Skincare Myths

Is there truth behind the science used to sell skincare products?

One of the few places we regularly see science on TV these days is in adverts for cosmetics. They’re filled with pretty graphics showing you how the active ingredients work and feature lots of complicated words like “active liposomes” and “boswelox” (which seems to be a word invented solely for the purpose of selling a face cream). I’m a big fan of the L’Oréal adverts: they always have a gorgeous woman, like Rachel from Friends, telling you to pay attention to the “science” and a recent one even had Eva Longoria saying: “I love it when they talk science”. It’s unlikely that Jennifer Aniston or Eva Longoria is ever going to date a physicist, but a boy can dream. Scientific terminology is used extensively to market skincare products but is the science featured in these adverts reliable? Is it worth spending more money on a particular brand of face cream and, as a bloke, should I buy products designed for men?

According to Professor Andrew Finlay of the Department of Dermatology at Cardiff University, there is no point forking out lots of money for a designer-branded product rather than a generic brand. Hywel Williams, Professor of Dermato-Epidemiology at Nottingham University conceded that some products may be better than others in terms of being more comfortable, having a nicer smell and being less likely to give allergic responses but it’s all a matter of personal taste.

In the name of research, I visited a cosmetics counter at a department store where the resident skincare expert advised me to cleanse, tone and moisturise my skin. Unlike professors Finlay or Williams she wasn’t a dermatologist, but I believed her when she told me that cleansing and moisturising might be useful. However, she couldn’t explain exactly why I should tone my skin and I wasn’t convinced that it did anything useful. I was not alone: Prof. Williams later told me that he had also never understood what toning the skin means. Nina Goad, press officer for the British Skin Foundation, told me that toners are generally not necessary. They were originally designed to supplement the effectiveness of cleansers, however most modern cleansers are effective on their own and do not require the use of a toner. So that’s at least one product that seems to be completely unnecessary, despite what the lady at the cosmetics counter told me.