How skincare products work. Basic understanding of the skin.
Do you ever wonder how effective your skin care products are? There are many attractive claims, myths and promises as it comes to cosmetics. But really, what makes some products more efficient than others? Does the secret lie in naturally derived ingredients, or synthetic chemistry, or maybe it is in the latest inventions using animal and human parts (yes, unfortunately that is not science fiction, it does happen)? These were the questions I had, before I started formulating my own skin care. The deeper I dug the clearer it became to me, that the most important factor was to truly understand the skin structure and its functions.
Today, I would like to take you on a little journey, to look at the skin and cosmetic science. That will help you to become a savvy consumer and make smart decisions when investing in skin care products, instead of just trusting the clever claims on the shiny labels.
Skin is more than just a waterproof cover for the body. It has several important functions:
Temperature regulation,
Protection from foreign objects,
Immune defence system,
Elimination - sweating out waste products,
Environmental barrier,
Sensory nerves are abundant on the skin as well.
Skin consists of three main layers: epidermis, dermis and hypodermis. The outer layer of the skin - epidermis is made of dry flat cells and acts as physical protection. This layer sheds continuously ( it slows down with age), and new cells replace the aged ones. Dermis is the main layer of the skin, and it consists of collagen and elastin. Hypodermis contains collagen and fat cells and functions as insulation, padding, and gives plumpness for the skin.
So what do we need in skincare products to be effective?
There are few categories in skin care: cleansing, toning, exfoliation, nourishing ( hydrating, moisture, firming…) and protection (SPF). Products in each of these categories require specific characteristics and molecular structure for the highest performance. Let's go through all the skin care product categories to determine each. I will give you an idea what to avoid and what ingredients to look for in skincare products. Besides the harmful chemicals such as:
Petroleum comes from crude oil. There is a risk of contamination from polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAHs), cancer-causing chemicals found in crude oil and its by-products. European Union put numerous grades of petroleum ( also known as petrolatum) on a list of dangerous substances.
Parabens. Exposure to parabens may lead to breast cancer and hormone disruption.
Formaldehyde is a colorless, flammable gas. Widely used as preservatives in skincare and cosmetics, makeup, lotions, and deodorants as well as other selfcare products. It can cause skin irritation, difficulty breathing, teary eyes and burning inside of the nose. According to The International Cancer Research Agency, formaldehyde is classified as a human carcinogen.
PEGs (polyethylene glycols) compounds are used as thickeners and softeners, and absorption enhancers, which allows both good and harmful ingredients to be absorbed into deeper layers of skin. Bad part - PEGs can reduce the skin’s moisture levels and speed up skin aging.
Sulfates are known to strip away skin’s moisture, protective barrier, and irritate the skin.
Phthalates are known to be endocrine disruptors that are linked to breast cancer and reproductive birth defects in males and females. It can be hard to know if Phthalates are in your skincare products because it might hide under word "fragrances".
Fragrance, without you even knowing, can irritate skin, have toxic hormonal effects, and may even cause cancer. There could be up to 100 different ingredients under just one word “fragrance”. Companies are protected by law and are not required to disclose all the ingredients in fragrance.
Phenoxyethanol is allowed to be used in organic certified skincare products, and it is actually very harmful. It is harmful if swallowed, inhaled or absorbed through skin. Phenoxyethanol can have an effect on the brain and the central nervous system. It irritates skin and eyes, and can cause blistering on skin.
There are other ingredients often included in skincare products that could harm your skin. I will list them in each skincare product category.
Cleanser.
Ingredients to avoid: abrasive particles, water, synthetic acids, alcohol.
Ingredients to look for: hydrosols, enzymes, charcoal, essential oils, cleansing oils, algae.
Skin cleansers don't need to penetrate deep layers of the skin to be a great cleanser. The importance here is to know whether skin is dry, oily, or sensitive while choosing the appropriate cleanser. Another criteria is the area you live in, some climates are much drier than others. Most importantly, is that the cleanser would not be drying the skin or contain harsh ingredients such as synthetic acids or abrasive particles, which would damage the skin’s barrier and dehydrate/tighten the skin. Oil based cleansers are a great option for any skin type, because our skin is not oil free. Our skin’s oil - sebum - bonds with oil in the cleanser and removes topical impurities. Another great ingredient to look for in cleansers are mild enzymes, which help to “digest” old sebum and soften the skin. Topical pollution can be irritating and prematurely aging the skin, so having activated charcoal is a must in one of your cleansers.I do recommend having two different cleansers to alternate in between or do a double cleanse.
