The Beauty Brains – Episode 404: Sunscreen Sticks, Oils, Hair Masks and More

Date: August 16, 2025
Hosts: Valerie George & Perry Romanowski
Theme: Real cosmetic scientists answer consumer questions about sunscreen formats, hair product ingredients, and product reformulations.

Episode Overview

In episode 404, Valerie and Perry take on listeners’ questions about sunscreen stick effectiveness and application, the genuine role of oils, butters, and silicones in hair care, the science behind popular hair masks, and tackle misleading sunscreen marketing. Along the way, they discuss industry news, product reformulation controversies, and the science vs. myths shaping the beauty industry. The hosts bring their trademark blend of technical insight and playful banter, aiming to make beauty science clear and accessible.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Industry News & Chit Chat (00:59 – 23:19)

Cruelty-Free Certification Drama (04:47)

• PETA Suspends "Beauty Without Bunnies" Certification for EU Brands:
  PETA stopped certifying brands in the EU as cruelty-free due to REACH regulations. Even if animal testing for cosmetics is banned in the EU, chemicals must still be animal-tested for environmental or worker safety under REACH.
  • Valerie: "You could animal test for many other reasons and not cosmetics, but then the cosmetics industry could use that data if they needed to and still be in compliance." (06:47)
  • Takeaway: “Cruelty-free” certifications in cosmetics are not straightforward because of overlapping chemical regulations.

Marie Claire Article Fights "Chemical-Free" Fearmongering (08:01)

• Major beauty media are finally challenging the demonization of chemicals in cosmetics.
  • Perry referenced for quotes alongside Kelly Dobos.
  • Valerie: "There's no reason to be scared of your products." (09:40)
• They discuss misattributions and misquotes in media, highlighting how science communicators are sometimes quoted out of context.

Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Reformulation Backlash (13:24)

• Urban Decay’s cult-favorite spray was reformulated after L'Oréal shifted production in-house from original developer Skindinavia, sparking backlash online.
• Why Do Formulas Change?
  • Integration into corporate structure, regulatory compliance in multiple geographies, cost control, or supply chain improvements.
  • Perry: "Formulas are changed because maybe there's regulatory changes or ingredients fall out of favor... But anytime you change your formula, your huge loyal customer base is going to complain." (17:21)
• Valerie: “It’s not that Urban Decay probably wanted to do this. It was probably a bigger corporate strategy... That’s how the cookie crumbles sometimes.” (17:04)

Study Finds No Correlation Between Retinol Product Price and Content (20:10)

• Perry: “No correlation between the price of the product and the amount of retinol used. ...the price is likely influenced by factors beyond retinol content, such as brand positioning, formulation, marketing, and perceived credibility.” (20:58)
• Consumer Advice: Don’t equate higher price with more or better active ingredient.

2. Listener Questions & Expert Answers (23:19 – 54:54)

Q1: Sunscreen Sticks – Effectiveness & Application

(Asked by Misty; 23:19 – 32:01)

• Do sunscreen sticks work as well as lotions?
  • If applied liberally (2mg/cm²), a stick provides the labeled SPF.
• Are sticks more likely to miss spots or be under-applied?
  • Valerie: “You definitely would need to use your fingers to rub it in. ... With a stick, I just don't think you'll be able to effectively get all the contours.” (27:00)
• Tips for Proper Use:
  • Rub the product out with your fingers after swiping, especially on contours and over peach fuzz.
  • Sticks may not spread as well as lotions; be deliberate for full coverage.
• Perry on rubbing technique (shaving analogy):
  • “With the mustache, you just have to rub up – apply against the direction of the hair.” (28:41)

Q2: Oils, Butters & Silicones in Hair Care for Coily Hair

(Asked by Michelle; 32:09 – 39:10)

• Role in Hair Care:
  • Oils: Penetrate (especially shorter chain, saturated oils like coconut/C12). Increase elasticity and strength.
  • Butters: Large molecules, tend to coat hair rather than penetrate. Mainly lubricate the surface.
  • Silicones: Provide slip, shine, may deliver additional hair benefits (thermal/color protection).
• Are oils/butters genuinely moisturizing?
  • Valerie: “When a consumer says, 'my hair is moisturized', they’re actually talking about that lubricated slip on the outside.” (36:14)
• Layering Oils/Butters over Silicones?
  • Not typically necessary. Some silicones are more functional than lubricating, so layering depends on the hair’s needs and product specifics.
  • Perry: “A silicone, while it's going to be lubricated and shiny, it's going to feel different than an oil butter mixture.” (38:28)

Q3: Claims by Skinnies Sunscreen – Can You Use Less?

