If anyone is wondering what my personal approach is: I'm still using the sunscreens I've been using, some of which do contain homosalate and 4-MBC. Over the last few years I've been wearing more protective clothing for outdoor activities, not because of sunscreen safety issues but because I tend to rush reapplication sometimes and miss spots - it does have the side benefit of reducing sunscreen exposure though! (Also more time for snacks during hiking breaks...) When recommending body sunscreens to my friends who are pregnant or are looking for sunscreens for their toddlers, I mention the new EU limits and that it's probably not a huge concern but in case they wanted to be more cautious. Unfortunately even in Australia where the newer filters are available, there's only one widely stocked sunscreen "for kids" I've found that follows them in Australia and it's pricey - from Avene.
Dave A 0 seconds ago I live in a suburb of Chicago here in the USA. I buy two brands of healthy zinc-based sunscreen at Wholefoods. You should try getting your product on the shelf at Wholefoods so I can compare ingredients and price with the two healthy brands I usually buy.
@@raraavis7782 I think this is something we don't understand enough. These regulations help people have less on their plate to worry about and THAT is invaluable. It's nice to not have to test my bought drinks for lead or my bought food for fecal matter because I know our regulations make it much less likely we will get a harmful amount of those things in our foods. Will we get some? Yes. But we got more in the past without regulation...we had formaldehyde in milk because it was a cheaper preservative despite being unsafe to eat.
@@ZentaBon I sell certain chemical products and I use "it's legal here in Belgium so no, it's not going to be dangerous if used appropriately" as an argument to set people at ease. Most feel a bit silly asking me if it's safe after I tell them that. And yea, I can't imagine living in the US and just having so much more things to worry about compared to over here.
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience oh don't worry, happens all the time here. even german Aldi sells electric flyswatters that technically would even need like official testing to make sure you can't easily abuse them as a taser etc, after simply sticking on a piece of label paper saying "CE" in times new roman (not even trying to look like the actual CE logo of course).
I am personnally pregnant with a rat foetus and am very offended. I am concerned about the health of my rat foetus's creepy eylash worms. That is why i only apply coconut oil before tanning.
I think finding a broad spectrum sunscreen that you like is the most important, no matter which country it is from. This ensures that we like wearing it and will reapply it. American sunscreens usually cause a burning sensation in my eyes but for people who get along with it, there is no reason to switch!
I wear mineral sunscreens on my face, and chemical body sunscreens without oxybenzone and octinoxate on my body. American sunscreens are increasingly leaving out oxybenzone and octinoxate anyway, and leaning on the other four approved chemicals filters.
There are American sunscreens that won't irritate you eyes. Ufortunately, they're mostly sunscreens for babies or children. Look for "sting-free sunscreen.
Thanks so much for making videos like this! In the online echo chamber of skinfluencers w/o formal scientific or medical backgrounds fearmongering left and right, you are a breath of fresh air
Here in the US, sunscreen fearmongering = EWG. Seeing the EWG described as a consumer advocacy group infuriates me; they're a lobbyist for, and have a financial interest in, the organic industry.
@@ritarai2363 yeah that's basically bribery. Pusses me in off what green/clean beauty has become. They seemed like they were trailblazers in the early 2000s when people wanted organic options. Now they are industry behemoths pushing fear. 😔
@@Iquey The whole organic beauty thing is utter nonsense bc organic certification is for food, textiles, their producers and some retailers. Yes, beauty products can receive the certified organic label but that only means the ingredients, of which only agricultural qualify, meet the USDA requirements. Since nobody is eating beauty products, touting ingredients as organic or food grade is meaningless marketing nonsense. "Clean" beauty as a whole is a marketing tactic used to shame people, mostly women, into buying overpriced products because if they're not buying clean, they must be buying dirty, and that means they don't care about themselves.
Wow, this was incredibly well explained! I suddenly found myself weirdly fascinated by a piece of EU bureaucracy -something that I usually find fatally boring even though I live in the EU. Thank you!
Yes! It's amazing how skewed the public opinion polls in Australia have been - I stand by my hypothesis that clean beauty has probably killed people here with sunscreen avoidance.
@Mae Well, as the video is about the EU and the USA, I can say that the EU sunscreen does not. At least not on my skin, maybe it differs, I don't know.
@@amandak.4246 there's price, there's cosmesis, there's availability. Sometimes you need to choose between a good way to prevent skin cancer and remaining to be stupid following ignorance and health fearmongering.
Thank you so much Mo! I can understand why consumers skip the details, but when people are claiming to have read them and are talking about them on a platform, and their conclusion is different from that of relevant experts, you'd hope they'd rethink their approach...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience of course it was fun 🤗, totally understand how frustrating that is, people might consider it sassy or condescending when the phrase "stay in your lane" pops up but if everyone stick to that rule we would be in a much better place ❤️.
I watch your channel not only to learn about skincare but also to learn scientific communication strategies. I'm a neuroscientist, and I do talks, so it's interesting to see how you use humor and metaphors to convey information and which scientific methods you decide to explain more and which ones you don't. You are to be congratulated. Your work is outstanding! You are amazing!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! As an aesthetician with a dad who was a neuroscience researcher, I am SO over having to explain this stuff to clients and even coworkers 800x a day. The fear mongering and anti science BS spewed by companies and the likes of the EWG is infuriating . I'm going to direct people to this video instead of pulling my hair out on the daily.
I've been really enjoying your new video format with more of the skits! Thanks for all the hard work you put into these while keeping them educational. 😊
I'm currently learning toxicology in this semester and it's so fascinating learning how those theories played out in real life, especially in sunscreens. Great video as always!
amazing video. Thank you so much Michelle for the explanation, as a pharmacy student I really appreciate it! I see all the time on TikTok these influencers, or even worse, people that work in the cosmetics industry, talk about 'toxic' chemicals without a proper education on the topic, but even worse they don't listen to actual experts such as yourself nor do they try to actually understand what they are saying, instead just repeating headlines which just feeds into the fear mongering
By the way, could you please make a video on using oils on hair- chemical composition of different oils, possible effects etc.? I'm really interested in incorporating them bc of some of the supposed benefits but I'm quite skeptical bc I have a really oily scalp, and also wondering if the ingredients can actually penetrate into the shaft and through the scalp epidermis
Thank you! I completely agree, it's so disappointing when people who should know better spread fearmongering - it does seem to do well on TikTok though... Not sure I have much to say on hair oils, and a lot of hair people are very combative about it, but this article might help: labmuffin.com/why-coconut-oil-is-the-best-hair-oil-and-how-to-use-it/
Yes, either regurgitating headlines or cherry-picking 1-2 sentences from a study that seem to prove a new “bombshell” piece of information. We are losing our ability to think critically! Thank you, Michelle, for keeping us informed.
