The Beauty Brains

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.

Today’s question and answer post is brought to us by Forebrain, the newest lobe of the Beauty Brains. Please join us in welcoming Forebrain to the Beauty Brains community!

Michelle’s menthol madness: I heard from a friend that the menthol in products, such as lip balm and face wash, is actually irritating, and the tingling effect that one feels is your face or lips or whatever getting chapped. I figure that menthol can irritate your skin, but is it really harmful to the skin?

Forebrain’s inaugural response:
Your friend is only partially right. Menthol may sometimes be irritating, but the cooling sensation that you feel when you use menthol-containing lip balm or facewash is not because your skin is getting chapped. The sensation is actually caused by the effect of the menthol on your nerve endings.

How does menthol work?

The menthol that is used in cosmetics is a member of the alcohol family and is either synthetically made or derived from peppermint oil. When it is applied to the skin, its chemical structure allows it to quickly penetrate the skin layers and stimulate the cold-sensing nerve endings in the skin, creating a cooling sensation. In fact, you may have noticed that menthol is usually one of the active ingredients in topical anesthetics and anti-itch creams since it reduces the burning and irritating sensations in the skin.

So if menthol soothes, why does it irritate?

Despite menthol’s scientifically proven anti-irritant properties, a surprising number of people report it to be highly irritating in cosmetics. There are several different reasons for this, the following three being the most common:

1. Menthol is an alcohol, a compound family known for its drying properties in the skin. For some people menthol dehydrates the skin or lips and makes them feel chapped and irritated.
2. The irritation may also be due to the skin’s allergic reaction to the menthol itself, in which case you should definitely stay away from products containing menthol to keep your skin happy.
3. Finally, menthol is able to quickly penetrate the skin layers sometimes carrying other chemical compounds with it. (Some medication creams even use menthol to deliver medicine through the skin and into the body!) It is possible that the irritation you feel comes not from the menthol itself, but from one of the other ingredients that penetrated the skin along with it. Check the product label to make sure there are no other irritating ingredients present and proceed with caution.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

As far as I can tell, there is no scientific evidence showing that menthol is harmful to the skin or lips when used in cosmetics aside from dryness and mild irritation in some. However, since everyone’s body and metabolism are slightly different, it is not surprising that menthol may create a cooling sensation in some people, and skin irritation in others. Your best bet is to always do a patch test before you begin using any new product, especially if it has ingredients that you are unsure about. If you do find that menthol-containing products cause irritation then I would recommend staying away from camphor as well since it will likely irritate your skin or lips also.

Cool fact (no pun intended): When menthol activates the cold-receptors in the skin (or lips or tongue), you perceive other cold sensations as even colder!

References:
Wu, P-C., Chang, J-S., Huang, Y-B., Chai, C-Y., Tsai, Y-H. (2001). Evaluation of percutaneous absorption and skin irritation of ketoprofen through rat skin: in vitro and in vivo study. International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 222, 225-235.

Yosipovitch, G., Szolar, C., Hui, X.Y., Maibach, H. (1996). Effect of topically applied menthol on thermal, pain and itch sensations and biophysical properties of the skin. Archives of dermatological research, 288, 245-248.

http://www.victoriahealth.com/drweil/vhis/delcosmetic.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menthol

Kimmi is careful: Is it true that tub-style skincare packaging can become contaminated with bacteria? If so, then why don’t more companies package their products in tubes or bottles?

The Right Brain responds:
Yes Kimmi, it’s true that any product packed in a tub is more prone to bacterial contamination. To a large extent, that’s because you dip your fingers into the tub so any bug living on your skin can be transferred to the product. That doesn’t happen with tubes.

The good news is that the preservatives used in most cosmetics will keep bacteria from growing. Of course, that means more “chemicals” like parabens must be added to the formula. But then again, preservatives need to be added to the product whether it’s sold in a tube or not (to provide protection during manufacturing.) Whew! Instead of talking in circles, let’s just give you three things to watch out if you’re worried about contamination in tub products.

