One good thing that has come out of the recent awareness of using proper skincare, is the importance of the ingredient list. At one time, it was nigh impossible to find the ingredient list of any product online, unless you buy it, and get it off the packaging. Today, most websites will list their ingredients, or if not, one of their retailers will. That said, today, there are still brands (I came across a local one during a product launch) that do not print their ingredient list on the box. Needless to say, I will not use their products for the simple reason, I won’t trust a brand that isn’t up front about what’s in their products. I’m not even sure that it’s legal.
Consumers are becoming more savvy and educated, and retailers are recognising this. To me, this is a good thing. It is always good for us to know what is in a product before we buy it. Perhaps you are aware of an ingredient that your skin is sensitive to. You will want to avoid it, and knowing that it is in a particular product helps you decide whether to purchase it.
It is very much like reading the ingredient lists of packaged food and drinks. What is in there can be educational. A 100% fruit juice carton sounds like it could be freshly squeezed juice, until you look at the ingredient list and realize that it’s made from concentrate and enhanced with flavouring. It isn’t technically wrong, but it can be misleading. Or perhaps, a sugar-free product makes you think it’s healthier, but it contains sugar substitutes like aspartame. In skincare, we will usually see words used like “Dermatologically tested” or “Hypoallerganic” What do they mean? Very little, to be honest. It all lies in what’s in the ingredient list.
Ingredient lists help us make a more informed choice. So how is it I’m saying that it could be a bad thing?
Well, I say so, because there are people who take these lists way too seriously. I have faced more than a few people who are disdainful of a product I may enjoy using, on the grounds that the ingredient list does not look “good” <- their words. When I ask if they may have tested the product, or at least tried the texture, or why they say so, they say they haven’t. But they can “tell from the ingredients that it’s not good” so it’s not worth trying.
This is where I say that a little knowledge may not always be a good thing.
Unless we are cosmetic chemists, I don’t think it’s possible to tell, just from reading a list of product ingredients, if a product will suit your skin, or if it is “good” for you, or if it is a good product in general. I’m not even sure if a cosmetic scientist can tell with accuracy. Sometimes, an ingredient list may boast a host of beneficial ingredients, that on its surface, makes it the best product you can use to achieve results. But perhaps, the formulation is poor so it is thick and goopy, and uncomfortable, or it smells like rotten eggs. Would you still want to put it on your face?
I personally believe that a big part of a product’s efficacy lies in its ingredients. But there is the other part that cannot be discounted – sensorial pleasure. If the texture of a product is uncomfortable or smells like rotten fish, you will be less likely to want to use it regularly. If the product formulation feels uncomfortable on your skin (a good example is The Ordinary Vitamin C), you’d not want to continue using it (I didn’t). No matter how good the ingredients are, you just won’t feel comfortable with it on your face. By contrast, perhaps there is a product with fewer “good” ingredients, but which feel comfortable on your skin. You’d be more likely to continue using it, and it is this regular use that will deliver benefits to your skin.
I’ll use The Ordinary as an example. The ingredient lists for their products are generally quite short (because short is good, according to common belief) and the ingredients they use are known to be effective, while affordable. However, my experience with their products has shown me that their formulation leaves a lot to be desired in terms of delivering sensorial pleasure, and also was incompatible with my skin. For example, The Ordinary Advanced Retinoid I tried once before broke me out. But its active ingredient, Hydroxypinacolone Retinoate, is similar to that found in the Mad Hippie Vitamin A Serum, and I derived significant benefits from using that one. If I don’t enjoy a product, the odds are, I won’t use it as often as I should. Perhaps you say that that should be secondary; if I love skincare I should love anything that is good, regardless of how it feels. Well, sorry mate, I’m also human, not a machine and not a lab rat.
For this reason, when I am doing my research into a new brand or new product, I look to sites that not only talk about how good an ingredient is, but also tell you what the product is like in terms of texture and scent. I have the utmost respect for websites like Beautypedia, that I often reference, but also often disagree with their views. Quite often, their views are premised upon reviewing the list of ingredients for a product, not the product itself. I have my beef too with sites that purport to dissect ingredient lists without looking at the product as a whole.
For this reason, while I may also disagree with some opinions of Caroline Hirons (don’t take her sunscreen advice for one – always, ALWAYS wear sunscreen) I trust her judgement of products better, because she tries them, she understands what ingredients work, and she approaches skincare as a consumer would. She has disagreed with the views expressed by Paula Begoun (owner of Paula’s Choice, and who used to run Beautypedia) as well, so I balance off those conflicting views and make my own decisions.