Thanks to recent videos of yours, I retried a Japanese chemical sunscreen that I thought irritated my skin when I used it several years ago. I love using it so much. I had retried an American chemical sunscreen, which really irritated my face the second time, so I just used mineral sunscreens, which aren’t comfortable for me. I wouldn’t have been brave enough, if it weren’t for your videos.
I normally like the EU approach in almost anything. I'm Italian. Because I find that America (it could be just me that thinks that) is much more lenient with their ingredients and laws around them. While the EU always hits hard on laws and stuff and will severely punish people who try to evade the law. So it's in a way more credible. One thing I do is I buy sunscreen at a pharmacy so I make sure to get an okay brand. I've tried laroche posay, avene, arval and currently use the bionike or ecran (which is a cheaper brand but I love the mister). To be fully honest I only wear sunscreen when I'm sunbathing. And on the daily I wear my elf holy hydration moisturizer with spf 30 and I love it. I live in a big city with little sun exposure.
I think the best thing about EU laws is the punishment system, it's percent based of the international revenue of the company. Usually 10% of international revenue, if you are a repeat offender the percentage will grow.
I agree. To some extent. The EU regulations sometimes also halt science. Like with GMO, that is known to be safe. There no reason for it not to be. Alternatives like blasting plants with radiation and then breeding is allowed, as it is just sped up natural processes. But you cannot make a single change in the lab. Because it needs to not change. Plants do. You are allowed to do essentially the same thing, with loads of sequencing. A hell lot of plants. And at least 30 grow cycles, for something we could achieve with like 2 while using gmo, also a lot less trash plants. That also goes for microorganisms. Its insanely difficult to be allow to modify them, and then produce something commercially. Because you have to insure no changes overtime. Which is impossible. And reach registration can also harm innovation to a greener more sustainable world. As everything needs to be registered, and that costs loads of money. It can be proven to be safe, no reason it is not. But to produce x amount, you need to pay, and then also produce x amount. If you don't, you lose registration. I have seen this problem with say biobased components. Oh yeah part of the molecule is from fermentation. The other is not, but that group is present in so many products of that class, no way it is harmful, easily biodegraded, to non harmful components as well. Only thing is that you probably wouldn't want to drink it or bathe in it, used to have registration. The companies looking to implement that component need time and testing to see if it works. In the meantime the producer has the registration. The companies that would by it can get close to wanting to buy tonnes of it. Tests can take a while. But the producer doesn't sell enough so stops producing it. Causing only the oil based, widely used components to be available. Halting innovation towards a greener world because of registration and beaurocracy, while it doesn't provide any consumer safety or benefit.
@@dutchik5107 Well. GMO plants can be a hazard to biodiversity. The precaution is needed. I agree some groups have been successful in lobbying the EU against GMO seeds for agriculture, but there's a risk if those organisms aren't properly created and used. And fyi. I've made a internship in a public research center here in Spain. And the people I worked with used gmo cyanobacteria that they designed themselves and I can't say they had restrictions beyond making sure to sterilize everything prior to throw it in the trash can.
@@Paulxl it wasn't an msII lab? Most of the regulation is from checks. And just permission forms to do anything. I'm also talking about gmo plants mostly. Like you cannot get a gene from a plant in the same family even. You can also fuck up with crossing. It doesn't have to be shit that would make it more likely to be invasive. Shit is more likely to be build in like, needs this specefic nutrient, cannot produce it on its own. Application that would be most to make some sort of resistance is say saving the fucking banana trees, as they are infested with a pest since it is a mono culture. Already cannot spread on their own. The most gmo we can do. Is for educational and research purposes. Like universities. Where you interned at, that was one such places. Cannot be commercialised. I've also been in such a lab. And yeah it seems like it's quite lax. You need to be sterile anyways. But you need to write all gmo shit on a list. Mark everything that is gmo clearly. Write it on a list to throw it closed into the autoclave bin (as opposed to just taping your plate shut and throwing it in).
Very good video indeed! I work as a safety assessor in the EU and took the SCCS course for making safety assessments. Really good info. It pains me to know that a lot of my colleagues in the field still use a very antiquated approach to most safety assessments for cosmetic products... That is either only reading conclusions of CIR-reports (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) that are sometimes over 20 years old, without checking if there have been new studies or not... or they say "it was used since the beginning of mankind, what could go wrong" (I'm exaggerating). Hopefully we'll one day get a specialized agency or task-force to enforce the Cosmetics Regulation... Every nation in the EU does it differently.
I definitely appreciate your videos! As a ginger with small fair children I definitely want to be as safe as possible with our sun care! It's hard to be well informed with all of the confusing information out there
13:10 that's actually a good point though: a lot of people *do* eat rat poison. as a medicine (e.g. marcumar to prevent blood clots in humans / alternatively used to bleed rats to death). exactly because the exposure is the most important part in a lot of cases, just like too much too pure water would make you sick due to osmosis running wild.
Oh, I like you. Doing your due diligence in research and consulting professionals of subject-related field, and presenting in a layman friendly, yet factual manner.
Your videos are the reason I finally moved away from a zinc oxide based sunscreen. It wasn't working the way I thought it would, and honestly I was so sick of trying to mix it with a foundation so it doesn't wash me out!
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience I used it because I was always told it reflected the sunlight, and didn't absorb it like the others. As a redhead with redheaded children I definitely prefer to keep the sun off of us, and that's why I used it! We invested in long sleeve sun shirts with hoods this year for the kids and that has been a game changer!
