As an aesthetics educator, I often get that child-like, cross-eyed look when I announce that the next subject to be covered is chemistry. “What? Chemistry? I hate chemistry – what does chemistry have to do with skin care?” 

Skin care professionals know full well what chemistry has to do with skin care. To truly appreciate the magnitude of a professional’s abilities, consider the physiology of skin and how it must perfectly pair with the chemistry of cosmetic ingredients. This scientific knowledge is pertinent for the results that skin care professionals achieve with their treatments and products.  

If the importance of ingredients’ chemical and physical effects on the physiology of skin is not understood, comprehension on how or why a difference occurs will not be understood either. This is what a practitioner’s success should be based on. 

An understanding of the chemistry of skin care spans a broad spectrum. First, it is essential to master the cosmetic makeup of active ingredients, bases, preservatives, filler, and surfactants. Professionals need to know which ingredient makes the difference, which provides slip, and which serves as a preservative.  

From there, move on to learn about formulation. Simply having a quality active ingredient does not make a product effective. Let’s take vitamin C, one of the finest ingredients in skin care. A product with vitamin C may have a concentration of 10%, and it may seem amazing until the ingredient deck is checked, only find that the first ingredient is water. As many professionals know, vitamin C is highly unstable and begins to degrade when exposed to air, light, and water. Therefore, this would not be a commendable product.  

Next, make the connection of how ingredients precisely work with skin. Find out whether they promote cellular renewal, increase firmness, plump skin, or brighten complexions, and the process behind each modality. 

Lastly, keep your eyes and ears open for what is hot, new, and coming down the line. Always stay a step ahead of clients to knowledgeably discuss the newest trends and why they are great (or not). The beauty of the skin care profession is that there is always something exciting around the corner, and it is part of the job description to share its insights.