The Ugly Truth: An Autoethnographic Look into the Cosmetic Industry
Advertisements are used day after day by businesses to try and get themselves out into the world. They are a method of self-exposure for a company to show the consumers what the business has to offer. There are numerous decisions made and questions asked before an advertisement is seen by the public eye. Many consumers may not realize just how strategically planned these advertisements actually are. Advertising is what brings consumers to be intrigued into purchasing a product or service. An interesting concept about advertising is that, it affects people in different ways. Also, different industries advertise their products by using different methods that they feel to be most profitable to their business.
This leads me to my question, “how do advertisements in the cosmetic industry affect a white, American, Catholic, 20 year old female?” The description that I am focusing in my question pertains to me and how the cosmetic industry affects my life personally. My question also narrows down my research to only containing the knowledge that I am aware of thus far in my life.
Throughout my life I have been affected in multiple ways by cosmetic advertising. Even as I was a young girl I would play dress up and put on my grandmother’s makeup on. I also did “Glamour Shots” when I was little in Arizona. The beautician had curled my hair, did my makeup; and I got to where a lot of adorable outfits in the photo shoot. Since then I have been dealing with cosmetics my entire life. Especially in high school when it became Prom time, or when I made the homecoming court. I would look on the internet for ways that celebrities styled their hair, and tried to get my hairdresser to replicate it. Getting all dolled up for these events is definitely something that I will never forget.
One concept that I will be focusing on in my research is how advertisements can create a controversial misconception for consumers. In other words, what you see is not always what you get. While researching, I had come across an article that demonstrates how an industry can mislead their consumers into thinking that a certain product will work a particular way, when it actually does not. One way the article shows this is by how the cosmetic law requires that the labels put on their products should have the ingredients listed in descending order of prevalence, and should be easily read and understood under “normal conditions of purchase” (Williams). However, the cold hard truth is that these labels are actually not easy to read or understand. Instead, these labels contain confusing scientific terms for ingredients that only a chemist could make sense of their use (Williams).
Another issue that I will be discussing in my paper is how these cosmetic advertisements create an “unrealistic image” for females like me. One article that I found that emphasizes this issue is “Beauty Industry Blamed for Making Women Feel Bad about Themselves” (Pitman). A survey conducted by the BBC’s money program found that one in three women believe that media images portraying slim beautiful women make them feel “overweight and unattractive” (Pitman).
The current advertising methods that are being done in the market industry are constantly changing with the new advances being made in technology. However, advancements in technology could pose a problem for the advertising industry. According to a survey conducted by IBM, they learned that “increasingly empowered consumers, more self-reliant advertisers, and ever-evolving technologies are redefining how advertising is sold, created, consumed and tracked” (Internet Wire). Companies that are still using traditional advertising methods may risk an increase in revenue declines (Internet Wire). Another issue is that consumers have grown tired of “interruption advertising” and keep gaining more ways to control how they interact, filter, distribute, and consume their content and associated advertising messages (Internet Wire). IBM feels that advertisers will need to invest heavily in “consumer analytics and automation” to allow them to get more facts about ways to reach their consumers (Internet Wire).
I think that my research is important because it is relevant to all white, American, Catholic, 20 year old women just like me. Driving down the street seeing a billboard, looking through a magazine while waiting at the doctor’s office, or walking through a shopping mall, are just a few of many examples where one may see an advertisement representing the cosmetic industry. This just shows how large of a part the cosmetic industry plays on these groups of women’s lives. Advertisements done in the cosmetic industry have already been researched focusing on numerous issues. However, my particular research will focus on the elements as to how the advertisements done in the cosmetic industry influence me personally. Since I will be discussing how these advertisements personally affect me with the information that I am knowledgeable about, it will make my research unique for this field. In the following section, I will be discussing some of my primary sources that I have found while researching. I will also state how some of the sources are relevant to one another.
