Ahahahhahaa!!! I read this comment before I watched that part of the video and thought you must be paraphrasing in an exaggerated way, but no, he really said that! I just don't understand why someone like him is allowed a platform. It's just like the print ads they used to have in the 1800s that could say anything they want and it was up to the consumer to not be an idiot.
I'm sure a ton of trans folk will be delighted to find out they just need to use or stop using lotion to have the hormone levels they need. /s Ugh, misinformation is so gross.
I was thinking this exact same thing and came looking to see if others had commented on it! Why are they doing so much fear mongering aimed at women and their reproductive health? It's gross.
'they film in supermarkets because they don't actually own skin care so they can't film at home' and 'Is it Bobby? Or do you just not understand these words?' have sent me into orbit
If I saw one in my supermarket I’d go up and try to make them feel extremely awkward like “what are you doing? Excuse my you’re blocking the lotion can I get behind you? Oh no can I have that lotion? I really want that one you’re holding. It’s the most paraben-y thank you”
LORD he's tiring - there are probably about 100 of us debunking him but he's still gaining momentum somehow? The cards are stacked AF. And thank you! 💜
The amount of people that will be like " i never use that because parabens are toxic and cause cancer!" but will then go out and drink so much alcohol in one go that they throw up aka literally poisoning themselves for fun, is astounding.
@@liul I remember once my friend was telling me how instant ramen is so bad for me, while holding a cigarette in one hand and an energy drink in another
@@frida5680 when I was 12 my mom told me not to eat ramen so often because the packaging would seep into the food and give me cancer. that didn't scare, me it just made me spitefully eat it in secret. how pathetic is it that my teenage act of rebellion was quietly eating maruchan ramen?
These tiktokkers are always so annoying. Then when you question them, their little minions attack you with "google it!" as if I did not just read an actual research paper arguing against what they are saying
I'm the same, though I also have to avoid "natural flavors" and unlisted "spices" because I have a whole list of allergies and sensitivities :( I really do wish that companies had to list all ingredients in a document that customers can check online for allergens
I don't need fragrance-free products, but when possible I want my skincare to not have distracting intentional smells. I don't know if it's because of how my autism-adhd works or not.
It's also worth mentioning how these sorts of videos are so awful for people with anxiety or OCD. When I was younger and more naive, it caused me so much anxiety trying to use "good" products and eating "good" food only, and these sorts of misinformational videos only feed into that anxiety. Thank you for debunking this!
omg same. its been so relieving finding michelle's content. i was doing better at doing what works for me over the "right" or "good" or "healthy" thing. but i feel so free since learning that there arent actually bad things in everything, and i can do what helps me personally. i used to feel guilty just for not having cold showers😭 so you can imagine how many things it affected. thank you michelle, youre a lifesaver❤❤
I'm actually quite scared that preservatives used in clean beauty are not efficient, people might get sick with contaminated products, things expire quicker
there was a case like that in mid-2010s, benton didn't formulate their products properly and there was a "strange growth" inside the bottles. some people ended up having to spend 100s on trying to save their skin. idk if the reddit posts are still up, but benton even doxxed a person that spoke up against them.
I'm a hobbyist cosmetics formulator. A lot of ingredients used in "natural" cosmetics are prone to spoil easily ... there's one company that lists "fresh fruit" as an ingredient. Things like this will make a product spoil ***fast*** without very strong preservatives. There are "natural" preservatives, but they're not very strong, often not strong enough to preserve "natural" products. Parabens are some of the strongest preservatives around ... that company that uses fresh fruit also uses parabens. Hmmmmm ....
Yeah, I've thought about that a lot too. I think we've had such high standards of microbial safety for so long we've forgotten the damage those little buggers can do. This is analogous to preservatives and antimicrobial treatments done to foods. Where I live (Finland) raw milk has become popular and kids are ending up in ICU with EHEC. We're back in the 50's with this! So frustrating. Wish I knew what skin infections were common in the 50's, because we are going to see them come back.
TikTok is really scary in how easily the site spreads misinformation. Regular people stumble across these videos, accept the things creators say, and keep scrolling.
At my "day" job, a lot of teachers have noticed a general trend where younger people spend tons of time consuming media, but they don't know how to critically evaluate it, or even access what they need - e.g. students will tell us they can't find a certain piece of info, but when we put the obvious search string into Google it's the first result. I think a lot of it is due to how well hidden the nuts and bolts of social media algorithms and tech in general these days are - it's very passive...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Yes! Critical thinking skills are not being taught in schools here in the US as much as they should be. On a wider scale, certain legislators are more interested in banning books so we have an uneducated population that is more easily controlled/manipulated.
hearing him saying chemicals will go directly into your bloodstream and hurt you reminds me of when you draw on yourself and people around you are like “the ink will go into your bloodstream!”
It possible can… the ink is hold in place by macrophages ( a type of white blood cell). The risk comes when the macrophage is replaced by another and it fades over time. there is also a possibility for the ink to migrate to lymph nodes.
I think Allison Turquoise made a short clip talking about the skin as a barrier. If the skin was so good at absorbing things, we'd be drowning in the shower
He really slept in immunology. That’s my field, PhD should be done “downloading” by December 2023 lol. Yeah so anyway the skin is our number one first barrier against infectious insults. The keratin filled cells in the outermost later provide decent waterproofing and unbroken skin is a dang good barrier. I’m glad she explained the skin layers because the pharmacist is so full of it and clearly just trying to frighten people into becoming his clients. Of course we prescribe medicinal creams ….. for SKIN ailments like rashes 😂😂😂
I was born in 1980. I have been here for EVERY little step that internet made, from quirky ICQ days to total global domination. The greatest disappointment in that for me has been seeing how having the full store of collective human knowledge at our finger tips made everyone SO MUCH dumber! And also cock-sure. Everyone is dumber and more sure they are right then ever. It is a really disappointing outcome.
Yes! I do have some hope, because it does feel like I have to argue less with people to get them to accept what I'm saying on TikTok compared to Instagram, but at the same time maybe it's just that people are more willing to believe *anyone in general*, which would not be a good thing...
Ha ha! Mid-1980s person here, and I agree. People who watch Tiktok tend to have the attention spans of toddlers. I have no clue how they're getting through school if they have to read actual books (digitized or not).
It's a lie! Big pharma stooge! Corporate minion! I read in the Gloucestershire Potato Newsletter's opinion page that Doreen in Cirencester's cousin is a toxicologist and also a cyborg. Obviously I'm kidding, but it's the sort of thing that I'm sure a poor-quality culinary personality (who is still devoid of meaningful personality traits) would babble about while annoying shoppers.
I will ALWAYS trust a mass market dermo-cosmetic skincare brand with tonnes of medical research and testing behind them over Susan's "natural" concoction of essential oils and vegetables that she blended together in her kitchen.
The doc dressing my mum after her MRM cleaned the sutures with plain spirit and slapped some guaze and secured it with MeFix. That huge ass wound healed so well it looks like an old stretch mark and it's only been a month.
I remember reading how petroleum jelly became a thing, was because someone realized miners and oil field workers would coat cuts and scrapes in it, it healed quickly and very well, and began marketing the stuff.
It's hilarious to me that these "experts" act like every single person working at every skin care/sunscreen company is in the background rubbing their hands together engaging in giant evil laughs. It's also extremely concerning lol.
The ("average person eats 3 spiders a year" factoid actualy just statistical error. average person eats 0 spiders per year. Spiders Georg, who lives in cave & eats over 10,000 each day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted) meme but with skin care and cosmetics, fr 😭
You have people willing to believe the same shit about fucking NASA where there is no possible incentive to lie so it's not really surprising. For some reason it's easier for some people to believe that everyone involved in science is in on some sort of grand conspiracy than it is for them to like talk to anyone involved in science.
Honey, if parabens actually functioned like estrogen there'd be so many women saving money on actual prescribed estrogen creams. Sadly to all women with hormone disorders or going through menopause, parabens don’t do that.
This is the most satisfying video. A thoroughly researched and biting takedown of fear mongers. I especially loved that all the plastic bottles Bobby was hanging are also made of petroleum. You are clearly so sick of this shit and I love it.
I previously worked for an IT company that managed the website of a green cleaning company and we used to get writers to write for their blog. The company gave us a long list of Dos and Don't. And one of the major DON'T was citing reference from the EWG. This is a green cleaning company that refuses to reference the EWG in any of their materials and when I asked them why. We were told that the EWG weren't a reputable source and they were extremely biased, misleading and alarmist. That should tell you enough. Before that, I had always wrongly assumed that they were government-backed or a reputable org. They are certainly far from it.
I just loved it when you said that the skin's main function is to act as a barrier. That's a discussion that I've had with many people: if everything that gets on your skin could penetrate it very easily, we could not even bathe ourselves because just the water would throw off the electrolyte balance in our bodies.
ppl following and believing these idiotic men on social media has always confused me like really? you're taking skincare and medical advice from a gym bro and a cook?? 🤨 this is why the pandemic lasted so long honestly these chains of misinformation are just so virulent in their impact.
