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

Sarah Bellum Says:

I was lucky enough to sample a lip stick and lip gloss from Lahens Viarr and while I have to admit that I had never heard of this brand before, it may just be my new favorite combo.

Getting glossy

First I tried Viarr’s Brown Sugar lip gloss. I’m particularly picky about lip gloss packaging and this one met my high personal standards. It has a sponge type applicator that spread the product easily. I do wish it was a bit fluffier so it would hold more product because I had to dip it too many times, but overall it applied very nicely.

I liked the gloss itself because it’s smooth but not messy. It was easy to control so it sticks to my lips and doesn’t smear on the sides of my mouth. And I LOVED the color looking at the bottle even though it seemed a bit too orangey. But once I put it on, I loved it even more. It has a very light shimmer which I really like and it keeps my lips moisturized which is important to me. In fact those are the two things I feel are most imporant: moisturizing as well as nice color. I loved the scent too but the taste is a bit perfumey. It’s a little bit sticky when kissing but that’s a good trade off. Oh, and I really like the design on the collar of the tube, like a black ring around the top.

Savory stick

Next I used their Petal lipstick. Again I was thrilled with the results. I’m not as critical of lipstick because I don’t wear it alone, I always put a gloss on top. I like that Lahens’ product provided a nice even base that I could add shimmer and glossiness to with a lip gloss. These two worked very well together even though they’re not the exact same color.

If you’re looking for a well balanced lip products, Lahens Viarr offers great products at very reasonable prices.

Sandie’s sticky question: Has anyone tried making a new lipstick out of the end bits of old ones? There is always quite a lot left inside the case and I have about 25 almost empty lipsticks that I keep meaning to do something with. Just not sure how to go about it!

Sarah Bellum Says:
Sandie, that’s a very interesting question! I kicked it around with the other Beauty Brains and we think trying to fix those sticks is probably a waste of time. Here are three reasons why:

1. Color calamity

Unless you have 25 tubes of the same color, you’re going to mix shades which might end up looking like baby poop.

2. Spoiled stick

Lipstick formulas are a mixed up waxes, oils and pigments. Since not all lipsticks use the same ingredients, when you mix different products from different brands you might end up with a lipstick that’s too soft, too hard, doesn’t spread right, or just plain falls apart.

3. Messy molding

If you’re like me you’ve got a couple of tubes of Clinique, a couple of Lauder, more than a few Revlon Colorstay, and maybe, just maybe even a Nars. But even IF all 25 lipstick stubs are the same brand and same color and IF you were able to mix and melt them you couldn’t make a new lipstick unless you had a special mold to shape your melted lip goop into a new stick form. For that untidy little job you need a two piece metal mold. (Hmmm, maybe someone should sell a special lipstick saver mold…) Of course, you could always pour it into an old lipgloss pot if you don’t mind applying it with a brush or your finger.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Maybe I’m too lazy for DIY cosmetics, but it doesn’t really make sense to salvage old lipsticks. But if you do decide to give it a try, write back and let us know how it turns out.

What do you think. Have you ever tried reworking lipstics? Or better yet, would you buy a special tool that let you redo your unused chunks of lipstick? Or, is it just not worth the hassle? Leave a comment and get lippy with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.

Kelly’s question: I saw your post that says Promise lip gloss doesn’t really help you lose weight. But I just read at Bella Sugar that Too Faced Cosmetics has a new lip gloss called Fuze that really works. Is Fuze any better than Promise for weight loss?

Editorial Note: The fine folks at Bella Sugar contacted us and pointed out that they were misquoted in Kelly’s question. They NEVER said Fuze really works. Now, on with our answer.

The Right Brain replies:
Fuze lip gloss is a joint project between Too Faced Cosmetics and a division of the Coca Cola company that makes the Fuze beverage. You can read all about it at Cosmetics Design.

Does Fuse really work?

The primary active ingredient in this product is called Supercitrate, which is the calcium-potassium salt of hydroxycitric acid (HCA for short.) Supposedly HCA works by inhibiting the creation of fatty acids and cholesterol. A study by CV, Garis R, et al, from the Department of Physiology, Medicine and Pathology Georgetown University Medical Center, showed that people experienced significant weight loss after taking this drug. So based on this study, it appears HCA could be a legitimate diet ingredient.

