The “Everything” Serum: Olay Super Serum

olay super serum

I’ve been reviewing beauty products for more than 10 years, so not a lot of things excite me – but some things did in 2023. The Olay Super Serum was one of them! The video version of this review is here, keep scrolling for the text version…. Olay Super Serum is the best new skincare product I’ve tried in a …

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Ultimate Guide to Drug Retinoids

drug retinoids thumbnail

Drug retinoids – tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene and trifarotene – are some of the most powerful ingredients in skincare. They can help with issues like acne, uneven texture and hyperpigmentation. But what are the differences between them? Here’s the guide for you! My PhD is in medicinal chemistry, so I’m going to be diving into the differences at a drug structure …

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Vitamin C doesn’t work? Debunking Science Vs Skin Care Podcast

Science Vs Skincare Podcast

The Science Vs podcast episode on Skin Care: Is Anti-Aging a Scam? in part inspired my recent post on whether retinol in cosmetic skincare products worked. I’ve had some questions about some of the other parts of the podcast, especially about vitamin C and whether it actually penetrates skin. As I’ve discussed before, vitamin C in L-ascorbic acid form is …

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Is Retinol a Scam? The Science

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If there’s one skincare ingredient that works, it’s retinol. Pretty much everyone agrees – whatever skin concern you have, it’s one of your best bets. But is it all a scam? Let’s dive into the science behind retinol, and the bigger question of why skincare science looks so different from what academic scientists are used to. The video is here, …

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Haruharu Black Rice Airyfit and Mineral Sunscreen Reviews

Haruharu sunscreens

Haruharu is a Korean brand who have recently released a couple of sunscreens with a lot of hype around them: Moisture Airyfit and Pure Mineral Relief. I recently reviewed these in a sponsored video. Note: Neither of these are approved as sunscreens in Australia. Haruharu Wonder Black Rice Moisture Airyfit Sunscreen SPF 50+, PA++++ Filters: TDSA (Mexoryl SX), octyl triazone, …

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Blue Lizard and “Australian” Gold mineral sunscreen reviews

Australian Gold Blue Lizard

I recently tried Blue Lizard and Australian Gold, two US sunscreens with mineral (inorganic) active ingredients. Both of these have been popular on skincare forums and Reddit for years, but aren’t actually available in Australia (despite being marketed as “Australian sunscreen”). I’ve been really curious to try them out, so I picked them up as souvenirs when I was in …

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Best Skincare Products from Beauty of Joseon

beauty of joseon best products

I think everyone knows about the Beauty of Joseon sunscreen. If you don’t, it’s super popular right now because it’s so light and comfortable, while still being protective and really budget friendly. But Beauty of Joseon have a lot of other fantastic budget friendly skincare products, some of which are really underrated. I’m going to tell you about some of …

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