The Scam of "Inactive Ingredients"

A little know industry secret is that the most important element of a skincare product is its ingredient list. A quick glance at such a list followed by a deeper dive can tell you a lot of the quality of a product as it relates to your needs and the intentions of its manufacturer.

 

A peculiar thing with many products in the moisturizer/topical leave-on category is the concept of inactive ingredients. Such ingredients are unceremoniously usually listed below the active ingredient/s, often without any explanation as for what it is they are expected to do. One thing is obvious, inactive ingredients do not contribute to fulfilling the promise or aim of the product, or they would listed as active ingredients. For example, if the product is meant to moisturize, that is provide occlusion, emollience, or act as a humectant - its active ingredients would be those that provide those qualities. The inactive ingredients would any other elements that do something other than that.

 

It is then logical to conclude that so-called inactive ingredients dilute the content of the active ingredients and therefore can erode the value of the product for the paying consumer. Another often overlooked conclusion is that the consumer is the one paying a premium for so-called inactive ingredients, as they are not free and the manufacturer is not in the charity business, but in the business of making money. Therefore, the cost of inactive ingredients must be rolled onto the consumer for the corporation to afford including those elements in the product.

 

But why would a manufacturer go to the trouble of incorporating ingredients that dilute the value of a product? The short answer is: they are not inactive but very much active, only in the service of something other than the consumer, namely the manufacturer. What are some functions of inactive ingredients? Product texture, fragrance, dye, preservation and so on. And while these functions seem harmless or sometimes even necessary such in the case of preservatives - they all nonetheless serve the manufacturer and not the paying consumer as they decidedly do not provide true moisturizing value and dilute the active ingredients if there are any to begin with.

 

Another element to inactive ingredients is that not only are they active in the service of the manufacturer but can cause problems for the paying consumer. Many ingredients in those various categories can cause irritation, induce an allergic reaction, or affect the microbiome among other issues. While irrigation and allergenicity are not very common with skincare products, they are nevertheless a possibility and inactive ingredients increase the likelihood of this possibility.

 

The microbiome is a fairly new concept to the scientific community and refers to the microbes residing naturally on the skin: bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, and tiny mites. While we do not understand the role of the skin microbiome very well, it is clear that changes in its makeup can lead to serious problems such as increased sensitivity to eczema, development of rosacea-like symptoms and more. The microbiome is so complex, that it would be extremely challenging to investigate the ramifications of tiny changes in its makeup as those could induce anything from no clear consequences, subtle yet significant changes, through a massive shift. Recent studies show that many preservatives can affect elements of the microbiome. However, this is likely not limited to preservatives, as any molecule can induce changes to the microbiome and skin biology, even if they are not readily detectable.

 

Therefore, when considering buying a product or its use, remember that the most important aspect of your evaluation is the ingredient list, not the brand, the package, or even how the product makes you feel. Inactive ingredients are there for a reason and work for the manufacturer. Do your research regarding the role of each inactive ingredient, especially those the manufacturer claims are their “unicorn”, “boss babe”, “ace in the hole”, “workhorse”, “dark horse” or any other nonsensical promotional terms. You may be in for a surprise and save yourself considerable amounts of money, time, and heartache.

Thanks for reading and God bless.

Yuval Bibi, MD/PhD - Board Certified Dermatologist