3 Reasons To Be Suspicious of IS Clinical
Bobby is bothered: I was wondering about IS Clinical Active Serum. I’m skeptical about whether active ingredients are really worth the $120 price tag — or whether, at the very least, they work. In terms of what this particular product promises to do (anti-acneic, skin lightening, and mild wrinkle prevention), it is covering all my bases, but I know better than to be drawn to promises (okay, at least sometimes). Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated!
The Right Brain responds:
IS Clinical is an “Innovative Skincare” company with a range of high-end facial products. Their Active Serum treatment “reduces fine lines and wrinkles, helps treat acne, and evens skin pigmentation.” The key ingredients include glycolic acid, lactic acid, arbutin, and kojic acid. Is it worth $120? The information presented on their website gives me several reasons to be suspicious:
1. Lack of differentiating technology
This product doesn’t seem to contain anything new or breakthrough. Alphahydroxy acids are well known ingredients for treating fine lines and wrinkles. And Salycylic Acid is approved as an approved anti-acne drug ingredient, so nothing new there. Finally, skin lightening can be achieved through products like Meladerm (which is effective but also expensive) or less expensive products like Olay’s Definity. Given that you can buy other products with similar functionality for significantly less money, I just don’t understand what’s so different about IS that makes it worth its $120 price tag. Strike 1.
2. Lack of clinical test data on the formula
The IS website has a “Clinical Opinions” section under the Science tab. While one might expect to see results of studies of IS products in this section, all the information is just generic data. For example, there’s a section about kojic acid and cancer but there’s no mention of any clinical tests that show kojic acid is an effective skin lightener. This is a red flag that could indicate they haven’t tested their product. Strike 2.
3. Lack of relevant information on ingredients
One might also expect to find useful information under the “Clinical Ingredient Studies” section. Alas, all we see here is regurgitation of some standard industry literature references. My favorite is the discussion of Carbomer 941 (a thickener). They list several scientific papers, including “Release Profile of Lidocaine HCl from Topical Liposomal Gel Formulation.” What this has to do with their own formulas, I have NO idea! Strike 3 - IS is out.
The Beauty Brains bottom line:
Active Serum may be a perfectly fine product but it certainly doesn’t seem worth the price. Perhaps even more troubling is the fact that the company is trying to look more scientifically credible than it really is.
What do YOU think? Does it bother you when companies try to trick you this way? Or do you just ignore all the hype? Leave a comment so we can all learn from our fellow Beauty Brainiacs.
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Marie Says:
It does annoy me that beauty companies lie to us (their customers!) and then expect us to shell out money for something that doesn’t work or bad for us. Luckily, there are few people who tell it like it is (and can keep us from making costly mistakes!) I’m not sciencey in any way so I’m thankful to you guys who can steer me in the right direction.
del Says:
I’ve been buying makeup & skincare products long enough to be very skeptical. However, I think I’m in the minority because a lot of women fall for the advertisements. I would advise anyone to do their research & if they don’t, they can’t really blame the company for trying to sell a product. Outright lying & outrageous claims, though, are wrong.
Rosemary F Says:
I bought this product last year after being sold by an internal half-and-half photo of the office manager of the “medi-spa” that I was going to.
The results were miraculous in the photo of the half of the face that they claimed was rejuvenated.
But I realized that the only effect that I was seeing was a true farce. The only results that I saw were aws a result of a short-term result you would get from using an egg-white-like product. The tightening effect was so short-lived that I realized that I was being played. A poor product in my opinions.
barbara gerbasi Says:
Who wouldn’t be angry when the cosmetic industry tries to put a scientific spin on the effectiveness of their ingredients. I started reading those lists years ago trying to decifer just what was what. The Beauty Brains makes the task so much easier and has saved me more money that I’d like to admit I was ready to spend. In the past I was a sucker for any new promising product that came down the pike. Now I take a closer look and check it out on your site before I get out the credit card
Michele Says:
Yes, I am always skeptical of the claims that beauty products make. I always check the ingredients. And I do my own research. Chances are if there is an ingredient out there that is promising, there is independent info out there on the web about it. So do the research, and you won’t get burnt.
Michele
Arlene Says:
I guess I am a sucker when it comes to anything that I feel will help me age a little bit slower, and somehow I feel cosmetic companies are out for the profits rather than the true deal. Still I fall for some to the hype that they dish out.. Thanks for a site that tries to sort out the hype for the truth and lead us in the right direction. Thank You!!!
Jen Says:
I have learned the hard way to be skeptical when it comes to cosmetic and skincare lines marketing claims. I am also skeptical when it comes to reviews on various sites.
MSN.com has been running particularly deceptive skincare ads on their website lately. They show a hideously wrinkled and sundamaged woman’s face, and then the same face appears 20 years younger and beautiful again. How classic that these companies throw out the word “science” to back up their claims, when there is actually little or no science involved whatsoever.
Thanks for discussing the ways in which a product should be questioned.
The Beauty Brains » Blog Archive » How Pricey Products Baffle Your Brain Says:
[...] about high priced hair lines like Alterna and Kerastase as well as prestige skin care products like IS Clinical and Cor, the worlds most expensive [...]
carrie b Says:
Does it bother me? Heck yes it bothers me! What really ticks me off is that they get away with it. And why–and how do they get away with it? Isn’t it unlawful for a product to use deliberately false statements or deception in order to get people to buy it?
Referring back to what you wrote on Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift: that NAD (National Advertising Division, part of the Council of Better Business Bureaus) “asked L’Oreal to modify or discontinue certain claims for Nutritioniste Ultra Lift and Skin Renew products” because L’Oreal can’t support what they say the products do.
So, if the NAD blew the whistle on L’Oreal’s Nutritioniste Ultra Lift and Skin Renew products, why aren’t more whistles being blown on other companies doing the same thing? Shouldn’t the NAD or FDA be more on top of these swindlers? It’s not like the average person just has money to burn.
I’m VERY grateful for the Beauty Brains - setting the record straight on so many products trying to “sell us a bag of goods”.
Their advertising says “It’s skin care that actually lifts wrinkles from the inside out.” How can they say this?
liar The Left Brain replies:
They can’t say it, at least not anymore. According to the August 20, 2007 edition of the Rose Sheet (a cosmetic industry bulletin) L’Oreal has been asked to modify or discontinue certain claims for Nutritioniste Ultra lift and Skin Renew products by the NAD (National Advertising Division).
As advertising has the potential to persuade people into commercial transactions that they might otherwise avoid, many governments around the world use regulations to control false, deceptive or misleading advertising.
Utilizing words such as descriptive terms or location terms to increase the perceived value of a product. company is trying to look more scientifically credible than it really is.
What do YOU think? Does it bother you when companies try to trick you this way? Or do you just ignore all the hype?
carrie b Says:
Does it bother me? Heck yes it bothers me! What really ticks me off is that they get away with it. And why–and how do they get away with it? Isn’t it unlawful for a product to use deliberately false statements or deception in order to get people to buy it?
Referring back to what you wrote on Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift: that NAD (National Advertising Division, part of the Council of Better Business Bureaus) “asked L’Oreal to modify or discontinue certain claims for Nutritioniste Ultra Lift and Skin Renew products” because L’Oreal can’t support what they say the products do.
So, if the NAD blew the whistle on L’Oreal’s Nutritioniste Ultra Lift and Skin Renew products, why aren’t more whistles being blown on other companies doing the same thing? Shouldn’t the NAD or FDA be more on top of these swindlers? It’s not like the average person just has money to burn.
I’m VERY grateful for the Beauty Brains - setting the record straight on so many products trying to “sell us a bag of goods”.