Operation Freckle-Away feat. Neostrata Gel Plus

After researching AHAs and BHAs for my blog post here, I incorporated 8% glycolic acid and 2% salicylic acid into my nightly skincare routine and I’ve been very impressed with the smooth, glowy skin and reduced pores they gave me. I’ve recently embarked on Operation Freckle-Away, which is me trying to get rid of a few sun-induced freckles on my …

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Alternatives to Laneige’s Strawberry Peeling Gel

A while ago I reviewed Laneige Strawberry Yogurt Peeling Gel, and at the end I dropped the bomb that it’d been recently discontinued, and some of you yelled at me a bit (cough)… so I’ve been exploring alternatives, because I love you all, yes I do! 🙂 A reminder of the sort of peeling strands Laneige’s Peeling Gel had: First …

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Is an aspirin mask the same as a beta hydroxy acid treatment?

(Chaval Brasil) Aspirin masks are a popular DIY skincare treatment, but can some pills crushed in water be an effective homemade replacement for expensive salicylic acid exfoliants? Aspirin vs salicylic acid Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, which sounds a lot like salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid that’s great for exfoliation, with anti-irritant and anti-bacterial properties that make it great for …

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Skincare 101: Exfoliation basics

(Fir0002/Flagstaffotos) Why do I need to exfoliate? Your skin cells are constantly renewing themselves – your entire epidermis (outer skin layers) is replaced every 50 days. Millions of dead skin cells are shed each day from the topmost layer (the stratum corneum) in a natural process called desquamation. However, many things can interfere with this process, such as ageing, hormonal …

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Review: Laneige Strawberry Yoghurt Peeling Gel

I don’t know why it’s taken so long for me to review this, since it’s on high rotation in my facial cleanser carousel (I have 9 different face cleansers in my shower at the moment, and uses whatever my skin feels like that day… yeah, I probably have a problem). As you can see from the worn-off label, I’m a …

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DIY: Easiest lip scrub ever for the Lazy Girl

If you’re anything like me, you have a hundred unused lip balms lying around that you used once, then passed up when you got a shiny new one that smelled nicer, but you’re not throwing it out because the container’s such a useful size, and you’re definitely going to use it up some day, yeah! Every morning when you put …

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Lab Muffin guide: AHAs vs. BHAs

Alpha and beta hydroxy acids are chemical exfoliants which are in many of our cosmetic products… what’s the difference between them, and which one should you use for what? First off, “alpha hydroxy acid” and “beta hydroxy acid” are proper organic chemistry terms! “Hydroxy” means an OH group (also known as an alcohol group). “Acid” means a carboxylic acid: “Alpha” …

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DIY Skincare – Oatmeal Science

One of my interests is DIY skincare – I love cheap alternatives to expensive brands that work even better! My best friend is getting married next weekend and I’ve been trying to clear up my slightly neglected face with some SOS skincare, so I’ve revisited one of my favourites – oatmeal. Oatmeal is one of those rare traditional remedies your …

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