July 7 | 3 minute read
Words by Arabella Roden & Hannah Daniel
It was coined by dermatologist Dr Albert Kligman in 1984 and has become increasingly popular since. According to the Australian College of Dermatologists, cosmeceuticals are “applied topically as creams or lotions but contain active ingredients.”
Hannah Daniel, MECCA’s category education lead for skincare explains: “Here at MECCA, we class cosmeceuticals as a step up from traditional skincare. They can be extremely beneficial in helping to improve the appearance of skin.”
Want to learn more? Read on!
Traditional skincare tends to focus on maintaining the skin more broadly through non-active ingredients, such as occlusives (read: formulas that ‘seal in’ the skin’s moisture) or micelles (which help to cleanse the skin).
The difference between cosmeceuticals and traditional skincare is the inclusion of active ingredients for various purposes. For example, vitamin C can help with the appearance of fine lines and dullness in the skin. However, with this and any other cosmeceutical ingredients, it’s important to consider how the concentration of active ingredients can impact your results.
Cosmeceutical ingredient lists often read like a ‘greatest hits’ of skincare! Some of your favourite actives make the cut, including:
Cosmeceutical skincare brands are often founded by or associated with dermatologists (like Dr. Dennis Gross) and other specialists (like Dr. Barbara Sturm and Skinstitut) or scientists (like Verso). Here are some of our favourites at MECCA:
