There are so many questions about buying a professional skin care product: Will it work better? What makes it work better? Is it worth the money? Well, I'm here to help you sort through it all - you just need some guidelines to make the right choices. There some fundamentals that are the foundation to all I have to say on this topic:

There are professional skin care products that work very well and are very inexpensive...there are also some very expensive professional products that are terrible! With this in mind, let's break it down so that you are armed with the knowledge you need to make smart purchasing decisions. What exactly is a "professional skin care product?" Well, there are a couple different ways to consider this. Skincare products fall into four general categories:

1. Products that an esthetician uses in the salon and does not provide for resale

2. Products that an esthetician may use on you in the salon and does offer them for re-sale

3. Products available at department stores, usually at a premium price

4. Products available at your local drugstore or grocery store

Let's go through each category and explain. You'll soon realize that it is ALL ABOUT INGREDIENTS.

Type I - Products used in salons but not available for re-sale. These are not typically sought after by most women, but they do require a short discussion. When you get a facial, depending on your skin your esthetician may use a product that is much stronger than anything you would (or should) ever use on your own. This is usually a highly concentrated glycolic or salicylic acid peel. These are Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA's) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA's) respectively. While you may very well use a product containing an AHA or BHA, you should not be using anything stronger than an 8% solution for AHA or a 5% solution for BHA. Stronger than those concentrations, you may be susceptible to irritation and swelling. The decision to go to a higher concentration should only be left to a qualified skin care professional. Your esthetician may apply a 20-30% peel in some cases, if you have skin that is very thick or is in desperate need of major exfoliation. Some common reasons would be for severe acne, severely neglected skin, or maybe for a smoker (did I tell you smoking is BAD for your skin, among other things?). Bottom line is that peels of this strength should NEVER be self-administered. Using this type of professional skin care product is best left to only qualified estheticians.

Type II - Products used by salons and only available for sale at a salon. These products are of many different varieties and require some knowledge to sort through. Here, you MUST know a little bit about reading a label. You may find the same ingredients in VERY EXPENSIVE products, but you may also find them in VERY INEXPENSIVE products. You need to read the label. Some other things to look for on the labels are sensitizing agents, "natural ingredients," and various emollients. Sensitizing agents are anything that may produce irritation. When you see various fragrances and colors added, these may very well cause irritation. They may also make the price go up considerably. Watch out for this - you may be able to get the same cleanser (by ingredient) without the fancy smell and container. Look out for "natural" ingredients. "Natural" ingredients tend to show up in salons and also tend to have a high price tag. If you see an ingredient list that includes things like honey extract, almond oil, coconut oil, or grape seed oil, you may well see some nice results. But you may NOT! What you can be sure of, is that exotic ingredients will make the cost go up considerably.

Type III - the department store products. These products are the most insidious largely because they are usually the closest thing to drugstore brands. There are THOUSANDS of products out there and MILLIONS of combinations and formulas. "Professional" skincare products sold under prestige names in the department stores are very often no better than those available at your local CVS, although they are MUCH more expensive.

Type IV - Drugstore brands. I have nothing against drugstore brands. Nothing at all. But you do need a word of caution. In my experience, drugstore brands are much more likely to have harsh detergents and other sensitizing agents without the appropriate buffer or desensitizing agent. Just make sure to look out for products like toners that are alcohol based, cleansers that are the classic lauryl/lareth sulfate (a good cleanser, but just too harsh!). There are many drugstore brands that I would match well against many a professional skin care product.

There are also various emollients in professional skin care products that may garner a hefty price tag and others that are a little lower on the food chain. For example, mineral oil is often regarded in negative terms and typically appears in less expensive drugstore brands. But newer research suggests that mineral oil is an excellent emollient (though it may not absorb so well in some products).

Shea butter is another great example. Shea butter is a GREAT emollient and is found in some VERY high-priced Professional skin care moisturizers. Funny thing is...you can find Shea butter in many drugstore brands - just read the label.

Remember, manufacturers are required to print ingredient lists on every cosmetic, in order of concentration. To settle the drugstore brand vs. professional skincare product debate, all you have to to do is - read the label!