"Everyone Is An Expert" Maria Enna-Cocciolone On The State Of Skincare
Long before barrier repair and skin longevity became a beauty industry buzzwords, Maria Enna-Cocciolone was championing them. The O COSMEDICS founder reflects on four decades in skincare, the rise of viral beauty culture and why consumers are increasingly turning back to professional expertise.
For Maria Enna-Cocciolone, today's beauty consumer is both the most informed and the most overwhelmed she's ever seen.
After more than four decades in the professional beauty industry, the founder of O COSMEDICS has watched skincare evolve from a category largely guided by professionals to one shaped by social media algorithms and endless online advice.
"Without a doubt the consumer is more informed than ever before," she says. "Education is at the consumers fingertips with online making it super easy to learn, compare brands, actives, reviews and results." The challenge, she argues, is that information and expertise are no longer the same thing.
"Everyone is an expert and it is difficult for the consumer to determine what information is accurate and what is not," she says. "Nobody stops the unqualified from spreading incorrect information and marketers scamming consumers with marketing hype and photoshopped before and afters." It's one of the reasons she believes professional skincare is experiencing a resurgence. After years of trend-led beauty conversations, consumers are increasingly seeking personalised advice and expert guidance rather than relying solely on viral product recommendations.
"Today's consumer understands that skincare is not one-size-fits-all and that science matters," says Enna-Cocciolone.
"As a result, skin clinics and professional skin therapists are regaining authority in the pursuit of true skin health." The shift comes as professionals continue to see the consequences of consumers taking a more-is-more approach to skincare.
Enna-Cocciolone says concerns around over-exfoliation and damaged skin barriers aren't new. In fact, she first observed it during the glycolic acid boom of the early 1990s. "The first time I saw 'too much skincare' was the early 90s with the introduction of glycolic acid where consumers got 'glycolic happy' and ultimately over exfoliated their skins," she says.
Today, she sees similar patterns emerging among younger consumers experimenting with active ingredients and adults overusing prescription retinoids.
"Less is more in skincare," she says. "A customised skin prescription is without a doubt my preference."
Another misconception she wishes consumers would leave behind is the pursuit of perfection.
"The biggest misconception and the most damaging would have to be that skin should be flawless, poreless, the perfect texture and tone," she says. She points to the popularity of "glass skin" as an example of an aesthetic ideal that can create unrealistic expectations.
"The only way skin can look like glass is through the application of products," she says. "Skin itself cannot naturally look like glass."
Long before conversations around skin longevity and science-backed formulations became mainstream, Enna-Cocciolone was already betting on a future where efficacy would matter more than marketing.
Around 16 years ago, she coined the term "Cosmedics", combining cosmetic beauty with medical science, after recognising that consumers were becoming increasingly sceptical of vague beauty promises.
"It quickly became clear that the modern skincare consumer was becoming more informed, more discerning and less willing to accept vague promises or hope in a jar," she says. "They deserved better. Products that delivered real results, not just beautiful textures or fragrance-led experiences."
Looking ahead, she believes the future of skincare will become increasingly personalised, preventative and connected to broader health conversations. "The most exciting shift is the move from chasing flawless skin to building healthy skin," she says. "We will see a stronger focus on skin resilience, a clear connection between skin health and the nervous system, inflammation, stress and overall wellbeing."
For Enna-Cocciolone, that's where the industry should have been heading all along. "Healthy skin is never achieved through extremes," she says. "It comes from consistency, balance and informed choices."
Keep Reading
Your Skin Has a Night Shift. Augustinus Bader Has Built a Cream Around It
Augustinus Bader’s latest launch, The Overnight Restorative Cream, is built around a simple premise: nighttime skincare should work with the skin’s natural biology, rather than simply giving us a richer moisturiser before bed. We spoke to Augustinus Bader’s Global Education Director Christiane Werron about the new launch.
Your Toothpaste Is Having a Skincare Moment
Vitamin C has been one of skincare’s most recognisable ingredients. We’ve watched it migrate from clinical treatments into serums, moisturisers, masks and even makeup. Now, it has arrived somewhere slightly less glamorous: the toothpaste aisle.
Sundae founder Lizzie Binks on Making Body Care Fun Again
There is a reason Sundae is difficult to miss. The colourful cans. The whipped textures. The playful favours. The fun approach to a category that has historically been much more interested in function than fantasy.