The Pros and Cons of Accutane (Isotretinoin) for Acne

The Pros and Cons of Accutane (Isotretinoin) for Acne

This is a guest post from Facing Acne. In the history of acne treatments, there has never been a medication that has caused more controversy than Accutane. There is also no treatment that has ever produced such startling results. For this reason, Accutane has both its passionate defenders and its equally passionate detractors. The choice of whether to try Accutane …

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Combination (Acid+Enzyme+Scrub) Exfoliant Review: Pixi, Kate Somerville, Ultraceuticals

Combination (Acid+Enzyme+Scrub) Exfoliant Review: Pixi, Kate Somerville, Ultraceuticals

As you may know from my guides to exfoliation, I’m obsessed with helping my skin desquamate. Unlike a lot of other skincare addicts, I don’t have a favourite type of exfoliation – I’ve found that my skin responds best when I have all three of the major exfoliation types (physical, chemical and enzyme) in my routine. That’s why I’ve been …

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Are unsaturated oils bad for your skin?

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An article by Beautyeditor (now rebranded as The Skincare Edit) recently came to my attention, thanks to some readers who pointed me in its direction. In it, she blames polyunsaturated oils for aging, tells you to avoid them in your skincare AND diet, and tells you to use saturated fatty acids (in particular squalane) instead. As a big fan of …

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How Can You Plump Up Your Lips?

How can you plump up your lips?

Fat, bee-stung lips are more popular than ever. How do you get there if you weren’t born with them? Here are your options, from least to most drastic… Hydrating Lip Care Your lips dry out faster than the rest of your face because the skin there is very thin, and there aren’t any oil glands to produce natural sebum to …

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How Does Botox Work?

How Does Botox Work?

I talk a lot about topical products, but hardly ever about treatments! Today I’m diving into THE most popular cosmetic treatment: Botox. What Is Botox? I’m sure you’ve all heard of Botox – the (sometimes accurate) stereotype of how Botox stops your face from moving and you become an expressionless human mannequin with perfectly smooth skin. Botox is actually not …

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What’s the deal with fermented skincare?

What's the deal with fermented skincare?

There’s a lot of buzz about fermented ingredients in skincare. It’s been a big hit in Korea, with entire product lines revolving around the idea of letting ingredients marinate for a bit longer. Here’s the science behind fermentation. What is fermentation? Fermentation refers to chemical reactions performed using microorganisms. More specifically, it usually means reactions that convert sugars to other …

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The Ordinary Skincare Review Pt 2: Niacinamide + Zinc, Buffet

The Ordinary Skincare Review Pt 2: Niacinamide + Zinc, Buffet

I’ve been trying products from The Ordinary, the budget-friendly, actives-focused skincare line from Deciem that’s just launched in Australia. I posted my review of Advanced Retinoid 2% and Lactic Acid 10% + HA 2% a few days ago – now, here’s Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%. A quick recap of the general notes I made on the products overall: Lots …

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The Ordinary Skincare Review Pt 1: Lactic Acid, Advanced Retinoid

The Ordinary Skincare Review Pt 1: Lactic Acid, Advanced Retinoid

Unless you’ve been living under a rock or just aren’t that into skincare, you’d have heard of The Ordinary by now. The newest brand from Deciem (parent company of NIOD and Hylamide) aims to bring effective skincare to the market at affordable prices. As a skincare science nerd, it’s very exciting because many evidence-backed ingredients are very cheap, but skincare …

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