In this video blog, Joshua Zeichner, MD, discusses highlights from his lecture, Cosmeceuticals in 2024, on July 26, 2024, during the inaugural Elevate-Derm Alliance Summer Conference at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts.

In this video

Dr. Zeichner starts by defining terms: a drug changes the structure or function of the skin, a cosmetic beautifies it, and a cosmeceutical "fits somewhere in the middle" but ultimately falls under the cosmetic umbrella. He pushes back on the natural/organic craze, noting that "natural isn't always better" — poison ivy and plutonium are natural — that "organic" is a USDA term with no FDA definition, and that all skincare contains chemicals (water is a chemical). Natural products aren't necessarily safer or more effective, and every product needs preservatives because "the farm-to-table model just doesn't work for skincare."

He advocates a minimalistic regimen that stays within a patient's budget: morning is a time of protection and prevention, evening is a time of hydration and repair. Mornings call for a gentle cleanser, an antioxidant vitamin C serum, and sunscreen; evenings a moisturizer followed by a collagen-stimulating retinoid or retinol alternative, moisturizing first to reduce irritation. Zeichner explains that surfactants act like magnets that trap soiling, and providers should choose cleansers with published data on transepidermal water loss and corneometry. On pollution, he recommends barrier support, antioxidants, tinted mineral sunscreen, and thorough cleansing. As for social media, he calls it "the wild west" and reminds patients that no product delivers instant results — the one thing everyone should use is a broad-spectrum SPF 30, which after a year improves fine lines, texture, and dark spots.

  • A cosmeceutical falls under the cosmetic umbrella — it improves the appearance of skin without making structure or function claims that would trigger the FDA OTC monograph.
  • "Natural" and "organic" are largely marketing terms; natural products aren't inherently safer or more effective, all skincare contains chemicals, and every product needs preservatives.
  • Keep regimens minimalistic and budget-friendly: AM for protection (gentle cleanser, vitamin C antioxidant, sunscreen), PM for hydration and repair (moisturizer, then a retinoid or retinol alternative), leveraging peak nighttime cell turnover.
  • Choose cleansers with data supporting maintained transepidermal water loss and hydration, then match the surfactant technology to the patient's skin type and preference.
  • Counter pollution with barrier-supporting moisturizer, antioxidant serum, tinted mineral sunscreen, and a good cleanser — and steer social-media-driven patients back to reality, reminding them results take weeks to months and broad-spectrum SPF 30 is the non-negotiable.