The journal
Writing on skincare, honestly.
Short essays on ingredients, marketing claims we disagree with, AI transparency, and the occasional deep dive on why a popular product does or doesn't deserve its reputation. No affiliate links in essays. No sponsored posts. Ever.
Why we won't recommend snail mucin (yet)
K-beauty's most famous ingredient has real evidence — and real caveats. A review of what the clinical data actually shows, and the sourcing questions that are harder to answer than the formulation ones.
The retinol concentration trap
A 1% retinol product is not twice as effective as a 0.5%. Sometimes it's less effective, and often it causes more irritation. A look at the non-linear relationship between concentration, efficacy, and tolerability — and why most people should start at 0.25%.
What "dermatologist-tested" actually means
Spoiler: very little. An investigation into which marketing claims are regulated, which are voluntary, and which are pure theater — and how to read a product label with appropriate skepticism.
The case against 12-step routines
More products is not better skincare. An examination of why simplified routines often outperform stacked ones — especially for sensitive, reactive, or acne-prone skin.
No fixed publishing schedule. Quality over cadence.