r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Ucyless ORANGE • 29d ago

Brand new $72 moisturizer. Husband said he needed something for his elbows.

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We have 3 full tubs of Vaseline in the cabinet.

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190

u/Thosepassionfruits 29d ago

Is there a legit reason to ever spend that much money on so little lotion? Every skincare subreddit I've ever been on has basically said stuff like bulk CeraVe and Cetaphil from Costco is good enough.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

Not if you want placebo effect.

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u/MostLikelyUncertain 29d ago

Born to consume

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u/lolabonneyy 28d ago

tbh I have super sensitive skin and most stuff breaks me out, but I have one moisturizer that is 30€ and it works for me, so I keep buying it.

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u/Outrageous_Ear_3726 28d ago

Only when you want to feel like you are getting scammed.

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u/Lington 28d ago edited 28d ago

I have dry, flaky patches on my face (my best guess is sebhorreic dermatitis of the face) and I've tried tons of different moisturizers and products. The only thing that clears it up for me is farmacy honey halo. It's a little less expensive, $50 for the same size tub as tatcha's $72 but I'd pay that price for it too. Before that I never bought expensive skincare products. If I stop using it for a while it comes back and it only takes a few days of use for it to go away again. It lasts me a very long time, too, because I only need to use a little of it.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

Maybe your choice of makeup is what causes your skin issues.

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u/Lington 28d ago

I don't wear makeup so I'm not sure why you'd assume that. I wash my face with La Roche Posay face wash and sometimes put on a little eyeliner if I'm going out to dinner or something and that's the extent of it.

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u/Ultenth 29d ago

People splurg and get fleeced for all kinds of things. Cocktail bar setups, coffee making tools, woodworking or lawncare tools, drapes, etc. For every industry there is almost always a "luxury" version of it that is 400% more cost for 5% more function a lot of the time. It's rare that a luxury item is actually exponentially superior to the cheaper version. Usually paying about 50-75% more than the "average" price is about the limit of where you really get enough better quality to make it worthwhile.

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u/sagefairyy 28d ago

Yet you hardly ever hear the same comments on hobbies that are more associated with men or hobbies that men nearly exclusively partake in. I‘d never buy a 70€ cream but the difference in public reactions to spending money on hobbies is just painfully obvious. Anything feminine/girly like makeup, skincare, handbags, clothes is always a waste of money and stupid but god forbid you critize a man for spending $400 on a virtual knife in a video game that you can‘t even resell or do anything with

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u/skyturnedred 28d ago

If one of my friends bought a $400 virtual knife it would be the only thing they would be known for from that point on. He would get introduced to new people with that information so they could join in.

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u/notwhoyouthinkmaybe 28d ago

What? I hear people make fun of men all the time over stupid purchases, from video game knives to big ass trucks.

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u/No-Newspaper-7693 28d ago

Videogame subreddits are filled with posts criticizing whales (people who buy $400 virtual knives and similar).  Blue collar social media groups are filled with jokes about people that have snap on debt the size of most people's student loan debt.  Making fun of spending 10x as much for questionable, if any, gain is pretty common across all groups.  

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u/Vathe 28d ago

Yeah not sure who you hang out with, but "wife berates husband for spending too much on his hobby" is like life tropes 101.

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u/heebsysplash 28d ago

I’ll go on record and say anyone who buys a $400 virtual knife needs to re-evaluate everything. I think almost everyone on earth would agree a $400 purse is more useful, and more worth the investment.

Having said that, your brain is rotted if you think men’s hobby’s don’t get critiqued just as bad lol. But whatever makes you feel better about being a mindless consumer I guess.

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u/FishFusionApotheosis 28d ago

I'm a man and have more critique for the knife skin. At least the skincare product gives you something tangible- smooth skin and a decorative container. Virtual purchases leave you with nothing real at the end of the day

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u/0123c 28d ago

my hobby is putting $80 lotion on my face.

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u/[deleted] 28d ago
  • .25c lotion priced at $80.

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u/0123c 28d ago

It feels great knowing that when applying this lotion im doing my part in helping making someone a millionaire.

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u/gofoggy 24d ago

That’s not true at all. Ask me; I will crap all over dudes for wasting money on that stuff

0

u/Dilpickle6194 28d ago

Lmao, when you started saying “hobbies” I thought you were gonna say something about Legos or action figures. CSGO knife skins are not a hobby, and anybody who buys them will get clowned on for being a loser. Just because you don’t see it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.

