How DO you decide what skincare product is going to give you the results you want?
Is what you can get from the supermarket really that much different to what you can get from a chemist, department store, salon or online?
I’m going to give you an outline of what’s out there, so you have the information to make an informed decision on what’s right for you.
Below is a picture showing a simple cross-section of skin with a basic summary of what happens where, and below that is a outline of each product category and which layer it has an effect on.
Below is a picture showing a simple cross-section of skin with a basic summary of what happens where, and below that is a outline of each product category and which layer it has an effect on.
Cosmetics ---- with a “T”
A cosmetic maintains the surface of the skin. This category includes cleansers, toners, masks and moisturisers, and these products are often found online, in supermarkets, department stores and also include many ranges sold through beauty salons..
Cosmetics make up a large segment of the beauty market and cover a huge price range - ranging from $5.00 - $500+ a product.
Classic characteristics of a cosmetic are:
- they feel beautiful on the skin and because they are generally laden with silicone and oils, they give instant relief from dryness.
- they smell great because they generally have added fragrance and colour.
- they may have some active ingredients, but if the truth be known – if those ingredients were in the correct dose and formulated so they could
actually get deep enough to make real changes, they wouldn’t be this easily available.
These products are available ‘over-the-counter’ because they are safe to use by anyone as their ingredients are unable to pass through the "stratum corneum" (the outermost layer of your skin - a mere 0.01mm thick) to access the deeper layers of the skin.
Cosmetics have no real ability to create any structural changes or to deliver any long term results for treatment of more aggressive skin issues such as acne, photo-damage, hyperpigmentation or severe sensitivity.
So cosmetics generally won’t do you any harm, but they’re not going to make any long term changes to your skin either --- making some of them a very pricey “Hope in a Jar” when it comes to resisting the signs of ageing.
Cosmetics make up a large segment of the beauty market and cover a huge price range - ranging from $5.00 - $500+ a product.
Classic characteristics of a cosmetic are:
- they feel beautiful on the skin and because they are generally laden with silicone and oils, they give instant relief from dryness.
- they smell great because they generally have added fragrance and colour.
- they may have some active ingredients, but if the truth be known – if those ingredients were in the correct dose and formulated so they could
actually get deep enough to make real changes, they wouldn’t be this easily available.
These products are available ‘over-the-counter’ because they are safe to use by anyone as their ingredients are unable to pass through the "stratum corneum" (the outermost layer of your skin - a mere 0.01mm thick) to access the deeper layers of the skin.
Cosmetics have no real ability to create any structural changes or to deliver any long term results for treatment of more aggressive skin issues such as acne, photo-damage, hyperpigmentation or severe sensitivity.
So cosmetics generally won’t do you any harm, but they’re not going to make any long term changes to your skin either --- making some of them a very pricey “Hope in a Jar” when it comes to resisting the signs of ageing.
Cosmeceuticals
Cosmeceuticals are cosmetic products that combine cosmetic properties with pharmaceautical benefits.
Dermatological research shows that “the bioactive ingredients used in Cosmeceuticals have benefits beyond the traditional moisturizer…” . So basically what we're hearing here is that, unlike cosmetics that are not formulated to penetrate beyond the protective barrier of the skin, Cosmeceuticals are the first category of skincare that can make a difference to the skin and give results.
These products are backed by the technology that allows active ingredients to reach the ‘working’ layer of your skin – past the "stratum corneum" through to the lower layers of the "epidermis" and to the uppermost part of the "dermis".
Whilst they may look and feel like a cosmetic, they use the right amount of active ingredients to make a visible difference to the skin. Cosmeceutical skincare products are indulgent and relaxing without compromising on results.
This category of products is perfect if you're happy with how your skin looks but want to ensure that it continues to remain as healthy as possible and remain active in producing collagen and elastin to give you the best chance of reducing the signs of ageing.
True Cosmeceuticals are best prescribed by a skincare professional because they contain actives that can be accessed by the skin and be detrimental to skin-health if not used correctly.
For this reason true Cosmeceuticals are only available in professional skin clinics.
Dermatological research shows that “the bioactive ingredients used in Cosmeceuticals have benefits beyond the traditional moisturizer…” . So basically what we're hearing here is that, unlike cosmetics that are not formulated to penetrate beyond the protective barrier of the skin, Cosmeceuticals are the first category of skincare that can make a difference to the skin and give results.
These products are backed by the technology that allows active ingredients to reach the ‘working’ layer of your skin – past the "stratum corneum" through to the lower layers of the "epidermis" and to the uppermost part of the "dermis".
Whilst they may look and feel like a cosmetic, they use the right amount of active ingredients to make a visible difference to the skin. Cosmeceutical skincare products are indulgent and relaxing without compromising on results.
This category of products is perfect if you're happy with how your skin looks but want to ensure that it continues to remain as healthy as possible and remain active in producing collagen and elastin to give you the best chance of reducing the signs of ageing.
True Cosmeceuticals are best prescribed by a skincare professional because they contain actives that can be accessed by the skin and be detrimental to skin-health if not used correctly.
For this reason true Cosmeceuticals are only available in professional skin clinics.
Cosmedics ---- with a 'D'
This category of skincare products are also sometimes referred to as 'DermaCosmeceuticals' or 'Advanced Cosmeceuticals'.
Science and Technology is advancing at a rapid rate and the latest and most up-to-date category of skin care that may be purchased without a
prescription are Cosmedics.
