Trying new products...
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free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:46 pm

A post on MUA as well as the "What brands are you going to try in 2008" thread got me thinking about the reasoning behind trying new products all the time.

When I joined EDS, I was lost on skincare. I learned a lot but I also began a cycle of buying and giving up on products. I remember the first cleanser I tried was Yon-Ka gel nettoyant. I loved the cleanser, but the next thing I knew I was on to Dr. H, then cleansing oil, then cream cleansers, then balm cleansers, not to mention the countless products I've juggled like sunscreens, moisturizers, and acne treatment. I mean, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Bioclear cream worked for me. Why did I not repurchase it? Instead I moved to the lotion, which I didn't like as much as I like the cream. But did I go back to the cream, something I know works for me? No, I moved on to other treatments, other cleansers, other routines.

Which brings me to the question: Why do you try new products? Is it because you truly haven't found something that works for you?
I'm beginning to wonder if my cycle is a combination of factors: boredom, the excitement of trying a new product, forum fads (we've had many here! Smile

) the joy of shopping online and waiting for something to come in the mail, or simply habit (I'm so used to buying something or trying something new out, I never give anything a chance to work).

That's why for 2008 I'm determined to find something and stick with it.

What are your thoughts?

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:09 pm

Hi ParisTroika,
good post. For me it is a combination of things. First of all there are certain things I am unable to find, like the perfect sunscreen which does not cause irritation, breakouts or balls up under make up. Or an eye cream that does not cause puffiness.

I also think, but I could be imagining it, that I get a sort of "shampoo fatigue" from products and they simply don't give the same great results after a while.

Most of all; I can not seem to find the perfect skin care range which is natural and organic, yet delivers great results.

I look forward to hearing what everyone else has to say. Oh, and I nearly forgot, there are always new developments in the world of cosmetics and especially with the natural lines there is just so much more choice now compared to a few years ago.

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:19 pm

Great post ParisTroika - I've been wondering the same thing myself.

Sometimes I wonder if it's because of the nature of consumerism and capitalism - we are never really ever satisfied with one product for all of the time (and I don't just mean skincare).

There is also so much marketing and product hype, and for myself, I get sucked into that and a part of me wonders ... mmm, could that be true? Could it really make me look 10 yrs younger??

The search for "product perfection" is, I think on my more rational days, futile - great skin needs to start on the inside (what we eat, drink, etc) and there is no instant fix for all my skin woes (which have taken years to develop).

I also love purchasing new products for the new experience, to receive packages in the mail and to basically "spoil myself".

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 5:41 pm

I think it has a lot to do with knowledge ,as we learn about new produces and skin care we change hoping this is the one . Also the joy of something new

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 6:07 pm

Great post Paris! I am so guilty of this. Even when I love a certain product I am always wanting to try something new and you really need to give products several weeks or more of regular use to see results. I think I need to follow your New Year's resolution and commit to one line. If I only new which one! Rolling Eyes

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 7:03 pm

Interesting! Good point!
This links in a bit with my stockpile tragic thread, I think. Cos at the heart of both is a bit of an obsession for the HG. The hope that the NEXT product will be the one to bring startling results. Plus a level of impatience for quick results.
But, this is fuelled, I believe, by the rate at which new ingredients are discovered and marketed. Just as you think you have the latest (ie CPs) then something else (ie Fullerene) comes along. Each with a grander promise.
I think that may be behind the jumping from product to product?
Is there a solution to this??
IMO, -slow down on the purchases/choose carefully.
- then give it a real try. 3 months for instance.
- Don't use a competing product at the same time, that may cloud results.
- Stop stockpiling. if something is past its expiry. Throw it out. Work your way through your stockpile datewise. Old products are not going to work anyway. It may hurt to "waste" them, but it will make one think twice before continuing to impulse buy - and encourage a more systematic approach to trialling.
Well that's the theory anyway! I really am going to try to stick to a more sensible approach this year. Rolling Eyes

Maybe we have already found the perfect product for us, but have not given it a sufficient try! (Two weeks won't often be enough). It may actually be the HG!
Oh, and one last thing - i actually think there could be a "shampoo fatigue" factor! So, if a favourite isn't as great after a year (or whatever) rotate it with another one or two other favs!
What do others think? Smile

