Clean, Non-Toxic, Hypoallergenic: You Know What These Skincare Marketing Terms Really Mean? (2023)

The world of skincare marketing can be confusing to say the least. With so many terms used to describe the products we buy, it can be difficult to know what they really mean and how much stock we should invest in them. In this post I want to demystify some of the most common marketing terms in skincare to help you become a smarter and more informed consumer. Let's go!

Product Performance Terms

These are all common terms used to describe what a product will do for your skin. You have to do with itvisibleEffect that a product has on the skin.

brightening

I've always thought of light skin as skin with an even, even tone, free from hyperpigmentation or dark spots. Some people can also confuse "glow" with brightening. Glow refers to skin that reflects and has lightgood circulation.

There are three ways a product can add glow to the skin: 1) increasing cell turnover, 2) breaking down the melanin pigment in the skin for an overall more even skin tone, and 3) preventing excess melanin from forming in the first place.

Key whitening ingredients include:peeling acids,Vitamin C, AndRetinol.

Punishment

There are a few ways a product can add firmness to the skin. First, it can form a film on the skin, causing it to contract and become tighter. This gives the immediate perception of tightening.Skin also feels firmer when hydrated because it looks plumper.

If you're looking for longer-term firming effects, check it outPeptide. Peptides stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, two important structural components of firm skin. This is important as both decline with age.You won't see any immediate effects with peptides, but with consistent use, the benefits will be worth it later!

Moisturizing or plumping

Hydration is a term people use to refer to the water content in the skin. When your skin is hydrated, it absorbs an increased water content, resulting in a plumping effect. The best way to achieve this is by using humectants, a class of ingredients that attract water from the air and draw it into the skin. Effective humectants includehyaluronic acidAndGlycerin.

Soothing or soothing

This is likely to come in handy if your skin is red or easily inflamed when trying new products. Soothing or soothing products typically contain anti-inflammatory ingredients meant to combat visible redness as well as symptoms of inflammation like burning or stinging. They help cool the skin or as I like to say "put out the fire".

There are tons of great soothing ingredients out there, but one class of ingredients that's really taking off in this space is algae. I decide to use the wordingred seaweedin my line and love it for its ability to soothe, protect and strengthen the skin barrier.

antiaging

This one is a little trickier because it's really about prevention, so you don't always see results right away. Because of this, I would divide anti-aging products into two categories: those that give an immediate boost and those that deliver results later.

Some ingredients (actually many of the ingredients above) instantly make your skin look better and therefore more youthful. When your skin looks lighter, smoother, or plumper, it defines youfeelbetter right away. On the other hand, you have ingredients that need to be used over long periods of time. You won't see them working right away, but with consistent use, they can actually prevent some of the visible signs of aging that would otherwise appear naturally.read myBeginner's Guide to Using Retinol or Retinoids.

consumer preference

These terms all have to do with product classification and consumer preference. It can definitely be a confusing area as many of these don't have legal definitions, but I'm here to help you navigate it!

Sauber

“Clean” has no legal definition. It can vary from company to company and person to person. What you consider clean really depends on what you are personally comfortable with. You need to find a brand that you trust and that aligns with that.

For example, some people feelSiliconeare clean because they have very pure chemistry and are unlikely to cause a bad reaction on the skin. However, other people may not find silicones clean as they are usually synthetically processed, meaning they are not pure raw materials (like honey or other unprocessed foods).

learn more aboutmy thoughts on the clean beauty movement.

non-toxic

This is a marketing term for skin care products that's particularly problematic because labeling your product as "non-toxic" implies that other brands may have toxins that you've left out. In fact, it is illegal in the US to add toxins to cosmetics. I know many people think that the cosmetics industry is unregulated in the US, but there are certain standards that you must adhere to in order to be a legitimate brand. By following these standards, you formulate your products safely and never use ingredients in a way that could be toxic to humans.

Most major beauty brands or conglomerates conduct safety assessments on their products, with a toxicologist reviewing not just the final product but each individual ingredient to ensure they are being used properly and are not interacting with each other in potentially harmful ways. These toxicological tests are mandatory in Europe but optional in the US, so the responsibility rests with the brand to ensure their products are safe. Again, it's important to buy from companies you trust!

Natural or all natural

This is definitely a confusing claim as it is quite open to interpretation. Similar to “clean”, there is no legal definition for “natural”. When a brand makes that claim, I often wonder what it means. Do they mean that the raw materials they use are not processed? That they didn't add anything from synthetic chemistry? Add things from natureSourcesthen chemically modify? It's just not clear. When a brand identifies themselves or their products as natural or all-natural, it's up to them to explain what that means.

ThereIsan international standard trying to become more mainstream for calculating the percentage of natural origin of a product. This standard takes into account the original ingredient, what chemistry was used (if any) and which ingredients are fully synthetic. The problem with this is that people automatically assume that a product with a higher natural content is better or safer than something synthetic, and that's not always the case. In fact, many synthetic ingredients are used to make cosmetic products safer. The claim that something is natural can beverymisleading when used for marketing purposes.

