Cult Favourite Skincare Products: Hit Or Miss, By Dr Kiran Sethi

Are these viral skincare products worth your time (or money)? Dr Kiran Sethi weighs in…

Jan 5, 2025
  • Dr Kiran Sethi

    In a world where Instagram tempts us with the latest skincare fads and miracle products, it’s easy to find our drawers overflowing with serums, creams, and masks. But let’s be real—how many of these suit our skin? To help cut through the clutter, we chatted with Dr. Kiran Sethi, a dermatologist who knows her stuff.

    She’s here to dish out some expert tips and tricks to simplify your skincare routine. So say goodbye to the excess and hello to streamlined, skin-type-specific products that truly work...

    Should You Keep Or Toss These Cult Favourite Skincare Products?

    We asked Dr Kiran Sethi to review some Insta-famous skincare products, identifying the hits and misses. She also suggested some equally effective dupes that are great for your skin while being easy on the pocket…

    Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Serum

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Hit!

    “Great product, there are cheaper alternatives but the experience of the ANR is something else!”

    L’Occitane Immortelle Reset Serum

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Miss

    “Frankly I don't understand this product, can totally skip it”

    Tatcha Water Cream

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Hit

    “Lovely gel creme, that's really nice and airy on the skin. A cheaper alternative would be the Neutrogena Hydro Boost or the Clinique Moisture Surge.”

    La Mer Crème de la Mer Moisturiser

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Miss

    “It’s so expensive for just a water and oil formulation that's very heavy with moisturisation. Nivea has a similar formulation, while it's not La Mer it can often give you the same benefit.”

    Chanel Le Lift Anti-Wrinkle Lip and Contour Cream

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Miss

    “You don't need to spend this kind of money on a cream. No cream can actually lift you that well, so the Chanel one won't either.”

    iS Clinical Cleansing Complex

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Hit

    “This is a great cleanser. It's often hard to find a good and effective  salicylic acid cleanser that won't strip your skin of the good oil, so this one is gentle and great.”

    The Ordinary Peeling Solution

    Screenshot

    Verdict: Maybe

    “Frankly if it's going to peel you, it has to be a low pH. If it's not tingling or stinging, in most cases not all, then it's probably not helping you.”

    Supergoop Unseen Sunscreen

    Verdict: Hit

    “This one is great, but a cheaper alternative would be the one from Trader Joe’s!”

    By decluttering your skincare drawer and focusing on products that truly benefit your skin type, you can achieve healthier, more radiant skin. Thanks to Dr Kiran Sethi's expert advice, you now have a roadmap to navigate the hype and choose effective, budget-friendly alternatives. So, go ahead and give your beauty shelf the makeover it deserves!

    Discover the secrets to glowing skin with personalised consultations and alchemy lessons designed to perfect the beauty regime straight from Dr Kiran Sethi herself at the upcoming FDCI Manifest Wedding Weekend at Taj Palace (New Delhi) on August 4, 2024, at 12 pm. Register for her masterclass by writing to us atfmww@rpsg.inright now!

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    For Manifest to become one of Cambridge Dictionary's most viewed words of 2024 — 1,30,000 hits and counting — it means some of us must have Googled it at least once. I know, I hit that search button over and over again
    because each time I looked at it, I saw a new meaning.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Putting together a homegrown title at a time when the demise of print has been long announced may seem surprising...
    ...but it has long been a dream of mine to give India a magazine it deserves. A magazine that is the country.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    And nothing, absolutely nothing, represents India more than our weddings.It is a time when families are brought together. Traditions come alive as they are adapted to each couple's beliefs. And lives are joined in a way that the romantic in me still enjoys.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    The fact that it comes with band, baaja and baraat — what's not to love?And that is the reason our first issue celebrates:
    THE NEW BRIDE.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    If you look at
    'Curate Beautiful, Create Happy'individually, they are powerful but when you put them together, they become a promise. While each section is dedicated to a word, I hope you will see this as your first of many handbooks for happiness.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Curate
    Where we give you a fast-paced look into everything you should wish list when you start to think about marriage. What to buy and how to dress, along with modern mithai and the homegrown fragrance makers to bookmark. Make special note of the feature on alta.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Beautiful
    It has everything you need to make your wedding special. From the big comeback of red and pink in bridal wear to how the cool kids are wearing corsets to the celebration, there is only one way to get ready for a wedding —with enjoyment.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Create
    This section is a building block, a step to a better life. A place where we have all the answers. Or at least the beginning of a great conversation.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    Happy
    This needs very little description. It has travel with a special focus on incredible India, and a collection of wedding albums, sourced randomly, but collected with abundance because happiness has no limits.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media

    This first issue has a lot more, including a carefully edited address book of everything you need to make your wedding perfectly 'gramworthy! But it doesn't stop there. Each issue will be different because each one of you is unique.
    Because we manifested this difference, now we will celebrate you.

    - Avarna Jain,
    Chairperson RPSG Lifestyle Media