Is bakuchiol safe during pregnancy? Episode 210

We have a full schedule today. We’ll be talking about a few topics in cosmetic science, finding out about my appointment and answering questions about…

1. Does silicone thin hair and cause hair loss?
2. Do proteins in nail products strengthen nails?
3. What is goat milk used for in soaps and more?
4. What is the affordable version of Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore?
5. Is Bakuchiol safe during pregnancy?

LA travel interview – Eco-sustainable beauty panel

Beauty Science News #1

Does Deva curl make people’s hair fall out?

Revlon meets EWG

The Hallmark Channel

Question 1 – Noise

Jemma – Does silicone compress the hair and cause hair loss? Is there an element of truth in this?

In short, no they don’t. Over time, silicones are the term for a large class of molecules that have a silicone core, but they can have many different properties and are effective for different things. Some silicones are flexible and are used to smooth and smooth the texture. Some work well to stick to the hair and help with color or heat protection, but they can’t be washed. Some silicones can provide temporary strength to prevent friction – in fact all sorts of jobs are possible with silicone chemistry!

Now, can they cause hair loss? Hair loss can be caused by a variety of things, which we have covered extensively in previous episodes, including Episode 193. I think the myth that silicones cause hair loss is perpetuated by the fact that some silicones are potent – meaning they are designed to build and provide some benefit. Amodimethicone is one of them – it’s an amazing color protector! However, that does not mean that silicones cause hair loss. If we’ve learned anything from the Devacurl discussion, it’s that it’s important to occasionally use a clarifying shampoo and wash your hair and scalp.

Bottom line – silicones so they don’t shrink the hair and cause hair loss. Silicones are a broad class of molecules that can provide great benefits!

Question 2

Laurie asks – I have Hyperthyroidism. I play guitar so the fingernails on my left hand are short and I try, however, to grow the nails on my right hand (I play Classical). Fingernails are very important in this type of guitar playing. The nail on my left thumb has split and died – remember it’s already short, so I put a clear nail polish on it: Sally Hanson Ultimate Shield. I learned that nail polish with protein strengthens the nail. NONE of them show ingredients. Am I using OPI Nail Envy as recommended by my hairdresser – or something else?

Let’s talk about nail conditioners. Nail polish is one that can help condition your nails. Effective nail strengtheners include ethyl acetate, butyl acetate, nitrocellulose, and tosylamide formaldehyde resin. Things like protein are ingredients for applications that don’t really do the job. You can try a product like Sally Hanson MEGA STRENGTH HARDENER. It has ingredients that include a coating to strengthen the nail. No protein but protein doesn’t really do much. In fact, nail polish technology hasn’t changed much over the years so any product that claims to strengthen nails (as long as it uses nitrocellulose and the other ingredients I mentioned) should help keep your nails strong.

Question 3

Sheila asks, “You guys are truly amazing. Your knowledge of all things beauty is amazing. I always learn something from you both. But, I was wondering what your thoughts are on Goat milk and its use in hair, body wash, shampoo and conditioners?”

Goats’ milk is rich in lipids, mainly triglycerides, and a small proportion of phospholipids and sterols. The fatty acids of milk are generally medium-chain fatty acids, C8-C14 in length. People say that goat’s milk softens and nourishes the skin – I would probably agree. Goats’ milk may also contain proteins that have good film-forming properties, leading to skin irritation. I have also seen others say that the lactose in goat’s milk is responsible for water retention. It’s possible! A few products that use goat’s milk are high in lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid that helps exfoliate the skin. If you listen to Episode 181, it’s unlikely that Goat’s Milk will provide any refining benefit as it won’t contain much free lactic acid.

Kate Sommerville is one major skin care brand that includes goat’s milk as an active ingredient, but for the most part it is mostly used in homemade or handmade cosmetics. As a builder working for a large company, not only is it a push to use ingredients that are free of animal products, but using goat milk can be difficult to work with. It is usually given as a powder and must be dissolved in the formula. It usually has no color, which is also a challenge. Additionally, due to the structure, it can add complexity to the preservation. Finally, while there are some attractive benefits to using goat milk, there are many additional ingredients that provide additional benefits to goat milk at low consumption levels or that do not pose formulation challenges. Personally, I also have trouble using an ingredient from the food chain.

Question 4

Katherine says – Hello. I was wondering if there is a less expensive alternative to this Skinceuticals Cream. Thank you. Skinceuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2

Let’s look at what’s in the form. They have a long ingredient list, 37 ingredients by my count. But, if you remove all the “soft” ingredients and useless things like preservatives and conditioning ingredients, there are a few ingredients that make the product work. These include Dimethicone (which is an occlusive agent), Hydrogenated Polyisobutene (an emollient), and Glycerin (a humectant). Oh and to live up to the 2:4:2 claim they have 2% ceramide 3, 4% cholesterol, and 2% sunflower seed oil. Well, with the first three ingredients there doesn’t seem to be much reason to have the next three. In my opinion these are just application ingredients that don’t have much effect, especially if you have those other ingredients in there.

That’s the thing when they test ingredients like ceramides, stuff. They don’t test against ingredients like dimethicone or petrolatum. They tested them against poor placebos to show a significant effect. In my opinion, ceramides in aquatics have not been proven to be worth spending money on.

So, what are the other options? If you share my opinion that the only thing that has a major impact on the effectiveness of this product is the first three ingredients, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene and Glycerin, then I would say look for products with those ingredients. Olay regenerist. Contains Glycerin & Dimethicone and contains peptides, niacinamide, and hyaluronic acid. Those are great for label copy but really it’s the first few ingredients that will make an impact.

Question 5 – Sound Question

Bakuchiol – an alternative to retinol. Is Retinol safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding? Is bakuchiol safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding?

The question of whether retinol is safe during pregnancy is not as cut and dry as whether it is safe or not. All the advice you will see on the internet is that you should not use them as there are concerns that retinoids can have teratogenic effects (meaning they can affect the development of the fetus). Of course, there is no evidence that topical use is a problem but it is a case of better safe than sorry. Since there are other options, doctors simply recommend that you avoid using them while you are pregnant. It seems like a reasonable warning.

Anyway, that brings us to the question of bakuchiol. There is an article published in Allure that says “Unlike retinols, bakuchiol is completely safe to use when pregnant or breastfeeding” And you will see similar things being said on parenting blogs. But the truth is that this ingredient has not been tested so those claims are very optimistic if you ask me. There is a very good reason to avoid bakuchiol as it has not been tested for safety for use during pregnancy. It might be good but until safety tests are done, I wouldn’t recommend it.

Also, bakuchiol is a natural plant extract which means you have no idea about the purity of the ingredient used by the company. There are no good analytical tests to show that the company is even using bakuchiol extract. They may be buying retinol-infused brown water. Companies wouldn’t really know. As you can tell, I am very skeptical of natural extracts.

Another thing is that the benefits of bakuchiol are more than hyped. The available evidence does not support their use as a good alternative to retinoids. There are a few small studies that show some similarities but they haven’t been replicated and there is a lot of evidence that retinoids work. I am always skeptical.

Therefore, if you are pregnant, stick to proven safe ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid. Bakuchiol may be perfectly safe but it’s best to avoid it just to be on the safe side. I also wouldn’t take product safety advice from mommy blogs and the internet. Or a science podcast for that matter. Talk to your doctor about this and avoid using it.

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