When skin starts playing up, it seems logical to go back to basics. We sometimes imagine fancy moisturisers are the problem - full of complex ingredients that cause irritation - so we replace them with "basic" skincare such as baby products. But it's not always a good idea.
"We perceive cheap skincare to be gentle, but it rarely is," says acne facialist Louise Saragossi at Martyn Maxey in London. "Some people - about 25% of us - can use soap, baby washes and other 'basics', but most will find their skin ages much quicker and many will see their skin becoming even more problematic" (that is, spotty, dry and/or sore).
It's often assumed that skincare is all much the same, and that pricey products are simply basic formulas with intense medical or botanical actives added, and can be too strong for troubled skin. This assumption is aided by the packaging of cheap skincare, which sells itself under the "mild and gentle" banner.
"Soap doesn't give baby-soft skin," says Candice Gardner at the International Dermal Institute. "Skin has a pH of 5, but soap is 12 [like Ajax], so it removes the skin's acid barrier and bacteria gets in, causing infection, such as spots. Cheap skincare lines often include soap, but more expensive lines sell soap-free cleansers because they don't damage skin."
Many supposedly mild, cheap, safe bets contain a lot of mineral oil, which can create spots in acne-prone skins. Mineral oil (or paraffinum liquidum) is a petroleum-derived emollient used for the silky texture it gives and because it's cheap. Expensive creams are less likely to contain it, although some do, so be sure to read the labels: a heftier price tag doesn't always guarantee better quality.
Other potential aggravators, such as lanolin, denatured alcohol, artificial fragrance and cocoa butter are also common in many ranges available from high-street chemists and supermarkets. Cheap skincare can be rife with cheap, clogging irritants, which expensive lines are less likely to contain. As a general rule, the higher up the list of ingredients something appears, the higher its concentration.
If you have a specific problem, such as acne, and need an active agent such as glycolic acid, or want anti-ageing ingredients such as vitamin A, you won't find them (or at least not in sufficient quantities) in budget products.
On the higher-price beauty shelves, brands reputed to be good for problem skin include Ren, Aveda (largely organic), Dermalogica (large range for problem skin), MD Formulations (great preparations for acne and mature skin), Dr Hauschka (organic line that's good for dry skin), Comfort & Joy (small line for sensitive skin; comfortandjoy.co.uk), and Julisis (tiny line that's good for hormonal skin; julisis.com). Weleda (0115 944 8200) is a well-established organic line that offers great products for older skins.
Alternatively, says Saragossi, "Go to a chemist and buy rosewater and glycerin to mix into a cleanser, and vitamin E capsules to moisturise with: simply pierce one daily and rub the oil over your face."