Ah, the things we have to worry about these days. Or not, living in the EU. Thanks for providing the necessary information, to make an 'informed decision' on this issue in such an easy to understand way 👍
As someone who grew up with pet rabbits, I'll confirm they can definitely be hazards! Those teeth are sharp - they're not pointy, but the edges will break the skin! Also, they are prey animals and even the most well-sociallized bunny can freak out if somebody like coughs energetically three rooms away. I mean, it doesn't change your point, but just for the record :)
Haha yes! I had a friend who lived with a really aggressive rabbit for a while that used to try to bite her, and it kept destroying electrical cords too... definitely less benign than people give them credit for, but I also couldn't think of a less "harmless" seeming animal to use as an example. Maybe I should've gone for a goldfish or a snail...
The only criticism I have of this video that the recommendation that a conversation with a doctor would help clarify advice. Most doctors are going to be insufficiently education on these particulars to be good advisors. An individual doctor that is not a specialist is overwhelmed with things to know and continue to learn. I have personally had to bring studies, and other data to GPs to build awareness of a specific condition or treatment, and they were not aware prior and the info was useful. Everyone is overwhelmed with the day to day, so don't over index on opinions that are not getting significant effort/attention.
Could you talk about spf lipbalms, and their safety? Obviously one eats some of it cause it's right around the mouth soooo I was wondering if it's taken into consideration by formulators
I'm hoping to try out some more SPF lip balms over the Australian summer so I can give some recommendations! But in short yes, it should be taken into account if it's a reputable brand using experienced formulators - they should be following the guidelines from the ingredient manufacturers, which would be based on the conclusions of toxicological safety assessments that take oral exposure into account.
This was super informative and very well scripted. Despite it being specifically directed at the EU, it's something that can be taken away in general when applying to everyday research. Thanks for increasing my brain cells, Michelle :)
I work for the EU (not involved with chemicals, note, but it is a small family). Just thanks for this recognition of my colleagues' work. Normally people just refers to us for complaining. Your clear explanation of how decisions are taken based on rational criteria seeking to improve people's lives almost moved me to tears!
I find it kind of crazy how extremely cautious the EU is about safety of consumer products, while lax regulations and enforcement of noise and air pollution causes massive damage to millions.
This was outstanding! I've relied on your logic and insights since 2015, and I always love the moments of humor. This time, I started laughing immediately and then laughed even harder when "foreshadowing" wafted through my headphones. Thanks for always putting things "in context." Wish I could clone you. :)
Glad I lookout for physical based sunscreens. I just personally never understood how wearing a sunscreen that still feels like getting a sunburn and is difficult to tell when worn off. Ps I'm part Irish, the sun is my nemesis
I’m fair skinned, I wear big hats and UV shirts/wraps all summer. Coolibar and Landsend both have good uv clothes and I buy hats on vacation. I’ve got my Italy hat, my NYC hat, my Beijing hat, my Sonoma hat. It’s so fun remembering those vacations while also protecting my skin.
First and only video of yours I've watched at time of posting. Enjoyed the jokes, and the video/audio presentation and appreciate the information. Read the video description too and you note you have a PhD, You are now Dr. Muffin to me :) Also this video reminded me I need to get new sunscreen for summer this year, it's a Week away and 12-13 on the UV index will burn holes right through me. Last season there were a couple of days below 40C which was nice but the UV rating was breaking the scale and mere seconds of exposure to direct sunlight was painful to exposed skin. Also also is that an Australian accent I hear?
I live in the EU and know about those discussion. Thats why I haven't used american sunscreens or sunscreens with the mentioned 7 filter for years. Maybe I am to careful, but why risk it, when there are other filters that are considered safer (for the moment at least)?
hey lab muffin, could u make videos about peptides? i really want to learn about their absorbtion topically, what can we mix them with, etc. it'd be a great subject, couldnt find it on your channel.
I know from experience that peptides (especially the small oligopeptides which mimic snake poison or the likes) are a pain to assess since there's not a whole lot of data... I mostly can't assess a lot of products with new peptides as safe because of missing data. At least in the EU I can't because animal experiments on purely cosmetic ingredients are forbidden... if you're in the EU best don't use newly developed peptides until there are better ways to simulate systemic toxicity data.
This was so educational! Thank you! Another idea I had while hearing your suggestions is that you could use various sunscreens with different active ingredients, lowering your exposure to each individual one. That way, if one of them turns out to be hazardous, your exposure to it is low.
Very, very good explanation! I'm more familiar with doing the number crunching on risk by exposure as population scientist, and your explanation of what is behind our work is really, really good! I would usually go the other way and look at outcomes and exposers. That works well for environmental risks such as pollutants in an area, but what you show is the opposite approach, and I really liked it! Kudos!
The start of this video had me CACKLING. Adore your videos, I truly only listen to my dermatologist and your UA-cam channel for skin health information :)
It pisses me off to no end when people take studies that show _significant effects_ and then report that they have _impactful effects._ No. If a gel has been significantly shown to increase hair growth... it might mean that 99.5% of study participants saw an additional 1mm of hair growth per year. It isn't worth buying.
Very interesting, thank you for all your research! I have a question: Would you say using body sunscreen on the face is ok (and vice versa)? I suppose the only concern here is the actual SPF (and UVA protection) and not the individual ingredients and their percentage. I fear the UVA protection of body sunscreens might drop because of these new limits (but still remain above 1/3 of the spf of course).
I loved every second of this video. Chemicals sunscreens (even for sensitive skin) cause my eyes a burning sensation, and my face tends to feel more heat and itching, even with mineral sunscreens with salicylates in the “inactive” ingredients list. I’m with US sunscreens, I don’t know why the EU mineral tinted ones I try are too orange or rose. Actually the best for my needs is TiZO3 tinted (10 years using it) and TiZO AM Replenish spf 40 tinted. It’s funny how for my body (beach or all day outdoors) chemical sunscreens work great.
