Skincare is in constant development and new products emerge all the time. With the rise of social media, influencers and beauty bloggers, many people hop onto trends that are usually not the solution to their problems. “Magic solutions” are everywhere, and many brands promise to fix acne, wrinkles, dryness, rosacea or even more complex conditions, all with just one incredibly exceptional one-size-fits-all formula.
Fortunately, there are still many other brands who understand that all patients are different, as well as their conditions and the treatment they require, and that is where personalised skincare shows up. Keep on reading to find out what is personalised skincare, what its benefits are and how you can access it thanks to Libi & Daughters.
What is personalised skincare?
Personalised or customised skin care refers to the bespoke formulation of products using specific ingredients that will help improve your skin condition after a thorough assessment, taking into account factors such as your skin type, age, lifestyle, and many others.
According to a study published on PubMed Central: "Personalized skincare is an actively growing area [...] that could provide new generation of skin products. Individual approach to skin, based on the recorded profiles and the in silico modeling of unique characteristics such as structural and biometric measurements, dermal/epidermal biomarkers, hormonal and stress response, could be an effective and affordable treatment of many skin conditions in the future" Ewa Markiewicz & Olusola Clement Idowu.
At Libi & Daughters, the concept of personalised skincare involves having a consultation with a dermatologist, creating a plan of action and formulating products to suit your skin’s needs. This means that every patient will get a different treatment based on several factors to ensure it works as expected. In addition, our bespoke skincare service includes follow-up consultations to readjust the treatment based on your skin’s progress.
Pro Tip: Whenever you see a brand offering bespoke beauty (another way of calling personalised skincare), we recommend asking what is the meaning of bespoke beauty for them exactly, as this concept can vary from one brand to another.
Personalised vs standard skincare
Standard skincare, in opposition to personalised, refers to products that do not base their formulas on each user’s specific features. These are usually over-the-counter products that you can find at drugstores and pharmacies.
Some brands promote their products as part of a personalised skincare collection, but they are technically standard. For instance, they may produce a moisturising cream with versions for dry, normal and oily skin, aiming at different types of patients, but still, this is not really considered personalised skincare, To be considered fully bespoke, the brand should create a specific product for every patient, specially formulated for them based on several factors. Calling these type of products “personalised” is often used as a marketing strategy, but will not provide you with the benefits of real personalised skincare.
This happens because, according to Forrester Research, 77% of customers prefer personalised solutions over standard products. However, only 36% of customers buying from these type of brands express more satisfaction than with regular products, showing that, unfortunately, many brands offering personalised skincare do not truly provide these services.
How does custom skin care work?
Most brands offering personalised skincare follow a similar procedure to treat every patient. The first step in the process is carrying out an assessment with one of the company’s cosmetologists or dermatologists. Another alternative involves completing a quiz. Any of these two paths helps in finding out about the factors that will determine the necessary treatments. This includes skin type, sunburn propensity, allergies, lifestyle and skin issues, among others.
This type of product involves lots of research to understand exactly what effect each component will have on the patient, as well as its possible adverse reactions. This way, formulas can be readjusted accordingly based on their effects on patients’ skin. For this reason, an entire team of dermatologists, cosmetologists and researchers continuously analyse components to achieve the most efficient treatments possible for every patient.
Is personalised skincare worth it? Benefits & Mistakes to Avoid
Absolutely. The key to an effective treatment is focusing on your particular goals and skin features, and personalised skincare guarantees that. Thanks to its specially selected ingredients, every product is sure to give every patient the results they are looking for. And what’s even better, Libi & Daughters combines them with on-demand 24/7 concierge service and assessments every 6 weeks to readjust treatments as needed.
Some of the ingredients you can find in our products include:
- Lactic acid: gently exfoliates skin, allowing the renovation of dead cells and cell renewal. In different concentrations, lactic acid has been proved to act at the surface or deeper layers of the skin.
- Tocopherol: Also known as vitamin E, it deeply moisturises skin and offers antioxidant properties, preventing and reducing signs of aging.
- Retinyl acetate: a form of retinol, it promotes collagen synthesis, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles and evening skin tone.
- Niacinamide: Its many benefits include minimising pores, increasing tightness, evening tone, and softening fine lines.
- Essential oils: lots of different natural oils are incorporated into our products to seize the benefits that nature has to offer.
Factors to consider
As mentioned before, the first step in a personalised treatment plan is carrying out an extensive assessment to understand the patient’s needs as well as their skin features. This information will later be used to create a treatment plan based on personalised products with specific ingredients.
Skin type
Dry, oily, and normal are some of the types of skin a patient can present. This information is important to determine the ingredients in the products a patient will use, as well as its consistency. For instance, fluid serums are usually advisable for patients with oily skin, while dry skins may require heavier creams.