Keep your top on

In addition to contamination from your fingers, airborne bacteria, mold and fungi can easily colonize an uncovered jar of product. Keep the cap on when you’re not using the product.

Shameful shower

Tub products that are meant to be used in the shower are REALLY asking for trouble. That’s because the extra water that splashes into the tub can dilute the product’s preservative system. And even if you’re really really careful, the warm moist air in the shower is a good breeding ground for mold. (Have you seen the Left Brain’s shower? YUCK!)

Watch for water

The shower isn’t the only place you should watch for water. Look for it on the ingredient list on the back of the package. Or rather, look for products that DON’T have water. Think of oil-based sugar or salt scrubs. Those products are sold in tubs but since they don’t typically contain any water there’s very little chance that bacteria will grow in them.

Tubs vs Tubes

So why don’t more companies pack their products in tubes for better protection? It’s really just a marketing decision by the company based on which type of packaging will make the product more appealing and on the cost of the product. (In general, tubs are cheaper to make and to fill than tubes.) Every company makes this decision differently: for example, Clinique is a brand that’s fairly inconsistent with their approach to packaging. Their Repairwear SPF Cream and Super Defense Triple Action Moisturizer are packaged in tubs, while Repairwear Deep Wrinkle Concentrate and Deep Cleansing Emergency Mask are sold in tubes. Go figure.

What do YOU think? Do you take packaging into consideration when decide which cosmetics to buy? Leave a comment and share your thoughts with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

The year’s end inspires reflection and anticipation. That’s why we here at the Beauty Brains have put together a list of some blog highlights of 2007.

Most Popular Beauty Brains Posts

Since most of our topics come from the Beauty Brains community, we never know which ones will rise to the top in terms of popularity. Here are the top 5 most visited posts of 2007.

Dry shampoo and other weird ways to wash your hair.
Top 10 Split End Busters.
Is Meladerm a good Skin lightener?
One Hour to Bigger Breasts.
Celebrities Without Makeup.

It seems our community is most interested in hair, Meladerm skin lightening, bigger breasts and celebrity smearing. Or maybe that’s just reflective of the Internet in general.

Eyelashes, Hair Growth and other Brains Controversies

While the topics above may have been the most read posts, they certainly didn’t generate the most discussion. That distinction goes to the following most commented on posts of 2007.

Eyelash Growth Products. Does Jan Marini Really Make Your Eyelashes Grow? This one inspired 54 comments and touched off a year-long controversy on the Beauty Brains with a second look at eyelash growth update 1 (72 comments), an admission by Jan Marini that their product doesn’t grow eyelashes (42 comments), and a seizure of the eyelash product by US Marshals (19 comments).

Is that a breadstick on your head? Can Yeast Infection Creams Boost Hair Growth? (36 comments) This one seemed like an innocent enough post but it created a controversy with claims of ignorance, insensitivity and Racism! Right Brain still doesn’t understand and is having a tough time recovering.

Arbonne boner? All brands have fans but if you suggest that Arbonne aren’t the greatest products around, prepare to be deluged by rabid supporters. The 36 comments in this post followed the initial 19 comments on the first Arbonne product review. A follow-up post looking at Arbonne technology generated 37 more comments. Wild claims of ignorance, bias, and corporate shilling abounded. We eventually created a forum post so fans and foes could duke it out on their own page. We had other topics to cover.

Mineral Oil Madness. Some people get incensed about certain chemicals. Sure certain folks hate sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol, and parabens, but nothing generates vitriol like mineral oil. When we wrote about the 5 myths about mineral oil and the follow-up mineral oil myths part 2, we set off a comment storm that put the Beauty Brains in league with the petroleum industry. People don’t like it when their beliefs are examined.