Hi I'm thinking you could settle this for me, dose octocrylene cause any free radicals or damage to the skin? Because I keep reading this and so I'm avoiding this ingredient, people also say that you can prevent the free radicals by applying an antioxidant underneath octocrylene, I'm hoping you could tell me if any of this is true or not? I really do not want to worry if all this is just fear mongering... Thank you.
im in the U.S and not going to change anything about how and what sunscreens I use. I wish the U.S would approve more filters and maybe this might MIGHT get them to do so.
God, I love this video and I love you Michelle. ❤️ This was a much needed informative skin talk. There is so much debate and discussion about sunscreens. I love how you ended this video that the system is not broken, it only means that it is working. Thank you sonmucb for your open minded, funny, witty, nerdy approach and videos! We need more of this. 😍🥺
I always use physical sunscreens, as I heard it's better for darker skin tones to reduce risk of hyperpigmentation, but some of mine are hybrid. I never use pure chemical sunscreens, but I do like chemical only on my body. I live in the UK so there are tons of sunscreens here and most don't have white casts anymore like before, even the cheap Nivea and Garnier ones I have
I live in a suburb of Chicago here in the USA. I buy two brands of healthy zinc-based sunscreen at Wholefoods. You should try getting your product on the shelf at Wholefoods so I can compare ingredients and price with the two healthy brands I usually buy.
I can't comment on the chemistry of it all but as someone who works in the institutions I wish our citizens were a bit more aware of how transparent we actually are, with the documentations available to read and sources to trace. Instead the media vilify our working methods leading to the often unfair stereotype of bureaucratic EU detached from reality. Which in turn leads to the rise of euroscepticism so convenient for European far right. Or tragedies like Brexit. As much as we can improve our functioning (there's always way to improve) disinformation and misinformation about EU is just dangerous for its citizens. Sorry for the off topic rambling. Loved the video!
If I pat off sunscreen shine from my skin, does that take the SPF off? I'm using Biore UV Watery Essence and no matter what I apply prior to it, even being very minimal, I get lots of shine if I apply 1/4 teaspoon.
It was proposed that they would be removed from the sunscreen monograph in 2019, and the proposals were meant to be finalised in Dec 2021... and it still hasn't happened! The list is a direct screenshot of the current monograph: dps.fda.gov/omuf/monographsearch/monograph_m020
I know this is a niche video idea but can you please do a Roundup of Australian sunscreen (kids please) I love the large format of the cancer councils paediatric sunscreen for myself.. I can't stand these expensive brands and their tiny bottles
It sounds like the relevant scientists err very much on the side of caution. When science suggests avoid at all costs is avoid. If they say it’s safe, it’s safer than it has to be!
so they’ve lowered the percentages to a third of their actual findings…won’t it reduce effectiveness significantly to a point that using the alternative [physical sunscreen] would be the efficient choice
If anyone is wondering what my personal approach is:
I'm still using the sunscreens I've been using, some of which do contain homosalate and 4-MBC. Over the last few years I've been wearing more protective clothing for outdoor activities, not because of sunscreen safety issues but because I tend to rush reapplication sometimes and miss spots - it does have the side benefit of reducing sunscreen exposure though! (Also more time for snacks during hiking breaks...)
When recommending body sunscreens to my friends who are pregnant or are looking for sunscreens for their toddlers, I mention the new EU limits and that it's probably not a huge concern but in case they wanted to be more cautious. Unfortunately even in Australia where the newer filters are available, there's only one widely stocked sunscreen "for kids" I've found that follows them in Australia and it's pricey - from Avene.
May i ask wich one from
Avene? Thank You
Cetaphil Sun Kids SPF50+ Liposomal Lotion doesn't contain any homosalate, octinoxate, or 4-mbc either!
Does Missha and Blue Lizard have the bad ingredients?
Dave A
0 seconds ago
I live in a suburb of Chicago here in the USA. I buy two brands of healthy zinc-based sunscreen at Wholefoods. You should try getting your product on the shelf at Wholefoods so I can compare ingredients and price with the two healthy brands I usually buy.
@@rubysresource Also no fragrance unlike the Avene!
"You should choose for yourself whether you want products that follow EU standards"
Me, literally living in EU: that's something I should consider yes
Haha yes! Products that break the legal guidelines in the country where they're sold are a massive red flag IMO
One problem less, to worry about 😅
@@raraavis7782 I think this is something we don't understand enough. These regulations help people have less on their plate to worry about and THAT is invaluable. It's nice to not have to test my bought drinks for lead or my bought food for fecal matter because I know our regulations make it much less likely we will get a harmful amount of those things in our foods. Will we get some? Yes. But we got more in the past without regulation...we had formaldehyde in milk because it was a cheaper preservative despite being unsafe to eat.
@@ZentaBon I sell certain chemical products and I use "it's legal here in Belgium so no, it's not going to be dangerous if used appropriately" as an argument to set people at ease.
Most feel a bit silly asking me if it's safe after I tell them that.
And yea, I can't imagine living in the US and just having so much more things to worry about compared to over here.
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience oh don't worry, happens all the time here. even german Aldi sells electric flyswatters that technically would even need like official testing to make sure you can't easily abuse them as a taser etc, after simply sticking on a piece of label paper saying "CE" in times new roman (not even trying to look like the actual CE logo of course).
I am personnally pregnant with a rat foetus and am very offended. I am concerned about the health of my rat foetus's creepy eylash worms. That is why i only apply coconut oil before tanning.
Lmao👽
Underrated comment! 🤣🤣🤣
😂😂😂
I think finding a broad spectrum sunscreen that you like is the most important, no matter which country it is from. This ensures that we like wearing it and will reapply it. American sunscreens usually cause a burning sensation in my eyes but for people who get along with it, there is no reason to switch!
Agreed!
I wear mineral sunscreens on my face, and chemical body sunscreens without oxybenzone and octinoxate on my body. American sunscreens are increasingly leaving out oxybenzone and octinoxate anyway, and leaning on the other four approved chemicals filters.
There are American sunscreens that won't irritate you eyes. Ufortunately, they're mostly sunscreens for babies or children. Look for "sting-free sunscreen.
@@someonerandom256 What brands do you use? I've been using Korean Missha, but am thinking of switching to blue lizard spf stick.
