0:00:02 > 0:00:04I'm Cherry Healey.
0:00:04 > 0:00:07I'm a journalist and a self-confessed beauty addict.
0:00:07 > 0:00:14Like many of us, I spend a lot of time and money on my appearance.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18If a product or a beauty treatment tells me it's going to help me to
0:00:18 > 0:00:21look closer to how I ideally want to look,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24then I am going to try it.
0:00:24 > 0:00:27MUSIC: The Look by Roxette
0:00:27 > 0:00:28And I'm not alone.
0:00:28 > 0:00:33In the UK, we spend over £9 billion a year on cosmetics that promise to
0:00:33 > 0:00:36improve and transform us.
0:00:36 > 0:00:41But how much of what beauty products promise is simply marketing
0:00:41 > 0:00:45manipulation, and how much is based on science and evidence?
0:00:48 > 0:00:52So I've teamed up with independent scientists to test our everyday
0:00:52 > 0:00:56beauty products like never before.
0:00:56 > 0:00:57I felt it blip.
0:00:57 > 0:01:02We carry out a ground-breaking study to uncover why there might be little
0:01:02 > 0:01:05point in wearing moisturiser every day.
0:01:05 > 0:01:07I'm really surprised that there's
0:01:07 > 0:01:09no anti-ageing properties in the cream.
0:01:09 > 0:01:13We reveal the only over-the-counter product scientists would use on
0:01:13 > 0:01:15their own wrinkles.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18You can see the improvement round here.
0:01:18 > 0:01:19It is quite striking.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22Right, if I could just ask you to spin over on your front and I'm
0:01:22 > 0:01:23going to go into the right leg.
0:01:24 > 0:01:29We test cellulite treatments for ourselves to find an easy fix that
0:01:29 > 0:01:30actually works.
0:01:30 > 0:01:32CHEERING
0:01:34 > 0:01:38And I learn some shocking home truths about how I should have been
0:01:38 > 0:01:41looking after my own skin.
0:01:41 > 0:01:44- It is worse than one would expect from your age.- It is bad!
0:01:50 > 0:01:54I'm going to put the claims on cosmetics to the test.
0:01:54 > 0:01:57I want to find out the truth about looking good.
0:02:07 > 0:02:11Beauty products can make some pretty bold claims.
0:02:11 > 0:02:14Talk me through the bee venom and sheep's placenta,
0:02:14 > 0:02:1624-carat gold. LAUGHTER
0:02:16 > 0:02:19So it's lifting, firming, hydrating.
0:02:19 > 0:02:21We seem to buy the sales pitch.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25We spend over £2 billion a year on our skin alone.
0:02:25 > 0:02:27How much is this?
0:02:27 > 0:02:30That is, I believe, just around 700.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33£700 for this pot?
0:02:33 > 0:02:36And there's one skin care product we use more than any other.
0:02:36 > 0:02:40Three quarters of women and half of all men moisturise.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43This is, like, routine.
0:02:43 > 0:02:46It's like having food every day. So moisturiser is my best friend.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50I just find it stops the... my skin drying out.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53I've been using it for many, many years.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55I always make sure I have my moisturiser with me.
0:02:55 > 0:02:59I feel that, now I've hit my 30s, you do have to look after your skin.
0:03:00 > 0:03:05The majority of us use moisturiser every day because we think it will
0:03:05 > 0:03:08keep our skin hydrated, healthy and young.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11But what do they really do for us?
0:03:14 > 0:03:18Scientific research on moisturisers tends to focus on people with
0:03:18 > 0:03:22clinical skin conditions, not on people with healthy skin,
0:03:22 > 0:03:24and not on high street products.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28So we're running an experiment that, to our knowledge,
0:03:28 > 0:03:30has never been done before.
0:03:35 > 0:03:37I've come to the University of Sheffield,
0:03:37 > 0:03:42where we're going to scientifically put moisturisers to the test,
0:03:42 > 0:03:45with the help of 25 volunteers,
0:03:45 > 0:03:49to see whether people with healthy skin need to use moisturiser,
0:03:49 > 0:03:54and whether how much money you spend on it has any impact on your skin.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59- Thank you.- Doctor Simon Danby is running the experiment.
0:03:59 > 0:04:01So, Simon, what are we testing?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03We've got three different creams here
0:04:03 > 0:04:05from three different price brackets,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07each the bestselling in that range.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11We've taken the top-selling basic moisturisers from the UK's biggest
0:04:11 > 0:04:13health and beauty retailer.
0:04:13 > 0:04:18Under £5 per 100ml, it's Nivea Soft.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22In the £5-£25 per 100ml bracket
0:04:22 > 0:04:24is Clinique Dramatically Different.
0:04:25 > 0:04:28And bestselling over £25 per 100ml
0:04:28 > 0:04:30is Embryolisse Lait-Creme Concentre.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35- So, what are you testing for? - We've got our equipment here.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38The first thing we're going to look for is skin hydration,
0:04:38 > 0:04:41so for that we've got the corneometer probe here.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44So that's going to see how much water there is in my skin and how
0:04:44 > 0:04:46well hydrated it is. Ooh, I felt it blip.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49What else are you testing for?
0:04:49 > 0:04:51We're going to be testing skin health as well.
0:04:51 > 0:04:54How well the skin functions as a barrier.
0:04:55 > 0:04:57So this is actually measuring the water that's lost from your skin,
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and the more water you're losing,
0:04:59 > 0:05:02the less well your skin's working as a barrier.
0:05:02 > 0:05:05If the skin's barrier is less effective,
0:05:05 > 0:05:09then we become susceptible to irritation and dryness.
0:05:09 > 0:05:14And you're testing this with all of the volunteers before and after.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15Yeah.
0:05:17 > 0:05:19That's you all finished. Thank you very much.
0:05:21 > 0:05:25For the next three weeks, every volunteer has to apply moisturiser
0:05:25 > 0:05:28to just one side of their face, twice a day,
0:05:28 > 0:05:31leaving the other side bare.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34And Simon will assess whether the moisturiser makes any difference
0:05:34 > 0:05:37to the skin's appearance.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40No-one is told which cream they've been given.
0:05:40 > 0:05:44The brand has been disguised as A, B or C.
0:05:46 > 0:05:50Getting into the swing of having to do moisturising
0:05:50 > 0:05:52is very, very strange.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55It's quite gloopy and it does take quite a long time
0:05:55 > 0:05:57to absorb into my skin.
0:05:57 > 0:06:01I got this spot in the right part of my face, as you can see.
0:06:04 > 0:06:07After three weeks, our volunteers are back at the
0:06:07 > 0:06:09University of Sheffield for their final tests.
0:06:12 > 0:06:15So, the million-dollar question -
0:06:15 > 0:06:19do people with healthy skin need to moisturise?
0:06:20 > 0:06:23Thank you all for taking part in our experiment.
0:06:23 > 0:06:26Half of your faces look great. LAUGHTER
0:06:26 > 0:06:28I'm joking, obviously.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Time to reveal to the groups which cream they've been using.
0:06:32 > 0:06:36With the low-priced Nivea Soft was Group C.
0:06:36 > 0:06:38- Which is you.- Yeah.
0:06:38 > 0:06:42Using the mid-priced Clinique were Group A.
0:06:42 > 0:06:46Which leaves the premium product, Embryolisse, with Group B.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50- I'm slightly disappointed that I gave the tub back now. - LAUGHTER
0:06:52 > 0:06:57So, what were the results of the lab tests, starting with hydration?
0:06:57 > 0:06:59After using the moisturisers,
0:06:59 > 0:07:03we did see an increase in the level of water in their skin.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05You would expect them all to have done that,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07but we only found that with two of them,
0:07:07 > 0:07:11and you might be surprised to find out that the two that hydrated the
0:07:11 > 0:07:14skin was the low-priced Nivea Soft
0:07:14 > 0:07:16and the Clinique product.
0:07:16 > 0:07:19LAUGHTER
0:07:19 > 0:07:21- So not the most expensive one. - Yeah, yeah.
0:07:21 > 0:07:26- I can't believe this.- That's extraordinary!- That is crazy.
0:07:26 > 0:07:30Surprisingly, the most expensive cream turned out to be the least
0:07:30 > 0:07:33hydrating by far.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36The cheaper creams, Nivea and Clinique, performed best,
0:07:36 > 0:07:40adding moisture to the skin and improving the way it felt.
