From hyaluronic acid to products for 'mature' skin: The skincare you're wasting money on.

Look, if there's one thing I enjoy doing, it's providing folk with bucket loads of info on snazzy new beauty products. Never gets tired. Skincare especially. 

Because as science and technology keeps improving, so do the products available to us - and there's some seriously wonderful, powerful, ground-breaking stuff out there.

But boy, there's also a LOTTA fluffy, frilly, unnecessary s**t. Cause in today's Instagram-fuelled beauty space, it seems like nothing is off the table (hello, vagina masks. We didn't see you come in). 

Watch: While there might be a lot of fluff out there when it comes to skincare, SPF isn't one of them. Here's how to protect your skin from the sun. Post continues below.

The hard truth? A lot of what we buy and are told about skincare is actually total BS.

And while we're all for doing whatever it takes to make you feel great, if you're anything like us you don't have the pennies to indulge in the ~extras~. You'd much rather spend on products that actually work.

That's why I wanted to share some of the unnecessary skincare things that you probably don't need to fork out on. Not cause I want to bully certain products (ermmm, we're all getting along just fine thank you), but cause I truly believe that you really don't need that 12th serum.

Speaking of serums... wanna know what order you should apply yours in? Listen to Mamamia's podcast for your face You Beauty, where Leigh reveals the correct order to apply serums. Post continues below. 

1. Toner.

If there's one thing I've come to learn as a beauty writer, it's that less is definitely more. If you're trying to fit a thousand different products into your routine (sorry, that's probably our fault to begin with), your wallet AND your skin barrier are going to have a bad time. Sometimes you need to pare it all back and ditch some unnecessary things in your routine. 

And let's be honest, toners are one of those things (please don't hurt me). 

Cause really, you guys - your cute cleansers perform well enough these days to get rid of makeup, oil, dirt and all that other jazz without leaving any residue. So, yeah - toner is something you can probably skip without consequence.

If you can't get by without swiping on some liquid post-cleanse, a good chemical exfoliator is something that will really make a difference.

2. Eye cream.

Look, if things are pretty regular when it comes to your eye area (it's not too dry, puffy, dark or creased) and if you’re already using a good serum and facial moisturiser (that doesn't irritate your eyes), then these will do the trick nicely. 

Because the thing is - an eye cream essentially only hydrates and protects the skin around the eye, which are all the things your trusty serum and cream are doing to the rest of your face.

Just make sure you don't take them up too close to your eyes.

3. Hyaluronic acid.

Oooh! Controversial. In any case, some people (experts) will tell you that spending on a hyaluronic serum isn't actually all that necessary and a lot of it has to do with some very sneaky marketing.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

As it turns out, if you're already slapping on a moisturiser with hyaluronic acid in it - there's really no need to be using a HA serum, too. You're just doubling up and... wasting your money.

Don't believe me?

A recent post from Qr8 MediSkin (founded by skin scientist Dr Michele Squire), said, "Just choose a moisturiser that already contains HA (or other humectants like glycerin). There's no magical benefit to layering a HA serum under your moisturiser (just the cost of an extra product!)."

Did someone say truth bomb?

"And if you're using it with prescription skincare, it can make irritation worse, not better!"

As someone who loves hyaluronic acid almost TOO much - it's a tough pill to swallow. But it's true.

Is this very useful information? Yes. Will I stop doubling up and wasting my money? Probably not.

4. Jade roller.

Necessary? Nah. While they're super pretty and all, facial rollers are not a crucial thing you need to have in your skincare routine.

While giving your face a mini massage certainly feels good (hey, we love rolling our serums in, too), there's really no scientific evidence to support the effects of facial rolling. 

Sure, there are a lot of claims around the benefits of lymphatic drainage and the likes, but this is actually something your body does naturally (otherwise you'd look like a swollen thumb on the daily) - so, yeah... not really a necessary skincare step. 

It can, however increase circulation and get rid of puffiness - but the effects are only temporary.

