According to cosmetic dermatologist Michele Green, MD, skin type is the most important factor in determining what skincare products will work best for you. “There are no bad products necessarily, but sometimes people with different skin types use the wrong product for their type of skin,” Dr. Green says. You might have guessed it already, but those with acne-prone and sensitive skin need to be the most cautious with different ingredients in their skincare products. To all the oily skin types out there, you’re actually the winners here: Oily skin can handle a wider range of ingredients that can sometimes trigger breakouts or irritation to other skin types.
If you’re not 100 percent sure what skin type you have, it’s worth a trip to the dermatologist to confirm. Once you understand your skin type, you can start selecting your products with a little more precision.
Dr. David calls this ingredient the backbone of moisturizing products.
Both ingredients are important moisturizing agents that are naturally found in the skin. Dr. David says she prefers hyaluronic acid in the serum form, while she looks for glycerins and ceramides in lotions and creams.
Vitamin C, specifically the l-ascorbic acid form, is an antioxidant that works to reverse damage from UV radiation and stimulate collagen production.
Vitamin E offers similar properties as Vitamin C and works best when the two are combined as a skincare power duo.
Retinol is a key ingredient to seek out in products for your nighttime routine. It works to turnover skin cells and stimulate collagen.
This ingredient is great for controlling oil while also hydrating the skin and evening out skin tone.
Added fragrances have a high prevalence of causing skin allergies and irritation, and it’s especially important to avoid them if you have sensitive skin.
Sulfates are cleansing agents often found in body washes and shampoo. They strip the hair and skin of its natural oil and can, in turn, cause irritation.
Parabens are commonly placed in products as a chemical preservative to prevent bacterial growth. They’re known to be what Dr. David and other industry experts call estrogen mimickers, and they can have a harmful effect over time by throwing off hormonal balance. Dr. David and Dr. Green both caution that this can be especially problematic for young children and those at risk of breast cancer.
It’s rare to see formaldehyde in an ingredient list anymore since it’s classified as a known carcinogen. But Dr. David explains that it’s often replaced with differently named chemicals (quanterium-15, DMDM hydantoin, diazolinge urea, imidazolidinge urea) that release formaldehyde over time to act as preservatives. Dr. David says it’s not confirmed whether or not these ingredients are harmful in this capacity, but it’s worth looking out for them as potential allergens.
Familiar words in the ingredients list can be comforting to see, but it doesn’t always indicate the safest route to take. For example, Dr. David explains that poison ivy is a natural oil, but it’s not one that you would want to rub all over your skin. “I have patients come in pretty frequently with reactions to natural essential oils, so again, it’s one of those things where everyone is unique and you need to do what’s best for yourself uniquely,” Dr. David says. She also warns that seeing the terms natural and organic on a product label is sometimes more of a marketing trick than anything else. Because those terms aren’t regulated and there aren’t specific industry standards for them, they can offer empty promises. Additionally, sometimes a product will be labeled as natural in reference to only one or two of the ingredients on the list.
Once you know what primary ingredients you’re looking to avoid or go after, you’ll want to pay attention to where they fall on the ingredients list. As a good rule of thumb, Dr. David recommends looking at the first five ingredients, since that will often account for about 80 percent of the product’s makeup.
Ingredients will be listed in order of highest to lowest concentration, so if there’s a problematic or potentially irritating ingredient among the first five listed, you’ll want to steer clear of that product. Similarly, if you’re seeking out a product for specific ingredients, but those ingredients are listed at the end, then that product isn’t worth your money. With such a small percentage in the overall product, you won’t experience the benefits of the ingredients at the end of the list.
When it comes to the food we put in our body, we’re often taught to look for a shorter, more familiar ingredients list. While a more abbreviated list can be easier to decipher, it won’t always cut it in terms of what you’re looking to get out of your skincare products.
When you’re looking for anti-aging properties or investing in medical-grade skincare products, the ingredients list will naturally get a bit longer. And Dr. David says that shouldn’t deter you. Instead, call in for a little bit of backup—either from a dermatologist or technology—to help determine if the product is a good choice for you.
A patch test is smart practice in your process of product elimination. Time to take advantage of those tester products. A patch test can help determine if certain products or ingredients will cause allergic reactions, irritate your skin, or clog your pores. “I think the take-home message is: If it’s making your skin worse or irritating your skin in any way, stop using it, it’s not the right product for you,” Dr. Green says
Testing all your ingredients before committing to them takes a little more time at first, but it can save you a whole lot of money and grief in the end.
https://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/how-to-choose-skin-care-products
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