The Beauty Brains

Skeptical Susan says: In your story about cosmetics that really work, you mentioned all those products that don’t really do what they say. That made me wonder why don’t any of these companies ever get in trouble if they’re lying? I thought we had laws against false advertising.

The Right Brain retorts:
You’re correct, there are laws against false advertising. They vary from county to country but generally speaking for those laws to take effect someone has to initiate a challenge against the suspicious advertiser. That challenge can come from a consumer such as yourself, another company, or from an interested party such as a consumer group or governmental body.

Two ways to challenge

Regardless of who initiates the challenge, in the US there are two basic ways by which advertisements are “policed.” The first way involves taking the company directly to court because you believe you can show their advertisement is false and misleading. If the courts rule in the plaintiff’s favor, the offending company can be forced to stop specific advertising and they may have to pull recall product from distribution. In addition, the court can levy fines against the company if warranted. This is not usually the course that is followed because of the time and money involved in engaging the legal system.

Most of the time, cases are reviewed by an arbitrating body, specifically the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Better Business Bureau. The NAD has no specific legal authority and can not punish companies for running bad ads, but their opinion carries a lot of weight. So if the NAD rules against a company, in most cases, the advertiser follows their advice (or they may face more severe action in court.) While the general public may not realize it, companies are challenged on their claims ALL the time. In fact here’s a recent example from the NAD case files issued April 2008:

Is Actifade illegal?

This case involves a product called Actifade, a sunspot/age spot fade cream. We’ve blogged before about similar products like Meladerm and other skin lighteners. These are Over The Counter (OTC) drugs because they contain active ingredients that reduce skin pigmentation. The NAD took issue with the advertiser’s claims because product performance claims should follow the language in the OTC drug monograph. Here’s how the NAD ruled on specific Actifade claims:

• Claims regarding “stopping sun spots, age spots and liver spots” implied that the product permanently eliminated skin discolorations and are not supported by any data from the advertiser. Claims about looking “5, 10, even 20 years younger” are also not supported. Both claims should be discontinued

• The claims “Younger looking skin has never been easier” and “Just rub it on and it works,” must be modified to avoid implying that the products immediately remove age spots

• The claim “Actifade combines a cosmetic with powerful medication that will fade sun spots, age spots and dark discoloration with no greasy mess” is acceptable and can be used.

The Beauty Brains Bottom Line

As a result of this NAD challenge, Actifade has agreed to change their advertising. If they had not agreed, they could have been taken to court to face more serious action. So there you have it - that’s how the system protects us from false advertising.

What do YOU think? Does the legal system do a good job of protecting the public from fraudulent cosmetic claims? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

A couple of recent stories have gotten me thinking about hypocrisy in the beauty industry. Certainly you’ve heard the news that the photos of the “real women” in the Dove Real Beauty campaign may have been digitally altered.  If true, this would seem hypocritical because they complain most companies use touched up models to sell their products while they do exactly the same thing except with chubbier, less attractive models.  Of course, the company is mostly denying it, but what else can they do? Close-up photographs of real people never look as good as ones that have been touched up.  Freckles, acne, wrinkles and age-spots don’t work in magazine ads.

Natural Hypocrites

The other story was one about the Organic Consumers Association (OCA) attacking “natural” companies for using raw materials that contain a potential carcinogen. It seems that companies like Jason Natural & Organic, Kiss My Face and Nature’s Gate Organic all use ethoxylated ingredients that have trace amounts of 1,4-Dioxane. The OCA believes it’s hypocritical to say you are natural, but still contain supposedly dangerous ingredients. While we disagree about the danger posed by trace amounts of 1,4-Dioxane, we can see the OCA’s point. It does seem hypocritical.

Getting what they deserve

It just goes to show you how difficult it is to build a brand by tearing other people’s products down. Photos can always be made more “real”. Cosmetic formulas can always be made “safer”.

Companies that claim to more real or safer than others are just setting themselves up for being exposed as hypocrites.

I for one am happy to see it. Perhaps next time they’ll focus on the good features of their products instead of what they think are bad features of their competitors.

Are the Beauty Brains Hypocrites?

Incidentally, we hear the claim on the Beauty Brains every so often that we are hypocrites because we accept advertising for products. We whole-heartedly disagree with this. While it is true that we do accept advertising and also get money for some affiliate programs, we don’t believe this is hypocritical because we do not allow the fact that a product is advertised on our website to cloud what we say about them  If we don’t believe a product like Pink Patch weight loss, Kinoki Foot pads, or Jan Marini eyelash thickeners work, we’ll tell you.