I avoid putting sunscreen on my eyelids and use sunglasses instead.
Thanks so much for making videos like this! In the online echo chamber of skinfluencers w/o formal scientific or medical backgrounds fearmongering left and right, you are a breath of fresh air
Thank you!
Here in the US, sunscreen fearmongering = EWG. Seeing the EWG described as a consumer advocacy group infuriates me; they're a lobbyist for, and have a financial interest in, the organic industry.
And companies literally buy their approval 😂
@@ritarai2363 yeah that's basically bribery. Pusses me in off what green/clean beauty has become. They seemed like they were trailblazers in the early 2000s when people wanted organic options. Now they are industry behemoths pushing fear. 😔
Same for the green, renewable, carbon neutral, save the winter, POW, stop the climate, nonsense.
@@Iquey The whole organic beauty thing is utter nonsense bc organic certification is for food, textiles, their producers and some retailers. Yes, beauty products can receive the certified organic label but that only means the ingredients, of which only agricultural qualify, meet the USDA requirements. Since nobody is eating beauty products, touting ingredients as organic or food grade is meaningless marketing nonsense. "Clean" beauty as a whole is a marketing tactic used to shame people, mostly women, into buying overpriced products because if they're not buying clean, they must be buying dirty, and that means they don't care about themselves.
Oh no, I've been following EWG... ugh
Wow, this was incredibly well explained! I suddenly found myself weirdly fascinated by a piece of EU bureaucracy -something that I usually find fatally boring even though I live in the EU. Thank you!
Thank you! I'm glad you found it useful ☺
Fabulous video….I use Australian sunscreens and skin cancer is more of a concern to me than the risk of using sunscreen.
Yes! It's amazing how skewed the public opinion polls in Australia have been - I stand by my hypothesis that clean beauty has probably killed people here with sunscreen avoidance.
What Aussie sunscreens do you wear? I feel like it’s hard to find them online in the US
@Mae Well, as the video is about the EU and the USA, I can say that the EU sunscreen does not. At least not on my skin, maybe it differs, I don't know.
Yes, but why choose? You can have both.
@@amandak.4246 there's price, there's cosmesis, there's availability. Sometimes you need to choose between a good way to prevent skin cancer and remaining to be stupid following ignorance and health fearmongering.
It was a pleasure Michelle ❤️, i hate when people read only the conclusion of SCCS reports while a lot of information is included in the reports 👌
Amazing work , both of you ! 🙌👏😊🇬🇧🌈
@@johncheffy4775 awww thank you 🥺 but Michelle did the heavy lifting for this one ❤️
Thank you so much Mo! I can understand why consumers skip the details, but when people are claiming to have read them and are talking about them on a platform, and their conclusion is different from that of relevant experts, you'd hope they'd rethink their approach...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience of course it was fun 🤗, totally understand how frustrating that is, people might consider it sassy or condescending when the phrase "stay in your lane" pops up but if everyone stick to that rule we would be in a much better place ❤️.
Ahhh it's SCCS! That makes sense.. I thought the agency had inadvertantly called itself SECS, and I was snickering every time
I’m an industrial hygienist. Thank you for using common sense risk analysis.
No fearmongering here.
Thank you! I think if maths was taught more effectively at school, hazard-based scare marketing wouldn't be as successful...
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience Agreed. Also, less “clean beauty” and conspiracy theories spewing pseudoscience.
I watch your channel not only to learn about skincare but also to learn scientific communication strategies. I'm a neuroscientist, and I do talks, so it's interesting to see how you use humor and metaphors to convey information and which scientific methods you decide to explain more and which ones you don't. You are to be congratulated. Your work is outstanding! You are amazing!!
Thank you so much, I put a lot of effort into the science communication part and it's really nice to hear that it's appreciated!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! As an aesthetician with a dad who was a neuroscience researcher, I am SO over having to explain this stuff to clients and even coworkers 800x a day. The fear mongering and anti science BS spewed by companies and the likes of the EWG is infuriating . I'm going to direct people to this video instead of pulling my hair out on the daily.
I've been really enjoying your new video format with more of the skits! Thanks for all the hard work you put into these while keeping them educational. 😊
Thank you! To be honest a lot of it is inspired by a need to procrastinate 😅
I'm currently learning toxicology in this semester and it's so fascinating learning how those theories played out in real life, especially in sunscreens. Great video as always!
Thank you!
amazing video. Thank you so much Michelle for the explanation, as a pharmacy student I really appreciate it! I see all the time on TikTok these influencers, or even worse, people that work in the cosmetics industry, talk about 'toxic' chemicals without a proper education on the topic, but even worse they don't listen to actual experts such as yourself nor do they try to actually understand what they are saying, instead just repeating headlines which just feeds into the fear mongering
By the way, could you please make a video on using oils on hair- chemical composition of different oils, possible effects etc.? I'm really interested in incorporating them bc of some of the supposed benefits but I'm quite skeptical bc I have a really oily scalp, and also wondering if the ingredients can actually penetrate into the shaft and through the scalp epidermis
Thank you! I completely agree, it's so disappointing when people who should know better spread fearmongering - it does seem to do well on TikTok though...
Not sure I have much to say on hair oils, and a lot of hair people are very combative about it, but this article might help: labmuffin.com/why-coconut-oil-is-the-best-hair-oil-and-how-to-use-it/
Yes, either regurgitating headlines or cherry-picking 1-2 sentences from a study that seem to prove a new “bombshell” piece of information. We are losing our ability to think critically! Thank you, Michelle, for keeping us informed.
This is literally the skin/beauty most informative video of 2022. So well scripted and simply explained. 👏👏👏
Thank you so much!
I'm a librarian and I appreciate how you work to dispell misinformation
Thanks to recent videos of yours, I retried a Japanese chemical sunscreen that I thought irritated my skin when I used it several years ago. I love using it so much. I had retried an American chemical sunscreen, which really irritated my face the second time, so I just used mineral sunscreens, which aren’t comfortable for me. I wouldn’t have been brave enough, if it weren’t for your videos.