Animal Antics. Of course, no beauty product controversial discussion would be complete without mentioning animal testing. When we did a post about The Body Shop being sold to an admitted animal-testing company, some were outraged. But even more were when we wrote about people that don’t think animal testing is wrong. People find it hard to accept that animal testing is still going on in the cosmetic industry.

Indoor Tanning Tiff. We weren’t prepare for the reaction we received when we posed the question “should indoor tanning be illegal?” 42 comments later, we learned that some people not only think it shouldn’t be illegal, they think that it should be part of every healthy adult’s routine to ensure they get enough Vitamin D. Some even suggest that sunscreen should be avoided. Wow! For the record, the American Cancer Society doesn’t agree and recommends no tanning bed exposure and liberal use of sunscreen.

Building the Beauty Brains

Site Redesign. In addition to all the content we’ve created, 2007 was a year of big changes for the Beauty Brains. In March we kicked off a project with The Blog Studio to revamp our site. It was successfully launched in June and we’ve been pleased with the results. The Beauty Brainiac community seems happy too as we’ve gotten numerous positive emails. Thanks for all your great work Lucia!

The Beauty Brains forum. With the site redesign came the Beauty Brains forum. This has been a great addition to the main site and discussions there have prompted many new posts. If you have a question and the Beauty Brains haven’t got to it, be sure to post it at the Beauty Brains forum. There you’ll have the wisdom of over 500 fellow beauty enthusiasts to tell you what’s good, and what’s not. Check out these 10 reasons to join the Beauty Brains forum.

Brains Product Reviews. While we don’t like to endorse specific products, we do get numerous requests to do reviews. Sarah Bellum has often done these but even she can’t use all the products we get. This year we recruited some of the best writers on the Beauty Brains forum, sent them product, and gotten some excellent reviews. Thanks so much girls. You’re great!

Mid Brain Mania. When the Beauty Brains took time off to work on the upcoming Beauty Brains book, we let our science intern Mid Brain do some writing. Mid Brain did a great job and has become a permanent member of the Brains Network. Thanks Mid Brain and we look forward to seeing more from you in 2008.

Beauty Brains Growth

Traffic. In our first year of blogging (2006) we managed to attract over 80,000 visits. We thought this was great and hoped to best that in 2007. Well, this year we went way beyond that getting over 500,000 visits and growing. Thank you to everyone who helped get the word out this year about the Beauty Brains!

Subscribers. Last year the number of Beauty Brains subscribers hovered around 100 - 150. Today, we’ve seen that number reach over 900! It’s really the best way to get your daily dose of the Beauty Brains so if you haven’t become a subscriber, click here to do it now.

Beauty Brains Sponsors

And how could we go without thanking all of the great Beauty Brains sponsors and advertisers that have helped us bring you free content every day this year? If you want to become a sponsor click on the Brains Sponsor page now. Special thanks to

Holy Mud Company
Blooming Teas
Dorit Baxter Day Spa
Meladerm
Frutels

Lastly and Most Important

We here at the Beauty Brains just wanted to say a special thanks to YOU the Beauty Brains community. Your comments, questions, and other feedback have truly touched us. We love writing new and useful information for you everyday and look forward to even bigger things in 2008. Who knows, maybe one of the Beauty Brains will have to make this their only job.

Happy New Year!

Lisa’s curious about chirality: I recently learned about products that are chiral. They do sound more beneficial (since I now understand chirality), but does that necessarily mean that the other products that don’t claim to be chiral are no good?

The Left Brain’s leftist reply:
You must be taking Organic Chemistry right now if you’ve learned what chirality means. It’s an interesting concept and one that this particular Beauty Brain had a difficult time grasping. Let me explain for the benefit of the rest of our community.

What is chirality?

Chirality essentially means that an object can’t be superimposed on its own mirror image. The easiest way to think about it is to look at your hands. They’re the same size and shape, right? But you can’t put your left hand in your right glove because they’re chiral. If that still doesn’t make sense, here’s a clever online game you can play that does a better job of explaining the concept.

