What Dermatologists Really Think About Those Anti-Aging Products

Beauty companies big and small are increasingly using science—or at least words and phrases that sound like they’re pulled from a peer-reviewed journal—to market their products. The dollar value of products sold in the US that say they include clinical ingredients, such as and hyaluronic acid (both can help hydrate skin), has been growing at an average annual rate of 71.5% during the past five years versus 5.3% for overall skin-care items, says Jacqueline Flam Stokes, senior vice president for beauty, drug and over-the-counter retail at NielsenIQ, a data firm. The surge in demand for ingredient-led products has surpassed consumer interest in beauty items marketed as “natural” or “organic,” which were particularly popular before the pandemic, she says.