Why does not every active ingredient featured in a supplier catalogue translate into a marketing claim?
Because what can genuinely be promised – and subsequently substantiated – is determined not by a single ingredient, but by the formulation as a whole. We explain how functional raw materials, formulation architecture and technological process parameters directly influence a product’s value and how it is perceived by consumers.
This perspective brings structure to the way cosmetic claims are developed: rather than relying solely on the INCI list, it shifts the focus towards a coherent, technologically justified system of decisions that can be reproduced and scaled.
Claims are shaped by formulation, not marketing
In practice, what a product can genuinely deliver is very rarely the result of a single decision or one ingredient that “does all the work”. More often, it reflects the combined effect of processes, compromises and choices made at the formulation design stage. This is when decisions are taken that later – sometimes entirely unintentionally – define the scope of possible claims and the way the product can be compared with other solutions on the market.
It is in the laboratory that the product acquires its actual properties:
a specific texture,
stability over time,
resistance to storage conditions,
predictable performance.
These are not features added incidentally. They are the direct result of the technological solutions adopted and of the way individual formulation components work together as an integrated system.
Even when marketing is not yet being considered at the R&D stage, this is where its technological foundations are established: the boundaries of what can later be substantiated, defended and consistently reproduced at production scale.
Why active ingredients do not build product communication on their own?
One of the most common misconceptions is that adding an active ingredient automatically creates product value and provides a ready-made basis for marketing claims. In reality, the mere presence of an active substance in the INCI list does not determine either efficacy or the credibility of marketing declarations.
An active ingredient is a starting point, not a complete solution. It brings a specific potential for biological activity, but at the same time it can:
interfere with the formulation structure,
alter its rheological properties,
affect system stability,
complicate the manufacturing process.
For example, an unstable peptide complex may disrupt the emulsion system, reduce product shelf life and require additional formulation modifications that affect both sensory properties and production scalability.
Therefore, until the formulation:
provides a stable environment for the active ingredient,
supports its performance over time,
enables safe and reproducible scale-up,
there is no finished product – only an idea for using a raw material.
The presence of an ingredient in the INCI list alone is not sufficient to substantiate claims. Only when the entire formulation is designed to support the stability, availability and efficacy of the active ingredient can a real and reproducible effect be achieved.
What really shapes product messaging? A systemic perspective
The presence of an active ingredient alone does not determine how a product performs. The way a cosmetic product is perceived by consumers – from the first interaction with the product to long-term satisfaction with its use – depends on the formulation as a whole: the delivery systems used, system stability, pH, interactions between raw materials and the compromises built into the formulation design. Within this system, all elements must work together.
Formulation structure
It is responsible for product consistency and stability. It determines whether ingredients retain their activity over time and whether the cosmetic product performs consistently, both immediately after opening and after several weeks of use.
Functional and processing ingredients
Emulsifiers, stabilisers, pH adjusters and preservatives make it possible to control the system, scale up the formulation and maintain consistent product quality during manufacturing.
Sensory ingredients
They shape the user’s first impression: how the product spreads, how quickly it absorbs and how the skin feels after application. Without this sensory layer, even a technologically advanced product may fail to gain consumer acceptance.
Active ingredients
Although they are often the main focus of communication, they remain fully dependent on the other elements of the formulation. Without a stable environment and an appropriate delivery system, they cannot provide the claimed effect.
Changing one element always affects the others. Introducing a new fragrance composition may require modification of the preservation system, which may then alter the pH and, in turn, reduce the stability of the active ingredient. Every decision made in the laboratory triggers a chain of interconnected consequences throughout the entire formulation system.
The more technologically coherent a product is, the less its communication needs to be “invented”. A well-designed formulation naturally defines the boundaries of credible claims because it reflects what the product actually does – consistently and reliably.
Paweł Hryniecki
Chemist, strategic sales and technology manager at MEDICOS
Formulation structure as a vehicle for product communication
Before any active ingredient begins to deliver a biological effect, the user forms an initial judgement of the product: whether it inspires confidence, meets expectations and conveys a sense of quality. This assessment takes place long before the effects of the active ingredients can be observed.
The first impression does not result from the presence of active substances, but from the structural properties of the formulation. These determine how the product behaves on contact with the skin. The system’s microstructure, rheology and stability directly influence:
how the product spreads,
the rate and nature of absorption,
the sensations experienced after application,
perceived quality and the perception of product efficacy.
For the formulator, this means one thing: formulation structure is not merely a passive background for active ingredients, but one of the key factors determining their performance.
Emulsion microstructure
A well-designed emulsion microstructure should:
enable the controlled release of active ingredients,
shape application comfort, including smoothness and a lightweight feel,
build perceived product quality even before any biological effect becomes apparent.
