According to K-beauty website Skin Library, the term “skinvestment” can be defined as the action or process of investing time, money and effort on your skincare routine for healthier skin.
Putting in the hard yards now to reap healthy, glowing skin in the future? That’s a pretty solid return on investment if you ask us.
The act of “skinvesting” looks different for everyone, and is largely dependent on your skin goals, budget and time you have to spare. It can be as simple as drinking more water, committing to double cleansing or as involved as switching out your skincare for cosmeceuticals and booking in for frequent in-clinic treatments.
Victoria Devine, financial advisor, She's On The Money author and podcast host, recommends establishing a budget that factors in indulgences like expensive skincare or in-clinic treatments. "Instead of setting ourselves up with a restrictive budget, we instead can set up a framework of the amount of money we have to spend in the different areas of our life," she told online beauty and wellbeing journal Mysa.
Read on for tips on building a skinvestment strategy that will pay dividends in the long run.
1. Start Now
There’s no better time than the present when it comes to skinvesting, so the earlier you begin, the healthier your skin will be.
But don’t be discouraged if your skinvestment journey starts later in life, there’s much to gain from cultivating healthy skincare habits (not to mention the relaxation benefits of treating yourself to a nightly skincare ritual).
2. Think Long-Term
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Advertise with NZME.When it comes to skin, there’s no such thing as a quick fix. Cutting corners and skimping on steps can only lead to complexion catastrophes, so building a skincare routine you’ll actually stick to is paramount.
The fast-moving nature of the skincare industry means trends come and go, meaning certain products and ingredients fall out of favour quickly (remember microbeads, anyone?). But curating an edit of products that suit your unique skin type and skin concerns is key.
Consistency is key, and being regimented with your application of products like serums and eye creams (which should be used both morning and night) will mean you’ll get the most out of your routine.
Think of your daily skincare regime as a ritual of sorts – one that cares for mind, body and spirit. Taking time out from a hectic schedule to care for your skin is an investment that costs nothing. A moment of inner calm reflects on the outer.
It takes discipline to establish healthy skin habits of cleansing, hydrating and treating, but laying a good foundation now will certainly pay off later.
3. Consider Your Skin Goals
If you’re not achieving your skin goals from topical skincare alone, it may be time to call in the big guns.
In-clinic treatments are intended to supercharge your at-home regime, fast-tracking results and maintaining their longevity.
Such aesthetic treatments like facial lasers and skin-boosting peels are designed to follow a course, as skin requires constant maintenance in order to address skin concerns and preserve its glow.
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Advertise with NZME.Many skincare clinics offer dedicated treatment plans or memberships which are tailored to suit your skin type and skin goals, allowing you to prioritise the health and appearance of your skin while paying off treatments in monthly instalments. For example, Howick boutique skincare clinic Mooi offers its Mooi & Me annual memberships, which extend to both skin and grooming and work out cheaper than if you were to book individual treatments throughout the year.
If you prefer to dial up your skincare from home, consider investing in skincare tools. Manual options like jade rollers and gua sha aid lymphatic drainage and can be used in conjunction with your preferred oil or serum for extra slip, like the Ines Gua Sha, $40.
At the other end of the spectrum (and if your beauty budget allows) consider high-tech devices like an LED Light Mask, hand-held microcurrent facial toners or dermal rollers.
Finding a big-ticket item hard to justify? Consider cost-per-use. For example, if you're eyeing up the Omnilux Contour Face Mask, $899, which feels like a significant amount to shell out in one fell swoop, think about how it could save you money in the long-term when it comes to ongoing in-clinic services like LED Light Therapy.
4. The Case For Cosmeceuticals
In the same way we should be mindful about what we consume or wear, being intentional with our skincare choices can reap real benefits.
As the body’s largest organ, the skin reflects overall health and absorbs whatever is applied to it.
For this reason, Victoria recommends shopping for fewer high-quality skincare products over a multitude of cheap and cheerful options.
“Remember to invest in quality, not quantity. It’s always tempting to grab a bargain and be tempted by cheaper, more disposable items, but you can save so much money by investing in high-quality products that will be used for years to come,” she says.
“We need to re-frame our mindset and choose to have less high-quality products, instead of lots of low-quality products.”
Medical-grade or cosmeceutical skincare are known for providing higher concentrations of actives such as retinol, antioxidants and peptides over their supermarket shelf counterparts, meaning you’ll achieve your results faster (and with less products cluttering up your bathroom shelf). This includes the likes of Osmosis, Aspect Dr, Cosmedix, PCA Skin, Environ and ASAP Skin Products.
Upgrading your skincare to the cosmeceutical variety comes with the added step of asking for the guidance of your trusted skin professional, as they can best advise which mix of products will work synergistically.
Laying a good foundation with quality skincare may save you cash long-term, as you may not need such aggressive or invasive treatments down the line like full facial resurfacing or surgical interventions. Consider the Environ 3D Synerge Filler Serum, $151, which draws its inspiration from two dermal filler techniques in a bid to address volume loss and restore a plumped youthfulness to the appearance of skin.
5. Embrace Skinimalism
The “less is more” movement is here to stay, with the shift towards simplicity promising the ultimate in skin sophistication.
While a 10-step beauty routine may suit some lifestyles, a few solid steps done well is all that’s needed to build a simple yet effective regimen.
Taking your routine back to basics (follow Caroline Hirons' simplified morning regime: cleanse, eye cream, serum, moisturiser, SPF) means you can afford to spend a little more on one high-quality, performance-based product rather than subbing in two or three products in its place.
Better yet, opt for multi-purpose products which treat and protect in the same step, like the new Sisley Paris All Day All Year, $590, which serves dual-purpose to protect skin from UVA and UVB rays, while defending against free radicals and the visible manifestations of stress.
STOCKISTS: Environ from selected day spas and skin clinics, or online at Psb.net.nz; Ines from Inesstore.com; Omnilux from About Face or online at Aboutface.co.nz; Sisley Paris available from March 27 from Smith & Caughey's or online at Smithandcaugheys.co.nz.
