Skincare Routine Update 2022

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It’s been a while since I talked about my skincare routine, and with all this discussion about “skin cycling” being a new trend, it seemed like a good time to revisit it. It turns out my last video on it was in 2020! So I thought I’d have a look at what’s changed and what’s stayed the same. Here’s the …

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How to Choose a Moisturizer: The Science

NoTS 28 Remedy Perfect Solution Set Skincare Review

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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Asian Sunscreen Reviews: Glow Recipe, Skin1004, Suncut, Benton

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It’s time for Asian sunscreen reviews. Some of these I’ve been asked about a lot, so it’s kind of a relief to get these out! The video is here, keep scrolling for the text version (note: the video was sponsored by Skin1004, but this blog post isn’t.) These are all Korean and Japanese sunscreens that aren’t approved in Western countries …

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Guest Appearance on The Proof podcast with Simon Hill

Lab Muffin The Proof Simon Hill

I recently chatted all things skincare with Simon Hill on his podcast The Proof for about three and a half hours. You can listen to the first part on sunscreen here and the second part on skincare, clean beauty, haircare… basically everything else – here. The Proof is a great listen if you’re looking for deep dives on pretty much …

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US Sunscreens Aren’t Safe in the EU? The Science

US Sunscreens Aren’t Safe in the EU?

There’s been a lot of fearmongering about chemical sunscreens. There were scary-sounding new stories – sunscreen absorbing into blood, killing coral reefs, zinc oxide being toxic, benzene in sunscreens… Related Post: Top 7 Sunscreen and SPF Myths I’ve covered most of these before, and they’re largely just the media taking things out of context and sensationalising them, partly for views, …

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You don’t need to freak out about benzene in dry shampoo

dry shampoo

There’s been another beauty product recall because of benzene. This time it’s dry shampoos produced by Unilever, including products from; Dove TRESemmé TIGI  Suave I’ve talked about benzene contamination in products before, specifically sunscreen. It’s a very similar situation this time. The key points: Benzene is not intentionally added to products. Rather, it’s a trace contaminant that’s accidentally found its …

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High School Science Investigations Involving Cosmetics

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Over the years I’ve gotten a lot of questions from students and teachers about investigations and demonstrations related to cosmetics that could be done in class or for independent research projects, with limited equipment access. Here are some chemistry-heavy suggestions that might be helpful. Saponification, soaps, detergents Different oils used for saponification have different fatty acid profiles – how does …

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My Top (Mostly Cheap or Free) Haircare Hacks

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I’m pretty lazy with my haircare and I’m bad at sticking to routines. But I also bleached my hair so I could play with pretty colours, which dramatically increased the effort involved to keep my hair looking decent. So in the last few years I’ve been trying out a lot of haircare hacks – these are the ones that’ve changed …

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