Who Defines Dermocosmetics? - Part Ⅰ

In-cosmetics Global, one of the world's most important cosmetic ingredient exhibitions, has recently released a report titled "Ingredient-Led Beauty Report, Part 2: Exploring the Growth and Development in Dermatology — Where Health Meets Beauty". Dermatology experts, ingredient companies, brand R&D leaders, and regulatory consultants from multiple countries have jointly outlined the development path and practical challenges of the dermatology level skincare products sector.

Blurring Boundaries Between Skincare & Medicine

The reason why the dermocosmetics' have become the focus of the international market cannot be separated from the reconstruction of a skin care concept represented by them —  not taking whitening or anti-aging as the only goal, but emphasizing the restoration of skin health, with micro ecological balance, skin barrier, and inflammation control as the core indicators.

This concept can be traced back to the 1970s by French pharmacist Pierre Fabre. Experts emphasize that dermocosmetics occupy a unique intermediary space between traditional cosmetics and therapeutic drugs. They demand dual validation of efficacy and safety, yet unlike pharmaceuticals, require no medical prescription.

Compared with traditional skin care products, which emphasize the general needs of moisturizing, nourishing, whitening or anti-aging, dermocosmetics focus more on clear and quantifiable functional goals, such as repairing barriers, anti-inflammatory, maintaining micro ecology, and even cover acne, red blood silk, hormone dependent dermatitis and other problematic skin care.

At the ingredient level, these products often feature minimalist formulations and avoid irritating ingredients. Common active ingredients include Retinoids, Azelaic Acid, Niacinamide, Salicylic Acid, Ceramides, Prebiotics, and other molecules with clear literature support.

It is precisely the advancement of this scientific skincare concept that has made dermocosmetics not only an important extension of medical art post care, but also increasingly a new normal for consumers' daily skincare.

Generational Shifts & Social Media: Cognitive Gaps and Reshaping of Scientific Skincare

The rise of dermocosmetics reflects not just technological evolution, but a shift in consumer cognitive transfer. This transfer is not only reflected in the shift from ingredient focus to mechanism understanding, but also in different generations' understandings of effectiveness and science.

According to Euromonitor International's 2022 consumer survey, the group that values the functionality and transparency of skincare ingredients the most comes from Generation X (born in the mid-1960s to 1970s), who tend to prefer natural sources in ingredient screening, followed by ingredient transparency and efficacy verification. Following closely behind is the baby boomers, who, despite being older, also demonstrate a high level of attention to scientific support and long-term health in their skincare choices.

In contrast, the influence path of Generation Z (born in the late 1990s to early 2010s) is completely different. They grew up in an era of extreme information overload, and their understanding of health and skincare is almost entirely based on self-research and social media. SurveyMonkey data shows 58% of Gen Z consumers have purchased a skincare product due to social media content or blogger recommendations, which is significantly higher than other generations.

Dermatologist Dr. Romun Leaovitavat pointed out, "Contemporary consumers believe they possess all necessary knowledge, but their sources are not always reliable. This partly explains why dermocosmetics are often misunderstood as influencer-hyped products with a 'medical veneer'."

In this intergenerational shift in skincare awareness, dermocosmetics are attempting to assume two roles: on the one hand, they are an extension of scientific and therapeutic pathways; on the other hand, it is the carrier of consumer self assertion and choice in the content era. This dual attribute forces brands to define their positioning more cautiously and proactively respond to a key question — is your product science-proven or content-packaged?

The report points out that this generational difference is also reflected in the purpose of use.

Older users are more concerned about aging related issues such as dryness, wrinkles, and fragile barriers, and tend to choose products labeled as "clinically tested" or "medically formulated". Young users, especially Gen Z, place greater emphasis on the ability to intervene in immediate symptoms such as acne, redness, and inflammation, while also being sensitive to formula sustainability, low irritation, and "clean ingredient" labels.

This difference in focus is giving rise to more layered development strategies: brands may offer "post-procedure recovery" and "daily defense" lines under one label, even spawning sub-categories like prebiotic skincare and hormone-safe skincare.

Driven by social media platforms and live streaming marketing, consumers are increasingly viewing "medicalized packaging" as a purchasing motivation, which has also raised concerns among industry experts about the generalization of the concept.