A while back we reported on the trend of using yogurt in your skin products to create better products. Well, the good folks at Givaudan (a large fragrance supplier to the beauty industry) is introducing their own yogurt-based product.
This new product called Yogurtene Balance Powder is a spray dried version of yogurt and is supposed to “rebalance the body’s natural pH balance.” Givaudan says that their yogurt will be good for the anti-wrinkle market because it will help retain skin moisture and protect the collagen lattice in skin. Oh yeah, and it’s a great hair conditioner.
For some reason I find this stuff cute. It’s homey, it’s natural, it’s yogurt. How can it not be great?
Of course, there is no proof that yogurt will provide any benefit to your skin. No, it’s not going to protect the collagen lattice. It might help with skin moisture but not nearly as good as things like mineral oil, fatty alcohols or petrolatum. And no, it won’t re-balance your skin’s pH. Actually, I have no idea what that means. Can anyone enlighten me? I just couldn’t figure out how to get the pH meter to give me a reading on my skin.
When will cosmetic companies learn? Food is for eating, not wearing. Yogurt is great (the Beauty Brain particularly likes the Yoplait Whips flavors) but there’s no reason to put it on your skin.
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I’ve been reading this avidly if only recently.. looking for some guidance in using products that work etc.
However, it appears as though nothing works according to this site!! the writers pooh-poo’d every product out there. what’s up with that?
oh well.. i’ll keep checking it out. thx.
It’s not that they’re saying no-no to the product itself, but most of the time about the CLAIMS and PRICE. This site has helped me save so much money and I now know EXACTLY what to expect and what not to expect from certain products. I find myself hardly returning things to the drug/dept store now, and I’m happier than I’ve ever been with my purchases since reading this site. Thank you Brains!!!!
the truth is – nothing actually works.
the only good things u can do to ur skin are 1. Exfoliate, 2. Moisturize, 3. Use a good sun block regularly.
thats it.
Use a very mild exfoliater (e.g salicylic scid based) everyday and dont forget to use a 30+ sub block after that.
and btw dont use yogurt on ur skin if u have an acne prone skin.
the bacteria that causes acne thrives on the lactic acid.
also be careful about the products which contain lactic acid if u have acne.
As I get ready to start my work day, the computer loads and I can’t help but notice the headlines from beauty brains – and I have started clicking on them for a quick read before work. I have to agree with the previous comment – every time I click (I can’t help myself when it comes to beauty news) it really is only negative comments. Pretty much like the other comment – nothing works!
That’s just such crap – I may be barely awake this morning but I feel compelled to comment. If I listened to this stuff I never would’ve made the incredible progress in my own health and looks. It’s like believing the doctors when they tell you all you can do is learn to live with a chronic illness and pain.
That’s just plain wrong.
I said no to that defeatist attitude and I’ve made incredible changes.
This is about beauty so I’ll share this – I’ve had disfiguring scars on my abdomen from an incident that happened in my first pregnancy 18 years ago. Two years ago I decided that since skin rejuvinates itself I wasn’t going to believe there was nothing I could do about the terrible scarring and stretch marks.
I set about to change what couldn’t be changed.
Today my abdomen (without surgery, and with a combinations of simple techniques and products) looks completely different. Think about it, the scars were 16 years old before I believed they were reversible.
This is just one tiny (but important) triumph in my life made possible by saying no to negativity.
I pride myself on being an informed consumer – that means understanding ingredients and basics about how our body functions. Our body is miraculous and capable of incredible possibilities.
Stay informed – and believe you can always improve yourself. The evidence surrounds us when you look for it.
Kathy,
I would love to know what you did to reverse the stretch marks. I got really bad ones with my second pregnancy and haven’t been able to get rid of them. Some advice would be great!!
aa who would’ve thought you’d set off such a maelstrom of comments?
Thanks to everyone for weighing in and especially Kathy for the inspiring story.
Rich’s statement that “nothing works” is not the position of the Beauty Brains. In fact, we write about things that work all the time.
