Haven't you already heard how bad lip balm is for your lips? It is habit forming for just that reason. When my lips got so bad from a lipstick nothing was working at all. I started using a vit. E capsule on them, that was the most soothing I found.

That is scary. Who knows how much of these things happen with other products, putting stuff in that makes us more in need of the product. Another subliminal thing is Product Placement, putting the product in full view on a set, so as a person watches, our eyes see it and maybe puts a silent message to our brain, so when we see it on the shelves, we recognize it a and for some reason we think we need it. They did that with cigarettes for a long time.

I know about the addiction etc, but I didn't know exactly what the reason was. Hearing about it (on the morning show) and having it in print, just reinforced what lengths companies are going to, to get our money.

I still get livid when I see the small packaging (Maxwell House coffee) is my latest rant, forcing us to buy more frequently.

That sounds like an interesting book! I will have to find it. Thanks for sharing!!!

But I would have to say, I think they misrepresent what salicylic acid actually does. I have used salicylic acid products. Its the most popular ingredient in acne treatments. Its also in foot creams that reduce build up of dead skin.

It DOES help slough off dead skin cells faster, there by allowing the newer fresher skin to show through. It also helps break up the oils on the skin, so they can be washed away instead of clogging up our pores.

With acne, because it sloughs off the dead cells, it helps keep your pores open and reduces the chance of pimples from forming clogged pores.

In my experience, using it reduces the need for more product. When the newer skin is exposed, it looks fresher and less dried and old... its 'dewy'.... so you don't feel the need to use more lotion to make it look moisturized.

The book does sound interesting !

Ah - what a book! LOL This is an old urban myth that Carmax is addictive.

I think it has been proven that there is no addiction to lip balm. Salacylic acid has some antibacterial properties - which is something I think you would want in a product that you are applying to your lips.

I though "Brandwashing" was going to be about the ridiculous price we pay for clothing that has the stores name emblazoned on it. Now that is nuts! We are paying to advertise for them? LOL! And paying a lot!!!

From the Mayo Clinic site:
"Salicylic acid is used to treat many skin disorders, such as acne, dandruff, psoriasis, seborrheic dermatitis of the skin and scalp, calluses, corns, common warts, and plantar warts, depending on the dosage form and strength of the preparation."

These hype programs on TV have to be "watched" meaning with an eye of skepticism. Do you realize that many of these are paid promotional spots for books, restaurants, and the like?

I've never liked lip balms anyway. Too rough to put on when the lips are chapped. I always preferred Blixtex in the tube. A very moist ointment and was soothing, soaked in quickly and worked. I never used up a tube before it was so old I'd throw it. But now that I get more liquids in me I don't have the chapped lip problem I used to have anyway.

I'm not sure I agree with their premise anyway. Removing the dried out, loose, damaged skin seems to me to be the idea of treating chapped lips. Once gone the skin can then heal. That claim reeks of hoax, exaggeration and misrepresentation to me. Sounds like they're trying to scare people with the "acid" term and we consume acids frequently. Do you know what acetylsalicylic acid is? It's aspirin. How about citric acid? That's what gives the tart/sour taste to candy and beverages.

I always laugh how people in movies hold that can of beverage so the label points toward the camera, turn their head to the side and daintily sip away. Not how most Minnesotans drink! LOL If you ever tried to hold the can so that label showed to the side then duplicate it, the beverage would pour all over your face!

Plus the credibility of the operation plays into things too. A big station (the CBS affiliate BTW) just got caught airing a false story. Their "I-Team" claimed that a Chinese meat market was selling dog meat purchased from a puppy mill. They called and asked the clerk if they sold dog and he thought they said duck and said yes. So off they went half-cocked, brought in the FDA and ran a big story how a Chinese meat market sells dog meat. The FDA inspected and of course found no evidence of dog meat. The station had the wrong address. The destination of the dogs was to someone in the same block, possibly the same building but not the meat market. So, what used to be called the "Hometown Team" now has egg foo yung on its face. But they also have a chief meteorologist who doesn't know steam from a tornado!

What can be truly shocking the the amount of DHMO (dihydrogen monoxide) found in SO many products these days.

It is in just about EVERYTHING! Death can occur from ingesting just a small quantity! Prolonged exposure can cause severe tissue damage!

I make my own salicylic acid skin treatment by crushing several regular store brand (plain wrap) adult aspirins and add that to some water and witch hazel.

Jodi-

The book should be interesting, but you have to take it with a grain of salt. Some one told me lip balm was habit forming and it is not. I am living proof that it isn't. I have something called burning tongue syndrome. It has also affects my lower lip, feels cracked and dry. so I have used lip balm for 20 years and put it on my upper lip even though it is okay. My upper lip is fine, I can do without the balm on it. I also asked my pharmacists if it was. He said there have not been any studies to show that it is.

My own daughter swears that Chap Stik isn't habit forming, but she uses it EVERY DAY and has a tube in her purse, near her bed, near her chair and in the car console. What is THAT? I don't even have a stick in the house! She has been using it in this way since college and she's in her mid-forties. I say that's an addiction.

That sounds like a really interesting book, I need to look for it, thanks!

When I saw salicylic acid I thought of the water test kit that I used to check for ammonia levels in the koi pond and fish tanks! The salicylic test kit tests around the ammonia binders, I hadn't seen a reference to salicylic acid for a really long time.

I used to make willow tea to use as a compress, Jodi, same effect!