Organic

This is one of the few claims that is heavily regulated. It doesn't speak for a whole product, but for the ingredients that make up a product. It addresses the cultivation practices that the ingredient undergoes and how it is grown, cultivated, and processed.

According to the USDA, in order to claim that a product is organic, it must contain a certain percentage of organic ingredients.

Fragrance-free

This claim can be made when a product contains no fragrance at all. This includes synthetic perfumes, essential oils, and anything specifically added to create a pleasant scent. It could even be a pleasant-smelling fruit extract.

Unscented

Unscented is a little different in that while a product isn't formulated to have a nice scent, it may still contain ingredients that have been addedneutralizeunpleasant smells. While these products typically don't have much fragrance, they're not technically considered fragrance-free.

Ölfrei

The term oil-free means just that - a product that literally contains no oils. To get a little technical, oils are officially classified as any compound made up of triglycerides. This includes things like marula oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, etc.

However, there are ingredients that are not triglycerides but still feel oily or greasy by nature. A company can include these in a product and still claim it is oil-free. There has actually been some litigation on this recently, as some consumers felt misled by the claims of being oil-free. Yes, the product may be triglyceride-free, but it may still contain other greasy ingredients that make consumers feel like they are not getting what they expect from an oil-free product.

Non comedogenic

This is one that most people think they understand, but misunderstandings still seem to exist. At its simplest level, comedogenicity is the likelihood of something causing comedones (clogged pores). Today there are two methods for comedogenic testing.

The first method involves applying a product or ingredient to the skin on a person's upper back. Over the course of hours and weeks, clinicians will look for an acne reaction and even take a small biopsy of the site to see if there are comedones in the area. The problem with this test is that the skin on the back doesn't transfer directly to the skin on a person's face, so it's not the most accurate.

The second method is a clinical testing format where the results are evaluated by a board-certified dermatologist. Participants are ranked based on whether they already have mild, moderate, or severe acne lesions. The product or ingredient is applied to the skin for a period of four to six weeks, after which the skin is assessed for the number and type of lesions. This is then compared to the baseline.

The good thing about this test is that it uses a real-world model and translates much more directly to how people use products in real life. The downside is that ingredients tested for comedogenicity are 100 percent applied to the skin. When an ingredient is used in a skincare product, it never scores 100 percent, so this test doesn't take into account how an ingredient is formulated. What is the delivery system? How does it interact with the other ingredients in the formula? None of this is taken into account, which is why the “comedogenicity scores” assigned to ingredients (which many consumers look to) are not always realistic. Keep in mind that testing an entire product for comedogenicity is very expensive, so most brands simply assume individual ingredients. learn more aboutpercentage ingredients of skin care.

product test

These terms relate to how product claims are tested and to product safety.

Hypoallergenic

For a company to claim that their product is hypoallergenic (it's unlikely to cause an allergic reaction, so it's particularly good for sensitive or reactive skin) it must undergo something called Human Repeat Insult Patch Testing, or HRIPT.

It is of course not a perfect test as the number of subjects is limited, but the advantage is that it is performed on real human subjects. Basically, 100-200 people with different skin types are selected and the product is repeatedly applied to their skin. The subjects' skin is then examined for a reaction to determine if the product is in any way irritating, sensitizing, or causing an allergic reaction.

If the results are good, you can say that your product is suitable for sensitive skin. To claim that it's hypoallergenic, you have to go one step further and have the results checked by a dermatologist. This is where dermatologically tested and dermatologically approved products come into play.

Dermatologically approved

This is evident from the HRIPT test mentioned above. During the test, you can say, "I would like a dermatologist to review my report and put a stamp on it." That's dermatologist-approved, and now a product can be labeled as such.

Another way to look at “dermatologist approved” is when you have a dermatologist test the product yourself or test the product on their patients. This is basically a form of consumer testing and means that dermatologists have said, "This is a great product that we continue to recommend to patients."

Dermatologically tested

Dermatologically tested basically goes one step further. Instead of a clinical test such as For example, to have an HRIPT done, you would have a dermatologist monitoring it and making the final assessment. Another way to think of it is that a product has been reviewed by dermatologists.

Clinically tested

This is a claim justification test, i. H. any number of marketing claims could be tested. The important thing about "clinically tested" is that it means that a company has had an independent laboratory or consumer product testing facility perform unbiased testing of its product.

For all skin types

It's important for some brands to have versatile products that can be used by people with a variety of needsskin types. There are different ways a brand can get this claim for a product.The first option is the clinical trial. In a clinical setting, the product must be tested on a variety of skin types and monitored for undesirable side effects.The second option is consumer product testing. To do this, a company needs to use a third-party organization to ship their product to consumers and do the testing.

So there you have it! These are some of the most common skin care product marketing terms and what they really mean. As you can see, it's not always black and white. I hope this post gives you some insight and gives you more confidence in choosing the skin care products that are right for you.

Next learnwhether medical and professional skin care products are really better.