Check out these posts…
1. What works to get rid of wrinkles.
2. Cure warts with duct tape
3. An affordable wrinkle product that works.
But you’ve inspired us to begin a new series of posts called “Beauty Care – What Really Works” or something. Look for entries soon.
Most products out there really DO work! It’s the extra stuff that they throw in there and try to market to you that is bogus. Yogurt lotions work but not because of the yogurt. It’s because of the other less sexy ingredients like Cetyl Alcohol, Mineral Oil, and Petrolatum. Yogurt is just a story.
We do not wish to be only nay-sayers. Unfortunately, most of the stuff out there is bogus. We search for truly functional stuff and when we see it, we’ll tell you.
Left Brain
Wow, I’m so glad someone was listening and inspired to bring us some positve news.
For Staci – here’s a quick rundown of what I did, and continue to do on a limited basis.
1. strong exfoliation with dry brushing and in shower with scrubby sponge. The blue heavy duty kitchen type. I find these easier to keep dry and clean between use, but loofah or similar also works. You have to work up to the strong exfoliation to see what your skin will tolerate.
2. rub in olive oil or other nourishing cream like the one sold at Bath and Body Works that has 4.5% lemon oil. I used essential oils mixed with the olive or jojoba oil. Essential oils are very powerful and WORK WONDERS when used correctly. I don’t want to say which ones because they can be dangerous if you’re pregnant or sick. The best advice to to get a good book on essential oils and read about the properties and warnings of each. A good one to start learning about is lavendar oil. Essential oils are often the expensive ingredients in high end products – much wiser and less expensive to learn how to use them individually.
3. massage the area when you can
4. Use an alpha hydroxy product at night so the exfoliation process will be more effective the next time. Walgreens brand has one of the best alpha hydroxy lotions and is an excellent price.
I hope that helps.
Good luck.
Kathy
jmm… Thanks for the tips Kathy! I have residual scarring from a bout of pityriasis rosea that lasted 6 months (one of the worse experiences I’ve had), and even though it happened 3 yrs ago I still have marks in my abdomen. I’ll try some tough exfoliating followed by mineral oil now.
I don’t know the science behind why it works but I wash my face with yogurt and it has cleared up a rash I have suffered with for 24 years. I was desparate to calm my skin and began washing it with milk thinking there were chemicals in teh water it could not handle. So once I opened the frig I looked for someting to stay on my face for a few more mintues like a mask that was milk based and found yogurt worked and worked amazingly. You tell me why. All I know is my face that peeled all winter for 24 years is now normal. Yogurt is wonderful!
I disagree that yogurt is without any value. Good fresh unflavoured yogurt I believe is mildly exfoliating due to the lactic acid. It makes a nice gentle mask (although I agree you needn’t buy new-fangled yogurt powder, and I have no idea how this powder would affect the pH — or why that would be a good idea.)
More interestingly, yogurt contains loads of live bacteria, commonly called ‘probiotics’ (lactobacillus/acidophilus, etc)… I wonder if these could one day have benefit to skin? The new trend in digestion is to add in good bacteria to fight the bad bacteria. Our faces, of course, are also covered in bacteria.
I wonder that a face product adding in good bacteria has not been tested yet? I wonder if that one day could be a way of fighting bad bacterias on our face. Pro-biotics for face?
I actually question the conventional wisdom of repetitious anti-bacterial soap as the mainstay of acne control. I think it probably leaves some really hardy bacteria strains behind which might be left free afterward to proliferate.
Personally, I would like to see new options in skincare.
Adri,
Interesting idea. I agree that removing bacteria with constant washing may potentially be negative. It would make an interesting study.
It would also be interesting to see what effect the bacteria in yogurt would have on the face.
Unfortunately, the term bacteria still scares most people so cosmetic companies won’t spend much money investigating their effects. But maybe some university professor will take up the cause.
You make an excellent point about bacteria sounding scary. Especially in the context of skincare, that would be a real paradigm reversal to promote additional bacteria!
