Even though the Beauty Brains don’t do traditional reviews, from time to time we like to share new products that we’re trying. We want you to know that we received free samples in exchange for a mention on our blog and that we’re not necessarily recommending you buy anything. We’re just sharing new product news; please do your own research before you buy.

Since the Beauty Brains have a book titled “Can You Get Hooked On Lip Balm,” we’d be remiss if we didn’t blog about lip products every once in a while. Recently we had a chance to try a few samples of Paul Frank’s monkey-themed Lip Smacker lip. They taste delicious and, as you can see from the ingredient list below they’re   based primarily on natural oils and waxes. Also, did I mention they’re monkey-themed?

LIP SMACKER INGREDIENTS

RICINUS COMMUNIS (CASTOR) SEED OIL, CETYL ACETATE, BEESWAX (CERA ALBA). EUPHORBIA CERIFERA (CANDELILLA) WAX, FLAVOR/AROMA. POLYBUTENE. SESAMUM INDICUM (SESAME) SEED OIL, PROPYLENE GLYCOL. OZOKERITE. COPERNICIA CERIFERA (CARNAUBA) WAX, ACETYLATED LANOLIN ALCOHOL. MINERAL OIL (PARAFFINUM LIQUIDUM), HYDROGENATED SOY GLYCERIDES, PARAFFIN, TRITICUM VULGARE (WHEAT) GERM OIL. STEARIC ACID, PROPYL GALLATE, CITRIC ACID, NEOTAME. POLYESTER-3. BENZYL ALCOHOL, BENZYL BENZOATE, BENZYL CINNAMATE, GERANIOL, ANISE ALCOHOL, CINNAMAL, CINNAMYL ALCOHOL, LIMONENE, LINALOOL, CITRAL, EUGENOL, ISOEUGENOL. MAY CONTAIN/PEUT RENFERMER (+/-): TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), RED 7 LAKE (C115850), YELLOW 5 LAKE (C119140), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491,77492,77499). BLUE 1 LAKE(CI 42090), RED 6 LAKE (C115850), RED 28 (CI 45410)

Do you think there should be more primate-themed personal care products? Leave a comment and share your ape-ish opinions with the rest of the Beauty Brains community. 

Link Love Month, here’s how it works: we answer questions from other bloggers. After reading our answer you go visit their site.  The bloggers get readers, you get to read more blogs. Now go practice with Nicole from Bagful of Notions!  

Nicole needs to know…Is there a really big difference between using SPF 15 and SPF 30 facial moisturizer? If so, why? I was told to wear 30 in order to prevent rosacea flare ups.

The Left Brain’s loquacious reply: 

Skin exposure to UV rays is almost never good for the skin. It causes sun burn, wrinkles, dryness, and as you’ve implied, rosacea flare ups. This is why the most important thing you can do for your skin is to wear a sunscreen or stay out of the sun. But what kind of sunscreen should you use?

SPF

Before answering this, we should first tell you what the SPF number means. SPF stands for sun protection factor and it essentially is a rating of how much UV light will be blocked. In general, a higher SPF number offers more protection from UV exposure than a lower number. How effective it is depends on many factors but the number one factor is your skin type. SPF 15 means that if you would normally burn after being in the sun for 20 minutes, you will be able to stay in the sun for 15 times as long or 5 hours. But it is important to note that the SPF scale is not a linear one. An SPF 2 will block 50% of the UV light while an SPF 15 will block 92% of all the UV light that reaches your skin and an SPF 34 blocks 97% of the UV light.

SPF effectiveness

Although skin type is the number one factor is determining the effectiveness of a sunscreen, it is not the only factor. The intensity of the sun and the amount that you apply is also important. It’s this second factor that is most relevant to your question.

SPF 15, 30 or more

For cosmetic chemists, creating a great sunscreen is a balance between making a product that is effective and making one that feels good on the skin. If it were just a matter of effectiveness, everyone would create SPF 50 products or higher. But the problem with creating a higher SPF product is that for each number you go up, you increase the greasy, nasty feel on your skin. An SPF 15 feels much better than an SPF 30. And an SPF 100 is, well, gross.