It's really frustrating that the internet has been around for so long, but schools are still emphasising learning through memorising, and not skills for navigating information...
Amen 👏🏻 the taking medical advice from men who say estrogen in women is from lotion okay is that also why you’ve let them legislate away your bodily autonomy MAAM 😅
Although I would never take the bs spewed by these men seriously or individuals like them, I do believe there is evidence that proves some vaccines, especially the covid one can be damaging to some individuals. I mean how long did it take for these scientists, doctors to come up with the first covid vaccine? And didnt do any testing before making it available to the public. Hell no Im not getting it. You have some scientists and drs who state its fine and some that are warning against it. There are always 2 ends of the spectrum here. And for you to say that misinformation on the internet about covid and the vaccine but cannot seem to open your mind to the other side of science and that perhaps there is something to this causing harm, well that speaks volumes about you. So stop taking digs on people who want to think for themselves when there is sufficient evidence proving the negatives of this vaccine and others. I mean do you always trust the government?
I have an extremely allergy prone skin. Parabens are one of the only preservatives that don’t give me a reaction. Im very upset I can’t use most of the skincare products because of the demonization of parabens
Pretty much all drug store and professional products have them. Even a lot of the "natural" ones actually have them too if you know what the specific one is called.
Some parabens are derived from blueberries. So you in fact may be using a “clean” product but because people are scared of parabens (for the reasons mentioned) you and others like you are being punished. That’s what bothers me the most. There is always someone somewhere allergic or irritated by any ingredient. BUT the reverse can also be true - like you’re not allergic to parabens and you are allergic to the alternatives. All I’m saying is I’m really sorry for your situation and it’s sounds incredibly frustrating.
I think people underestimate just how much large cosmetic companies (like Johnson and Johnson) don't want to get in trouble for having dangerous, harmful products. Even aside from lawsuits and recalls (and both would be huge), they'd be under huge investigation by basically every country they sell product in.
Yes, regulators tend to pick on larger companies to "send a message" to everyone - marketers at L'Oreal might not notice if Clean Kitchen Makeup gets an FDA warning, but they will if Unilever gets one!
It's so goofy, like what are they so scared of? Turning into a woman the moment a drop of lotion touches their skin? OOooOOooO womanhood OooOo femininity👻👻👻
With regards to talc, I think J&J's shady ass history with talcum powder (them knowing their talc sources were contaminated with asbestos and attempting to cover this up rather than switch sources or adopt better mining practices) plays in to the talc fear-mongering. Geologically, talc deposits are often found in close proximity to deposits of an asbestiform mineral, meaning that it is much easier to accidentally contaminate talc during mining. This is why samples of talc *do* need to be tested for asbestos (and are tested, at least now in most Western countries). It's unfortunate, because instead of focussing the conversation on how important it is to constantly monitor and regulate the business practices of large companies and corporations (who are real life villains that put profit over safety), idiots like Bobby spread misinformation about the safety around general products like talc. Essentially, talc is only dangerous when governments allow companies to cut corners. The standards for testing talc for asbestos have improved *substantially* - this in particular is something the FDA takes very seriously now (i.e., companies like J&J are no longer trusted to use findings from their in-house lab tests).
yes Johnson and Johnson knowing their baby powder caused cancer and covering it up then targeting sales to over weight and black communities as well as always babies was so deplorable I believe that is why a lot of people don't trust companies or are paranoid about ingredients especially talc I will not buy Johnson Johnson baby powder again even if it's safer now I won't support them making any more money off that product because of the people that needlessly got cancer
I have ocd and get freaked out by chemicals but you are making me feel a lot less anxious about them. Thanks for what you’re doing and how clear and easy to understand your videos are 😇
“Whole Foods” the bougie company that promotes a lot of woowoo, or “whole foods” like grains and oils with minimal processing, full fat milk products, organ meats, and fresh or frozen produce? I feel like
Yes I think most ppl go through that phase some ppl get through it and move on and some double down and get more paranoid as time goes on. I quit using antiperspirant w aluminum and started using deodorant. A crystal one, a store bought natural deodorant stick from drugstore and a home made deodorant made with baking soda, essential oils and coconut oil. The skin slid off on my armpits and they were gelly like pink and sore/scabby. I thought my arm pits were detoxing fr the aluminum. I showered 3x a day and still stunk. I did it for a month then went back to antiperspirant. I think I got chemical burns from the baking soda and essential oils.
This is one of the reasons i deleted tiktok. So many ppl confidently talking about something they know nothing about, and i noticed myself believing in a few for a second. That's when i knew the app had to go
Michelle I hope you realise how important the work that you do is! I had my younger housemate tell me that she thinks that TikTok is more reliable than youtube for information. And she's a third year communication student at a reputable university! Not sure if that says something about her, but it made me very scared because she is supposed to be the one with a very high media literacy and she's also getting sucked into this BS. Keep informing people and stop the crazy fear mongering ✊
People who are studying at reputable universities aren't all geniuses. It's statistically unlikely. It's just that she probably has more money or is just a nerd or good at school. Good at school does not mean anything outside of school. And it is communication, not any science related thing. Be more skeptical of people (I say as advice). Thank you for sharing your story.
this is why i hate tiktok man. i know so many people who dont know how to think for themselves and get their information on tiktok. and they say so many things that are wrong that it plagues them and hurts my braincells
Not only are skincare companies trying to kill us but also there is zero regulation and no safety assessments done on these ingredients. That's what I get from Bobby. That does infact sound scary. If only it were true. 😃
Honestly isn't it just on to the next platform then? I've seen most of this stuff across a bunch of different platforms a decade ago. I don't think tiktok disappearing would really do much in that regard.
I used to work in a fertility clinic. We did not tell patients to avoid parabens, only the big ones like BPA that most people want to steer clear from anyways.
I think most sensible ones don't, except as last ditch "just in case" advice - but I've had that comment from people before so I thought I'd pre-empt it!
Don't fertility clinics even ask the women to reduce coffee consumption? There are plenty of thing people can have normally that they shouldn't when pregnant, right?
@@Call-me-Al I feel like reducing coffee consumption is more about trying to maintain a better sleep schedule and just avoid general discomfort, caffeine is fairly harmless after all.
This was great! Now I want a collab between Michelle and Ann Reardon - both are Australian TH-camrs who are scientists and debunk online misinformation, and I bet they would make good stuff together!
@@jean-ivey Look up Food Science Babe too. Erin is a Chemical Engineer and Food Scientist. She does food debunking videos too. Lab Muffin Beauty Science even gave her a shout out.
I would rather not. Reardon has a tendency to stray out of her own expertise. It might be just me, but she has the "I am a scientist, and my husband is a journalist, which means that I can investigate and debunk anything regardless of my actual field of expertise" vibe. (Don't know if she still has this vibe. Stopped watching Reardon years ago.) I mean, wouldn't Michelle stand _against_ scientists talking about things they are not actually qualified for?
I used to make and sell soaps and lotions at a local farmer's market. A significant portion of my customers were clean beauty people, and I spent SO much time educating people on what the items on the mainstream labels actually meant, and why those words weren't nearly as scary as they thought. I did advocate that people with lots of allergies or skin sensitivities stick to essential oil scented products, but I made sure that they understood that it wasn't because it was safer, it was because if you DID react to something, it was easier to narrow down the source of the reaction and avoid it in the future. I will also take a moment to scream about the people who are trying to avoid "chemicals." IT"S ALL CHEMICALS. It's just, some of them come from plants, and some come from a lab. And the origin doesn't matter, if they're both chemically identical.
I have super super sensitive, very fair skin and the funny thing is that I can’t use most hand-made soaps. They dry my skin to the point that I’m uncomfortable and then I get a rash. I just use Dove sensitive and ONLY Dove sensitive. Some people just can not comprehend that “natural” things aren’t inherently better. Natural chemicals can be drying, not to mention allergenic. But I don’t hate natural products, either. I make my own lotion bar because it is the absolute best for my super dry skin 🤷🏼♀️ I prefer to use whatever is best for my skin and leave the moral outrage for the TikTok weirdos.
@@jahbern It's because straight up natural soap is a salt of fatty acid, and it has a ph level of a pipe cleaner (usually around 8 or 9), so it's totally expected that it will strip and irritate your skin. Dove is a syndet, very gentle with ph balanced appropriately for human skin. For me, recommending essential oils for sensitive skin is wild.
@@kaateeh yes, I know. But thank you for educating. I’ve tried making my own soap and I just can’t make it work. It’s yet another reason why it’s misleading to say “natural ingredients are better.” People like to judge soap like Dove even though it’s just a better option for so many. I don’t get it, but whatever.
Thank you thank you thank you! 🙏 the misinformation creeps into science educators/influencers who are PhD’d too, especially when they wander outside of their research specialties. But because they’re tenured at a recognizably elite uni people will believe anything they say without question, yet so often they’re just feeding us content that belly rubs their biases. They can’t see the harm they’re causing. So appreciate you x a gazillion. I’m sorry it’s so exhausting. Please take care of you.
