Stop Reading Labels Like a Formulator (You’re Not One—and That’s Okay)

We’ve all been there. A new client sits down for a skin consultation and, as part of your process, you ask: “What are you currently using on your skin?”

Out come the products your client so diligently brought in or quickly pulled up online—and then comes that look. The expectation that you, the skin professional, will decode the label and deliver a verdict. As if you’re fluent in cosmetic chemistry.

Let’s be real: it’s not that simple.

I’ll be the first to admit it—I used to dive headfirst into ingredient labels, dissecting formulas based on what I thought I knew. Looking back, I was misinformed. But that’s the point of growth, right? I’ve since learned how complex cosmetic formulation truly is, and now I’m here to pass that insight on to you.

Here’s the hard truth: An ingredient label tells you nothing—and I mean nothing—about what’s actually happening inside that formula.

We know it lists the ingredients in chronological order from highest to lowest concentration, but it leaves out crucial context:

• The final pH of the product

• The concentration of each material

• Whether actives are even in a suitable base

• Is there an effective delivery system?

• Whether ingredients are actually a composite raw material

And depending on where the product was manufactured, that label might legally leave out some components altogether.

In a time when the beauty industry is pushing for transparency, and empowerment among its consumers as a result, fear-mongering is becoming a red-flag sales tactic. It’s time we pivot from that.

So, what should you do instead?

When you ask a client “What are you currently using on your skin?”, remember why you’re asking. It’s not to critique another brand’s formula. You’re scanning for contraindications, ingredient overload, or other obvious red flags. That’s it.

Next time a client hands you a product, you can confidently acknowledge their current skincare without getting caught up in label analysis. Because the real magic lies not in guessing what’s in the bottle—but in understanding skin, interpreting outcomes, and knowing when to call in a formulator who does speak that language.

Empowered professionals don’t need to know everything—but they do know where to get the right answers.

Behind every skin expert, there's a formulator.

— The Clinic’s Formulator