One of the enjoyable parts of researching for Beautypedia (and there are many!) is creating the various stories we need to use that will gain us access at a cosmetic counter to the ingredient lists they often refuse to let us write down. As fictitious are our tales often are, these stories don’t exactly haunt our consciences because they often reflect the kind of questions that Beautypedia subscribers ask us all the time and are never so far-fetched that they don’t resemble that of an actual customer. Examples would be when subscribers seek to check an unknown ingredient with their dermatologist, or cross check for interactions with other products, or just simply want to be informed consumers. We know we are working on your behalf when we’re out there collecting information, which makes it all the more frustrating when the answers don’t come easily, or in many cases accurately.

Fortunately for Beautypedia subscribers, we have the expertise to tell if the information we’ve been given by a cosmetics counter representative doesn’t add up. Without that kind of expertise, however, consumers trying to figure out what to buy are at a serious disadvantage. If there’s one thing that we’ve learned as researchers for Beautypedia, it’s that the cosmetics counter people don’t consistently or even often distribute correct information. Whether it’s intentionally misleading or (more likely) simply borne of bad sales training which produces complete and utter misinformation of their own product, we’re frequently reminded that salespeople are exactly that, salespeople and it’s not wise to rely on the information they give you about skin care or the value of the products they sell.

Case in point: Last week I called a Shiseido counter for foundation’s ingredients and the salesperson couldn’t even find the ingredient list on the box. And even though I patiently assured her that it was there somewhere, she became flustered and snapped “I’m the one looking at it, and I can assure you it’s not listed.” You can imagine the restraint it required not to call her back and gloat, after the next counter I called had found it without any trouble at all.

Locating the ingredients isn’t the only hurdle, however. Sometimes, companies can’t decide which ingredients they’re using at all. Take, for instance, a few phone calls we made recently to a few cosmetic counters in order to confirm the active ingredient in a Laura Mercier sunscreen. ALL SPF products must list the active ingredients they use in their products. I mean, it’s a simple question: “Can you tell me the active ingredients for your sunscreen?” The first counter person told us, “Argan Oil,” which, incidentally, is neither a sunscreen ingredient nor an active ingredient of any kind. The next counter we called told us “Oxybenzone,” which is indeed a sunscreen, but the counter rep couldn’t tell us the amount used and it is rarely used by itself on an ingredient list. We then called Laura Mercier’s corporate office; they told us “titanium dioxide,” a wholly different ingredient from the last, and the amount they specified? “Less than 1%.” If that’s the case it doesn’t amount to much more then an SPF of 2! Geesh!