Sniffing Out False Beauty Claims
By Judith Rasband

It’s an international obsession: beauty, diet and exercise.  Americans, alone, spend more than $6 billion a year on products that promise to keep us looking and feeling fit — not to mention the added price for related services and seminars.  Although some of the products and services deliver what they promise, many don’t!

Sales are often based not on the quality of the product, service or advice, but on the appeal of the sales pitch.  And Latter-day Saints are among the most vulnerable or gullible of target shoppers. 

Why?  Because Mormons are accustomed to people being “called” to positions of leadership, knowing that those people have generally been interviewed and found to be good people, honest and trustworthy.  Church members tend to transfer that assumed trust to business leadership, even to salespeople, and all-to-often buy into the message and the product, regardless of low value or high price.

To help you separate fact (what works) from fiction (what doesn’t) concerning beauty, diet and exercise, be alert to the following characteristics of a myth-informer.

• He/she relies on testimonials to inspire and support claims.
              “I increased the size of my chest six inches.”
              “Learning my colors was like receiving a revelation.”
              “I’m happier and healthier than ever before.”

• He/she makes vague reference to illusive authorities to boost credibility.
              “Mother Nature knew what she was doing.”
              “I’m just like a doctor, prescribing . . .”
              “When I came across Einstein’s theory of light, I             realized it was a perfect match.”

• He/she relies on scientific terms and diagrams to support claims.
              “I spent two years researching and the last 10 validating             it.”
              “The result were based on science, instead of             speculation.”
              “It was chemically tested in Europe.”

• He/she uses timely buzzwords and emotional wish words to increase appeal.
              “It contains miracle ingredients guaranteed to give you              sensational results.”
              “Let us help you reach your unique beauty potential.”
              “The restorative effort of this natural, organic ... is             virtually unsurpassed.”

• He/she claims to have new, magic, formerly secret information.
              “The mystique-shrouded art of ...”
              “This revolutionary new ... was developed after years of             secret research.”
              “The secret of season ...”

• He/she sprinkles fact to support fiction.
              “It is a medical fact that our bodies are composed of 98             percent water.”
              “We all have color preferences therefore …”
              “Deep within every woman is an undeniable desire to be             admired by everyone.”

• He/she claims to have superpowers.
              “I am sensitive to your aura — in tune with your spirit.”
              “She has the fantastic ability to interpret your             subconscious vibrations.”     

• He/she appeals to common fears and insecurities.
              “Why look just ‘all right’ when you could look fantastic.”
              “Cast off the chains that condemn you to a dull, listless             life of unfulfilment.”
              “Everybody’s doing it.  Don’t be left out.”
              “Most people don’t know themselves well enough to buy             their own clothes.”

• He/she deals in overstatement and inaccurate information.
              “It feeds you skin, shrinks your pores and restores lost             youth and beauty.”
              “Your personal coloring never changes throughout life.”
              “Eat as mush as you want and still lose the weight.”
              “It’s the ultimate journey of personal discovery.”
              “If it worked on paper, I knew it would work on people.”

• He/she promised an instant solution with exaggerated results.
              “Tone your muscles effortlessly within days.”
              “You’ll become an expert overnight.”
              “Wrinkles, blemishes and circles under your eyes             disappear immediately.”
              “Lose 15 pounds the first weekend.”

• He/she may discredit established authorities.
              “We’re here to save you from ...”
              “College teachers are afraid of this new method.”
              “We’re not just another ‘expert’ whose ego demands             continued patronage ...”

• He/she was self-taught, trained by a friend, or has a certificate from a short-term training seminar.
              “I studied ... for 15 years.”
              “I am a certified ...”

• He/she has a related product or service to sell.
              “Free introductory offer.”
              “For your free supply, just send $14.95 to ...”

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Judith Rasband is founder of the Conselle Institute of Image Management and director of the Foundation for Image Integrity. Specializing in the artistic, social, and psychological aspects of dress and image, she has experienced 40 years in the field as educator including 12 years at BYU. She has taught at BYU Education Week for more than 25 years. She is a trade and textbook author, columnist, speaker, consultant, market analyst, and video producer. An international authority on image management, she is a presenter, consultant, and coach to private individuals, civic, corporate, government, and academic organizations and associations throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Top priority roles include wife, mother, grandmother, and Gospel Doctrine teacher. Judith (Judi) is married to S. Neil Rasband, Professor of Physics at BYU. They are parents of four children and grandparents to 14 grandchildren. They love to travel and sleuth out great restaurants and historic homes. They recently traveled for 16 days across the European Alps — on a motorcycle. It’s never too late to try something new!