Have Sophisticated Skincare Products Made Our Skin Lazy?

Our skin has nothing to do anymore; we’ve outsourced all of its duties. Is yours still making hyaluronic acid? We have plumping serums for that. Is it still trying to build collagen? That’s what boosters are for. While we have replenished its hydration, encouraged cell turnover and protected it from pollutants, we may also have stripped it of its core responsibilities. Our skin no longer needs to clean, moisturize, exfoliate, soothe and heal itself like it’s been doing for millions of years. We’ve given it everything it needs to thrive without it having to lift a cell. So, have we made our skin lazy?

Samantha Hunter, brand trainer at Dr. Hauschka, suggests that introducing ingredients our skin is already producing can slow down its metabolic rate and hinder natural production. “At Dr. Hauschka, we try to wake up the natural impulses of the skin.” This belief has become the brand’s philosophy — that we should wear products during the day that protect our skin while allowing it to take care of itself.

For example, says Hunter, “we recommend that people who have dry skin should wear a barrier cream throughout the day. It allows the body to produce its own natural oils and absorb those same oils.” Instead of using ingredients that the skin can produce itself, like hyaluronic acid, Dr. Hauschka uses water-based ingredients derived from botanical extracts, like marsh-mallow-plant extract. Hunter says these ingredients have an effect similar to that of hyaluronic acid — in that they retain hydration — but they don’t interfere with skin doing its job.

After all, our skin is more capable than we may realize. It naturally produces an oil (sebum) that contains nourishing ingredients like glycerol to trap in moisture, helping prevent dryness. Skin exfoliates itself (read “sheds dead cells”) about every 28 days. Its acid mantle protects against environmental stressors like pollution and produces antioxidants to fight against free-radical damage. It uses our lymphatic system to rid the skin of gunk that doesn’t do us any good and taps our sweat ducts to push out dirt from pores.

While our skin may not “need” many products, using them wisely won’t impede its abilities. Dr. Monica Li, a Vancouver-based dermatologist, says skincare products can’t change the physiological process of the skin (meaning they won’t cause it to “call in sick”), but stress, environmental exposures and aging can.

“If there’s a period when we’re undergoing stress, for instance, our physiological processes at the skin level might slow down because our blood flow and nutrients are going to the brain instead of our skin.” The result? Skin looks dull, parched and sluggish.

But there’s a catch: Although skincare products can’t impact our skin’s physiological process, they can interfere with its natural nighttime repair routine. “Overnight, there’s a regenerative process that happens, as well as skin cell repair,” says Li. The goal is to let the skin “breathe” at night by avoiding formulas with preservatives, chemicals or colouring, which can clog pores. “For our night products, we should choose ingredients that help with the skin’s cleansing process,” says Hunter. Take Dr. Hauschka’s night serum, for example. It contains antioxidants to help counteract the pollution and blue light that our skin is exposed to during the day.

So, fine. Maybe our skin isn’t lazy — just misunderstood. It doesn’t need a long, confusing routine. Instead, a few simple products that can supplement its abilities, offer a little extra protection and maybe allow it to lift a cell once in a while can go a long way.

This article first appeared in FASHION’s September 2024 issue. Find out more here.