Is it reasonable to focus solely on ingredients in skin care products?
Unreasonable. Because just looking at the ingredient list, it is easy to say that this ingredient is bad and that ingredient is bad, which is inaccurate.
For example, NaOH, many people say it is harmful and will corrode the skin, but it is not that simple. NaOH is commonly known as caustic soda. When people hear this word, they will literally feel that it is harmful to the skin, but they do not know that in cosmetics, strong alkalis such as NaOH and KOH are commonly used raw materials. For example, our commonly used soap facial cleansers and soap shower gels all need them to neutralize fatty acids. In this case, the alkali has neutralized the acid and turned into a salt. Some lotions will add trace amounts of KOH and NaOH to soften cuticles.
The state has clear regulations on the raw materials that can be used in cosmetics. KOH and NaOH are both state-licensed raw materials. Whether the product is corrosive is related to the alkali concentration and pH value.
So you cannot say whether a skin care product is good or bad just by looking at a certain ingredient. Another issue is the concentration ratio of ingredients. Currently, most brands list the complete ingredient list of skin care products on the packaging, but you don’t know the concentration ratio. For the same ingredients, if the concentration ratio is slightly different, the effect of the prepared skin care products will be completely different. This is why skin care product manufacturers dare to publish ingredients without worrying that you can prepare exactly the same skin care with this ingredient list. This ratio is a trade secret of skin care product manufacturers and cannot be disclosed to you. Not to mention that ordinary netizens do not have the ability to test this ratio. It is difficult for even professionals to 100% replicate a skin care product.
So it is really biased to judge the quality of skin care products simply by mastering some knowledge of ingredients before using them. For example, if a moisturizing skin care product contains hyaluronic acid, its concentration must reach a certain ratio to have a good moisturizing effect. If the concentration inside is very low, even if it is contained, it will be of little use.
Ingredient grade is the top secret in the beauty industry. In addition to the concentration of the ingredient, the grade of the ingredient is also a secret that will not be revealed in the ingredient list. Because the ingredients and raw materials are also divided into grades and types. Especially for plant extracts, due to different solvents, different extraction methods, and different degrees of purification, the same name in the ingredient list may mean completely different functions.
The same "hyaluronic acid" has different grades ranging from hundreds of thousands of yuan to tens of thousands of yuan. There are also differences in large molecules and small molecules. Finally, it appears in different brands, which is reflected in the actual price. Of course, the moisturizing effect during use cannot be the same.
The size of the "soluble collagen" molecules also makes the moisturizing effect on the skin different. Of course, the raw material prices are also quite different.
The same "lavender essential oil" but different types and different origins have completely different skin care effects on lavender.
The order in which the ingredients are added and the production method also have a great impact, because the order in which the ingredients are added and the production method are different, which also directly affects the final product.
The production process is a secret that is not passed down by the manufacturer. Therefore, even if the exact formula is used and the ingredients are exactly the same, the exact same skin care products cannot be produced. This shows that in addition to the concentration of ingredients, the manufacturing process of skin care products is also very important.
The ingredient list has many limitations. There are too many secrets that the ingredient list cannot tell us. However, without looking at the ingredient list, there are more limitations and consumers will be more confused. After all, this is the only relatively credible source of information on the product. Therefore, only by understanding these limitations can we correctly choose the product that suits us. But it is never easy to judge the quality of a skin care product just from the ingredient list.
I hope to get rid of the misunderstandings about ingredients on the Internet, so that the ingredient list becomes only a partial reference for choosing skin care products. Choose skin care products based on many comprehensive factors such as ingredients, your own skin type, and actual use effects. That's the best strategy.