I naturally take every opinion out there with a grain of salt (and you should too – do your own research). All I’m saying is, an ingredient list is like a guidepost. It points you in the direction of where you want to go, and it may give an indication of potential pitfalls along the way. But it does not tell you what the condition of the road is, nor does it tell you what you may see along the way. You’d only know if you choose to take that road.
With skincare therefore, my approach is always to test the product itself, so I know how it reacts on my skin. Quite often, I only take a cursory glance at the ingredient list, to have an idea of what is in there, or what ingredient might irritate. With sunscreen, I need to know what their UV blockers are. But I don’t go through it with a fine-tooth comb. I use products some people sneer at, but which to me helps my skin. I have also used products that have good ratings from ingredient lists peepers, but which break me out.
I usually don’t look at the ingredient list again until I absolutely have to (or I write a review, in which case, I always include the ingredient list where I can find it, to satisfy the peepers). I count myself lucky that my skin is not too sensitive to many cosmetic ingredients. If I had more sensitive or reactive skin, I would likely be more careful about reading ingredient lists.
Of course, in all this time, I have worked out what I like in skincare, and what ingredients I should look out for. For example, silicones in skincare do not trouble my skin, but I do not like it when a product has too much slip. So, I watch out for silicones in creams, not because of whether it’s good or bad, but because of how it affects the texture. Similarly, mineral oil or petroleum derivatives. Opinions vary as to whether it is good or bad for your skin. But I try not to use products with mineral oil or petroleum derivatives because often, the texture feels heavier than I’m comfortable with. There are exceptions, as with everything. A note about alcohol – I use products with alcohol. Not all alcohol is bad so there’s no need to go into a tizz about spotting alcohol in the ingredient list. But it will be something else for another day.
I’m not saying that we should remain ignorant about what goes in the products we use on our skin. I’m all for educating ourselves. All I’m saying is that it doesn’t have to be so clinical. The ingredient list is not the be-all-end-all of your enjoyment of a cosmetics product. Neither does it determine if a product will work on your skin. Science can explain a lot, but there is also a lot that science cannot explain. Sometimes, we have to look a little beyond the list, and try not to be a buzzkill. If someone enjoys a product that may be perceived to be “bad”, let them. Maybe, point them in the direction of a similar product that is better for when they are looking for a change.
What bums me are science warriors who may not even be trained in the subject, who strut about, taking people down, and killing your enjoyment of a product. People who tell you “The ingredients don’t justify the price of the cream, why pay so much for crap” *stomp**prissy sneer*. Just stop that. There are nicer ways to say these things. Try “How about trying Y product. It has similar ingredients but isn’t as expensive” or “Maybe try X product next, the ingredients look more promising”.
I’ve tried to change minds about using sunscreen daily. Yet, I still get longtime readers, and friends who have heard me preach it, tell me “I still don’t wear sunscreen everyday” At one time, I’d nag at them and be all huffy and pious, pursing my lips and going “tsk tsk, how can?!”. Now, I just say, “It’s your choice” because at the end of the day, that’s what it comes down to – Our choice. And no one should tell us any different.
So, read ingredient lists, and educate yourself. But don’t go around throwing it in other people’s faces. Sometimes, there is more to life than a perceived “clean” list of ingredients.
Do you read product ingredient lists and does it affect your choices?
I try to. I’m not an expert (of course, I’m not trained) but I have learnt to identify some ingredients that work for me, or that I should avoid. I don’t believe in a magic pill, or magic ingredients. I feel sometimes, it is about how it is combined that makes one product work better than another, and that is something I find out best after actually using it. Above all, I try not to preach at anyone. Let us enjoy our skincare – we all make our own choices 🙂
Paris B
I won’t purchase a product unless they have a clear ingredient list and that also means I won’t purchase Korean or Japanese beauty products no matter how acclaimed they may be if I am unable to read the ingredient list because it isn’t in English.
I agree that there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to ingredients and the most pertinent thing is whether there is any ingredient within the product that may not sit specifically well with you. I’m the opposite of you in that my skin doesn’t tolerate high levels of silicones well at all. However, it can deal with the product (I suspect from experience) IF the silicones are not of a significant amount. So, sometimes it isn’t about the ingredient itself but rather the amount of content of it in the product.
Ultimately, you need to know your own skin and do your own research. Like you, I compare notes and reviews from various resources and get acquainted with the arguments for and against before I make up my mind.
I also would like to point out that R&D is always ongoing so the science people in the beauty industry might find out that something that was touted as being beneficial in the past turns out to not be that beneficial after all and vice versa. This occurs across the board, not just in beauty products. I mean, at one point in time, eggs were apparently the devil’s food and now, every health guru advocates eggs as a power food. Talcum powder used to be puffed on liberally on babies and kids and now, it’s denounced as the devil’s snuff. So there you go! Research is important!