Well... Yeah, we're all human and have confirmation biases. I'm a biochemist and honestly believed chemical sunscreens are the devil and had that confirmed by the coral, ocean, and fresh water studies on the impact of octinoxate. The main thing driving that bias: my allergy to salicylates and cinnamates. An important part of science is acknowledging bias and testing assumptions. I was wrong to discount chemical sunscreens and blindly favour physical blocks.
This is an under-sung problem I've noted. People who are outside their specific field commenting or recommending outside their knowledge base, like a foot and ankle expert making a call about skin cancer, or general practitioners talking about diseases in detail. Most experts I've seen that I listen to will usually back off the moment a field comes up they aren't actually an expert in. They'll give their hypothesis, but say it's just that, an idea based on their pool of knowledge and refer to an expert. To be fair, everyone is a person and subject to issues of biases, personal opinions and belief structures which is precisely what scientific method tries to combat as much as possible. Double blinds, reproducible results, adjusting for variables and certain conditions, clear statements of uncertainty and correlation not the same as causation. A ton of studies I've read on any given subject are usually very good at saying "further research is needed" "x is not understood as to why" "Sample size was small or inadequate"
Very much agree on your point regarding there being incompetent people in every field. I have seen (older) derms referencing the EWG as a source. And also there's an environmental toxicologist who has a website and social media selling courses on avoiding toxins who, on her website, says she believes in crystal healing and that candles are toxic because they release formaldehyde.
I would love a run down of all the "scientific" organizations or sources that aren't scientific or are basically funded by a biased company. I think that would be excellent.
I've seen a lot of younger derms promote clean beauty, but now that a lot of other scientists have debunked it they've been going on about how clean beauty is unscientific and you need to trust dermatologists who know the science (but I have the screenshots lol). I mean, I'm grateful that they've changed their message, but "just listen to dermatologists, they know everything" isn't going to help when the same derms promote the next piece of pseudoscience... Ugh, I think I know the toxicologist you're talking about, but I didn't see the crystal healing part 😖
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Yes, definitely! There are some science educators on social media (such as yourself and other scientists and derms) who do it for education but I see now it's very common nowadays for doctors, med students, (and especially derms) to go into instagram and tiktok to be influencers and that's when the science gets lost. I don't want to spread misinformation so I'll just be out with it that the toxicologist I'm talking about is Yvonne and calls herself the toxicology mama. I just checked her website and i made a mistake, it's not crystal healing, she said she loves "energy healing and crystals" and promotes things like "adrenal burnout"
Found your channel today and have been binging. “People got really annoyed with me bc of reverse sexism” i actually laughed out loud. As someone who used to be a physicist and now in sustainability I also am absolutely maddened by misinformation and pseudoscience. Thank you for having this channel and doing the good work.
Thank you for your service 🙏 My pharmacist sells her own skincare products and it's all promoted with clean beauty bs like 'rated 0 on Yuka' or whatever. Last time I picked up my tretinoin cream she'd swapped out the parabens in the formula with her own preferred ingredients. She was even talking about swapping out the vitamin E with a different antioxidant because apparently now something is wrong with vitamin E? Oh and she doesn't use retinoids "because they are mutagenic". These are the people that should know better, smh
holy shit. thats incredibly illegal (assuming youre in north america) to just? tamper with someones prescription? without telling them? thats a ticket straight to jail if it gets reported. i used a tretinoin cream for a while as a kid due to extreme painful acne and that stuff literally saved my skin and made it better than ever before. if you were unlucky enough she couldve sent you straight to the local morgue due to an allergic reaction all because shes focused on what "sounds good" rather than what WORKS good
Too bad I can only like this video once! Your eye rolls are super entertaining and can compete with those of Aaron from Healthcare Triage! One thing I'm realizing is how important it is to understand the difference between fear and danger so we don't believe everything that sounds frightening. Thank you for another amazing video!
you always manage to perfectly articulate my frustrations with these “clean beauty” “chemicals are bad” “everything is toxic and trying to kill you” wackos ❤ thank you for everything you do!!
the hormone thing is so wild. I'm a trans man so i take testosterone, and i take it in gel form. I have to spread gel on my stomach or arms EVERY DAY to equate a truly tiny injection once a week. whenever I see hormone related scaremongering it makes me laugh because like. I'm in canada, insurance covers my transition, but that's pretty rare worldwide. if there was a way to throw off your hormones like that so easily you could do it by accident people who want to do that on purpose would know about it by now.
right? btw how has gel worked for you? I've been taking test. undecanoate orally for like a year and a half and it really isnt doing much, but I have a needle phobia and chronic health issues that would make weekly injections very difficult since I'd need to get a ride to a nearby clinic to have a nurse administer it. Though Ontario healthcare doesnt cover the gel, even with extended coverage from ODSP. Hell, I haven't even been able to get my oral prescription for over a week because it, like too many meds right now, is on backorder
This is the first thing I thought of. I used to take testosterone gel as well. If estrogen was so readily available and easy to use, trans women would be covering themselves in it! Lol
This just in: trans women all over America go out lathered in cerave lotion because guy from tiktok claimed the estrogen levels in ciswomen come from moisturizing
Thanks for fighting the good fight Michelle! When people imply that only natural things are good, I think, “well, poison ivy is natural but I’m not going to put in on my skin.” About 30 years ago, Aveda was very much about being all natural. I couldn’t use any of the skincare products or makeup because I was allergic to the natural ingredients. (Loved and still love some of their hair products).
I usually point out that cyanide, strychnine, and arsenic are not only 100% natural but also produced by or available in plants, and how artificial bitter almond flavor doesn't contain any cyanide unlike "real" bitter almond flavor.
I restrict fragrance in skincare absolutely, but that is because my skin is very sensitive (eczema prone) and it relieves me of a high potential of irritation/reaction. But I also avoid natural fragrance and essential oils too. I'm well aware of the brands that market "we're natural and therefore healing to your inflammed skin" but then have bergamont oil, orange oil, ect. No thank you. Haircare on the hand, I have no problem with and I actually love the way haircare smells.
So happy I found your channel! 🤩 I have a friend that's totally on the all natural train. She means well, but she's definitely fallen victim to many of these fear mongering tactics.
I'm currently doing a masters in public health on environmental health, and one of the big health issues with zinc or titanium oxides is actually the issues with occupational exposures for people who work in factories making the nano-particles of these, particularly through inhalation or even the dust getting into the eyes of workers. These aren't the same quantities or types of exposures that most people are getting when they use a product with nano zinc or titanium oxides. Exposure route and dose is important!!!
I’m unable to do a masters at this time, but what you are studying greatly interests me. Are they any textbooks, books, videos, docs, reports, researchers’ names, etc. that you would recommend related to this topic?
I ask these TikTok people what their Professional Qualifications they have to be sharing the info they’re sharing. I never get a reply! Well I get replies but ugly hateful ones by their followers! The Channel owners have NO Education! NO Professional License! No Professional Experience! None! I’m a Licensed Professional Esthetician (retired) from the U.S. I got my Associates in Chemistry as well. I truly love & appreciate your channel Michelle! ❤ keep up the great work!
I love how you debunk misinformation using a scientific and nuanced approach and I think is great, I used to underestimate how misinformed people are, but the more I talk to friends and family the more I realize the big problem it is.
Michelle, have you ever thought about doing a vlog regarding chemicals that can cause skin allergies and irritate in beauty products? I have an allergy to methylchloroisothiazolinone, and I find it infuriating that a lot of companies replaced parabens with it when there is nothing wrong with parabens in the first place 🙄
actually that compound (usually used with another one) caused irritation to a lot of people (even if only a tiny amount is used in products) and is slowly being replaced with other preservatives.
@@debpalm8667 I don't think it's banned, just strongly regulated so that it's used at a safe super tiny amount. But of course, I'd rather not have it in my products altogether so I do check.
I have a ton of allergies and sensitivities that I'm still figuring out, I need to look this one up now, thanks! I hate how many products are listed as being good for sensitive skin but then have fragrances and ingredients that are known to be irritants 🙃 someone tell me WHY I cant find a single shampoo meant for dandruff and eczema that is scent and sulfate free!!!! I get that fragrances arent bad for most people, but if someone is already shopping for sensitive skin products then they'll likely have some natural or artificial scents that they react to if they aren't unlikely like me and react to strong scents for things I'm not even allergic to. Gotta love MCAS and asthma...
It's like people saying aspartame will give you cancer, but the amounts you would need to ingest to even be at risk are impossible to get in your whole lifetime... Also chemical spf's are the way to go, they are chocolate skin friendly too.
One of the main reasons that the FDA has such strict standards on artificial colorants is because other colorants in the 40s 50s 60s WERE bad. So now they are very specific on colorants and future colorants.
