The more active the better?

The more actives the better, right?

No.

We have reproduced this experiment many times in the laboratory. We put skin cells on a plate and treat them with very little amount of active dissolved in water. The result, nothing.

Then we increase the amount of active ingredient. Then you see the effect, the cells react and start to reproduce more, to move better and to produce more collagen and hyaluronic acid. Perfect.

Finally we increase the concentration of active much more. And then the same substance that was revitalizing them, kills them. It has become toxic.

Paracelsus, a physician in the 16th century, already enunciated that "Everything is poison and nothing is poison, only the dose makes the poison". That is, no substance is toxic in itself. Toxicity is determined by the amount of each substance. There is a toxic dose of water and a healthy dose of botulinum toxin.

At a time when many brands advertise themselves as "toxic free" it is important to keep this scientific reality in mind. "Toxic-free" means nothing because no substance is toxic per se. The same slogan would make scientific sense if it said "All ingredients in our products are below the amount at which they are toxic."

It is not the substance but its concentration that makes it toxic.

The same applies to slogans such as "more than 20 active ingredients". There is a specific space in the cream for the ingredients, more actives means less of each one. Less quantity can mean falling below the amount at which that active ingredient becomes effective.

Vitamin C is a good example. Too little does nothing. The right amount is a great antioxidant. Too much irritates the skin.

The important thing is to determine the concentration at which an active ingredient is effective (too little is not toxic but does nothing either). And do not go beyond that.

If we put more, then the skin reacts negatively.