There may have been a time when consumers turned to beauty products with a blind eye, but more and more people are showing an interest in learning the benefits of the ingredients found in their product formulas, and understanding how and why products work the way they do. This new crop of educated consumers—dubbed ’skintellectuals’—can tell you the difference between AHAs and BHAs, retinol vs. vitamin C, and they surely don’t cringe at the thought of applying acids to the skin.  Of course, this age of increased skincare education and investigative science relies heavily on research and the knowledge of dermatologists and skin experts. So naturally, we turned to two of our consulting skin experts—Dr. Dendy Engelman and Dr. John Burroughs—to learn more about whether ‘skintellectuals’ are the future of beauty.ARE YOU A SKINTELLECTUAL?If you’ve ever wondered where ingredients in your skin care products are sourced, or why your glycolic acid serum can exfoliate the surface layers of your skin, or sought answers to similar investigative questions, you’re embracing a deeper understanding of your body’s largest organ and what goes on it, and that makes you a skintellectual. As mentioned above, many consumers are getting down to the science behind skin care products and ingredients, and creating a skin care routine that can truly deliver the results they’re looking for. These consumers aren’t picking up the first cleanser or moisturizer they see sitting on the shelf at the drugstore. They are taking time to consult the ingredients list to understand how these products can affect their skin’s appearance.This can be beneficial for a number of reasons. Not only does it make you a more educated consumer, it also helps ensure you’re caring for your skin in the best possible way. This can include taking a more active role, like going the extra mile to apply sunscreen day in and day out and other positive steps towards skin health. What’s more, being clued-in to how specific products work can reduce the risk of damaging your skin by mixing the wrong ingredients together, or layering products in the wrong manner. “With so many tempting products on the market, using too many active ingredients could cause rapid aging, and sensitivity and inflammation to name a few,” says Dr. Engelman. For example, regimens focused on anti-aging benefits are increasingly popular, often boasting powerful ingredients that require diligence. Being unaware of how these ingredients work can really set you back in terms of results, sometimes triggering additional skin issues that weren’t previously there. Given the uptick in skin care education and understanding, it’s not surprising that many patients are asking investigative questions during their one-on-one consultations with dermatologists and professionals. “They want me as their dermatologist to vet that products are really going to work versus just believing marketing claims,” Dr. Engelman says. “And they have very specific questions regarding specific ingredients.” I think those that value their skin and want to take care of it in the best way possible way are informed and do their research.Board-certified plastic surgeon, and Skincare.com consultant, Dr. Burroughs shares similar experiences in his office. “We have many who walk into our office that have done their research,” he says. “I think those that value their skin and want to take care of it in the best way possible way are informed and do their research.” He continues, “I like the idea of informed patients, and we at our office strive to educate our clients and patients that results come from science-backed ingredients, concentrations, and the correct application for an individual's needs.”