The idea of chirality has implications for chemical synthesis and pharmaceuticals. Some chirally uniform drugs work better than others because the body has receptors that can only interact with molecules in a specific shape. So chirality is very important for medicine.

Can cosmetics be chiral?

Unfortunately, in cosmetics, chirality doesn’t really matter. There are no receptors on the outer layer of your skin or hair that will accept molecules from your cosmetics. They simply work on the surface and penetrate the skin slightly. They don’t interact with cells in the same way that drugs do. And if there isn’t this interaction, whether the molecule is chiral or not doesn’t much matter. So for skin cleansers, wrinkle creams, hair conditioners, styling products, and the vast majority of other cosmetics, it makes no difference.

But that doesn’t stop some cosmetic companies from claiming their products are chiral. One company in particular, called Franche, even references the fact that the 2001 Nobel prize in chemistry was awarded for the creation of a catalytic process to manufacture chiral molecules. But as far as I can tell, this really has nothing to do with the ingredients used in Franche cosmetics. For example, look at Franche’s Cleansing Crème Mousse. The only ingredient where chirality is relevant is D-panthenol. And that ingredient doesn’t do ANYTHING for hair from a rinse off product. So shame on them for trying to using misleading science to influence consumers. (Note: If Franche has any data to back up their assertions, we’d be more than happy to reconsider these comments.)

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Chiral cosmetics are a crock.

Alicia asks: I work at an after school program for young women and we are having a makeover day (partly because I want them to try more natural looks than the traditional teenage racoon look they’ve all been sporting). Along with makeup tips, I wanted to teach them what are common ingredients in their makeup. So what is in lip gloss, mascara, and eye shadow?

The Right Brain gets lippy:
Good for you, Alicia. We love to help our community learn about cosmetics. You should find our previous posts on mascara, eye liner, and lip balm ingredients helpful. And here’s a brand new post on lip gloss, just for you!

What is lip gloss

Most lip glosses are in the form of a gel but some companies do make a stick or pomade version. Regardless of the form, these products are all designed to give your lips a little shine and color. (They taste good too!) Typically these formulas are oil based and don’t contain any water so there’s no need for emulsifiers (chemicals that help water and oil mix together.) Let’s take a closer look at the 5 basic ingredients used in lip gloss.

1. Emollients/shine agents

Many, many different ingredients can be used as shine agents. Most of the formulas we surveyed used oils (either mineral or vegetable based), lanolin derivatives, or polybutene (a type of hydrocarbon that mimics silicones. Surprisingly we don’t see many silicones used in lip glosses.)

2. Thickeners

These ingredients keeps the gloss from dribbling down your chin when you apply it. Waxes (like ozokerite) and clays (like kaolin) are commonly used.

3. Colorant/Glitter

While you can make a colorless lip shine, most glosses do contain some kind of colorant. Typically this is either an FD&C dye (did you know that stands for Food Drug & Cosmetic?), or an iron oxide (for earthy colors). Mica (a type of mineral based glitter) can also be used for sparkle.

4. Flavor

What would lip gloss be without all those yummy flavors? The formula may also contain a sweetening agent like sodium saccharin.

5. Control agents

These are the ingredients that formulators add to lip glosses to ensure the product remains stable. Examples include pH adjustors, preservatives, and anti-oxidants.

You should know that some lip glosses include sunscreens.

Source: Here are the lip glosses we examined when compiling this ingredient review.

