Skepticism in Cosmetics

Identifying & Detecting Beauty BS

Perry Romanowski

Cosmetic Chemist Writer / Entrepreneur

http://chemistscorner.com

http://thebeautybrains.com

My mission

Educate Inspire Entertain

Critical Thinking & Skepticism

• Image of skepticism

Problem

• There isn’t enough skeptical thinking

What do people believe?

Image of Aliens

• UFOs, Bigfoot, Astrology, Ghosts

Image of Brain

• We use less than 10% of our Brain

Some Beauty Myth

• Shaving makes hair grow back

How?

• How do we know what we know?

• Three approaches– Accept what people tell you– Deny what people tell you– Practice doubt & inquiry

• Doubt & Inquiry is skeptical thinking and best

Acceptance

Denial

Doubt & Inquiry

Why be skeptical

• Find what really works

• Find out what is true

• It’s scientific

• Harder to be fooled

• Learn new things

• Save money

What is skeptical thinking?

• Method for figuring out what is true

• Step 1 – Initially doubt all claims

What is skeptical thinking?

• Step 2 – Inquire as to what is true

What is skeptical thinking?

• Step 3 – Form a conclusion

No beliefs are sacred

• All beliefs are tentative & subject to change if further data warrants it

• Advantage = false beliefs can be filtered out

• “All is to be doubted.”Rene Descartes

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths• Cosmetic acupuncture• Toxic chemicals• Kinoki foot pads• More expensive = better• Hair myths

– Pantene putting wax on hair– Natural oils are good for hair

• Skin myths• Diversion• Stem Cells for cosmetics

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths

Natural

• There is no evidence that “natural” is inherently better

Myths People Believe

• More expensive = better

Money

• There is no evidence quality of cosmetics is related to cost

• Wine experiment

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths• Cosmetic acupuncture• Toxic chemicals• Kinoki foot pads• More expensive = better• Hair myths

– Pantene putting wax on hair– Natural oils are good for hair

• Skin myths• Diversion• Stem Cells for cosmetics

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths• Cosmetic acupuncture• Toxic chemicals• Kinoki foot pads• More expensive = better• Hair myths

– Pantene putting wax on hair– Natural oils are good for hair

• Skin myths• Diversion• Stem Cells for cosmetics

Myths People Believe

• Natural myths• Cosmetic acupuncture• Toxic chemicals• Kinoki foot pads• More expensive = better• Hair myths

– Pantene putting wax on hair– Natural oils are good for hair

• Skin myths• Diversion• Stem Cells for cosmetics

Skeptical Tools

Detecting BS

• Independent verification of facts• Reject arguments from authority

– No statement should be believed because it is made by an authority.Hans Reichenbach

• Can a hypothesis be falsified• Don’t fall in love with your ideas• Occam’s Razor• Quantify whenever possible

Detecting BS

• Independent verification of facts

Detecting BS

Reject arguments from authority– No statement should be believed because it is

made by an authority.Hans Reichenbach

Detecting BS

Reject arguments from authority

Detecting BS

• Can a hypothesis be falsified

Detecting BS

• Don’t fall in love with your ideas

Detecting BS

• Occam’s Razor

Detecting BS

• Quantify whenever possible

What is evidence

• Tangible

• Verifiable

• Preferably, independent

• Anecdotal evidence is not evidence– Not reliable– Memory errors– Perception errors

Experiment

• Always use controlled experiments

• Think about what you are controlling

Example of bad experiment

• No control

• If you have a treatment 3 things can happen– Gets better– Gets worse– Stays the same

• If you use no treatment, 3 things happen

Weak experiment

• Test against a blank control– Conditioner versus no conditioner

• Not answering the real question

Good experiment

• Find what is the best solution

• Compare new treatment to best

• Compare both to no treatment

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Ad hominem• Argument from authority• Appeal to ignorance• Biased selection of data• Statistical BS• Mistaken cause & effect

– Coincidence is the science of the true believer.Chet Raymo

• Straw man• Suppressed evidence

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Statistical BS

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Ad hominem

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Argument from authority

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Appeal to ignorance

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Biased selection of data

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Mistaken cause & effect– Coincidence is the science of the true

believer.Chet Raymo

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Straw man

Watch out for Logical Fallacies

• Suppressed evidence

Avoid the Cult of the Amateur

• Internet makes learning easy

• Anyone can write anything

Josh Billings

• The trouble with people is not what they don’t know, but that they know so much that ain’t so.

Reliable Sources

• Peer reviewed journals– JSCC– PubMed– Cochran Reviews

End

• There are two types of knowledge– The kind that has been proven wrong– The kind that hasn’t yet been proven wrong

• Karl Popper