The popular prescription acne treatment Differin is now available over-the-counter without a prescription in the US. Here’s what you need to know about whether or not you should consider it… (Note: This isn’t intended to be medical advice. Please seek professional advice if there’s anything you’re unsure about!) What is Differin? Differin is the brand name for adapalene, a chemical …
If you have mild to moderate acne, one of the first treatments your doctor or pharmacist will recommend is benzoyl peroxide. Benzoyl peroxide (also known as BPO or BP) has been used for treating acne since the 1930s, and it’s still going strong! Here’s why: How Does Benzoyl Peroxide Fight Acne? Benzoyl peroxide is a powerful antimicrobial Benzoyl peroxide kills …
If you walk into a pharmacie in France, you’ll immediately bump into a giant display of thermal water spray cans. A whole host of French skin care brands like Avène, La Roche-Posay, Uriage and Vichy sell thermal water sprays. What is it, what’s in it, what does it do and how is it different from regular water? What is thermal …
Here’s Part 2 of this skincare series on exfoliation. Part 1 was on physical exfoliating tools and scrubs, this time we’re tackling the more complex chemical exfoliants, before moving onto picking the right exfoliation routine for your skin in Part 3. For a simpler overview, you can head to this exfoliation basics post, and for a more user-friendly version check …
My skin’s undergone a bit of a change this year compared to last year. It’s always been on the oily side and a bit dehydration-prone, but the dehydration’s gotten worse this year – I’ve stopped taking the oral contraceptive pill for the time being, which means my skin is a bit oilier than usual. At the same time, I’ve also …
It’s hard to think of a more formidable figure in science-based skincare than Paula Begoun. She’s been breaking through beauty marketing bullshit for 30 years, and while I don’t necessarily agree with all of her conclusions about skincare ingredients, it’s impossible to deny her positive influence. She launched her brand Paula’s Choice in 1995, featuring affordable and science-backed products, and …
You’ve probably seen the concept of rebound oil production, or reactive seborrhea: “shampoos… strip the scalp of its natural oils and cause the scalp to overproduce oil to compensate” “our skin naturally regulates perfect oil production” “your skin will have to adjust to producing less oil” “the oil tells the skin it’s no longer drying out, which helps to control …
Recently we looked closely at the most famous of the whitening agents, hydroquinone – it’s the most studied and very effective, but has some serious (though often overstated) side effects, is irritating to the skin, and has been heavily restricted in some countries as well. Today let’s have a look at some of the other whitening agents on the market …