Finding the right skincare routine can give you a glow-up while also enhancing your skin health. Yet when you walk into a beauty supply store like Ulta, the sheer volume of options can make it hard to separate those skin-perfecting products from dermal duds. Allissa Warneke, LE, a licensed esthetician and beauty content creator, says that not all brands on offer at Ulta are worth your money—and even warns that some products can do more harm than good. She recently took to TikTok to share the brands that she categorically avoids, saying there are seven popular products that she would "absolutely never" put on her skin.
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1. Drunk Elephant
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With a cult following on social media, Drunk Elephant has recently risen to beauty-world fame. Warneke says she’s often asked about the it-girl skincare brand but has an unpopular opinion on these popular products.
“I would not recommend this brand mostly because their target audience is really young, and they use a lot of actives in their products with little direction,” she shares in her TikTok video. “It’s also super, super expensive, so at this point, just invest in the medical-grade, and you’ll get what you pay for.”
2. Mario Badescu
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Another brand that Warneke suggests avoiding is Mario Badescu, a botanical-based skincare line.
“I have never seen anyone with good, healthy skin say that they use Mario Badescu. It’s so full of fragrance and alcohol,” she says, adding that it’s “drying on the skin.” Warneke is not alone in her unfavorable review, either.
In a recent YouTube post, medical esthetician and model Cassandra Bankson recently said that estheticians “hate” Mario Badescu’s Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater in particular. “Out of all of the skincare that exists, this is one product that I can’t stand,” she said, explaining that it irritates sensitive skin.
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3. RoC
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Endorsed by celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, RoC punches above its weight as a drugstore brand.
However, Warneke says she recommends against this skincare line and those of comparable quality. “Drugstore brand retinoids are just typically not concentrated enough and can do more harm than good,” the esthetician cautions.
4. Thayers
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Witch hazel was once hailed as a skincare staple, but many dermatologists now say that the ingredient can lead to irritation. That’s why Warneke says she never uses products from the skincare brand Thayers.
“This entire line is witch hazel-based,” she explains. “Witch hazel is extremely drying to the skin—it’s going to do more harm than good, and it’s not going to get rid of your acne.”
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5. I Dew Care
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Unless you’re paying close attention to the ingredients list on your skincare products, chances are you’re being swayed by marketing ploys over actual beauty benefits.
“I hate when a brand is really cute but just bad,” says Warneke, singling out the brand I Dew Care as a prime example. “This is just full of fragrance and a bunch of stuff that your skin doesn’t need, especially in these peel-off masks.”
6. The Ordinary
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The Ordinary bills itself as a beauty line that marries “integrity” with “innovation” at an approachable price point. However, the skincare expert says you’d be better off keeping your purse strings closed.
“I do not recommend The Ordinary. I’ve never seen good results from it—I think it’s just cheap and not worth it,” Warneke says.