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:26 pm

I try new products only because I always want a simple routine with the least amount of products for the most amount of benefit.
The Remergent products come close but are long term, Osmosis is good but does require a few products to gain the most benefit. Of everything I have used, the HG would have to be Valmont Precious Serum as it worked on both face and eyes, so only a cleanser and sunscreen was required with this product. Unfortunately, the price is just prohibitive for continual use.

free skin care · Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:50 pm

I am the same, I like getting things in mail and shopping but it doesn't stop with the skincare. I have a few favorites that I like and still open to trying some new things but I find with all of the samples I get, I can try and not buy! Smile

free skin care · Sun Jan 06, 2008 12:09 am

I like trying new things because even if I'm somewhat happy with what I'm using, there's always the "what if" possibility. ALTHOUGH ... I am actually pretty happy with my current routine (although there is room for improvement), so I'm REALLY trying not to be sidetracked with other people's ravs on products, etc. I'm actually FINISHING products now ... in the past I'd be from one to another so quickly that I'd be left with all these half full products ... what a waste!

free skin care · Sun Jan 06, 2008 1:25 am

sometimes im happy with the products for example the bioderma ss which is 50 plus and works well for me.....but when i read negative things about a product example when i read about chemical ss this tempted me to start looking for a better alternative to try out.

also the "what if" possibility also gets me curious....yes sometimes the current products work well in terms of they do the job....but my curiosity moves me to always be on the lookout for something abit better to give abit extra then what the current product does.... while the current product does its job example when i mean extra i mean the glowy dewy even skin which im always looking for.

and lastly i try products from all the reviews here too lol i never had any problems with my lips but when i read about the L2K system it is soooo attempting me at this moment to try it out .....seriously sometimes this forum is soo badddd for the pocket in terms of providing new temptations to try out.... Laughing

however saying about trying products from reviews i beeen a good girl and finishing off what i have and the new products to try are on my to try list when i run out

free skin care · Sun Jan 06, 2008 7:43 pm

I ask myself a version of this question a lot lately (since I've been on a skin care bender).

"If this product were to WORK, what would be different about your skin?"

fact is, I'm only going to be wowed if my skin somehow returns to baby-perfect purity. Anything less and I'll try another product. Which, of course, leads me to wonder if my funds would be better spent on therapy than skincare, LOL.

free skin care · Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:17 am

what i would love to try next are products from the same lines that are working for me now, like zia and suki.

i want new products because i want to buy something new and because i want to see if that product will work for me.

i usually rotate cleansers and moisturizers and masks so if the new one works, it goes on my rotation. Very Happy

free skin care · Tue Jan 08, 2008 10:42 am

Ironically, for me I think the search for new products is a side effect of the fact that what I've tried in recent years has actually worked. For many years, my skincare routine was pretty simple--cleanse and dab with a little moisturizer. That was it. Then a bout of chemotherapy and radiation really trashed my skin, and I was referred to a dermatologist to deal with it. Bless her, she enlightened me about the potential value of retinoids (though sadly I can't use retin-a) and other topical actives like AHAs and vitamin c.

So I took the plunge six years ago (at the age of 49) and began seeing real results. Better skin tone, more refined pores, lessened hyperpigmentation, the works. In theory, I should be happy and satisfied--my skin looks far better than it did pre-chemo. But having proved to myself that skincare actives really work, I seem compelled to see if there's something out there just a little bit better.

I suspect that the answer is, once you've gotten a certain degree of improvement, additional products are unlikely to cause dramatic further improvement. So...my new year's resolution is to take it easy on trying new things for a while. (Yeah, right...let's see how long this one lasts...)

free skin care · Tue Jan 08, 2008 5:11 pm

I'm pretty content with what I'm using now, but can still use a little improvement. If I can find the product that will really REALLY shrink my pores rather than just "minimize" them, I'd probably jump on the bandwagon. Laughing

I've been a pretty good girl and have actually resisted a lot of lemmings, but there's still a few on my back burner that are raging to get out. NIA24 line is something I've been intrigued by for months, and PSF has a couple of new products I'd like to try but I'm gonna continue to be a good girl and wait until some of my current supplies run out before I rush off and buy.

free skin care · Tue Jan 08, 2008 6:25 pm

The only thing that could draw me in to another new product is packaging, popularity and quality.
Take Kate Somerville, I read that KIAJ worked and the packaging is "fresh".

