The 60 percent myth.
The dos and don'ts of skincare are noisy and confusing.
And to add further chaos, some brands and influencers share skincare myths to scare consumers. Why?
It’s a nifty tactic to drive sales. The one that still grips me? That 60 percent of what we apply on our skin absorbs into our bloodstream.
Good old marketing hype. Now it doesn’t sound as unbelievable as the idea of pigs flying but in the land of skin warnings, it’s up there for me.
It’s actually impossible to put a definitive figure on how much a substance is absorbed into our skin because it depends on several factors such as the ingredients and its composition, the formulation, the delivery method and the individual’s skin condition.
In reality, it’s extremely hard for substances to absorb into our skin and journey to the bloodstream because a major function of our skin is to act as a barrier. With the skin containing three major layers (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) it’s super tough for the vast majority of things to absorb deep into our skin.
So is there any point to using skincare? Absolutely. Depending on the ingredient and its molecular size will determine its absorption capability. Take carrier oils, which generally penetrate into the very top layer of the epidermis (stratum corneum) and generally go no further.
On the other hand, essential oils can penetrate into your bloodstream, although some of this happens through inhalation. Don’t be alarmed: essential oils make up the tiniest of percentages in any reputable formulation so rest assured that in the scale of 1-100, it’s far closer to the one percent.
Still concerned? Thankfully, these days, there’s far more information out there that disproves this statement and paired with how the beauty of skincare actually works. Some of my favourite reads are covered in the sources. Happy reading!
Sources
2021 Formula Botanica Busting Cosmetic Myths
2021 The 60 percent of products absorb into your bloodstream myth
And to add further chaos, some brands and influencers share skincare myths to scare consumers. Why?
It’s a nifty tactic to drive sales. The one that still grips me? That 60 percent of what we apply on our skin absorbs into our bloodstream.
Good old marketing hype. Now it doesn’t sound as unbelievable as the idea of pigs flying but in the land of skin warnings, it’s up there for me.
It’s actually impossible to put a definitive figure on how much a substance is absorbed into our skin because it depends on several factors such as the ingredients and its composition, the formulation, the delivery method and the individual’s skin condition.
In reality, it’s extremely hard for substances to absorb into our skin and journey to the bloodstream because a major function of our skin is to act as a barrier. With the skin containing three major layers (epidermis, dermis and hypodermis) it’s super tough for the vast majority of things to absorb deep into our skin.
So is there any point to using skincare? Absolutely. Depending on the ingredient and its molecular size will determine its absorption capability. Take carrier oils, which generally penetrate into the very top layer of the epidermis (stratum corneum) and generally go no further.
On the other hand, essential oils can penetrate into your bloodstream, although some of this happens through inhalation. Don’t be alarmed: essential oils make up the tiniest of percentages in any reputable formulation so rest assured that in the scale of 1-100, it’s far closer to the one percent.
Still concerned? Thankfully, these days, there’s far more information out there that disproves this statement and paired with how the beauty of skincare actually works. Some of my favourite reads are covered in the sources. Happy reading!
Sources
2021 Formula Botanica Busting Cosmetic Myths
2021 The 60 percent of products absorb into your bloodstream myth
