Check this out: Yesterday HAPPI magazine reported on a survey by  L’Bel USA that showed women in the U.S. would give up chocolate and sex before they’d give up their favorite beauty products.

Click this link for the whole scoop and then leave a comment for the Beauty Brains community: Would YOU give up chocolate and sex if it meant you could keep your cosmetics?

(And if you love your cosmetics THAT much, check out our money saving guide on how to be a smarter shopper.)

Here’s a quick run-down of blogs entries that we here at the Beauty Brains found interesting this week.

Bella Sugar has an interesting look at the History of Lipstick.

The Beauty Blogging Junkie gives her take on the new Wonder Woman makeover. I know Right Brain would get a kick out of this one.

Viva Woman tells you the 5 things to know about your skin at night. Interesting.

The Dermatology Blog tells you how sunscreens might be causing acne.

Style Tips 101 tells you about Hairspray, backcomb, bump-its and other ways to get quick hair volume.

Of course, the Beauty Brains give you the bottom line on whether Talc in cosmetics is harmful.

Do you have a beauty blog that we should be following?  Leave a comment and let us know about it.  Or better yet, mention the Beauty Brains on your blog and link back to us.  It’s the best way a blogger can express her appreciation.

A writer at careerbuilder.com has a fun article about jobs that let you have weird hair. Of course the list contains a bunch that you would expect such as cosmetologist, server, and massage therapist. But it also lists things like college instructor, photographers, and web designers. And guess what? Chemists make the list too! Obviously, this writer has never worked in the cosmetic industry.

Cosmetic chemists with weird hair are just not found.   Not even the most famous cosmetic chemist has weird hair. They must be talking about the uber geek chemists from the American Chemical Society (ACS). Then again, the Right Brain has some funky hair days so maybe there is something to this.

If you don’t feel like looking at the article, here is the complete list.

• Barista – Drink maker.
• Cosmetologist
• Massage Therapist
• Server
• Copy Editor
• Theater Worker
• Software Developer
• Web Designer
• College Instructor
• Photographer
• Chemist
• Team Mascot

Anyone else have more?

Volcom asks…Have any of you successfully helped improve the condition of your skin by adding supplements (antioxidants, etc.) to your diet? What works for you? How much do you take?

The Left Brain responds:

As I’ve stated on previous posts, you can’t really drink your way to better skin. And recent article from Cosmetic Design supports this thinking by showing that even major global manufacturers are having trouble proving that their supplement products have a positive effect on skin.

Does Innéov improve from the inside?

Two industry giants, L’Oréal and Nestlé’, have joined forces to market a nutricosmetic product called Inneov that supposedly relieves dry skin. Unfortunately, the claims that the product improves skin dryness was rejected by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

The dossier of data to support the claim for Inneov’s ingestible blend of blackcurrant seed oil, lycopene, vitamin C and vitamin E, contained 29 scientific publications.  However, the EFSA’s Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA), ruled that most of  scientific publications were not relevant to the claim in question. The company disagrees and plans to challenge the ruling. For the moment though, the claims are not permitted even though the NDA panel did agree with some of the data, for example that ceramide concentration in the upper skin layers was increased.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

The debate on how well ingested supplements help your skin continues. We’ll keep you posted on this Nestle-L’Oreal story as it unfolds.

Cosmetic Design reports on an interesting trend of European cosmetics that transform their physical form before or during use.

Three trendy transformers

The article cites several examples of transforming products:  Shiseido’s Revital Granas Cream Condensed consists of two solutions that when mixed together turn into a creamy lotion with ‘aromatherepeutic benefits’. Pola Algaira Warm Up Massage Gel transforms from a gel to a warm oil as you rub it in. And my personal favorite, Hiyashidana Frozen Ball Lotion, changes from a spray to a foam and then into a ‘cooling sheet.’

The Beauty Brains bottom line

The Left Brain recently blogged about 7 ways you waste money on cosmetics, but I don’t think it’s a waste to spend a little more if the product gives you functionality and a fun sensory experience.

What do YOU think? Would you pay a little extra to have cosmetics that are fun as well as functional? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.