Deciphering the Beauty Aisle: Cosmetic vs. Pharmaceutical Skincare.
The skincare market is massive, more so it is innovative, that means a new product everyday. So I can understand how overwhelming that could be sometimes. Skincare products could be categorized as cosmetic or pharmaceutical. Otherwise known as drugstore or medical grade products respectively. They are for cleansing, enhancing beauty or altering appearance. I know in this fast pace world and trifling economy we want cheap and effective, quick and easy fix, low risk and high reward. Then reality check that it’s not that simple. It could be anyways once we understand our skin and what is on the market.
When I talk to clients I usually ask questions like:
Do you want budget friendly products or you want to go all out
Are you just testing the waters or are you result driven? That is you are not just moving with trends but you are being intentional.
How fast do you want to see results? It is important to understand clients expectation while letting them know the reality
The crux of the matter is that the best products have the best ingredients in their purest forms with the right strength.
So lets look at the differences between cosmetic and pharmaceutical grade skincare products
1. The presence of active ingredients: active ingredients such as retinoids, antioxidants, acids and so forth will be found in both cosmetic and medical grades. The difference however will be the proportion. Medical grades will have higher percentages than cosmetic grades. Some cosmetic grades are in fact void of these actives.
2. The depth of penetration: Medical grade products can be delivered as far as the dermis which is the 3rd layer of the skin. However cosmetic products are very superficial that means they are delivered to the epidermis which is the outermost layer of the skin. This explains why you might have to use a cosmetic product over a longer period than a medical grade product to see results.
3. Formulated for all vs targeted formulae: Most cosmetic brands cut across different skin types while medical brands will have products targeting particular skin types and concerns.
4. High quality ingredients and regulations. All products are FDA regulated, however medical products are required to contain ingredients that are 99% pure. Their labeling would be different too as medical grade skincare products will have to show their DIN(Drug Identification) number on their packages.
Whether cosmetic or pharmaceutical grade, they are meant to be rubbed, poured, spritz or applied to the body. Medical or cosmetic they all work, you just might have to use less bottles of one over the other and might have different time frame to see results.