The first thought that comes in the mind on hearing “Dhanteras”, is to buy gold. Setting the beginning of Diwali, Dhanteras is often celebrated by buying new things, like jewellery, to prepare for the years to come. This is to ensure that we have a safer and more secure future.

However, what we often tend to ignore is us our skin and hair. Buying a product without understanding your skin type and need, and just buying on hearing about it from others, or after seeing an advertisement can result in you spending more in the future to pay for the mistake you’re making now.

Buying a quality product is more than just the brand name and the price. Trusting famous brands because of the money you pay for it, assuming the quality will be just as promising, doesn’t always workout for the best. It’s important to know what to buy and whom to trust.

So this Dhanteras, set a new custom by spending your money by investing in the products that will promise a better future for your skin.

Here are a few reasons that emphasize on the importance of quality over brand name, price of skin and hair care products.

• Parabens – Hair and skin care products contain parabens in them (1), which are preservatives that will increase the shelf life of these products. However, parabens have been seen to increase the risk of acquiring breast cancer by increasing estrogen levels in the body, hence affecting women more(2).As a result, products have started popping up in every store that claim to be paraben-free. However, low-end skin care products have started using the term “phenoxyethanol” to replace the term “parabens” (3). This is nothing but a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Hence, using a quality product you can be sure does not contain parabens is better for your health.
• DEET – Some products also tend to contain DEET (4), which is nothing but an insect repellent. DEET can cause rashes, redness, swelling, and irritation (5). It is seen that they also get absorbed into the system through the skin. Hence, buying a trustworthy product is always a safer route to take.
• Failure meeting promises – Often times, some products don’t always do what they claim to do. Products that lack quality often tend to claim to do more than they can. It’s better to stay away from these. These are nothing but a waste of your money. Instead, buying a quality product meant for your skin concerns that could be slightly high on price but will be safer and deliver better results.
• Phthalates – Phthalates are chemicals that are found in hair sprays, shampoos, moisturizers, soaps and perfumes. They are used to add scents to products. Phthalates have been associated with decreased levels of IQ in humans (6). Ensure that you avoid products that contain this and pick products that are assured to be of good quality instead.
• Sodium Laureth Sulphate – Another chemical to be avoided is Sodium Laureth Sulphate. They are used commonly in all shampoos. They work by binding the oil in the hair and scalp to water, thus stripping the hair off its oils. This, however, happens in an extreme measure that makes hair lose all of its moisture. It can even cause rashes and irritation to sensitive skin (7). Make sure to read the label before buying a product that contains this chemical.
• Assuming good quality – Lastly, but most essentially, do not assume that quantity reflects quality. It is most certainly not the case that all these “good brand” products are safer to use. Often, they only tend to be better at covering your skin flaws and not cure them.

Dhanteras is not only a festival to honour our Goddess, but also a festival that promises you a secure future. After all, that is why we pray to Laxmi. So make it a point to be wise in your investments and think twice before trying any new product.