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With spring in full swing and Mother's Day just around the corner, beauty is all the buzz these days. But it's also year-round big business. As billions of dollars fuel the cosmetic industry and a host of new medical treatments boast a long list of benefits, consumers are barraged with conflicting information about possibilities, effectiveness and health.
Can creams really treat cellulite? What about wrinkles? Who is making sure that all this stuff is safe? And whatever happened to the good old-fashioned beauty rest, anyway?
All this week, ScientificAmerican.com will cover the science behind beauty, much of which proves to be more than skin deep. Check back daily as we present the latest installments:
Monday, May 4
Ask the Experts: Is Cellulite Forever?
A doctor gives the bottom line on what cellulite is and why some people have more than others (hint: it's not all about size), plus the skinny on creams and machines
Tuesday, May 5
Feature: How Safe are Cosmetics?
Although regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, cosmetics aren't required to be tested or approved before they hit the shelves
Wednesday, May 6
Slide Show: 10 Natural Skin Remedies Explained
Why conventional-wisdom treatments, from resting up to popping supplements, work—or don't
Thursday, May 7
Feature: Cutting-Edge Wrinkle Treatments—Without Going under the Knife
From the labs of Procter & Gamble, Estée Lauder Companies and L'Oréal, leading researchers discuss the latest discoveries about the aging process and what can be done to slow it
Friday, May 8
Blog: Bringing Beauty Home
What consumers can do to make the most of new scientific knowledge
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5 Comments
Add CommentAfter reading about Miss California and her implants I am not sure I can stomach any more about beauty. It seems so fake.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisPhysical beauty can be bought cheaply enough, and is worthless.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisInner beauty is the rare and desirable.
Sadly, more of one usually means less of the other.
i believe it was K. Gibran who said.....by adornment we acknowledge the ugly within....and i will leave it at that
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow can I trust the information in any of these articles after the blatant pseudoscience featured in the very first of the series?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis was a very disappointing series. The "Science" of beauty which included pseudoscience being presented as facts. And other "expert" quotes that were really advertisements for their products.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAlso, almost every article boiled down to: drink water, eat healthy, get sleep, use sunscreen, exercise, stop smoking. None of which is new and doesn't need to be repeated throughout the week. Those of us who will do those things already are. The others won't no matter how many times you say them. No, they will waste their money on the homeopathy you promoted while sitting on their asses in front of a tv eating garbage. Hey, at least they got the homepathic injection.