Can you lose lard from lip licking?

But does it work from a lip gloss? That’s a very different question. According to their study, researchers saw weight loss when test subjects ingested about 5 grams of the chemical 3 times a day. That’s a total of 15 grams each day. An average tube of lip gloss is .25 to .5 ounces, which is about 7 to 14 grams. So, if Fuze was 100% HCA you’d have to use almost an entire tube a day to get the weight loss benefit. But it probably contains much less than 100%. If it’s only 10% HCA, you’d have to use 10 tubes per day! And if it was only 1%…well, you do the math.

Using 10 or more tubes of lip gloss seems a little impractical to us. So, based on the study we found, we’re really skeptical that this product can help you lose weight. Of course, if Too Faced Cosmetics have run their own studies that show Fuze lip gloss does really work, we’d be glad to review them and reconsider our opinion.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

Fuze is a fizzle, in our opinion. And we always recommend checking with your doctor if you’re considering taking any kind of diet aid drug. We’re cosmetic chemists, not medical weight loss experts. If you still want to check it out, you can find Fuze at Amazon.com

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

If you enjoy the Beauty Brains blog, you’ll also enjoy sharing your thoughts with others in the Beauty Brains Forum. There are thousands of comments from over 400 members on all kinds of beauty issues.

As a special reward to the more prolific Forum members, we provide them with new beauty products to review. In today’s post, forum member “Karen” shares her thoughts on Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner.

Addicted to lip balm

I love using lip balm and you may, too. Evidently, 64% of women use lip conditioning products. I have tubes of it everywhere and can’t stand how my lips feel when it’s not on. I might even go so far as to say I’m addicted to it but experts say there’s no need to worry about that. There simply isn’t an ingredient in any of them that could cause a true chemical dependency.

Okay then: I might not have a chemical dependency for it but I must have a psychological one because I sure feel relief once I slather it on and my lips feel a whole lot better, too.

My products of choice

First, I reach for Blistex to repair, soothe, and moisturize. It’s an absolute must for me to protect my lips from the elements once the cold weather hits. Second, a fellow Beauty Brainiac in the Forum recently turned me on to Caudalie Lip Conditioner, a wonderful but pricey creation that takes lip balm to a whole new level with its antioxidant ingredients. It’s now my go-to product that I apply before bed to repair free-radical damage. I’ve also found that it makes an excellent base under lipstick, a function my beloved but slippery Blistex can’t do. Additionally, it contains a sunscreen so I wear it on my light makeup, lipstick-free days.

Essentially Aveeno

When I had the opportunity to try another lip balm, Aveeno’s Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner with SPF 15, it seemed like the perfect assignment to send my way. Aveeno claims their lip balm is unique in the following ways:

• It’s enriched with natural oatmeal, an ingredient known to soothe skin
• It contains a blend of natural conditioners including jojoba oil and shea butter
• It leaves lips feeling moisturized long after applying
• It shields lips from harmful UVA an UVB rays
• It’s hypoallergenic

Aveeno explains it was also developed to address frustration over the constant need to reapply lip balm, a common complaint from women using other products on the market.

Soft and smooth, not heavy and waxy

I used it for a week, giving up both Blistex and Caudalie Lip Conditioner. How did Aveeno’s lip balm compare to what I personally liked and used? I didn’t think it was as good at repairing chapped lips nor keeping them as moist as Blistex but it did a reasonable job of making them feel soft and smooth when it was on.

I liked the fact that it didn’t feel overly waxy or heavy but I did feel the need to apply it at least as frequently as my other two products of choice. It’s also effective as a lipstick base but doesn’t contain the antioxidant ingredients that Caudalie lip conditioner does to soften fine lines and keep lips plump at the same time. “Fragrance” was not listed as an ingredient but it had a mild pleasant vanilla scent due to the addition of Vanillin.