That's so great to hear! Japanese sunscreens are really lovely, and they're really diligent about updating them!
I normally like the EU approach in almost anything. I'm Italian. Because I find that America (it could be just me that thinks that) is much more lenient with their ingredients and laws around them. While the EU always hits hard on laws and stuff and will severely punish people who try to evade the law. So it's in a way more credible. One thing I do is I buy sunscreen at a pharmacy so I make sure to get an okay brand. I've tried laroche posay, avene, arval and currently use the bionike or ecran (which is a cheaper brand but I love the mister). To be fully honest I only wear sunscreen when I'm sunbathing. And on the daily I wear my elf holy hydration moisturizer with spf 30 and I love it. I live in a big city with little sun exposure.
I think the best thing about EU laws is the punishment system, it's percent based of the international revenue of the company. Usually 10% of international revenue, if you are a repeat offender the percentage will grow.
I agree. To some extent.
The EU regulations sometimes also halt science.
Like with GMO, that is known to be safe. There no reason for it not to be. Alternatives like blasting plants with radiation and then breeding is allowed, as it is just sped up natural processes. But you cannot make a single change in the lab.
Because it needs to not change. Plants do.
You are allowed to do essentially the same thing, with loads of sequencing. A hell lot of plants. And at least 30 grow cycles, for something we could achieve with like 2 while using gmo, also a lot less trash plants.
That also goes for microorganisms. Its insanely difficult to be allow to modify them, and then produce something commercially. Because you have to insure no changes overtime. Which is impossible.
And reach registration can also harm innovation to a greener more sustainable world.
As everything needs to be registered, and that costs loads of money. It can be proven to be safe, no reason it is not. But to produce x amount, you need to pay, and then also produce x amount. If you don't, you lose registration.
I have seen this problem with say biobased components. Oh yeah part of the molecule is from fermentation. The other is not, but that group is present in so many products of that class, no way it is harmful, easily biodegraded, to non harmful components as well. Only thing is that you probably wouldn't want to drink it or bathe in it, used to have registration.
The companies looking to implement that component need time and testing to see if it works. In the meantime the producer has the registration. The companies that would by it can get close to wanting to buy tonnes of it. Tests can take a while. But the producer doesn't sell enough so stops producing it.
Causing only the oil based, widely used components to be available. Halting innovation towards a greener world because of registration and beaurocracy, while it doesn't provide any consumer safety or benefit.
The US ends up having more health problem issues than the EU. And I don't think it's even close.
@@dutchik5107 Well. GMO plants can be a hazard to biodiversity. The precaution is needed. I agree some groups have been successful in lobbying the EU against GMO seeds for agriculture, but there's a risk if those organisms aren't properly created and used. And fyi. I've made a internship in a public research center here in Spain. And the people I worked with used gmo cyanobacteria that they designed themselves and I can't say they had restrictions beyond making sure to sterilize everything prior to throw it in the trash can.
@@Paulxl it wasn't an msII lab?
Most of the regulation is from checks. And just permission forms to do anything.
I'm also talking about gmo plants mostly.
Like you cannot get a gene from a plant in the same family even.
You can also fuck up with crossing.
It doesn't have to be shit that would make it more likely to be invasive. Shit is more likely to be build in like, needs this specefic nutrient, cannot produce it on its own.
Application that would be most to make some sort of resistance is say saving the fucking banana trees, as they are infested with a pest since it is a mono culture. Already cannot spread on their own.
The most gmo we can do. Is for educational and research purposes. Like universities. Where you interned at, that was one such places. Cannot be commercialised. I've also been in such a lab. And yeah it seems like it's quite lax. You need to be sterile anyways. But you need to write all gmo shit on a list. Mark everything that is gmo clearly. Write it on a list to throw it closed into the autoclave bin (as opposed to just taping your plate shut and throwing it in).
Very good video indeed! I work as a safety assessor in the EU and took the SCCS course for making safety assessments. Really good info. It pains me to know that a lot of my colleagues in the field still use a very antiquated approach to most safety assessments for cosmetic products... That is either only reading conclusions of CIR-reports (Cosmetic Ingredient Review) that are sometimes over 20 years old, without checking if there have been new studies or not... or they say "it was used since the beginning of mankind, what could go wrong" (I'm exaggerating). Hopefully we'll one day get a specialized agency or task-force to enforce the Cosmetics Regulation... Every nation in the EU does it differently.
Happened to be listening with a single earbud - that “foreshadowing” was GOLD! 🤜🏽 for under-appreciated editing!
I would love to see a video on lip products with spf (like spf lipsticks/ spf lip balms).
I definitely appreciate your videos! As a ginger with small fair children I definitely want to be as safe as possible with our sun care! It's hard to be well informed with all of the confusing information out there
13:10 that's actually a good point though: a lot of people *do* eat rat poison. as a medicine (e.g. marcumar to prevent blood clots in humans / alternatively used to bleed rats to death). exactly because the exposure is the most important part in a lot of cases, just like too much too pure water would make you sick due to osmosis running wild.
Oh, I like you. Doing your due diligence in research and consulting professionals of subject-related field, and presenting in a layman friendly, yet factual manner.
Your videos are the reason I finally moved away from a zinc oxide based sunscreen. It wasn't working the way I thought it would, and honestly I was so sick of trying to mix it with a foundation so it doesn't wash me out!
I'm so glad I could help! The zinc sunscreen marketing is really out of hand - it's a good option for some people, but definitely not for most!
@@LabMuffinBeautyScience I used it because I was always told it reflected the sunlight, and didn't absorb it like the others. As a redhead with redheaded children I definitely prefer to keep the sun off of us, and that's why I used it! We invested in long sleeve sun shirts with hoods this year for the kids and that has been a game changer!
Ah, the things we have to worry about these days. Or not, living in the EU.
Thanks for providing the necessary information, to make an 'informed decision' on this issue in such an easy to understand way 👍
As someone who grew up with pet rabbits, I'll confirm they can definitely be hazards! Those teeth are sharp - they're not pointy, but the edges will break the skin! Also, they are prey animals and even the most well-sociallized bunny can freak out if somebody like coughs energetically three rooms away.