Oh my gosh this is bringing back so much! I used to work in research and development at a natural food company and we were constantly hit with people who had seen or read something and were now questioning or attacking us for using an ingredient. We would make private label products as well, and those clients were constantly forwarding us emails from their customers expressing concern. Bear in mind that we were an organic and natural food manufacturer using things like almond butter with no salt or sugar added and gluten-free oats. The EWG is an organization I had happily forgotten about but I have been seeing them rear their ugly heads so much lately in comments from TH-camrs I generally really like. They are getting a lot of credibility but they are scaring a lot of people when they don't have the data they claim to have (the EWG I mean). The narrative that most companies are out to kill us is really tiresome, and often when you look further, you realize the person criticizing a product or ingredient has an interest in a competing product. It's gross.
I love this video - your explanation on receptors and skin absorption etc. is perfectly accurate, yet so simple that all can understand. I really want to make sure we are getting more accurate information out and having the youtube algorithm promote the correct people.
As a person with really sensitive and dry skin. Most of the all *natural* (essential oils etc.) stuff i have tried has caused a allergic reaction which causes my skin to flake off.
Killing the customers is bad for business - Quark, star trek ds9 People seem to forget this principle. There are some businesses that are inherently harmful (e.g. tobacco), but except in those rare cases, they want to sell you stuff, not kill you.
What’s even better for profit is making your customers sick and then they need more medical help. Big circle of profits. You don’t want them really healthy or dead. Right in the middle is the sweet spot.
I know a lot of people who react to fragrances and try to find products without fragrance although they prefer the stuff that smells nice. As an adult I have developed allergies that I didn’t have as a child. It’s hard to find balance when you react to things that others don’t. It is helpful to know which brands are responsible.
I just love love love the doctor's common sense and her polite-but-let's-be-real delivery (such as people thinking there are big brands trying to kill them - them of all people). In addition, she's a great teacher.
You are the absolute best!!!! I love love love that you debunk this scaremongering nonsense! I have a relative who I suspect has fallen prey to the “sunscreens are bad” trope. In his case he’s at least using clothing to stand in for sunscreen but he has taken it to extremes sometimes. At any rate, thank you!!! 🙏
Could you do a video on how scientists account for a chemical being in many products and the cumulative exposure? Would love to understand how they do it! Love your work - a voice of reason in a sea of misinformation!
One thing is very clear to me in this video, the only thing that will never penetrate to me in my life is Bobby, Stress out please! Cosmetic science and consumers need you!!! You deserve an award for your incredible good job, and yes, mostly we're good people. Many thanks!
I could imagine that clean beauty probably somehow arose on the back of clean eating. It makes sense not to eat preservatives if you can have fresh food, and people seem to like the idea of "cosmetics that are safe to eat" - but i guess they forget that something can have totally different effects as food vs skincare. Best example: alcohol. Used typically and orally, very different reasons and different effects. You wouldn't rub your hands with it to get tipsy, and you wouldn't drink it to get rid of unwanted microbes.
Honestly anyone who says ‘this product is good bc it doesn’t contain parabens’ i just skip their video, and never watch anything from them ever again bc they don’t know what they are talking about
Thank you for doing all that you do, 🎉 I’m an industrial hygienist at a military base and I have to fight misinformation quite a bit. We need more people sharing true information not fearmongering BS.
"women have more estrogen in their bodies because they use lotions" is a take i never thought I'd hear
It's incredible how much science these TikTokers are discovering
I was working and literally had to pause and rewind the video to make sure I heard him right lmao
I… I didn’t register that part until reading this lmao
Ahahahhahaa!!! I read this comment before I watched that part of the video and thought you must be paraphrasing in an exaggerated way, but no, he really said that! I just don't understand why someone like him is allowed a platform. It's just like the print ads they used to have in the 1800s that could say anything they want and it was up to the consumer to not be an idiot.
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience only the best most chad-like science for these tik-tokkers
did that guy really say the reason women have more estrogen is because we moisturise 😂
If you do girly stuff you produce girly hormones, it's just ~*sCiEnCe*~
The real reason that men need their basic freaking hygiene products to come in Ultra Macho For Alpha Manly Men versions. 🙄
I literally had to rewind to make sure I heard correctly.
This just in: you thought lotions were making your skin softer cause of the moisturizing properties? No! It's the extra estrogen!
I'm sure a ton of trans folk will be delighted to find out they just need to use or stop using lotion to have the hormone levels they need. /s
Ugh, misinformation is so gross.
It's really grim how Bobby is obviously targeting women's fear of harming their babies
Yes! Was just looking down to see if anyone else had said this. So striking that in every one it's 'breast tissue' and 'breast milk'.
He is a hideous fear monger.
I was thinking this exact same thing and came looking to see if others had commented on it! Why are they doing so much fear mongering aimed at women and their reproductive health? It's gross.
@@susanjeffries5108 yeah, and at the same time women get dismissed for their issues. Then are being told this fake bullshit instead
@@susanjeffries5108This has been a trend for a few years now gaining a lot of momentum on social media.
'they film in supermarkets because they don't actually own skin care so they can't film at home' and 'Is it Bobby? Or do you just not understand these words?' have sent me into orbit
If I saw one in my supermarket I’d go up and try to make them feel extremely awkward like “what are you doing? Excuse my you’re blocking the lotion can I get behind you? Oh no can I have that lotion? I really want that one you’re holding. It’s the most paraben-y thank you”
@@annahuffman6613asdfdhasghakakjs I’d also say “omg I love parabens, they’re great for my skin!” 😂
@@annahuffman6613 😂
that first phrase nearly made me spit out my food
Same! 😂 i live for her snark
Bobby is the literal worst. This video is the actual best 💜
And so damned funny to say how the dread of Bobby is on the way....wait for it..boom.
I’ve seen him in other debunking videos too, like nutrition and diet ones. Like he must be racking it in with his misinformation campaign. 🙀
Good seeing you here! :DDD
@jameswalsh Recently discovered your channel and subbed. Keep being awesome!
LORD he's tiring - there are probably about 100 of us debunking him but he's still gaining momentum somehow? The cards are stacked AF. And thank you! 💜
The amount of people that will be like " i never use that because parabens are toxic and cause cancer!" but will then go out and drink so much alcohol in one go that they throw up aka literally poisoning themselves for fun, is astounding.
and the anti vaxxers who claim toxins are in vaccines, but will happily smoke cigarettes that contain over 7,000 known toxins and carcinogens
That reminds me of a friend who lectured me about how bad was adding salt to the food, while she was smoking a cigarette
@@liul I remember once my friend was telling me how instant ramen is so bad for me, while holding a cigarette in one hand and an energy drink in another
alcohol is a cause for 7 different kind of cancer and suspected cause of even more cancers
@@frida5680 when I was 12 my mom told me not to eat ramen so often because the packaging would seep into the food and give me cancer. that didn't scare, me it just made me spitefully eat it in secret. how pathetic is it that my teenage act of rebellion was quietly eating maruchan ramen?
These tiktokkers are always so annoying. Then when you question them, their little minions attack you with "google it!" as if I did not just read an actual research paper arguing against what they are saying
LITERALLY. I didn't JUST google it, Susan, I found a peer-reviewed article on ncbi.
The worst is when they give you a list of citations they copy pasted off the EWG website and try to argue with you about every single one...
True
I think Bobby may have just "cured" menopause! Forget HRT! Let's just keep rubbing all the paraben-rich lotions, potions and make-up on our bodies!
Best comment😄
😂
Ha. I wish.
LMAO!
Huzzah!
Removing fragrance from my skincare has made a difference but not everyone is sensitive to it so I don't judge people who use it.
Exactly. And I’m not avoiding fragrance because I think it’s toxic or the “equivalent of natural flavors” but because my skin is sensitive to them.
I'm the same, though I also have to avoid "natural flavors" and unlisted "spices" because I have a whole list of allergies and sensitivities :( I really do wish that companies had to list all ingredients in a document that customers can check online for allergens
and don't forget asthma that reacts to strong scents, too. Even strong smelling flowers that I'm not allergic to can make my lungs upset
I don't need fragrance-free products, but when possible I want my skincare to not have distracting intentional smells. I don't know if it's because of how my autism-adhd works or not.
For me, my skin isn't sensitive to fragrance, but my nose + lungs absolutely are 😅
It's also worth mentioning how these sorts of videos are so awful for people with anxiety or OCD. When I was younger and more naive, it caused me so much anxiety trying to use "good" products and eating "good" food only, and these sorts of misinformational videos only feed into that anxiety. Thank you for debunking this!
omg same. its been so relieving finding michelle's content. i was doing better at doing what works for me over the "right" or "good" or "healthy" thing. but i feel so free since learning that there arent actually bad things in everything, and i can do what helps me personally. i used to feel guilty just for not having cold showers😭 so you can imagine how many things it affected. thank you michelle, youre a lifesaver❤❤
Same here
I'm actually quite scared that preservatives used in clean beauty are not efficient, people might get sick with contaminated products, things expire quicker
there was a case like that in mid-2010s, benton didn't formulate their products properly and there was a "strange growth" inside the bottles. some people ended up having to spend 100s on trying to save their skin. idk if the reddit posts are still up, but benton even doxxed a person that spoke up against them.