Literature Review
While researching, I came across numerous sources that exemplify some of the different methods used when advertising. The first article specifically focuses on what the makeup companies do not tell their customers. Makeup is very relative to me, it is one thing that I use every day of my life. This is why becoming more aware of this industry’s advertising methods is necessary to study. The article discusses just what the title of it is implying; unveiling the dirty secrets the makeup industry is hiding.
This brings me into addressing Rose Marie Williams’ article about “Makeup’s Dirty Secrets.” The cosmetic industry is a 35 billion-dollar enterprise (Williams). It spends more money on television advertising than any other business. Rose Marie Williams focuses her article on how the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), misleads their consumers. The FDA neither tests nor determines the safety of cosmetics; instead the cosmetic industry is “self-regulated” through a panel of experts whom it appoints. To help support her data, Rose included an investigate report in her article that was conducted in 2004 by the Environmental Working Group. This group had examined 711 lipstick products and discovered that 28% of these contained ingredients that are associated with cancer risk. Also, in June 2004 the Environmental Working Group had filed a cosmetic safety petition. It was not until 2005 when the FDA issued its written response to the petition, revealing its serious deficiencies to protect public health, and failing to include warning labels on products with safety concerns. According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, “884 chemicals that are available for use in cosmetics are toxic substances.” The reason why the FDA fails to make consumers aware of this is because they have no resources for assessing the safety of the chemicals; which can cause genetic damage, biological mutation, and cancer.
In Williams’ article the Environmental Working Group discussed their position on dealing with the FDA. They discussed how the cosmetics law claims that “each ingredient used in a cosmetic product and each finished cosmetic product shall be adequately substantiated for safety prior to marketing.” Any such ingredients or product whose safety is not adequately substantiated prior to marketing is misbranded unless it contains the following conspicuous statement on the principle display panel: “Warning – The safety of this product has not been determined.” The Environmental Working Group spent 2 years of reviewing more than 20,000 product labels, and failed to find one that displayed this warning. The FDA admits that it has little if any authority to enforce provisions of the law requiring manufacturers to “substantiate the safety of products being sold.
Similar to Rose Marie Williams’ article on “Makeup’s Ugly Secrets,” the United States Food and Drug Administration seem to say otherwise, according to their “Summary of Regulatory Requirements for Labeling of Cosmetics that is marketed in the United States” (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services). The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) defines cosmetics as “articles intended to be applied to the human body for cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness, or altering the appearance without affecting the body’s structure or functions.” The FD&C states that they prohibit the distribution of cosmetics that are “adulterated or misbranded.” This could pertain to any of the following: the labeling is false or misleading, it does not show the required labeling information, or the container is made or filled in an unreliable manner. Cosmetics that may be dangerous to consumers when they are misused must contain label warnings and directions for safe use. The FD&C proclaims that “they do not require cosmetic manufacturers or marketers to test their products for safety; however, they do urge manufacturers to conduct appropriate tests to validate the safety of consumers.”
I plan on discussing different forms of false advertising that have been used in the cosmetic industry, especially with well-known brands. Estee Lauder is a prime model of this. Its founder, Josephine Esther Mentzer, is quoted for saying, “I want to show as many women as I can reach, not only how to be beautiful, but how to stay beautiful.” When Estee Lauder first began to advertise, Mrs. Lauder insisted that its images portray beauty that was both “aspirational and approachable” (Estee Lauder). Over the years, supermodels Karen Graham, Willow Bay, Paulina Porizkova—and now Elizabeth Hurley, Carolyn Murphy, Hillary Rhoda and Gwyneth Paltrow—have represented Estee Lauder (Estee Lauder).
