We all want products that work, right? Of course we do! Our 614 Beauty team is here to help you sift through the products on the market and give you real insight on what’s best for your skin. Of course, skincare isn’t always so black and white because everyone has different skin, but there are some things to look out for when choosing skincare products.
The easiest way to differentiate between what will work is to note if the product is pharmaceutical or medical grade (which have premium ingredients in them) OR Cosmetic-grade (do not hold the same standard as pharmaceutical products). We’re sure you can see where we’re going with this. You want to use pharmaceutical or medical grade products!
According to the FDA, pharmaceutical grade products are required to be 99% pure. These skin care products are regulated by the FDA in the same way as medications and are scientifically proven to do what they claim. Because these ingredients are mostly pure, they do not contain fillers or impurities like cosmetic grade products do.
Unlike pharmaceutical grade products, cosmetic grade are only required to be 70% pure and only contain microscopic levels of active ingredients, plus fillers. These fillers and impurities impact the effectiveness of these products and are not guaranteed to do what they advertise. Cosmetic grade products are your typical things found in drugstores and department stores and have very few standards when it comes to its chemical makeup.
Cool, cool so we are definitely going to stick with pharmaceutical grade products, but how do these cosmetic grade products become so popular? Why do dermatologists recommend products that don’t actually work? Let’s take CeraVe as an example.
CeraVe is a popular brand owned by the L'Oreal corporation and is commonly seen as being good for sensitive skin, effective, as well as being budget-friendly and available at drugstores. In recent years, the brand has grown even more popular thanks to the internet and social media and is dermatologist recommended, but does it actually work?
The fact that it is so gentle, and doesn't have active ingredients, is exactly why dermatologists love this stuff. “It's a basic gentle cleanser, so it's not necessarily going to clear acne or target signs of aging, but dermatologists often recommend it for this exact reason,” All CeraVe products are fragrance- free and non-irritating, which is typically a good sign, but doesn’t guarantee its effectiveness. Basically, CeraVe is Switzerland: it won't do anything harmful to your skin, but it's not going to improve it either.
CeraVe is not a cruelty-free brand. Their official animal testing policy is confusing, but ultimately, the brand is sold in China, where animal testing is still required by law as of 2021. In their policy, L’Oreal claims: "Certain health authorities may nevertheless decide to conduct animal tests themselves for certain cosmetic products, as it is still the case in China."
Bottom line, if you are wanting to improve your skin, whether it be acne, fine lines and wrinkles or hyperpigmentation, CeraVe isn't going to do anything for you. You will want to look for pharmaceutical or medical grade products to improve those skin issues.
Yay for pharmaceutical grade products!
