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I’ve been really nervous and excited about this for the last few weeks, and the day is finally here: I’m launching my first eBook, The Lab Muffin Guide to Basic Skincare!
As you all probably know I’m a massive skincare nerd, and I love researching and writing about it (in case you couldn’t tell from the last 7 years of nerdery on this website…).
About a year and a half ago, inspired by all your questions and requests, I started writing a really comprehensive guide to everything I know about the kinda boring, but oh-so-important cornerstones of your skincare routine: cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen. Like most people, when I first started delving into skincare, I concentrated on learning about the flashy, exciting active ingredients. But as I got deeper into the science of skin, I realised that these “basics” that I took for granted were really, really important. You can use all the fancy ingredients in the world, but unless you’ve found the right cleanser, moisturiser and sunscreen for your skin, it won’t be happy!
I spent months compiling the information, and made a million amendments to it. Then foolishly I decided I would also format and do all the graphic design for it too (I am a little bit of a control freak, but this was also partly because I had no idea what I wanted, so outsourcing “can you just fix this please” would be kind of hard). I’ve written a PhD thesis and a bunch of chemistry textbooks, and over half a million words on this blog, but this Guide is my favourite baby!
After all that, I’m finally happy with it, and it’s ready to be birthed into the world.
I know the title is “Basic Skincare”, but in true Lab Muffin fashion it isn’t really basic – there’s in-depth information about pretty much everything, including the answer to pretty much every question I’ve ever been asked about the fundamentals of a routine. Here’s a brief overview of what’s in it:
- Getting to Know Your Skin
- Basic skin biology
- Skin type and conditions
- How to do your own skin assessment
- Setting Up a Basic Routine
- How to start a routine and choose products
- Marketing terms and controversial ingredients
- Skin tracking
- Cleansers
- Ingredient guide
- Different types of cleansers
- How to pick a good cleanser for your skin
- How to cleanse your skin
- Make-up removal
- Sunscreens
- Sunscreen terminology
- Ingredient guide
- How to pick a sunscreen
- How to apply sunscreen
- Other sun protection tips
- Moisturisers
- Ingredient guide
- How to pick a moisturiser
- How to apply moisturiser
- Extras
- Body care
- Tips for specific skin conditions
- Make-up tips for skin types
- Active ingredient cheat sheet
- Product recommendations
- References and links
Here are some of the insides:
Special thanks to all the people who reviewed it, and gave me suggestions for changes and reassured me that it was good, and allowed me to use their photos and quotes for testimonials!
You can purchase it immediately with the button below, or head to this page to learn more about it: The Lab Muffin Guide to Basic Skincare
Great tips! Thank you very much for giving us a nice blog that spends your valuable time.
Congratulations! Will definitely purchase when I can afford it, as you are one of the best sources for skincare facts. You have tons of fans in the Norwegian AB community. Keep up the good work!
I’m so excited for you and excited to read your book. Already purchased and can’t wait to dig in it!
That is amazing news! I bet this book is really helpful to people that just start out their skincare routine. And probably helpful for me too.
Excellent book!!! Very helpful, concise and informative. Not overly ‘sciencey’ but not patronisingly simple either. Every woman should have this book in order to make the correct choices and see past the sometimes ludricous claims made by the beauty industry in order to sell yet another product.
Awesome and congratulations! You make such complex information simple. I will definitely get this (right after I pay my bills for the month – first things first)!
I’m really glad to hear it! A quick perusal of both Reddit and Facebook demonstrate that there is a LOT of 🐃💩 out there with regards to beauty, and the enormous mound grows by leaps and bounds every day. You demonstrate time and again that you know what you’re talking about and can back it up with science (though, sadly, it’s not as if that’ll convince the boneheads who peer down their noses as they insist they require “natural” products, by which they mean “words I can pronounce” because they don’t understand that most of the unpronounceable words are substances derived from plants. Argh).
Still, I think it’s *fantastic* that you’re making an effort to tilt against the windmills, because you *will* get through to the smarter ones, the ones who are able to think logically (and for themselves, not parroting some anonymous dope who claims cabbage juice will cure AIDS and cancer and make you heterosexual besides or other dangerous baloney! (rolling eyes)). There’s hope that their offspring will be smart, too, and evolution can weed out the morons who believe a mixture of baking soda and vinegar will do anything besides make “lava” for their kids’ faux volcano school projects.
Keep up the excellent work, Michelle! I’m rooting for you to succeed! I hope it’s wildly successful!