Should you really be able to "count and pronounce" all the Ingredients on a Skincare Label?

Is there really any substance to the argument that the ingredient list for a skincare product should be short and readable?

In short, not entirely.

Pronunciation:

No, you do not need to be able to pronounce every ingredient on the label. There are thousands upon thousands of naturally occuring substances (both in and outside of your body) that aren't easy to say. Saying Deoxyribonucleic acid does not come fluently to most of us, yet DNA accounts for all life on Earth. The same applies in skincare ingredients. There will almost always be words we are unfamiliar with, but they can still easily fit into an "all natural" (or whatever it may be for you) regime.

Length:

While going over pronunciation may seem trivial and obvious to most, the length of an ingredient list actually can have an impact on your routine. This, however, depends on you personally. Many of the issues arising from long ingredient lists exist because of the increasing potential for skin irritants or toxic chemicals. If you're skin is resilient and not easily irritated, you will likely be completely fine with more ingredients. The opposite is also true, if you have sensitive skin, you may want to opt for products with fewer ingredients (possible irritants).

All in all, you should not spend your time stressing over long labels or tongue tying ingredients. That being said, if your skin is sensitive, watch out for possible irritants (fragrances, specific oils, soaps, alcohols, etc.) that may be hidden in long labels.