DMDM hydantoin is a preservative commonly found in shampoos. It started getting a lot of attention in 2021, thanks to a number of lawsuits surrounding hair loss – so let’s talk about the science behind it and whether it’s safe. (This post is partly based off a longer video about haircare misinformation on TikTok, which also covers sulfates, silicones, testing …
Something that made a big difference to me in 2023: I worked out how to find eyeliner pencils that were transfer-proof even on my oily skin! My eyelids are super oily, so eyeliners always smudge or start transferring after a few hours. Transfer-proof pencils aren’t really that new an innovation, but for the longest time I didn’t really know what …
Have you seen colour-changing lipsticks and blushes online? A lot of these claim to “adjust” to your skin’s pH to give a personalised shade… but is it just a gimmick? Here’s the chemistry behind these products. Colour-changing ingredients Red 27 Most colour-changing products – whether lipsticks or blushes – contain an ingredient called Red 27, also listed as CI 45410 …
Drug retinoids – tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene and trifarotene – are some of the most powerful ingredients in skincare. They can help with issues like acne, uneven texture and hyperpigmentation. But what are the differences between them? Here’s the guide for you! My PhD is in medicinal chemistry, so I’m going to be diving into the differences at a drug structure …
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 …
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 …
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, …
The Style Theorists recently did a video where they tried to test sunscreen “scientifically”, including… in a tanning bed. A lot of people sent it to me, so I filmed a video reacting to it! You can watch it here. Some of the topics covered: People should wear more sunscreen Sunscreen absorbing into blood Coral reefs and science by press …