It’s likely that you’ve been drawn to a product that claims to “penetrate deeply into the skin” in order to address your main skincare issues, such as the hyperpigmentation on your jawline from hormonal acne or the laugh lines around your mouth. After all, it must be more effective the deeper it penetrates your skin, right?
It’s hardly unexpected that product absorption has become a hot subject in the clean beauty world when you consider the widely held belief that 60% of the aforementioned skincare components also enter the circulation. Does the skin truly absorb cosmetics in this manner, despite the fact that many clean manufacturers have cited this data as justification to switch to “clean” and “natural” formulations? More importantly, is it anything to be worried about?
What Role Does the Skin Play?
Given that the skin is the biggest organ in the body, it’s critical to comprehend its function. Among the numerous vital roles played by the skin, according to Dr. Garshick, is “serving as a protective barrier for the body and preventing entry of different substances or microbes.” In addition, it facilitates touch and helps control body temperature.
Do Skincare Products Enter the Skin Through Absorption?
Let’s go back to the skin’s primary function as the body’s barrier. Not every skincare product will absorb into it like a sponge since it’s meant to keep things out. “It’s not as easy to just put something on your skin in order for it to penetrate; it takes a lot of testing and research and development to create transdermal drugs and cosmetics,” Koestline says.
How a substance is absorbed by the skin depends on its formulation and dosage. “Skincare ingredients break down and interact differently with the skin based on what they are,” says Koestline. A phospholipid bi-layer makes up the outermost layer of human skin biologically. Thus, emulsions and products that are oil-soluble (lipophilic) penetrate more readily than those that include water.” The ingredient’s molecular size affects how well it enters the skin as well. Smaller molecules may go deeper into the skin than larger ones, which remain on top of it.
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That doesn’t imply a product loses its advantages, however, even if it can’t penetrate the skin. “In general, the larger the molecule, the more difficult it is to penetrate the skin barrier and get absorbed,” according to Dr. Garshick. “That doesn’t necessarily mean these products are not effective as it is also important to care for and nourish the skin barrier, even without penetrating the skin and getting absorbed.”
Liposomes, which are included in topical patches, are one kind of delivery method. “Topical patches are designed in a way to penetrate deeper layers of the skin in order to make sure the active molecule ends up in the bloodstream,” Koestline says. “Liposomes are usually used in order to facilitate this.”
“[Absorption] can also be impacted if the product is also being occluded, or covered on top, which can increase the penetration, if it is formulated with penetration enhancers which help substances absorb better, or if there are any other tools or devices used to help boost penetration,” says Dr. Garshick.
Does the Product’s Application Location Affect Absorption?
The brevity of the response? Indeed. Compared to the skin on your elbows, the skin around your eyes is thinner. “In some cases, the products penetrating the skin can depend on the area of the body as the thickness of the skin layers can vary based on where it is being applied,” according to Dr. Garshick. “Additionally, it is not just the ease of getting the product through the skin, but it can also depend on the degree and depth of blood vessels at a certain location.”
Thus, is it true that 60% of the skincare products we use enter our bloodstream?
According to Dr. Garshick, a product must have tiny molecules or a delivery method that can break through the skin barrier and have both oil- and water-soluble qualities in order to enter the bloodstream. “Since many of the products we use do not necessarily fit this criteria, it is unlikely that 60% of products are absorbed into the bloodstream,” she says. Read more
One substance that may find its way into the bloodstream is chemical UV filter. Although there has been a reaction against chemical sunscreens recently, Dr. Garshick emphasizes that it is still unclear what the true effects are of chemicals that enter the circulation.
