Can you tell the difference between a cheap and expensive moisturiser?

The science says you can’t.
A team of researchers at Uppsala University wanted to understand if the branding and packaging of a facial moisturiser would have any effect on product use or how well it ‘worked.’ They recruited 80 healthy women to take part in the study, ranging in age from 35 to 64. The women were asked to try out a facial moisturiser and to use the product twice a day for 6 weeks, while sticking to their normal makeup and cleanser routine. They were instructed to apply as much of the test moisturiser as necessary to their entire face and to the area around the eyes. The women were then randomly allocated to three groups to each receive a different cream: group A got a brand-new jar of Chanel Precision Ultra Correction Restructuring Anti-Wrinkle Firming Cream SPF 10 (retail price £105 for 50 ml). Group B was given the same Chanel jar and packaging but the Chanel cream itself was replaced by a generic, inexpensive moisturiser (ACO Facial Cream, retail price £15.75 for 50 ml) matched for colour to the original Chanel cream. The third group, group C, was given the real Chanel cream in a plain white jar.

To make sure the subjects used enough of the cream, the jars were weighed before and after use. After 6 weeks, the women were assessed in the following ways: the women themselves were asked how much they liked the cream and how much it did or did not affect their skin via a questionnaire, and a trained observer than assessed their skin looking at fine lines, skin surface roughness and hyperpigmentation.

At the end of the 6 weeks, groups A and B – the ones using the cream in the Chanel packaging – had used significantly more cream than group C. Group B rated the absorption of their cream as significantly better than the other two groups. In addition, group B were more likely to find that their cream was a ‘luxury’ cream.

Over 50% of all the subjects did not think the creams – any of them - improved the appearance of their wrinkles. The trained observer did not find any significant differences in the clinical signs of aging between any of the groups after 6 weeks.

The bottom line: these women could not tell the difference in efficacy or functionality between the cheap and expensive creams. Indeed, they actually thought the cheap cream in the expensive Chanel packaging (cream B) was the best!

Reference: Halvarsson K, Buraczewska I, Lodén M. Facial anti-wrinkle cream: influence of product presentation on effectiveness. A randomised and controlled study. Skin Res & Technol, 2007; 12: 189-194.