Can a patch test predict acne?
Janelly asks…I would like to know if testing an acne product patch would actually work. I see this concept mentioned a lot on Reddit as a way to test if a new skincare product will cause acne.
That’s a good question but the acne test does NOT work. Unlike allergies (where it can happen in minutes or hours) the process of acne genesis takes much longer.
According to Fisher’s Contact Dermatitis, acne can be caused by the use of cosmetic products in two ways. The first one is called “true comedone” and it takes several months to develop. The second is the result of follicular irritation and takes weeks to occur.
A patch test that involves leaving the product on your skin for only a few hours or even a few days will not accurately predict whether or not you will break out.
Even if you can patch the test and leave it open, or re-apply it, I’m not sure I can trust the result because you might have a false negative based on the small area of skin you put it on.
He said to smear it on his check for a few weeks but sometimes that’s not just a patch test you use the product.
We shared this answer with Janelly via email and she asked the following question: “Now that I know it takes at least a few weeks to a few months to know if a product is giving me a kick, is there a way to tell which product is giving me a kick? Is this possible?”
Trying to isolate which product you’re putting out isn’t very practical because you can’t really do a long-term variable test on your own. I don’t think anyone would put one product on their face and leave it there for several weeks/months without washing their face, wearing any makeup, applying sunscreen, etc.
And you have to repeat that process for every product you want to test. EVEN if you’ve done all that you still can’t really control other things like hormonal changes and changes in diet.
Your best bet is to buy products that are labeled “non-comedogenic.” Even that is not a guarantee because the tests that are done to see if the product will give you acne or not are NOT definitive.
We are talking about the rabbit ear test. In fact, there are some people who say that the test is not predictive at all. So the best can give you some guidance.
The bottom line is that predicting acne is VERY HARD and don’t waste your time on patch testing.
Ref
Can shampoo and conditioner be concentrated?
Scott says…I use shampoo and conditioner by Pureology and on the front of the bottles they say the products are concentrated formulas. Do you know if this is true or not? Is it possible to make shampoos and conditioners more concentrated?
Such a claim is meaningless because it offers no comparison with anything else. More concentrated than what?? And even if it’s true, what’s the point? Do they say it works better? And again, better than what?
Now, I can think of a few applications where this MIGHT make sense. The first is in the form of deep cleaning products where a slightly higher surfactant load is appropriate. (Although most shampoos have more cleaning power.)
Second he says it CAN make sense from a sustainability perspective – you concentrate the product so you get more use out of each bottle which reduces packaging waste. I have seen this used successfully in dishwashing soaps and laundry detergents.
But you should be aware that there are disadvantages associated with increased concentration. Hair care products have to be of the right quality or they don’t feel right on your hair – it’s hard to make a concentrated product that isn’t difficult to disperse in your hair.
And some ingredients don’t work well in high concentrations. For example Polyquat 7, which is a great conditioning agent used in shampoos, can build up in the hair if you use too much and can make the product very stringy and pituitous. “Containing, or resembling mucus.”
In most cases, when a company tells you that their shampoo or conditioner is “high concentration” it’s probably a marketing ploy. The bottom line is that a claim may be true but be absurd.
Is Nugene Worth the Money?
Lee asks… I need to know if NuGene Universal Serum is worth the astronomical price of $300 a bottle!! Are there comparable products for less money?
This is a product based on stem cell media. We’ve talked about stem cells before and the science says they don’t work when used in topical products. (in fact here is a recent article on that topic:
The product also contains 4 different peptides. Peptides are promising ingredients with some data showing they have anti-aging properties including stimulating collagen and reducing the breakdown of skin structure. But there are many cheap peptide products on the market. To be honest, I haven’t had time to track anything down but you can Google products with these ingredients and you’ll find cheaper versions.
Their website includes links to clinical studies where their products have been tested (single blind, half face test) against nothing. The results showed that their products hydrate, reduce fine lines and wrinkles, etc., better than no treatment at all.
Most anti-aging products will produce similar results so I don’t see anything compelling that this product is worth $300. They had one study showing gene expression but this was done in vitro (in lab cells) so it doesn’t translate to real life. I say save your money.
