From Germaine's trigger files: Quack cosmetics, quack products, quack marketers

Quackery triggers me. It has for decades.

On TV today, being momentarily distracted with real life* I failed to hit the mute button once the commercials came on. My mistake. 

* Getting my lunch corn on the cob out of the microwave.

In a stupor of disbelief, I listened to an entire TV ad by former supermodel Cindy Crawford. She was hawking a youth-restoring skin product the marketers call Meaningful Beauty. The "science" behind this miracle product comes from Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh at his clinic in Paris. According to Crawford's website: 

After my first treatment of super antioxidants from a rare melon in the South of France I saw instant, glowing results.

Dr. Sebagh and I developed Meaningful Beauty as an easy-to-use system that delivers younger-looking skin by combining science, technology and nature. The powerful melon super antioxidants are the secret to the formulas — and exclusive to Meaningful Beauty.

The fate of my beautiful face is 

somewhere in those leaves, maybe

Well, being an old fart with wrinkly skin, I immediately looked for peer-reviewed science publications by Sebagh. I want instant youth too! Sadly, there are none. 

I then breathlessly went to Crawford's FAQ page to look for the ingredients so that I could evaluate the possible mechanism of action of this miracle, face-saving product. Oops, no list of ingredients unless a consumer (sucker) buys it. See the Q&A at the bottom of the image.

By golly it's magic, rare muskmelon leaves!!

And, It's never too late — and never too early — 

to start taking care of your skin!!!

See!! Stuff from rare cantaloupe leaves 

even works on the young 'uns!!

(Just kidding, actually she's 88 years old)

This is what a country with a government that serves special interests before the public interest far too often delivers to the public. Quack products. Bullshit explanations. Irrationality. Lies. No empirical evidence. Here we get just slick marketing backed by unsubstantiated claims from a pretty face and sophisticated, morally rotted marketers.

No shame. No moral qualm. No peer reviewed evidence. Just pure, raw capitalist greed. Yay unregulated capitalism!! Shaft us hard again!!