Of course, the point of a sunscreen is to protect you from UV damage so you need to use an SPF sunblock with a high enough number to give you good protection.

SPF experts

Experts at the FDA have suggested that an sPF 15 is the minium that you should be using to protect your skin from UV damage. In testing these sunscreens have been shown to provide adequate protection when combined with limiting your time in the sun, wearing sun protective clothes. And an SPF 15 also can be made so it doesn’t feel excessively greasy.

SPF 15 is not enough

While the experts say SPF 15 scores high enough in testing to give protection, that is only true if you are applying the right amount. In testing, scientists use 2 mg/cm2 of skin. So, do people apply this much?

In a word…no. It is well known that people typically apply much less than the amount tested by sunscreen manufacturers.

Think about how much you use. If you were applying 2 mg/cm2 of sunscreen, your skin should feel greasy, slippery, and some of the sunscreen will be running off your skin. For an average sized person, you would need to apply about 30 mL of sunscreen per application. One bottle wouldn’t even be enough for a week at the beach.

1/3 effective

So, while technically an SPF 15 will work (and it’s certainly better than nothing), it requires much more than you apply now. A good rule of thumb is that your sunscreen will be 1/3 as effective as the number based on the way people typically apply the product. That means an SPF 15 will protect you like a lab tested SPF 5. An SPF 30 will give SPF 10 protection in real life application.

Therefore, unless you going to glop on a lot more SPF sunblock than you are using now, you should stick with an SPF 30 or higher. This will give you the best chance at preventing sunburns and UV induced rosacea flare ups.

For more information on sunscreen effectiveness see the following resources
1. Melanoma foundation facts about sunscreens.
2. FDA Sunscreen guide
3. National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence Skin cancer prevention report
4. Dr. Steven Wang – Sunscreen Guide

Image credit: Flickr.com
If you need to purchase sunscreen, please shop using the link below and you’ll be supporting the Beauty Brains.

The Beauty Brains are linking and hopefully you’re loving it! All our questions this month come from other beauty bloggers, like Jenn of Literature Couture. Check out her creative character makeup tutorials!

Jenn asks…I’m loving the new Sally Hansen Nail Effects, but I’m have two questions about them. One, how exactly does the company manage to use real nail polish that isn’t dried and crumbly by the time I open the package? Two, is there a way for me to make my own strips to avoid the hassle of manicuring my non-dominant hand?

The Right Brain responds:

Regular nail polishes are a mix of film forming agents, adhesive polymers, and colorants all dissolved in a solvent cocktail (usually ethyl and butyl acetate with a dash of isopropyl alcohol.) To “stripify” the polish, Sally Hansen’s Nail Effects use a formula that’s a little more plastic-y than a regular nail polish. It looks like they’ve applied the polish to flexible substrate (polyethylene terephthalate) and dried off all the solvent. The result is a strip of nail polish that remains flexible but still sticky enough to adhere to your nail.

Can you DIY nail effects?

Sure, it’s actually quite simple. First, get an advanced degree in organic chemistry. Then, gain access to a mixture of over 2 dozen flammable chemicals and the associated equipment you’ll need to mix them properly, then…ok, I guess it isn’t quite so easy. This chemistry is quite complex and even the most accomplished DIY formulator would have problems doing this at home. Looks like you’re stuck with Sally’s strips for now.