Archipelago Botanicals White Sugar & Mango Lip Gloss
Arissa Lipgloss
Bonnie Bell Lip Lights
CoverGirl Lipslicks Lip Gloss
e.l.f. Super Glossy Lip Shine
Neutrogena MoistureShine Gloss Flirt
Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Vitamin E Lip Gloss
Philosophy Very Emollient Lip Shine Cinnamon
Revlon SuperLustrous Lipgloss Pink Afterglow

I’m not lucky like the other Beauty Brains because I don’t have access to a lab for making all the cosmetics my heart desires. However, here’s a kit from Thames & Kosmos that will appeal to budding perfumer in all of us. The Perfume Science kit is a mini-lab complete with a variety of perfume oils, mixing vessels and book explaining the basic science behind it all. The kit is uber-cute but be careful. I got some lavender oil on my hand and I’m still smelling it 2 days later.

Where do YOU find the best recipes for home-made cosmetics? Leave a comment and let the rest of the closet cosmetic chemists in the Beauty Brains community know about it.

-Mid Brain

Jill is perturbed about pumps: When the pump dispenser for a product (Olay eye lifting serum, for instance) no longer dispenses, I usually take the pump cap off and extract the rest by hand. My husband calls this depression-era mentality, but there is often about a third of the volume still remaining, especially in small bottles, that the dispenser can’t reach. Why throw it away? Why do cosmetic manufacturers use the pump dispensers? Do they expect us to toss their product into landfills? Do the same products ever get sold in multiple containers?

The Left Brain squeezes out this reply:
I understand your frustration with some products that are dispensed with pumps. However, cosmetic companies are not necessarily trying to get you to waste product. In fact, most companies want you to perceive their products as being a good value so you’ll buy them again. While it may not make sense for every product, there are several legitimate reasons to use a pump as a dispenser. Here are the Beauty Brains top 5 reasons a pump can be your pal.

1. Improve ease of dispensing

Large bottles, especially in the shower, can be awkward to handle. A pump makes one handed dispensing much easier. That big bottle of Tresemme shampoo could use a pump as far as I’m concerned.

2. Control product purity

Sticking your fingers in an open jar of product can transfer bacteria that can cause the product to spoil. A pump is one way to ensure that a product like Skinceuticals Eye Cream stays pure.

3. Measure dosage

Sometimes too much of a good thing is not good. Pumps can help control the amount of product that is dispensed and prevent you from using too much. This is especially important on expensive products like B. Kamins Cream.

4. Protect active ingredients

Some products, like Mentadent toothpaste, have active ingredients that need to kept separated until they are ready to be mixed. A pump is able to mix products in a way that a tube can’t. Other products, like Hylexin, have active ingredients that deteriorate when exposed to air. A pump protects these ingredients because it doesn’t allow air into the package.

5. Maintain product integrity

Have you seen Olay’s Illuminating Eye gel? There’s an ingredient swirled through the product that gives it an unusual pearlescent appearance. Scooping the product out would destroy the swirl – a pump dispenser keeps the product’s appearance consistent as you use it.

These are a few reasons why companies would want to use pumps on their products. Now, it’s YOUR turn. Tell us the reasons why you DON’T like pumps. Leave your gripes in the comment section and we’ll compile a top 10 list for a future Beauty Brains post.

Victorio asks…are spray tanning booths safe? Also while you’re being sprayed there is a lot of residual mist that is being inadvertently inhaled is this dangerous to your lungs?

Left Beauty Brain replies.

Spray tanning booths use the same chemicals found in the sunless tanning sprays and creams that you can buy from your local grocery store (or chemist for our UK Beauty Brains). We’ve discussed how sunless tanning works in the past for those who are curious. But we didn’t say whether spray tanning booths were safe or not. That’s an interesting question.

Sunless Tanning and DHA

Sunless tanners take advantage of a browning chemical reaction between your skin proteins and a compound called DHA (Dihydroxyacetone). It’s actually pretty neat now that they’ve figured out how to make it look brown instead of orange. Sunless tanning is much safer than the real thing.

Safety of mist tanning

Unfortunately, the safety of DHA has only been verified for external use. That means it’s perfectly safe for putting on your skin but it hasn’t been proven safe inside your body (e.g. in your lungs).