Yes, sadly the Korean and Japanese don’t print their ingredient lists in English (unless it is sold by official channels, in which case, they’d stick something over with the English ingredients) But with sensitive skin, it’s wisest to know what’s in there first before trying. I think there’s just too many smart alecs out there these days, who just because they know a little bit, proclaim to be experts. You can never discount the fact that each person’s skin reacts differently to different ingredients, combination of ingredients, and just things in general. And yes, R&D is ongoing, and science changes all the time, and new ingredients are being discovered all the time too. I refuse to listen to any health people. It’s all hokum if you ask me LOL! I just go at it my own way – eat in moderation, but eat everything. Heck, life is too short! 😛
Can’t agree more re: makan everything in moderation! I was just having a chat with a friend this morning and she mentioned trying out cauliflower fried rice. That prompted me to ask if she was considering the in-trend keto diet to which she replied “I can’t! I love food too much!”LOL! I knew that would be her answer by the way -just saja pulling her leg. That pretty much sums up my diet philosophy as well!
LOL I was curious about cauliflower fried rice myself. But there is so much work involved, I’d just make rice with erm… rice 😛 And yes, I just read a study today from Helsinki that said a healthy diet involves eating balanced meals regularly, not skipping meals. Well, I subscribe to that! I don’t eat large meals, but I try to make sure I eat my meals (about 2 main meals a day, since I’m terrible about breakfast) and I think that’s ultimately best for our health.
Yes! Great post Paris 🙂 I’m always researching not only what ingredients do – but what combinations of ingredients and delivery systems work best. Whether they will actually work on my skin is another matter lol!
But I totally get what you mean re ‘good’ and ‘bad’ ingredients. It’s like the bad rep alcohol has, when really, if you have other hydrating ingredients in the formula, they should offset any dryness you would experience from the alcohol. It also acts as a fantastic transporter of ingredients and can be HYDRATING as crazy as that may seem at first. This is because they can act as slip agents and/or emollients, allowing faster and deeper penetration of other ingredients into the epidermis. Futurederm recommends the 4 C’s in terms of hydrating alcohols in skincare – stearyl alcohol, cetearyl alcohol, cetyl alcohol, cetostearyl alcohol, and the C12-15 alcohols. And yet you will have people go on and on and on about how bad alcohol is.
Obviously if you are allergic to an ingredient, it’s bad for you.
I’m by no means a chemist or expert, but even dermatologists can disagree about different ingredients, so again, it’s what works for you 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it Sylvia! 🙂 Yes, alcohol gets so much bad rep, but we are seeing many more people now saying that it depends on the type of alcohol used in the product. Not all of it is bad. But this is where a little knowledge is a bad thing, because most people will just take the easy way out, and avoid all mention of alcohol! That will actually result in some pretty uncomfortable formula that might not even work. I’m all for educating ourselves, but not without forgetting about reason altogether. And that’s what I’m seeing a lot of these days – people who just preach and regurgitate what they have read, without thinking through it for themselves, and then sowing confusion. Ultimately, with skincare, it comes down to the person using it. If it breaks you out, even if it’s chockfull of good stuff that works on everyone else, bin it! No science to that LOL!
Hi! can i check where you bought your p50?
Hi you can buy it at Mandarin Oriental Spa in KL – or you can read more here for an alternative.
Excellent, thoughtful points. Great post!
Thank you, glad you enjoyed it 🙂
Yes, I absolutely read ingredients and even make notes so I can compare brands. I also read reviews of others’ experiences and learn a lot that way. Thanks for your thoughtful post!
Thank you for sharing Mary 🙂 Reading and educating ourselves about the ingredients in products is a good thing. But it is also good to be mindful that sometimes, that’s not the be-all-end-all of the product’s efficacy on your own skin, so never discount that too! 🙂
Oh I SO agree on the sensorial experience part! Yes, ingredient lists are important and helpful in letting us know what goes on our skin, and that skincare nerd in me loves running them through CosDNA so I can screen for serious triggers. But they’re a starting point and not an ending point for me- there have been cases where a cleanser has some mild acne triggers on CosDNA but works for me (REN clearcalm clarifying clay cleanser) and a product that looks perfect on paper that does nothing for me ( Benton snail bee high content skin). Skincare is so personal, what can work for one can be useless for another, so let’s not preach- just recommend or share your opinion!
!! I posted a comment below about CosDNA as well but you should also check SkinCarisma too. It is my new fav and a lot of ladies on Malay twitter have been using it lately.