But I am always searching for something better.

free skin care · Tue Jan 08, 2008 11:11 pm

As for me, I think that trying new and new products is just a desperate attempt to prolong youth and beauty. I feel that I am STILL young but it won't be forever. So, I want to preserve it for a little bit longer believing (stupid me?) that there is a miracle product there that can help keeping my youthful appearance and beauty.. Rolling Eyes

And I think that I am not alone in that purpose Smile

A lot of changes in my routine mean that still no miracles there. Bad Grin

free skin care · Wed Jan 09, 2008 4:27 pm

This is such a great topic, Paris. I know what you mean about not repurchasing the things that WORK for you, as if I'm in some constant quest for an even better product -- kind of ridiculous. But then again, I'll find something I THINK is great (like for a while it was Juice Beauty's sunscreen) but then I read some forum or article that makes me change my mind (such as UVA/PPD discussions that made me decide to ditch the titanium-based SS in favor of something zinc-based).

I also think my skin has changed a lot in the past few years -- transitioning from an oily teen to a wrinkle-prone adult has definitely been an adjustment, as has my off-and-on relationship with hormonal birth control methods. Now that I'm firmly off all hormones, and I'm firmly free of my teen years, I'm starting to actually stick with products more.

But I still get sucked into the capitalism cycle of things! I still wind up sampling new stuff kind of needlessly. And I have a chronic habit of soliciting input on a product and then buying it before I actually read the reviews, and I also have a chronic problem of buying lots of products in order to qualify for the minimum amount for free shipping. Laughing

However, I'm proud to say that I've settled on several products now that I've re-purchased time and again, and I imagine I'll continue to do so:

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser -- this stuff is great at removing makeup and dirt and oil, and even though it stings when it gets in my eyes, I love using it to remove eye makeup because it's so effective and gentle, and not too greasy but still very moisturizing.

Devita Solar Protection Creme 30 -- still addicted to this stuff. It's the most cosmetically elegant sunscreen I've ever tried ever, and I love that it isn't too oily or sticky or shiny. I sometimes use it with another moisturizer underneath or mixed in, but in that way, I can get this stuff to work for me year-round. I still have some questions as to the exact particle size and protection offered, but it's better than anything else I've come across.

MyChelle Fruit Enzyme Mist -- I'm new to bothering with toners at all, but this stuff is fab. Never stings, not drying, helps with acne AND with dryness, and it smells like vanilla and pineapple. I just love it. I also think it helps brighten and even out my skin a bit.

I've also been making my own home blends of facial and body moisturizing oil, as well as my own homemade deodorant, and those are better than anything I've found for sale. If I get lazy about DIYing either, I just buy plain macadamia nut oil on my face/body, and LUSH Aromacreme as my natural deodorant.

Still searching high and low for my holy grail eye cream, the ultimate acne/blackhead solution, and a nighttime cream/serum to help chase away these first signs of aging. And I never seem to settle on a scrub -- I waffle between EpidermxII and Mychelle Fruit Enzyme Scrub and Best Bath Store Dead Sea Scrub and microfiber cloths. So I imagine I'll keep trying things out until I find a winner there! I would've kept buying Best Bath Store's eye cream, as I LOVE the effect, but both jars I've gotten went moldy before I was even 1/4 of the way through them. At $35 a jar, that's just not something I can get in the habit of! I think an HG eye cream is the #1 thing I'm in search of, since that's where my beginner wrinkles are most evident.

free skin care · Sat Mar 15, 2008 7:58 pm

Combination. When time goes by, technology changes, we get older & so we do need some new substance to try, improve, upgrade or maintain ourselves.

For me, I've been looking around because I keep my momentum to get the best product out of the market.

free skin care · Sun Mar 16, 2008 1:00 am

Hi, let me you my story.

When I was 18, it was very easy for me to keep my skin soft & smooth. I just needed a cleanser & a toner but my skin was still very good.

When I was 22, I did think only a cleanser & a toner were not enough for me to maintain my skin in good condition. Then I started to use a whole set of skin care line. I used Valmont since then.

