Imagine you are cooking and your mom specifically asks you to add 1 tbsp of salt but you add only half. The dish won’t taste right—even though it still has salt in it! Skincare and haircare products work the same way! What most of us don’t realize is that having an ingredient in a formulation is very different from having the right dosage of that ingredient. If there’s too little, it won’t work. If there’s too much, it could cause irritation. This small but crucial detail can make all the difference in effectiveness!
A Simple Example:
You are looking at two hair growth serums from two different brands, both claiming to have Anagain & Redensyl.
Brand A says “Contains Anagain & Redensyl” but only has 0.5% or even less dosage.
Brand B contains 3% Redensyl, 4% Anagain, the clinically recommended dose for hair growth & reducing hair loss.
Many brands highlight these same ingredients on the front of their packaging but when you check the ingredient list on the back, the actual concentration is far lower. This is misleading because consumers assume they are getting the same clinically backed results when in reality it's not!
Another Example:
You are comparing the ingredient profile of two hair growth serums
Brand A shows 10 different ingredients—a mix of hair growth actives like Redensyl, Procapil, Anagain, Bicapil, Caffeine, Capixyl etc —making it seem like a powerhouse formula. But when you look at the label there is no transparency in terms of their concentrations used.
Brand B on the other hand, keeps it simple: 3% Redensyl, 4% Anagain shown clearly on their label rather than just naming more actives without percentages which psychologically may not seem like a powerhouse formula.
However again, more ingredients don’t always mean better results. It’s about the right ingredients even if they are less but in clinically proven doses that deliver actual results. Don’t let the brands deceive you in the name of number of ingredients.
The bottom line
Just like in cooking, where too little or too much seasoning can make or break a dish, the same principle applies to your beauty products. Without the proper dosage, even the most powerful ingredients can be ineffective or cause unwanted reactions.
Being an informed consumer means looking beyond marketing claims and understanding what’s actually in your products. Always check for clinically recommended dosages and opt for brands that prioritize transparency and science-backed formulations.