One article I found that proves why Estee Lauder has been guilty of false advertising was done by the newspaper report, Miami Herald in June of 2005. It discusses a 62-year-old woman who was suing Estee Lauder for false advertising (CNN Money). She was declaring that Estee Lauder’s skin-care products promised to control the visible signs of aging, but did not deliver the results. The plaintiff, Diane Hutto, wanted the U.S. District Court in Miami to “certify her lawsuit as a class action, which allowed other consumers to join the lawsuit.” This lawsuit was similar to another that occurred several months prior. This case was done in the Superior Court in San Diego against Estee Lauder, Avon Products, Revlon, Maybelline, Mary Kay, and 20 other cosmetic companies and retailers that sell their products.
Diane Hutto did not mention the products that she purchased in the lawsuit, however; she told the Miami Herald that she used “Future Perfect Anti-Wrinkle Radiance Lotion” and “DayWear Plus by Estee Lauder” to “tighten the skin around her neck.” The Food and Drug Administration stated that, skin-care products that “tout anti-aging benefits or claim to counteract, retard, or control aging” may be considered drugs that are subject to federal regulation.
The cosmetic industry has been shown to make women feel bad about their bodies and the way that they look. An article written by Simon Pitman discusses how this statement was found to be true. A survey that was developed by BBC’s money program in June of 2006, declared that one in three women believed that media images that portray “slim, beautiful, women” made them feel “overweight and unattractive” (Pitman). The cosmetic industry continues to market products whose main motive is to “help women achieve ideals of physical perfection.” These products range from creams that fight wrinkles and cellulite, to covering up gray hair.
From my own knowledge, the one product of the cosmetic industry that is increasingly being used more and more each day would have to be the tanning salons. Whether or not that tanning beds cause skin cancer has been an ongoing debate, however, it seems to be very clear now that they are directly linked to causing cancer. According to an article that was written in March 2010 from the U.S. News & World Report, Steven Reinberg, a HealthDay Reporter, discussed the FDA Advisors’ urge for stricter regulations on tanning beds (Reinberg). The article was written on March 26, 2010. It discussed the potential ban on the use of tanning beds by people who are under the age of 18. This ban would be enforced by the U.S. health advisors who believe that “more measures are needed to protect consumers, especially teens, from skin-cancer risks posed by the devices.”
The Associated Press also reported how the panel of advisors to the Food and Drug Administration, also recommended that the tanning agencies add bolder warning labels to tanning beds, change how they are regulated by the FDA, and also require parental consent to use the tanning beds (Reinberg). These new FDA requirements would apply nationally to the United States; thirty states already have regulations governing tanning salons. A five hour meeting that was held on March 25, 2010, contained dozens of doctors and skin cancer survivors that were urging the FDA to ban indoor tanning for cosmetic uses, and cited the health risks to younger Americans. Tanning beds are classified as Class I medical devices. The group of doctors and skin cancer survivors stated that, “Class I means that these cancer-causing machines are in the same category as tongue depressors and elastic bandages and subject to few regulations and little oversight.” The Skin Cancer Foundation is hoping to change the classification of tanning beds to a Class II device, which could help prevent the beds from containing mirrors that amplify the power of UV exposure on the skin.
The methodology section of my paper will highlight the actual process of my research. I will discuss why I decided to write my paper as an autoethnography and what this genre actually means. I will also relay how I had conducted my research and the limitations that I had faced.
Methods
For my research paper, I have written what is known as an “autoethnography.” I felt that Sarah Wall, who was involved with the International Institute for Qualitative Methodology at the University of Alberta, described the concept of autoethnography very well. She stated that:
Autoethnography is an emerging qualitative research method that allows the author to write in a highly personalized style, drawing on his or her experience to extend understandings about a social phenomenon. Autoethnography is grounded in postmodern philosophy and is linked to growing debate about reflexivity and voice in social research. The intent of autoethnography is to acknowledge the inextricable link between the personal and the cultural and to make room for nontraditional forms of inquiry and expression.
