Cosmetics and pharmaceutics – these two concepts with the light hand of the American dermatologist Albert Kligman about 20 years ago merged into one, thanks to which the term “cosmeceutical” appeared, designating the intermediate stage between the medicine and the adornment, respectively.
That is cosmeceutical is a medical cosmetics, which is most often sold in a pharmacy, but meanwhile it does not apply to medicines and is sold without a prescription. But what is it really – a breakthrough or a marketing move?
The appearance of such a product reflects primarily the main phobia of our time – the fear of aging. Preservation of youth has always worried humanity, but recently anxiety has acquired almost pathological forms. We will not consider disorders, but let’s pay attention to one example – an annotation to a cosmetic remedy of the early 80’s and the like – in our time. Twenty years ago, expressions such as “smooths the skin, makes it softer, moisturizes and nourishes” were used.
Now all these phenomena are described with the obligatory use of chemical formulas, figures and scientific names of biologically active substances: “triple ANA-acids help remove faded skin cells and give it a more fresh appearance”, “complex vitamin E struggles with signs of aging”
What does it say? The fact that the psychological factor, on which the action of a substance depends almost halfway, requires users to have accurate knowledge, and therefore – reasonable assurance that all the components that make up the remedy operate, and in a certain direction. An important role in the creation of scientifically sound activity of the drug is played by the fact that it is sold not in a perfume store, but in a pharmacy. “The composition of medical cosmetics, which includes cosmeceuticals, is registered so that it can be sold only in pharmacies,” said Olga Bokareva, director of the pharmacy “Avicenna. ”“The
number of components that make up cosmeceuticals should not exceed twenty, and all of them actively participate in the work on the skin, besides hypoallergenic of this cosmetics is guaranteed. ”
But the fact that cosmetics, sold in pharmacies, really cosmeceutical, that is, giving the result, not everyone is sure. For example, beautician of the Center for Beauty and Health Sante Esthetique Ekaterina Lebedko believes that this is just a marketing move:
“Skin is an organ. If required, it must be treated. When your kidneys are aching, do you go to a pharmacy and buy the medicine that you liked best? No, you go to the doctor, and then with the prescription – to the pharmacy, and then take the medicine on the system appointed by the doctor. The same with the skin: if you want a result, go to the cosmetologist. He will try to establish the cause of the problem and based on your state of health, for example, taking into account your allergic reactions, prescribe professional cosmetics (note – professional cosmetics is used and sold only in specialized beauty salons), the main difference is a thin and scrupulous development of the current formula , so this cosmetics can be selected individually. And in this case, the result you are striving for will necessarily come. ”
In the case of buying cosmetics in stores or pharmacies, individual selection is excluded. The division into types of mass cosmetics is very rough: dry, normal, oily skin. At a cosmetics sold in a drugstore division as a matter of fact the same.
With regard to allergies, of course, the contents of cosmetics sold in pharmacies, cleaner and better, so that the possibility of an allergic reaction is much less. But the allergy often occurs on unexpected substances (for example, on the extract from red wine), and in the average cosmetics, even called hypoallergenic, only standard allergens are excluded. So, based on the tendency to allergies to solve age or inflammatory problems with the skin of the face and body, it is better to consult with a doctor, rather than engage in self-selection.
By the way, those who think about solving the problem of skin aging and want to get a real result should remember that the cell cycle at a young age is 30 days, in mature – up to 60. Change of cells becomes noticeable only after a couple of cycles. If, however, as in some advertising slogans, the effect becomes apparent after two weeks (and this is quite possibly true), it means that enzymes and biologically active substances are massively injected into the skin. Skin, accustomed to the fact that it is brought from the outside, ceases to produce substances independently, that is, figuratively speaking, “podsazhivaetsya” on the drug and when it abolishes catastrophically quickly grow old.
It is only natural that high-quality, “working” cosmetics can not be cheap. But the high price is not an indicator of quality. And even more so, when you spread a round sum for a tube, you really want to justify the investments. So for those who consider money, it is worth investing them with a guarantee.