0:07:42 > 0:07:45So, is there an ingredient in the cheap and the mid-range that we
0:07:45 > 0:07:47should be looking for, that was important for moisturising,
0:07:47 > 0:07:50that maybe wasn't there in the more expensive one?
0:07:50 > 0:07:53Those two products contain high levels of humectants in them,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56so humectants are the chemicals that actually hold
0:07:56 > 0:07:58on to water in our skin.
0:07:58 > 0:08:03One of the most common humectants in cosmetic moisturisers is glycerin,
0:08:03 > 0:08:07and the higher it is on the ingredients list suggests the more
0:08:07 > 0:08:09of it there is in the product.
0:08:09 > 0:08:13So you can bypass the price tag and look at the ingredients list?
0:08:13 > 0:08:19- Absolutely.- So, how did the creams do on the second test - skin health?
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Did they make the skin a stronger protective barrier,
0:08:22 > 0:08:24preventing dryness and irritation?
0:08:25 > 0:08:28What we found at the end of the study after three weeks was that
0:08:28 > 0:08:31there was no difference at all.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34Skin health hadn't increased.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39So none of the creams improved the health of the skin at all!
0:08:39 > 0:08:42In the final test, an expert panel
0:08:42 > 0:08:46judged the appearance of the volunteers' faces at the end
0:08:46 > 0:08:47of the experiment.
0:08:47 > 0:08:52They didn't see any improvement to appearance from using any of the
0:08:52 > 0:08:54creams in our study.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58So a crucial question for me is whether they improve the
0:08:58 > 0:09:01skin's appearance in the long term.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05So if there are two people, and one uses moisturiser their whole life
0:09:05 > 0:09:08and the other does not, when they're both 80,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11will they look the same or will the person who's moisturised look a
0:09:11 > 0:09:14- bit better?- Yeah, that's an interesting question,
0:09:14 > 0:09:18and I think we've got to remember we focused on moisturisers here, and
0:09:18 > 0:09:22these products that we've looked at only claim to be moisturisers.
0:09:22 > 0:09:26And as far as I'm aware, there's no evidence that using a moisturiser is
0:09:26 > 0:09:29going to have that long-term anti-ageing effect.
0:09:29 > 0:09:34We saw no change in the health or appearance of the skin over our
0:09:34 > 0:09:35three-week study,
0:09:35 > 0:09:39and any benefit we saw to hydration was temporary.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43We haven't found any scientific evidence that using a basic
0:09:43 > 0:09:47moisturiser on healthy skin will improve it in the long term.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52I'm really surprised that there's no anti-ageing properties in the cream.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54It's one of the main reasons I use moisturiser,
0:09:54 > 0:09:56so for me that's quite disappointing.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59- I'll probably still continue using it, but...- Why?- It just feels nice.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02It makes me feel better.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05It seems like there is a short-term gain,
0:10:05 > 0:10:09but it is useful to know that if you miss a couple of days,
0:10:09 > 0:10:11it's not going to affect you long-term.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14I approached Embryolisse, Nivea and Clinique
0:10:14 > 0:10:16with the results of our experiment.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20Embryolisse point out that our study was conducted on a small number of
0:10:20 > 0:10:22people over three weeks.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25They claim that Embryolisse has performed well in many independent
0:10:25 > 0:10:28tests where there were statistically significant improvements
0:10:28 > 0:10:30in skin hydration.
0:10:30 > 0:10:33They say Embryolisse contains film-forming active ingredients,
0:10:33 > 0:10:36such as Shea butter, beeswax and oil,
0:10:36 > 0:10:39which will achieve a balanced level of hydration without the need for a
0:10:39 > 0:10:41humectant like glycerin.
0:10:43 > 0:10:46Nivea say they are pleased that the BBC study found a positive
0:10:46 > 0:10:50moisturising effect of their cream, and that they always recommend
0:10:50 > 0:10:53moisturising as a preventative measure against dryness.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58Clinique say they support all their product performance claims with the
0:10:58 > 0:11:00use of clinical and consumer testing.
0:11:10 > 0:11:13Despite what the companies said, I still don't think that
0:11:13 > 0:11:17moisturising is the secret to keeping my skin looking good.
0:11:17 > 0:11:21- Hi, there. Can I get a cappuccino, please?- Yep.- Thank you.
0:11:21 > 0:11:26So I want to know if any products will help my skin in the future.
0:11:26 > 0:11:29Because, er, I'm not getting any younger.
0:11:29 > 0:11:34So I'm 36, and I'm definitely starting to see the signs of ageing.
0:11:35 > 0:11:38And whilst I'd love to say that I'm very accepting of it and it's a
0:11:38 > 0:11:41natural part of getting older, which of course it is...
0:11:41 > 0:11:46if there WAS something that could help me not get more lines or
0:11:46 > 0:11:48crow's feet, that would be great.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53I want to know, how can I keep those lines at bay?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58First, I'm meeting someone who's lived a bit longer in their skin
0:11:58 > 0:11:59than I have.
0:11:59 > 0:12:02Jill Lillis is a coach driver in Manchester.
0:12:02 > 0:12:06- Room for one more?- Oh, I think so. Come on up.- Woohoo!
0:12:06 > 0:12:09She feels that her skin could possibly be ageing better,
0:12:09 > 0:12:11and she wants to know why.
0:12:12 > 0:12:17- I've been driving a coach for 40 years this September.- 40 years?!
0:12:17 > 0:12:21- That is a long old time.- Mmm.
0:12:21 > 0:12:23How do you feel about getting older
0:12:23 > 0:12:25and your face changing and more lines?
0:12:26 > 0:12:31Well, I don't think anybody wants to grow old, but I'd like to grow old
0:12:31 > 0:12:34gracefully, and I'd like to think to myself, well, if there is something
0:12:34 > 0:12:38out there to help my skin, you know,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40I'd...I'd have a go.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44If there's something out there that's going to help it slow down...
0:12:44 > 0:12:45- Yeah.- ..yes, please!
0:12:52 > 0:12:55Jill and I have come to Salford Royal Hospital to see
0:12:55 > 0:12:59top dermatologist Professor Chris Griffiths.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03He's going to show us just how well we're really ageing.
0:13:03 > 0:13:04Ooh!
0:13:06 > 0:13:10So this is the Vicia machine. It's a sophisticated camera, really,
0:13:10 > 0:13:13which is going to give us a lot of information about the state of your
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- skin, on your face. - It's Jill's turn first.
0:13:20 > 0:13:21That's good.
0:13:24 > 0:13:27So, this is the left side of the face.
0:13:27 > 0:13:29These green lines are the wrinkles.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31You can see that mainly they're just under the eye.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34They don't extend out beyond the eye, so hold that in your mind,
0:13:34 > 0:13:36and we'll now look at the other side,
0:13:36 > 0:13:37the right side of the face.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42- Ooh!- OK.- A lot more there.
0:13:42 > 0:13:43So you can see...
0:13:43 > 0:13:48- Gone walkies!- Yeah.- ..they've spread a little bit out beyond the side of
0:13:48 > 0:13:51- the eye, into the crow's foot area. - Mm-hmm.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55..and the main culprit for that, by a long way, is sunlight.
0:13:55 > 0:13:59Sun exposure is the key cause of wrinkles.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03What I don't understand is that Jill doesn't work outside.
0:14:03 > 0:14:07Why is there more damage on the right side of Jill's face?
0:14:07 > 0:14:11So, that's a very good question, but Jill is a coach driver, so, yes,
0:14:11 > 0:14:13she's working indoors,
0:14:13 > 0:14:18but the main component of sunlight that causes the wrinkles is longer
0:14:18 > 0:14:21wavelength ultraviolet light, ultraviolet A.
0:14:21 > 0:14:24Ultraviolet A penetrates glass.
0:14:24 > 0:14:25CHERRY GASPS
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Would you ever have known that
0:14:27 > 0:14:30you could get sun damage at work in your coach?
0:14:30 > 0:14:33No, because you...
0:14:33 > 0:14:35..you know, because you're behind the screen,
0:14:35 > 0:14:40- you're thinking that's protecting you as well.- Yeah.
0:14:40 > 0:14:41But obviously not.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45The Sun's UVB rays cause burning,
0:14:45 > 0:14:49but it's the UVA rays that cause most skin ageing,
0:14:49 > 0:14:51and they've taken their toll.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55For 40 years, the right side of Jill's face has been exposed to
0:14:55 > 0:14:58these UVA rays streaming through her driver's window.
0:15:01 > 0:15:05How much is sun responsible for ageing?