Since I have written in the form of an autoethnography, the participant in my research was myself. This is why my research question specifically pertained to “a white, American, Catholic, 20 year old female.” One reason why I chose to do an autoethnography was because I felt that this would make my research unique. Another reason why I chose this method was to be able to share my personal experiences that I have endured with this particular subject. I want my audience to know how certain products and services have had an impact on my life.
In my specific research, I used a Phenomenology/Heuristic Analysis approach for my paper. The term “phenomenology” is used to describe a researcher’s experience (Yash Gode). This approach places emphasis on individual explanation to people, and focuses on the effects of research and the researcher’s personal experience (Gode).
For my research I have looked at three advertisements that have been done in this field. One was an infomercial pertaining to an acne product. The second and third were both commercials that represented tanning salons. Acne and tanning are the two things that I have dealt with the most in the cosmetic industry. After observing these advertisements, I then recorded my reactions to them. I discussed issues such as if these advertisements were believable to me, whether I felt that this product is something I would consider trying, or if I thought that the company was using good marketing techniques, just to name a few. I have also incorporated my own personal issues that I have experienced throughout my life regarding my ongoing struggle with acne and my indoor tanning habits.
In my research I had experienced some limitations. One was that my research was only based on my point of view and my own knowledge. Another limitation to my research was that I only looked at advertisements that had been the most personal to me, which were acne and tanning salons.
Results / Discussion
One of my personal experiences that I have dealt with in the cosmetic industry was purchasing acne products. By far my biggest insecurity I have about my body would be my struggle with acne. When I was in the sixth grade, I started developing harsh acne problems on my face. I tried two different acne products for a few years after I developed acne. These were “Epi-Clear,” which was an aerosol spray that you would use on your face. The other was the well-known product, “Proactiv Solution.” Neither of these products worked for me, I was very disappointed in their results. I went to the dermatologist who put me on antibiotics to help regulate my acne breakouts, as well as two different products that were prescribed topical gels. This seemed to help clear my acne up for a period of time; however, my skin seems to have developed immunity to these products.
About two and a half months ago, which would have been in February of 2010, I saw an infomercial on TV advertising the new breakthrough acne product “Murad.” Murad was developed by Dr. Howard Murad who is the CEO and Founder (Murad). Dr. Howard Murad is a board-certified dermatologist, pharmacist, and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA. He has established the first line of doctor branded skincare, the development of the first Esthetic AHA formulations, and the first medical spa and Inclusive Health Center. Dr. Murad has also written three books titled, The Murad Method, Wrinkle-Free Forever, and The Cellulite Solution.
To most people this would probably come off as a very appealing brand of products with such a high prestige name. On top of that, his infomercials contained many individuals who discussed how they have been struggling with acne their whole lives. These individuals proclaimed how they had not found any type of acne product, such as Proactiv Solution, that worked for their skin until they tried Murad. It showed their before and after pictures, and also some documentaries of customers who showed the progression of their face while using the product. The customers that they were showing looked amazing! Their skin went from having very severe acne, to not a single blemish or acne scar in sight. This is what were the hook, line, and sinker for me to decide that I wanted to try this line of product as well. The acne kit consists of a facial cleanser, acne spot treatment gel, and a revitalizing lotion. I purchased a toner as well to use after the cleanser product. The infomercial stated that people will achieve “clear, healthy, beautiful skin in less than four weeks.” This was not the case for me. I have used this product for two months and have felt that my acne has gotten worse. While researching Murad on the internet, I came across a blog that pertained just to Murad customers who had tried this product. There were a few hundred of them and the majority of the comments were negative about the product. It was one angry customer after the next who was so disappointed that this product did not advertise all of the affects one could experience while using the product. An example of this is a severe increase in the number of whiteheads. This is very true because I also experienced it. I think that this real life situation is an excellent example of how well the cosmetic industry can perceive customers to believe that their product is guaranteed to work with exceptional results, when it actually does not.