Cosmedics is the bringing together of medical grade actives and cosmetic science and are considered the "heavy weapons" in the industry - for when you don't want to take any chances in ensuring optimal skin health, correcting hyper-pigmentation, acne, scaring and preserving your youth.
This category of products have the ability to target not only present and past skin damage, but also provide the skin with an element of prevention for the future.
They are the acknowledgement of medical science and its entry into the realm of skin treatment. Through medical research scientists have discovered, developed and engineered active ingredients, peptides and antioxidants that have the ability to retain and regain normal skin function and cell optimization.
The exciting recent discovery of biomimetic bases (so advanced that your skin recognises and welcomes the product, increasing absorption of active ingredients) and peptides (allow communication with your cells through chemical messages) as well as the encapsulation of active ingredients together with advanced delivery systems, ensures optimum delivery of these ingredients at a cellular level.
Given that these products are formulated to ensure they delivery of actives to 'living' layers of the skin, it is imperative that you trust that the product you choose to use contains the highest grade and quality ingredients and that you have a good relationship with your qualified skin therapist. Trust is paramount when it comes to Cosmedics.
Cosmedics aren’t skincare—they’re skin medicine.
Cosmedics are based on medically and clinically documented blends of AHAs, Retinoids, Vitamin C, Peptides, Antioxidants and SPF technology.
Potency and encapsulation technology further enhances these actives, enabling them to be delivered to the deepest layers in a way that ensures they are still as potent when they get to the targeted cells as they were when the product was produced.
Due to their potency put into the wrong hands you could end up worse off than before so unlike cosmetics (with a "t") it would be unethical
to make cosmedics (with a "d") available without a full skin assessment and detailed consultation as there are some products and medications that should not be used in conjunction with Cosmedics.
Cosmedics manufacturers require a qualified skin professional to tailor make a personal skin health prescription for every skin, to ensure the actives are introduced to the skin slowly allowing the skin to acclimatise to the actives and avoid sensitisation. Cosmedics may cause visible responses in the skin - almost like a "detox" or "healing crisis", which is all part-and-parcel of an “active” medical-grade action. This is why an open relationship with your therapist is vital, as you should be able to ask any questions about your results and programme at any time.
Commitment and communication are essential to the success of your prescription.
Science and Technology is advancing at a rapid rate and the latest and most up-to-date category of skin care that may be purchased without a
prescription are Cosmedics.
Cosmedics is the bringing together of medical grade actives and cosmetic science and are considered the "heavy weapons" in the industry - for when you don't want to take any chances in ensuring optimal skin health, correcting hyper-pigmentation, acne, scaring and preserving your youth.
This category of products have the ability to target not only present and past skin damage, but also provide the skin with an element of prevention for the future.
They are the acknowledgement of medical science and its entry into the realm of skin treatment. Through medical research scientists have discovered, developed and engineered active ingredients, peptides and antioxidants that have the ability to retain and regain normal skin function and cell optimization.
The exciting recent discovery of biomimetic bases (so advanced that your skin recognises and welcomes the product, increasing absorption of active ingredients) and peptides (allow communication with your cells through chemical messages) as well as the encapsulation of active ingredients together with advanced delivery systems, ensures optimum delivery of these ingredients at a cellular level.
Given that these products are formulated to ensure they delivery of actives to 'living' layers of the skin, it is imperative that you trust that the product you choose to use contains the highest grade and quality ingredients and that you have a good relationship with your qualified skin therapist. Trust is paramount when it comes to Cosmedics.
Cosmedics aren’t skincare—they’re skin medicine.
Cosmedics are based on medically and clinically documented blends of AHAs, Retinoids, Vitamin C, Peptides, Antioxidants and SPF technology.
Potency and encapsulation technology further enhances these actives, enabling them to be delivered to the deepest layers in a way that ensures they are still as potent when they get to the targeted cells as they were when the product was produced.
Due to their potency put into the wrong hands you could end up worse off than before so unlike cosmetics (with a "t") it would be unethical
to make cosmedics (with a "d") available without a full skin assessment and detailed consultation as there are some products and medications that should not be used in conjunction with Cosmedics.
Cosmedics manufacturers require a qualified skin professional to tailor make a personal skin health prescription for every skin, to ensure the actives are introduced to the skin slowly allowing the skin to acclimatise to the actives and avoid sensitisation. Cosmedics may cause visible responses in the skin - almost like a "detox" or "healing crisis", which is all part-and-parcel of an “active” medical-grade action. This is why an open relationship with your therapist is vital, as you should be able to ask any questions about your results and programme at any time.
Commitment and communication are essential to the success of your prescription.
So there you have it ------ Cosmeceuticals and Cosmedics have been developed to combat the five major causes of aging.
Without an active approach, these five causes and their domino effect left untreated will ultimately lead to deterioration of skin health, ultimately resulting in compromised skin function, cellular activity and visible aging.
But before we can treat the signs of ageing , we need to first ensure that your skin is at optimal health and being stimulated and nourished at a cellular level - your skin is a living organ, you have to activate every cell to maintain optimal health.
If you are concerned about the health of your skin or have conditions you'd like to correct, please get in touch for your Skin Health Check.
Without an active approach, these five causes and their domino effect left untreated will ultimately lead to deterioration of skin health, ultimately resulting in compromised skin function, cellular activity and visible aging.
But before we can treat the signs of ageing , we need to first ensure that your skin is at optimal health and being stimulated and nourished at a cellular level - your skin is a living organ, you have to activate every cell to maintain optimal health.
If you are concerned about the health of your skin or have conditions you'd like to correct, please get in touch for your Skin Health Check.