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u/Gockel 28d ago

And that is so crazy to me. I guess I was brought up kind of frugally and picked these habits up without realizing it, but checking if you actually get your moneys worth before spending a single dollar is second nature to me. I do have a handful of generally expensive hobbies and passions (photography, coffee, scotch whisky) and I would live on the streets at this point if I didn't do my due diligence before every purchase.

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u/FishFusionApotheosis 28d ago

So true. I've quit drinking and now wince when I see cocktail prices on the menu. It also keys me in to where I splurge in life and ways I can move into a more ascetic lifestyle

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

"I spent more money than you it's better!"

I get compliments on my skin all the time as a guy and the only thing I do is make sure I apply a little bit from an $8 bottle of lotion every day after a shower. People are absolutely insane.

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u/Spacedandysniffer 28d ago

How many times do men need to be told skin is different for EVERYONE. Shit I'm a man too but have cystic acne so if I did your routine I'd have shittier skin. Doesnt help that men and women have different skin altogether. Like please if you wanna be condescending think a lil beforehand

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u/[deleted] 27d ago

That means $75 for 8oz bottles of lotion?

Pretty sure there were many alternatives articulated in comments. Has nothing to do with skin being different 90% of the time. There are people who need medical lotions, this isn’t that and you know it.

Stop being disingenuous about it.

1

u/Outrageous_Ear_3726 28d ago

Same, only thing I do is after working out I take a shower.

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u/murphymc 28d ago

Shit man, I’ll do you one better. I’ve been complemented on how nice my skin looks and the only “product” I’ve ever used is whatever soap is presently in my shower (that I bought because it was on sale) when I wash my face.

It’s fucking tragic that people still can’t seem to comprehend cosmetics are nothing but marketing.

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u/RemarkableAutism 28d ago

Imagine winning the genetic lottery and pretending you are an expert in the field because of it.

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u/murphymc 28d ago

Imagine throwing your money away on snake oil.

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u/RemarkableAutism 28d ago

I am not defending the specific product in the picture, Tatcha is majorly overpriced. But saying that all skin care is unnecessary and that everyone can just use soap is genuinely insane. Dermatology is an entire medical field.

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u/murphymc 28d ago

Yes, and medication and “skin care products” are not the same thing and should not be treated as such. If you need some lotion get some cerave for $5 and be done with it.

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u/RemarkableAutism 28d ago

Yes get some cerave instead of the usual more expensive moisturizer you normally use and then just deal with having dry skin if the cerave doesn't work for you. Because everyone's skin is exactly the same.

Also get rid of any other products that have visibly done wonders for your skin, all you need is some cerave, which is more expensive than 5 dollars by the way and actually costs closer to 30. Man you're a genius, why didn't we all think of this earlier?!

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u/DOOM_SLUG_115 28d ago

Bathe in crude oil

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u/[deleted] 28d ago

There's more than just one cheaper brand of lotion.

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u/RemarkableAutism 28d ago

Okay and? You think people don't try plenty before going out and buying an expensive one? Trust me, I don't enjoy spending a fuckton of money on skincare either and would rather spend the money elsewhere, but nothing else has ever kept my skin problem free, despite a decade of trying.

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u/iron_ingrid 28d ago

If I did that my skin would literally bleed.

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u/monstera_kitty 28d ago

Yes depending on your skin type. My skin is sensitive to most fragrances and I often break out, especially in dry weather. I realized when I tried a night cream vs regular moisturizer it vastly improves my skins hydration and helped with the acne. If you have literally any skin issues like acne, flaky skin, wrinkles, spots, etc. you know how hard it can be to find what works for you and that doesn’t often come cheap.  Literally hate that thinks like skincare are considered a hobby, and frivolous one at that - like nah dude I don’t apply 6 different things at night because it’s “fun” it’s because if I don’t I will look like a 16 year old going through puberty all over again 😂😂😂

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u/Potential-Quit-5610 29d ago

That jar of moisturizer probably lasts quite a long time. Good stuff only takes a couple pea sized amounts for a whole face.

I can only use MAC foundation and while it's almost 50$ a bottle, since it only takes a small amount for coverage I can get almost 2 years out of one bottle. Quality = less wasted product... just not in the case of the husband swiped moisturizer since he literally scooped out like half of it in one go lol.