Again, if it works for you and you really notice a difference in your skin - go for gold! All I'm saying is just don't mistake pretty facial rollers as a non-negotiable. Mmmkay?

5. Neck cream.

Given your neck ages just like the skin on your face (it's actually even thinner than the skin on your face), we should probably be paying the same attention to it, right? We're talking moisturisers, SPF - the whole shebang. But do you need a whole ~separate~ product for this particular area? 

Not really.

There's no singular anti-ageing ingredient made specifically for this area, so there’s no real reason to drain your bank account on an entirely new product. While keeping your neck moisturised and protected is a must, you can easily do that by using your regular facial moisturiser - your neck will benefit from all the same anti-ageing ingredients (like vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, etc.).

So, there's no need to splash out on anything special for your ol' neck - unless you want to, of course.

6. 'Mature' skincare products.

Off the back of this, it's probably worth noting that products marketed for 'mature skin' in general are total mince.

Because here's the thing - as our friends Qr8 MediSkin point out in an Instagram post below, skin literally has... no idea how old you are.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Qr8 MediSkin™ (@qr8_mediskin)

"Mature skin is typically drier and more sensitive, but at any age can also be dry/sensitive - especially if your skin barrier is impaired, or you suffer from skin conditions that involve a disrupted skin barrier like eczema, rosacea or perioral dermatitis."

Meaning? Just choose your products based on your skin concerns - not how old you are!

7. Drying spot lotions.

Are you making this mistake when you're treating your pimples?

According to experts, some spot treatments can actually cause more harm than good when it comes to clearing up pimples. A lot of drying lotions contain harsh ingredients that literally burn the heck out of your skin, causing red marks and inflammation.

No good.

Most experts will actually tell you that spot treating pimples isn't actually effective. Mainly because you're not actually getting to the root of the issue.

As New York City dermatologist Dr Joshua Zeichner said in the below Instagram clip, if you constantly spot treat pimples instead of treating your whole face, you're always playing "catch up". 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Joshua Zeichner, MD, FAAD (@joshzeichnermd)

8. Derma rollers.

Your skin. She doesn't want you to poke tiny holes into her.

While it has become quite a popular at-home treatment, most experts will argue that at-home micro-needling is not safe or effective and should be best left to professionals.

Not only do most at-home device not actually go deep enough to stimulate collagen production, but performed incorrectly or used on the wrong skin type (especially those suffering from conditions rosacea or acne) - they can actually cause a lot of havoc to your skin. 

As well as this, there is a huge risk of infection - especially if you're not cleaning the device properly.

Your best bet is to go to a professional skin expert if you want to look into micro-needling. It can be expensive, but it's better than messing up your skin, no?

9. Beauty fridge.

Ahh beauty fridges. You've seen delightful little pastel fridges plastered all over Instagram, but do you actually need one? 

Probably not. I mean, they're cute and all but you don't actually need a mini refrigerator to store your beauty products.

While chucking your sheet masks in the fridge might make your face feel nice, skincare products are, for the most part, formulated and tested to be kept at room temperature. Not only is it an unnecessary step, but putting some of your pricey serums and moisturisers in a fridge could disrupt the ingredients, making them ineffective.

If you want to pop your eye creams or masks in the fridge for a few minutes for that de-puffing, soothing effect, that's totally cool. Just don't put things in there for long-term storage. Wine only.

10. Butt cream.

Have you seen butt skincare getting around? Chances are you've seen all different masks, serums, oils and creams doing the rounds on social media. But do you really need a whole separate skincare routine for your butt? 

No - there’s really no need to use specific products for your butt. While you might enjoy the luxurious experience butt products have come to offer, you’re honestly just fine using the same cleansers, moisturisers, and other products you’d use on the rest of your body.

Soooo... we still friends, or nah?

Feature image: Supplied/Mamamia.

Do you use any of these products in your skincare routine? Share with us in the comment section below.

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