How to Rescue Your Chapped Nose

Thanks to my crappy immune system which overreacts to things it doesn’t need to but still lets the germs in, I’m currently getting over a really bad cold, just in time for hay fever season. Having a nasty chapped nose is pretty normal for me, but I never really managed to work out a way of dealing with it quickly …

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Reader question: How should I use toner?

A reader emailed me this question: I have been finding conflicting information even among reputable sources on whether toners serve any purpose or what they’re supposed to be used for. I like using a gentle toner for my oily skin, but what I’m wondering is whether it’s alright to apply with a spray bottle instead of a cotton pad. Would …

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Make Your Own Soap! Part 2: Let’s Make Some Soap!

It’s the second part of my soap making post! Last time we looked at the chemistry behind soap making (also called saponification) – today we’re looking at how to actually make a bar of soap, using ingredients from the supermarket. Related Post: Make Your Own Soap! Part 1: The Chemistry Behind Soap Making From the previous chemistry post, we know that …

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Make Your Own Soap! Part 1: The Chemistry Behind Soap Making

In the middle of teaching some high school students about the chemistry of soap-making, I realised that I really, really wanted to try making some soap myself and write about it here. My write-up ended up being really long, so I’ve made it a two-parter – Installment 1 is all about the chemistry, and Installment 2 is about the actual …

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How to read an ingredients list: Face moisturisers

Earlier this week I posted about the different types of base ingredients in moisturisers: occlusives, emollients and humectants. I’ve dug up a few facial moisturisers I have lying around to deconstruct. When looking at most product ingredients lists, the ingredients will be in order from the highest concentration to the lowest. Typically, when deciding if a moisturiser will suit your …

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Nail blogger secrets for pretty nails 6: Don’t go it alone (epilogue)

Here’s the final part of the Nail Blogger Secrets series (though there may be some addenda in the future). If you haven’t already, make sure you check out the other installments (links at the bottom of this post). Every polish journey is different, so I’m not going to tell you how to go about your glittery bidness. Except for this. …

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Nail blogger secrets for pretty nails 5: Nail addiction on the cheap

I’m not going to lie: I have spent a LOT of money on nail-related items. But probably less than you’d think, from the size of my collection. Being Asian, I take great pride in bargain-hunting – here are some of my favourite tips for being able to afford a polish addiction AND a place to sleep. More expensive doesn’t mean …

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Cheap and awesome: How to wash your brushes with Daiso detergent

Daiso is a Japanese variety store that’s been quietly expanding in Australia over the past year. It’s the largest of Japan’s “100 yen” chains, and while 100 yen is technically about $1.05, everything in Daiso Australia retails at $2.80, which is still somehow an amazing bargain. I can never leave without picking a few things up. One of the cult …

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