Another way that the cosmetic industry has personally affected my life is by the use of tanning salons. Most advertisements that I have seen of females are showing women who are very tan and that have a healthy glow to them. I constantly see commercials on TV for self-tanning products such as Jergens, which I have used. I have never been satisfied with self-tanners which is why I turned to the tanning salons.
According to a website titled “Indoor Tanning Beds,” an indoor tanning bed is a device that one may lay down or stand up with bulbs which emit ultraviolet radiation (typically 95% UVA and 5% UVB, +/-3%) used to produce a cosmetic tan (Indoor Tanning Beds). Regular tanning beds use several fluorescent lamps that have phosphor blends designed to emit UV in a spectrum that is somewhat similar to the sun. Smaller home tanning beds usually have 12 to 28 100 watt lamps, while systems found in salons can run from 24 to 60 lamps each consuming 100 to 200 watts. The primary reason for Americans to use tanning beds is for cosmetic reasons; however, there are other reasons why they are used. It is very common for Americans to use tanning beds for the solemn purpose to make them feel good. I definitely fall into this category because using indoor tanning beds is one of my stress-releasers that I use to help me relax. Using tanning beds can also help reduce acne by drying out the skin. This is another reason why I go to tanning salons because it does seem to slightly help the acne on my face.
Most dermatologists discourage the use of tanning beds; however, many are now prescribing high UVB tanning devices for various skin diseases (Indoor Tanning Beds). Some examples of these skin diseases are people with psoriasis or eczema. They can be treated with UVB light therapy (known as PUVA, for Psoralens and UVA radiation) to lessen the symptoms (Indoor Tanning Beds). I find this interesting because indoor tanning dries my skin out; so I am confused as to why this method would be used to treat such skin diseases that have excessive dry skin. Also on different occasions, salon memberships and home tanning beds have been prescribed by doctors and may be covered by insurance policies (Indoor Tanning Beds).
I watched a thirty-one second commercial on YouTube for a tanning salon titled “Planet Beach Tanning Spa Commercial.” The commercial consisted of a middle–aged, very fit woman who was exercising. It appeared that she was doing some type of yoga because the routine was very calm and relaxed. This woman also was very tan and seemed to have incredible looking skin, one attribute that I admire. While she is exercising, a message slowly appears on the screen in broken phrases. It says “Natural Beauty, Administered in carefully measured doses, by a highly trained staff.” The commercial then ends with the woman completing her stretches and feeling at ease. The commercial then shows Planet Beach’s 1-800 number, along with their logo, “Our solar system revolves around you.”
After watching this commercial, it actually affected me in two different ways. First, it made me feel like I needed to go to the tanning salon to work on my tan. Second, it also made me consider working out more often so I could be fit like the woman in the commercial. Even though this commercial does not show what its salon looks like, nor does it show their beds and products; it still captured my interest. My overall feelings during this commercial were that I felt very relaxed and calm. I think that this is the message that the tanning salon was trying to relay to their customers. Even though they used a middle-aged woman to represent their salon, I still felt like the commercial related to me as well. In my opinion, I think that the purpose of using a middle-aged woman was to show that no matter what age one may be, they can still achieve a young and refreshing look of beauty. The message which appears during the commercial also had an impact on me. It gave me the impression that their “highly trained staff” knows how to get a great looking tan in the safest way possible. The title of the tanning salon also works well for the business owners, because it represents achieving a “summer tan.” If I had a “Planet Beach Tanning Spa” in my area, I would definitely consider going to it.
Another thirty-three second tanning commercial that I watched on YouTube was titled “Tan Seekers Commercial.” This commercial pertained to the state I am from, Pennsylvania. It started out with girls standing by different tanning beds and stating which Tan Seekers location they got their tan from. First, the owner of Tan Seekers then appears saying “Welcome to Tan Seekers” in a friendly voice. While girls show off the different level tanning beds, a woman then states that “Tan Seekers is the hottest tanning salon; it has four levels of beds, and is open seven days a week.” It also advertises how it has been voted in the nation’s top 250 salons five years in a row and that your first tan is free. The commercial shows all of its salon locations in Penn Hills, North Hills, South Hills, Cranberry, and Gibsonia. The commercial concludes with the four girls and owner saying in unison “look good, feel great!”
