By: Niru Thirunarayanan, a student double-majoring in Science & Technology Studies and Public Service at UC Davis

 

Survey Says: Bigger Numbers Don’t Always Win

If skincare was an episode of Family Feud and the question was:

“Name something that makes a product the most effective,” most people would assume the #1 answer is: “High percentages of active ingredients!”—DING!

Serums today shout “20% Vitamin C!” like it's a game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, while moisturizers flex “10% Niacinamide!” like they’ve solved every skincare problem in the book. But just like on Family Feud, the crowd often cheers too soon—because the loudest answer isn’t always the right one.

When it comes to ingredient potency, the highest percentage on a label isn’t necessarily the best. What actually matters is hitting the sweet spot—the concentration that’s been clinically shown to deliver results without overloading your skin.

Have you ever stared at a label and thought, ‘Do I really need 5% Salicylic Acid or 10% Niacinamide—what % is enough?’ You’re not alone! Let’s crack the code together!

 

How Can You Get the Best from Your Actives?

Active ingredients like Vitamin C, Niacinamide, and Retinol are the MVPs of many skincare routines, but their potency in a formula isn’t a “more = better” equation. In fact, chasing those big numbers can:

• Weaken your skin barrier

• Trigger redness, dryness, or breakouts

• Make ingredients unstable and less effective

For example, increasing your retinol from 0.5% to 2% doesn’t mean four times the results—it just raises the risk of irritation.

For those of us with sensitive skin—you don’t want to overload your skin barrier and trigger more acne flare-ups.

Survey says: every skincare ingredient has a “sweet spot” backed by a dose-response curve. This range is where the ingredient shines the brightest. Going beyond that range doesn’t give you extra benefits and could even make it harder to maintain your skin’s delicate balance. 

That’s why BiomeBounce®’s hydrating formula uses sodium hyaluronate—a smaller, more skin-penetrable form of hyaluronic acid—in an optimized range. This ensures you get plump, dewy hydration without the heaviness or stickiness that can come from overloading HA.

 

The Sweet Spot: It Has to be “Just Right”

Your skin wants the actives you use to be in the “perfect” range. Think of it like Family Feud’s Fast Money round—you’ve got to hit that perfect score without overshooting and losing points.

• Too little = no results

• Too much =  barrier damage, irritation, or breakouts

• Just right = your skin’s winning answer

The optimal concentration for each ingredient depends on its potency and how it’s formulated into a product. A well-crafted formula with moderate percentages can outperform a poorly designed one with flashy numbers.

That’s the formulation philosophy behind BiomeBlush®, BiomeBronze®, and  BiomeBeam®—they’re all infused with skin-friendly actives in clinically studied ranges, so you get the glow and color payoff without triggering irritation or dryness. 

With that, let’s break down some popular actives and the “sweet spots” to look out for in your next purchase. 

• Niacinamide →  Ideal concentration: 2–5%

• Supports barrier function, reduces inflammation, minimizes pores, evens tone. 

• Clinical research shows: over 10% can increase the risk of irritation with little added benefit.

• Hyaluronic Acid (HA) → Ideal Concentration: 0.1–2% 

• This is the ultimate hydrator—can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, which is amazing for moisture retention 

• Higher percentages can feel heavy on the skin

• Naringenin → Ideal Concentration: 0.5%–2%

• An antioxidant (mainly found in citrus fruits) that helps calm skin and reduce redness

• Supports the synthesis of lipids that protect your skin from stressors like pollution and UV exposure

• Using higher than the ideal concentration can cause irritation for sensitive skin

• Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs: Glycolic, Lactic, Citric Acid) →  Ideal Concentration: 5–10% for at-home use

• Chemically exfoliates skin to smooth texture and brighten skin

• Higher concentrations (20–30%): reserved for professional dermatology treatments

• Overuse can strip away your skin barrier

• Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHAs: Salicylic Acid) → 0.5–2%

• Unclogs pores and reduces acne and blackheads

• Higher concentrations lead to dry, flaky, and irritated skin

 

The 3 Ps: Picking the Best Product

An active ingredient’s power isn’t just about the percentage listed on the bottle—it’s also about how that ingredient is put into the mix and delivered to you. So many actives have their quirks, so the 3 Ps—Potency, Preparation, and Packaging—determines how a product holds up over time.

Let’s take Vitamin C, for example: 

• This antioxidant is super powerful, but also notoriously unstable

• If it is exposed to light, air, or heat, it loses skincare benefits 

• It can even turn into compounds that irritate your skin

 

When it comes to skincare, there’s no bonus prize for picking the highest percentage. Because of how complex these products are, it definitely helps to:

• Look for brands that publish stability testing data

• Read ingredient breakdowns from multiple sources (we recommend INCIDecoder and Paula’s Choice!)

• Focus on quality and transparency, not just the number on the label

A brand with publicly available quality data is more likely to deliver results!

 

The Bottom Line (or Final Round I Guess…)

When you’re shopping for skincare or skincare-powered makeup, don’t just impulsively grab a bottle with the biggest, boldest numbers like you’re slamming a buzzer to stay in the game. Instead, do your best to:

• Know the sweet spot for each active you’re using

• Look for reputable brands with proven formulation stability

• Start with lower concentrations, and listen to how your skin responds to different products

That’s the game plan behind all BiotechBeauty® products—BiomeBlush®, BiomeBronze®, BiomeBeam®, and BiomeBounce®—they’re science-driven, barrier-friendly products that give you visible results without any compromises. 

When it comes to skincare actives, the winning answer isn’t “the highest percentage”—it’s a combination of “the right percentage, the right formula, and the right brand.” 

 

Survey says: that’s the formula for healthier, happier skin.

XO,

BiotechBeauty®