However, we’ll accept ads from them and if you’re going to buy them, that’s fine with us.  It is up to you to use your brain when making purchasing decision.  We’re not here to tell you what to do. We’re here to help you make an informed decision.

There is one line of hypocrisy that we will not cross.   The Beauty Brains will not make their own line of cosmetics.  While it could easily be done, we believe it would create an unavoidable bias that would taint the information you get here on the Beauty Brains.  The information, the science is what is important.  That’s why the only products you’ll ever get from the Beauty Brains are books and other information products.  And these are the only products we endorse.

Kisha’s quandary: It depresses me to see your site be so negative, it seems like no product works out there and that we are so dependent on chemicals drugs and studies , which a lot of times are purposely rigged to have the drug companies make the most money. How in the word have we survived for so long without those drugs before????

The Left Brain’s reply:
Kisha, as I’ve said before, our mission is to educate our community about the truth behind cosmetic products. And the sad truth is, there are many products out there that do NOT do what they promise.

Bogus beauty buys

Some examples include the Pink Patch, Collyre Bleu Eye Drops, Airborne, Kinoki Detox Foot Pads, the Brava Breast Enhancement system, Clarins 3P Screen Mist, and a host of high-priced, over-promised anti-aging products like Perricone.

Many of the products that we’re asked about, like the ones I just mentioned, are dubious at best. I rarely see questions that have a clear cut, positive answer like “does Suave shampoo really get your hair clean.” So, since our community asks us about questionable products, the answers that the Right Brain and I give are often negative because many of these products are more about BS than beauty science. It’s unfortunate that you think it’s depressing to learn the truth about products that are trying to trick you. I think it’s much more depressing to wake up one morning and realize you spent a lot of your hard earned money on products that don’t deliver they benefit they promise.

Cosmetics that really work

However, just because I blog about a lot of bogus products, that doesn’t mean that NOTHING works. In fact, the world of cosmetics offers MANY products that are highly effective. The Right Brain and I have blogged about these in the past, but in case you haven’t seen them, here are 10 quick examples of cosmetics that really work:

1. Crest Teeth whitening strips
2. Secret Clinical Strength Antiperspirant
3. Avocado oil for soothing skin
4. Coconut and Palm oil hair strengthening products like Ojon
5. Hair dyes of all kinds
6. Silicone scar removal sheets
7. Skin lighteners like Meladerm
8. Fluoride tooth paste
9. Skin moisturizers
10. Hair relaxers

The Beauty Brains bottom line

In conclusion, I’m sorry that you feel our site is negative and depressing. But I’d rather tell you the straight truth about cosmetics and have you leave the Beauty Brains community than let you go on thinking that all the advertising you read about cosmetics is true. Hopefully you’ll continue reading so we can help you be a smarter shopper. Thanks for your question.

It’s that time of the week again to see how well the Beauty Brains community can figure out the science versus the nonsense. Head on over to the blog and enter your answer to this week’s beauty science or BS poll. We’ve picked 3 headlines ripped from the pages of our favorite science feeds and made one up. Can you figure out which of the following stories is FAKE?

Beauty Science or BS Headlines

1. Women in their 40s report more issues with their skin than any other group.

2. Data suggests the smell of rotten eggs can increase human lifespan.

3. Male interviewers are more biased in favor of attractive interviewees than female interviewers.

4. Eating tomatoes can protect skin from sun damage

Good luck and feel free to leave a comment below to say why you picked the way you did.

Even though we lost half the data due to a recent software upgrade, we had a great response to the Beauty Brains quiz this week and 31% of you were actually able to sense the BS. This is slightly better than random chance. I might have to make the next one a little harder. Read on and see how you did.

People who wear glasses have been shown to be more introverted and geeky - FALSE

31% of you thought glasses wearers were geeks but science says otherwise. According to this study by psychologists from the University of Melbourne, there is no link between myopia and introversion. In fact, the study showed a slight correlation suggesting people with glasses are more agreeable. Maybe we should get a pair for the argumentative Right Brain.

Skin cells can tell whether you are a night person or morning person - TRUE

Not many were fooled by this one. Only 13% of you couldn’t believe this one. Scientists studying the effect of light on sleep discovered that each skin cell has its own internal clock. Someone who is a self-reported “morning person” actually has skin cells that match up to this personality. People with Seasonal Affect Disorder (a kind of winter depression) have skin cells that don’t match up with their personality.

