- Fungal acne30 August 20267 min read
Ingredients that feed fungal acne, ranked by evidence
Malassezia — the yeast behind fungal acne — eats specific fats. Most of the avoid-lists online are copied from a single 1976 study. Here is what is well supported, what is guessed, and what is fine.
- Serum actives29 August 20266 min read
What percentage of niacinamide actually works?
Brands print 10% on the front because 10% sounds better than 4%. The studies say something different. Here is what the evidence supports, and when a higher number is just marketing.
- Sunscreen science28 August 20266 min read
Why your sunscreen pills under makeup (and how to stop it)
Little rolls of product balling up on your face are not bad luck — they are a predictable clash between film-formers, silicones, and how much you apply. Here is the chemistry and the fix.
- Ingredient explainer17 August 20268 min read
Korean skincare, decoded: PDRN, snail mucin, and what the hyped actives actually do
K-beauty leads on formulation craft and on marketing velocity. Here is a plain-English evidence check on the ingredients driving the current wave.
- Buying guide16 August 20266 min read
How to choose a moisturiser: humectants, ceramides, and the texture trap
Almost every moisturiser is built from the same three families of ingredients. Learning to spot them turns a wall of jars into three or four real choices.
- Buying guide15 August 20266 min read
How to choose a face wash: oily, dry, and acne-prone skin, decoded
Cleansers are the easiest step to get wrong and the cheapest to get right. Here is how to read a surfactant list, what pH actually changes, and when a second cleanse is worth it.
- Buying guide14 August 20267 min read
How to choose a sunscreen for your face (without trusting the front label)
SPF numbers are earned in a lab at a dose almost nobody applies. Here is what actually separates a good facial sunscreen from an expensive one, and how to read the back of the bottle instead of the front.
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