I think that the information this commercial used really grabbed my attention. They had even showed their main product line which was Australian Gold, a brand that I am personally familiar with and have used before. The commercial showed exactly what the beds and rooms looked like which is very important to customers. I know I personally want to know that I am using a well-known line of tanning beds. I think that it was smart to show the girls cleaning the beds in the commercial. It shows that they take care of their customers’ health as well as maintaining a clean environment. Also, the fact that they have consistently been in the top 250 best tanning salons in the nation was a real attention grabber for me to want to go to their salon.
Conclusion
I started off asking the question “how do advertisements in the cosmetic industry affect a white, American, Catholic, 20 year old female?” This question had pertained specifically to me, and how certain advertisements affected my life personally with using different products and services. After looking at the results of my data, I can without a doubt make the conclusion that these advertisements have a huge impact on me. I appear to have certain standards and expectations of what being “beautiful” means to me. This is why I set out to find products and services such as acne treatments and tanning salons to achieve these expectations of myself. The cosmetic industry seems to have a very knowledgeable grasp on what girls like me want to achieve with their appearance. This is probably why they are not as informative as they should be with their products. For example, when I first started going tanning, the employees of the tanning salon did not flat out say that tanning would significantly increase my chance of developing skin cancer. I am certain that the employees realized that they would lose business if they tried making their customers more aware.
After researching the tanning industry, I personally have tried to become more aware of my skin. Dermatologists say that people should be checking their skin monthly for moles that are changing in color, shape, or ones that are just not healing properly. I have a larger mole on my back that has seemed to slightly change in shape which is a big concern for me. If I do happen to have a precancerous mole, I know that it will be linked to my indoor tanning.
My acne products that I had received from Murad, was another example of how a company was not informative to me. Because of lack of information, I am now struggling with the most severe type of acne which is called Cystic Acne. While reading the reviews of this product I noticed that many other misinformed customers were now struggling with this same problem after using Murad. It is a true shame that the cosmetic industry cannot take the time to make consumers more aware of the consequences to using their product or service.
One recommendation that I have for future researchers would be to do primary research with a varied group of participants. Since my research only focuses on my views, it would be more beneficial to conduct this research on a few different age groups and ethnicity backgrounds. Another recommendation would be to use a bigger variety of advertisements to show the participants. This is a way to get a more accurate sense of how certain cosmetic advertisements affect different groups.
Works Cited
Acne | Anti-Aging | Skin Care (Murad® Official Site). 2008. Web. 2 Apr. 2010. <http://www.murad.com/>.
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“Summary of Regulatory Requirements for Labeling of Cosmetics Marketed in the United States.” U S Food and Drug Administration Home Page. Web. 3 Mar. 2010. <http://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/CosmeticLabelingLabelClaims/CosmeticLabelingManual/ucm126438.htm.>
Wall, Sarah. “An Autoethnography on Learning about Autoethnography.” International Journal of Qualitative Methods. June 2006. March 18, 2010. <http://www.ualberta.ca/~iiqm/backissues/5_2/PDF/wall.pdf >
Williams, Rose Marie. ”Makeup’s ugly secrets.(Health Risks and Environmental Issues). .” Townsend Letter: The Examiner of Alternative Medicine. 271-272 (Feb-March 2006): 140(3). General OneFile. Gale. Indiana University of Pennsylvania. 17 Feb. 2010
http://find.galegroup.com/gps/infomark.do?&contentSet=IAC-Documents&type=retrieve&tabID=T002&prodId=IPS&docId=A143164538&source=gale&userGroupName=indi68545&version=1.0.
