Fact-check Feature: Is there actually formaldehyde in my nail polish / hair treatment?

Formaldehyde is listed as an ingredient in a number of beauty products (in particular, nail strengtheners and Brazilian Blowout-style hair treatments), and there’s been some controversy about whether or not it’s really in these products. In particular, cosmetic chemist Doug Schoon has stated that formaldehyde in water readily reacts to form another chemical, methylene glycol. Most of the top search …

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What are the skin lightening alternatives to hydroquinone?

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 …

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Fact-check Friday: What is a chemical peel?

Sorry for the delayed Fact-check Friday this week! We’re looking at something more hardcore today – not quite surgery, but not something you want to attempt blindly either: chemical peels. What is a chemical peel? Photo credit A chemical peel is a procedure for treating certain skin disorders, or simply improving the texture and appearance of the skin. It involves …

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Fact-check Friday: What’s the deal with parabens in cosmetics?

Today’s Fact-check Friday focuses on one of the most unfairly demonised of chemicals in beauty products: parabens. You probably own at least one beauty product that proudly declares itself to be paraben-free – is there any reason to buy more, or is it pure marketing? What are parabens? Parabens are chemicals derived from a chemical called parahydroxybenzoic acid, with this …

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Fact-check Friday: What does retinol do?

Retinol is one of the most highly hyped anti-aging skincare ingredients. But what is it, and what exactly does it do? That’s the focus of this Fact-check Friday! What does retinol do?   Retinol is a form of vitamin A. Other forms of vitamin A in skincare that you may be familiar with include isotretinoin (better known as Accutane) and …

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Do I need extra sunscreen when using chemical exfoliants? Fact-check Feature

Fact-check Feature is a new series here on Lab Muffin, where I’ll be answering beauty questions and busting beauty myths. Got a question? Email me, or leave me a comment. I’ve heard a lot about sun exposure and chemical exfoliants. What precautions do I need to take? Chemical exfoliants, unlike physical exfoliants, are products that you leave on your skin. …

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Neutrogena’s AHA/BHA Pore Refining range review

Pores are essential for releasing natural skin oils (sebum), but they’re also responsible for most of the things that go wrong with your skin – pimples, blackheads, ingrown hairs. Enlarged pores are on the milder end of the “things that can go wrong with your skin” scale, and probably one of the things that are most difficult to treat (and …

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