It’s amazing to me how far cosmetic companies will go to stretch the claims of their skin care products. Here are two examples which illustrate how extreme these claims can be.
Skin lotion protects from Acid
Here’s an interesting video by Skin MD lotion. According to them, you can put the lotion on and pour hydrochloric acid on your hand.
It’s an interesting and compelling demonstration. Of course, it’s not as impressive if you consider that when the scientist pours the acid on the rock (probably limestone), there is a neutralizing reaction that occurs. A neutralized acid is like pouring salt water on your skin.
As the man in the white coat says in the demo (despite what he shows), Skin MD will not protect you from acid burns.
Skin cream protects from radiation
This one is even worse. According to the Advertising Standards Authorities (ASA) in the UK, Clarins cosmetic maker was slapped with a fine for claiming that their skin cream could protect you from mobile phone & other radiation. They erroneously said that skin exposed to artificial electromagnetic radiation would age faster. Then they went on to imply that their lotion could protect you from it. According to Clarins
If electromagnetic waves can penetrate walls, imagine what they can do to your skin. Today, electromagnetic waves generated by a host of modern day electronic devices join a list of well-known pollutants which can damage skin.
Unfortunately for Clarins, the research that they submitted was soundly rejected by the ASA and any other legitimate scientist who saw it. Don’t worry Beauty Brains community, your skin is not being degraded by your phone. And that cell phone is not causing acne either. Geez!
What’s the most ridiculous claim YOU’VE seen from a skin care product? Share your comments with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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Lisa Says:
Wow! Thx for clearing that up for us Beauty Brains!! Some people believe every beauty advertisement.
jenny Says:
I agree that Clarins’ claim is pure marketing, but what evidence can you cite that suggests that radiowave towers or cell phones don’t have an effect on the epidermis? I doubt that these waves have an immediate effect, but I do think that long term exposure to these waves probably has risks. One thing is for sure: we have absolutely no evidence at this cell phone radiation is harmless. Think about it. What can you site?
thebeautybrains Says:
Jenny, what is the proof that radiowave towers and cell phone DO have an effect on the epidermis? The way science works is that you have to prove positive claims. It is impossible to prove negative claims such as cell phones & radiowaves don’t have an effect. Similarly, you can’t prove that water doesn’t cause cancer.
No one has specifically published anything that shows no effect on the epidermis but other things are investigated. Here is a study that concludes that cell phones are not associated with any biological or adverse health effects.
Here’s another story indicating no link between cell phone towers and adverse health effects.
Again, this does not prove that they don’t cause problems but where is the proof that they do? Where are the scientific studies?
Lisa Says:
I remember seeing an ad for that Clarins product probably about 6 months ago, and you know what my first thought was? “Wow, I bet the Beauty Brains would have a field day with this bulls*@#!”
Edited profanity aside, I had forgotten about this until now. I can’t believe that a relatively large company can consistently makes outrageous claims of this nature, though I think this one may be the worst from Clarins that I’ve seen. I know they’re often terrible with their pseudo-science, though.
Amy Says:
“Researchers in Germany and Israel reveal in two separate studies that living close to a cell phone tower or antenna could put your health in danger”
http://www.ppctop.com/article/Health_Articles/1561.html
That’s just from a quick Google search. There’s more, obviously.
thebeautybrains Says:
Amy, perhaps you might try a source that isn’t sponsored by Safewireless.org. A quick review of legitimate medical literature concludes no such link. For example…
Review of effects of low level RF on human systems
Since anyone can write anything and put it up on the internet, Google is not a good place to find primary source information.
Can Lotion Save You From Hydrochloric Acid. | Pretty Sassy Says:
[...] The Beauty Brains hypothesizes that the rock is limestone and it neutralizes the scary scary acid. [...]