(Asked by Timothy (audio); 39:27 – 45:04)

• Can anhydrous (waterless) sunscreens like Skinnies be used at less than 2mg/cm² and still provide labeled SPF?
  • Short Answer: No. All SPF claims are based on testing the final formula at 2mg/cm², regardless of water content.
  • Perry: “The idea that theirs is more concentrated is not... that doesn't really hold up... you need to use the same amount.” (42:41)
  • Valerie: “It actually doesn't matter where you are in the world... everyone’s pretty aligned on quantity for sunscreen testing.” (43:27)
• Danger of One-Application-Per-Day Claims:
  • Many factors remove sunscreen (sweat, friction, swimming), making reapplication necessary.

Q4: Do All Hair Masks Work Like Philip Kingsley Elasticizer With Pre-Shampoo Use?

(Asked by Noga; 45:19 – 54:54)

• Is there something special about masks used pre-shampoo versus post-shampoo?

  • Valerie: “If you used this product like a regular conditioner or a different mask like a pre-treatment, I think you would kind of find they do the same thing... Everything else is just kind of like an oil. So it has castor seed oil in it, which is incredibly heavy for hair.” (48:53)

• DIY Experiment Suggested:

  • Try your favorite mask both ways and see if you notice a difference.

• Perry: “You're making your hair dirty, and then you shampoo it to remove the oils. ...The idea here is you’re hoping that you don't remove all of the oils from your hair.”

• V05 Hot Oil Sidebar: The legendary pre-shampoo hot oil didn’t contain plant oils, mostly petrolatum, mineral oil, and lanolin.

• Controversy About Hydrolyzed Proteins:

  • Are all hydrolyzed proteins the same? Perry explains once hydrolyzed, structural differences mostly disappear and they act similarly. But Valerie points out slightly different amino acid profiles might exist, though these are insignificant for the typical consumer.
  • Valerie: “I don't think a consumer would notice a difference. But if I gave you a shampoo with three samples… I want you to tell me there's no difference! …but I don't have time, Perry, because my day starts at 2 in the morning.” (54:32)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Cruelty-Free Certification:
  Perry: “On some level they're all kind of hypocritical because these ingredients have already been tested.” (07:47)

• On Fearmongering in Beauty:
  Perry: “People just prefer to be afraid of stuff, I guess. ...It's like pushing a boulder up a hill, trying to sink these unsinkable rubber duckies.”
  (09:40)

• On Ingredient Changes:
  Valerie: “It's not that Urban Decay probably wanted to do this. It was probably a bigger corporate strategy. ...That's how the cookie crumbles sometimes. It's how it is. Business is business.”
  (18:18)

• On Sunscreen Application:
  Valerie: “The number one spot that facial skin cancer occurs because people are not applying SPF there...is right by your nose.”
  (27:00)

• On the Feel vs. Function of Oils/Butters:
  Valerie: “When you have more water in hair, you actually change the fiber alignment, and you actually could increase breakage if it were the literal sense of moisturization.”
  (36:14)

• On Marketing vs. Science:
  Perry: “...Because our business is so much driven by brand images and marketing, that the formulation...often pales in comparison to the amount of money spent on marketing and on packaging.”
  (21:56)

• On Protein Types in Hair Care:
  Perry: “If you take protein from silk or...scales and then you hydrolyze them, you cannot tell much difference between the two of them.”
  (54:23)

• Musical Finale:
  As a running joke, the episode closes with Perry adapting “Believe it or Not” into a song about oils penetrating hair.
  (57:25)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Cruelty-Free Certification & REACH Regulations: 04:47 – 08:01
• Marie Claire Article on Chemicals in Beauty: 08:01 – 11:09
• Urban Decay All Nighter Setting Spray Reformulation: 13:24 – 19:27
• Retinol Product Pricing vs. Content Study: 20:10 – 23:19
• Q1: Sunscreen Sticks Application & Effectiveness: 23:19 – 32:01
• Q2: Oils, Butters & Silicones in Hair Care: 32:09 – 39:10
• Q3: Skinnies Sunscreen Dosage Claims & Anhydrous Formulas: 39:27 – 45:04
• Q4: Hair Masks – Do All Work Like Elasticizer When Used as Pre-shampoo?: 45:19 – 54:54
• Hydrolyzed Proteins Debate: 52:04 – 54:54

Summary Takeaways

• “Cruelty-free” labels are complicated by chemical regulatory testing like REACH.
• Don’t be afraid of cosmetic ingredients just because you’ve heard scary claims—mainstream science supports safety.
• Sometimes brands must reformulate for strategic, regulatory, or economic reasons—not always to “cheapen” a product.
• Sunscreen sticks work but need thorough application and rubbing in; do not assume anhydrous formulas allow for reduced application.
• Oils and butters lubricate/coast more than they “moisturize” hair; penetration varies by molecular size; silicones offer slip and shine.
• Marketing and packaging often drive product pricing more than active ingredient content.
• Hair masks labeled for pre-shampoo use may not fundamentally differ in function from typical masks; try usage experiments to decide what works for you.

Closing Notes

The Beauty Brains encourages listeners to send questions and voice memos (accent and all!), subscribe on Patreon for extra perks, and remain “brainy” about beauty by looking past hype and fearmongering to the science.