Have you ever cringed reading the ingredient list on your skincare products? Many of us want to be aware of what we put on our faces, but labels can be confusing. Worse yet, many skin care companies try to trick you by making exaggerated claims because they think you don’t know any better. Not anymore… go find a product and read on to become your own cosmetic chemist.
Elements of a skin care product
Let’s start with an understanding of the types of ingredients that typically make up a skin care product. Binding agents are ingredients that help “hold” a product together… most products are made of water and oil (which we know don’t mix well). Glycerin, a common binding agent, helps keep the mixture from separating. Emollients are found on the skin’s surface to prevent water loss. They also fill dehydration lines. There are many emollients, but the most common include aloe, tocopherol, urea, and shea butter. Moisturizers draw moisture into the skin (usually from the air) to smooth the skin and diminish fine lines. Hyaluronic acid, propylene glycol, sodium PCA, and glycerin are common moisturizers. Solvents are designed to dissolve other ingredients and typically include water, oil, and/or alcohol. Preservatives help kill bacteria and prevent the growth of microorganisms. Generally, anything that ends in “paraben” is a preservative (ie methylparaben, propylparaben, etc.). Products without condoms tend to go bad quickly. Lubricants coat the skin and allow the product to glide on smoothly. Silicone, dimethicone, and cyclomethicone are common lubricants. Surfactants are agents that help products lather and typically include sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, or sodium cocyl isethionate. pH adjusters are often included in products to help maintain the correct pH for our skin. When a product has a high pH, our skin can feel tight, dry, and itchy. Commonly used pH adjusters include acetic acid, ascorbic acid, and citric acid.
Ingredients to Avoid
Moving on to an equally important topic: what to avoid in your skin care products! Many companies use these ingredients because they are cheap and foolishly think you won’t taste any better. Mineral oil is widely used, but it is known to be highly comedogenic (meaning it clogs pores and can cause breakouts). Oh, and did we mention that it’s a byproduct of the oil industry? Lanolin should also be avoided…it’s actually sheepskin oil extracted from the wool. Many people have allergic reactions to lanolin, especially eczema sufferers. SD Alcohol can often be found in products for oily skin (and usually has a number after it). It removes oil from the skin and, in the process, removes the protective layer. Oily skin may experience an initial improvement, but the long-term effect is a damaged protective layer and increased oiliness. Fragrance is seen in many products… some people react well to fragrance, many people have reactions. A single fragrance is made up of thousands of elements, so chances are you are allergic to at least one element. The bottom line is: it doesn’t benefit the skin, so why bother? We also stress the importance of avoiding hydroquinone. Lots of skin lightening products use it, but it’s a potential carcinogen! It has been banned in Europe and is under review in the United States.
Fair Packaging and Labeling Act
The Fair Packaging and Labeling Act establishes regulations regarding the order in which ingredients are listed. It states that labels must list ingredients in order from highest to lowest concentration. “Cosmeceuticals” that claim to correct a problem (which most skin care products do), must list the active ingredient before everyone else. For example, many acne products may start with a listing of “Active Ingredient: 2% Salicylic Acid.” All others are listed as “other ingredients” or “inactive ingredients” but don’t let this misleading label fool you…those ingredients still work on your skin (the title is just a formality)! Ingredients with various names are listed by Latin name, followed by the most recognizable English name. For example, “Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract.” Vitamins should be listed by their chemical name so that consumers are not misled into thinking they derive nutritional benefits from topical application. So instead of reading Vitamin C, you can read Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate. We’d also like to point out that ingredient percentages don’t have to be listed on the label, but they can make a big difference in the effectiveness of your product. For example, 2 brands may claim to contain lactic acid, but one may contain 1% and the other 5%. And you better believe that 5% will be more effective!
The natural vs. Organic Discussion
Another marketing trick that people often fall for is labels that indicate that products are “natural” or “organic.” There is a lot of debate on these issues, mainly because there are currently no strict guidelines set by the FDA. Let’s clear up some confusion…companies can claim their products are “natural” as long as they contain some ingredients derived from plants, minerals, or algae (which most do). If you choose to use “natural” products because you want to avoid synthetic ingredients, be sure to read the label and see if the product contains preservatives or any longstanding ingredients you don’t recognize.
“Organic” means that the ingredients are unchanged and there are no additives, chemicals, preservatives, or artificial colors or flavors. You should know that there are 4 levels of organic certification, so many companies take advantage of the lax rules to trick you! If a label claims to be “made from organic ingredients,” that just means that part of the product is organic (which, again, most products are). The only TRULY organic products will have a USDA seal.
So should you go out and buy “natural” or “organic” products? It’s a personal decision, but we’d like to point out that there are endless synthetic ingredients that do amazing things for your skin. For example, hyaluronic acid is made in a lab and is great for hydrating and plumping in fine lines. The list goes on and on. In our experience, non-organic products tend to give much better results and have a much longer shelf life.
exaggerated publicity
We can’t discuss product labels and not mention the misleading claims we often see in the store and hear on TV! There are plenty of reliable, results-oriented lines out there, but don’t feed yourself into the hype of products that promise to erase wrinkles or leave you with perfectly clear skin. A product can help improve your skin topically, but there’s a lot going on below the surface that a product can’t correct with just a few applications. “Anti-aging” is a term that is often thrown around, but we all know that aging is a part of life that we cannot completely avoid. Another marketing ploy is to claim that a product is “Dermatologist Recommended.” Sounds great, but that just means that some doctor, somewhere, said they would recommend the product!
The bottom line is this: there are honest companies, and there are companies that will claim that you are real. It’s up to you to do your research…talk to the pros, ask your friends, and search online for more details on the different lines they include in their products. This is the only skin we will ever have and we owe it to ourselves to keep it healthy and beautiful!