Chemist Confessions

We talk about retinol a lot. That’s because it’s the most popular retinoid that can be used in cosmetics. Most are well aware of the anti-aging and hyperpigmentation benefits but there are still a lot of questions on how to properly use retinol. In fact, one of the most common questions we get is, “Can I use retinol in the daytime? Does the sun destabilize retinol and thus what I’ve applied on my face is now useless?” Let’s dive into the science!

Adapalene is the one retinoid that’s available to us as an over the counter topical for acne. This third generation retinoid has become a popular alternative to tretinoin and for good reason! It’s found to be more stable and has less irritation. So naturally, you’re probably wondering…if tretinoin is great for anti-aging, can adapalene work too?

A New Year! A New Theme! 2024 is all about skincare ingredients and in this episode, we’re focusing on the OG of retinoids, tretinoin. We review what it is, why it’s so prevalent, and answer one of the most common questions we get on this ingredient: Is using tretinoin long-term bad for skin?

It’s the last episode of the 2023! It’s time to lookback on all the skincare science we discussed, all the animals we shared, all the skincare goodness (and craziness) that happened this year. It’s been a great year and we can’t wait for what’s in store for 2024! Happy Holidays!

How is it already end of year?! Well it’s gifting season again, so let’s go through skincare gifting! We decode gift sets, what might be worth it and what we would pass on. We also discuss skincare we would gift as well as skincare we would want gifted to us! TIme to get into the Christmas spirit!

We’ve talked a lot about tackling your active breakouts, but what about post acne marks & scars? They can seem so frustratingly persistent. But the good news is, things that tackle your breakouts like tretinoin and adapalene can also help tackle the healing phase to minimize acne scarring. Another active ingredient that can be helpful is glycolic acid… butttt that comes with a lot of caveats. So let’s dive into the science of post acne care!

With acne breakouts being the stubborn, complicated creature that it is, it’s no wonder the world of acne treatment options is a billion-dollar industry. Today we’re walking through some of the recently trendy acne favorites. Are they worth the hype? How important are they to your acne strategy? Let’s dive in!

We can’t believe we haven’t done a dedicated podcast episode to anti-aging superstar retinol. This skincare active has been clinically tested (again and again) to effectively improve fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation… you name it! But with thousands of retinol serums to choose from, and even countless different “retinoids” to shop for, it can get confusing fast. So let’s get into the retinoid landscape, interesting retinol clinical tests, and all your retinol questions answered.

Retinol's popularity is ever-growing as THE anti-aging ingredient to dabble into - and for good reason! Butttt with so many retinol serums on the market to choose from, it's bound to lead to some confusing products + claims. So let's take a look at some confusing %s, Cerave's retinol range, and get your burning retinol questions answered! 

Skincare for sensitive skin sometimes feels like an open-ended category.  It can feel like there are too many random products out there and yet too few that really answer sensitive skin needs. In this very dense episode, we talk about what defines sensitive skin, what labels could help, the skin redness conundrum, and how to build a routine for sensitive skin. Settle in! We’re going down the rabbit hole!