Big Problems, Small Bottles Trivia Quiz

Answer: Antiperspirant

Sweat is the body's cooling mechanism, and there are a large number of sweat glands operating in the armpit. Excessive sweating will cause moisture to be absorbed by your clothing, which often causes the fabric's apparent color to darken. It is usually considered an unacceptable appearance, primarily because of the association of underarm sweat with the odor that develops as bacteria break down the molecules dissolved in the sweat. To prevent it, many people routinely apply an antiperspirant each morning, a small bottle with a chemical that inhibits sweating.

Answer: Petroleum jelly

Light moisturising lotion may be effective for slightly dry skin, but serious dryness such as may be found on elbows, knees and heels needs treatment with a greasy substance that will stay in place, being absorbed slowly and providing an effective barrier to prevent further drying.

A petroleum jelly product (such as Vaseline) works well, and there are many other creams sold for the purpose. The main requirement is that it be too solid to flow - some beauty experts even recommend using vegetable shortening; just scoop it out and spread it on. You can spend a lot more for a commercial beauty product without getting better results.

Answer: Legs

A depilatory is a substance that removes hair - I certainly don't want to remove my scalp hair, and there isn't a lot of hair growing on my fingernails and lips, although I might want to attend to some unwanted hair on other parts of my face. Chemical depilatories are one of the least painful, but most pungent, forms of hair removal readily available for home use.

They generally contain a salt formed from thioglycolic acid, which reacts with the disulfide bonds that hold the protein molecules of hair (keratin) together. Once they have been sufficiently weakened, the hair can be readily broken off from its root by gentle rubbing.

The depilatory should not be left in contact with the skin for too long, as it can be quite irritating since skin also contains keratin.

Answer: Acrylic

Most artificial nail processes involve the use of some type of acrylic compound, either in the form of a resin such as polymethyl acrylate which can be painted on in layers to build up the artificial nail, or as a clear acrylic nail that can be glued in place.

The latter is suitable for a quick-fix such as I have in mind, and can be applied at home. The former requires professional (or at least highly experienced) application, but gives a result which is superior in appearance and more durable.

Answer: Lemon juice

Freckles, which medical practitioners call ephelides, are spots where the skin produces increased melanin when exposed to the sun, leading to a brown spot. They most commonly occur on the face, but can also be seen on other areas that have been exposed to the sun, such as the arms. Citric acid, such as is found in lemon juice, is an effective reagent to reduce the melanin production and make them fade. Commercial creams are available which do the same thing, as can laser treatment. No treatment is permanent - the freckles will usually return on exposure to the sun, although some people do grow out of them. Prevention is better than cure - try to stay in the shade, cover up, and wear sunscreen when you must be in the sun.

Answer: Conditioner

The outer layer of a strand of hair, called the cuticle, is covered with plate-like pieces that ordinarily lie in a flat layered structure. If something disturbs them, the strands become larger in diameter, and do not lie neatly next to their neighbors - they become frizzy. Regular use of a high-protein conditioner can dramatically improve the situation. If you are trying to cope with frizz that has already appeared, you can try wetting your hands and smoothing the hair, or spreading diluted conditioner over your hair. Most authorities agree that trying to subdue it by brushing your hair while it is dry will only make things worse. It's also a good idea to avoid blow drying your hair, as that tends to make it dry out and become more susceptible to frizzing.

Neither hairspray nor gel is likely to act effectively on waist-length hair, and lemon juice can be applied as a rinse to lighten hair slightly, but does not help with frizzing.

Answer: Mascara

That mascara was a disaster! The application using a wand with a round brush on its end which I ran over my eyelashes to coat them with mascara was tricky enough, since it took several swipes to cover the lashes of one eye, but it was worth the effort, as I really liked the way it looked, until I put on my glasses and blinked my eyes. Since I decided I would rather see well than look good, I removed the mascara, washed my glasses, and went as myself.

Mascara is made by mixing one or more waxes or oils with pigments (generally carbon black for black, iron oxide for brown, and other pigments for special colors). The mixture of wax and oil produces the consistency that makes the mascara roll on to the eyelashes and then adhere for a substantial time. Modern mascara may also contain nylon to produce extra long lashes, along with other chemicals that stiffen the lashes to help them look longer for longer.

Answer: Permanent wave

The modern permanent wave, or perm, was developed in the 20th century. Before that, production of a long-lasting curl was a complicated process involving heat, electricity, and a long time. The discovery that ammonium glycolate (related to the chemicals used in depilatories) could break the disulphide bonds that make the proteins in hair stay in a particular relation to each other made it possible to make a product that could be used at home. The first stage of treatment breaks down the bonds, then another chemical is applied that stops that reaction, following by a third chemical that reforms the bonds while the hair is in the desired position (usually wrapped around curlers). The whole smelly process used to take six or more hours, and provided my mother-in-law and her friend with an opportunity for a good long chat. This change of shape is indeed permanent, but new growth must be treated again.

Unlike my mother-in-law, I grew up in a time when straight hair was the goal, and spent a lot of time as a teenager sleeping with my hair wrapped around soup cans to make it straighter. There are chemical straightening processes similar to perms which I could use now.

Answer: Bare bronze

BB creams were the hot cosmetic of 2013, combining a moisturizer, a sunscreen, and a foundation with antioxidants to help prevent aging. Or so they promise. The creams are sold as a way to reduce wrinkles and cover up uneven skin tones, but their origin was medical.

The original product that was adapted by cosmetic companies was designed for use in post-surgical treatment to help promote healing of scars. This lends some credibility to the claims that BB creams can work magic, but I remain unconvinced.

Answer: Coco Chanel

Chanel No. 5 was the first perfume produced by Chanel, and was released in 1921. It was intended to provide a modern 20th century scent, a scent that was neither the simple floral fragrance previously used by ladies of society, nor the heavy musky scent associated with less respectable women.

It remains one of the classic perfumes. As I am not very good at describing scents, I will quote the description of Chanel No. 5 on eBay: it has "the floral top notes of ylang-ylang, neroli and aldehydes, ... the exotic scents of jasmine and mayrose, ... [and] the woody scent of sandalwood and vetiver." I'll take their word for it - I just know what I like.