0:15:05 > 0:15:09Sun exposure is responsible for most of the clinical features,
0:15:09 > 0:15:12the features that we can see, in skin ageing.
0:15:12 > 0:15:15What's the percentage of how much it's responsible for?
0:15:15 > 0:15:17I should think it would be in the order of about 75%.
0:15:17 > 0:15:21- 75%.- It's a lot.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25I'm shocked that a huge three quarters of lines and wrinkles are
0:15:25 > 0:15:27caused by sun damage.
0:15:27 > 0:15:31Apparently, the rest is due to other outside factors like pollution and
0:15:31 > 0:15:36smoking, with just a small amount due to simply getting older.
0:15:36 > 0:15:42So if somebody of, say, around 60 years old had never been in the sun,
0:15:42 > 0:15:46what kind of difference would you see?
0:15:46 > 0:15:49- The skin would look great.- Really? - And it may take many, many years,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52maybe to the age of 80 before you actually start to see changes in the
0:15:52 > 0:15:55skin which you can say, that's due to the passage of time.
0:15:57 > 0:16:02Now it's my turn for this rather unflattering selfie.
0:16:02 > 0:16:04I really hope you're not going to put these on Instagram.
0:16:04 > 0:16:07So, tell me, how bad is it?
0:16:07 > 0:16:09Well, let's have a look.
0:16:10 > 0:16:13And you can see you do have a few crow's foot wrinkles.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17Is that too many sunny holidays?
0:16:17 > 0:16:20Most likely. It is worse than one would expect for your age.
0:16:20 > 0:16:24It is bad! I knew that sun played a role in skin ageing,
0:16:24 > 0:16:28but I definitely didn't appreciate the extent of the damage that my
0:16:28 > 0:16:31sunbathing and Jill's driving had caused.
0:16:32 > 0:16:36To understand exactly how the sun has caused my wrinkles,
0:16:36 > 0:16:39I'm meeting Chris's colleague, Professor Rachel Watson.
0:16:40 > 0:16:43What are we looking at? That's an interesting screensaver.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46This is actually an image of skin.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49So what you can see here is, we have our outer layer of skin,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52the epidermis, which is the pink-stained region,
0:16:52 > 0:16:54and then below that we have our dermis,
0:16:54 > 0:16:56which is really the workhorse of the skin.
0:16:56 > 0:17:00This is the bit which gives it its strength and its elasticity.
0:17:00 > 0:17:03And the black picked out here is an elastic fibre protein called
0:17:03 > 0:17:06fibrillin. Fibrillin is very special.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11If you can imagine you need to support the outside of your skin,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14then fibrillin in this region here,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16very close to the epidermis, does that.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20So fibrillin is absolutely key...
0:17:20 > 0:17:24- Yes.- ..in terms of keeping our skin nice and tight.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27Indeed. It's analogous to, sort of, tent pegs.
0:17:27 > 0:17:32So if your tent pegs that are holding and stretching your skin
0:17:32 > 0:17:35- tight have gone...- Mm-hmm.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37..then your tent's going to be flapping about in the wind?
0:17:37 > 0:17:40Exactly. Then you're going to get wrinkles.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43That's the consequence of having long-term exposure to sunlight.
0:17:43 > 0:17:47You don't have to have had much sun damage to lose that fibrillin.
0:17:49 > 0:17:54This image shows the fibres of fibrillin acting as anchor points in
0:17:54 > 0:17:58a sample of skin that hasn't been exposed to sunlight.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02But this sample of skin has had a lot of sun exposure,
0:18:02 > 0:18:06and the supporting fibres of fibrillin have been destroyed,
0:18:06 > 0:18:09which makes the skin sag and wrinkle.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15So I clearly have sun-damaged skin.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17How do I stop that from happening,
0:18:17 > 0:18:20or at least prevent it from getting too much worse?
0:18:20 > 0:18:24So what's really important is that you use sun protection and that you
0:18:24 > 0:18:28use sun protection daily, even when it's the middle of winter in the UK.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31But look. There's a huge range.
0:18:31 > 0:18:34Can you break it down? What do I need to know about sun cream?
0:18:34 > 0:18:36So what you want to do is make sure that your sunscreen,
0:18:36 > 0:18:38whichever type that you buy,
0:18:38 > 0:18:41has a high enough SPF to counteract
0:18:41 > 0:18:44the UVB, and also a 5-star rating to
0:18:44 > 0:18:49- protect against UVA.- You need to have the best of both, really?
0:18:49 > 0:18:52In an ideal world, that's exactly what you should go for.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56We do need a small amount of sun exposure for our bodies to make
0:18:56 > 0:19:00enough vitamin D, but if you want to protect your skin,
0:19:00 > 0:19:03wear a sun cream most of the time.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05A high sun protection factor,
0:19:05 > 0:19:08or SPF, to protect from UVB rays and burning,
0:19:08 > 0:19:13and at least a four-star UVA rating to protect from ageing.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20It's never nice to see your flaws that close up and have someone tell
0:19:20 > 0:19:24you that you are above averagely wrinkled for your age group,
0:19:24 > 0:19:30but I was very surprised to learn that the sun is such a big cause of
0:19:30 > 0:19:34that damage, and I find that actually really empowering,
0:19:34 > 0:19:36because there is something I can do about it.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39I love fake tan, I don't mind wearing a hat,
0:19:39 > 0:19:44and I'm happy to put sun cream on, so it's not going to get rid of
0:19:44 > 0:19:48them, but I do feel like it's quite an easy way
0:19:48 > 0:19:50to make sure they don't get too much worse.
0:19:54 > 0:19:58So I now know what to do to prevent more wrinkles,
0:19:58 > 0:20:02but what if I want to get rid of the wrinkles I've already got?
0:20:03 > 0:20:07Do any anti-wrinkle creams out there actually work?
0:20:09 > 0:20:13I've come to the upmarket Cadogan Clinic in Chelsea to meet a
0:20:13 > 0:20:16consultant dermatologist Doctor Anjali Mahto.
0:20:17 > 0:20:19Perfect.
0:20:19 > 0:20:23The rich and famous pay a lot of money for her to treat their ageing
0:20:23 > 0:20:27skin with anti-wrinkle treatments like Botox.
0:20:27 > 0:20:31- Nervous? Happy? Ready? - Happy and ready.- Happy and ready.
0:20:31 > 0:20:33- Not nervous at all?- No.
0:20:33 > 0:20:36Alex, what I want you to do is just frown as hard as you can.
0:20:36 > 0:20:39Keep frowning, keep frowning, keep frowning. And relax.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43Is it wrong that I'm so tempted?
0:20:43 > 0:20:46I'm hoping that Anjali can prescribe me something that actually
0:20:46 > 0:20:48works but that doesn't involve needles.
0:20:50 > 0:20:53- And that's it.- I would love to live in a world where it doesn't matter,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57but, you know, when it comes to the crunch and I look in the mirror and
0:20:57 > 0:21:02I see those lines and wrinkles, I do mind and I do want them to be gone.
0:21:02 > 0:21:04If I'm not quite ready for injectables,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08is there anything else that works, that's a little less extreme?
0:21:08 > 0:21:11Yeah, so if you actually go away and you look at the scientific evidence,
0:21:11 > 0:21:14there are only a handful of things that will help things like fine
0:21:14 > 0:21:16lines, wrinkles, pigmentation -
0:21:16 > 0:21:19the sorts of things that you think about with skin ageing.
0:21:19 > 0:21:23The most important one, probably, is a prescription-strength product like
0:21:23 > 0:21:27tretinoin. And this can improve fine lines,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29it can improve wrinkles,
0:21:29 > 0:21:32and it can improve age spots and pigmentation as well.
0:21:32 > 0:21:34What's the catch?
0:21:34 > 0:21:37There are a couple of downsides. It is a strong product,
0:21:37 > 0:21:41and it can cause redness and it can cause irritation and it can cause
0:21:41 > 0:21:44some stinging and burning the first few times that you use it.
0:21:44 > 0:21:46Well, that doesn't sound good.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50These potentially nasty side-effects are one of the reasons that this
0:21:50 > 0:21:54anti-wrinkle ingredient is only available on private prescription
0:21:54 > 0:21:56from a skin care clinic.
0:21:56 > 0:22:00So is there anything that I can buy over the counter that works?
0:22:00 > 0:22:01Retinol products,
0:22:01 > 0:22:04which are slightly weaker than this prescription-strength product,
0:22:04 > 0:22:06do work.