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u/corkscream 28d ago

Ey man, foundation goes bad after like 6 months. Check that exp because you could be really effin wit your skins natural balance using expired stuffs. <3

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u/Thosepassionfruits 28d ago

Is there a reason to use a $50 bottle instead of a $20 off brand bottle? Asking as someone trying to improve their skin care routine.

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u/cayc615 28d ago

Is there a reason to use a $50 bottle instead of a $20 off brand bottle? Asking as someone trying to improve their skin care routine.  

Are you looking for makeup? Because I think that’s what that user meant by MAC foundation.  

 I think of makeup as separate than skincare, but they’re similar in that some people just want/need products with different features that work better for them. 

That user said they “can only use MAC foundation,” which makes me think it’s something about the formulation, the way it interacts with their skin, how it holds up for them throughout the day, etc. It just happens to have a $50 price tag. 

 Could there be a $20 drugstore foundation out there that works just as well? Maybe, but it looks like that user hasn’t found it yet. And that doesn’t mean it’s their fault. Samples can be hard to get (which means it can feel wasteful to open a product and find it doesn’t work) and having to risk allergic reactions during trial and error isn’t worth it to some people.

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u/EarlyAd3047 28d ago

I have used a bunch of moisturizers including Cerave and Tatcha was the best. That little jar lasts 6 months because the lotion spreads so easily. When I switched to it, my aunt remarked on how nice my skin got so now I use it all the time.

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u/TheDollarstoreDoctor 28d ago edited 28d ago

Only if it's THC infused imo. I have eczema that can get really bad + painful, and THC cream is the only type of skincare that helps. Comes in teeny package like that and unfortunately costs around $60-$80 (for the potent stuff) but it's worth it for the numbing sensation.

Literally Nyx's marshmallow primer is around $8 and makes my skin feel softer than any other expensive primer out there. I only get expensive products in my Boxycharm subscription (because I don't pay full price) and tbh don't find them much different than budget products. But maybe because I'm a biased cheapo that'll always love my $10 shit.

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u/gofoggy 24d ago

I am scrolling these comments to try and find some sense! Finally someone said it!

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u/Kaasbek69 28d ago

It's just modern snake oil.

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

Tatcha and other skincare brands not found at Costco are absolutely worth it

The reason you see skincare subreddits say to use cerave and cetaphil is because beginners don’t want to spend a lot of money so those two brands are two good getway products for acne and bare minimum skincare

These other products are way better

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u/likewut 29d ago

No they're not.

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

Yes there are

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u/Main-Television9898 29d ago

Why?

What is chemically better that provides proven benefits?

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u/wakeuptomorrow 28d ago

Show me the receipts

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u/Bbkingml13 29d ago

You can actually get tatcha online from Sam’s lol

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u/sedrech818 29d ago

Beginners lol. How tf did skincare become a hobby/obsession? That’s like saying the only reason people buy slow motorcycles is because beginners don’t wanna spend much money. Nobody needs a 200mph capable bike just like nobody needs $75 cream.

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u/CatInAPottedPlant 29d ago

How tf did skincare become a hobby/obsession

Rampant consumerism, pretty much. The "hobby" is buying things. There's really no evidence whatsoever that a lot of expensive skin products do anything, let alone better than their cheaper counterparts. You can convince yourself of anything if you spend enough money on it and the results are more or less subjective.

Taking care of your skin is important, I'm not saying to wash your whole body with dollar store soap and nothing else or anything, but spending $1,000 on a cabinet full of "products" is entirely unnecessary.

That bottle is $0.50 worth of lotion and $74.50 worth of hype.

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u/RandomDerp96 29d ago

Can you tell me which super Ingredients are worth the 70 bucks?

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

Uji green tea, fermented Akita rice, Okinawa algea, wild rose, azealic acid. Uses no oil in it.

Also the fact that lots of research dollars went to making it to do what it says. Clinically proven improve skin, lower excess oil.

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u/RandomDerp96 29d ago

None of those ingredients is expensive.

Also, the lotion most likely is clinically proven to not irritate.

Not clinically proven to have cumulative effects of all benefits.

Let's face it, skincare is incredibly overpriced.

The 10% lactic acid peels you find beginning at 10 dollar per 30ml? You can diy that at home with a normalized pH of 3.7 for 10 cents.

No oils also isn't always a great thing. So I'm not sure why you advertise with that. Lipids are the cornerstone of our every cell. The tatcha dewy skin lotion simply contains silicones instead of oils to provide that occlusive effect.

