Is Snake Oil Good For Your Skin
Maggie hisses this question: My teacher says that beauty products are really just snake oil. Does that mean they’re poisonous? The Left Brain slithers a response:
Actually, Maggie, the term “snake oil” is usually used to imply that a product is fake or ineffective. Real snake oil, according to Wikipedia, comes from China, where “it is used as a remedy for inflammation and pain in rheumatoid arthritis and other similar conditions. Snake oil is still used as a pain reliever in China. Fats and oils from snakes are higher in eicosapentaenoic acid than other sources, so snake oil was actually a plausible remedy for joint pain as these are thought to have inflammation-reducing properties.”
After Chinese rail-road workers introduced snake oil to Westerners in the 1800’s, “The snake oil peddler became a stock character in Western movies: a traveling “doctor” with dubious credentials, selling some medicine (such as snake oil) with boisterous marketing hype, often supported by pseudo-scientific evidence, typically bogus.”
Given the history of the ingredient, it’s not surprising that Haiying Cosmetics in China markets Seabion Whitening and Moisturizing Lotion with, you guessed it, Snake Oil extract.
There’s no mention of joint pain, but the product supposedly replenishes moisture and nutrients, promotes skin metabolism and prevents damage from cold weather. But let’s face it, almost any decent skin lotion will do all those things.
Despite the “natural” angle, I’m guessing Snake Oil products wouldn’t sell very well here in the States.
And tell your teacher that he or she should visit the Beauty Brains!
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Blonde #1 Says:
I think Frederick Fekkai makes a version of snake oil that does wonders for my hair.
Chloe Says:
If you all are the debunkers of beauty-product fraud, why use Wikipedia as a source of your information? Everybody knows that its reliability is extremely questionable. Knowing that you aren’t checking reliable sources for your “facts,” why should I trust anything that you post on your site?
thebeautybrains Says:
Chloe: We use different sources depending on the nature of the “fact.”
For a light-hearted look at snake oil, Wikipedia is just fine. But when we’re discussing something important like the interaction between ingredients and skin or the effect of drugs on unborn babies, we go to sources like Pubmed, the Academy of Dermatologists, or the International Journal of the Society of Cosmetic chemists.
Does that make us seem a bit more trust worthy?
Youko Says:
I interpreted the question completely different. I thought she was asking if all beauty products are like snake oil, in the sense that they rarely do what they claim to do.
edit: Gah, the comment didn’t appear the first time around.
Wandamarie Maben Says:
Emu oil …yes, snake oil…I don’t think so.
thebeautybrains Says:
Youku: To your point, some cosmetics do make exaggerated claims (like snake oil!)but there are plenty of products that work very well. Which are which? We’ll have to answer that on a case by case basis.
MoxieHart Says:
Wikisnobbery is one of the lowest forms of elitism. While I’d never use wiki for an academic paper, it can provide good foundations for a topic.
Also, Brains, I deeply enjoyed the picture of Snake. He’s one of my fave Simpsons characters for some reason.
Karen Says:
It continually fascinates me how a small picture by a question or a “safe” reference to a Wikipedia entry at this website gets people’s panties in a knot.
thebeautybrains Says:
Moxiehart, we agree that wiki is not a great source for academic papers but it does (like all other encyclopedias) provide a good foundation. And it’s accuracy has been shown to be almost as good as mainstream encyclopedias like Britannica.
http://www.nature.com/news/2005/051212/full/438900a.html
Michele Says:
I want to tell Maggie that many skin care products do work. First I research then carefully select the ones that I use based on ingredients that have proven effective. I am living proof. I am 54 years young and my skin looks wonderful. Well I also, stay out of the sun, stay hydrated, don’t smoke, take fish oil supplements, etc. etc. etc. Well, you get the picture. This website is also a great place to get excellent information on effective beauty products. I am glad that I found it
Michele
Rachel Says:
Supposedly, Gwyneth Paltrow is using a lotion by Sonya Dakar with snake venom. This review of snake oil’s benefits and lack there of, reminded me of it. In this link, they don’t say in particular that Gwyneth uses it but I heard it on another blog. Beauty Brains, what do you think of snake venom?
Here is the link:
http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/21354/
Candy Says:
Great skincare, like makeup, doesn’t have to cost a lot. A $100 jar of moisturizer? Forget it! Not many of us could afford a daily routine in that price range. So don’t get caught up in the marketing madness and don’t pay for pseudo science. Your endorsement is the only one that counts.
Here, my top 10 skin tips:
1. Protect yourself from the sun — use sunscreen and avoid direct sunlight between the hours of 10 and 2.
2. Don’t — I repeat — don’t smoke. Your skin is a large organ and it needs a lot of circulation. Smoking impairs that dramatically. That’s why smokers’ skin looks dull and gray. Instead of having oxy-generated blood delivered to the surface of the skin, they’re getting poisons and oxidants.
3. Get adequate rest and nutrition.
4. Protect yourself from stress — both emotional and environmental stress.
5. Wash your face twice a day and put on the proper treatment product. I’m amazed when women tell me they don’t wash their face in the morning. A lot of icky stuff collects overnight — dead skin cells, dirt, and dust!
6. Don’t neglect certain areas of the skin. Elbows, heels, neck, and decolletage need moisturizing, and your scalp and the tops of your feet need sun protection.
7. Touch your face less and wash your hands more! Don’t get too surgical on yourself. It’s very tempting to pick, poke, squeeze, and scratch in front of the mirror. But the more you traumatize the skin, the greater your risk of scarring. Apply treatment products and let them work.
8. Keep your makeup clean. Replace the sponges in your compact on a regular basis. Now and then, toss the whole works and start fresh — the average shelf life for cosmetics is 6 to 12 months. Don’t buy products so expensive that you’ll be heartbroken if you have to throw them away.
9. Exercise moderation. More is not always better. Moisturizer, for example, is the most overused product in America. We’ve been bamboozled by cosmetic companies into thinking every square inch of our body has to be slathered. And it’s simply not true. Exfoliators are another thing to be careful with. Used too often, they overacidify and irritate your skin.
10. Beware of counter girls. If it were up to them, you’d be in the bathroom for two and a half hours each morning — putting 80 layers on your face. Keep your regimen simple. And when you do add a new product, do it gradually so your skin has time to adjust. Each skincare or makeup product has an average of 20 to 40 ingredients — you’re introducing 20 to 40 potential allergens to your face every time you try something new.
Thanks, Candy
http://www.webyaa.com/category/beauty