Reading between the fine lines

Many a times I have picked up an attractive designer bottle of a moisturizer (cream, lotion, serum) but then put it back on the shelf. Every skincare product, be it drugstore or boutique, claim something very close to 'visibly reduce the appearance of fine lines'. They never claim to 'actually' reduce wrinkles or increase skin firmness. Its the look or feel that they address, and this seemed dubious advertising to me.

However, there comes a time in life when... the world wide web of  influencers, bloggers and content creators pull you in. And you find you have issues you did not realize were issues. A spot or a swelling here and there, they can be addressed! Not cured but in all likelihood there is a name for the condition and corresponding products to help it. For someone who does not even wear moisturizer regularly, it was illuminating and here are the some bright starter realizations:

1. Go to dermatologist. The same symptoms may be caused by various different conditions. So the first step is to correctly identifying the issue you want to address. 
2. When you think you have found an ingredient that is good for you, look further. How well tested is it, and how long the effects last. As can be expected in the 140 billion dollar industry, the emphasis is on short term gratification as well as continuous prevention of issues. There are very few ingredients that actually cure the problems.
3. Also try to look for how the ingredient affect your skin color rather than type. There seems to be no official definition for skin type - I started out thinking I have oily combination skin, but am now leaning towards dry. Normal skin does not exist I guess! On the other hand, there is very limited content for skin of color, though I find that my skin issues are very different from the commonly mentioned ones in reviews and websites alike.
4. There are few ingredients that are truly scientifically tested. The main role of the skin is to protects us from microbes and the elements. So just applying an ingredient does not mean it will be absorbed or that it will be converted to a form that is beneficial to the skin health. 
5. Brand matters I guess. I came across so many names I had never heard of, it just does NOT seem dependable to me. While we all dabble in home DIY concoctions for the skin, surely it is not an easy feat to put forth chemical formulations that are tested, even if genuine. The skin is so personal - I made an effort to not give in to my general lazy-easy-does-it attitude.
6. Source your products right. I prefer ones that are sold by the manufacturer on Amazon. I would go as far as not to get products that are sold by multiple sellers, as they may get mixed up in the warehouse. It was a rare moment of clarity when I realized one of the reasons of vastly conflicting reviews was forgery. We know this to be so common in Bangladesh, and with a global marketplace, there is no reason for the same to be true everywhere.
   Second best options I resorted to are large specialty resellers like Sephora and iHerb. I have no idea about the source of products in big box stores like Kroger or Walgreens.