active ingredients – Lab Muffin Beauty Science

Drug, cosmetic or compounded retinoid: Which one should you use?

Michelle Wong — Thu, 21 Dec 2023 20:30:20 +0000

Retinoids are the gold standard skincare ingredients. They’re the next essential product after sunscreen, because they can help with so many skin issues, and there’s scientific evidence to back them up. But there are a lot of options, so it’s tricky to work out which one you should use – and it doesn’t help that there’s so much incorrect info ...

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Vitamin C doesn’t work? Debunking Science Vs Skin Care Podcast

Michelle Wong — Thu, 23 Nov 2023 13:30:05 +0000

The Science Vs podcast episode on Skin Care: Is Anti-Aging a Scam? in part inspired my recent post on whether retinol in cosmetic skincare products worked. I’ve had some questions about some of the other parts of the podcast, especially about vitamin C and whether it actually penetrates skin. As I’ve discussed before, vitamin C in L-ascorbic acid form is ...

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Is Retinol a Scam? The Science

Michelle Wong — Tue, 07 Nov 2023 09:33:27 +0000

If there’s one skincare ingredient that works, it’s retinol. Pretty much everyone agrees – whatever skin concern you have, it’s one of your best bets. But is it all a scam? Let’s dive into the science behind retinol, and the bigger question of why skincare science looks so different from what academic scientists are used to. The video is here, ...

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Is Your Sunscreen Killing Coral Reefs? The Science

Michelle Wong — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 21:30:28 +0000

You might have seen that Hawaii has banned certain sunscreens that have been linked to coral bleaching. In particular, it’s the organic “chemical” sunscreen ingredients oxybenzone and octinoxate that have been banned. It sounds like a great victory for the environment, right? But if you search a little past the headlines, you’ll find that there are actually a lot of ...

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Fact-check: What is micellar water and how does it work? An Update

Michelle Wong — Sun, 01 Jan 2023 15:12:52 +0000

Over the past two years, my post on the chemistry of micellar water with dodgy photographed scrawlings has become one of the most popular, so I thought it was high time to update it with nicer drawings and finetune the explanation of the science. This also comes in video form – check it out here! There are tons of micellar ...

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Why Vitamin C Can Stain Your Skin (and How to Avoid It!)

Michelle Wong — Wed, 21 Dec 2022 09:55:34 +0000

Vitamin C is one of the few skincare ingredients with a decent amount of independent research to back up its properties, like its brightening and anti-wrinkle benefits. Related Post: Vitamin C – what does it do for your skin? But those of you who are vitamin C enthusiasts may have noticed that with some vitamin C serums that contain ascorbic acid, ...

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Easy (5 Minute) DIY Vitamin C Serum Recipe

Michelle Wong — Sat, 10 Dec 2022 02:21:35 +0000

I’ve mentioned my super-easy DIY vitamin C serum a few times before on social media, and some of you have been asking me for the recipe… but I’ve been so distracted with other things I never got around to posting it until now. I’m sorry! Please forgive me. I hope the results make up for my tardiness! Here’s the video ...

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How to Choose a Moisturizer: The Science

Michelle Wong — Sun, 04 Dec 2022 22:22:00 +0000

Choosing your moisturizer can be a difficult process. The beauty section is full of moisturizers for different skin types, and you’d think you’d be fine picking one that matches your skin type. But I’m sure many of you have had the annoying experience of taking a moisturizer home that’s supposed to be right for you, then finding that it’s just… ...

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Do I Need a Special Cleanser to Remove Sunscreen?

Michelle Wong — Sun, 02 Oct 2022 10:31:14 +0000

Here’s a myth I’ve been seeing around skincare communities: that you have to use a special cleanser to remove water-resistant sunscreen. For example: “Keep in mind that most of these sunscreen actives are also oil-soluble (only dissolves in oil, not water), which gives sunscreens their water-proof and sweat-proof properties. Therefore, in order to completely remove sunscreen, you have to use ...

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The Science of Hair Products: Shampoo and Conditioner

Michelle Wong — Mon, 15 Aug 2022 13:32:41 +0000

Sulfates, fatty alcohols, silicones, preservatives… what are they doing in your shampoo and conditioner, and do you need to avoid them? Today’s post is a deep dive into some of the key ingredients in haircare products. The video version is here if you prefer that format! Note: This post is based on a video sponsored by The Ordinary, but this ...

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