The Beauty Brains – Episode 406

Title: Can Collagen Really Improve Skin & Why Is Purple Shampoo Drying?
Date: September 8, 2025
Hosts: Valerie George & Perry Romanowski

Overview

In episode 406, cosmetic chemists Valerie and Perry answer listener questions about the science behind trending beauty and hair care products. The episode unpacks hot topics like the effectiveness of collagen supplements, the drying effects of purple shampoo, new product reformulations, the regulatory status of mousse sunscreens, the OS01 peptide from OneSkin, molecular mesh moisturizers, and practical advice for dealing with rosacea. As always, the hosts bring expert analysis, skepticism on marketing claims, and a healthy dose of wit.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Collagen Supplements and Skin/Hair Health

[10:38 – 15:42]

• Claims Addressed:
  A report touts Peptan, a collagen peptide, as having “scientifically proven” benefits for skin density, elasticity, hydration, and possibly hair loss reduction.

• Skeptical Review:

  • Perry is skeptical of collagen supplements:

    “I’m a collagen ingestion skeptic... what you eat is going to impact your skin in some specific way. I don't see extraordinary evidence for this being true.” (11:10)

  • Valerie notes the lack of real mechanism evidence and that claims are “really suggestive in the language.” (13:35)

• Supplement Industry Critique:

  • Perry criticizes the largely unregulated supplement industry:

    “People just don't need these things. If you're just eating a decent diet and you're taking care of yourself... it's all just kind of a waste of money in my mind.” (14:24)

  • Valerie adds that most people don’t realize these are animal-derived products and discusses the various sources (fish, porcine, bovine). (15:21)

2. Are Product Renames Also Formula Changes?

[16:49 – 21:57]

• Listener Question:
  L'Oréal’s Elvive “Extraordinary Oil Rapid Reviver Power Conditioner” vs. the new “Total Repairs Power Restore.” Is it just a rename or a reformulation?

• Ingredient Comparison:

  • Perry lays out that Power Restore actually introduces more conditioning agents and less oil compared to Rapid Reviver. There are differences in formula and performance. (18:43)
  • Valerie explains that brands may rename and slightly tweak products for marketing, efficiency, or cost-saving reasons, not always for ingredient improvements. (19:54)

3. K18 and Brand Acquisitions

[22:02 – 27:54]

• Listener Question:
  Is K18 better as a Unilever brand? Are its products worth the hype?

• K18’s Technology:

  • It’s a peptide-based bond builder, an alternative to Olaplex’s technology. (22:55)
  • The brand was heavily marketed to salons and promptly acquired by Unilever.

• Chemists’ Take:

  • Valerie: The molecular repair spray is solid, but shampoos/conditioners are "not impressive":

    “It’s pretty much like any other shampoo on the market with maybe this peptide tossed in... Go for their leave-in spray or mask.” (27:54)

  • Perry: “You can’t really deliver much from a shampoo... it’s the sprays, the leave-on products where you're going to have the maximum effect.” (26:13)

• Brand Buyouts:

  • Big companies often consolidate products and may eventually change the formulas to better match their portfolio, sometimes for efficiency, sometimes for improved performance. (25:32, 27:54)

4. Moose Sunscreens & FDA Regulations

[28:27 – 34:11]

• Listener Question:
  Why did the FDA warn companies about mousse-format sunscreens?

• Regulatory Perspective:

  • Perry: Moose isn't an approved sunscreen format—FDA’s issue is about the specific vehicle, not efficacy. (28:47, 30:17)
  • Valerie: Other fun formats (like wipes, powder) also aren’t technically allowed. High profile press likely triggered FDA enforcement. (29:05)
  • Possible confusion with food-like packaging for children is also a concern. (32:18)

• Outcome:

  • Companies may have to pull these from market or file for a New Drug Application (NDA), which is time-consuming and expensive. (33:33)
  • Not a safety/effectiveness issue, but strictly a regulatory/formality issue.

5. Purple Shampoo: Why So Drying?

[34:19 – 40:41]

• Listener (Emma, hairstylist):
  Why do purple shampoos make hair feel drier?

• Chemist Explanation:

  • Valerie: The key dye (Acid Violet 43) is negatively charged—this means no conditioning ingredients can be used because they’d interact and reduce efficacy.

    “Any purple shampoo product tends to be a really great cleansing shampoo and doesn’t impart any moisturizing or conditioning... minimalist formulations.” (38:18)

  • The dye can also leave a coating on the hair surface, which might feel like dryness. (38:22)
  • Perry: Most users already have dry hair (from bleaching), and the shampoo doesn’t add moisture, so it feels drier by comparison.