0:22:06 > 0:22:08So if we have a look at this study
0:22:08 > 0:22:10by the Amway Corporation and the
0:22:10 > 0:22:15University of Michigan, what they used here was 0.1% retinol,
0:22:15 > 0:22:18and if you look at these two pictures side-by-side,
0:22:18 > 0:22:20at the end of the four weeks of treatment,
0:22:20 > 0:22:23I think you can appreciate there is an improvement in fine lines and
0:22:23 > 0:22:26wrinkles, and some pigmentation to a degree as well.
0:22:28 > 0:22:33There is some evidence for other over-the-counter anti-wrinkle
0:22:33 > 0:22:35ingredients, such as peptides,
0:22:35 > 0:22:39but the strongest body of proof by far is for retinols,
0:22:39 > 0:22:43a weaker form of prescription-strength tretinoin.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45- It is quite striking. - Mmm, absolutely.
0:22:45 > 0:22:48Only after a month, you can see the improvement around here.
0:22:48 > 0:22:51Yeah, and that improvement would be sustained over months
0:22:51 > 0:22:53with continued use.
0:22:55 > 0:22:58- So if I'm going to spend my money on a product, over-the-counter...- Yep.
0:22:58 > 0:23:00..what am I going for?
0:23:00 > 0:23:04So I would say, look for a product that has got a minimum
0:23:04 > 0:23:07of 0.1% retinol in it. Gradually build up its use,
0:23:07 > 0:23:10and if it's not causing too many problems with irritation,
0:23:10 > 0:23:16after a few months of use, upgrade to maybe a 0.3 or a 0.5%.
0:23:16 > 0:23:20Let your skin get used to that and then build up to a 1% retinol.
0:23:20 > 0:23:25Products containing retinol range in price from £6 to over £60,
0:23:25 > 0:23:28but the price doesn't always reflect the concentration,
0:23:28 > 0:23:32so look for the percentage of retinol on the package.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35And since they can still cause irritation,
0:23:35 > 0:23:38you do need to approach with some caution.
0:23:38 > 0:23:41I think if you really want something that works,
0:23:41 > 0:23:46that tackles wrinkles and ageing, it's sun cream and retinol.
0:23:46 > 0:23:47That's it.
0:23:51 > 0:23:52For the next part of my investigation
0:23:52 > 0:23:54into the cosmetic industry,
0:23:54 > 0:23:58I've set up my very own pop-up beauty shop.
0:24:00 > 0:24:01Here I can carry out tests
0:24:01 > 0:24:05they wouldn't let me do in high street stores,
0:24:05 > 0:24:07and I'm starting with make-up.
0:24:12 > 0:24:17We're spending more on it than ever before - £1.6 billion a year -
0:24:17 > 0:24:22but do we really need to break the bank to get the look we want?
0:24:22 > 0:24:24This is my own make-up bag.
0:24:26 > 0:24:31So I've just totted up how much all of this costs,
0:24:31 > 0:24:34and it's over £450!
0:24:35 > 0:24:39I had no idea I'd spent that much on make-up.
0:24:39 > 0:24:42Is there a smarter way to shop?
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Are some things really worth spending money on?
0:24:45 > 0:24:48Can I get away with some budget basics?
0:24:50 > 0:24:55I've invited beauty journalist and author Sally Hughes to my beauty lab
0:24:55 > 0:24:59for some insider top tips on all things war paint that could help us
0:24:59 > 0:25:02spend our make-up money more wisely.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08We're spending more than ever before.
0:25:08 > 0:25:10- Why?- The sort of Instagram generation,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12the selfie generation, in particular,
0:25:12 > 0:25:14is really driving beauty sales.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17People want things that will make them look better in a picture,
0:25:17 > 0:25:20instantly better in a picture, without filters and retouching.
0:25:22 > 0:25:26So, to test whether we'd notice the difference between expensive and
0:25:26 > 0:25:31cheaper make-up, we've invited make-up mad sisters Katie and Ellie,
0:25:31 > 0:25:34and their mum Sue, to the beauty lab.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36How much, do you think, in the past year,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38do you think you've spent on make-up?
0:25:38 > 0:25:40Probably about 200.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43I think 500-600.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46- At a guess. I'm just being honest. - LAUGHTER
0:25:46 > 0:25:48- A lot less than that. - How much do you think?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51- 50.- 50 quid?- Yeah.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55- That's all you need. - And I feel bad about that. - LAUGHTER
0:25:55 > 0:25:58Meanwhile in the shop, Sally is setting up a challenge.
0:25:58 > 0:26:02She's hidden the branding on products and wants to know whether
0:26:02 > 0:26:05we prefer the cheap or expensive ones.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12So what I want you to do is take the lids off, roll your sleeves up,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15have a play, and choose the one that appeals to you most and pop it in
0:26:15 > 0:26:18- your bag.- I'm just hoping one of these is a really expensive
0:26:18 > 0:26:20- foundation. Let's do it. - LAUGHTER
0:26:20 > 0:26:22This is a fun game.
0:26:22 > 0:26:24First up is foundation.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Our mystery make-up is cheaper Rimmel,
0:26:27 > 0:26:32costing £7.99, and pricier Mac, costing £29.99.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35I really like the first one.
0:26:35 > 0:26:38The texture of the second one feels different.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40- How so?- It feels thicker.
0:26:40 > 0:26:45- More luxurious.- I feel like one is a bit more moisturising, less cakey.
0:26:45 > 0:26:48We've made our selections, so what's the verdict?
0:26:50 > 0:26:54Every single one of you chose Rimmel over Mac.
0:26:54 > 0:26:57- Oh!- Aaah!- What?! Really?!- Yes.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Now, this is of particular interest to me, because until about two years
0:27:01 > 0:27:04ago, I don't think I had ever once recommended a high-street
0:27:04 > 0:27:08foundation, and then something changed and I began to notice the
0:27:08 > 0:27:11cheaper foundations had really, really raised their game.
0:27:13 > 0:27:18Our next make-up bag staple is eye shadow.
0:27:18 > 0:27:21Will we go for the Illamasqua at £17.50,
0:27:21 > 0:27:25or this palette of eight by MUA at just £4?
0:27:29 > 0:27:32This, to me, is the most obvious round.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35I mean, I just feel like one of my eyes is magical.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37LAUGHTER
0:27:37 > 0:27:39I had to put a load more of that one on.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47All of you chose the expensive Illamasqua.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Typically, you will see more pigment in an expensive eye shadow,
0:27:50 > 0:27:53and I did notice when you were putting on the other one, it was
0:27:53 > 0:27:56kind of flying off your lids, and so this stuck more to the lids.
0:27:59 > 0:28:01Next up is lip gloss.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04This time Sally is pitching Collection at £2.99
0:28:04 > 0:28:08against Christian Dior at £24.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15They look exactly the same.
0:28:15 > 0:28:17I can't tell the difference.
0:28:17 > 0:28:19One was really dry and then the other one, my lips were sticking
0:28:19 > 0:28:23- together on that side. - Any of you lip gloss wearers?
0:28:23 > 0:28:25- No.- No, but I'm quite enjoying it.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28I never wear lip gloss, but that...that is quite fun.
0:28:32 > 0:28:34Lip gloss, every single one of you
0:28:34 > 0:28:39- chose the cheap Collection lip gloss.- Yes!- Yes!- Yes!
0:28:39 > 0:28:41- Thank God.- They were quite similar.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44Even I struggle to identify an expensive lip gloss
0:28:44 > 0:28:46over a cheap one. They are much of a muchness.
0:28:46 > 0:28:50If something is £2 versus £20, I would say go for the two quid.
0:28:55 > 0:28:57And finally, it's mascara.
0:28:57 > 0:29:01We're testing L'Oreal, costing £9,
0:29:01 > 0:29:03and Lancome, costing £24.50.
0:29:09 > 0:29:12Give it a good wiggle, so you get it from root to tip.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14- Oh, that looks so good! - LAUGHTER
0:29:16 > 0:29:20- Right, whatever this mascara is, I want it now. - LAUGHTER
0:29:20 > 0:29:22The second one looks better on you.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24They both look better than whatever mascara you wear normally, though.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27LAUGHTER The honesty of family.
0:29:27 > 0:29:29Breaks my heart.
0:29:31 > 0:29:36So have we worked out which one was worth an extra £15?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40Every single one of you chose the
0:29:40 > 0:29:43- expensive Lancome mascara...- Oh! - O-o-oh...- Oh, really?!
