Unless you have a Latin background or a degree in chemistry, checking skin care ingredients is like reading a foreign language. But this language actually has a name – the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). It exists to help create a standardized ingredient name language for labels around the world. Unfortunately, it is not consumer friendly.
Sometimes, manufacturers will give daily consumers a little favor and put more commonly used names in brackets next to scientific names, such as tocopherol (vitamin E). But without such hints, the ingredient list usually looks like a string of strange words separated by commas.
Rather than doing detective work, it is easier to follow the popularity and choose skin beauty products (and ingredients) with fanatical followers, especially in this era when makeup online is popular. But this is not always the best route. There is no universal skin care plan. Jennifer David, MD, a dermatologist specializing in cosmetic dermatology and colored dermatology, explained: “The methods that are effective for your best friend may not be applicable to you.”
For your skin to find the right ingredients of skin beauty products, personalized methods are essential. It takes a little extra time and patience, but it’s worth it.
Fortunately, we consulted a dermatologist to make the whole process less scary. With this information, you will feel that you are a confident consumer and hope to avoid reactive skin disasters when trying new products in the future.
Know your skin type
According to Michel Green, MD, a cosmetic dermatologist, skin type is the most important factor in determining what skin beauty products are most suitable for you. “There are not necessarily bad products, but sometimes people with different skin types use products that are not suitable for their skin types,” Dr. Green said.
People who are prone to acne and sensitive skin need to use the different ingredients in skin beauty products with the most caution. On the other hand, oily skin can handle a wider range of ingredients, sometimes causing acne or irritating other types of skin.
The following are suggestions made by Dr. Green for different skin types:
For oily skin: look for products containing – fruit acid (glycolic acid or salicylic acid), benzoyl peroxide and hyaluronic acid. Dr Green said: “These ingredients can effectively control the production of excess sebum, while hyaluronic acid will only produce hydration in the required areas.”
Dry skin: Look for products containing shea butter and lactic acid. “These ingredients provide moisture and gentle exfoliation, making dry skin look radiant,” Dr. Green said.
For sensitive skin: Look for products containing aloe, oatmeal and shea butter. “They are good humectants and usually do not cause acne,” Dr. Green said.
If you are not 100% sure of your skin type, it is worth seeing a dermatologist to confirm it. Once you know your skin type, you can begin to choose products more accurately.
Don’t believe the hype
Dr. David said: “Packaging and popularity can easily become traps. We should not consider too much weight or value when choosing products that are suitable for our skin.” If you plan to buy products according to the recommendation of friends or online celebrities, you should not only pay attention to how good their skin looks now, but also see what type of skin they used at that time. This will give you a more reliable indicator of whether the product is suitable for you.
In the past few years, popular products such as St Ives apricot scrub cream and a variety of Mario Badescu face cream have faced lawsuits from consumers, who have experienced some very serious adverse reactions. Don’t panic if these products are in your cosmetic drawer – that doesn’t mean they are harmful to everyone. The rebound faced by some popular skin care brands and products can remind us that although some products have won popularity votes, it does not mean that the reason for their popularity is correct or that they are suitable for you.
It is still the best way to check the ingredient list, no matter how much praise or stars the product has on the Internet.
Look for these ingredients
Glycerin: Dr. David says this ingredient is the backbone of moisturizing products.
Patch testing can help determine whether certain products or ingredients can cause allergic reactions, irritate the skin, or clog pores. “I think the key message is: If it deteriorates your skin or irritates your skin, stop using it, it’s not the right product for you,” Dr. Green said.
It takes a little time to test all the ingredients before you start using them, but it can save you a lot of money and grief in the end.
