Thumbnail image for Does Maca root really boost your bust and bottom?

Does Maca root really boost your bust and bottom?

April 9, 2013

Heather says…I have read of people using Maca for increasing bust and bottom size. From a scientist’s point of view is this true? The Beauty Brains respond: To be honest, we’d never heard of Maca (or its alleged boob and booty-boosting ability) until you brought it up.  But you made us curious… Maca mania Maca, [...]

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Thumbnail image for If there’s lead in lipstick can I use crayons instead?

If there’s lead in lipstick can I use crayons instead?

April 8, 2013

Natalia knows… I just saw a girl on YouTube who did a tutorial on crayon as lipstick because regular lipstick has lead. She obviously needs some beauty brain knowledge! The Beauty Brains concur: What?? You mean we can’t believe everything we see onYouTube? (Shocked baby face!) But seriously, we couldn’t agree more with you more, [...]

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Bio Oil: Look at the label

April 7, 2013

The 12th best selling beauty product on Amazon.com this week is Bio-Oil. Let’s look at the label.  Mineral Oil Moisturizer and solvent/carrier for the other ingredients. Triisononanoin An ester that helps make the oil more spreadable. Cetearyl Ethylhexanoate, Isopropyl Myristate Two more another ester-emollients. Retinyl Palmitate Vitamin A derivative . Not as effective as retinol [...]

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Sunscreens: How do I understand the logic behind SPF numbers?

April 6, 2013

Poulette ponders…Can someone help me understand the logic behind how SPF numbers are allocated to sunscreens? I’m thinking primarily of SS using physical barriers like zinc oxide & TO. For example, Josie Maran claims SPF 40 with Titanium Dioxide 9.5%, Zinc Oxide 6.0%, while Snowberry Everyday SPF has 16% ZO and claims SPF 15. There [...]

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Thumbnail image for How do acne facial washes work if they’re rinsed off?

How do acne facial washes work if they’re rinsed off?

April 5, 2013

Janelle asks…I thought of something interesting whilst washing my face in the morning with an acne wash – Do cleansers with medicational ingredients really have any effect at all since they are on the skin for such a short time? Does that suggest that I should not waste my time buying specific acne cleansers (like [...]

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Thumbnail image for Do Whish Hair Inhibiting Swipes really work?

Do Whish Hair Inhibiting Swipes really work?

April 4, 2013

Cindy says…What can you tell us about the new Whish hair inhibiting wipes? Do they really work so I don’t have to shave my legs as often? The Beauty Brains respond: Whish Hair Inhibiting Swipes are individually packaged towelette saturated with a skin soothing moisturizer that reportedly slows hair growth. According to the fine folks [...]

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Thumbnail image for Does lipstick expose you to dangerous levels of lead?

Does lipstick expose you to dangerous levels of lead?

April 3, 2013

You’ve all heard the scary stories about lead in lipstick and, yes, it’s true that most brands of lipstick contain lead.  But do they contain enough lead to pose a hazard to your health? Let’s find out with the Beauty Brains “Lead in Lipstick” calculator. (References for each data point are included if you want to [...]

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What does it take to be a cosmetic scientist?

April 2, 2013

Sue says… What is someone with an art degree and NO science background doing on site about cosmetic CHEMISTRY? If I want to read cosmetics articles written by non-scientists I can go to any number of other sites. The only reason I read your site (daily!) is that it’s one of the few written by [...]

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Thumbnail image for DD bust-enhancing creams really work

DD bust-enhancing creams really work

April 1, 2013

First there were BB creams, then CC creams. Now, researchers have developed the next wave of multifunctional products which are the so called “DD” creams (short for Dermal Décolletage) that have the ability temporarily enhance breast size. Bust enhancing breakthrough The technology uses an osmotic gradient to deliver plumping ingredients into the fat-laden tissue around [...]

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