0:29:43 > 0:29:49..over the more affordable L'Oreal Voluminous mascara.
0:29:49 > 0:29:52- Which, interestingly, are both made by the same company, L'Oreal.- Oh!
0:29:56 > 0:30:00Our test has shown that what we save on foundation and lip gloss
0:30:00 > 0:30:03we can use to invest on our lids and lashes.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08So if you do have a very set make-up budget,
0:30:08 > 0:30:12you can be a bit savvy with where you put that.
0:30:12 > 0:30:15Yes. If you want a big bang for your buck,
0:30:15 > 0:30:17then I do think with things like eye shadow and lipstick,
0:30:17 > 0:30:20you're going to fare better with more expensive things,
0:30:20 > 0:30:23but if you want quite a sheer colour like lip gloss or a blusher
0:30:23 > 0:30:26or a bronzer, you're perfectly fine to get something cheaper
0:30:26 > 0:30:28because you're just looking for a hint of colour,
0:30:28 > 0:30:30you're not looking for impact.
0:30:30 > 0:30:33There really are cheap and effective products out there
0:30:33 > 0:30:35if you shop wisely.
0:30:48 > 0:30:49When it comes to looking good,
0:30:49 > 0:30:52our faces aren't the only part of our bodies
0:30:52 > 0:30:55that women rank as a top concern.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Some people call it orange peel.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03Some people call it cottage cheese thighs.
0:31:03 > 0:31:08Whatever you like to name it, 90% of women have cellulite.
0:31:08 > 0:31:11So what is it and can we get rid of it?
0:31:19 > 0:31:21I'm joining some cellulite sufferers from Sunderland
0:31:21 > 0:31:25to find out what methods they have tried and tested.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28Who has cellulite?
0:31:28 > 0:31:29- ALL:- Me!
0:31:29 > 0:31:33- Mine is there.- Round this area. - All around here.
0:31:33 > 0:31:35Have you tried anything to get rid of it?
0:31:35 > 0:31:39I've tried creams, I've tried scrubs, I've tried...
0:31:39 > 0:31:40You name it, I've done it.
0:31:40 > 0:31:43Thermogenic pills that are meant to literally
0:31:43 > 0:31:46melt the fat when you take them.
0:31:46 > 0:31:48Didn't give good results.
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- Yeah.- Everybody wants the quick fix. I want the quick fix.
0:31:51 > 0:31:54If they say that it gets rid of cellulite,
0:31:54 > 0:31:58you just drop this bit of cream on and there you go, it's an easy sell.
0:31:58 > 0:32:00- Hallelujah.- Yeah.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03So would you be up for a bit of an experiment?
0:32:03 > 0:32:05- ALL:- Yeah.
0:32:05 > 0:32:07- I mean, what's to lose? - Yeah!
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Other than a bit of cellulite!
0:32:12 > 0:32:15There are plenty of treatments available
0:32:15 > 0:32:18on the high street and online that promise to banish
0:32:18 > 0:32:20our lumps and bumps.
0:32:20 > 0:32:24They make great claims, but do any of them actually work?
0:32:27 > 0:32:31With the help of our ladies and the University of Sunderland...
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Nine medial lateral.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35..we're running an experiment to put some of the leading treatments
0:32:35 > 0:32:37to the test.
0:32:37 > 0:32:39Spin over on your front.
0:32:39 > 0:32:40First, the scientists are carrying out
0:32:40 > 0:32:44a thorough assessment of everyone's thighs and buttocks.
0:32:44 > 0:32:46It might be a little bit cold just to start with.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49And they're using ultrasound to look at the structure
0:32:49 > 0:32:51- of the fat under the skin. - OK, freeze.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55So what is cellulite anyway?
0:32:56 > 0:33:00Skin has three layers, epidermis, dermis and fat,
0:33:00 > 0:33:05which is held in compartments of connective tissue called septa.
0:33:05 > 0:33:09In cellulite, this fat pushes up out of the compartment,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11giving the skin that bumpy mattress effect.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15It's thought that the reason men don't get cellulite
0:33:15 > 0:33:18is because their fat compartments are in a crisscross shape,
0:33:18 > 0:33:21which holds the fat in place under the skin.
0:33:24 > 0:33:28Crucially, the scientists are also taking clinical photographs of our
0:33:28 > 0:33:31ladies' thighs and bums to enable them
0:33:31 > 0:33:33to grade their cellulite and compare
0:33:33 > 0:33:36its appearance before and after.
0:33:39 > 0:33:42We're putting three of the most popular cellulite solutions
0:33:42 > 0:33:43to the test.
0:33:43 > 0:33:46So for the next five weeks, our volunteers
0:33:46 > 0:33:48will use one of them daily.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50- Enjoy.- Thank you.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55Squeeze a small amount on my hand.
0:33:55 > 0:33:59The first group are using a caffeine cream that
0:33:59 > 0:34:01promises to burn fat cells.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04I would like to think that it is working.
0:34:04 > 0:34:09I feel as though my skin has a little bit of a smoother appearance.
0:34:09 > 0:34:13The second group are trying dry brushing...
0:34:13 > 0:34:16- Circular movement. - Lightly at first.
0:34:16 > 0:34:18..which is meant to increase circulation
0:34:18 > 0:34:21and remove excess fluid and toxins.
0:34:21 > 0:34:24I can honestly say so far I have noticed no change
0:34:24 > 0:34:27whatsoever to my cellulite.
0:34:27 > 0:34:30And the third group have been given a daily set
0:34:30 > 0:34:33of toning exercises for their thighs and buttocks.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Five weeks later and cosmetic scientist Dr Kalli Dodou
0:34:44 > 0:34:47and clinical dermatologist Dr Raj Natarajan
0:34:47 > 0:34:52are meeting us with some answers to our cellulite questions.
0:34:52 > 0:34:57Is there a way to cure yourself of cellulite?
0:34:57 > 0:35:00We don't aim for cure because there's no disease
0:35:00 > 0:35:01or condition to cure.
0:35:01 > 0:35:04So we don't need to cure it because it's not a disease.
0:35:04 > 0:35:06- It's not a disease. - It's a normal part of being woman.
0:35:06 > 0:35:09Nine out of ten women have cellulite,
0:35:09 > 0:35:12but lots of us still want to get rid of it.
0:35:12 > 0:35:15So if we want to reduce its appearance,
0:35:15 > 0:35:19do any of these popular cellulite solutions actually work?
0:35:19 > 0:35:22Kalli and Raj have the results of our experiment,
0:35:22 > 0:35:27starting with the group in third place, exercise.
0:35:27 > 0:35:34The exercise group saw an improvement in cellulite of 11%.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38So the effort that you put in in terms of cellulite
0:35:38 > 0:35:40- is a bit disappointing.- Yeah.
0:35:40 > 0:35:45But what about the results that were nothing to do with cellulite,
0:35:45 > 0:35:48- like feeling firmer?- Everything. - More energy.
0:35:48 > 0:35:52Feeling good about myself more to the point of where
0:35:52 > 0:35:54I didn't care about looking at it.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Just ahead of the exercise group in second place,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01it's the fat melting cream group.
0:36:01 > 0:36:06The cream group saw an average improvement of 15%.
0:36:06 > 0:36:07Yeah!
0:36:07 > 0:36:12I was completely convinced that was going to have no effect whatsoever.
0:36:12 > 0:36:14It just feels too easy.
0:36:14 > 0:36:18The claim of the cream is that it's going to destroy fat cells.
0:36:18 > 0:36:21However, from the ultrasound measurements,
0:36:21 > 0:36:25we didn't notice any change in the fat content.
0:36:25 > 0:36:30So what we think happened is that the cream had a hydrating effect,
0:36:30 > 0:36:32a moisturising effect.
0:36:32 > 0:36:35The cream may have hydrated dry skin on the leg,
0:36:35 > 0:36:37giving it a smoother appearance.
0:36:37 > 0:36:42Which means that in first place, it's the dry brushes.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46The dry brush group saw an average improvement of 26%.
0:36:46 > 0:36:48THEY CHEER
0:36:50 > 0:36:53It's all about the brush!
0:36:53 > 0:36:55That's amazing.
0:36:55 > 0:36:57I didn't think it was going to be that.
0:36:57 > 0:37:00We were very surprised as well with the findings.
0:37:00 > 0:37:03So something works!
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Oh, my God! It's such a great day.
