How Do You Say… Skincare Edition

Want to talk skincare science in person, but you don’t know how to pronounce any of the sciencey words? Don’t worry, I got you covered! Here’s a handy cheat sheet that will make you sound like a pro in no time… go forth and dazzle everyone with your brilliance! (click to enlarge)

How to Rescue Your Chapped Nose

Thanks to my crappy immune system which overreacts to things it doesn’t need to but still lets the germs in, I’m currently getting over a really bad cold, just in time for hay fever season. Having a nasty chapped nose is pretty normal for me, but I never really managed to work out a way of dealing with it quickly …

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The pHs of some AHA products

I have a little collection of AHA products now, and since I also have a bunch of pH strips lying around at home, I thought it’d be a good idea to test all the pHs out, since they’re pretty important when it comes to choosing an AHA, and companies rarely state what they are. If you can’t remember, this post …

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Reader question: How should I use toner?

A reader emailed me this question: I have been finding conflicting information even among reputable sources on whether toners serve any purpose or what they’re supposed to be used for. I like using a gentle toner for my oily skin, but what I’m wondering is whether it’s alright to apply with a spray bottle instead of a cotton pad. Would …

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French sunscreen and skincare purchases

Sunscreens from French brands are a pretty big deal right now – they have a reputation for being well formulated (no grease! no white cast!) and include super stable and effective sunscreen ingredients. I visited France recently and hauled a whole bunch of French sunscreens to try, along with a few other skincare goodies. Most of these brands are available …

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Montagne Jeunesse Masks Review: Manuka Honey Peel Off and Creamy Coconut

Montagne Jeunesse are a cult UK brand that I hadn’t noticed in Australian stores til recently. They do fun masks with natural ingredients – kind of like a longer lasting, less fresh Lush. Even if you’ve never heard of them, you might recognise their distinctive, Carmen Miranda-ish fruit-on-head packaging: I picked up the Creamy Coconut and Manuka Honey Peel Off …

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Make Your Own Soap! Part 2: Let’s Make Some Soap!

It’s the second part of my soap making post! Last time we looked at the chemistry behind soap making (also called saponification) – today we’re looking at how to actually make a bar of soap, using ingredients from the supermarket. Related Post: Make Your Own Soap! Part 1: The Chemistry Behind Soap Making From the previous chemistry post, we know that …

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Make Your Own Soap! Part 1: The Chemistry Behind Soap Making

In the middle of teaching some high school students about the chemistry of soap-making, I realised that I really, really wanted to try making some soap myself and write about it here. My write-up ended up being really long, so I’ve made it a two-parter – Installment 1 is all about the chemistry, and Installment 2 is about the actual …

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