    “It might just be that your hair already is dry, but this shampoo is not doing anything to actually add moisture...” (39:25)

  • Both: Mixing purple shampoo with conditioner is not effective; better to use a separate conditioner afterward. (39:25, 40:05)

6. OS01 Peptide from OneSkin

[40:48 – 43:09]

• Listener:
  What’s the real story behind OneSkin’s OS01 peptide?

• Expert Verdict:

  • The hosts have addressed it before but reiterate their skepticism:

    “...very hard to have proof that peptides do anything, especially when the data comes from the brand.” (41:41) “Biggest breakthroughs are going to be coming from your big companies, your L'Oréals, P&G’s, Unilevers... I’d be more convinced by a peptide if this was from Olay.” (42:00)

  • Any anti-aging improvement takes weeks and is hard to objectively measure.

7. Experiment Beauty “Molecular Mesh” Moisturizer

[43:27 – 48:51]

• Listener “Sharon” (AI, Australian accent):
  Is the new “Molecular Mesh” moisturizer from Experiment Beauty really special, or is the science just good marketing?

• Expert Analysis:

  • Valerie: The product is trendy, focuses on barrier strength, and uses ingredients like ectoin (a standout favorite for Valerie), phytosphingosine (a ceramide type), centella, glycerin, and liposomes. The formulation is “really nice”—high in emollients, effective even at low ceramide levels. (44:08–46:39)
  • Perry: Most of the “science” is a strong marketing story.

    “Whenever you put a lab coat on somebody, it makes what they’re saying seem more legitimate, even if it’s just marketing gobbledygook... ‘molecular mesh’ is not science, just a marketing term.” (47:03)

  • The brand does have founders with chemistry backgrounds, and the product likely works well as a moisturizer.

8. Rosacea – Skincare Advice & Treatment

[48:59 – 53:16]

• Listener (Jillian):
  Skincare routines and advice for dealing with rosacea.

• Valerie’s Personal Experience:

  • Prescription azelaic acid 15% is standard for pustular rosacea (not the same as redness/flushing subtypes).
  • Over-the-counter “azelaic acid” claims are often too weak to be effective.
  • Valerie recommends formal diagnosis to determine rosacea subtype, careful avoidance of irritants (acids, retinoids), and tracking triggers (diet, lifestyle, skincare). (51:00–52:45)
  • Perry adds that anti-inflammatories, sometimes oral prescriptions, are used under medical supervision, but specific recommendations should come from a doctor. (52:45)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On collagen skepticism:

  "I remain a collagen ingestion skeptic... that to me is an extraordinary claim, like in some specific way. And I don't see extraordinary evidence for this being true."
  — Perry [11:10]

• On purple shampoo dryness:

  “Any purple shampoo product tends to be really just a really great cleansing shampoo and doesn't impart any moisturizing or conditioning... It’s not just like one, it’s like every single one. I've heard this complaint.”
  — Valerie [38:18]

• On supplement marketing:

  "I find the supplement industry a little bit unsavory... And it's just people just don't need these things. If you're eating a decent diet... it's all just kind of a waste of money in my mind."
  — Perry [14:24]

• On marketing vs. science:

  “Whenever you put like a lab coat on somebody, it makes what they're saying seem more legitimate, even if it's just marketing gobbledygook.”
  — Perry [47:03]

• On rosacea diagnosis:

  "The most important thing... is get diagnosed by a doctor. Stay away from things that can be irritating... It's an inflammatory condition, so she'll have to figure out what the triggers are."
  — Valerie [52:00]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Collagen supplements discussion: [10:38 – 15:42]
• Product renaming/reformulation: [16:49 – 21:57]
• K18 & Unilever acquisition: [22:02 – 27:54]
• Mousse sunscreen & FDA: [28:27 – 34:11]
• Purple shampoo dryness: [34:19 – 40:41]
• OS01 peptide skepticism: [40:48 – 43:09]
• Experiment Beauty Molecular Mesh: [43:27 – 48:51]
• Rosacea management: [48:59 – 53:16]

Tone & Language

• The hosts maintain a friendly, chatty, and sometimes irreverent tone while directly addressing listener questions.
• They consistently advocate for scientific skepticism, pragmatic ingredient analysis, and push back against exaggerated marketing.
• Product recommendations are grounded in chemist experience and ingredient data, not sponsored hype.

For more details, reviews, and behind-the-scenes takes, visit The Beauty Brains online or check out their ad-free Patreon support.

Remember:
Be brainy about your beauty!