I do think, however, that if probiotics for skin were one day proven to actually WORK, customers could warm up to it… Given how voracious the beauty market’s appetite is — and how well some products with no proven (or any) effects sell — well shouldn’t that make it especially easy to succeed with something that is *actually* effective?
Actually Yakult Japan have a cosmetic department which does research on lactic acid bacteria and beauty
Mineral Oil and Petroleum products are fillers and they are NOT good for your skin!
And your proof of this is what?
Incidentally, while I know what a filler is in terms of creating food products, what do you mean by “filler” when it comes to making cosmetics?
I have very dry sensitive skin. Things at the cosmetic counter have been a waste of money for me for many years. I will tell you what has worked for me. I make my own soaps with lots of high fat, super rich yogurt, shea and cocoa butters and rosehip seed oil. Rosehip seed oil has reversed my husbands wrinkles. Believe if you want or not. This is my skin care regime and I won’t ever waste my time or money at the mall buying chemicals for my precious skin and hair!
Mineral oil and petroleum products aren’t for everyone. I don’t use them. They can clog pores. They are widely used because they are so cheaply obtained. I like my skin too much to use this stuff!
Do not use mineral oil as it is very bad for your skin. The only thing they have to say about it being safe is that the fda approved it. The fact is the fda don’t really care nor reaserch the long term affects on vunerable consumers and think about cheap and easy products first. If the fda was a reliable source for really caring about the produts and there effects we would see no over weight people, a drop in all cancers and constant information on the natural resources for our health and beauty. For all the women out there please write down these chemicals which have been approved to be in our everyday products which cause cancer, hormone imbalances, birth defects and other serious heath problems. If you don’t believe me ask yourself why everyone around us is constantly sick, battling a life threatening illness or is on a multitude of perscription medicines. Don’t believe these so called doctors, if we were all well we wouldn’t have to go to them as much meaning they wouldn’t be needed. Here is what they consider fine to expose ourselves to:
Deoderant-has a ph of 9 which removes protective acid mantle making the skin vunerable to penetration. It contains AMMONIA,FORMALDEHYDE AND PHENOL. WHICH ARE CARCINOGENS ALONG WITH TRICLOCARBON WHICH HAS BEEN PROVEN TO CAUSE CANCER (PREDOMINATLY BREAST CANCER IN MEN AND WOMEN)
Shampoo- don’t use it if it contains COCAMIDE DEA. IT IS ASSOSIATED WITH CARSONOGENIC NITROSOMES AND SODIUM LAURYL SULFATE A KNOWN MUTAGEN.
HAIR TINT WITH QUATERNIUM-15 WHICH RELEASES FORMALDAHYDE AND THE CARCINOGEN PHENYLENEDIAMENE.
SHAVING CREAM=A-PINENE WHICH DAMAGES THE IMMUNE SYSTEM.
MINERAL OIL AND PETROLIUM JELLY NOT ONLY DAMAGES YOUR LIVER BUT ALSO CONTAINS THE CONTAMINENTPOLYCILICAROMATIC HYDROCARBONS (PHA’S) KNOWN AS XENOESTROGENS THAT MIMIC ESTROGEN IN THE BODY.
DUSTING POWDER CONTAINS TALC A SUBSTANCE MUCH THE SAME AS ASPESTOS. wHEN TALC WAS COMBINED WITH A EVERYDAY AIR POLLUTANT (BENZOAPYRENE)IT INDUCED TUMORS IN 80% OF THE ANIMALS TESTED. sCIENTISTS EVEN WANT IT REMOVED AND PLACED OPN THE KNOWN CARCINOGENS LIST.
there is still so much more like carcinogens in our make-up and even in our sunscreen and toothpaste. Don’t listen to these silly doctors with there beauty blogs. It was even stated that he didn’t know what a ph is. By the way have you looked at doctors? They not only don;t practice what they preach but are some of the most overweight, un atractive and un healthy looking people you will see. Go natural ladies we are all beautiful without makeup and why do we need society to tell us that laugh lines an natural hair are atrocious. Be different start looking naturally beautiful. It would be a refreshing look for the world.