0:37:05 > 0:37:07In our small study,
0:37:07 > 0:37:11dry brushing was by far the most effective treatment for cellulite,
0:37:11 > 0:37:14and one of our volunteers saw an
0:37:14 > 0:37:16astonishing improvement of 35%.
0:37:16 > 0:37:17And your cellulite
0:37:17 > 0:37:20was the most affected.
0:37:21 > 0:37:2435%!
0:37:24 > 0:37:26So, Raj, what do you think about the result?
0:37:26 > 0:37:28I'm a bit surprised as well, but it's a definite change,
0:37:28 > 0:37:30so I think it's probably redistributing the fat
0:37:30 > 0:37:32and pushing the fat around.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34I mean, it's not an elegant thing, is it?
0:37:34 > 0:37:36Basically, you just push the fat back in,
0:37:36 > 0:37:38away from the surface of the skin.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41- I'm never going to stop. - Never going to stop!
0:37:41 > 0:37:43I'm just going to constantly brush.
0:37:43 > 0:37:45- We want the brush. - We want the brush!- Yeah.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55So far, we've tested some of our favourite cosmetics,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57and with the help of experts,
0:37:57 > 0:38:00we found that some work and many don't,
0:38:00 > 0:38:03no matter how seductive the promises they make.
0:38:06 > 0:38:10So back at the beauty lab, I want to investigate how much
0:38:10 > 0:38:14we can actually trust the claims used by cosmetic companies
0:38:14 > 0:38:17in their marketing and on their labels.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20"Active ingredients."
0:38:20 > 0:38:23"Reduces the appearance of wrinkles."
0:38:23 > 0:38:25"Clinically proven."
0:38:25 > 0:38:30I am such a sucker for those kind of claims, and the longer the list,
0:38:30 > 0:38:32the more I think I'm getting for my money.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36But how do we really know what those claims mean,
0:38:36 > 0:38:40and how much evidence do these companies have to have
0:38:40 > 0:38:42before they go on the product?
0:38:44 > 0:38:48To find out, I've invited Colin Sanders to my beauty lab.
0:38:48 > 0:38:52He's a cosmetic chemist and something of an industry insider.
0:38:52 > 0:38:55So who is checking these claims?
0:38:55 > 0:38:58Well, they can't make any claims that are untrue.
0:38:58 > 0:39:01The general consumer protection regulations
0:39:01 > 0:39:04don't allow you to make blatant lies.
0:39:04 > 0:39:06But most of the time,
0:39:06 > 0:39:09if nobody complains about what you're doing,
0:39:09 > 0:39:12there's very little in the way of enforcement
0:39:12 > 0:39:16from the authorities to make sure you're doing it correctly.
0:39:17 > 0:39:19If a product's claims are investigated,
0:39:19 > 0:39:23then a company must provide a certain level of proof.
0:39:23 > 0:39:25But how much?
0:39:25 > 0:39:27I want to look at what evidence is required
0:39:27 > 0:39:31to make some of the most common claims on cosmetics.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34First on my list of confusing cosmetic jargon
0:39:34 > 0:39:37is "clinically proven".
0:39:37 > 0:39:40My assumption is if it says clinically proven,
0:39:40 > 0:39:45I think a scientist has proven that it is effective and it works.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47Does that mean that when I take it home and I use it
0:39:47 > 0:39:50in my everyday life, it's going to do what I hope it does?
0:39:50 > 0:39:52Not necessarily.
0:39:52 > 0:39:58So, for example, if it did reduce wrinkles by 10% in size,
0:39:58 > 0:40:02that would definitely be a clinically proven claim.
0:40:02 > 0:40:04However, it's probably not going to be noticeable
0:40:04 > 0:40:06without a magnifying glass.
0:40:06 > 0:40:10So if I want my wrinkles to go and this says
0:40:10 > 0:40:13that it is clinically proven to lessen wrinkles,
0:40:13 > 0:40:16it may not be something I can even see at home.
0:40:16 > 0:40:18That would be a fairly common experience
0:40:18 > 0:40:21of many consumers, I think.
0:40:21 > 0:40:25So what about our next claim, "active ingredients".
0:40:25 > 0:40:27So what would I need to do to be able to say
0:40:27 > 0:40:30that I had active ingredients in a product?
0:40:30 > 0:40:33What tests, what proof?
0:40:33 > 0:40:36The level of testing that is often done
0:40:36 > 0:40:39is simply to run it through what's called in vitro testing,
0:40:39 > 0:40:42where you test it in equipment in a laboratory
0:40:42 > 0:40:45and doesn't go anywhere near a human being.
0:40:47 > 0:40:51There aren't set regulations for the level of testing required
0:40:51 > 0:40:53to call something an "active ingredient",
0:40:53 > 0:40:55and the same applies to our next common claim.
0:40:57 > 0:41:01We have "dermatologically tested".
0:41:01 > 0:41:02What does it mean?
0:41:02 > 0:41:06All dermatologically tested means is it's been tested on the skin.
0:41:06 > 0:41:08So if I was bringing a product to market,
0:41:08 > 0:41:12how many people would I have had to test it on to make this claim?
0:41:12 > 0:41:15Well, in theory, one.
0:41:15 > 0:41:17One? One person?
0:41:17 > 0:41:19They could have tested it on their mate Sue
0:41:19 > 0:41:22and then put that on the bottle.
0:41:22 > 0:41:24Yes, and it would still be an accurate claim
0:41:24 > 0:41:25because Sue has got skin
0:41:25 > 0:41:28and dermatologically tested means tested on skin,
0:41:28 > 0:41:31so that is a reasonable claim.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34Since there are currently no rules and regulations
0:41:34 > 0:41:38for how something should be dermatologically tested on skin,
0:41:38 > 0:41:41it doesn't tell you whether a product is safe
0:41:41 > 0:41:42for your skin or not.
0:41:42 > 0:41:45And finally, some of the most seductive claims
0:41:45 > 0:41:48would be difficult to prove scientifically
0:41:48 > 0:41:50even if a company tried.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52I'm a real sucker for these -
0:41:52 > 0:41:55"Leaves skin looking rested and radiant."
0:41:55 > 0:42:00Rested and radiant - I don't think either of those are adjectives
0:42:00 > 0:42:03that really apply to skin in normal, everyday life.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07If it was literally radiant, it would be emitting light.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Even though companies are not allowed to lie in their claims,
0:42:10 > 0:42:15they don't necessarily mean what we as consumers think they do.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18So do you think the power of suggestion
0:42:18 > 0:42:22is probably the most effective thing when it comes to products,
0:42:22 > 0:42:23rather than the science?
0:42:23 > 0:42:26The founder of Revlon famously said,
0:42:26 > 0:42:28"We are not selling lipstick, we're selling dreams."
0:42:28 > 0:42:31I think that's what a lot of purchasing decisions
0:42:31 > 0:42:35in the cosmetic area are driven by.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41I approached the representatives for the industry,
0:42:41 > 0:42:44the Cosmetics, Toiletries and Perfumery Association,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47with details from my interview with Colin.
0:42:47 > 0:42:50They said that a report by the European Commission found that
0:42:50 > 0:42:54"90% of cosmetic claims were compliant with the current criteria.
0:42:54 > 0:42:58"The stringent laws regulating the manufacturer and supply
0:42:58 > 0:43:00"of cosmetic products ensure that they are safe
0:43:00 > 0:43:02"and will perform as claimed.
0:43:02 > 0:43:04"Successful products are bought again and again
0:43:04 > 0:43:06"because people are happy with their purchases."
0:43:09 > 0:43:14But the marketing and branding of these products clearly also play
0:43:14 > 0:43:17a powerful role in why we buy them.
0:43:18 > 0:43:20So to find out more about how these factors
0:43:20 > 0:43:22influence our shopping decisions,
0:43:22 > 0:43:24I've invited consumer psychologist
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Dr Omar Yousaf from the University of Bath.
0:43:29 > 0:43:31So often there's a discrepancy between
0:43:31 > 0:43:34why we think we buy a product and why we actually buy it.
0:43:34 > 0:43:36There are other forces at play.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38Because there are other factors at play,
0:43:38 > 0:43:40does that leave us, as the consumers,
0:43:40 > 0:43:42very vulnerable to manipulation?
0:43:42 > 0:43:45Yeah. Our vulnerabilities as consumers
0:43:45 > 0:43:47are not always evident to ourselves.
0:43:47 > 0:43:53So the question is what's driving your decision-making process?
