The truth about gimmicky beauty claims that you need to know

Perhaps one of the favourite catchphrases seen in clean beauty, this phrase works on the premise that chemicals are fundamentally bad for the skin. But these brands often do not qualify what the harmful ingredients are or have sufficient scientific proof to back the claim. And think about this: water is a chemical too. Are you going to stop including water in your life?

Here, the claim divides ingredients into black and white — natural ingredients are good while man-made synthetic compounds are demonised. Natural ingredients such as plants and essential oils are actually cocktails composed of numerous chemical compounds, and some of them have the potential to be allergenic and sensitising.

Man-made ingredients on the other hand, are formulated to be 100 per cent pure, that is, only containing the said compound (e.g. hyaluronic acid, retinoic acid, etc.) and without any other unnecessary chemicals.

“Organic” is another favourite term in clean and green beauty. Unfortunately, unlike food regulations, what can be considered “organic” in beauty isn’t regulated or legislated. A 2017 report by The Guardian went further saying, “In practice, any brand or beauty product can be labelled as natural or organic even if it contains virtually no organic or natural ingredients.”

While we’re all in search for the fountain of youth and the answer to achieving immortal beauty and youth, we simply can’t reverse the sands of time. Rather, anti-ageing products do not actually treat the symptoms, whether it is crow’s feet, smile lines or sagging, but rather provide a temporal blurring or lessening of the appearance.

Are you identical to your to a family member or a friend? This claim assumes that everybody’s skin behaves and reacts the same way while assuming that it doesn’t change with influences such as time, diet and hormones.

This claim assumes that the dermatologist has tried and approved the product to be safe. But what the brands aren’t telling you is whether or not the dermatologist has actually screened the ingredient list, formulation and tested it extensively. He or she could have just applied the said item on their skin and this would suffice as “dermatologist-tested”.

For those who have sensitive skin, a “hypoallergenic” claim is probably something you seek out. A “hypoallergenic” product however, doesn’t absolve it from causing allergies. Instead, it has a lower chance of being allergenic. The best way to find out if the product suits you is through a patch test where you apply a small quantity in a nondescript area, like the back of the ears, and see if your skin reacts negatively.

While scents are great for imparting a relaxing, sensorial experience, Dr. Dray, an American dermatologist and YouTuber, shares that fragrances serve no actual healing or soothing purpose to skincare.

Conversely, fragrance can actually harm the skin, especially people with skin conditions such as eczema and rosacea. And in the battle between “Unscented” vs. “Fragrance-free”, pick the latter. A product marked “Unscented” contains masking fragrances to conceal the inherent scent and can’t be used interchangeably with “Fragrance-free”, the alternative with less potential to cause negative reactions.

Many products come with bold marketing statements where an overwhelming proportion of the testers back “clinically proven” claims. The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) of Singapore however, cautions against these claims, stating that only partial findings from a research or study are profiled, and this information may be too brief for you to make an informed decision.”

Instead, seek out these studies and ensure that they are extensive enough — e.g. large sample size, if they have a control group, etc. — before buying into such claims.

There’s this accepted notion where the quality of a product is pegged to its price tag, that is, an expensive product is superior in efficacy to a lower-priced counterpart. Joyce de Lemos, a cosmetic chemist shared to Byrdie that this belief doesn’t always hold true.

While certain ingredients and formulations are costlier, it remains a small fraction of the selling price as the beauty industry works on a huge markup to cover other costs such as marketing. In short, don’t scoff and brush off drugstore products, you might find a gem that really works for you better than expensive alternatives.