“I was shocked to add up how much I spend on hand creams, lotions, skin cleanser and toners at the local retail pharmacy,” says Oceanside Medical’s owner Sandy Hogarth.
“Strolling the aisles at Shoppers or London Drug, we are bombarded with aggressive marketing messages. Words like “healthy”, “natural” and “unique formula” shout at you from bottles and tubes.
“TV adverts of women in their 20’s, promised me shrunken pores and no wrinkles. I faithfully bought and used the products. After a few weeks, my skin was no different, and the tube ended up at the back of the drawer with all the other failed cosmetics.
“When I bought Oceanside Medical Aesthetics, that all stopped. Our head aesthetician Janice showed me, my own scientifically-accurate Visia results. Those lines and marks that I hide with foundation, were clearly on display. You can plump them up for an hour with stinging astringents, but it doesn’t even last through lunch.
“Oceanside’s experienced aestheticians take the guesswork out of what products will best benefit each specific skin condition. You‘ll likely be surprised that in the long run you will spend less dollars purchasing medical grade-skin care products than you would over the counter.”
Any type of product that is designated as “medical grade” must pass the scrutiny of controlled trials. These products can’t be marketed without first being proven safe and effective. Even after approval, medical grade products are batch tested for consistent quality over time.
Medical-grade skincare products are not formulated by marketing teams, they are the brainchild of world-class pharmacologists, geneticists, biologists and physicians, tracking advances in the field of skincare and anti-aging.
On the other hand, over-the-counter products are self-regulated by the manufacturer. There’s no industry standard, and the volume and quality of the ingredients is left to the company.
“I’ve used many products that used to work, but now don’t,” says Sandy. “I thought it was because I was older. But it could have been that the original ingredients have been replaced with something cheaper, or the source supplier is less trustworthy.
The active ingredients in medical-grade products are allowed to be stronger than those sold over the counter because they are monitored by a licensed professional. These products contain higher levels of such ingredients as antioxidants, retinols, and peptides. Because of their clinical nature and strength, these skincare lines tend to provide more noticeable results than their counterparts sold in stores.
Medical-grade skin care products can penetrate into the skin’s deeper layers, actually affecting change in the skin. This cannot always be said of over-the-counter brands. Therefore, it usually takes less actual product to achieve the results you desire.
Cruelty to animals isn’t acceptable in the name of beauty. However, there is no standard or legal definition of what exactly is or isn’t allowed to be labeled as cruelty free. A cute bunny logo doesn’t mean anything!
Even the words “Cruelty-free” or “Not Tested on Animals” on a cosmetics label may not reveal the whole truth. For instance, a label that states, “This finished product is not tested on animals” may mean that third party suppliers do test their product on animals.
As an animal-friendly business, we believe that testing products and ingredients on animals is cruel and unnecessary. We are committed to products and brands that do no animal testing at any point in the production process..
Over-the-counter products are for general use. They suit an average skin with average needs. It is left to you to experiment with several different kinds, hoping to find one that works.
“Talk to an aesthetician,” advises Sandy, “You get the benefit of years of training and experience. Their assessment is based on an in-depth knowledge of many different, competing product lines as well as skin science. Your best skincare regime may be as simple as adding one or a few good products that are proven to get results.
At Oceanside Medical Aesthetics, our medical-grade skin care and cosmeceutical products are designed to enhance a sun damaged or aging skin. A consultation is free if you’re a regular customer! You also get a scientific analysis of your skin to serve as a baseline for measuring future improvements.
I have now stopped spending needlessly on over-the-counter products, and I’ve purged old, failed products.
At 60 years young this July, and I have the best, healthiest skin of my life!
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Saturday : 10am - 2pm
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