Take note of the order of the components.
Once you’ve determined the major ingredients you want to avoid or pursue, you’ll want to pay attention to where they appear on the ingredients list. Dr. David recommends looking at the first five ingredients as a good rule of thumb, as they often account for around 80% of the product’s content.
Ingredients will be mentioned in order of highest to lowest concentration, so if one of the first five ingredients is problematic or potentially unpleasant, you should avoid that product. Similarly, if you’re looking for certain ingredients in a product, but those ingredients are only listed at the end, the product isn’t worth your money. You won’t notice the benefits of the substances at the end of the list because they make up such a little fraction of the entire product.
Don’t be alarmed by the lengthy ingredient list.
When it comes to the food we eat, we’re trained to look for a shorter, more recognized ingredient list. While a shorter list may be easier to understand, it may not always suffice in terms of what you want to receive out of your skincare products.
When looking for anti-aging benefits or investing in medical-grade skincare products, the ingredients list will inevitably grow lengthier. And, according to Dr. David, this should not deter you. Instead, seek some assistance—either from a dermatologist or from technology—to assess whether the product is a suitable fit for you.
Make use of your resources.
You don’t have to be a walking dictionary to choose skincare products that have the proper ingredients. Take advantage of online resources to make things a little simpler on yourself. Dr. David recommends two online databases for researching ingredients and products: EWG’s Skin Deep database and CosDNA.
The EWG Skin Deep database is only one of their many internet offerings. The Environmental Working Group is a non-profit organization dedicated to environmental and human health research and education. Skincare products are assessed and graded in the Skin Deep database based on a variety of variables, ranging from manufacturing procedures to potential health dangers.
CosDNA is a no-frills database that delves even further into a product’s ingredients, outlining their unique functions and safety ratings.
Always perform a patch test.
A patch test is a good idea in your product elimination procedure. (Plus, it’s a wonderful reason to go to Ulta or Sephora without spending a fortune.) It’s time to put those test items to use.
A patch test can help assess whether certain products or components will cause allergic reactions, irritation, or clogging of your pores. “I think the take-home message is: if it’s hurting your skin or making it worse, stop using it; it’s not the correct product for you,” Dr. Green adds.
It takes a bit more effort at initially to test all of your ingredients before committing to them, but it can save you a lot of money and heartache in the long run.