I mean, it doesn't change your point, but just for the record :)
Haha yes! I had a friend who lived with a really aggressive rabbit for a while that used to try to bite her, and it kept destroying electrical cords too... definitely less benign than people give them credit for, but I also couldn't think of a less "harmless" seeming animal to use as an example. Maybe I should've gone for a goldfish or a snail...
The only criticism I have of this video that the recommendation that a conversation with a doctor would help clarify advice. Most doctors are going to be insufficiently education on these particulars to be good advisors. An individual doctor that is not a specialist is overwhelmed with things to know and continue to learn. I have personally had to bring studies, and other data to GPs to build awareness of a specific condition or treatment, and they were not aware prior and the info was useful. Everyone is overwhelmed with the day to day, so don't over index on opinions that are not getting significant effort/attention.
Could you talk about spf lipbalms, and their safety? Obviously one eats some of it cause it's right around the mouth soooo I was wondering if it's taken into consideration by formulators
I'm hoping to try out some more SPF lip balms over the Australian summer so I can give some recommendations! But in short yes, it should be taken into account if it's a reputable brand using experienced formulators - they should be following the guidelines from the ingredient manufacturers, which would be based on the conclusions of toxicological safety assessments that take oral exposure into account.
Я поэтому всегда покупаю спф с цинком. Химические фильтры такое себе жевать( плюс, они горькие 🫠
omg i cannot imagine the number of hours of research/reading you have to do in order to film this video. But thank you...
This was super informative and very well scripted. Despite it being specifically directed at the EU, it's something that can be taken away in general when applying to everyday research. Thanks for increasing my brain cells, Michelle :)
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊
I work for the EU (not involved with chemicals, note, but it is a small family). Just thanks for this recognition of my colleagues' work. Normally people just refers to us for complaining. Your clear explanation of how decisions are taken based on rational criteria seeking to improve people's lives almost moved me to tears!
So complex yet clearly explained! Well done.
Love these deep-dive videos to help clarify what is actually happening
I find it kind of crazy how extremely cautious the EU is about safety of consumer products, while lax regulations and enforcement of noise and air pollution causes massive damage to millions.
Could you do 2023 update on sunscreens with tne best and newest filters? A tag for those which would be the best for childern >2 would be a blast!:)
Your videos going in depth are amazing! Thanks for all the time you put in!
Thank you! I'm glad you found it useful ^_^
Can you talk about possible risks from UV exposure received through gel nail application?
This was outstanding! I've relied on your logic and insights since 2015, and I always love the moments of humor. This time, I started laughing immediately and then laughed even harder when "foreshadowing" wafted through my headphones. Thanks for always putting things "in context." Wish I could clone you. :)
Great video. I wish you had reminded folks that a lot of inactive ingredients are actually "active". That was another awesome video you did.
Good point, I should've probably mentioned that and how impractically strict regulations will encourage "workarounds"...
And thank you!
Glad I lookout for physical based sunscreens. I just personally never understood how wearing a sunscreen that still feels like getting a sunburn and is difficult to tell when worn off.
Ps I'm part Irish, the sun is my nemesis
I’m fair skinned, I wear big hats and UV shirts/wraps all summer. Coolibar and Landsend both have good uv clothes and I buy hats on vacation. I’ve got my Italy hat, my NYC hat, my Beijing hat, my Sonoma hat. It’s so fun remembering those vacations while also protecting my skin.
Thanks for this, Michelle! Always grateful for your no bs approach to science communication.
First and only video of yours I've watched at time of posting. Enjoyed the jokes, and the video/audio presentation and appreciate the information.
Read the video description too and you note you have a PhD, You are now Dr. Muffin to me :)
Also this video reminded me I need to get new sunscreen for summer this year, it's a Week away and 12-13 on the UV index will burn holes right through me. Last season there were a couple of days below 40C which was nice but the UV rating was breaking the scale and mere seconds of exposure to direct sunlight was painful to exposed skin.
Also also is that an Australian accent I hear?
2:36 the usa list hasn’t changed since 1999? that’s crazy. you would think that it would be updated on a semi-regular basis.
I live in the EU and know about those discussion. Thats why I haven't used american sunscreens or sunscreens with the mentioned 7 filter for years. Maybe I am to careful, but why risk it, when there are other filters that are considered safer (for the moment at least)?
Why use something with lower standards.
I simply love your channel and your explanations!
hey lab muffin, could u make videos about peptides? i really want to learn about their absorbtion topically, what can we mix them with, etc. it'd be a great subject, couldnt find it on your channel.
I know from experience that peptides (especially the small oligopeptides which mimic snake poison or the likes) are a pain to assess since there's not a whole lot of data... I mostly can't assess a lot of products with new peptides as safe because of missing data. At least in the EU I can't because animal experiments on purely cosmetic ingredients are forbidden... if you're in the EU best don't use newly developed peptides until there are better ways to simulate systemic toxicity data.
Love your attitude and delivery. Definitely will hit subscribe within the next 3 seconds.
This was so educational! Thank you!
Another idea I had while hearing your suggestions is that you could use various sunscreens with different active ingredients, lowering your exposure to each individual one. That way, if one of them turns out to be hazardous, your exposure to it is low.
Love listening to your videos! You speak so clearly and concisely
I am loving your editing and video creativity for this one 😊
Thank you!! 😊 I tried really hard so I'm glad it was appreciated!
How does this apply to Korean sunscreens?
That intro *chefs kiss*
Your sense of humour is incredible 😭😭😭😭
"The worms in your eyelashes are going to make unsustainable farming choices". That's a like and a subscribe right there.
Very, very good explanation! I'm more familiar with doing the number crunching on risk by exposure as population scientist, and your explanation of what is behind our work is really, really good!
I would usually go the other way and look at outcomes and exposers. That works well for environmental risks such as pollutants in an area, but what you show is the opposite approach, and I really liked it!
Kudos!
The start of this video had me CACKLING. Adore your videos, I truly only listen to my dermatologist and your UA-cam channel for skin health information :)
It pisses me off to no end when people take studies that show _significant effects_ and then report that they have _impactful effects._
No. If a gel has been significantly shown to increase hair growth... it might mean that 99.5% of study participants saw an additional 1mm of hair growth per year. It isn't worth buying.
