In our fourth episode of the Beauty Brains podcast Sarah and Left Brain tackle questions about whether home microdermabrasions work and why some fragrances last longer than other. They also discuss whether natural ingredients are better than synthetic ones.
Please listen and let us know what you think. We’ll try to continually improve so your feedback would be most helpful. If you have any comments or questions, leave them below.
Thanks!
The Beauty Brains
Listen here.
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Show notes:
Listener Questions
2:30 – Question 1: Why do some fragrances last longer than others?
Fragrances are made up of different kinds of materials that have different rates of evaporation. The most volatile ingredients are the top notes and they disappear quickly. These are citrus odors like lemon and grapefruit. Middle notes are less volatile and last a little longer. These would include fruity and floral notes. The base notes are the least volatile and provide the lasting scent. These include some floral notes and musks.
7:00 – Question 2: Do home microdermabrasion products work?
Microdermabrasion products work as high powered exfolliators. They may have some positive effect but they are not going to be nearly as good as a microdermabrasion that you will get done in a dermatologist’s office.
Beauty Science news
We discuss a story about people believing that natural ingredients are safer for you. You can not make the blanket statement that natural = good and synthetic = bad. In fact, natural cosmetics are not more safe and are typically not worth the extra money they cost.
Beauty Headline game
Which is the fake?
1. Some people hear colors and see sounds.
2. Men prefer reddish colors more than women.
3. Excessive vitamin use can lead to heart disease.
4. Flesh-eating fish are used to exfolliate the skin.
Announcements
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If you have a question you’d like us to discuss on future podcasts, leave a comment below.
{ 14 comments… read them below or add one }
Should we be expecting only podcasts from now on or will there be traditional posts again?
I have two questions and two comments but first I must get this off my chest : Whoa! Left Brain is a MALE?!! *shakes head in disbelief*
Question #1: As we all know, Oprah has done her final Favorite Things show. One of the things on her list this year is her hairdresser’s new line of products called Andre Walker Hair Care Products. She was particularly enthusiastic about one item because she claims it adds tons of shine to her hair. It’s called Q-oil. I tried googling to find out more about it but didn’t have much luck other than one website saying all of his products contain keratin. Any idea, Brains, what Q-oil could be? If it’s keratin, would this give hair a lot of shine like Oprah told us? I’ll admit to being envious, at times, of her very shiny hair!
Question #2: You talked about two-in-one shampoos in this podcast. I learned of the condition-shampoo-condition method of washing hair from a comment Left Brain once made on the forum and I love the results! Do two-in-one shampoos try to do the same thing? And why exactly does the C-S-C method work so well?
Comment #1: I love love LOVE Alterna Caviar Seasilk Moisture Shampoo and Anti-aging Moisture Conditioner. I know, I know, Left Brain: You are not enthusiastic about expensive shampoos and conditioners but there is a noticeable difference in my hair when I use them. I’m convinced there is a special ingredient in them…but probably not caviar. Sarah, I recommend you give them a try and get back to us on your results!
P.S. Since I teach children with hearing loss, I will get back to the two of you if I ever encounter a student who can’t hear colors but can see sounds! That would be pretty wild!!!
Comment #2: I like the podcast approach! It’s fun to listen to the two of you chat. I only wish there was a way to back up the discussion at any point while listening here at the website to repeat what was just said by moving the little needle to the left rather than having to replay the whole thing again….or is there a way to do this that I’m just not figuring out?
Hello Jen,
No, we’ll continue to do regular posts too. The Podcast will only be posted once-a-week
Left Brain
@Karen – Thanks for the kind words!
I looked up Q-oil and found the following ingredient list.
“Cyclomethicone, Dimethicone, Argania Spinosa Kernel, Fragrance”
So, Q-oil is Silicone. More specifically a blend of Cyclomethicone and Dimethicone. It will give hair shine. But there is nothing special about Andre Walker Silicone. You could get the same effect from Citre Shine shine and anti-frizz serum.
2 in 1 shampoos attempt to clean hair while putting silicone & cationic polymers on hair. Basically removing dirt then putting clean dirt back on. The C-S-C method works well because it helps to reduce the harshness of the shampoo.
PS. I believe you can back up the show just by moving the progression bar. Also, you could download it right to your computer and listen through any media player.
Left Brain sounds like a cutie! Love the podcasts. I like that the explanations are allowed to be a little more in-depth than a blog post. I was most surprised with the information on fragrance! Being someone who prefers fruity scents, I’m always disappointed that they don’t last very long. Thanks to your tips, I’ll hopefully be able to find a longer lasting, yet still somewhat fruity fragrance to wear.
I have a question regarding Pantene, though. I’ve noticed that nearly ALL their shampoos and conditioners are basically the same, except for the volumizing ones. Yet they are all marketed toward different hair needs (frizzy-smooth, beautiful lengths, curly etc.). Are there ANY differences to the formulas? Or will I see the same results from their Curly shampoo as I would from their Med-Thick one?
Thanks Brains, and keep up the podcasts!
@Jess –
Pantene shampoos are basically the same formula no matter what they say on the bottle as far as marketing goes. However, even though they have the same ingredients, there are some subtle differences. For example, the curly formulas will have less Dimethicone in them and possibly more detergent. The moisturizing formulas will have more dimethicone/cyclomethicone.
Since there is no difference in cost, there really isn’t any reason not to buy the one that is marketed towards your hair type/needs. But the truth is you probably wouldn’t notice any difference if you accidentally used the curly shampoo instead of the Med-Thick one.
1. Some people hear colors and see sounds.
2. Men prefer reddish colors more than women.
3. Excessive vitamin use can lead to heart disease.
4. Flesh-eating fish are used to exfolliate the skin.
Hmm, I wonder… 1 and 4 are definitely not fake (I’ve even had small fish gnaw at my own feet – ticklish!). 2… might be fake, but there MIGHT be some evolutionary pressure for men to prefer reddish tones (for sexual purposes), as the appearance of some non-human primates’ genitalia does change significantly when in heat. I’m also unsure about 3, because you pee out some excess vitamins, but large doses of some others can do significant damage. I can’t recall which organ systems are damaged, but I think I recall something about blood vessel calcification caused by vitamin D… thus heart damage seems possible.
I give up, but I’m looking forward to the solution!
@Il – you can hear the answer in the podcast. It’s in the last 10 minutes of the broadcast.
That illustration is depicting dermabrasion – not microdermabrasion.
Good article, read with great interest. Robin Woods is one of good writer in the men’s and women’s health related issues and i am providing the online free advice regarding the Health Issues.Thanks
:) 
:’(
there is a great product line and eye cream that is great to prevent and decrease wrinkles as well as decrease dark circles. It is called La Roche Posay:
Check out this link by an MD:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJmYlO63dcc
It was nice to hear Sarah and Left Brain on the podcast! You both sound very knowledgeable. However, Sarah, when you were discussing what shampoo you use, it “sounded” like the P&G reps. got to you, and you had to give a free shout out to Pantene! lol Mind you, I have no scientific basis for this assertion; it just sounded that way is all. At any rate, I look forward to future podcasts touting the wonders of other products.
Do Sarah and Lefty have something goin’ on there?
They’re so “cozy” with each other.
Really looking forward to the next podcast.. I love the podcasts. They are very informative. I can listen while doing other things, like doing nails or drinking soup. Also, it won’t strain the eyes like reading does.