I'm a hobbyist cosmetics formulator. A lot of ingredients used in "natural" cosmetics are prone to spoil easily ... there's one company that lists "fresh fruit" as an ingredient. Things like this will make a product spoil ***fast*** without very strong preservatives.
There are "natural" preservatives, but they're not very strong, often not strong enough to preserve "natural" products. Parabens are some of the strongest preservatives around ... that company that uses fresh fruit also uses parabens.
Hmmmmm ....
My mom had a natural or organic face cream that grew purple mold!
Yeah, I've thought about that a lot too. I think we've had such high standards of microbial safety for so long we've forgotten the damage those little buggers can do.
This is analogous to preservatives and antimicrobial treatments done to foods. Where I live (Finland) raw milk has become popular and kids are ending up in ICU with EHEC. We're back in the 50's with this! So frustrating. Wish I knew what skin infections were common in the 50's, because we are going to see them come back.
Yep, there are a lot of clean brands currently getting a lot of press because of stringy and spotty growths in their products and weird cheesy smells!
TikTok is really scary in how easily the site spreads misinformation. Regular people stumble across these videos, accept the things creators say, and keep scrolling.
At my "day" job, a lot of teachers have noticed a general trend where younger people spend tons of time consuming media, but they don't know how to critically evaluate it, or even access what they need - e.g. students will tell us they can't find a certain piece of info, but when we put the obvious search string into Google it's the first result. I think a lot of it is due to how well hidden the nuts and bolts of social media algorithms and tech in general these days are - it's very passive...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Yes! Critical thinking skills are not being taught in schools here in the US as much as they should be. On a wider scale, certain legislators are more interested in banning books so we have an uneducated population that is more easily controlled/manipulated.
Petrolatum…OMG! So scary! LOL. Dude, it’s used in medical ointments.
I dunno why, but the phrase 'oh god it's bobby' sounded as if someone found a tick on their dog 😂🤣
hearing him saying chemicals will go directly into your bloodstream and hurt you reminds me of when you draw on yourself and people around you are like “the ink will go into your bloodstream!”
lmao i remember that. cut to me, 25 years later, covered in hella tattoos, still alive and healthy
@@sillygoose420 same 😂
Yeah and the ink in most pens is formulated to be non toxic, so this was silly for people to get so up in arms about, but I guess they meant well
It possible can… the ink is hold in place by macrophages ( a type of white blood cell). The risk comes when the macrophage is replaced by another and it fades over time. there is also a possibility for the ink to migrate to lymph nodes.
I think Allison Turquoise made a short clip talking about the skin as a barrier. If the skin was so good at absorbing things, we'd be drowning in the shower
Exactly! We'd have died a long time ago from walking barefoot (and ironically I'm sure these people believe in "grounding"
😂😂😂👍🏼
🤣🤣🤣 just thinking about drowning in the shower is so hilarious to me
He really slept in immunology. That’s my field, PhD should be done “downloading” by December 2023 lol. Yeah so anyway the skin is our number one first barrier against infectious insults. The keratin filled cells in the outermost later provide decent waterproofing and unbroken skin is a dang good barrier. I’m glad she explained the skin layers because the pharmacist is so full of it and clearly just trying to frighten people into becoming his clients. Of course we prescribe medicinal creams ….. for SKIN ailments like rashes 😂😂😂
I just full body cackled out loud in my kitchen reading this.
I was born in 1980. I have been here for EVERY little step that internet made, from quirky ICQ days to total global domination. The greatest disappointment in that for me has been seeing how having the full store of collective human knowledge at our finger tips made everyone SO MUCH dumber! And also cock-sure. Everyone is dumber and more sure they are right then ever. It is a really disappointing outcome.
Yes! I do have some hope, because it does feel like I have to argue less with people to get them to accept what I'm saying on TikTok compared to Instagram, but at the same time maybe it's just that people are more willing to believe *anyone in general*, which would not be a good thing...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience LOL 😆
Ha ha! Mid-1980s person here, and I agree. People who watch Tiktok tend to have the attention spans of toddlers. I have no clue how they're getting through school if they have to read actual books (digitized or not).
SAME!!! My husband and I, both born in the 80's talk about this all the time!
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Unfortunately, I think it's the latter.
Can confirm - we toxicologists are normal people. Thanks for reminding everyone ☺️.
PS - I love parabens!
i love this comment 😂
It's a lie! Big pharma stooge! Corporate minion! I read in the Gloucestershire Potato Newsletter's opinion page that Doreen in Cirencester's cousin is a toxicologist and also a cyborg.
Obviously I'm kidding, but it's the sort of thing that I'm sure a poor-quality culinary personality (who is still devoid of meaningful personality traits) would babble about while annoying shoppers.
It's good to have that in writing 😂
Here for the paraben love
Love some parabens also! Much better than toxic mold and bacteria growing in my moisturizer!
I will ALWAYS trust a mass market dermo-cosmetic skincare brand with tonnes of medical research and testing behind them over Susan's "natural" concoction of essential oils and vegetables that she blended together in her kitchen.
Yep, cause that worked well with Phiser... Tonnes of medical research you say... 😂
@@BlueBlossomsBlues Do you mean Pfizer? God are you an anti-vaxxer? Please be kidding.
@@BlueBlossomsBlues yes it did. That's why we eradicated Polio.
@@chimchimsjamkookies4242 🤣😂🤣😂 🤣 loved your joke..🤣🤣🤣
@@BlueBlossomsBlues you will laugh even more when Polio comes back.
"parabens are bad for pregnancy especially for men" ngl this had me cackling lsdjskdjskldmsl
Dumb but at least trans inclusive 🥳
Which is dumb because it doesn’t make sense
my man bobby talking about blue colorant in a product while he wears denim jeans that were synthetically dyed blue
Yeah. I think I’ve had one pair of blue jeans dyed with actual indigo ever.
Oh, I didn't know you were eating your jeans..
My dermatologist also recommends straight petroleum jelly to apply to wounds when they are healing. That way you’re less likely to get a scar.
The doc dressing my mum after her MRM cleaned the sutures with plain spirit and slapped some guaze and secured it with MeFix. That huge ass wound healed so well it looks like an old stretch mark and it's only been a month.
I remember reading how petroleum jelly became a thing, was because someone realized miners and oil field workers would coat cuts and scrapes in it, it healed quickly and very well, and began marketing the stuff.
@@darkstarr984 I never knew that, but I know it works . 🥰
It's hilarious to me that these "experts" act like every single person working at every skin care/sunscreen company is in the background rubbing their hands together engaging in giant evil laughs. It's also extremely concerning lol.
The ("average person eats 3 spiders a year" factoid actualy just statistical error. average person eats 0 spiders per year. Spiders Georg, who lives in cave & eats over 10,000 each day, is an outlier adn should not have been counted) meme but with skin care and cosmetics, fr 😭
You have people willing to believe the same shit about fucking NASA where there is no possible incentive to lie so it's not really surprising. For some reason it's easier for some people to believe that everyone involved in science is in on some sort of grand conspiracy than it is for them to like talk to anyone involved in science.
Agreed. It’s such a strange form of paranoia
Honey, if parabens actually functioned like estrogen there'd be so many women saving money on actual prescribed estrogen creams. Sadly to all women with hormone disorders or going through menopause, parabens don’t do that.
Yes ppl who needed estrogen hormones for various reasons would just buy CeraVe and slather it on daily lol
This is the most satisfying video. A thoroughly researched and biting takedown of fear mongers. I especially loved that all the plastic bottles Bobby was hanging are also made of petroleum. You are clearly so sick of this shit and I love it.
Haha I'm glad that my annoyance can be turned into enjoyment! Trying to make gold out of... whatever the hell Bobby is sharting out into the world.
EWG is banking on fear-mongering to fund their organization and it’s working. I’m so glad you’re here educating us!!! I will definitely share!
Well big pharma and the government bank on fear mongering as well so theres that. And no I do not follow the EWG or agree with them at all.
I previously worked for an IT company that managed the website of a green cleaning company and we used to get writers to write for their blog. The company gave us a long list of Dos and Don't. And one of the major DON'T was citing reference from the EWG. This is a green cleaning company that refuses to reference the EWG in any of their materials and when I asked them why. We were told that the EWG weren't a reputable source and they were extremely biased, misleading and alarmist. That should tell you enough. Before that, I had always wrongly assumed that they were government-backed or a reputable org. They are certainly far from it.
I just loved it when you said that the skin's main function is to act as a barrier. That's a discussion that I've had with many people: if everything that gets on your skin could penetrate it very easily, we could not even bathe ourselves because just the water would throw off the electrolyte balance in our bodies.
Imagine just instantly dying because you got a bit of metallic paint on your skin while painting a model.
