The first time I heard this commercial here’s what I thought they said… “Then one day Dad, he got the notion and tried Williams Aqua Velva lotion. Now all the gals…go for Dad!” Huh? I later realized they were singing “Dan,” not Dad, which makes sense since I don’t think infidelity had been invented back in 1961. While [...]
Marie asks…I’d like to know if deodorants containing Zinc Ricinoleate (those made by Vichy which are free from aluminium salts, for example) will still leave yellow stains on my clothes, on the armpit area. How safe and effective is this ingredient? The Beauty Brains respond: The yellow pit stains that you experience are caused by [...]
Christopher says…Hello Randy & Perry. What other beauty blogs (with a scientific twist) do you guys recommend? I hear you guys mention this news articles showing up in your feeds but not exactly sure what that ‘feed’ is. The Beauty Brains respond: Hi Christopher! We collect our beauty science news from a number of sources. [...]
Do skin bleaching products really work? Are the ingredients safe? This week Randy and I explain everything you need to know about skin lightening. Show notes Beauty Science News: 7 ways to spot a real expert As you know we like to promote skeptical thinking, especially when it comes to beauty products. I found an interesting [...]
They say that a magician never reveals the secrets of his or her tricks but I think that revealing the “tricks” of cosmetic chemists can help consumers by making them smarter. To that end, here’s an article written for cosmetic chemists on the topic of safety testing finished products. Formulators of cosmetic products must ensure [...]
Most of the time we cater to the female segment of our audience but since today is Father’s Day I thought something aimed at the guys might be more appropriate. Unfortunately we don’t get a ton of questions from the gents so instead I pulled together some of our favorite links about hair loss. That’s not [...]
Emu Oil Cream is a best seller on Amazon this week. But is it beauty, or just bird brained? Let’s look at the label. According to the website “Scientific studies verify that Emu Oil has Unique Healing Properties.” Believe or not it turns out there is at least SOME truth to that. Emu oil is [...]
When I was a kid Bactine spray was THE go to product for disinfecting minor cuts and scrapes on hands, arms and legs. The active ingredients are benzalkonium chloride (an antiseptic) and lidocaine (a topical anesthetic). I’m not sure why you’d need either of these ingredients in a face wash. (For dueling scars, I suppose.) The most vexing question, [...]
Richard asks…My wife sent me your article about Vaseline vs. Aquaphor, which addresses the concepts of occlusives, hydrators, and humectants. Vaseline is supposedly only an occlusive and Aquaphor is supposedly all three. If that is the case, how come each only lists Petrolatum as an active ingredient? The Beauty Brains respond: Richard has stumbled on one [...]
As faithful followers of the Beauty Brains already know, our Forum is a great resource for answers to beauty questions. There are hundreds of members who are very savvy about all kinds of cosmetics. A few people have had trouble navigating the Forum to ask their questions so I made a short instructional video. Check [...]