Petrolatum is best

I did a little research on lip balms. I learned that petrolatum-based lip balms are always a smart choice for chapped lips. One dermatologist called this key ingredient “the gold standard” for lip balms and claimed it was the very best thing that you could possibly put on your lips. Does Aveeno’s lip balm contain it? The answer is yes.

A good value

Its price is very good: $3.49 or less per tube and it’s available at most drug stores. It comes in both stick and pot form. Overall, it’s a good value for the money if you’re looking for a lip balm to maintain soft healthier looking lips. If you’re looking for a product to prevent or repair chapped, cracked lips or a lip conditioner that offers anti-aging benefits, you might want to have something else on hand. What you use will depend on your likes and needs.

There you have it, Brainiacs! Now I’m off for my must-have lip conditioner “fix!”

What do YOU think about Aveeno Essential Moisture Lip Conditioner? Leave a comment and let us know. Or, you can start a thread and talk to Karen directly in the Beauty Brains Forum. And if you’re interested in getting free goodies of your own, join the Forum now and show us you’ve got what it takes to be a Beauty Brainiac!

Lauma’s lament: Hi there, and thanks for the incredible website! After reading your posts I’ve learned that many products really aren’t that different, and that there are some things a cream cannot change. But there is one thing that is really bugging me: It drives me crazy when my lips are chapped and sore. I have tried loads of products, such as the lip butters offered by the Body Shop (I could swear they make my lips feel even worse, they become very dry after a few hours), but there is only one balm that actually seemed to help my lips (it was probably the cheapest, too). Now I’m worried they’ll stop selling it so I was wondering if you could tell me what ingredients to look for in other lip balms.

The ingredients in The Balm: Petrolatum, Ceresin, Paraffin, Homosalate, Benzophenone-3, Parfum, Octinoxate, Prunus Armeniaca, Beta-Carotene, C.I. 12150.

Oh, by the way, I am from Latvia. We read you here, too!

The Right Brain’s balmy reply:

Hi Lauma, I think yours is the first Latvian question we’ve ever had – thank you and welcome to the Beauty Brains! To answer your question we’ll start with a quick review of each ingredient in this product.

Petrolatum is a greasy goop better known as petroleum jelly. It’s messy but it’s a great moisturizer. Ceresin and paraffin are both waxes; they blend with the petrolatum to give the lip balm its body. Homosalate, Benzophenonone-3 and Octinoxate are sunscreens. Prunus Armeniaca (apricot extract) and Beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A) don’t really serve much purpose at all in a lip balm. And parfum is fragrance .

The first three ingredients are responsible for the way this balm feels on your lips. Of course, the consistency of the product will vary depending on how MUCH of these ingredients are used. Lip balms can be formulated as firm sticks or soft butters. So if you’re looking for a replacement product, look for another balm that has the consistency that you like and that is based on petrolatum thickened with soft waxes. You have a lot of options to chose from; there are at least six different basic types of lip balms!

1. Beeswax

Beeswax can give a very stiff lip balm, depending on how much is used and what it’s mixed with.
Examples: Ecolips and Blistex Herbal Answer

2. Petrolatum

Petrolatum by itself or mixed with lanolin makes a very buttery balm.
Examples: Vaseline, Palmers Cocoa Butter Lip formula

3. Petrolatum with wax

Wax gives the balm a stiffer texture.
Examples: Carmex, Canus Goat Milk

4. Wax and emollient esters

Some formulas use slippery chemicals called esters to lube your lips.
Examples: Neutrogena Lip Nutrition

5. Waxes with dimethicone

Dimethicone is a type of silicone that is approved as a skin protectant.
Examples: Banana Boat, Aveeno

6. Waxes with aloe vera

Depending on the type of Aloe used, this type of balm may contain a significant amount of water.
Examples: Chapstick

Randi G. registers concern:
I just noticed that the N.Y.C. lipstick I bought was made in China. With all the dangerous goods coming from China, I wonder whether this lipstick is poisonous or harmful in some way?

The Right Brain responds:
Unfortunately, Randi, recent research shows that N.Y.C. lipstick IS highly toxic and that it will kill you and anyone you’ve kissed while wearing it.

