/oss/taxonomy/term/226/all en /oss/article/health-and-nutrition-you-asked/should-we-worry-about-benzene-personal-care-spray-products <p>Probably not, but such products should not contain benzene and can be formulated without this contaminant. The issue arises because a number of products, including some deodorants, sunscreens, aerosol dry shampoos and athlete’s foot treatments have recently been recalled because they were found to be contaminated with trace amounts of benzene.</p> Fri, 25 Feb 2022 18:42:31 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9038 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/washing-your-hair-vancouver-soap-will-work-montreal-it-has-be-shampoo <p>Did you know that in Vancouver you can wash your hair with soap but in Montreal you need shampoo? Why? Because Vancouver water is soft and Montreal water is hard. That makes a big difference when it comes to satisfaction with hair washing. Hard water contains dissolved calcium and magnesium ions which react with soap to form a precipitate. This is the classic “bathtub ring.” The grayish deposit is bad enough on a tub, but you sure don’t want it on the hair. Vancouver has very soft water and soap will suds nicely and will not leave a deposit.</p> Fri, 02 Jul 2021 21:03:43 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8775 at /oss /oss/article/health-you-asked/are-forever-chemicals-cosmetics-dangerous <p>Many cosmetics come with promises to make us look “forever young.” But there are some suggestions that many contain “forever” chemicals that may actually interfere with our efforts to prevent aging. In this case, “forever” refers to the environmental persistence of the polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) found in a number of cosmetics that come with some toxicological baggage.</p> Sat, 19 Jun 2021 00:03:49 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8765 at /oss /oss/article/health-pseudoscience/so-you-want-pop-hyperbaric-oxygen-chamber-rid-yourself-wrinkles <p>Would you step into a pressurized cylinder to get rid of your wrinkles? A writer for <i>The Daily Mail </i>did in 2018 and<a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6300731/Would-brave-oxygen-capsule-banish-wrinkles-SARAH-BARCLAY-gives-verdict-HBOT.html"> her report</a>, which reads more like an ad for the centre offering the service, claims she felt invigorated after spending an hour lying down reading a magazine. Shocking. The following day, no sign of puffiness and her complexion glowed.</p> Wed, 15 Jan 2020 22:36:56 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8079 at /oss /oss/article/health/under-microscope-eyelashes <p><img height="2819" width="2819" style="width: 600px; height: 600px;" class="file-original " src="/oss/files/oss/1_3.jpg" alt="" /></p> Mon, 08 Apr 2019 18:24:16 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7702 at /oss /oss/article/health/cholesterol-cosmetics <p>Many cosmetics, ranging from lipstick to moisturizing creams, contain ingredients referred to as emollients whose main purpose is to keep the skin hydrated and prevent moisture in the skin from evaporating. This loss of water is responsible for reducing the suppleness and smoothness of skin leaving a dry, scaly texture. Emollients are chemicals that coat the skin and prevent moisture from passing through. Oils are very effective emollients but their slippery feel is undesirable.</p> Wed, 13 Mar 2019 14:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7645 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/eggplants-contain-nicotine <p>Eggplant seeds (and they have many) <a href="http://www.latimes.com/sns-dailymeal-1813110-healthy-eating-eggplant-contains-nicotine-it-addictive-20170925-story.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">contain nicotinoid alkaloids</a>, which are responsible for the slightly bitter taste of the purple <a href="/oss/article/did-you-know/bananas-are-berries-raspberries-are-not" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">berry</a>. The concentration of nicotine itself is about 100 nanograms per gram of eggplant, compared with 2 milligrams of nicotine per cigarette.</p> Thu, 08 Feb 2018 15:18:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD and Ada McVean, OSS Intern 6918 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know/did-you-know-you-should-apply-lip-balm-your-lips-get-chapped <p>Lip balms are not designed to repair your skin. Instead, their emollient properties create a barrier between your thin, vulnerable lips and the surrounding air. Skin becomes dry when water in its upper epidermal layers evaporates; this is enhanced when the air is particularly dry as on a cold day. Since the skin on our lips is four times thinner than elsewhere and lacks protective sweat and oil glands, it is more vulnerable to moisture loss than anywhere else.</p> Wed, 17 Jan 2018 04:10:43 +0000 Cassandra Lee, OSS Intern 6890 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/do-activated-charcoal-face-masks-actually-work <p>They are being talked about all over the Internet as a way of clarifying the skin and removing “toxins", but is there any science to back up the use of charcoal face masks?</p> Tue, 02 Jan 2018 16:49:47 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 6858 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/goat-poop-your-hair <p>Unless you’re familiar with Moroccan traditions, or are in the habit of frequenting trendy hair salons, chances are that argan oil has escaped your attention. Argan is a tree that grows in only one specific region of Morocco and produces a fruit that resembles a large olive. Stripping away the fleshy outside layer exposes a nut that can be dried and cracked open to reveal several kernels. Traditionally these have been roasted, mashed and squeezed to yield an oil with a nutty flavor. The residue is rich in protein and is used as animal feed.</p> Mon, 07 Aug 2017 14:28:09 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2591 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/sulfates-shampoo <p><span>As someone who likes to routinely dye my hair bright pinks, blues and purples, I’m often told by my hairdresser to use sulfate free shampoos. He often talks to me about how multiple bleachings and dying's will leave my hair damaged and brittle, and how sulfate free shampoo will be gentler, both on my damaged hair and on the colour. It seems like every time I take a shower it occurs to me to look into why that is, and whether or not it’s true, but somehow by the time I’m dry, dressed and sitting at the computer I’ve forgotten again.</span></p> Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:03:56 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2558 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/why-do-tattoos-stay-our-skin <p>Our bodies are pretty good at ridding themselves of unwanted invaders, so why is it that we are able to inject ink into them, and have it stay? Over time, molecules are broken down by white blood cells and transported away. This does occur with dye molecules (that's part of why new tattoos fade quickly at first), but most of the dye molecules are too big to be picked up by white blood cells. Unable to get rid of them, the body sequesters the dyes into fibroblast cells, where it hangs out basically indefinitely.</p> Mon, 22 May 2017 15:57:57 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 2474 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/dimethicone-copolyol-mascara <p>On hot, humid summer days many women rely on waterproof mascara to keep their lashes soft and smooth.  The main chemical responsible for smoothing the lashes is a type of silicone polymer known as dimethicone copolyol . This chemical adheres firmly to the lashes and repels water. In rare cases waterproof mascara can cause acne, skin irritation and eyelid dermatitis. Dimethicone copolyol is also added to deodorants to make the product spread more smoothly and is included in shampoos to add body and shine to hair.</p> Mon, 22 May 2017 15:31:55 +0000 OSS 2468 at /oss /oss/article/cancer-controversial-science-cosmetics-health-news-quackery-toxicity/joe-schwarczs-right-chemistry-paraben-phobia-unjustified <div> <h2 style="text-align:justify"> </h2> </div> Mon, 25 Aug 2014 04:39:23 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2185 at /oss /oss/article/aging-controversial-science-cosmetics-health-news/comanecis-cosmetics-claims-are-bit-stretch <p>Some memories remain indelibly etched in one’s mind. Like cheering in the Montreal Forum during the 1976 Olympics as Nadia Comaneci earned the first-ever perfect score in gymnastics. The total of seven perfect 10s she would eventually receive allowed her to rival Count Dracula as Romania’s most famous citizen. It also catapulted Nadia into several careers, including being a spokesperson for a line of cosmetics produced by the Gerovital Company.</p> Mon, 17 Mar 2014 05:47:18 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2114 at /oss