how soap sells a myth
598,546
Published 2023-10-06
When did skincare get so intense with multi-step skincare routines made of cleansers, exfoliants, toners, serums, masks, creams, moisturizers, and sunscreen? When did some people decide they didn’t need to wash their legs? How are both of these questions equally relevant nowadays? In this video, Sabrina shares her skincare routine, explores the history of hygiene, and figures out what is behind this “clean” divide.
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SOCIAL MEDIA
Sabrina
Twitter: twitter.com/nerdyandquirky
Instagram: instagram.com/nerdyandquirky
Melissa
Twitter: twitter.com/mehlizfern
Instagram: instagram.com/mehlizfern
Taha
Twitter: twitter.com/khanstopme
Instagram: instagram.com/khanstopme
CREDITS
Producer: Sabrina Cruz
Research Assistant: Mary Helene Hall
Editor: Driaan Louw
Supervising Editor: Joe Trickey
MUSIC
Epidemic Sound. Get started today using our affiliate link. share.epidemicsound.com/answerinprogress
RECOMMENDED READING
Clean: The New Science of Skin by James Hamblin
The Clean Body by W. Peter Ward
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 do you wash your legs
00:14 are you a skincare girlie
00:26 why does this hygiene divide exist
00:59 what is my hygiene routine
01:22 paying the bills with KraveBeauty
02:15 Taha is on the 3-in-1 grind
03:16 sabrina feels stinky (unjustified)
03:41 realizing just how much soap exists are the pharmacy
04:35 research montage (with help!)
05:25 me, drinking water: “it’s a metaphor, see”
06:59 how soap redefined clean
09:29 WASH YOUR HANDS
10:00 how soap took things too far
11:53 how to start your own skincare routine
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Welcome to the joke under the fold! Here’s a soap opera of a heist wrapped up in a pun.
The filthy criminal stole all the soap in the bank. He got away clean.
Leave a comment with the word CLEAN to let me know you were here ;-)
All Comments (21)
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Corrected captions are up! Sorry about the mishap 💛 - Sabrina
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I feel like y’all need to have a series called “The Rabbit Hole” where y’all just tell us about all the research and things you found that didn’t make it into the video
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The fact that so much research is funded by people with something to sell or people who have ulterior motives is something that continues to make me seethe. At least the examples in the video are reporting those funding them, not every study actually does, people will lie about not having conflicts of interest when they absolutely do have a conflict of interest and it drives me wild
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I remember a moment in class when the room suddenly became split between people who scrub in the shower and people who just stand under the water. It was a crazy moment to realise how subjective 'normal' and 'clean' actually are.
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As an art conservator (aka a professional cleaner) it's amazing how much science goes into the right sort of cleaner for the right sort of substance. Like, entire conferences are built around it.
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Sabrina is the only person I would listen to talk about soap for more than 5 minutes
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Well, few years back, due to a skin problem a dermatologist told me to stop using soap, and to stop showering. He gave me more instruction on how to wash myself, and what products, other than soap, I can use. I can still shower, but less often like once or twice a week, but must avoid "normal" soap. I still struggle to apply those advices, but I have to recognized that most of my skin problem has disappeared, except one my hands, cause I'm still using water and soap, multiple times a day.
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The little whispered "Simba!" as she dabbed lotion on her forehead was hilarious
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One other reason i want to say there is a huge variation in skincare is that everyone's skin is different and needs different things to be healthy. Like a person who has especially oily skin will need a different skincare routine than someone who's skin is very dry.
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Hey folks! Our apologies for the captions, we’re working on fixing the issue asap!
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I love the irony of how skincare research is often funded by those trying to sell something... while the sponsor of this video is a skincare brand😆. I see what you did there...
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You’ve proved it IS possible to talk about personal hygiene without shaming people. It’s such a hard topic to talk about because people confuse what is healthy with what is baseline and with what is entirely optional. As someone on the “stinkier” end of the spectrum because I’m SO sensitive to artificial smells it feels like trying to talk to people about what we can do for ourselves is about as helpful as talking to a brick wall
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As an engineering student, never have I been so offended by something I so wholeheartedly agree with
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I've reinvented my hygiene routine recently bc I realized it was made when I was a teenager, aka at my stinkiest. I don't need nearly as many or as harsh products to stay hygienic now
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The chapters titles are such a joy “Sabrina feels stinky (unjustified)” “Me, drinking water: “it’s a metaphor, see?” “WASH YOUR HANDS”
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2:02 "A smooth face to match my smooth brain" is peak funny, it was said so casually
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I usually have my captions on and I'm pretty sure the captions are from a different part of the video's transcript, and according to the comments I'm not the only one who noticed this. Otherwise, thanks for always having (usually accurate) captions in these videos, it's really helpful and appreciated!
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i'd love to see one of these on haircare too! there's a very similar market and confusion around how to care for your hair. I still haven't figured out how to make my hair less frizzy, and i've tried so many things, lol
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I'm a fellow doctor and I make my smell confusing on purpose. Mint tea leave conditioner, bourbon scented bodywash, and antiperspirant that is apparently the smell of a giant kraken. Aside from that, high grade sports-level sunscreen. Protect that skin. It's the only set you've got.
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The little thing on the top of the moisturizer is a little spatula to scoop out the product instead of using your finger because your finger can introduce bacteria into the product
