Best of the Beauty Brains 2008

It’s the year’s end and time for a look back at some of our favorite posts from 2008. Categorized for your convenience.

Skin

We generated some heated discussions with talk about breast milk soap, Clarisonic, Preparation H for puffy eyes, and boob sweat?

1. What’s the difference between alpha & beta hydroxyl acid?

2. Does chocolate really cause acne?

3. What should a 20-something do about aging skin?

4. Are silk pillowcases good for your skin?

5. Is Meladerm safe for long term use?

6. Is breast milk soap appealing or appalling?

7. How to pick a good face wash

8. Is your Clarisonic skin brush dangerous?

9. Bothered by boob sweat?

10. Are cosmetics from the Cosmetic Cop really a good choice?

11. You’re not still buying expensive skin care products are you?

12. Does beauty jargon baffle you too?

13. Does Preparation H work for puffy eyes?

Hair

Hair was not as contentious as skin this year but a few posts got people buzzing. Especially the Pantene and plastic post.

1. Is no-lye relaxer a lie?

2. Revealed – the biggest cause of fading hair color

3. 10 things you should know about hair extensions

4. Is Scalpmed a scam?

5. Is Pantene putting plastic on your hair?

6. The colorful secret of organic hair color

7. Is Argan oil good for hair?

8. Are natural cleansers better for your hair?

9. Can coconut oil grow your hair long?

Make-up

Lipsticks, balms and mineral makeup dominated the discussion this year.

1. 3 reasons not to recycle lipstick

2. Does oil cleansing really work?

3. Clearing up the mystery of mineral makeup

4. Is Monistat bikini chafing gel a good makeup primer?

5. Who wants to know the real reason women like makeup?

6. Can I dye my eyebrows with hair color?

7. What lip balm should you use?

Beauty Busting

We ran into a lot of bogus beauty. Here are some examples.

1. Can Kinoki detox foot pads save your sole?

2. Do mineral crystal deodorants really work?

3. Does the pink patch weight loss patch really work?

4. Can Airborne cure the common cold?

5. Is Aveda really more natural?

6. Can cosmetic acupuncture reduce wrinkles?

7. 20 qualities of questionable online skin care offers

Beauty Industry

Lots went on in our beauty industry. Some you may care about follow.

1. Mercury in mascara?

2. More trouble for Jan Marini

3. Getting rid of cosmetic animal testing is harder than we think

4. The chemical-free cosmetic myth

5. When natural ingredients attack

6. 7 reasons there aren’t more preservative free cosmetics

7. Logical does not mean true

8. Hypocrisy in the beauty industry

9. Natural bias on the Beauty Brains

10. EWG misleads consumers about parabens

Beauty Science

Some fun stories where beauty and science intersect.

1. Scientists discover why we wear high heels

2. How pricey products baffle your brain

3. How perfume can predict mental illness

4. Scientists find treatment to restore sense of smell

5. 10 cosmetic products that really work

6. Do designer sunglasses give better UV protection than cheap ones?

7. The 10 strangest ingredients in cosmetics

8. The top 10 natural ingredients you need to avoid

9. Spa bath with fish is a wash

10. The top 10 beauty science toys

Happy New Year!!

What were some of your favorites this year? Leave a comment and let everyone know.