Scam Alert: 7 beauty products that are better off in the trash can

For every effective beauty product in the market, there are ten that are gimmicky. Here’s a list of products that are seriously not worth your money and time

The buoyant world of beauty products is enticing until you’re reminded of all the money you’ve carelessly spent on beauty products you simply didn’t make the best of. They may be underutilised or way past their expiry date or an impulse purchase of a ‘viral’ offering. But here’s the bitter truth: not every beauty product is worth using till the last drop. For every effective option in the market, there are ten that are all noise and no substance. To make the elimination process easier for you, we round off the beauty products that are swindles, at best. Scroll down, and bookmark those that aren’t worth your money and time.

Chin Lift Masks

Considering how many people are opting for procedures like Buccal Fat Surgery to achieve a snatched face and chiselled jawline, it’s easy to decipher why products like chin lift masks turn into hype. However, though such masks could provide a temporary lift, the effect begins to quell in no time “as they cannot penetrate the jawline’s skin and correct its structural deficiency”, explains Mumbai-based celebrity dermatologist Dr Madhuri Agarwal. No matter how much your favourite celebrities and make-up artists swear by these [masks], they are capable of doing more harm than good. “The constant unnatural stretching of the skin can lead to further laxity and worsen signs of ageing. In case there is the adhesive used in patches, the constant contact to the chemical can also cause skin reactions and allergies,” cites Agarwal.

Cellulite-reducing Creams

From Australian body care brand Frank Bod to social media sensation Sol de Janeiro, many of the much-loved body care brands offer creams, body butters or lotions that claim to mitigate cellulite. Is that possible? “No topical product can tighten your skin in the long run, despite having ingredients like caffeine that render temporary firmness,” reveals New Delhi-based celebrity dermatologist and author Dr Kiran Sethi. “None of the creams can penetrate that deep,” she adds. “Cellulite occurs on the skin when the fat is pushed from the deeper layers towards the skin surface while the skin is pulled down by connective tissues in an uneven manner tending up in a dimpled appearance,” explains Agarwal. “Though there are multiple creams with marketing claims there is no research shared by them to back these claims.” So, do you need to say goodbye to the viral Bum Bum Cream? No—just don’t use it thinking it’ll reduce cellulite.

Facial Cleansing Devices

When you think of facial tools and devices, there’s no dearth; from affordable to premium to luxury. While beauty-tech is here to stay, not every so-called high-technology device is essential to your beauty routine. One of the most common tools that you can pass? Facial cleansing devices. While the different settings—comprising movements and vibrations—could make the cleansing experience fancier, it isn’t a necessity. Explaining why, Agarwal says, “They are a product of marketing hype as washing with a regular cleanser and water is just sufficient to cleanse the face.” According to the expert, such devices could also pose threats in some cases. “Facial cleansing devices can end up causing harm when the bristles are too stiff or the device is not used in the correct method or used vigorously. In Indian skin, it can lead to pigmentation issues as the frequent friction causes inflammation and heals with hyperpigmentation.” In case your skincare routine entails exfoliants like AHAs or retinol, you really don’t need a cleansing device, says Sethi.

Neck Creams

From Dermalogica to Perricone MD, Revision Skincare to Skinceuticals, many high-performance skincare brands offer specialised creams for your neckline. Now, neck creams may or may not be entirely gimmicky, depending on which one you choose. “I like neck creams because the skin on the neck is thinner and less vascular than the skin on your face. This means you must use lighter and gentler products on the neck, and not ones that contain irritants,” says Sethi. “However, if you’re using gentle, hydrating products on your face, the same can work for the neck as well.” Agarwal has a slightly different opinion on this ambiguous product. “What would work on the face will work equally well on the neck as the neck’s skin is an extension of the same structure as the facial skin. Thus, you do not need a separate neck cream.”

Designer Face Creams 

Today, most high-end fashion houses have a beauty line as well—Dior, Giorgio Armani, Gucci, Hermès and YSL among others. While their make-up products could be objects of luxury worth owning, the need for designer skincare products is highly debatable. “They’re not active-based, they’re simply marketing-driven. For me, such skincare products are a total waste of time and money,” shares Sethi. Perhaps, cosmetic elegance is the only edge that designer skincare products have over the others. Concurring with Sethi, Agarwal says, “Designer creams usually contain similar ingredients like the regular, inexpensive ones. They can be at a higher cost due to the packaging or the ingredient, which could be more pure and safer. While they do not deliver any exceptional results that are different from regular products, at times, their sensorials are better.” So if you want to splurge on luxury make-up, investing in a blush, concealer or lipstick would make for better choices.

Collagen Face Creams

Collagen secured a spot among the most popular beauty and wellness products in 2023. From collagen drinks to collagen-infused creams, the offerings were aplenty. While an ingestible collagen supplement has been touted as the fountain of youth, the ingredient’s efficacy through a topical medium is close to nothing, state the experts. “Collagen is a large molecule and collagen creams containing these molecules do not have the ability to penetrate deep enough to generate collagen or replace old collagen, making them work like any other moisturiser to hydrate the skin. No studies verify the claims of collagen regeneration or erasing wrinkles,” shares Agarwal. Sethi agrees, “The collagen in creams, if any, simply sits on the skin, and gets washed off when you cleanse your skin for it can’t reach the deeper layers of your skin when applied topically.”

Sunscreen above SPF 50

More is not better in the case of sunscreens. While SPF 50 certainly outweighs SPF 15, anything above SPF 50 doesn’t promise higher protection, making sunscreens with SPF 60, 65, 70, 75, even 100, quite redundant. “SPF, or sun protection factor, means the period of time the skin can stay out in the sun’s UVB exposure (it does not measure UVA, which is more harmful). SPF 30 can give 97 per cent protection, SPF 50 gives 98 per cent and above that would be around 99 per cent,” says Agarwal. “So, you’re not getting exceptionally high sun protection with higher SPF. At times, with a higher SPF, there is a false sense of security and people don’t reapply sunscreen which can be more harmful. It is more essential to use a broad spectrum sunscreen (SPF & PA factor) and reapply the sunscreen,” she informs. Sethi also shares  that in exchange for the marginally higher protection, which is negligible, one has to deal with thicker, greasier formulations, which can be major put-offs.

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