Chemist Confessions

#113: Do Acne Patches Work?

We're wrapping up our acne series with a deep dive on acne patches. These face stickers often get tied to some pretty enticing claims like absorbing excess sebum and rapidly healing pimples. We discuss the science behind these mystical patches, what they actually do to acne lesions, and what are their real benefits. Finally, we end on our experiences trying 5 different acne patches on the market. Enjoy!

#112: Does Any of the Plant Stuff Work for Acne?

Continuing our acne series, we’ve been able to delve into some solid actives with pretty juicy data behind it, but there are quite a few less validated ingredients that are pretty popular and worth a look. In this episode, we look at succinic acid, mugwort, witch hazel, and tea tree oil. Four popular plant-ish actives that have gained some traction as magical home remedies for acne breakouts. Let’s see if the data holds up shall we?

#111: How Much Benzoyl Peroxide Should You Actually Be Using?

When it comes to fighting acne, benzoyl peroxide has been around for so long it almost seems like it’s old-fashioned. However, because of its long history, BPO has a lot of great data and of the ingredients out there we actually have a very good understanding how it works to reduce breakouts. But are we actually using the right concentration? We dive into the research and discuss what concentrations we should all be trying to target and why.

#110: Is salicylic acid a MUST in your acne routine?

Salicylic acid is probably the most common active ingredient you’ll run into when putting together your acne routine. But is it actually a must have? What kind of acne can it actually treat? In this episode, we dive into a few key clinical studies that look at just what 2% salicylic acid really bring to your routine.

#109: Are Collagen Supplements a Scam?

One of the more popular questions we get is about collagen supplements and whether or not it’s a scam. We’d be lying if we said we haven’t been avoiding this one, but no longer! In this episode, we go through the clinical data. We discuss why it’s so hard to shop for good collagen supplements. Finally, we list our shopping tips and things to consider if you’re thinking of adding this to your beauty routine.

#108: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 2

After testing 30 sunscreens in 30 days, we’re finally going through our favorites! There was so much to discuss that this ended up turning into a 2 part segment. In part 2, we talked about our thoughts on baby sunscreens, international sunscreens, things we’d do differently in the future, and… pangolins? Let’s wrap the sunscreen series!

#107: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 1

After testing 30 sunscreens in 30 days, we’re finally going through our favorites! There was so much to discuss that this ended up turning into a 2 part segment. In part 1, we discuss what factored into our ratings and why. We then go through our “0 star” ratings and why they were so painful. Finally, we discuss our favorites for the mineral and tinted category! Hope you enjoy as we tell all in our journey to trialing another 30 sunscreens for 2024.

#106: Should You Stop Using Glycolic Acid in the Summer?

You probably hear us often championing glycolic acid as the gold standard of exfoliation and a main active to consider having in your routine. However, AHAs are known to cause photosensitivity. Does that means we shouldn’t use glycolic acid during summer months during higher chances of sun exposure? We discuss the data, what skin types should and shouldn’t use glycolic acid, and how to best use this ingredient during summer.

#105: Which Toners Should You Use?

This week we’re taking a break from skincare ingredients, and we’re talking about products. Specifically, toners! Toners will forever be a land of mystery. This category seems to always ends up in the spotlight, there are too many to choose from, and the claims can be all over the place. We decided to break down the product landscape, discuss some of the most popular toners of 2024, and weigh in on which toners we would want to use in our routine. It’s toner time!

#104: Does Tranexamic Acid Have Any Benefits for Skin?

When tranexamic acid started gaining popularity a few years back, it felt similar to CBD. Suddenly it seemed like every brand was using it, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of data shared on its effectiveness. In this episode, the chemists share the benefits that tranexamic acid can bring to skin, go through the testing (if any), and discuss whether or not it’s a worthy addition to your skincare routine.