Propensity to sunburn
People with pale and fair skin are more prone to sunburn than those with dark skin tones. Sunburn predisposition is an important factor to consider when formulating products, since some patients may require extra sun protection.
Lifestyle
Skin is the biggest organ in our bodies, and just like the rest of organs, it can be greatly affected by our lifestyle. Drinking enough water, eating healthy food and sleeping well can help in achieving good results when treating your skin. Our specialists will include questions about your daily activities to give you advice about habits that you can improve.
Skin issues
What goal are you seeking with this dermatological treatment? Do you want to reduce wrinkles and fine lines? Do you want to even your skin tone? Or are you struggling with acne? Understanding your aim is an essential step when starting your treatment.
Allergies and other limiting factors
If you already know that you are allergic to any component, or your skin has previously shown negative reactions to certain products, it is important to let our specialists know. Additionally, it is important to let us know if you have any other factors that could determine the products you are using, like gluten intolerance, rosacea or veganism, for instance.
Personal preferences
Your opinions and preferences are also an important part of the process. Some people prefer to use light products that are quickly absorbed by the skin, while others don’t mind using heavy creams that take longer to disappear. Being honest about what you expect from the treatment and how you will adhere to it will help us create the perfect solution that matches your expectations, needs and lifestyle.
Mistakes to avoid
There are typical mistakes that we usually see in patients looking to solve their skin issues, which could even be boosting these issues instead of solving them. Have a look at which they are to avoid them from now on.
DIY skincare
Online platforms are full of tutorials mixing eggs, avocado, olive oil and many other ingredients we usually find in the kitchen. Even if some of these foods are found in cosmetic formulas, these are adapted and modified to serve this purpose. A typical example is coconut oil, which has become very popular during the last years. It is often recommended as a natural moisturiser, but its particles are too coarse for skin pores and may actually clog them. The result is usually acne bursts and oily skin; the opposite of what you were looking for.
Using what worked for others
As you read above, there are several factors that determine what are the best skincare products for your skin. For this reason, simply picking products based on word of mouth is not the most advisable.
Trusting a brand without research
The beauty industry is growing stronger than ever, and many companies, celebrities and influencers are trying to enter this market. Unfortunately, many of them just want to make a profit out of these products, and don’t really focus on researching and developing the best solutions for their clients. There are even counterfeit products that imitate real brands but use poor-quality or even toxic ingredients. For this reason, we highly encourage researching the brand and shop you are buying from to avoid buying products that, in the best of cases, will be useless.
Buying products without an assessment
There are lots of products you can easily acquire at pharmacies. Most of them are probably good quality and safe, but it is important to select what suits your own skin. Picking the wrong products is one of the typical reasons why skincare products don’t work.
To know which products to buy, get in touch with a professional for an assessment. In that interview, the specialist will determine what products and components your skin needs, as well as usage indications, which are super important to achieve the results you wish for.
How to get a high-quality custom skincare routine?
If you are ready to start your personalised skincare routine, you will be happy to find out that it is very easy to do.
1. Personalised skin care quiz
The first step is to complete our personalised skincare quiz, where you will answer a set of questions for us to understand your case specifically. After analysing it, we will reach out to you with the next steps to follow.
2. Dermatologist consultation
If you feel that you need a deeper assessment, you can book a consultation with one of our specialists. During 30 minutes, you will answer some questions and share all the information you feel necessary for us to understand your case.
3. Product manufacturing
Based on the information you provided, our experts will carefully select the components to manufacture the product your skin needs. This not only means that your skincare routine is absolutely personalised, but also that products are freshly out of the lab right before they get to you.
4. Monitoring and adjustments
The best part is that the process does not end here. After six weeks of using your bespoke skincare products, you will have a reassessment to adjust your routine, changing formulas as needed based on your feedback. This will guarantee that your skin stays radiant, moisturised and blemish-free throughout the treatment.
FAQs
How to design your own skincare?
Are you ready to achieve the skin you have always wished for? Fill in our questionnaire or book a consultation with our specialists to start your journey with our Signature Red Box, an integral skincare solution to reach your skin goals.
Why is personal skincare important?
Finding the right skincare formulas for your skin is the essential key for a dermatological treatment to work. Personalised skincare is the perfect alternative, as it involves having a team of specialists manufacturing skincare products specifically for your goal needs.
Can I formulate my own skincare?
DIY skincare is not the recommended, as you would probably use ingredients that are not suitable or safe for dermatological use. However, you can have personalised skincare specially developed for your type of skin by acquiring our Red Box. This way, our specialists will assess your skin, understand your goals and design the ideal skincare routine for you.
How do I know what skin care is right for me?
The only way to know what care your skin needs is contacting an expert. Cosmetologists and dermatologists will assess your skin and all the factors that affect it, and later create the ideal skincare routine your skin needs.