A whole 30 minutes video of Michelle debunking stuff and calling people out!! Ooh I need to grab a drink and some snacks
it is so insidious and weird that that bobby guy talks about babies and breast milk so much
Yes! Fearmongering about those is like a shortcut to viral videos...
ppl following and believing these idiotic men on social media has always confused me like really? you're taking skincare and medical advice from a gym bro and a cook?? 🤨 this is why the pandemic lasted so long honestly these chains of misinformation are just so virulent in their impact.
It's really frustrating that the internet has been around for so long, but schools are still emphasising learning through memorising, and not skills for navigating information...
Amen 👏🏻 the taking medical advice from men who say estrogen in women is from lotion okay is that also why you’ve let them legislate away your bodily autonomy MAAM 😅
@@annahuffman6613 BOOM!
Although I would never take the bs spewed by these men seriously or individuals like them, I do believe there is evidence that proves some vaccines, especially the covid one can be damaging to some individuals. I mean how long did it take for these scientists, doctors to come up with the first covid vaccine? And didnt do any testing before making it available to the public. Hell no Im not getting it. You have some scientists and drs who state its fine and some that are warning against it. There are always 2 ends of the spectrum here. And for you to say that misinformation on the internet about covid and the vaccine but cannot seem to open your mind to the other side of science and that perhaps there is something to this causing harm, well that speaks volumes about you. So stop taking digs on people who want to think for themselves when there is sufficient evidence proving the negatives of this vaccine and others. I mean do you always trust the government?
@@annahuffman6613 OOP. 😶
As a woman who works in technology, I can tell you the unconscious bias towards women is very real!!!
7:53 - Feel free to click on this timestamp, if you want to hear the iconic "...Oh god it's Bobby" one more time.
Praise to this man! You are doing God's work 🙌
I have an extremely allergy prone skin. Parabens are one of the only preservatives that don’t give me a reaction. Im very upset I can’t use most of the skincare products because of the demonization of parabens
Give us all of the parabens!
But... demonistion of parabens doesn't top you from using them! Unless you actually believe the demonisation, of course....
Pretty much all drug store and professional products have them. Even a lot of the "natural" ones actually have them too if you know what the specific one is called.
@@orchardleaU really did not comprehend that comment at all
Some parabens are derived from blueberries. So you in fact may be using a “clean” product but because people are scared of parabens (for the reasons mentioned) you and others like you are being punished. That’s what bothers me the most. There is always someone somewhere allergic or irritated by any ingredient. BUT the reverse can also be true - like you’re not allergic to parabens and you are allergic to the alternatives.
All I’m saying is I’m really sorry for your situation and it’s sounds incredibly frustrating.
I think people underestimate just how much large cosmetic companies (like Johnson and Johnson) don't want to get in trouble for having dangerous, harmful products. Even aside from lawsuits and recalls (and both would be huge), they'd be under huge investigation by basically every country they sell product in.
Yes, regulators tend to pick on larger companies to "send a message" to everyone - marketers at L'Oreal might not notice if Clean Kitchen Makeup gets an FDA warning, but they will if Unilever gets one!
Well kinda. They really defended the talc in their baby powder though.
Don't you remember when a lot of Neutrogena spray sunblocks were removed because they contained benzine?
@@johngablesmith4671 And that's perfectly fine, because talc isn't bad for you. How can you watch this channel and still fearmonger?
@John Gable Smith it's bad if you inhale it.
Bobby seems like the type of guy who only drinks bottled water because it's "cleaner" but ignores the microplastics floating inside 🤷🏼♀️
Men panicking about estrogen in products…the misogyny of it all!
For real. And besides, all humans have levels of estrogen and testosterone, just in different proportions.
It's so goofy, like what are they so scared of? Turning into a woman the moment a drop of lotion touches their skin?
OOooOOooO womanhood OooOo femininity👻👻👻
Men also produce and need estrogen. For one, if they didn't have it, their bones would be in pretty bad shape.
more specifically: toxic masculinity fueled by the patriarchy that have 50% of men fearing being seen as feminine in any regard
How is it misogynistic to not want to have exogenous estrogen in your body?
With regards to talc, I think J&J's shady ass history with talcum powder (them knowing their talc sources were contaminated with asbestos and attempting to cover this up rather than switch sources or adopt better mining practices) plays in to the talc fear-mongering. Geologically, talc deposits are often found in close proximity to deposits of an asbestiform mineral, meaning that it is much easier to accidentally contaminate talc during mining. This is why samples of talc *do* need to be tested for asbestos (and are tested, at least now in most Western countries). It's unfortunate, because instead of focussing the conversation on how important it is to constantly monitor and regulate the business practices of large companies and corporations (who are real life villains that put profit over safety), idiots like Bobby spread misinformation about the safety around general products like talc. Essentially, talc is only dangerous when governments allow companies to cut corners. The standards for testing talc for asbestos have improved *substantially* - this in particular is something the FDA takes very seriously now (i.e., companies like J&J are no longer trusted to use findings from their in-house lab tests).
The whole thing became a problem due to their qc team
yes Johnson and Johnson knowing their baby powder caused cancer and covering it up then targeting sales to over weight and black communities as well as always babies was so deplorable I believe that is why a lot of people don't trust companies or are paranoid about ingredients especially talc I will not buy Johnson Johnson baby powder again even if it's safer now I won't support them making any more money off that product because of the people that needlessly got cancer
I have ocd and get freaked out by chemicals but you are making me feel a lot less anxious about them. Thanks for what you’re doing and how clear and easy to understand your videos are 😇
It's scary to think that people will just not wear sunblock now due to this.
Their loss. More wrinkles to them 💅
My mom thinks sunscreen is going to give me cancer faster than the sun 😅
Yes so much misinformation out there skin cancer is no joke
I actually got into that whole "scared of chemicals" thing in the 2010s after being into "whole foods" ☠️. These videos are very helpful, thank you
whats wrong w whole foods?
“Whole Foods” the bougie company that promotes a lot of woowoo, or “whole foods” like grains and oils with minimal processing, full fat milk products, organ meats, and fresh or frozen produce? I feel like
Yes I think most ppl go through that phase some ppl get through it and move on and some double down and get more paranoid as time goes on. I quit using antiperspirant w aluminum and started using deodorant. A crystal one, a store bought natural deodorant stick from drugstore and a home made deodorant made with baking soda, essential oils and coconut oil. The skin slid off on my armpits and they were gelly like pink and sore/scabby. I thought my arm pits were detoxing fr the aluminum. I showered 3x a day and still stunk. I did it for a month then went back to antiperspirant. I think I got chemical burns from the baking soda and essential oils.
CLeaN beAuTy is truly the worst trend to ever happen to the beauty industry. Thank you for everything you do, Michele! 🙌
agreed!
I agree, "Natural" does not usually mean good or effective.
This is one of the reasons i deleted tiktok. So many ppl confidently talking about something they know nothing about, and i noticed myself believing in a few for a second. That's when i knew the app had to go
Michelle I hope you realise how important the work that you do is!
I had my younger housemate tell me that she thinks that TikTok is more reliable than youtube for information. And she's a third year communication student at a reputable university! Not sure if that says something about her, but it made me very scared because she is supposed to be the one with a very high media literacy and she's also getting sucked into this BS. Keep informing people and stop the crazy fear mongering ✊
People who are studying at reputable universities aren't all geniuses. It's statistically unlikely. It's just that she probably has more money or is just a nerd or good at school. Good at school does not mean anything outside of school.
And it is communication, not any science related thing. Be more skeptical of people (I say as advice).
Thank you for sharing your story.
Yeah this scares the hell out of me!
Yikes
this is why i hate tiktok man. i know so many people who dont know how to think for themselves and get their information on tiktok. and they say so many things that are wrong that it plagues them and hurts my braincells
Not only are skincare companies trying to kill us but also there is zero regulation and no safety assessments done on these ingredients. That's what I get from Bobby. That does infact sound scary. If only it were true. 😃
Maybe he thinks they do as little research as him 🙃
why would the skincare companies trying to kill their customers 😂
I admit I wouldn’t be sad if Tik Tok disappeared and never came back.
Even my 16 year old students have said that it's ruining their life because of how much time they waste on there...
Honestly isn't it just on to the next platform then? I've seen most of this stuff across a bunch of different platforms a decade ago. I don't think tiktok disappearing would really do much in that regard.
It's not just tiktok but all sort of social medias are feeding misinformation.
I used to work in a fertility clinic. We did not tell patients to avoid parabens, only the big ones like BPA that most people want to steer clear from anyways.
I think most sensible ones don't, except as last ditch "just in case" advice - but I've had that comment from people before so I thought I'd pre-empt it!
Don't fertility clinics even ask the women to reduce coffee consumption? There are plenty of thing people can have normally that they shouldn't when pregnant, right?
@@Call-me-Al I feel like reducing coffee consumption is more about trying to maintain a better sleep schedule and just avoid general discomfort, caffeine is fairly harmless after all.
This was great! Now I want a collab between Michelle and Ann Reardon - both are Australian TH-camrs who are scientists and debunk online misinformation, and I bet they would make good stuff together!
