned that you have to separate the brand’s aesthetic from the product’s efficacy. I have used beautifully packaged products that were completely mediocre, and I have used products in “ugly” packaging that were absolutely brilliant. The graphic design budget and the formulation budget are two very different things.
The #1 secret for getting the most value is to buy the largest size of a product you know you love.
The Super-Size Saver
I used to just buy the standard size of my favorite cleanser over and over again. The number one secret for getting the best value is to see if the brand offers a jumbo or super-sized version. More often than not, the price per ounce on the largest size is significantly lower than the standard size. If it is a product that you know you love and will use consistently before it expires, buying the biggest version available is a fantastic way to save money and to reduce your packaging waste in the long run.
The biggest lie you’ve been told about foundation shade ranges is that having 40 shades means they are all well-formulated.
The Shade Range Sham
When a brand launches a new foundation with 40 or 50 shades, we are often quick to praise them for their inclusivity. And while a wide shade range is crucial, the lie is that all those shades are created equal. Often, a brand will put all its formulation effort into the medium shades and then just add white or black pigment to create the lightest and deepest shades. This can result in the very light shades being chalky and the very deep shades looking ashy or gray. The quality and undertone of each shade matters, not just the number.
I wish I knew this about the pressure influencers are under to create positive reviews when I was younger.
The Pressure to Be Positive
I used to watch product reviews from influencers and believe every word they said. I wish I had known about the immense pressure they are under to be positive. To stay on a brand’s PR list and to be considered for future sponsored content, an influencer needs to maintain a good relationship with the brand. Posting a scathing, negative review can get them blacklisted. This doesn’t mean they are all being dishonest, but it’s an important piece of context to remember. There is a strong, unspoken incentive to be positive.
I’m just going to say it: You are being manipulated by marketing every single day.
The Daily Manipulation
We like to think that we are rational consumers making logical choices. I’m just going to say it: you are not. From the moment you wake up, you are being subtly and expertly manipulated by marketing. The layout of the store, the music being played, the wording on the packaging, the influencer you watch, the ad that follows you around the internet—all of these things are designed by very smart people to tap into your psychological triggers and to get you to buy things. Acknowledging this daily manipulation is the first step to resisting it.
99% of people make this one mistake when trying to find an honest product review.
The Biased Search
When I want to find a review for a new product, my first instinct is to go to the brand’s own website or to the retailer’s page. The mistake is that these are not unbiased sources. Brands will often delete or hide negative reviews from their own sites. And it’s easy for a brand to generate fake, five-star reviews. A much better approach is to look for reviews on independent platforms, like a Reddit forum or a blog from a trusted, unsponsored source, where a more honest and balanced conversation is happening.
This one small habit of celebrating finishing a product instead of immediately buying a new one will change your mindset forever.
The “Empty” Celebration
I used to finish a product and my only thought would be, “What can I buy next?” I was always focused on the acquisition of the new. The small habit that has changed my mindset is to now celebrate my “empties.” When I finish a bottle of serum, I take a moment to appreciate it. I think about whether I enjoyed it and if it worked for me. This small ritual has shifted my focus from the constant pursuit of newness to a more mindful appreciation for using and loving the things I already own.
If you’re still thinking you can buy your way to self-esteem, you’re losing the real work of building it from within.
The Self-Esteem Scam
I used to believe that if I just had the right products and looked a certain way, I would finally have high self-esteem. I was trying to buy it. If you are still caught in this loop, you are falling for a scam. Self-esteem is not a consumer good. It cannot be purchased. It has to be built, from the inside out. It’s built by mastering skills, by being a kind person, by keeping promises to yourself, and by learning to accept yourself. That is the real, and often difficult, work that no “miracle” cream can do for you.
Use a site like “Is It F*cking Worth It?” for brutally honest, cosmetic-chemist-led reviews.
The Brutal Honesty
I was so tired of the fluffy, often sponsored reviews from influencers. I was craving a source of information that was brutally honest and based on science. I discovered a blog called “Is It F*cking Worth It?” which is run by a cosmetic chemist. She provides incredibly detailed, scientific, and no-nonsense reviews of popular skincare products. It’s a fantastic resource for cutting through the marketing hype and getting a real, scientific perspective on whether a product is actually worth the money.
Stop feeling like you need to keep up with every new launch.