Absolutely right Skygazer. Sometimes, it isn’t only about what’s in there, but how it is combined and maybe even where the ingredient is sourced. Perhaps, it’s a different sized molecule. They don’t share these sort of info. The only real way to know if a product works for you is to try it. Granted, doing some research helps of course. I usually like to do some random searches, to see what a rough sampling of people who have used it think. If most of them complain of irritation or breakouts, then I’m more careful. But I may still buy and use it, if I’m really interested. I’m just really tired of people preaching away, especially when it comes to technical things like this, and when they aren’t trained, just enthusiasts!
Love the post Paris! Of course I read ingredient lists! 🙂 I agree with many things you talk about like you can’t know everything about a cosmetic from just the ingredient list but it is one thing that we can do as consumers. If a product says it can help brighten my complexion but contains nothing that can do it and is basically just a moisturiser then why would I buy it?
There is so many resources out there, such as SkinCarisma (my latest fav if I may add), CosDNA, Paula’s Choice dictionary that I use to help me before buying and these tools alone have made a BIG improvement in my skin. You do not need to be a chemist to get better results, but just have to be smart about it with the resources out there. As us consumers become more smarter, the companies will have to get use to us expecting better products! (it’s a good thing).
Also I have to add I have really sensitive skin and still get breakouts which is why I find it so important to do all the research
Glad you enjoyed this Hui Lim 🙂 Yep, I’m all for reading through the ingredients, and calling out phoney claims. In those instances, it is helpful LOL! But what is unhelpful are people shouting down and drowning out others who enjoy a product, just because it’s perceived to had “bad ingredients”. That, I can’t stomach! 😛 I think doing research for ourselves is fine, but we also have to trust that other people do their research too and they know their skin better!
I still remember how I was criticized by netizens for giving a good review for a product that contained alcohol. I was younger then and my combination skin could handle the formula and I loved the product. So do I need to force myself to give a bad review simply because it contains alcohol? I’m so glad you write this article.
You are right that we are not chemists and shouldn’t pretend to be one. Some netizens also told me that I should include detailed ingredient analysis and kind of shamed me by comparing me with other “chemist” bloggers. I’ve left that forum a few years ago.
Other than ingredient, it is important how companies combine ingredients as one ingredient could balance the other. The process of blending the formula together could also make a difference. We won’t know because we are not trained chemists. For instance, I’m reviewing two vitamin C serums of similar formula. But I cannot assume they produce the same skin benefits until I try them.
Good article to keep our thoughts alive. Thank you.
So sorry you had to go through that Nicole, but I totally understand where you’re coming from! People are so quick to judge, and to be self-proclaimed skincare experts without truly understanding that while ingredients are important to consider, there are other things to consider as well, like what our skin can tolerate, and the formula. Also, at different points in our life, we can tolerate different things. People should just understand that we are all individuals, and that there is no one size fit all in skincare. If there is, why are there so many different brands out there?! 😛
Very interesting topic! I must admit that I used to be, for the lack of a better word, an ingredients whore. 😛 Oh the number of times I would chide my mother for spending so much money on beauty products that are so expensive yet have extracts of goodness-knows-what in their ingredients list. It didn’t matter to me that mum loved the products; she mentioned on many occasions that they worked for her.
It’s interesting how my perspective changed once I stopped blogging. I became out of touch with “ingredients lists” and “ooh great ingredient!” etc. Then Geek gifted me with the Sulwhasoo Overnight Vitalising Mask. The old beauty blogger in me was rather skeptical about the product. Mum’s a big fan of the brand and claimed that many of the products worked well for her. Still, I gave it a go, and oh. My. GAWD. I completely fell in love with it. I don’t know what the heck is in that orange tube (nor do I really want to know, to be honest) yet I love how my skin looked and felt the very next day. The scent is comforting and it just made my skin sing. Funnily enough, as much as mum loves the brand, this mask is one of the very few products she doesn’t like. 😛
While I haven’t discounted good ingredients and looking at ingredients lists altogether, I’m now happy to try out products that may not be screaming with fantastic ingredients. If they make me feel good using it, gives me good results, then that’s that. I know what works for me and what doesn’t. I’ve definitely fallen off that high horse I was on for years. 😛
I hear you Tine! I think sometimes, because we are so immersed in a subject, it is easy to think that we are experts, and even more so, when people think you’re an expert. A bit of a syiok sendiri moment. I’ve always been a little more lax with reading ingredients than most bloggers. Maybe because I’ve always gone with that sense of feel. These days, I’m a little more aware but that’s only because of the years of “training”. Still doesn’t make me an expert! LOL!
And I’m so happy you like the Sulwhasoo Overnight Revitalizing Mask! It is so good and makes my skin look so amazing the next day. Definitely my complexion lifter in a tube! And no, there’s no need to know what’s in there, just that it is crazy good haha! 😀 Hope to see you back in the blog scene some day (even if it’s not about beauty 😀 )