Oh my god a million times yes! They’re the most fact checked TH-camrs I watch
@@jean-ivey Look up Food Science Babe too. Erin is a Chemical Engineer and Food Scientist. She does food debunking videos too. Lab Muffin Beauty Science even gave her a shout out.
Adding Erin to that list aka Food Science Babe
Yess
I would rather not. Reardon has a tendency to stray out of her own expertise. It might be just me, but she has the "I am a scientist, and my husband is a journalist, which means that I can investigate and debunk anything regardless of my actual field of expertise" vibe. (Don't know if she still has this vibe. Stopped watching Reardon years ago.) I mean, wouldn't Michelle stand _against_ scientists talking about things they are not actually qualified for?
queen of debunking pseudoscience and misinformation 😌
Thank you! 🙏
I used to make and sell soaps and lotions at a local farmer's market. A significant portion of my customers were clean beauty people, and I spent SO much time educating people on what the items on the mainstream labels actually meant, and why those words weren't nearly as scary as they thought. I did advocate that people with lots of allergies or skin sensitivities stick to essential oil scented products, but I made sure that they understood that it wasn't because it was safer, it was because if you DID react to something, it was easier to narrow down the source of the reaction and avoid it in the future.
I will also take a moment to scream about the people who are trying to avoid "chemicals." IT"S ALL CHEMICALS. It's just, some of them come from plants, and some come from a lab. And the origin doesn't matter, if they're both chemically identical.
I have super super sensitive, very fair skin and the funny thing is that I can’t use most hand-made soaps. They dry my skin to the point that I’m uncomfortable and then I get a rash. I just use Dove sensitive and ONLY Dove sensitive. Some people just can not comprehend that “natural” things aren’t inherently better. Natural chemicals can be drying, not to mention allergenic. But I don’t hate natural products, either. I make my own lotion bar because it is the absolute best for my super dry skin 🤷🏼♀️ I prefer to use whatever is best for my skin and leave the moral outrage for the TikTok weirdos.
@@jahbern It's because straight up natural soap is a salt of fatty acid, and it has a ph level of a pipe cleaner (usually around 8 or 9), so it's totally expected that it will strip and irritate your skin. Dove is a syndet, very gentle with ph balanced appropriately for human skin. For me, recommending essential oils for sensitive skin is wild.
@@kaateeh yes, I know. But thank you for educating. I’ve tried making my own soap and I just can’t make it work. It’s yet another reason why it’s misleading to say “natural ingredients are better.” People like to judge soap like Dove even though it’s just a better option for so many. I don’t get it, but whatever.
As an Economist in the chemicals regulation industry thank you for debunking these scaremongering people. Chemicals are not scary!
Thank you thank you thank you! 🙏 the misinformation creeps into science educators/influencers who are PhD’d too, especially when they wander outside of their research specialties. But because they’re tenured at a recognizably elite uni people will believe anything they say without question, yet so often they’re just feeding us content that belly rubs their biases. They can’t see the harm they’re causing. So appreciate you x a gazillion. I’m sorry it’s so exhausting. Please take care of you.
Yes it's frustrating - "trust the experts" really doesn't work that well as a shortcut anymore! Thank you Thank you! 🙏
Well... Yeah, we're all human and have confirmation biases. I'm a biochemist and honestly believed chemical sunscreens are the devil and had that confirmed by the coral, ocean, and fresh water studies on the impact of octinoxate. The main thing driving that bias: my allergy to salicylates and cinnamates. An important part of science is acknowledging bias and testing assumptions. I was wrong to discount chemical sunscreens and blindly favour physical blocks.
This is an under-sung problem I've noted. People who are outside their specific field commenting or recommending outside their knowledge base, like a foot and ankle expert making a call about skin cancer, or general practitioners talking about diseases in detail. Most experts I've seen that I listen to will usually back off the moment a field comes up they aren't actually an expert in. They'll give their hypothesis, but say it's just that, an idea based on their pool of knowledge and refer to an expert.
To be fair, everyone is a person and subject to issues of biases, personal opinions and belief structures which is precisely what scientific method tries to combat as much as possible. Double blinds, reproducible results, adjusting for variables and certain conditions, clear statements of uncertainty and correlation not the same as causation. A ton of studies I've read on any given subject are usually very good at saying "further research is needed" "x is not understood as to why" "Sample size was small or inadequate"
Dismantling all of this BS in such an elegant way. This type of content is some of the most important work of our generation. Ty❤
Very much agree on your point regarding there being incompetent people in every field. I have seen (older) derms referencing the EWG as a source. And also there's an environmental toxicologist who has a website and social media selling courses on avoiding toxins who, on her website, says she believes in crystal healing and that candles are toxic because they release formaldehyde.
I would love a run down of all the "scientific" organizations or sources that aren't scientific or are basically funded by a biased company. I think that would be excellent.
I've seen a lot of younger derms promote clean beauty, but now that a lot of other scientists have debunked it they've been going on about how clean beauty is unscientific and you need to trust dermatologists who know the science (but I have the screenshots lol). I mean, I'm grateful that they've changed their message, but "just listen to dermatologists, they know everything" isn't going to help when the same derms promote the next piece of pseudoscience...
Ugh, I think I know the toxicologist you're talking about, but I didn't see the crystal healing part 😖
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Yes, definitely! There are some science educators on social media (such as yourself and other scientists and derms) who do it for education but I see now it's very common nowadays for doctors, med students, (and especially derms) to go into instagram and tiktok to be influencers and that's when the science gets lost.
I don't want to spread misinformation so I'll just be out with it that the toxicologist I'm talking about is Yvonne and calls herself the toxicology mama. I just checked her website and i made a mistake, it's not crystal healing, she said she loves "energy healing and crystals" and promotes things like "adrenal burnout"
And she’s got receipts. I’d love to see those 👀
TBF, it has been concluded that certain candles are the largest source of indoor pollutants
"Don't film supermarket lectures" THIS, OMG, THIS
Thanks for all the info, you're always so balanced and thorough
Glad you enjoyed it!
What if I go to a WholeFoods or New Leaf or something and lecture about how natural isn't safer?
@@splendidcolors I mean it's still kinda rude to the employees and everyone else there, I think that's the main issue.
You have almost singlehandedly broken so so many of my "this thing is dangerous" myths 🧡🧡
You’re a hero. I don’t know how you haven’t given up, but I am grateful that you haven’t
Found your channel today and have been binging. “People got really annoyed with me bc of reverse sexism” i actually laughed out loud. As someone who used to be a physicist and now in sustainability I also am absolutely maddened by misinformation and pseudoscience. Thank you for having this channel and doing the good work.
Thank you for your service 🙏
My pharmacist sells her own skincare products and it's all promoted with clean beauty bs like 'rated 0 on Yuka' or whatever. Last time I picked up my tretinoin cream she'd swapped out the parabens in the formula with her own preferred ingredients. She was even talking about swapping out the vitamin E with a different antioxidant because apparently now something is wrong with vitamin E?
Oh and she doesn't use retinoids "because they are mutagenic". These are the people that should know better, smh
I hope you've changed pharmacies!
@@SueRosalieomg yes please
Please report her to the appropriate pharmaceutical governing board. That is DANGEROUS and she should not be allowed to continue doing this.
holy shit. thats incredibly illegal (assuming youre in north america) to just? tamper with someones prescription? without telling them? thats a ticket straight to jail if it gets reported. i used a tretinoin cream for a while as a kid due to extreme painful acne and that stuff literally saved my skin and made it better than ever before. if you were unlucky enough she couldve sent you straight to the local morgue due to an allergic reaction all because shes focused on what "sounds good" rather than what WORKS good
Michelle, thank you for being the voice of reason. 🙂
Too bad I can only like this video once! Your eye rolls are super entertaining and can compete with those of Aaron from Healthcare Triage! One thing I'm realizing is how important it is to understand the difference between fear and danger so we don't believe everything that sounds frightening. Thank you for another amazing video!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it! 😊
you always manage to perfectly articulate my frustrations with these “clean beauty” “chemicals are bad” “everything is toxic and trying to kill you” wackos ❤ thank you for everything you do!!
ty sm - I’m not ashamed to say I just unsubscribed from Bobby’s channel thanks to this video.
the hormone thing is so wild. I'm a trans man so i take testosterone, and i take it in gel form. I have to spread gel on my stomach or arms EVERY DAY to equate a truly tiny injection once a week.
whenever I see hormone related scaremongering it makes me laugh because like. I'm in canada, insurance covers my transition, but that's pretty rare worldwide. if there was a way to throw off your hormones like that so easily you could do it by accident people who want to do that on purpose would know about it by now.
right? btw how has gel worked for you? I've been taking test. undecanoate orally for like a year and a half and it really isnt doing much, but I have a needle phobia and chronic health issues that would make weekly injections very difficult since I'd need to get a ride to a nearby clinic to have a nurse administer it. Though Ontario healthcare doesnt cover the gel, even with extended coverage from ODSP. Hell, I haven't even been able to get my oral prescription for over a week because it, like too many meds right now, is on backorder
This is the first thing I thought of. I used to take testosterone gel as well. If estrogen was so readily available and easy to use, trans women would be covering themselves in it! Lol
This just in: trans women all over America go out lathered in cerave lotion because guy from tiktok claimed the estrogen levels in ciswomen come from moisturizing
You’d think any company that had research would be pushing it in claims.