You can reduce air pollution by not washing your hair - TRUE

22% of you thought this one was dirty but it’s not. Scientists from the University of Missouri found that unwashed hair absorbs around seven times more ozone than washed hair. Who knew Collin Farrel and the other Hollywood hotties with greasy hair were actually helping clean up smog in Los Angeles?

Women with college degrees are more likely to get married than those without - TRUE

34% of you thought this couldn’t be true but it is. Women with college degrees have a better chance of being married than those without. It turns out men really do like women with brains. In a reversal of trend, a review of census data found that in 2006, 61% of women aged 30-34 with degrees were married, while only 53% of those without post-high school degrees were. It warms my heart to know that Sarah still has a chance.

How did you do? Were you able to sniff out the beauty BS? Leave a comment and let us know.

Hey Everyone,

Well, I’m back from my European trip. I had a fabulous time, saw lots of pretty statues, historically significant sites, and was able to fill all of the European Beauty Brains book orders. We still have some books from the first print run available so if you’re interested be sure to get your copy soon. We’re going to have to do a second printing and the original print runs will no longer be available (for all you collectors of rare works out there).

Ok, now that that is out of the way, my trip was incredible. I’d never been to Europe before and it was an amazing experience. My first stop was in London. We had a lot of orders from the UK so it made the most sense to go here. Besides, I really wanted to see London. The castles, the bridges, the royals. It was so exciting. I walked through Hyde Park, then along the Thames. Saw Buckingham Palace, the London Eye, Parliament, Big Ben, and the Tower Bridge that I kept calling the London Bridge.

You can see all my pictures here.

I loved London and highly recommend going. However, be warned that the food isn’t great and everything costs about double what it does in the United States.

After a week of exploring London (which involved mostly shopping and going to late night clubs like Koko) I was off to Paris. I just had to see Paris being this close. I hopped on the Eurostar and was there 3 hours later.

I have to say it was wonderful!! I love Paris! I know some people haven’t had such lovely experiences but I believe that Paris is one of the most beautiful, romantic, interesting and fun cities I’ve ever been. I spent days visiting museums, seeing sites, shopping and eating in cafes. The nights were spent at chic restaurants, clubs, and some pubs. I had a wonderful time at a place called “An American Bar” where I finally got to talk with other English speakers. My French is super rusty (took it in high school) and while it was fun to say things in French, it’s so taxing for this Beauty Brain.

The people in France were great too. I don’t know how they got the reputation of being rude because I found everyone rather pleasant. There was a lot of smoking which I could do without, but people were polite. The food was incredible. One of the things that made me smile most was just walking the streets of Paris and seeing all the people just eating these long loafs of bread. It really happens. And there are lots of protests. Streets get closed, people are yelling, and the rest of the crowd just walks by. You just don’t see that here in the states.

If you ever get a chance to go out to Europe you must visit Paris and London. Again, you can see all my pictures here.

And if you want to send us pictures of famous places where you brought the Beauty Brains book, we’d love to have them and will post them on the blog.

Ok, back to work.

Toodles,

Sarah

PS. I do have to say, it’s nice to be back. Traveling is tiring.

Corey ’s curious: What’s in Mary Kay’s Timewise line that isn’t in anything else? I recently had a severe allergic reaction to it and I’ve never never had a reaction to anything else in my entire life. I’ve been using Sabon NYC`s Seaweed line, and Lush’s Ocean Salt and never has any problems. What gives?

The Left Brain Responds:
To start with, let’s take a look at the ingredient list for Timewise:

Water, Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Isotheral, Neopentanoate, Bentonite, Cetyl Dimethicone Copolyol, Octyl Pelargonate, Neopentyl, Glycol Dioctanoate, Myristyl Myristate, PPg-26-Buteth-26, Sorbitol, Sucrose, Distearate, Peg-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Oleyl Oleate, Tocopherol, Comfrey Extract, Burdock Extract, Hops Extract, Yarrow Extract, Meadowsweet Extract, Hydrocotyl Extract, Coneflower, Extract, Camellia Sinensis Extract, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethanolamine, Sucrose Stearate, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Carbomer, Disodium EDTA, Diazolidinyl Urea, Carnauba Wax, Lactose, Methylparaben, Cellulose, Propylparaben, C9-15 Alkyl Phosphate, Phenoxyethanol, Lauramine Oxide, Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose, Titanium Dioxide, Ultra-marines, Chromium Hydroxide Green FD&C Red 4, D&C Red 33.

