Understanding and Choosing Skincare Products

With a myriad of skincare products on the market each containing a multiplicity of botanical ingredients, it is important for the consumer to understand the role, if any, these phytonutrients play in promoting skin health.

The main ingredients in all skin creams are the base products that make up the body of the cream the most abundant of which is water. These base ingredients have two functions, the first of which is to impart the particular characteristics of the cream and the second is to act as the vehicle in which are dissolved the botanical extracts. Some examples of these base products are: Water which acts as solvent to dissolve water soluble ingredients, Glycerin which acts as a moisturizer by reducing water loss from the skin, Caprylic/Capric Tryglyceride mimics the normal oils found in the skin and acts as a solvent for botanicals that dissolve in oil rather than water, Cetearyl Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol and Glyceryl Stearate act as emulsifying agents giving consistency to the cream, Polysorbate 20 helps to dissolve water soluble substances, Penoxyethanol is a bactericidal and preservative. Others include: Dimethicone, a synthetic ingredient that allows the cream to spread easily and will dissolve oil soluble substances, Parabens that act as preserving agents, Paraffins that replace natural oils to the skin, Sodium Hydroxide stabilizes the acidity of the cream, Laureth-7 is a synthetic emulsifying agent that modifies the viscosity of the cream, Sodium PCA is a hydrating agent and component of the NMF (Natural Moisturizing Factor ). Phenoxyethanol is a bacteriacidal and preserving agent, Propylene Glycol is an organic solvent, while C13-C14 Isoparaffin and Xanthan Gum modify the viscosity and consistency of the cream. Although this represents only a partial list of base ingredients it includes the majority of base products the consumer is likely to encounter when reading the ingredient list of a skincare product.

The active and botanical ingredients contained in face creams include both natural and synthetic components. All of the current sun filters approved for use in the United States are synthetic chemicals that filter the sun’s dangerous UVA and UVB rays. UVA radiation is responsible for skin aging and skin cancer, while UVB radiation is responsible for sunburn. The degree of protection against sunburn is reflected in products SPF rating. The more of a particular sun filter contained in a face cream the higher the SPF. SPF can range anywhere from 4 to 70, the higher the SPF number the more the protection. It is important for the consumer to understand that there is no direct correlation between different SPF numbers and the amount of protection that a cream offers. It is assumed that a face cream with an SPF 30 offers twice the protection of cream with an SPF 15 and this simply not true. In fact, there is only about a 3% difference in the protection offered by a cream with an SPF 30 in comparison to a cream with an SPF 15.

In Europe, sun protection ratings for skincare products must have separate UVA and UVB ratings. The Europeans use a star rating system. The highest UVA rating is five stars out of five and offers the most protection against the sun’s harmful UVA rays that are responsible for skin aging, wrinkles, and certain skin cancers. It is important for the consumer to try to search out those products that have separate UVA and UVB sun protection factors.
Many botanicals have been used for centuries as health remedies, but not all are beneficial for the skin. I will try to list those botanicals that are beneficial for skin health and their exact mode of action.

Hazel Seed Oil is rich in Vitamin E, antioxidant phenols and proteins that protect and nourish the skin. Wheat Seed Extract protects, smoothes, and nourishes the skin to combat aging, Sweet Almond Oil improves tone texture and skin color. It also helps to liquefy thickened sebum to help un-clog pores, Sage Oil is an antibacterial and astringent with antiseptic properties and has been used for centuries to treat inflammations of the skin. Rosemary Oil is an excellent toning agent to reduce sagging skin and puffiness by promoting skin circulation. Acmella Oleracea Flower Extract is a rare ingredient not found in many skin creams. It contains the phytochemical Spilanthol that inhibits the contractions of the subcutaneous facial muscles. Some researchers have called this botanical Natures Botox. Witch Hazel Extract contains tannins and bio-flavinoids that act as an astringent and anti-inflammatory for the skin. Burdock Root Extraction has traditionally been used as a skin remedy for acne, boils, eczema, and psoriasis. Marigold flowers have an antiseptic property and are rich in Vitamin A. Chamomile is an anti-inflammatory and anti-irritant while Helichrysum Italicum has cytophylatic properties to stimulate cell regeneration. St John’s Wart may play a role in killing tumor cells according to some preliminary medical studies. Mallow is a plant known since early Roman times for its ability to soothe rough, dry skin. Green Tea has antioxidant properties and together with Gingko Biloba protects the skin from cell damage and aging. Grape leaf and Grape Seed extracts are potent antioxidants with anti-aging properties.

A word should be said about a very important natural ingredient that the consumer should look for when buying a face cream. Lycopene, the substance that gives the red color to tomatoes, is one of nature’s most studied and potent anti-oxidants. There is a large body of evidence that shows the role that lycopene plays in skin health. It is shown to protect the skin from the aging effects caused by environmental pollutants and in possibly playing a role reducing the formation of certain type skin cancers caused by the daily exposure to the sun’s UVA radiation. Studies have shown that the lycopene should be pure and in sufficient quantity to be of any value. The consumer can easily look to see where the lycopene appears on the ingredient list. If it is near the top of the ingredient list it is probably in sufficient quantity, if near the bottom, probably not. As with all antioxidants, including Resveratrol, if the Lycopene is not protected in either a liposomal or, better yet, a cerosomal protective envelope it will rapidly oxidize and cease to offer any anti-aging skin protecting benefit.

By: Gary I Weinberger, MD, FACS