0:43:53 > 0:43:55To look at what factors affect our shopping decisions,
0:43:55 > 0:43:58we're setting up a little experiment.
0:44:00 > 0:44:05We're going to sell our very own face cleanser called Face
0:44:05 > 0:44:07in two very different ways.
0:44:07 > 0:44:11We want to see how packaging and the sales assistant's appearance
0:44:11 > 0:44:15affect what our beauty lab customers buy.
0:44:15 > 0:44:18First up, we've put the cleanser in a no-frills packaging
0:44:18 > 0:44:20and sales assistant Joe is in casual clothes
0:44:20 > 0:44:24to welcome our first group of customers through the door.
0:44:24 > 0:44:29- Hi.- Hello.- Would you like to take a look at our new cleansing product?
0:44:29 > 0:44:32- Yeah.- If a customer says they would buy the product,
0:44:32 > 0:44:33it goes in the basket.
0:44:33 > 0:44:37- It smells nice. - Would you buy this product?
0:44:37 > 0:44:38I'm very about packaging.
0:44:38 > 0:44:41It doesn't really fill me with confidence.
0:44:41 > 0:44:44Would you buy this product?
0:44:44 > 0:44:45Erm, no.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47Probably not.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50I kind of probably wouldn't.
0:44:50 > 0:44:53After two hours and 18 customers through the door,
0:44:53 > 0:44:56just three said they would buy it.
0:44:57 > 0:45:01Time for stage two of the experiment.
0:45:01 > 0:45:04The product has been given a makeover...
0:45:05 > 0:45:08..and so has sales assistant Jo.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12Both have been made to look more scientific and more glamorous.
0:45:15 > 0:45:18So what will our next group of customers think?
0:45:18 > 0:45:23- Hiya.- Hi.- Hi.- Would you like to take a look at our new cleansing product?
0:45:23 > 0:45:24It smells minty.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27- I like the smell.- Yes, maybe, no?
0:45:27 > 0:45:31- Definitely. - Looking at it, yeah, I would.
0:45:31 > 0:45:32It smells lovely.
0:45:32 > 0:45:34I'd probably try it.
0:45:35 > 0:45:38After the last customers have visited the counter...
0:45:38 > 0:45:39It makes you want to find out more about it.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42..Omar has the results.
0:45:42 > 0:45:44So how much effect did the different look
0:45:44 > 0:45:48of the identical product really have?
0:45:48 > 0:45:51Right, so with the first product we had three people
0:45:51 > 0:45:53who were actually willing to buy that straightaway.
0:45:53 > 0:45:55Whereas, the other one we had eight.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57- Same product...- Yes. - ..just a different bottle.
0:45:57 > 0:45:59That's it.
0:45:59 > 0:46:03When the face cleanser looked more luxurious and scientific,
0:46:03 > 0:46:07our customers were more than twice as likely to buy it.
0:46:07 > 0:46:11What we tried to do was to make this product a status product,
0:46:11 > 0:46:14giving it this sense of quality.
0:46:14 > 0:46:18The other element was we had the seller wear a lab coat,
0:46:18 > 0:46:23so it just gives it this aura of credibility, confidence.
0:46:23 > 0:46:27The effect of packaging and science on sales is interesting,
0:46:27 > 0:46:30but it wasn't actually the main thing that Omar was testing.
0:46:33 > 0:46:36Would you be willing to do a survey about this product?
0:46:36 > 0:46:38- Yeah.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:46:38 > 0:46:42Our beauty lab customers were also asked to complete a questionnaire.
0:46:42 > 0:46:45That would be really helpful. Thank you.
0:46:45 > 0:46:48They thought this was simply market research.
0:46:48 > 0:46:51But Omar was really looking at how the product affected
0:46:51 > 0:46:54the way they feel about themselves.
0:46:54 > 0:46:56He measured each customer's self-esteem
0:46:56 > 0:46:59at the point of making their purchasing decision.
0:46:59 > 0:47:03What we found was that self-esteem was higher
0:47:03 > 0:47:06for the cheap product, or the more basic one,
0:47:06 > 0:47:08compared to the higher one.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11So what happens is that when you observe the luxury products,
0:47:11 > 0:47:15it is likely to drop your self-esteem, and as a result,
0:47:15 > 0:47:16you're more likely to then compensate
0:47:16 > 0:47:20for that by buying the product, to elevate the self-esteem.
0:47:20 > 0:47:21What?!
0:47:21 > 0:47:25Omar found that our customers actually felt worse
0:47:25 > 0:47:29about themselves when shopping for the luxury-looking products
0:47:29 > 0:47:32compared to the ones that looked more basic.
0:47:32 > 0:47:35And this makes us more likely to buy them.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40A very interesting theory we have in psychology
0:47:40 > 0:47:42is self-discrepancy theory.
0:47:42 > 0:47:45It proposes that we have an actual self
0:47:45 > 0:47:47and we have an ideal self.
0:47:47 > 0:47:49Sometimes there's gap between the two
0:47:49 > 0:47:54and what happens then is we feel a drive to reduce that gap.
0:47:54 > 0:47:58It creates an ideal, something to be aspiring towards.
0:47:58 > 0:48:01Because, look, here are these gorgeous people
0:48:01 > 0:48:04- and here is an aspirational product.- That's it.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08So it creates the insecurity and then it takes it away.
0:48:08 > 0:48:11- It takes it away.- In my mind. - In your mind.
0:48:14 > 0:48:19So it seems like the luxury-looking products and the sales tactics
0:48:19 > 0:48:21can give us lower self-esteem,
0:48:21 > 0:48:25which is exactly why they can be so tempting to buy.
0:48:28 > 0:48:34So the psychology of the way we feel about ourselves can play a big role
0:48:34 > 0:48:36in why we choose certain products.
0:48:36 > 0:48:40And our self-esteem obviously has a lot to do with why we want to change
0:48:40 > 0:48:43our appearance in the first place.
0:48:43 > 0:48:46I used to feel really insecure about how I looked,
0:48:46 > 0:48:49and I've wasted a lot of time worrying about
0:48:49 > 0:48:53how attractive people thought I was.
0:48:53 > 0:48:58Thankfully, I've learnt to worry a lot less about that now.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02But I do still wonder how good are we
0:49:02 > 0:49:05at judging our own attractiveness?
0:49:07 > 0:49:10I've come to Cambridge to meet Professor Viren Swami,
0:49:10 > 0:49:14a social psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University.
0:49:14 > 0:49:18His research focuses on human appearance and body image.
0:49:18 > 0:49:21And today, he's running an experiment.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23So, Viren, what is the plan today?
0:49:23 > 0:49:25What are we trying to find out?
0:49:25 > 0:49:27So we've invited a group of people to come into a lab.
0:49:27 > 0:49:29Now, they've never met each other before,
0:49:29 > 0:49:30so they don't know each other.
0:49:30 > 0:49:32We're going to get them to take part in an experiment
0:49:32 > 0:49:34where they rate their own attractiveness
0:49:34 > 0:49:38and they rate other people's attractiveness as well.
0:49:38 > 0:49:43So we're going to see if we find ourselves more or less attractive
0:49:43 > 0:49:45than other people do.
0:49:45 > 0:49:47First, the strangers meet face-to-face
0:49:47 > 0:49:50and are given a chance to get to know each other.
0:49:50 > 0:49:53THEY CHAT OVER EACH OTHER
0:49:54 > 0:49:57Meanwhile, Viren has set up a gallery
0:49:57 > 0:50:02which will measure how attractive the volunteers find each other.
0:50:02 > 0:50:05OK, so what is going on in these pictures?
0:50:05 > 0:50:08So here we have seven photographs of the same individual.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10This is the original image, the un-altered face.
0:50:10 > 0:50:13This is the actual face of what they look like.
0:50:13 > 0:50:16And the other images have been digitally manipulated
0:50:16 > 0:50:19to seem less attractive or more attractive.
0:50:19 > 0:50:23So this is the lesser attractive face,
0:50:23 > 0:50:25and this is the most attractive face.
0:50:25 > 0:50:29- Exactly. - But attractiveness is subjective.
0:50:29 > 0:50:32- Is it?- There is a degree of subjectivity to it,
0:50:32 > 0:50:35but as a culture, we have certain things that most people
0:50:35 > 0:50:37will find attractive.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40With male faces, they tend to have a larger jawline,
0:50:40 > 0:50:42a more angular jawline, a longer nose,
0:50:42 > 0:50:46and the larger brow ridge, which makes them more masculine.
