Continuing with our Beauty Skepticism series, today we’re going to talk about the “argument from authority fallacy” and how it can lead you astray.
What is it?
Argument from authority is the idea that you automatically believe something just because some source you respect says it’s true.
We see it in our comments section or in advertisements all the time for example…
“My stylist tells me that Pantene puts wax on my hair”
“My dermatologist said that I should stay away from parabens”
“My naturapath says this homeopathic remedy will cure acne.”
But a person’s background does not make them infallible. There are plenty of dermatologists and scientists that have screwy, mistaken beliefs. You should be skeptical of anything you hear that is not supported by some kind of experiment. Challenge people to tell you how they know what they “know”.
Beauty Authorities
While argument from authority is not a good way to decide what is true, it can be useful to guide you in the direction of truth. Of course, some authorities are more reliable than others. Here are a list of “beauty authorities” and why you should be skeptical of what they have to say.
a. Cosmetologists / Stylists – They have useful experience, but most of their product knowledge is given to them by biased cosmetic marketing companies. Additionally, they are sometimes motivated to get you to buy products that make them extra money.
b. Dermatologists – Top notch educations allow them to cure skin diseases. Unfortunately, some see more money in selling their own line of products that cost more, but haven’t been proven to be better than store brands.
c. Celebrities – Yes, they always look good however, so would you if you had stylists and trainers whenever you needed them. This doesn’t mean they know any more about beauty products than you.
d. Sales people – They may know and use their products, but their sales bias makes them unreliable. They’ll ignore negatives that might make you question purchasing something from them.
e. Advertisers – They attempt to educate you about products but often tell half-truths to make their products look better.
f. Websites – Anyone can write anything and put it on the Internet. ALL things you read on the Internet should be questioned. They are often regurgitations of biased press releases sent out by PR firms.
g. Media – Those great product articles you read about in Cosmo, Redbook, or Lucky? They may actually be great or maybe not. Story ideas often come directly from PR agencies advocating for specific products.
h. Friends – Your product-aware friend has lots of knowledge about what she likes and this can be useful. However, that doesn’t mean she knows why things work or even what will work for you.
i. Scientists – How could we forget the Beauty Brains and the other cosmetic scientists out there? Certainly, they have useful knowledge but they don’t know everything. Most of their knowledge is based on what the average person will experience. This says nothing about what will work for you specifically. It’s one reason we haven’t created a list of recommended products.
Being Skeptical of Authorities
There are three things you should ask yourself whenever you hear an authority tell you something they think is true.
1. What are their motivations? Are they making money by getting you to buy a product?
2. How do they know what they know? Have they conducted experiments or studied the experimental work of others? Or are they merely giving you an opinion based on years of experience? The former is more reliable than the latter.
3. How do they know a fact will apply to you? Yes, they may know what research has to say about the general population but what do they know about you? Your skin and hair are unique. Be wary of any authorities that don’t recognize your individuality. No product/treatment will work for everyone!
Not Always Incorrect
We should note that not all appeals to authority are incorrect. Often, the opinions of experts is the best information we can get. For example, no one really knows whether global warming is happening. But the majority of climate scientists believe it is, so it’s the best thing to believe. Of course, this consensus opinion is based on a survey of the best available experimental evidence, so it is not strictly belief from authority.
Beauty Brains Bottom Line
To protect yourself from people who don’t have your best interest in mind, you have to remain skeptical of expert advice from beauty authorities. Understand that they are often wrong. You should never rely on a single source and don’t forget, no one “knows” what will work for you. You have to figure that out for yourself.
Who is your Beauty Expert and why do you believe what they have to say? Leave a comment below.
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
This is great — it all boils down to asking even a respected authority, “WHY do you think that?” and seeing whether their thought process holds water.
First I want to say I like your articles, a scientific approach to beauty is great.
Second…I have to say it: There is very few, if any, climatic scientists that will say climate change is not happening. The argument is now over whether or not it’s human induced.
That’s the environmental scientist coming out in me.
As both a cosmetologist and beauty blogger, I try to dispense useful advice. But really, most beauty advice is subjective and everyone has to keep that in mind when making their selections. Because of that fact, I’ll never consider myself the end-all-be-all beauty authority. I agree with you Beauty Brains! At the end of the day, you’re the beauty authority.
How funny, I was just about to post a question asking how we know that YOU are telling us the truth! As for right now, you’re my best bet, although I may read some things with skepticism.
I’m always suspicious of people who call themselves “authority” of anything without valid proof. As a consumer I like to make an informed decision, doing my research by asking friends, checking consumer reviews on MUA and other review sites first before deciding on buying something. Skincare wise, I normally narrow down my search to people who have similar skin-type with me. That way there’s a higher chance the product will work for me. So in this way I’m my own beauty expert when it’s about my own skin. Contradictary but true. LOL.
Research, research, research! This is something you need to do whenever you go and try out something new. You should not just rely on one source but go out there and get as much information as you can so that you know exactly what you are getting yourself into. Even more so with something that you are going to apply to your physical person.
Nice blog! I really enjoyed reading the articles and your approch to beauty and skincare
All the best!!
These are the kinds of posts that make the Beauty Brains so great! People really need to be educated on critical thinking, and I appreciate that you take to time to do this.
Janis, it’s only partly about the thought process. Of course, you have to determine, if it makes sense at all according to the rules of logic, but: even if it does, nothing is proven until the assumptions are proven to be correct. This is why the Beauty Brains mentioned experiments, which provide these basic facts (although experiments are also likely to be compromised: they may be biased, or without a control group, or not double blind, or non-random etc.).
My favorite beauty authority is Dr. Baumann for skin care. I believe her because she is a well-trained dermatologist and I like the beauty brains too.
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