According to the FDA,

DHA is listed in the regulations as a color additive for use in imparting color to the human body. However, its use in cosmetics–including sunless “tanning” products–is restricted to external application (21 CFR 73.2150). According to the CFR, “externally applied” cosmetics are those “applied only to external parts of the body and not to the lips or any body surface covered by mucous membrane” (21 CFR 70.3v). The industry has not provided safety data to FDA in order for the agency to consider approving it for use on these exposure routes, including “misting” from tanning booths.

So, as far as the FDA is concerned spray tanning booths probably fall outside the realm of what’s considered safe if any of the DHA gets inside your body.

Still mist tanning may be ok

While the FDA is weary of spray tanning booths they are also quick to point out that they have no jurisdiction to regulate them. It’s up to the operator of the spray tanning booth to ensure that they are safe. A bit like the fox watching the hen house eh?
How can you tell whether the spray tanning booth that you go to is safe? According to the FDA, you should ask the following three questions.

1. Are your eyes protected from exposure?
2. Are your lips and mouth protected from exposure?
3. Are you protected from internal exposure caused by inhaling or ingesting the product?

If the answer to any of these in “no” then the booth you are in wouldn’t be considered safe by the FDA.

Beauty Brains bottom line

Sunless tanning is great and we recommend using any of these fine sunless tanning to get your tan on.   Until more testing is done, you should avoid spray tanning booths because unless your eyes and mouth are completely covered and you can hold your breath for the few minutes it takes to spray, you’ll get DHA inside your body. It could be perfectly fine but without safety data, you just don’t know.

In part 1 of this post Scatter Brain blogged on what you need to know about “Angel Dusting” a practice that involves adding very low levels of certain ingredients just to make the product more attractive to consumers. In part 2, she gives you tips on what do do about it.

How to read an ingredient list

So, how do we protect ourselves from paying for ingredients that are listed yet negligible? The answer is not that simple. First, find out if possible the therapeutic amount of the ingredient you want in a product. Then look on the product’s label at the order the ingredients are listed. The Federal Trade Commission mandates that ingredients on cosmetics must be listed in descending order of predominance. The higher on the list, the greater the likelihood the product contains a therapeutic amount of your ingredient.

Not my cup of tea

This issue gets murkier (sorry pun intended) when you start discussing botanical or herbal products that are extracts or infusions. Think about making a cup of tea. You can steep it a second or two and have practically clear liquid though there is “tea” in the liquid, or you can steep it for hours until it’s dark and cloudy. In fact, you might say that this strong infusion is a real tea party. However, even though tea, not water, is the desired ingredient, either cup of tea could be legally listed as an “infusion of tea” on a product label. And to complicate things more, it’s possible that the percentage of liquid not the percentage of actual tea would determine how far up the ingredient list “infusion of tea” would appear but more about “order of ingredients” in a second.

What else you should know

There are just a few exceptions to this rule. If the cosmetic is also a drug, active drug ingredients are listed before cosmetic ingredients. Ingredients present at a concentration not exceeding 1% may be listed in any order after the ingredients that are present at more than 1% in descending order of predominance. Color additives of any concentration may be listed in any order after the listing of the ingredients that are not color additives.

Secret Weapon

And finally, the name of an ingredient accepted by the FDA as a trade secret need not be disclosed on the label. Instead of declaring the name of that ingredient, the phrase “and other ingredients” may be used. This one is a real bummer but necessary I suppose.

Very simply put, a little clever sleuthing about an ingredient and its efficacy and/or therapeutic amount and knowing how the federal government mandates the listing of ingredients on product labels can help keep you from buying something bogus.

Did you find this helpful? How do you feel about Angel Dusting? Let us know at the Beauty Brains.

Scatter Brain is a real-life copywriter for hire. If you’re interested in contacting her with business opportunities, please write to “Scatter Brain” care of thebeautybrains@gmail.com.