Chemical Free?

I recently attended a chemistry class at UCLA that was offered to cosmetic professionals including aestheticians, spa owners, cosmetic manufacturers, formulators, marketing professionals from cosmetic companies and even other chemists.  Along with small business owners and employees sat individuals from some of the largest cosmetic companies you can think of – Neutrogena, Gunthy Renker, SkinMedica and YG Laboratories to name a few.  This wasn't your typical product training class where a representative from a company tells you all about their latest and greatest product, this was hard-core science and chemistry.  Not one specific product line was mentioned or discussed. The class was all about ingredients and the science behind what is in your products, regardless of the brand.

Below are a few points that you can take with you the next time you're choosing products on your own, or discussing them with your skin care professional.  It is so important to understand how to read labels combined with how certain chemicals may react with your skin.

First, there is no such thing as chemical free products.  What!?  Wait, how could that be possible with all the "natural" and "organic" products on the market?  I'm telling you the truth. Ask any scientist. Everything is made of chemicals except light and electricity, EVERYTHING. We are made of chemicals, so is the computer or smart phone you are reading this on. That organic salad you just had for lunch, yes, chemicals.  Water is a chemical.

Given chemistry is the study of matter and its interactions with other matter; anything made of matter is a chemical, any liquid, solid, or gas.  Any substance, any mixture is made up of chemicals.  Say it with me now, "there is no such thing as chemical free."  Now that we have that straight, what is it that you really don't want in your products and why?  These are the things you should be thinking about and discussing with your skin care professional.

Second, the active ingredients in a product are not the only things you should be concerned with.  Sometimes we spend so much time thinking about the active ingredients (glycolic acid, vitamin C, and retinol for example) that we don't pay attention to what else is in the product.  The active ingredients are a very small part of a formulation yet tend to be the most touted to sell the product. Most products contain a base emulsion, processing aids, preservatives/antioxidants, color and sometimes fragrance.  If you have sensitive skin or particular skin conditions, the vehicle of your products should be considered.

Third, cosmetic labels are required to show ingredients listed in order of quantity in the overall formula with the first being the most predominant and the last being the least. So when a product is being marketed as a retinoid then see where those ingredients are listed to determine actual quantity. Prescription and over the counter drugs follow different regulations. Ingredients must also be listed by the approved names found in the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI) which is published by the Personal Care Products Council.  If you can't find an ingredient that is in a product on their list, it is not listed properly.  You can visit their website atwww.personalcarecouncil.org .

Just those few tips should give you something to think about when deciding what products to use.  This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to cosmetic chemistry.  Cosmetic chemistry is not only about what is in our cosmetic products, but the chemical changes that are happening in and around the cells within our skin and how the chemicals in our products interact with our skins own chemistry. The best thing to do is to bring the products in your skin-care regimen to your skin care professional. They can review the ingredients and determine if they are appropriate for your skin and your personal skin care goals. That information will help tremendously. Skin creams can range from under ten dollars to thousands. There is a reason for this. Be smart. Work to get the facts to determine what works best for you.