With the immense variety of skin care products available on the market, it becomes difficult to know whether the products you have at home are cosmetic or dermocosmetic. If you've never heard of this term, it's time to know exactly what you're using to care for your skin and your baby's skin, to make it soft, hydrated and especially healthier and protected from external agents. What are dermocosmetics?
Dermocosmetics are products that have pharmacological active composition, composed of therapeutic activities, which approach dermatological drugs of topical use. That is, they are products that go beyond the epidermis, with actives that reach the deepest layers of the skin and that bring better results, acting from the inside out. While dermocosmetics produce physiological changes, causing changes in the skin, traditional cosmetics work with instant action. Thus improving the momentary appearance, but do not act in the real causes of these problems.
Visit a pharmacy or browse through fashion or beauty magazines and you’ll discover how well-regarded dermocosmetics is. And rightly so, since scientific testing has shown its effectiveness. But what exactly is a dermocosmetic product? Here’s some information that should clear up any questions.
From health to beauty
Dermocosmetics is where cosmetics and dermatology – or beauty and health – meet.
Nowadays, we have a better understanding of how skin reacts to external stresses such as sunlight or pollution. We know more about why and how skin ages and loses its firmness, wrinkles appear, and skin conditions develop.
Increasing knowledge and greater demand from women for genuinely effective products have fostered the development and ready availability of products formerly limited to the field of medicine.
Strictly speaking, dermocosmetic products are not beauty products; nevertheless, they definitely enhance beauty.
What products are entitled to be designed as dermacosmetics
To qualify as a dermocosmetic product, a product must contain active ingredients whose effectiveness against a specific problem has been established through rigorous laboratory testing.
Dermocosmetic products have been specially formulated to restore skin health. They protect against the many stresses of contemporary life and natural skin ageing.
In depth - action
Dermocosmetic products provide in-depth action. To understand how they work, you need to know that skin is made up of three layers:
- The epidermis
- The dermis
- The hypodermis
Dermocosmetic products consist of fine molecules that penetrate to the dermis, the middle layer. At this depth, creams have an optimal impact in:
- Correcting problems
- Protecting skin tissue
- Preventing unwanted marks such as wrinkles
What about low price products?
Lower-quality products don't contain the same active ingredients and don't comply with medical requirements. You may save a few dollars, but you might not get the results you hope for.
For real benefits, invest in recognized, tested, and genuinely effective dermocosmetic products.
But paying more doesn’t necessarily mean going broke! Our role as cosmeticians is to help you find the right product for you and your budget.
What are dermocosmetics products used for?
In closing, here are two lists, which are not exhaustive but are nonetheless revealing about the factors that threaten your skin on daily basis and what dermocosmetic products can do for you. A truly effective product is a truly effective investment!
Benefits of dermocosmetics
In practice, these products are categorized as cosmetics, but developed on the basis of scientific research to ensure their efficacy and safety at the time they are used. They are products with clinically proven active ingredients, with formulations designed from functional ingredients that care for and guard the skin from the first use.
Dermocosmetics have preventive functions that go beyond the outer beauty: they act on the causes of skin problems, reducing and even eliminating these dysfunctions. But without the pretense of treating diseases.
Dermo-Babies
Dermocosmetics also have subcategories, such as Dermo-Bebês. In this case, the items have special formulations to care for, treat and preserve the baby's delicate skin. Unlike other cosmetic products in the current market, a Dermo-Baby has high skin and eye tolerance, which minimizes risks of allergic reactions and irritations.
They are products that undergo rigorous quality and efficacy tests before they reach the market and therefore offer safety from the first use. They have no preservatives, dyes, alcohol, parabenes, phthaates, phenoxyethanol, among other questionable ingredients. For babies and children, this is very important, since a Dermo-Bebê can be used from birth, always respecting the fragility of the skin of the little ones and preserving its natural barrier, different from a cosmetic, which does not need scientific evaluation, for example.
Dermocosmetic or cosmetic: which one to choose?
By choosing a dermocosmetic, the customer is purchasing a product that has been created in consideration with the specificities of each skin – be it babies or mothers. Not to mention that the results of a dermocosmetic go beyond immediate effect, offering prolonged action that preserves skin health for much longer.
This is thanks to the scientific tests present in the formulation of a dermocosmetic: Several researches have been conducted to prove the benefits of natural ingredients such as avocado,sunflower, shea and aloe vera on delicate skins. These assets have special properties that care for, protect the skin of babies andchildren.
Dermocosmetics the ‘next big thing’ in skin care
‘Prevention over cure’ is the buzz phrase currently doing the rounds in the beauty industry. According to a new report – published by Euromonitor International and in-cosmetics Global – the use of ‘dermocosmetics’ skin care products, which go beyond protection and into the realms of prevention, is on the rise.
According to the report, entitled Skin Health: The Evolving Landscape of Dermocosmetics, 25% of consumers listed ‘sun protection functionality’ as a reason for purchasing their facial moisturiser in 2017, up from 23% in 2015, while almost 15% of millennials purchase skincare to prevent signs of ageing. Other popular skin care benefits listed in the report include moisturising/hydrating properties, cited by almost 60% of consumers; suitable for sensitive skin; and contains added vitamins and improves texture/evens skin tone, to name a few.