It’s hard to say which of these ingredients is causing you to have a reaction. Normally, I’d say it’s the fragrance since that’s typically the ingredient that people have the most allergic reactions to. But in this case, there doesn’t appear to BE a fragrance. Most of the other ingredients are used in a lot of other products, so it’s unlikely that they’re the culprits. That narrows the list down to the few ingredients that are relatively unusual. For example, you don’t see glycol dioctanoate or octyl pelargonate used that much. Some of the extracts, like Hops, Meadowsweet, and Hydrocotyl aren’t seen all that often either. Then again, it may not be a single ingredient. You could be reacting to a combination of chemicals that are unique to this product. There’s really no way to tell.

The Dermatologists’ Secret Allergen List

So what’s the best way to predict which products will cause an allergic reaction? I suggest you check with your dermatologist about C.A.R.D. CARD, or Contact Allergen Replacement Database, is a list of products that are free from specific allergens. Your doctor can help you use this tool to avoid products that are likely to give you reaction. According to PubMed, this approach has proved to be an invaluable tool for both physicians and their patients in contact allergy counseling. If you’re interested in learning more, check with your dermatologist.

What do you think? Do you have specific ingredients that you know you’re sensitive to? Leave a comment and share your suffering with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Here at the Beauty Brains, we get asked about preservatives in cosmetics all the time. People wonder why compounds with potential safety issues like formaldehyde or parabens are used. Should they use self-preserving cosmetics? They also ask why cosmetic companies don’t get rid of preservatives.

Wouldn’t it be great if we could? Cosmetic chemists, cosmetic manufacturers and certainly cosmetic marketers would love to get rid of preservatives. Unfortunately, the disease-causing microbes would love it too. There are some companies that offer preservative free products but not many. Here are the top reasons why more companies aren’t making preservative-free cosmetics.

7 Reasons Preservative Free Cosmetics are Rare

1. Preservative free cosmetics don’t last as long.
A standard cosmetic can have a shelf life of 1 or even 2 years or more. This is great for those products you have stuffed in your medicine cabinet or bathroom drawers. You can feel confident that if you open them up tomorrow you won’t get Tetanus or Gangrene. A preservative-free cosmetic won’t last more than a couple of weeks. It’ll spoil just about as fast as milk and become dangerous.

2. Because they need to be refrigerated
Unless it is put in some special packaging, preservative free cosmetics need to be refrigerated to keep them safe. You wouldn’t eat fish you left out on the counter overnight so you shouldn’t use unpreserved cosmetics that haven’t been refrigerated either. This refrigeration step is a huge inconvenience for people so manufacturers just don’t think people will want to do it. Consumer research has proven them right.

3. Because they can easily get contaminated
You know how there is the common, good advice that you shouldn’t share your cosmetics with anyone? Do you know why? Because each time you use cosmetics, you expose yourself to microbial contamination. Even when there are preservatives the microbes can live in small numbers. Your body is used to your bacteria but other people may not be. Preservative free cosmetics are even more prone to contamination and can pick up any sinister microbe that happens to be floating in the air. When people get sick using cosmetics, it’s bad for product’s manufacturer.

4. Because they are more expensive to make
It is possible to make preservative free cosmetics. You can use special packaging or make them anhydrous (water-free). Unfortunately, both of these options can double, triple, or quadruple the cost for manufacturing. And while most people don’t mind spending $5 on a lip balm, spending $20 for the same thing that is merely preservative free is harder to get them to accept. The other problem is that these cosmetics typically don’t work as well. They are more greasy, sticky and just less appealing.

5. Because natural preservatives don’t work as well
One strategy for creating preservative free cosmetics is to use natural preservatives. Technically the products aren’t preservative free but from an advertising and legal standpoint, they are. In the EU there is a list of ingredients you can use for product preservation. If you don’t use any of those ingredients, you can call yourself “preservative free”. Unfortunately, as this article points out, natural preservatives do not work as well as the standard ones.

6. Because natural preservatives aren’t approved
The article also points out the second major problem with natural preservatives. They are too expensive to get approved. A natural preservative manufacturer would have to spend millions of dollars on their new ingredient and there is no guarantee it would get on the approved list of preservatives. No company wants to take that chance. Therefore, don’t look for natural preservatives anytime soon.

