Skincare Products Over the counter (OTC) vs. Cosmeceuticals (pharmaceutical grade) Whats the difference…you’ll be astounded! As a Master Esthetician I have clients that are so confused about skincare products. So much is out there in the stores like, ULTA, Sephora. From high end stores to Walmart, it’s everywhere. Not to mention all the skincare shows on cable TV. They are all marketing the magic bullet to improve or correct skin issues i.e. brown spots, wrinkling, skin tightening, looking younger. As a consumer do you really know what these products can do for your skin…no you don’t! It’s my opinion that’s the reason so many women change their product line so often. Going from one name brand to another, tossing away what did not work looking for what could. It’s mind blowing. So, let’s shed some light on OTC skincare products. OTC products are regulated by the FDA: “Articles intended to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on, introduced into, or otherwise applied to the human body…for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body’s structure or function.” [FD&C Act, sec. 201(i)]. The last line above is the most important. If the product can not affect the skin’s function it can’t repair, or correct skin issues. To really highlight that, these products cannot penetrate below what you can touch. The active ingredient sits on the skin. When purchasing OTC products you are “self-diagnosing”. The consumer only knows what they see on TV commercials or in magazines. This next piece of information is really the kicker. FDA states that OTC products cannot exceed 2% of active ingredients in their products. As a consumer you don’t know exactly what percentage of “active” ingredient you are purchasing. Another reason why I believe women keep looking for the next best thing. Let’s take a look at Pharmaceutical grade skin care products. Commonly call Cosmeceuticals. What does that mean? The term “cosmeceutical” was created in 1990s from cosm(etic) + (pharma)ceutic; a word used to distinguish them from OTC products. Pharmaceutical grade products by FDA “Articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease” and “articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals” [FD&C Act, sec. 201(g)(1)]. Reputable manufacturers such as IMAGE and PCA skincare companies allow only licensed practitioners to purchase their products. This is to ensure the practitioners are properly trained and that they have the knowledge to work in the living skin during treatments to affect change in the skin’s function. When you are looking for a professional within the esthetic industry you need to know the following information: 1. Are they licensed in the state they are working? 2. Have they continued their education in the field of their expertise? 3. Do they use a skincare line that affects the living skin? A client that is educated on the profession and asks questions is the best client. Knowledge is power.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 10:32:24 +0000
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