JOKING!

Are cosmetics made in China?

Seriously, we doubt you have much to be worried about. Our guess is that “Made in China” means the lipstick case is from China and not the product itself. We don’t know this for sure, of course, but we do know it’s common for cosmetic companies to purchase packaging components from China. It’s very unusual for companies to have finished products made in China and shipped here. (Now let’s just hope the Chinese didn’t use lead paint on those lipstick cases!)

Who does make this stuff?

N.Y.C. Cosmetics (which by the way stands for New York Color) is actually part of DEL labs. They’re the people who make Sally Hanson, Oragel, and a host of over the counter medications. They’re pretty reputable, but if you have any doubts, you can certainly call the company and ask them where their lipstick is made. Let us know if you find out anything more and we’ll update this post.

Do you prefer home grown lipstick?

If you’re still worried and you want an ultra-environmentally conscious lipstick, you could check out Cargo PlantLove Botanical Lipstick featuring a “lipstick tube made entirely out of corn - a renewable and abundant resource. This environmentally-friendly innovation also emits less greenhouse gases, which many scientists believe to be the major cause of global warming. The outer carton is made of flower paper embedded with real flower seeds.”

Melanie is miserable: Recently, I had a terrible allergic reaction on my lips to the Primal Elements Lip Plumper. Shortly after putting it on I had severe swelling, bumps, peeling, on and on. My dermatologist prescribed cortisone cream that seems to be working it will be awhile until it’s completely healed. Do you have an idea of what could have caused a reaction. Maybe the cinnamon? Do you have any suggestions about lip balms that will be safe to use in the future.

The Left Brain provides lip service:

We’ve written about lip plumpers before, so I looked at the ingredient list of this product and I have some theories about which ingredients might be the problem.

Spicy hot?

First, you asked about cinnamon. That’s a good guess because Cinnamic aldehyde, a component of cinnamon oil, is known to cause allergy contact dermatitis. Symptoms include a rash, intense swelling, and redness of the affected area. (If you`re interested in learning more, here’s a good link from Dermnet.)

However, that doesn’t seem to be the likely culprit for your lip gloss because Primal Elements doesn’t contain cinnamon oil, it contains Ethylhexyl Methoxycinnamate which is a sunscreen. While the name sounds like cinnamon, it’s not. Some people are sensitive to sunscreens, however, so you could look at the ingredients on other products you buy and see if you’ve used this one before.

Icky irritants?

What else? Well, Menthol and Camphor are mild irritants that could be causing the problem. And Benzyl Nicotinate is added to give your lips the tingling feeling that lip plumpers are supposed to provide. You might be reacting to that.

Smells like fragrance

Finally, fragrance is always one of the usual suspects when it comes to skin reactions. The good news is, probably any lip gloss you try will have a different fragrance than Primal Elements. The rest of the formula seems unlikely to cause a problem.

The Beauty Brains Bottom Line:

If you look for a lip gloss that doesn’t have ethyl methoxycinnamate, menthol, camphor, benzyl nicotinate and that has a different fragrance, that should help.

A while back we reported a story about how a fragrance can make it look like you’ve lost weight. Well, Omega Tech Labs has introduced a lip gloss called Promise that is supposed to have weight loss benefits.

Appetite suppressant in lip gloss

According to the company, the lip gloss contains a blend of botanical oils (castor oil, coconut oil and evening primrose oil) that work as appetite suppressants. Experts say that these ingredients can work but they don’t believe you will get enough exposure from the lip gloss to make much difference.

Smells can help you slim

While this Beauty Brain is highly skeptical, there is some science backing up the product concept. Researchers at the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation have done studies showing that odors can actually help people lose weight. If Promise lip gloss contains appetite suppressant oils and odors that help curb your appetite, it might have an effect.

Could be too tasty

On the other hand, the flavor could actually stimulate your appetite and have the opposite effect! Since the company offers no clinical study, we can’t know for sure whether it works.

But it’s probably worth a try. It will certainly be a good lip gloss and if it has the added benefit of helping you lose weight without taking another spinning class, how cool is that?