The ingredient information on the back of cosmetics is divided into "ingredients" and "other trace ingredients". However, this also raises another question: Are the ingredients in "other trace ingredients" all invalid? Is micro-addition useless? Is concentration the only criterion for judging the quality of a product?
01
The concentration of ingredients does not determine the effect
The concentration of an ingredient does not determine the effect. For example, phenethylresorcinol only needs 0.01% concentration to achieve 40% inhibitory effect on tyrosinase; there are also peptide ingredients. Many products focusing on peptides promote high concentrations, but they generally use The ingredients are made into a solution, with less than 0.01% of real peptides, but it can still have corresponding effects. Substances such as glycyrrhizin, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, bisabolol, pilonin, and cymene are all effective in trace amounts.
Ingredients above 0.1% are not necessarily effective. Niacinamide must be added to 2%-5% to be effective, glycerin must be at least 2%, vitamin C can be added to 10%-25%, and azelaic acid must be added to 10%-20%. These ingredients must reach their onset concentrations to be effective.
02
Concentration is not the only criterion for judging the quality of a product
Minor ingredients may be used to make up compound ingredients. In cosmetics, compound raw materials refer to chemical raw materials that are mixed together after debugging of two or more raw materials. These raw materials are usually formulated and processed scientifically and rationally to obtain specific properties or effects. These compound raw materials are mixed according to different formulas and proportions, and their effects cannot be measured by the concentration of individual ingredients.
The safe addition level of many ingredients is less than 0.1%. There are many ingredients in the raw material usage catalog that can only be added to a few tenths of a percentage at most. Adding too much may not be safe.
The raw materials are divided into dry powder and solution. Dry powder can be effective in trace amounts, while solutions need to be added a little more to be effective. Dry powders in trace ingredients are sometimes more effective than solutions in major ingredients. Since dry powder and solution have the same raw material name, some manufacturers often add solutions in order to save money, which not only saves money but also promotes high concentration.
Taking the permeability example again, if an ingredient is added to 0.5% and only 0.01% remains in the deep layers of the skin, it is better to use a concentration of 0.1% to make a penetration-promoting system. This will not only leave 0.01% in the skin, but also reduce skin irritation. Why not?
03
The function of compound raw materials:
Compound raw materials are composed of two or more ingredients. These ingredients can exert comprehensive performance through reasonable combination. Different ingredients may interact chemically, biologically, or physically to create synergistic effects to achieve more significant effects.
Compound raw materials can improve the stability of the product and prevent the decomposition, oxidation or other unstable reactions of ingredients. This is critical to ensure consistency and effectiveness over the lifetime of the product.
By compounding different ingredients, the absorption and transdermal properties of the product on the skin can be improved. This helps ensure better penetration of active ingredients into the skin's layers, providing more effective care.
Compound ingredients can also be used to adjust the texture and feel of the product. Through appropriate matching, different textures and touches such as lightness, silkiness, and softness can be achieved to improve the product use experience.
04
Security considerations:
When developing skin care formulas, manufacturers often conduct safety assessments of ingredients. This includes research on how much of each ingredient is used in the product, what adverse reactions it may cause, and how it interacts. Several agencies and organizations provide guidelines on the safety of cosmetic ingredients that manufacturers can refer to for their evaluation.
Each cosmetic ingredient has its own recommendations or regulatory requirements for safe levels of inclusion. This is based on scientific research and toxicological assessments to ensure that no adverse effects are caused to the user during use. Manufacturers need to ensure that the amounts of ingredients in their products are within safe limits.
05
Feelings and effects of use:
"Other trace ingredients" do not equal ineffective ingredients. Even if some ingredients are added in trace amounts, it is enough as long as the content is reasonable, the penetration of active substances can be improved, and the overall formula is safe and comprehensive. The criterion for judging the quality of a product is more about its usage experience and effects. Different people have different skin conditions and needs, so the effect of a product may vary from person to person. The subjectivity of usage feelings and effects makes the suitability of the product vary depending on individual differences.
Post time: Jan-31-2024