anti-aging · barrier health · skin permeability · skincare science ·Feb 15, 2026

The Truth About Skin: It Begins With Permeability

By Real Skin Retinue

The Overlooked Foundation: The Conversation That Should Have Happened First

Marzia Rahmani often begins with a comparison that makes people pause, challenging the very foundation of modern skincare marketing.

When you eat brightly coloured sweets — vivid reds, electric blues — synthetic dyes enter the gastrointestinal tract. They are absorbed, metabolised, and circulated systemically. Exposure is internal and immediate.

When you apply colour to intact skin in a moisturiser, the pathway is entirely different. Yet, the industry's narrative often overlooks this critical distinction.

The digestive system is designed for absorption.
The skin is designed for defence.

Under normal conditions, the stratum corneum significantly limits penetration. Many cosmetic ingredients remain largely within the outer layers of the skin. This isn't a flaw; it's a fundamental biological truth the industry often overlooks.

This is not marketing.
It is barrier biology. It is time we prioritize biology.

The issue is rarely an ingredient in isolation. The real questions, often overshadowed by marketing trends, are:

Is the barrier intact?
Is permeability being increased intentionally, perhaps to a detrimental degree?
Is exfoliation chronic rather than corrective, leading to perpetual vulnerability?
Is the formulation designed to enhance penetration at the expense of long-term skin health?
Are cumulative effects being considered over years of use, or just immediate gratification?

That is where responsible, truly effective skincare begins – not with hype, but with honesty.

Beyond the Myth of “Nasty Ingredients”: Context is King

Marzia has never supported the simplistic, fear-mongering phrase “nasty ingredients.” This reductive thinking is a disservice to consumers and science alike.

Ingredients are not moral.
They are contextual.

Toxicology has always understood that dose, route, frequency, and duration define exposure. Yet, the skincare narrative often ignores these crucial factors.

Topical application on intact skin is not equivalent to ingestion. This is a scientific fact, not a marketing slogan. However, topical application on chronically exfoliated, barrier-compromised skin presents a different discussion – one that warrants a more mature conversation.

Reducing skincare to “clean vs toxic” distracts from what truly matters: Permeability, intelligent formulation logic, and long-term routine design that respects skin's natural defenses. It's time to move beyond fads and embrace science.

Evolving the Modern Routine: A Call for Refinement

Today’s skincare landscape promotes structured, layered routines that promise instant transformation:

Morning glow systems
Nightly regeneration treatments
Weekly resurfacing resets
At-home microneedling treatments

But at what cost? Moisturisers now commonly contain:

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)
Beta hydroxy acids (BHAs)
Retinoids and stronger retinol derivatives
“Cell renewal” complexes

Serums are often formulated with:

Lower molecular weight actives
Higher concentrations
Thinner, water-based systems
Enhanced delivery mechanisms

Serums naturally possess greater penetrative potential than traditional barrier-focused moisturisers. At-home microneedling further increases permeability, creating pathways for actives to reach deeper layers of the skin. That is not inherently problematic — it is formulation and technique design. The challenge arises when this increased penetration is layered without sufficient regard for the skin's long-term health.

The concern arises when:

Penetrative serums are layered beneath acid-containing moisturisers, creating a cocktail of constant disruption.
Retinoids are used nightly without reassessing tolerance, pushing the skin past its limits.
Exfoliation becomes continuous rather than periodic, stripping away natural defenses.
Barrier-support products are replaced by stimulation-driven formulas, prioritizing short-term gains over lasting resilience.
Microneedling is performed frequently or combined with strong actives, further compromising barrier integrity.

Individually, each product or procedure may comply with regulatory limits. But collectively, used daily for years, they may:

Thin the stratum corneum
Increase transepidermal water loss
Heighten reactivity
Alter penetration patterns
Create cycles of irritation and compensation

The risk is rarely dramatic. It is cumulative. And it represents a conversation that has not yet fully matured within the industry.

Beyond the Hype: Reclaiming the Narrative on Stem Cells, Growth Factors & Stimulation Culture

Human growth factors and stem cell-conditioned media are biologically active signalling molecules. Let's be clear:

They are not inherently carcinogenic.
They are not automatically unsafe.

Their function is stimulation. But context is everything. On intact skin, short-term topical use is generally considered low systemic risk. However, the narrative shifts dramatically when stimulation is layered onto skin already experiencing:

Chronic acid exposure
Continuous retinoid use
Increased permeability

This biological context is critical. Stimulation within a stable barrier environment differs fundamentally from stimulation within a chronically disrupted one. The industry often celebrates acceleration, pushing for faster, more dramatic results. But true skin longevity requires stability, not constant assault.

