Are the “Active” Ingredients in Your Skincare Even Active?

pH, Bioavailability, and why our industry needs better formulation education

In the skincare world, brands often shout about their high percentages of acids, botanical extracts, and “powerful” actives. It’s a sales hook that sounds impressive—but begs the question: what actually makes an active ingredient, active?

Bioavailability: The Unsung Hero of Skincare Efficacy

So, on to some scientific stuff (stay with me). Bioavailability refers to how much of an ingredient is actually available for the skin to absorb and use in the way it’s intended.

For example: in a glycolic acid exfoliating gel, the glycolic acid must be in it's acid form to be bioavailable. Then, it can break down those desmosomes to allow removal of keratinocytes in the upper stratum corneum. If the ingredient isn’t in a usable state for the skin, it’s basically just… sitting there.

The Role of pH in Ingredient Performance

Let’s revisit that glycolic acid example. Imagine a product proudly marketed as “5% glycolic.” Sounds effective, right? But, if the product’s pH is skin-neutral (around 5.5–6), the glycolic acid is neutralised. Glycolic acid requires a pH of <4 to be partially bioavailable. Meaning? The compound is no longer acid. It's a salt, no dissolving of desmosomes and definitely no exfoliation is happening from the glycolic acid itself. Sure, there might be other ingredients in there doing some exfoliating work, but glycolic acid—the supposed “hero”—isn’t delivering on its promise.

Why This Matters for Professionals

When you build homecare protocols for clients, you’re selecting actives for their specific benefits. If you’ve chosen glycolic acid for its resurfacing and hydrating properties, but the product’s formulation prevents it from working, results will be limited. Over time, clients lose trust in your recommendations and you as a therapist lose confidence in both yourself, and the brand. It really is a double whammy.

How to Stay Ingredient-Savvy

The best way to protect your results—and your reputation—is through ongoing ingredient education.

Here’s where to start:

Subscribe to my blog for ongoing updates straight to your inbox

Download my free Formulation Basics learning resource, where I introduce the key concepts used in cosmetic formulation science.

The more confident you are in understanding how actives actually work, the better your recommendations, client outcomes, and business results will be.

And if you or your team would like 1:1 support on how formulation actually works. Book me for a virtual meeting and pick my brain.

Because in skincare, it’s not just about what you use—it’s about how it works.

— The Clinic’s Formulator