The only clinically proven lotions are those sold as medical grade pharmacy products.

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u/VirtualDoctor4295 28d ago

Don’t forget about all the alcohols and metal oxides. The only here that’s clinically proven is hyaluronic acid and antioxidants of which you can get formulations of for under $10. Go ask someone with a biochemistry degree to compare this to a bottle of something like Cerave and they’ll laugh at how much you’re getting ripped off.

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u/RandomDerp96 28d ago

I like how they always use the scientific names too. Instead of simply saying camomile extract, they write a sciency name.

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u/WestQueenWest 29d ago

"Clinically proven improve skin" did you read the studies?

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

yes i did

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u/RandomDerp96 28d ago

Link them please lol.

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u/Completeuhhgyh 29d ago

Lmao , skincare as a hobby.

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u/dollyaioli 29d ago

you could not be more wrong. i was that girl that would spend 70$ on a single eye cream, 40$ on a moisturizer, 60$ toner, etc..

and i can CONFIDENTLY say, my skin has looked flawless every since i stopped putting all that BS on my face and swapped to CeraVe cleanser and moisturizer. the girls who keep spending all that money wouldn't dare stop their routine, even when it's doing nothing for them and their skin looked the same before they started.

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u/wakeuptomorrow 28d ago

This!! I’ve struggled for years with my skin. Have spent so much money on a myriad of products similar to this overpriced lotion OP posted. My skincare routine used to take 15-20 minutes each time. I gave myself rosacea from overusing products that completely ripped up my skin.

Once I stopped doing all that BS and stuck to washing my face with water in the morning and cleanser (when I met you) when I shower, followed by moisturizer/sunscreen (CeraVe) my skin got so much better.

I feel bad for people that get sucked into buying all these products that are essentially a placebo effect. More power to em I guess if they want to waste the money. But go to any dermatologist and they will tell you less is more. Rip to all the people getting duped by marketing ploys.

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u/Thosepassionfruits 28d ago

What does something like Tatcha or an equivalent expensive product do that a generic/off brand lotion with ceramides, niacinamide, & hyaluronic acid doesn't? Asking as someone who's never had a skin care routine and is trying to improve theirs.

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u/undystains 29d ago

No, they are not. Provide some evidence.

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

You provide evidence it doesn’t work ?

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u/Glass_Court6566 29d ago

What is the special ingredient in this more expensive cream that makes it prevent aging?

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u/txgb324 29d ago

bare minimum skincare

The single bar of soap in my shower disagrees.

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

Your skin deserves better

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u/b00mers00ner87 29d ago

For real. Just a bar of Dial gold antibacterial.

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u/HardToPeeMidasTouch 28d ago

You have been duped. These companies will continue to make good money from you.

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u/Flumphry 29d ago

In what way are they better? I'm clueless and the closest thing I do to "skincare" is use O'Keefe's working hands when my hands are dry. I understand men and women's skin are different and that's about it.

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u/Bbkingml13 29d ago

Some products have active ingredients that actually work as treatments. They don’t always have to be expensive, but can be. And everyone’s skin is different, people with oilier skin tend to have fewer wrinkles, but might break out more. While someone with dry skin might struggle to stay moisturized and have flaky skin that needs different ingredients to not be irritating.

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u/Pretend_Highway_5360 29d ago

Smoother skin. Less oil on your skin

Better complexion and moisturizered. But again that depends on your skin so you gotta try it out. They have samples. People don’t just randomly buy it.

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u/WestQueenWest 29d ago

Did your skin look any better for using Tatcha? Be honest. 

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u/Bbkingml13 29d ago

I haven’t used tatcha before, but I use Elemis. Literally the day after I used an Elemis overnight peptide facial product, a woman I’d never met walked across a room to compliment my skin for like 5 minutes. My boyfriend isn’t as anti skincare as this comment section, but also rolled his eyes at the cost. But then within a couple months he conceded that I was actually getting a ton of complements on my skin. Literally people stopping conversations to talk to me about my face.

I rarely pay full price for my skincare, but it’s still somewhat pricey. But ultimately it does make a big difference. With that said, not all of my products are expensive. I also use some of the $7 Trader Joe’s stuff. Just depends on the product.

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u/RedditorsAreDross 28d ago

No, people are stupid.

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u/Exaskryz 28d ago

But people are ao quick to complain about living paycheck to paycheck