When I get older & older, I do think the basic care of Valmont is not sufficient for me to fight for skin aging problem. Then I started to use Valmont L'Elixir.

Today, I am 29 now, I think I am not satisified with my skin condition & with continuous use of Valmont products, I think Valmont is not as effective as before. So I am now looking for a new skin care line which can help me to maintain my skin in good condition.

Based on my own experience, I think the main reason for all of us to try new products is that a skin care line cannot help us forever even if it helps us much before.
So we need to find a new skin care product to maintain our skin.

free skin care · Sun Mar 16, 2008 3:13 am

Its basically a quest for something that is better than the product you currently are using. I mean we go thru changes, and then we are looking for a new or the next best product that can help with the changes. When your younger its all about acne, blemishes, then that turns to dry patches, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and then wrinkles, smoother skin etc.

Its a never ending quest to keep aging at bay. I mean its a hobby to for women to go shopping and try new things. We are trying to simplify our current routines. There are always need tempting products out there that catch our eyes. So its a cycle.

free skin care · Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:12 am

I've made an effort to stabilize my routine, and my skin is much happier for it. With regard to skin care, I make a point of trying out just one new thing a month. I still get the urge to jump on bandwagons, but I try to limit my switching around to makeup.

free skin care · Sun Mar 16, 2008 7:50 am

Hello! I'm brand new, this is my very first post. Smile

I recently completely changed my products and my outlook on skincare. It was thanks to a woman on the haircare board that I frequent. She had been advising for a while about skin issues we all had. At first no one really listened...until one listened and her skin improved. So she raved about it! And then one more listened and raved and so on. Eventually, I wound up jumping on the bandwagon as well...and I don't see myself jumping off anytime soon!

I think the reasons that we constantly switch products has some to do with boredom and some to do with looking for the "next best thing". We find one product that seems to woork great, so we use it. Then we break out or our skin does something we don't like so we go buy something else...but from the same brand because that first thing we bought was SOOOOO fabulous! Before we know it, we have bought pretty much everything that brand makes and our skin is none the better than when we first started.

I have read too where someone has mentioned that cosmetics companies think that we want something that smells pretty and feels good. So if a product naturally smells funny, they might dilute it a little and then throw some perfume in there to make it smell better. Nevermind that the product doesn't do jack for your skin now! Personally, I would rather have a product that smells funny but works than one that smells like flowers and doesn't do anything for me.

free skin care · Mon Mar 17, 2008 3:12 am

alisons79 wrote:

Hello! I'm brand new, this is my very first post. Smile

I have read too where someone has mentioned that cosmetics companies think that we want something that smells pretty and feels good. So if a product naturally smells funny, they might dilute it a little and then throw some perfume in there to make it smell better. Nevermind that the product doesn't do jack for your skin now! Personally, I would rather have a product that smells funny but works than one that smells like flowers and doesn't do anything for me.

I have to agree with what you have said but particularly the part about smell and feel. I have lost count of the number of times I have read on this forum that someone has stopped using a product because of the smell.
It is unfortunate that some good products have bowed to consumer complaints and watered them down to suit the masses.

free skin care · Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:03 am

Its funny because once I get in a routine, I have great skin. Its only when I introduce a new product (which has claimed to make me even more beautiful) that I start to break out and get dull skin again. Its also usually after I read some great reviews on here or MUA that I decide to include new products.
So, I should really stick to the boring routine to get results but somehow, I just can't help it.

free skin care · Mon Mar 17, 2008 5:30 am

Welcome alisons79! I think you nailed it! This is true of PSF's DMAE gel. The stuff is awesome but it stinks like a fishmarket until it dries. Many here have complained of not wanting to use it just because of the smell. Personally, I don't mind the smell because it goes away as soon as it dries, and that's true of most products like this. I HATE when perfume is added and avoid products with unnecessary scents and chemicals.

alisons79 wrote:

... I have read too where someone has mentioned that cosmetics companies think that we want something that smells pretty and feels good. So if a product naturally smells funny, they might dilute it a little and then throw some perfume in there to make it smell better. Nevermind that the product doesn't do jack for your skin now! Personally, I would rather have a product that smells funny but works than one that smells like flowers and doesn't do anything for me.

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