The Launch Overload
The beauty industry is a relentless machine of newness. Every single week, there are dozens of new products being launched. I used to feel this intense pressure to know about all of them and to have an opinion on them. It was a form of “fear of missing out” that was both exhausting and expensive. I finally gave myself permission to just opt out. I don’t need to keep up. I can just be happy with my current routine and let the endless cycle of hype and new launches pass me by. It is so liberating.
Stop thinking that a brand’s charity donation makes their unethical practices okay.
The Charity Cover-Up
I would see a big corporation that I knew had some questionable ethical or environmental practices, but they would be running a campaign where they donated a small percentage of their profits to a charity. It’s easy to see this and think that it absolves them of their other sins. But we have to be critical. A small, well-publicized charity donation can be a form of “conscience laundering,” designed to distract from much larger, systemic problems within the company. It does not erase the need for them to address their core business practices.
The #1 secret for being a smart consumer is to be more interested in the science than the story.
The Science over Story
The beauty industry is built on storytelling. They sell us romantic stories about the brand’s founder, exotic stories about a rare ingredient, and aspirational stories about the life we could have if we just use their product. The number one secret to being a truly smart and empowered consumer is to learn to be more interested in the science than you are in the story. Look at the INCI list, research the ingredients, and understand the formulation. The story is designed to appeal to your heart; the science is what appeals to your head.
The biggest lie you’ve been told is that you are “investing” in your skin when you buy an expensive cream.
The “Investment” Illusion
Brands that sell very expensive skincare love to use the word “investment.” They tell you that you are “investing” in your skin’s future. The lie is that a jar of cream is a financial asset. It is not. You are not investing; you are spending. You are a consumer purchasing a product. While taking care of your skin is a wonderful form of self-care, reframing a luxury purchase as a savvy “investment” is a clever psychological trick to make you feel better about spending a large amount of money on a depreciating good.
I wish I knew this about the psychological tactics used in beauty store layouts when I was a teenager.
The Store’s Psychology
I used to wander through a store like Sephora in a blissful daze, not realizing that every single aspect of my experience was being carefully manipulated. I wish I had known about the psychology of retail design. The bright lights, the upbeat music, the placement of the most expensive products at eye-level, the “impulse buy” section by the checkout—all of it is a carefully orchestrated environment designed to overwhelm your senses and to encourage you to spend more money. It’s not a playground; it’s a very clever trap.
I’m just going to say it: The best thing you can do for your wallet and the planet is to go on a beauty no-buy.
The No-Buy Benefit
I was feeling overwhelmed by my clutter and my spending. I decided to try a radical experiment: a three-month “no-buy” on all beauty products. I was only allowed to repurchase a true essential if it ran out completely. I’m just going to say it: it was the best thing I have ever done. It forced me to use up and appreciate the products I already owned, it broke my cycle of impulse shopping, it saved me a huge amount of money, and it drastically reduced my waste. It was a powerful reset for my habits.
99% of people make this one mistake when they hear about a new “miracle” ingredient.
The Miracle Mindset
A new “miracle” ingredient will start trending—say, snail mucin or mushroom extract—and people will immediately rush out to buy a product that contains it, expecting it to transform their skin overnight. The mistake is believing in “miracles.” There is no single ingredient that is going to be a magic bullet for all your skin concerns. A healthy, effective skincare routine is about a consistent, holistic approach using a combination of proven ingredients, not about chasing one trendy, “miracle” ingredient.
This one small action of asking “who profits from me believing this?” will change the way you consume beauty content forever.
The Profit Question
I used to consume beauty content—articles, videos, social media posts—without any critical thought. The one small action that has completely changed my perspective is to now always ask myself one simple question: “Who profits from me believing this?” Who profits if I believe that I need to be afraid of parabens? Who profits if I believe that this new serum is a “holy grail”? This simple question helps me to instantly see the underlying financial motive behind so much of the content we consume, and it makes me a much more critical and informed reader.
If you’re still letting brands define your problems for you, you’re losing your autonomy.
The Problem Definition
The beauty industry is very good at telling you what is “wrong” with you. You don’t just have skin; you have “enlarged pores,” “uneven texture,” and “dullness.” They define the problem, and then they sell you the solution. If you are still letting a brand’s marketing department define your body for you, you are giving away your autonomy. You get to decide what you see in the mirror. You get to decide if the normal, human characteristics of your skin are “problems” that need to be “fixed.”