Functional and processing ingredients: the silent architects of quality
Marketing communication most often focuses on active ingredients. In reality, however, product quality is largely determined by formulation components that remain in the background: stabilisers, carriers, rheology modifiers and processing aids.
They:
maintain a stable product structure over time,
enable formulation scale-up without compromising performance,
determine the product’s consistency, appearance and durability,
reduce the risk of quality issues, complaints and returns.
Stabilisers and rheology modifiers
They control formulation viscosity, absorption rate and after-feel. These parameters are later described in marketing materials as:
a velvety texture,
a skin-adapting feel,
a modern or advanced formula.
Carriers and delivery systems
They influence the stability and availability of active ingredients within the formulation. Without an appropriately selected carrier, even a high-quality active ingredient remains merely an element of the ingredient list, with no clear impact on the product’s real and reproducible performance.
Processing ingredients
They enable the formulation to be transferred from laboratory scale to full-scale production without compromising quality or consistency. They provide the technological foundation for scalability and batch-to-batch reproducibility.
Active ingredients are a catalyst, not the foundation of product communication
Active ingredients can influence how a product is perceived, but they do not define its performance or quality on their own. Their efficacy depends on the formulation environment in which they are used and on how they are incorporated into the overall technological system.
To deliver genuine value to the product, an active ingredient must be:
suited to the type of formulation,
incorporated into a stable system,
protected against degradation during production, storage and use.
A well-designed formulation can perform effectively even with a relatively low concentration of active ingredients. Conversely, even the most advanced or popular ingredient will not improve the final result if the formulation does not support its performance.
In practice, it is the formulation that determines whether an active ingredient has the potential to work and to be communicated credibly — not the other way around.
From a technological perspective, the stability of the entire formulation is equally important. In aqueous systems, urea may gradually degrade, particularly under unfavourable pH conditions and at elevated temperatures, potentially leading to an increase in pH as well as deterioration in product stability and overall quality. A properly designed buffering system, together with appropriate control of process parameters, helps to minimise this risk
Marketing impact as a result of process design
Product credibility is not created at the marketing stage, but throughout the development process. Formulation stability over time provides the foundation for claims relating to consistent performance and product quality, such as “consistently effective” or “the same from first to last use”. Batch-to-batch reproducibility, in turn, results from controlling key process parameters, including temperature, time, homogenisation, pH and viscosity. What marketing describes as consistent quality is, in practice, the outcome of process discipline.
Similarly, manufacturing quality – including the absence of phase separation, microbiological stability and a consistent sensory profile – results from a properly designed and controlled production process.
What appears externally as emotional messaging and product promises is, in reality, the consequence of specific process decisions made long before the product reaches the market.
The role of the distributor: supporting systems thinking
In mature product development, a distributor is no longer merely a source of ingredient catalogues. Its real value begins where thinking in terms of individual raw materials ends and work on the formulation as an integrated system begins.
A strong technology partner:
understands the relationships between raw materials,
can anticipate how a new ingredient may affect formulation structure and the manufacturing process,
helps identify the right balance between efficacy, sensory performance and scalability,
supports the development of solutions that are reproducible and can be reliably implemented at production scale.
It is at the intersection of formulation and process technology that genuine partnership emerges – based not simply on ingredient selection, but on an understanding of the entire system
Product claims as a consequence of process stability and reproducibility
The most credible product claims are developed long before the label or campaign stage. Their foundations lie in laboratory work and in decisions made throughout the manufacturing process.
Choices relating to:
formulation structure,
system stabilisation,
rheology,
carrier selection,
manufacturing process parameters
determine whether the claimed effect can be achieved and maintained over time.
Batch-to-batch reproducibility, resistance to transport and storage conditions, and sensory consistency are not the result of marketing assumptions, but of process discipline. If a specific effect cannot be safely reproduced at production scale, it cannot be communicated credibly either. In this sense, the manufacturing process becomes the filter through which all product claims must pass.
Claims that can be substantiated begin with formulation
The boundaries of credible product claims are defined by decisions made during formulation design and its implementation in the manufacturing process. These decisions determine the product’s stability, reproducibility and ability to maintain its performance over time.
Active ingredients provide the potential for efficacy, but this potential can only be realised within a well-designed formulation system. When the technology is coherent, the communication does not need to be “invented” – it simply needs to be articulated. A substantiated claim is, in essence, a description of what the product genuinely does: the result of technological decisions made long before its market launch.
This is precisely why a systems-based approach and cooperation with a partner who understands the relationships between raw materials, processes and production scale are so important.
At MEDICOS, this is how we approach cooperation with our clients. We support every stage of formulation development – from raw material selection and formulation design to safe, reproducible scale-up.
