What should I know about skin care product marketing?

There is no substance on earth that is "hypoallergenic" to all people in all circumstances. I never use this term because I believe it is misleading. It is great to say that a product is nut-free, fragrance- or chemical-free, or free of other common allergens. But hypoallergenic is too broad and impossible to prove.

The term "natural" in cosmetics is unregulated. It is best for consumers to educate themselves so that they can read a label and decide for themselves if a product labelled natural is as natural as they would like to use. I have gone into big brand stores and been told that every product the company makes is 100% natural. I ask questions like, “Where does the paraben tree grow?” when I read labels. This generally stumps the salespeople, because they are just repeating what they have been trained to say. I highly recommend Ruth Winter’s book, “The Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients.”

We are more aware of food labeling and should be of skin care labeling also.

The labeling of products is very deceiving. For example, it is almost impossible to get a 100% organic product. What you may have on a label is “100% organic active ingredients,” meaning there could be 3 active ingredients that are organic but buffered with other ingredients that may be 90% of the total volume!

To avoid confusion I would not buy off the shelf. I would go to a spa or salon and have a consultation and be guided by an experienced therapist.

There are many terms used in marketing skin care products. The most commonly used are “oil-free” and “non-comedogenic.” In fact, these terms are not regulatory and no federally regulated test dictates their use.

These terms date back to a time when comedogenicity (clogging of pores) was determined by the response to applying product to the ears of rabbits. There was a grading system based on the clogging response to the product. Fortunately, this type of testing is no longer done.

“Oil-free” dates back to a time when mineral oil was industrial grade and extremely thick, impure and clogging. This has resulted in the demonization of mineral oil; you hear this repeated again and again even by dermatologists. Today, if mineral oil is used in cosmetic formulations, it is of a fine cosmetic grade that is completely different than the mineral oil originally responsible for the term.

• The high priced stores will have expensive anti-aging products which are basically the same as more reasonably priced products at a regular pharmacy or department store.
  • Read the labels and compare!
• Also, the SPF number is not as important as the number of applications. Many sun blocks degrade in an hour or two even though they have high sun protection factors.
  • Reapply frequently.

The majority of skin care treatments make inflated claims based on little to none clinical research. Choose a physician you can trust to sort through all of the new research, and then follow their recommendations religiously for long-term, best health and beauty results.

There is a huge myth out there that the words 'hypoallergenic' on a product mean that the product is especially good for sensitive skin. The word 'hypoallergenic' simply means that the cosmetic manufacturer decided not to include certain ingredients that they thought a person with sensitive skin might react to. It does not necessarily indicate testing or that you won't react to the product. Additionally, there is absolutely no government regulation in the USA around products for sensitive skin or 'hypoallergenic' products. In fact the FDA says the following on their website (www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/cos-224.html),

“Hypoallergenic cosmetics are products that manufacturers claim produce fewer allergic reactions than other cosmetic products. Consumers with hypersensitive skin, and even those with "normal" skin, may be led to believe that these products will be gentler to their skin than non-hypoallergenic cosmetics. There are no Federal standards or definitions that govern the use of the term "hypoallergenic." The term means whatever a particular company wants it to mean. Manufacturers of cosmetics labeled as hypoallergenic are not required to submit substantiation of their hypoallergenicity claims to FDA. The term "hypoallergenic" may have considerable market value in promoting cosmetic products to consumers on a retail basis, but dermatologists say it has very little meaning."

If you have sensitive skin, you may use the words 'hypoallergenic' as a starting point to evaluate a product. However, don’t place much emphasis on this. "Know thy self" and "educate thy self" are better places to start. If you are sensitive, try to identify what kinds of products you react to and find products with less ingredients to help you narrow you're your allergies further.

Use resources like:

• www.safecosmetics.org
• EWG's www.cosmeticdatabase.com and look for products that are in the 'green/safe' range in their cosmetic safety database.
  • This database includes the majority of cosmetic products available today and uses 50 different toxicology and comparative chemical/ingredient databases from not only the USA but other non-profits and countries around the world.
  • As an independent resource, each ingredient in each product is evaluated for safety and takes into consideration if the product’s ingredients have been tested in deemed 'sensitizers' or allergy producers.

If you know that you are sensitive, it's always advisable to try a sample first and do a patch test on your neck, or jaw if possible to test for a reaction. Make sure if you plan this so you don't test on yourself before a big event! Again, like anything you consume, you should investigate your products and educate yourself to empower yourself for every purchase you make.