Toners
Ingredients to avoid: water, alcohol, synthetic acids.
Ingredients to look for: hydrosols, juices, essential oils, extracts.
This is a category often overlooked. Since toners are liquid mists, it makes the ingredient delivery almost immediate. Avoid harsh chemicals, as it can be too drying to the skin. Benefits will depend on ingredients. It can be hydrating, astringent, antibacterial or soothing for sensitive, dry and inflamed or sunburned skin.
Exfoliation
Ingredients to avoid: salt, sugar, sharp edged nut shells.
Ingredients to look for: enzymes, round particles, fruit enzymes, charcoal.
As I mentioned before, the top layer of the skin sheds constantly, but it does slow down with age. Exfoliation becomes an important part of skin care maintenance, because there is no benefit of saturating this “dead” skin layer with expensive products as serums, oils and moisturizers. No harsh ingredients are needed in this step either. Enzymes, fruit acids and mild abrasive particles in exfoliating products are enough to help skin to shed the loose cells. For deeper exfoliation I recommend seeing a licenced esthetician.
Serums
Ingredients to avoid: retinol, synthetic barrier disruptors (propylene glycol, Phosphatidylcholine), Hydroquinone (skin bleaching).
Ingredients to look for: hyaluronic acid, peptides, extracts, plant stem cells, vitamins, juices, plant gels, oxygenating ingredients, antioxidants.
Many people will have a question why I do not recommend retinol. Most dermatologists and many estheticians recommend and use retinol products to help acne and reverse signs of ageing. Due to the high demand, many skincare companies developed products with this ingredient. Retinol is a vitamin A derivative. The names are: tretinoin (prescription strength), retinol, retinal, and retinol palmitate. How does it work? It speeds up cell division, making the cells come up to the skin surface quicker, basically it is rapid skin exfoliation. The skin cell life span shortens, which causes the skin weakening. The more and longer the retinol is being used, the more deficient the skin barrier becomes. It causes skin to be overly dry, sensitive and flaky. Skin becomes extremely sensitive to UV rays ( burning and possibly causing cancer). According to Mervyn Patterson, a cosmetic doctor at Woodford Medical, “cells can only divide about 50 times, so if you plaster retinol on in your 20s, 30s and 40s, you could be depleting healthy cell divisions that you really should be storing further down your lifetime.” Over exfoliating with harsh chemicals causes a similar effect.
Products in this category play a huge role in keeping skin nourished and healthy. They are only effective if they can pass through the top layer (epidermis) of the skin. For a serum to help with collagen production, it will have to make it all the way into dermis, while brightening ingredients will have to reach as deep as hypodermis. In order for ingredients to penetrate through the top layer of the skin (epidermis), the particles have to be under 500 Dalton.
Of course, we cannot and should not expect all 100% of the ingredients to penetrate into deep layers of the skin, just the active ingredients that are focused on certain benefits. For example: brightening, antibacterial, collagen production and cell regeneration enhancers, deep hydration,
Ingredients have different purposes: some penetrate deep and some serve as an occlusive or protective agent.
Oils & Moisturizers
Ingredients to avoid: mineral oil, petrolatum products, non vegetable glycerin.
Ingredients to look for: cold pressed organic oils extracted from nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables and fruit skin. Examples of oils beneficial for the skin: Argan, Goji Berry, Prickly Pear Seed, Tomato, Baobab, sunflower, sesame...
Masks
Ingredients to avoid: synthetic acids, Hydroquinone (skin bleaching), synthetic color.
Ingredients to look for: the sky's the limit when it comes to beneficial ingredients in masks! Clays, peptides, oils, enzymes, fruit acids, aloe vera, superfood powders, juices, extracts, charcoal, hyaluronic acid.
To summarize, skincare ingredients do matter for the results you want to achieve and for your health. My intention is to share my knowledge with you, so you can make better choices. I am not saying that the products that I formulate and make are the only good products on the market. I never liked comparing my products to other brands to prove which ones are better. Look for results, facts and integrity of the ingredients.
Diana Ralys
Owner of Radiance Wellness Spa
Formulator of
Diana Ralys Skin Health products
Licensed Esthetician
Certified Oncology Esthetican
Certified Integratic Health Coach
Certified Drugless Practitioner
Reiki Master Practitioner
Published Author
Inspirational Speaker