0:50:46 > 0:50:49And I feel like they've got a bit of a tan.
0:50:49 > 0:50:51Indeed, so they have a skin tan.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54In our culture, it's associated with both health and wealth.
0:50:54 > 0:50:55What about the women?
0:50:55 > 0:50:58They've been made to look more feminine to be more attractive,
0:50:58 > 0:51:01so they've got a smaller nose, a smaller brow ridge,
0:51:01 > 0:51:03but also larger lips.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06I mean, the change is very subtle, but then when you actually
0:51:06 > 0:51:08put the first and the last next to each other,
0:51:08 > 0:51:10you can really the difference.
0:51:10 > 0:51:12So in the less attractive face,
0:51:12 > 0:51:16there's a less defined bone structure,
0:51:16 > 0:51:20less high cheekbones, the colour is noticeable.
0:51:20 > 0:51:24The lips are fuller and more red in this one.
0:51:24 > 0:51:28So I can see the difference, absolutely.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36Viren mixes up the order of attractiveness
0:51:36 > 0:51:40in each set of photos to disguise which is the original image
0:51:40 > 0:51:41and which has been transformed.
0:51:45 > 0:51:49Then each volunteer is invited into the studio.
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Out of the seven images of themselves,
0:51:54 > 0:51:58each person has to select the one that they think best represents
0:51:58 > 0:52:00how they really look.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03I would like to think that that's what I look like.
0:52:05 > 0:52:06I feel like I look best in this picture,
0:52:06 > 0:52:09but that's maybe not quite how I normally look.
0:52:09 > 0:52:12They then have to find the images of everyone else
0:52:12 > 0:52:14they have just met.
0:52:14 > 0:52:16- With big, engaging eyes.- Yes.
0:52:16 > 0:52:18So those were the key characteristics
0:52:18 > 0:52:21- you noticed when you met her? - Yeah, big, open eyes.
0:52:21 > 0:52:23So why did you choose this one?
0:52:23 > 0:52:26Why does that look like the person you just met?
0:52:26 > 0:52:28It's just sort of seems a little bit brighter.
0:52:28 > 0:52:31Yeah, she's quite a talkative, open person.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38Her face is smiling more in that one.
0:52:38 > 0:52:42So did people select more or less attractive images?
0:52:46 > 0:52:49I bet you are wondering what on earth is going on.
0:52:49 > 0:52:54Why have we made you look at your hairless, necklace faces this much?
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Well, Viren is going to explain all.
0:52:58 > 0:53:01So today we asked you to come in and we had to go around and select the
0:53:01 > 0:53:05faces of your new friends that most accurately represented
0:53:05 > 0:53:07the face that you thought they looked like.
0:53:07 > 0:53:10We also had to do the same for yourself.
0:53:10 > 0:53:11So what did we find?
0:53:11 > 0:53:15Well, our main finding was that most of you selected a face for yourself
0:53:15 > 0:53:18that was actually less attractive than what everyone else
0:53:18 > 0:53:21selected for you.
0:53:21 > 0:53:23More than 70% of the time,
0:53:23 > 0:53:26people chose images of other people that had been enhanced
0:53:26 > 0:53:28to look more attractive.
0:53:28 > 0:53:31But when it came to choosing for themselves,
0:53:31 > 0:53:37some people chose images that had been made to look more unattractive.
0:53:38 > 0:53:42You selected an image of yourself that was less attractive
0:53:42 > 0:53:46than the original image, the one on the left.
0:53:46 > 0:53:49Whereas, everyone else selected the image on the right
0:53:49 > 0:53:51as being the more accurate representation of her.
0:53:51 > 0:53:53Is that quite nice to know?
0:53:53 > 0:53:55Yes, thank you!
0:53:57 > 0:53:59So, Viren, what is going on?
0:53:59 > 0:54:03Why do we think, I suppose, more harshly of ourselves
0:54:03 > 0:54:05than other people?
0:54:05 > 0:54:08There is pressure on us to enhance our appearance
0:54:08 > 0:54:12all the time and so we end up focusing on the flaws in our faces,
0:54:12 > 0:54:14so we focus on all the things we don't like about ourselves,
0:54:14 > 0:54:16we focus on the things we dislike,
0:54:16 > 0:54:18the things we really hate about ourselves.
0:54:21 > 0:54:25So what does influence the way we perceive someone's attractiveness?
0:54:26 > 0:54:28Do you think meeting each other first
0:54:28 > 0:54:31helped when choosing the picture?
0:54:31 > 0:54:32- Yes.- Why?- Very much so.
0:54:32 > 0:54:37Because you bring the person's personality into their picture -
0:54:37 > 0:54:40so because everyone sees each other as being a person
0:54:40 > 0:54:42rather than just a face.
0:54:42 > 0:54:45You're working out whether that person has a sense of humour,
0:54:45 > 0:54:48you're working out whether that person has shared values with you,
0:54:48 > 0:54:50and in psychology we call these halo effects.
0:54:50 > 0:54:52A halo effect is simply where one quality
0:54:52 > 0:54:56has an effect on our perception of a different quality.
0:54:56 > 0:54:58So if we perceive someone as being warm and friendly
0:54:58 > 0:55:00and kind and loyal, we can also perceive them
0:55:00 > 0:55:04as being more physically attractive in the long-term.
0:55:04 > 0:55:07So Viren believes that the group chose more attractive images
0:55:07 > 0:55:11of each other because they met first...
0:55:11 > 0:55:13We'll have you, if you want?
0:55:14 > 0:55:18..and so were influenced by personality.
0:55:18 > 0:55:21Viren, I really want to live in a world where it matters
0:55:21 > 0:55:24how you behave with people and how much you invest in people
0:55:24 > 0:55:27and how kind you are and how thoughtful you are.
0:55:27 > 0:55:30It feels like it does matter.
0:55:30 > 0:55:33So, of course it does. We know this from what we've done today and we've
0:55:33 > 0:55:35shown that even just a brief interaction with someone
0:55:35 > 0:55:38can have a huge impact on how they're perceived.
0:55:38 > 0:55:40Which is such great news!
0:55:40 > 0:55:43And it makes me so happy that we've done an experiment
0:55:43 > 0:55:47that proves something really, really fabulous.
0:55:51 > 0:55:54So, just as much as the creams and the make-up,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57it's our outlook and the way we act with people
0:55:57 > 0:55:59that affects how attractive we are.
0:56:02 > 0:56:06I've spent so much of my life feeling really insecure
0:56:06 > 0:56:07about how I look.
0:56:09 > 0:56:15It's really comforting to know that actually personality does count
0:56:15 > 0:56:18and part of your attractiveness is about how comfortable
0:56:18 > 0:56:20you are in your own skin.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26I've come to the end of my investigation
0:56:26 > 0:56:29into the science behind the beauty industry.
0:56:32 > 0:56:35I've learned that moisturiser doesn't have the long-term effects
0:56:35 > 0:56:38on our skin that we might think it does...
0:56:40 > 0:56:44..but that sun cream and retinol will keep our skin looking younger.
0:56:44 > 0:56:48I'll also be more savvy to some of those marketing tricks
0:56:48 > 0:56:52of the trade and I'll be saving some money on my make-up bag.
0:56:52 > 0:56:55It turns out that whether a product works or not
0:56:55 > 0:57:00isn't down to the claims on the label or the money we spend,
0:57:00 > 0:57:05it's more about the ingredients list and reliable evidence.
0:57:05 > 0:57:09I've definitely changed the way that I shop for beauty products
0:57:09 > 0:57:12and the products that I use every.
0:57:12 > 0:57:14What I've learned about the beauty industry
0:57:14 > 0:57:18is that there are some things that really work,
0:57:18 > 0:57:24but you've got to look past the promises and the price.
0:57:24 > 0:57:27# Na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na-na
0:57:27 > 0:57:30# Na-na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
0:57:30 > 0:57:32# She's got the look
0:57:32 > 0:57:35- # She goes - Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
0:57:35 > 0:57:39# Na-na-na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na
0:57:39 > 0:57:41# She's got the look
0:57:41 > 0:57:43# She's got the look She goes
0:57:43 > 0:57:48# Na-na-na-na-na-na-na-na Na-na-na-na-na-na-na
0:57:48 > 0:57:50# Na-na-na-na-na-na
0:57:50 > 0:57:51# She's got the look
0:57:51 > 0:57:53# She's got the look. #