The effectiveness of cosmetics and skin care products depends solely on the active ingredient present in those products. All such products are chemical formulations and consist of several chemicals and or natural ingredients. Among all the ingredients, the active ingredients are central to the products because these alone determine how well the products would serve the purpose for which it is meant. Therefore, when choosing any skin care product you must focus on the active ingredient present in it to assess whether it can help to address your concern about some specific skin condition. The cosmetic active ingredients have sufficient scientific data to prove their effectiveness in meeting specific requirements of skin care.
Focus on cosmetic active ingredients during product selection:
With numerous skin care products available in the market and many of them serving similar purposes, it is never easy to choose some product that best meets your need. Since most skin care products are available over the counter, the onus of selection rests on users. However, it is always helpful to seek guidance from a dermatologist if you have some typical problems with the skin besides the usual issues such as sun protection, fine lines, wrinkles, acne, scars, black spots, and pigmentation. Instead of relying on the brands of skin care products and some specific product names that are popular, you should read the label carefully to know about the active ingredient used in the product. Do some research to understand how it works to understand how well it might work for you.
Understand the relative effectiveness of the active ingredients:
Many cosmetic active ingredients might serve the same purpose but could work in different ways that impact their effectiveness for different skin conditions. For example, many active ingredients work as exfoliating agents usually used in cleansers and toners. Exfoliating agents peel off the dead skin cells from the surface and facilitate the generation of new skin cells. Now, the kind of exfoliation, mild or intense that you need would influence the choice of active ingredients. Some exfoliants act on the skin surface while others penetrate deep inside, but both must be non-irritating and easy to apply.
Similarly, many active ingredients help fight pigmentation or dark areas formed on the skin. Since not all pigmentations are alike, the choice of active ingredients depends on the correct evaluation of the condition. What worked well for your friend might not work well for you.