Ingredients: Human Adipose Derived Stem Cell Conditioned Media, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 / Glycerin, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Polysosbate-20, Acetyl Tetrapeptide-5, Aloe barbadensis Leaf Juice , Pentapeptide-18 / Captrylyl-Clulal-Clulal-Clulal, Nanaphthal-Clulal-Clulal, Nathapeptide-18 Citrus grandis Seed Extract, Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose, Phenoxyethanol / Sorbic Acid / Caprylyl Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Fragrance, DL-Panthenol, Niacinamide, Camellia sinensis Leaf Extract, Nanosome Copper Peptides, Human Oligopeptide-1
Beauty Stories of Science
Perfume can influence your dreams
Link
Here’s an interesting article I stumbled upon that discusses the work researchers are doing looking at the effect scent has on your dreams. According to scientists at the University Hospital Mannheim in Germany, people who were exposed to the smell of rotten eggs while sleeping had unpleasant dreams while people who were exposed to the smell of roses had pleasant dreams.
In this study of 15 women…oh man, the researchers hooked them up with tubes attached to their noses and ordered them to sleep. They monitor the brain activity of the subjects. When they reached the REM stage they gave them the smell of a rotten egg, the smell of a rose, or no smell for 10 seconds.
The scientists then let them sleep for another minute and woke them up. Ask them to describe their dreams at that time and rate the experience as good or bad. It turns out that people who had a rotten egg smell had bad dreams and those who had a rose had good dreams.
They think this could be a potential treatment for nightmares or other sleep problems. I think this could be a new product category for perfumers.
UPF: SPF for clothing
Link
We talk a lot about sunscreen products on the show but I haven’t thought much about sunscreen. Luckily, our friend Nikki at FUtureDerm has. He published an interesting article about sun protection in clothing called UPF or Ultra Protection Factor. Here are a few key points:
Darkness protects better than light fabrics. Heavy fabrics are better than light fabrics Strong fabrics are better than loose and woven fabrics Synthetics are better than natural fabrics (eg cotton)
If you like, you can check the measurements of different fabrics. There is a rating scale published by ARPANSA which represents the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency.
Perfume pollution in the canals of Venice
Link
Have you ever wondered what happens to the fragrances used in soaps, shampoos and skin lotions? Well, according to this study they end up in our waters and can continue for a long time. That means if you live in a place like Venice where there is no sewage.
Between April and December 2015, scientists repeatedly collected water samples from 22 locations within the inner canals of the historic center of Venice, the island of Burano and two points in the far north harbor. They wanted the presence of 17 fragrances among the most widely used and chemically stable among the thousands available in the cosmetics industry.
Traces of ‘fragrant’ molecules were identified at all sampling sites, including those farthest from residential areas, although they showed concentrations up to 500 times higher in inner-city canals. Samples collected during low tide conditions in Venice and Burano showed concentrations comparable to these untreated wastewaters.
Of course, they do not know the effects of this formation of aromatic molecules and they are not at a level that would be toxic to marine life.
So what does it all mean? I don’t know. It seems that these scientists were looking for some way to show people that there might be a problem and that they needed more money to study it. There seems to be a lot of such research.
A new mascara will make you more popular
Link
A recent article from Cosmetics Design discusses a Japanese company that is creating what they call a “beauty makeup control mask” that will give you “an enhanced social perspective in Asia.”
I’m not sure I understand this correctly but the company, Kosé, says their research shows that women who wear mascara have high self-esteem and social status and they link that to the curve of their eyelashes because it makes the eye look bigger and more open. Therefore, they make mascara specifically to improve this eyelash curl. It uses water-based resins like you would find in hairspray to control lash structure. That’s an interesting trend based on Asian culture, I wonder if it will ever make it here. (Cheap Trick for Big Eyes)
A new sunscreen
Link
Applying sunscreen is painful. And that’s why people don’t do more. I know I don’t like it. And spray sunscreens seem like a waste to me.
However, here is a new packaging design that may change that. It’s called BlokRok and it reminds me of an anti-perspirant stick. You put your sunscreen in a container and roll it onto your skin. There is no hassle and you get the right amount in the right places. We will see when this starts.
iTunes updates
Shinobuchin from Australia says…Very informative and insightful show! — 5 stars. Randy and Perry are like my bests when it comes to beauty, trust them and nothing more than a fancy packaging or ad campaign can tell you.
Blondenicky says…Educates While Entertaining — 5 stars. This show has taught me important lessons, for example, It’s Ok to Have Lead In Your Lipstick, and answered some Beauty Questions I’ve Always Been Dying To Know 😉 What started as a way to keep myself happy at work has also given me more insight into the makeup I use. I will never walk into a store the same way again.