That’s such a great point!
I'm so glad TH-cam started recommending your videos.
This is why I always check here before I decide to buy something
Thanks for fighting the good fight Michelle! When people imply that only natural things are good, I think, “well, poison ivy is natural but I’m not going to put in on my skin.” About 30 years ago, Aveda was very much about being all natural. I couldn’t use any of the skincare products or makeup because I was allergic to the natural ingredients. (Loved and still love some of their hair products).
I usually point out that cyanide, strychnine, and arsenic are not only 100% natural but also produced by or available in plants, and how artificial bitter almond flavor doesn't contain any cyanide unlike "real" bitter almond flavor.
I restrict fragrance in skincare absolutely, but that is because my skin is very sensitive (eczema prone) and it relieves me of a high potential of irritation/reaction. But I also avoid natural fragrance and essential oils too. I'm well aware of the brands that market "we're natural and therefore healing to your inflammed skin" but then have bergamont oil, orange oil, ect. No thank you.
Haircare on the hand, I have no problem with and I actually love the way haircare smells.
So happy I found your channel! 🤩
I have a friend that's totally on the all natural train. She means well, but she's definitely fallen victim to many of these fear mongering tactics.
I'm currently doing a masters in public health on environmental health, and one of the big health issues with zinc or titanium oxides is actually the issues with occupational exposures for people who work in factories making the nano-particles of these, particularly through inhalation or even the dust getting into the eyes of workers. These aren't the same quantities or types of exposures that most people are getting when they use a product with nano zinc or titanium oxides. Exposure route and dose is important!!!
I’m unable to do a masters at this time, but what you are studying greatly interests me. Are they any textbooks, books, videos, docs, reports, researchers’ names, etc. that you would recommend related to this topic?
I ask these TikTok people what their Professional Qualifications they have to be sharing the info they’re sharing. I never get a reply! Well I get replies but ugly hateful ones by their followers! The Channel owners have NO Education! NO Professional License!
No Professional Experience! None!
I’m a Licensed Professional Esthetician (retired) from the U.S.
I got my Associates in Chemistry as well.
I truly love & appreciate your channel Michelle! ❤ keep up the great work!
Thank you!
I wish there were more Michelles in the world, and that more people listened to them...
Thank you! 🙏
I love how you debunk misinformation using a scientific and nuanced approach and I think is great, I used to underestimate how misinformed people are, but the more I talk to friends and family the more I realize the big problem it is.
I don't know how you do it, combating stupidity is so tiring. Thank you for making such an effort! 💙👏
Michelle, have you ever thought about doing a vlog regarding chemicals that can cause skin allergies and irritate in beauty products? I have an allergy to methylchloroisothiazolinone, and I find it infuriating that a lot of companies replaced parabens with it when there is nothing wrong with parabens in the first place 🙄
actually that compound (usually used with another one) caused irritation to a lot of people (even if only a tiny amount is used in products) and is slowly being replaced with other preservatives.
@@shoresofreedom yes and some countries try to avoid (not recommend) products with that preservative
Wish I didn't have to check labels for it. Ban it.
@@debpalm8667 I don't think it's banned, just strongly regulated so that it's used at a safe super tiny amount. But of course, I'd rather not have it in my products altogether so I do check.
I have a ton of allergies and sensitivities that I'm still figuring out, I need to look this one up now, thanks! I hate how many products are listed as being good for sensitive skin but then have fragrances and ingredients that are known to be irritants 🙃 someone tell me WHY I cant find a single shampoo meant for dandruff and eczema that is scent and sulfate free!!!! I get that fragrances arent bad for most people, but if someone is already shopping for sensitive skin products then they'll likely have some natural or artificial scents that they react to if they aren't unlikely like me and react to strong scents for things I'm not even allergic to. Gotta love MCAS and asthma...
It's like people saying aspartame will give you cancer, but the amounts you would need to ingest to even be at risk are impossible to get in your whole lifetime... Also chemical spf's are the way to go, they are chocolate skin friendly too.
One of the main reasons that the FDA has such strict standards on artificial colorants is because other colorants in the 40s 50s 60s WERE bad. So now they are very specific on colorants and future colorants.
Oh my gosh this is bringing back so much! I used to work in research and development at a natural food company and we were constantly hit with people who had seen or read something and were now questioning or attacking us for using an ingredient. We would make private label products as well, and those clients were constantly forwarding us emails from their customers expressing concern. Bear in mind that we were an organic and natural food manufacturer using things like almond butter with no salt or sugar added and gluten-free oats. The EWG is an organization I had happily forgotten about but I have been seeing them rear their ugly heads so much lately in comments from TH-camrs I generally really like. They are getting a lot of credibility but they are scaring a lot of people when they don't have the data they claim to have (the EWG I mean). The narrative that most companies are out to kill us is really tiresome, and often when you look further, you realize the person criticizing a product or ingredient has an interest in a competing product. It's gross.
Your channel has saved me THANK YOU I get videos constantly about how everything is harmful and it caused me so much anxiety and this puts me at ease
You're amazing! Thanks for taking the time to educate!
Thank you!
Michelle, I applaud your patience.
I love this video - your explanation on receptors and skin absorption etc. is perfectly accurate, yet so simple that all can understand. I really want to make sure we are getting more accurate information out and having the youtube algorithm promote the correct people.
You're not a debby downer! I actually feel much better having watched this because all the fearmongering over cosmetics gives me anxiety.
As a person with really sensitive and dry skin. Most of the all *natural* (essential oils etc.) stuff i have tried has caused a allergic reaction which causes my skin to flake off.
I can't say thank you enough! The mental energy needed to make a video like this... better you than me. Keep it up!
Killing the customers is bad for business
- Quark, star trek ds9
People seem to forget this principle. There are some businesses that are inherently harmful (e.g. tobacco), but except in those rare cases, they want to sell you stuff, not kill you.
Yes! It's much cheaper to retain existing customers than to gain new ones - I'm really not business-minded, and even I know that!
What’s even better for profit is making your customers sick and then they need more medical help. Big circle of profits. You don’t want them really healthy or dead. Right in the middle is the sweet spot.
@@LorrDorr last time I checked skincare doesn’t profit off of medical expenses.
@@LorrDorr And that's why healthcare should never be privatized.
Tbf plenty of “alternative medicine” is just straight up poison, and like obvious shit like bleach.
I know a lot of people who react to fragrances and try to find products without fragrance although they prefer the stuff that smells nice. As an adult I have developed allergies that I didn’t have as a child. It’s hard to find balance when you react to things that others don’t. It is helpful to know which brands are responsible.
I just love love love the doctor's common sense and her polite-but-let's-be-real delivery (such as people thinking there are big brands trying to kill them - them of all people). In addition, she's a great teacher.
I really appreciate all the hard work you do to educate us. Thank you.
You are the absolute best!!!! I love love love that you debunk this scaremongering nonsense! I have a relative who I suspect has fallen prey to the “sunscreens are bad” trope. In his case he’s at least using clothing to stand in for sunscreen but he has taken it to extremes sometimes. At any rate, thank you!!! 🙏
Could you do a video on how scientists account for a chemical being in many products and the cumulative exposure? Would love to understand how they do it! Love your work - a voice of reason in a sea of misinformation!
I love your videos! Thank you so much for taking the time to debunk this. It drives me nuts how much people are profiting off of fearmongering.
love this video and your expressions everytime he says something is bad when it actually isn't is priceless
Thank you for putting out this video debunking the misinformation.
I sent your video to my 80 year old mom who has been telling me that dry shampoo is dangerous 🙄. Thanks for debunking these myths.
One thing is very clear to me in this video, the only thing that will never penetrate to me in my life is Bobby, Stress out please! Cosmetic science and consumers need you!!! You deserve an award for your incredible good job, and yes, mostly we're good people. Many thanks!
thankyou as ever .You are a real gem and I wish more people would watch you. thankyou for your honest and helpful content.please keep it up
Thank you! 🙏
I could imagine that clean beauty probably somehow arose on the back of clean eating. It makes sense not to eat preservatives if you can have fresh food, and people seem to like the idea of "cosmetics that are safe to eat" - but i guess they forget that something can have totally different effects as food vs skincare. Best example: alcohol. Used typically and orally, very different reasons and different effects. You wouldn't rub your hands with it to get tipsy, and you wouldn't drink it to get rid of unwanted microbes.
Honestly anyone who says ‘this product is good bc it doesn’t contain parabens’ i just skip their video, and never watch anything from them ever again bc they don’t know what they are talking about
Great video! Misinformation is so rampant, it really sucks
Thank you for doing all that you do, 🎉
I’m an industrial hygienist at a military base and I have to fight misinformation quite a bit.
We need more people sharing true information not fearmongering BS.