7. Because preserved cosmetics are safe
Probably the most important reason you don’t see more preservative free cosmetics is because the preserved products work great and are perfectly safe. True, some of the compounds used to preserve products can be nasty stuff but when used at low enough levels they are harmless. Cosmetic marketers just don’t find people willing enough to spend extra money for a benefit that is imperceptible. And if people aren’t going to buy the product, cosmetic companies aren’t going to make it.

Are you concerned about preservatives in your cosmetics? Leave a comment and let the Beauty Brains community know.

Hey Beauty Brainiacs,

It’s that time again! Answer time to the Beauty Science or BS poll. Nearly 400 of you responded, but only 34 actually came up with the right answer. This one must have been tough.

People can get contact dermatitis by using body wash as a skin moisturizing cream - TRUE

27% of you thought that this was the fake one but no, it actually has happened. According to this report from The American Journal of Emergency Medicine, two cases of this exact problem were recently caused by Dove Body Wash. It seems they do such a good job of making their body washes look creamy that people think it’s skin lotion. Whoops!

Tattoos, ear piercing, makeup, and skin treatments have existed for the past 50,000 years - FALSE

Only 9% of you figured out that this one wasn’t true. The tip-off should have been that human societies haven’t been around for 50,000. The real story comes from a review of the origins of cosmetics in the journal of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. They say cosmetics have only existed for about 5000 years. Still a long time considering the study of chemistry didn’t start until the 1600s.  (Bonus points:  Can you figure out what the tattoo in the picture shows?)

In the US, over 100,000 people have been hospitalized in the last 5 years due to a hair care product-related injury - TRUE

23% of you were tricked by this startling headline. Yes, over 100,000 people have had hair care product related injuries in the last 5 years. What kind of injuries? Mostly the kind related to curling-irons. According to this study published in the Academic Emergency Medicine journal, >80,000 people have been rushed to the hospital due to burns from curling irons. Mostly, they were little kids who grabbed or touched hot devices. Remember to keep those things out of the reach of children!

Gravity is not the main cause of sagging facial skin - TRUE

42% of you found this one too hard to believe but according to an article in Dermatology Times, it’s true. The doctors at Duke Eye Center who studied this phenomena say that it is primarily caused by changes in bone structure not gravity. They discovered through CT scans that contrary to common belief, the skull continues to grow as we age. This moves the skin and muscle below and results in sagging facial features. So much for those skin tightening lotions.

Were you a Beauty Brainiac this time? Leave a comment and tell us which one you picked and why.

Dreniva and dimethiconol: Hi Beautybrains! I just want to know, because it is in my shampoo the ingredient called Dimethiconol (and) TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate, I just want to know what ingredient is this because I found on the internet that TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate is drying to the hair but this shampoo doesn’t dry my hair.

And I just want to know how to read an ingredient list that list the word “and” with parentheses in it like the one above and others like cyclomethicone (and) dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane (and) cyclotetrasiloxane, etc.? Sorry for my poor English and more power to your website and also thank you beautybrains because you help me a lot to become more beauty and brains!

The Right Brain Responds:
Dreniva, thanks so much for your question. There’s no need to apologize for your English because we could understand you perfectly fine. One of the most rewarding experiences in writing for the Beauty Brains blog is seeing all the questions that come to us from all the countries outside our native US. It really makes us feel good to know we’re helping so many women become “more beauty and brains!” But we’d better get on with answering your question before we get all misty eyed. *Sniff*

Confusing categorization

It’s not surprising that you’re confused by the ingredient list on the back of your shampoo. First of all the long chemical names can be hard to decipher and second not every company follows the rules properly. Your question about the use of the word “and” is a good example.

According to the official rules as described in the International Dictionary of Cosmetic Nomenclature, ingredients should generally be listed in order of their concentration in the formula. (There are some variations in the rules for different companies, but for the most part the ingredients that are present in the highest amounts appear earlier in the list.)

No ifs, ands, or buts

So where does the “and” come from? That’s how the companies that make and sell the ingredients list the chemicals in their product. For example, you asked about Dimethiconol (and) TEA-Dodecylbenzenesulfonate. Silcone derivatives like dimethiconol are often sold in blends with other ingredients that help them dissolve. That’s probably what the TEA- Dodecylbenzenesulfonate is there for. And while this detergent can be drying to hair and skin at high levels, it’s probably present at such low concentrations that you’ll never notice it. Technically the company making the shampoo you’re using should have determined how much of each of these two ingredients is present in their product and then listed the ingredients in the correct order. Listing the “and” isn’t technically correct at all!