Sally Hansen Nail Effects Ingredients

NITROCELLULOSE, POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHALATE, ADIPIC ACID/NEOPENTYL GLYCOL/TRIMELLITIC ANHYDRIDE COPOLYMER, BIS(GLYCIDOXYPHENYL)PROPANE/BISAMINOMETHYLNORBORNANE COPOLYMER, ACETYL TRIBUTYL CITRATE, TRIPHENYL PHOSPHATE, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, BUTYL ACETATE, CALCIUM ALUMINUM BOROSILICATE, POLYVINYL BUTYRAL, ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, STEARALKONIUM BENTONITE, SHELLAC CERA/SHELLAC WAX/CIRA DE LAQUE, DIHYDROXYETHYL COCAMINE OXIDE, BENZOPHENONE-3, SILICA, TIN OXIDE, [May Contain/Peut Contenir/+/-:MICA, TITANIUM DIOXIDE (CI 77891), IRON OXIDES (CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), D&C RED NO. 6 BARIUM LAKE (CI 15850), D&C RED NO. 7 CALCIUM LAKE (CI 15850), FD&C BLUE NO. 1 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 42090), FD&C YELLOW NO. 5 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 19140), D&C YELLOW NO. 10 ALUMINUM LAKE (CI 47005), D&C ORANGE NO. 5 (CI 45370), D&C YELLOW NO. 11 (CI 47000), D&C RED NO. 22 (CI 45380), D&C RED NO. 28 (CI 45410), ULTRAMARINES (CI 77007), FERRIC AMMONIUM FERROCYANIDE (CI 77510), ALUMINUM POWDER (CI 77000)].

Image credit: Sally Hansen

If you’d like to try being a “stripper” you can buy Nail Effects with the Amazon link below. Your purchase will help support the Beauty Brains and for that we thank you kindly.

We’re linking to love this month! All our February questions come from other bloggers and we’re encouraging you to check out their blogs. Today’s question is from our dear friend Moxie at MoxieReviews.com. Visit her today!

Moxie must know…Brazilian Blowouts were found to release formaldehyde. Are the Keratin-based hair-straightening products that I see stylists in salons doing that much safer on hair/environment? 

The Left Brain responds: 

The safety concerns regarding high levels formaldehyde in hair straightening prdoducts has been well documented and inhaling large quantities of formaledhyde gas is a  legitimate health concern. (see this reference.)  Some of the Brazillain Blowout type products contained as much as 10% formaldehyde which far exceeds the safe limits. (Remember: the dose makes the poison!)

The Keratin straightening products you refer to use an entirely different chemistry. (Read our previous post on how temporary hair straighteners work.) These products do physically disrupt the structure of hair so there is some of degree of damage. (Much less than relaxing but more than simply combing and brushing.) However, these products do NOT raise the same health/environmental concerns as products with high levels of formaldehyde.

Image credit: Flikr.com

February is link love month!  We’re taking questions from other bloggers and encouraging you to check out their blogs. Today’s question is from Mary at Pure Healthy Makeup. Stop by and say hello! 

Mary asks: Is is possible to make pressed makeup without using any synthetics?

The Right Brain responds:

Rather than re-opened the debate on natural vs synthetic, I’ll try to address your question as it applies specifically to powdered makeup.

Loose powder needs fewer ingredients

One can certainly make the case that certain brands of so-called mineral makeup are among the most “natural” of cosmetic products. For example, Mineral Hygenics only contains a few powders which are all derived from crushed rocks (more or less.) This kind of product is relatively easy to formulate using only mineral (ie “natural”) ingredients because it’s just a simple blend of powders.

Pressed powder is more complex

Pressed powders, on the other hand, are much more complex. In order for the powders to stay compressed they need some kind of binding oil. And for those oils to mix with the powders they may require a surfactant to lower the surface tension. And the pressed powders have to spread easily across your skin so they may require emollients to provide slip. And these surfactants and binders and emollients may require antioxidants to prevent rancidity. And, since pressed powders have a surface that comes in contact with fingers and makeup brushes, they are more likely to require preservatives than loose powders. And…well you get the idea.

The more ingredients that a formula requires, the more difficult it becomes to source ingredients that everyone will agree are “natural.” And although natural alternatives may be available, they may not work as well as the nasty old “synthetic” chemicals. This is particluarly true of preservatives and of many surfactants.

The Beauty Brains bottom line

It’s not impossible to formulate a pressed powder without  ”synthetics” but the requirements of the formula make it much more difficult.

Image credit: Beautyiswithin.

Do YOU know of a pressed powder that made of only natural ingredients? Leave a comment and share your natural knowledge with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.