Globally, according to Euromonitor International, the skin care market recorded a 7.44% growth from 2017-18, while hair care registered 4.61% in the same period. The fastest growing skin care sub-category was facial masks, with 14.36% growth from 2017-18, while conditioners and treatments led the haircare category with 5.64% growth in the same period.
The new report suggests that consumer focus has shifted from the basic concept of skin beauty towards a wider idea of skin health over external appearance. This is largely down to the growth in popularity of the healthy living trend, which consumers are increasingly seeking to replicate in their skin care routines.
Originally positioned as follow-up products for use after dermatological procedures, dermocosmetics have evolved as both a substitute and a complement to medical recommendation. As awareness of the long-term damage caused by external agents – such as the sun, pollution and antibacterial products for example – grows, consumer demand for products that can guard against this damage is growing rapidly. Not only must they be effective in living up to their claims, but they must also support the long-term health of the skin by addressing these external threats.
The report also highlighted an increased demand for skin care products suitable for sensitive skin. Awareness of – and a growing preoccupation with – skin sensitivity is a key growth opportunity for dermocosmetics, which tend to be segmented by skin type or condition. While skin sensitivity is not new per se, products that claim to alleviate certain conditions, such as rosacea, are becoming more specific.
Across all countries, instances of other epidemiological skin conditions, such as psoriasis and dermatitis, are also on the increase. This means it is expected that successful dermocosmetics will address the rise of these disorders by adding preventative elements to their formulations as consumers will be looking for products to help prevent occurrences or reoccurrences.
As with skin care, the report reveals that haircare product selection is closely tied to health-related issues. Over 20% of consumers purchase haircare products to address their concerns, indicating the key benefits they seek to improve their hair health, while 35% of consumers are primarily motivated to buy haircare products to improve the look or feel of their hair. Other top sought-after benefits include damage repair, hydrating / moisturising, scalp health, anti-dandruff and hair loss prevention.
According to the report, there is huge potential for the dermocosmetics category to both grow and spread into new markets, driven by consumer demand and external factors, as Keena Roberts, Senior Consumer Health Analyst from Euromonitor International explains: "External agents that cause skin damage like pollution are likely to increase in prevalence and intensity over the coming years. Correspondingly, dermocosmetic products that purport to prevent this damage will likewise continue to grow in popularity as consumer preferences continue to shift towards healthy living and long-term skin care."
There are also a number of other key factors set to boost demand for dermocosmetics; increasing consumer awareness of ingredients, thanks to a heightened focus on innovation surrounding the skin microbiome; the recognition that these brands seek to give consumers access to expertise at more affordable prices than the doctor; better education around the importance of more sophisticated daily skincare routines to prevent skin damage; and improved awareness around the belief that beauty starts with good healthy skin, rather than colour cosmetics to hide bad skin.
Roziani Zulkifli, exhibition manager for in-cosmetics Global, concluded: "Today’s consumers are particularly well informed when it comes to health and wellbeing. They know that living a balanced lifestyle is not just about adhering to a set of behaviours, and are demanding products that fit into their view of what healthy really means.
"At in-cosmetics Global, we are seeing a clear response to this trend from the skincare industry, with companies creating products focused on specific – rather than vague – skin health concerns and expect that this will continue at this year’s exhibition and beyond."
Trends in dermo-cosmetics
At the fringes of skincare lies the quasi-medical category of dermo-cosmetic products that help to treat increasingly common skin conditions such as acne, eczema, psoriasis, reactive skin and extreme sensitivity. This category has been growing in response to the increased incidence of allergy and lifestyle-related skin complaints.
Historically, the dermo-cosmetics market is more developed in Western Europe, especially in France, Italy and Spain. According to leading dermo-cosmetic skincare brand Eau Thermale Avene, the European market for dermo-cosmetics was valued at €6.95billion in 2015, up 3.9% on the previous year.
So far this year, Mintel* has recorded an increasing percentage of beauty and personal care products launched in Europe that carry a dermatological-tested claim. In 2016, there have been 26% of products with this claim, up from 22% in 2014.
Mintel global skincare analyst, David Tyrell, explains the reasons for this trend: “Institutional distrust grows each day and consumers look to third parties to advise them on which products are safe to buy. Dermatological claims help to reassure them that a product is safe. Brands that attach a dermatologist-recommended claim or even work with dermatologists to develop a product will gain greater consumer interest.”
A further reason for growth has been the global consumer interest in health, wellness and benefit-driven products. “More and more consumers are concerned about the real effectiveness of their skincare products and long-term effects on skin health, especially consumers with skin conditions,” maintains Martine Butault, International Press Relation Manager for Pierre Fabre’s Eau Thermale Avene. “Our approach to skincare is ethical, rooted in a medical approach with a strong relationship with health professionals (dermatologists and pharmacists).”
Sources:
https://www.pmh.pt/en/new/do-you-know-the-difference-between-dermocosmetics-and-cosmetics
https://www.personalcaremagazine.com/story/28808/dermocosmetics-the-next-big-thing-in-skin-care
https://www.brunet.ca/en/beauty/beauty-tips/what-is-dermocosmetics/
https://connect.in-cosmetics.com/news-category/trends-in-dermo-cosmetics/
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Prepared by Viktorija Stučytė based on online sources