Sexist pseudoscience

Hi I’m back! This episode is all about misogynistic beauty ideals and how they’re taken advantage of in order to market scientific misconceptions to female consumers. I wanted to debunk the idea that anything that goes against the oppressive beauty industry is inherently positive. While a distrust in science under a Trump presidency and podcast bro informed society increases, pseudoscientific beliefs and scientific illiteracy are particularly dangerous and should be wholly rejected from feminist spaces. I’ll be discussing some common misconceptions surrounding cosmetic ingredients alongside the misogynistic principles which determine how a woman is expected to exist in terms of her hair, face, and body.

*I made some comments about how frequently people should wash their hair and how it's kinda gross to go longer than week - this refers strictly to the type of people who have told me to "oil train" in the past (usually white hair dressers hahaha). I understand many types of black hair are better to be washed less frequently due to the fact that sebum spreads less evenly on super coiled hair types, which would lead to dryness if washed too often. Even in general, it's often not the hair that needs washing but the scalp itself due to factors I mentioned such as yeast overgrowth and irritation. :D

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References ~

Belcadi J et. al, (2025) “Preconceived ideas in hair care” International Journal of Women’s Dermatology

Columbia University, (2024) “Shining a Light on Sun Safety: Debunking TikTok’s Anti-Sunscreen Claims” CU Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Centre

Chang LY et. al, (2025) “Evolution of long scalp hair in humans” British Journal of Dermatology

European Union, (2025) “TPO in Nail Products – Questions & Answers” European Commission

Le M, (2023) “Deadly Cosmetic Myths and the Lies of "Clean Beauty" Marketing” Video Essay, Youtube

Mackinnon KJ, (2024) “What is the Anti-SPF movement on TikTok?” ABC PM

Thompson C, (2009) “Black Women, Beauty, and Hair as a Matter of Being” Women’s Studies

Weitz R, (2001) “Women and Their Hair: Seeking Power through Resistance and Accommodation” Gender and Society

Wong M, (2024) “The Science of Beauty” DK London

Chapters ~

00:00 Intro

11:50 Brief History

16:46 Hair

31:00 Skin

43:00 Nails

52:20 Conclusion