Tag Archives: skin care product labels
“Let me make something very clear… your skin.”
Being an aesthetician for over three decades, I know that taking care of our skin is the ultimate act of self-care. But I’m also a real person with real skin issues of my own, so I know first-hand just how confusing skincare can be. From understanding why you just got hit with a major case of adult acne or keeping abreast of the latest science behind skincare, to figuring out whether the latest buzziest ingredient is the panacea to all your skin woes (as they claim to be), I’m here to help.
I love my clients to bits but here are a few of the common confusions I stumble upon in my conversations with them at the salon.
Not knowing the ingredients in their skincare products.
One thing I find myself asking on every spa visit is “what performance ingredients are you currently using?” The answer is invariably, “I don’t know.”
As consumers, we are inundated with hundreds of skincare products every time we go to the store. And most skincare brands will put certain phrases like hydrating, clarifying, or anti-aging on their labels to grab your attention and stand out in the sea of products. With such simple labeling, it should be easy to find a product that will address your skin concerns, right? Not exactly! Often times you may end up choosing a product that claims to produce a specific result and end up with lackluster results if any at all.
One way to combat this misinformation is to be an ingredient sleuth – be a more informed consumer to find the products that will help in achieving your skincare goals.
Influenced by skinfluencers.
Social media can be a great resource and tool. But sometimes misinformation is circulated as facts, and before-and-after images can be photoshopped. It can be hard to tell who’s spreading dangerous skin care lies and who’s trustworthy… the number of followers does not always mean they know what they are talking about.
While there are skinfluencers that are licensed estheticians or dermatologists, remember that your skin is as unique as you – unique genetics, environmental exposure, and sun damage. Skincare needs to be individualized to your specific skin type. Consult with a board-certified dermatologist or a licensed esthetician who can customize your skincare regimen for optimal results.
Judging a skincare product solely by its ingredients list
The ingredient list on a skincare product can be helpful, especially if you have allergies or sensitivities. They tell you what’s in the product, in a roughly descending order, but not everything. Among the things it doesn’t tell you is the concentration of each ingredient (unless the ingredient is active), how much of the ingredient there is, how the ingredients are formulated together, the grade of an ingredient, and where the brand sources its ingredient.
Furthermore, markers like “dermatologist-tested” or “clinically proven” are fairly prevalent but are actually meaningless as there are no industry standards for designations for terms like these.
Beyond marketing and branding, skincare products are only as good as what they are made of and how they are formulated. The quality and combinations of ingredients are therefore very important. Choosing products from a reputable skincare brand can be helpful since each component may be designed to work in conjunction with the others and you can be more assured of the product’s quality.
Switching products too often
Change can be a good thing… but not when you are switching your skincare products too often. Skincare products take time to do their job. So when you have finally chosen the product for your skin stick with it for at least 3-4 months.
The skin’s outer layer, the epidermis, takes 4 weeks to completely renew. Once your skin goes through this cycle 3-4 times then you’ll have given your skin enough time to start making the real long-term changes and the results more visible.
Oily skin does not equal hydrated skin
It is important to note that although the words “dry” and “dehydrated” are often used interchangeably, the two indicate very different underlying issues when it comes to your skin. While dry skin lacks sebum (something oily complexions have in abundance), dehydrated skin lacks water. If you skip out on regular moisturizing, it can do more harm than good.
It’s important to find a moisturizer that does not add oil to the skin but is hydrating. Look for products that are lightweight and contain water-loving ingredients like linoleic and hyaluronic acid.
Finally, here are a few pieces of advice I repeatedly tell my clients.
- The order of things. You should apply your products starting with the lightest product to applying the heaviest product. Apply cleanser first followed by toner, serum, and moisturizer. During the day, sunscreen and makeup come next.
- Layering is great but don’t overdo it. Your skin doesn’t need six products in the morning and six in the evening. The skin can only absorb so much at one time. Using fewer products ensures better absorption and effectiveness of the ingredients you’re putting on your skin.
- And finally, DON’T PICK!! Doing so could crack, damage, or wound the skin and cause hyperpigmentation. If you feel the need to pick, see a skincare professional.
For more beauty and skincare tips, call us at Skinsense Wellness (323) 653–4701 or email us at skinsense@skinsensewellness.com. And for skincare services, please visit us at 8448 W. Third Street, Los Angeles, CA 90048. We will be happy to see you.
When reading skin care product labels these days it helps to be a chemistry major. However, not all of us are. So here are some useful tips to clue you in to what you are using to look gorgeous every day!
Although most ingredients are listed in order of their concentration, manufacturing companies today are not required to list percentages. So as a general guideline, pay attention to the top five ingredients to inform you of the product’s main functions. Most active ingredients are also listed separately – for example, sunscreens and acne products. But just to confuse the issue, not all active ingredients have to be near the top of the list and can be beneficial at lower levels. Certain botanicals, vitamins A, C and E are good examples of these ingredients.
Know that there is a difference between ‘fragrance free’ and ‘unscented’ products. The first claim means that raw ingredients used have had their odors removed before blending in a formulation and contain no fragrance at all. The second claim refers to a formulation where ‘masking’ or ‘neutralizing’ agents have been added to the formulation to disguise any odor. Although fragrance free products tend to be more costly, the investment is worth it if you have very sensitive skin. Another point to make here – ‘hypoallergenic’ doesn’t necessarily guarantee that the product won’t cause a re-action. Skin can be sensitive to just about anything! I often see a client who has been using the same products for years and suddenly finds that their skin has become sensitive to those trusted products. Anything is possible and it depends on the expertise of your facialist to find a regime that works for you.
Buy date-stamped skin care products when possible or mark the date of purchase yourself especially on those items that last for a while. Products are supposedly manufactured with a shelf life of two years but it is impossible to know when the product was actually sealed and left the factory for distribution or how long it has been shelved. As a general rule and it hotter climates, keep nothing past six months ( prescription and highly active products no longer than three months) and buy what you need rather than stock piling products. As a precautionary measure, store unopened products in the refrigerator.
Skin is a mixture of oil and water. Therefore an oil-free formulation has to have something in it that will adhere to the skin. Silicone is generally a good substitute in these cases. If you have a real problem with oils, use serums, water based products or powder formulations.
Word to the wise – all products claiming to be organic are not created equal!! Great as they are, by nature, organic formulas tend to show some inconsistencies in both texture and smell with each new batch. Well formulated cosmeceuticals tend to be more consistent and just because you can’t pronounce an ingredient doesn’t mean it is a bad addition to a product. Some of those chemicals are extremely necessary and most are completely harmless. When shopping for organic, look for the NSF and USDA symbols both of which guarantee high organic content in the formulas.
Whatever you use keep in mind that during the day your products should hydrate and protect. At night they should correct and treat.
