10 Years in the Skincare Industry: The Top 5 Marketing Gimmicks We’ve Seen (And Why We’re Done With Them)

After more than a decade in the business, we’ve learnt a lot—not just about making the best natural soaps, but about how skincare is marketed. And honestly? So much of it is designed to confuse you.

The beauty industry thrives on making people feel like they need more—more products, more steps, more unnecessary extras. And a lot of it? Just clever marketing.

Here are the top five gimmicks we’ve seen over the years—and why we believe simple, honest skincare is the way forward.

Ever seen a product proudly claiming to be paraben-free, sulphate-free, or chemical-free? Sounds great, right? Except… sometimes these labels don’t mean much.

Many of these ingredients were never in the product to begin with. It’s like selling a bottle of water and marketing it as gluten-free. The brand is banking on the fact that you’ll associate “free-from” with being superior, even if the ingredient was never relevant.

The idea that you need a different product for every possible skin concern—cleanser, toner, serum, essence, moisturiser, eye cream, night cream, spot treatment, mist, oil… Exhausting, right?

This isn’t about what’s best for your skin—it’s about selling more products. The truth? A well-formulated, natural soap can cleanse and nourish your skin without stripping it, so you don’t have to “restore” moisture with 15 other products.

We’ve all seen those ads: “Clinically proven to reduce wrinkles!” But have you ever looked at the fine print?

Most of these “clinical studies” are:

Conducted by the brand itself—so, not exactly neutral.

Tested on a ridiculously small sample size (sometimes as little as 10–20 people).

Measured over a short period (because long-term results are harder to prove).

Basically? It’s often marketing dressed up as science.

We love natural skincare—but we also know the term natural is thrown around way too loosely. There are zero regulations around what qualifies as “natural” or “clean” in the beauty industry, meaning brands can slap these labels on anything.

We’ve seen products labelled “natural” that still contain synthetic preservatives, plastic-based emulsifiers, and other questionable ingredients. If a brand isn’t fully transparent about what’s inside, that “natural” label doesn’t mean much.

Ever heard a brand say something like “Your skin is ageing faster than you think!” or “Toxins are lurking in your skincare!”?

Many beauty brands rely on fear-based marketing—making you feel like something is “wrong” with your skin so they can sell you the solution. The reality? Your skin isn’t the problem. You don’t need to be “fixed” with an endless stream of expensive products.

After 10+ years in the industry, we’re more certain than ever: Skincare doesn’t have to be complicated.

A well-made bar of soap can cleanse, nourish, and protect your skin without unnecessary steps or questionable ingredients. And we want to have more conversations about what really works—without the gimmicks.

One thing we’ve realised is that our best conversations happen when we talk directly to you. So, we’re thinking…

Would you be interested in a private Facebook group? A space where we can chat all things skincare, answer your questions, give you the inside scoop on ingredients, and (yes!) even share exclusive deals with our most engaged customers.

Do you want to see us on Instagram more? We’ve been told we should be dancing and doing trending challenges, but honestly, we’d rather keep things real. More behind-the-scenes, more honest conversations, more useful skincare content—not just noise.

So, what do you think? Would you join a Facebook group? Do you want to see us more on Instagram? Let us know in the comments, send us a message, or hit reply to this if you’re reading via email.

Here’s to skincare without the gimmicks!

Emma xx