Over the counter refers to products that you can buy without a prescription. Any skin purchase at a drugstore, department store, or even online is considered over the counter. OTC products have a lower concentration of active ingredients (ingredients that do something to change your skin, Ex: hydrate, reduce wrinkles, etc) and can’t penetrate as deep into the skin as professional products can. So for those of you that use OTC moisturizers and night creams, it’s not doing anything because the product can’t penetrate the top layer of the skin. Your pillow may get the benefits of the moisturizer, but you will not.
Professional products are able to penetrate the top layer of the skin, the epidermis, and hit the dermis or the lower layer of the skin. Elastin, pigmentation, collagen, and new skin cells are produced in the dermis. Aging is caused by the loss of collagen and elastin. To prevent the signs of again, you need products that are able to penetrate that deep. You will experience minimal results from OTC products but it’ll take more products, more time, and more money.
To break it down:
-You can only get cosmeceutical grade products from a licensed esthetician or physician
-cosmeceuticals can change the appearance of the skin
-cosmeceuticals contain greater amounts of active ingredients
-cosmeceuticals can be more affordable