Very interesting, thank you for all your research! I have a question:
Would you say using body sunscreen on the face is ok (and vice versa)? I suppose the only concern here is the actual SPF (and UVA protection) and not the individual ingredients and their percentage. I fear the UVA protection of body sunscreens might drop because of these new limits (but still remain above 1/3 of the spf of course).
but only zinc oxide and titanium dioxide is FDA approved GRASE, right?
I loved every second of this video. Chemicals sunscreens (even for sensitive skin) cause my eyes a burning sensation, and my face tends to feel more heat and itching, even with mineral sunscreens with salicylates in the “inactive” ingredients list. I’m with US sunscreens, I don’t know why the EU mineral tinted ones I try are too orange or rose. Actually the best for my needs is TiZO3 tinted (10 years using it) and TiZO AM Replenish spf 40 tinted. It’s funny how for my body (beach or all day outdoors) chemical sunscreens work great.
Love your videos coz it’s so educational and easy to understand. The humour is spot on 🤣
Thank you! I'm glad you appreciate my jokes 😁
Unexpectedly helpful to me, as someone currently pregnant with a male (rat?) fetus.
So glad I found you through one of your followers! Educational & entertaining 😏
Hi I'm thinking you could settle this for me, dose octocrylene cause any free radicals or damage to the skin?
Because I keep reading this and so I'm avoiding this ingredient, people also say that you can prevent the free radicals by applying an antioxidant underneath octocrylene, I'm hoping you could tell me if any of this is true or not?
I really do not want to worry if all this is just fear mongering...
Thank you.
Thanks for a great video! Love that u base your arguments on facts and scientific sources in a clear and structured way! 😊
I love how you explained this!
you knocked it outta the park with this!
im in the U.S and not going to change anything about how and what sunscreens I use. I wish the U.S would approve more filters and maybe this might MIGHT get them to do so.
This was such a helpful watch. Thanks so much!!!
God, I love this video and I love you Michelle. ❤️ This was a much needed informative skin talk. There is so much debate and discussion about sunscreens. I love how you ended this video that the system is not broken, it only means that it is working. Thank you sonmucb for your open minded, funny, witty, nerdy approach and videos! We need more of this. 😍🥺
This is my favourite video of yours so far! Funny and informative, I love it
"The worms in your eyelashes are going to make unsustainable farming choices." Hahaha!!!
Showing the vulnerability the judges were looking for!!! 😭
That's how you get to the season finale 🥲
That “trust me” sticker killed me 😂😂😂
"although probably not with a male rat fetus"... with a straight face. I bloody love you
I always use physical sunscreens, as I heard it's better for darker skin tones to reduce risk of hyperpigmentation, but some of mine are hybrid. I never use pure chemical sunscreens, but I do like chemical only on my body. I live in the UK so there are tons of sunscreens here and most don't have white casts anymore like before, even the cheap Nivea and Garnier ones I have
They don't. Blanket statements that one kind are better at reducing pigmentation is wrong.
I live in a suburb of Chicago here in the USA. I buy two brands of healthy zinc-based sunscreen at Wholefoods. You should try getting your product on the shelf at Wholefoods so I can compare ingredients and price with the two healthy brands I usually buy.
Keep doing what you're doing, Michelle! I just love watching you dissect and go after fear mongering misinformation.
I can't comment on the chemistry of it all but as someone who works in the institutions I wish our citizens were a bit more aware of how transparent we actually are, with the documentations available to read and sources to trace. Instead the media vilify our working methods leading to the often unfair stereotype of bureaucratic EU detached from reality. Which in turn leads to the rise of euroscepticism so convenient for European far right. Or tragedies like Brexit. As much as we can improve our functioning (there's always way to improve) disinformation and misinformation about EU is just dangerous for its citizens.
Sorry for the off topic rambling. Loved the video!
If I pat off sunscreen shine from my skin, does that take the SPF off? I'm using Biore UV Watery Essence and no matter what I apply prior to it, even being very minimal, I get lots of shine if I apply 1/4 teaspoon.
OMG the drag race shade 🤣🤣🤣 I lol'd 😁
I don't think PABA and trolamine salicylate (filters on your list) are allowed in the US anymore
It was proposed that they would be removed from the sunscreen monograph in 2019, and the proposals were meant to be finalised in Dec 2021... and it still hasn't happened! The list is a direct screenshot of the current monograph: dps.fda.gov/omuf/monographsearch/monograph_m020
I know this is a niche video idea but can you please do a Roundup of Australian sunscreen (kids please)
I love the large format of the cancer councils paediatric sunscreen for myself..
I can't stand these expensive brands and their tiny bottles
Love these breakdowns, keep up the great work Michelle ❤
It sounds like the relevant scientists err very much on the side of caution. When science suggests avoid at all costs is avoid. If they say it’s safe, it’s safer than it has to be!
Thank you for an informative and level headed video
I use the supergoop sunscreen and I just saw that it uses 10% Homosalate. Should I be worried? 😭
No
so they’ve lowered the percentages to a third of their actual findings…won’t it reduce effectiveness significantly to a point that using the alternative [physical sunscreen] would be the efficient choice
Bravo for the clear and engaging explanation!
This is so well explained, I love labmuffin videos! :)
8:26 oh no, you predicted the L’Oréal ad
Easiest way to judge safe is what the committee use on their own kids. Absence of that thanks for explaining the long route the details
Love this I geeked out ! Does Tinosorb S help stabilise Avobenzone ? I use BoJ Rice spf and Altruist Sunscreens . 🙌👏♥️🇬🇧🌈
I really enjoy your sense of humor…sunscreen on toast…including a visual! 🤣🤣 Thank you! 💐
Fantastic explanation , as Always! 😊
This was an incredible video. Thank you so much for simplifying all the science behind sunscreen. You are incredible 🤩🤩🤩🤩
the background clips/gifs of Drag Race contestant crying got me SO good Michelle. L O L.. 🤣