Podcast Episode Summary

The Beauty Brains – Episode 411
Title: Maintaining Hair Color, Baby Skincare, Retinol and More
Date: November 17, 2025
Hosts: Valerie George and Perry Romanowski

Overview of Episode Theme

In this episode of The Beauty Brains, cosmetic chemists Valerie and Perry answer listener questions on a range of hair and skincare topics, focusing on the science behind product effectiveness, ingredient choice, and industry marketing claims. Questions cover Adapalene irritation, retinol body lotions, the K18 hair mask, baby skincare, and maintaining hair color. The tone is friendly, playful, and scientifically skeptical, with a mix of in-depth explanation and practical advice.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Beauty Industry News

(04:40–10:20)

• Sustainability in Cosmetics:

  • Unilever’s chief sustainability officer steps down, signaling a shift in how companies approach sustainability—less outward marketing, more back-end integration.
  • Companies have made lofty sustainability pledges, but rarely report on achievement; retailers, however, now demand more granular data (e.g., water usage, emissions).
  • Quote:
    • "It's not more sustainable to have a thousand different companies versus one company. One company would be more sustainable than a thousand, don't you think?" – Valerie (08:24)

• Supplement Study Skepticism:

  • Discussion on a hyaluronic acid supplement study claims to reduce wrinkles in 12 weeks (industry-funded, small sample size).
  • Both hosts express doubts about orally ingested supplements having direct, significant effect on skin quality because of lack of targeted action.
  • Quote:
    • "As far as studies go, this is probably better than most things are done... But they didn’t control for other lifestyle factors like anything else." – Perry (11:37)

2. Listener Q&A

Adapalene (Differin) Irritation

(13:45–19:48)

• Q: Why is 0.1% Differin (OTC) more irritating than 0.3% prescription Adapalene?
• A: Likely due to differences in the formulation base, penetration enhancers (like propylene glycol), or even minor ingredient-sourcing discrepancies. Seasonal skin changes (drier winter skin) may also play a role.
• Notable Advice:
  • Look beyond the active ingredient concentration; excipient variations or raw material sources matter.
  • Quote:
    • "Even when you have two products that have exactly the same ingredient lists, if they're made by different companies, they're not going to have exactly the same suppliers." – Perry (18:10)

Retinol Body Lotions: Are Expensive Picks Worth It?

(19:59–29:18)

• Q: Evaluating retinol body lotions: is there a rational reason to buy pricier Good Housekeeping picks over drugstore options? Is encapsulation meaningful? Does face-specific retinol matter?
• A:
  • Retinol products should be chosen by percentage strength, not price or “lab tested” status, since many brands don’t disclose active levels.
  • Large brands like Olay likely do perform proper testing—so their bargain retinol lotions are safe bets, but may not be potent.
  • For face vs. body: follow regulations. Body products are limited due to higher exposure levels; facial retinols don’t need to double as body treatments.
  • Encapsulation is largely a marketing story; rarely delivers significant benefits due to formulation challenges, instability, and high cost.
  • Quotes:
    • "If a brand is not disclosing a percentage of retinol enclosed in the formulation, then you could probably guess they're not using enough retinol to talk about." – Valerie (23:46)
    • "Encapsulation is really just a marketing story that raw material suppliers and cosmetic marketers make. It's not actually helping deliver in a superior way." – Perry (31:10)

K18 Hair Mask: Is It Special?

(32:22–37:38)

• Q: Does K18 hair mask live up to its bond-building claims?
• A:
  • Contains standard conditioning agents (behentrimonium chloride, wheat protein, emollients) delivering softness and manageability.
  • “Bond-building peptide” claims are unproven; no published studies comparing formula with and without peptide.
  • Core performance due to classic conditioning ingredients, not the proprietary peptide.
  • Quotes:
    • "From a performance perspective, this is a really, really nice product. Now, would I repeatedly spend $75 on 50mls of it? No, no." – Valerie (37:38)
    • "Just look for behentrimonium chloride in a product and you're good." – Perry (37:55)

Baby Skincare & Tubby Todd Ointment: Miracle or Hype?

(38:05–43:43)

• Q: Does Tubby Todd All Over Ointment actually “fix” baby acne overnight, as claimed?
• A:
  • Baby acne differs from teen acne (less inflammation, more milia).
  • Most “miracle” ointments are just thick, bland creams—plant extracts and fragrance-free claims not necessary; in fact, extra extracts can be potential allergens.
  • Colloidal oatmeal (in their eczema formula) is effective; otherwise, basics like Aquaphor are sufficient.
  • Quotes:
    • "I just don't think that babies need products that have fruit extracts and essential oils." – Valerie (39:24)
    • "If you use a treatment, it might go away in a week, and if you do nothing, it might go away in seven days." – Perry (43:19)

Making Color Last: Ingredients and Best Practices

(44:15–50:07)

• Q: What should I look for in shampoo/conditioner to keep color longer? Is expensive Oribe worth it compared to Garnier/Nexxus?
• A:
  • Minimize water and shampooing frequency—the more you wash, the faster color fades.
  • Ingredient to look for: Amodimethicone (gold standard for color retention), due to its ability to form a protective, water-resistant film.
  • The type of surfactant (sulfate vs. non-sulfate) is less important than often claimed; efficacy differences negligible.
  • Colored shampoos can help, but are messy and not always practical.
  • Quotes:
    • "What's not negligible is something like Amodimethicone, which is probably the gold standard for hair color retention, hands down." – Valerie (47:06)
    • "I did a whole study on what can you do to keep the color in your hair. Don't use water... don't wash it!" – Perry (46:00)
    • "If you want to get rid of it just for a few washes, use something without Amodimethicone. But that's really what I would be looking for." – Valerie (48:01)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Ingredient Skepticism:
  "You could be reacting to some residual in one of their raw materials also."
  – Perry (18:10)

• On Industry Marketing:
  "Encapsulation is really just a marketing story... It's not actually helping deliver in a superior way."
  – Perry (31:10)

• On Practical Beauty Advice:
  "The thing about cats is they'll always show you. You think you're in control. You are not in control."
  – Valerie (03:18)

Timestamps for Important Segments

| MM:SS | Segment Topic | |---------|---------------------------------------------------------| | 04:40 | Sustainability in cosmetic industry | | 10:20 | Supplement studies skepticism | | 13:45 | Adapalene (Differin) irritation | | 19:59 | Retinol body lotions: what to look for | | 29:18 | Retinol encapsulation: real or marketing? | | 32:22 | K18 Hair Mask: ingredient analysis & claims | | 38:05 | Baby acne & Tubby Todd ointment | | 44:15 | Maintaining color-treated hair: what works |

Summary Takeaways

• When evaluating cosmetic products, look past the marketing and focus on known effective ingredients and concentrations (especially with active like retinol and color-protection silicones).
• Formulation details—not just the main active ingredient concentration—determine product performance and irritation potential.
• “Miracle” baby or expensive hair products are usually based on familiar, basic formulations.
• Always approach claims about new ingredient technologies, encapsulation, or supplements with skepticism unless robust, independent studies are provided.
• For practical results (e.g., maintaining hair color), minimize washing and seek tried-and-true ingredients like Amodimethicone.

Original Episode Tone:
Conversational, playful, lightly self-deprecating, and science-forward. Both Valerie and Perry focus on debunking hype, giving evidence-based answers, and ensuring listeners can make informed, cost-effective beauty decisions.

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