Unmasking the Truth About Cannabis Oils & Extraction Integrity

Cannabis seed oil is primarily a fatty acid source and is not inherently alarming. Yet, like all ingredients, its efficacy and safety are not absolute. Concerns arise when:

Extraction methods lack refinement, leaving behind undesirable compounds.
Impurities remain, compromising the product's integrity.
Higher-bioactive plant components are inadequately purified, leading to unpredictable effects.
Formulations increase penetration unnecessarily, overriding the skin's natural defenses.

Again, the issue is not the category of ingredient. It is purity, context, and permeability. It's about demanding transparency and integrity from brands, not blindly following trends.

The Regulatory Framework: Elevating the Conversation

Food and cosmetics operate under different frameworks because the route of exposure differs. This is a crucial distinction often downplayed by the industry.

Ingestion is systemic by design.
Topical application is limited by the barrier — unless the barrier is altered.

Modern skincare increasingly adopts delivery strategies that enhance penetration while remaining categorised as cosmetic. This does not automatically imply danger. But it does mean that formulation philosophy and usage patterns deserve deeper, more critical thought — especially when routines begin in adolescence and continue for decades.

While robust, the current regulatory framework can be complemented by an elevated understanding of skin health, prompting an evolution in our approach.

Rethinking the Entire Routine: An Evolution in Skincare Philosophy

Marzia Rahmani does not want brands to simply reformulate one product. She demands they rethink the architecture of the routine itself.

The era of standardized multi-step systems marketed as universally necessary, regardless of:

Age
Barrier condition
Climate
Hormonal changes
Sensitivity history

…is evolving. Because skin is not universal. It is individual. And it is time skincare evolved.

Helping consumers begins with an essential shift:

From routine-driven thinking
To barrier-led assessment.

Instead of asking the industry's tired questions:

“What is trending?”
“What regenerates fastest?”
“What gives overnight glow?”

Real Skin Retinue empowers you to ask the right questions:

Is my barrier stable?
Do I need exfoliation right now?
Is stimulation necessary — or is repair more important?
Am I layering for results, or layering out of habit, blindly following marketing directives?

Individualisation does not mean complexity. It means discernment. It means taking back control of your skin health.

Preservation Before Correction: The Real Skin Retinue Philosophy

Frustrated by marketing distraction and acceleration culture, Marzia developed the philosophy behind Real Skin Retinue — a philosophy designed to elevate the conversation and empower consumers.

Real Skin Retinue is preservation-led. It prioritises:

Barrier integrity: The foundation of lasting skin health.
Responsible stimulation: Only when necessary, never at the expense of stability.
Minimal cumulative stress: Protecting your skin from the silent damage of over-treatment.
Long-term structural resilience: Building skin that lasts, not just skin that looks good for a moment.
Transparency over hype: Because you deserve the truth.

It rejects routine for routine’s sake. It challenges excess. It restores a crucial, often overlooked, hierarchy:

Barrier first.
Delivery second.
Stimulation only when necessary.

The Truth: An Elevated Era for Skincare

Eating artificial dye introduces it directly into the body. Applying a product to intact skin does not automatically do the same. The difference is the barrier.

And once we understand that, the real question becomes:

Are we strengthening it — or inadvertently compromising it in the pursuit of regeneration, often driven by short-term gains?

Skincare is not black and white. It is biology, intelligent formulation, mindful frequency, and the wisdom of time. Real Skin Retinue exists to bring the focus back to preservation:

Integrity before intensity.
Longevity before instant results.
Barrier before brightness.

This is not alarmist. This is responsibility. This is the elevated future of skincare.

Experience Preservation-Led Skincare

Real Skin Retinue's philosophy is embodied in our Antioxidant Serum — formulated to support barrier integrity without compromising long-term skin health.

Designed with intention:

Barrier-respecting formulation that works with your skin's natural defenses
Antioxidant protection against environmental stressors
No chronic exfoliation or unnecessary penetration enhancers
Preservation before stimulation — because lasting results require stability

This is skincare that honors biology over hype, longevity over instant gratification.

Discover the Antioxidant Serum and experience the difference of preservation-led care.

Disclaimer

The information provided in this blog post is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional or dermatologist for any health concerns or before making any changes to your skincare routine, especially if you have pre-existing skin conditions or sensitivities. The views expressed by Marzia Rahmani are her own and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any other agency, organization, employer, or company.

Copyright

© 2026 Real Skin Retinue. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to Real Skin Retinue at INFO@REALSKINRETINUE.COM