# Is there any science behind women's cosmetics, or is it all snake oil?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 24, 2016, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606 "2016-10-24T18:09:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606/21 "2016-10-26T03:54:06Z")

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> [@Me\_Billy](#):
>
> If you ask me, they apply this makeup then just look old with makeup on! My best friend gave an honest opinion like this to his wife, then she didn’t talk to him for a week! (So Shhhh!)

Dude, I’ll bet you that a good many of the women you see who don’t appear to be wearing any make-up actually ARE wearing it. Trust me on this.

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**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\
**Post date:** [October 26, 2016, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606/22 "2016-10-26T12:45:42Z")

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> [@Mijin](#):
>
> I can’t help feeling he’s talking about me…

She.

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**Author:** ![Grestarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grestarian/32/3227_2.png) [@Grestarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grestarian)\
**Post date:** [October 28, 2016, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606/23 "2016-10-28T21:59:25Z")

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> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#):
>
> The cheapest option would be to spend $2 at the grocery store on a pound of lard – and it’d be as effective as the expensive brand name moisturizers.

I tried a comparison last night with me using lard versus my wife using _Estee’ Lauder Perfectionist_.

We agreed her corn fritters looked too dark – and they tasted funny.

—G!  
😃

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**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606/24 "2016-10-29T01:08:25Z")

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> [@Me\_Billy](#):
>
> My best friend gave an honest opinion like this to his wife …

Your best friend is a fool.

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**Author:** ![drivekiller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cdc98d/32.png) [@drivekiller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drivekiller)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2016, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-any-science-behind-womens-cosmetics-or-is-it-all-snake-oil/769606/25 "2016-10-29T04:18:28Z")

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maybe it was an actual experiment. The conclusion was that makeup is an equalizer – It hides beauty as much as it hides faults.

Tell that to a woman fussing with her makeup and then tell her she doesn’t need it and you definitely won’t get the cold shoulder.

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