LÉ Blog

New skincare science is as alluring as it is mysterious. It can often be hard to distinguish between hype and science. But worry not! Let the chemists dissect everything for you. Today, we’re tackling PDRNv—van ingredient that’s been making waves in the beauty world. But what exactly is PDRN, and does it deserve a spot in your routine? Let’s break it down. What is PDRN? PDRN, or polydeoxyribonucleotide, are simply DNA fragments ranging from 50 to 1500 kDa. The concept of using PDRN for therap...

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Retinoids, molecules in the vitamin A family, are probably some of the most celebrated skincare actives out there. With a proven track record for addressing everything from acne to aging, retinoids are truly skincare’s glitziest superstars. Because of this stardom, the product landscape is filled with different retinoids to choose from, and it can be pretty confusing to choose just the right molecule for you. Let’s take a closer look at two of the most popular retinoids – tretinoin and retino...

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Retinaldehyde or retinal (with an A!) has become the latest, buzz-worthy retinoid on the market. Many seasoned retinoid users are honing in on the fact that in the process of retinoic acid synthesis, retinal would be the more efficient (aka more potent) cosmetic retinoid compared to retinol in getting those sweet anti-aging benefits. You might even hear retinal claims such as “10x more effective than retinol” or even “tretinoin strength without the tretinoin irritation.” Bold claims! While re...

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Retinol has been a longtime fan favorite anti-aging molecule. And for good reason! As a cosmetic ingredient, retinol is one of the few that has decades of research and data behind its efficacy. In fact, this is why in our book, Skincare Decoded, we refer to this active as one the Big Four and stands alongside the champs, ascorbic acid, AHAs, and niacinamide. But, you’ve probably heard of the downside of retinol - flaking, shedding, redness, dryness. While it may sound intimidating, just a cou...

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If your goal is effective skincare, you’ll probably be pretty familiar with the world of retinoids. This family of molecules has a long, rich history of clinical testing to showcase their efficacy in treating a wide range of skin concerns from acne to anti-aging. However, choosing the right retinoid for your skin can quickly become pretty confusing. Every retinoid can come with their own quirks, target percentages, and benefits. In this guide, we’ll take a closer look at the acne superstar, a...

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Tretinoin is by far the most famous retinoid of the Vitamin A category and for good reason. It has a prevalent history of use plus a long long history of validation for multiple benefits including acne, anti-aging, and hyperpigmentation. However, much like any other popular skincare ingredient, with its fame comes a few areas of confusion. Tretinoin beginners may find themselves asking questions like, is using tretinoin long term actually bad for me?. Am I still purging? Or is this concentrat...

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Vitamin C serums is probably one of the most popular products with countless new launches every year. Their lasting popularity make a lot of sense! Simply put, Vitamin C (specifically ascorbic acid) is one of the most validated actives in the skincare world for its clinical benefits. It has been proven to prevent free radical damage, brighten hyperpigmentation, and even boost collagen production. But given vitamin C’s popularity, it’s only gotten MORE difficult to choose the best vitamin C se...

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Retinol’s popularity has only continued to grow in the past few years with no signs of slowing down. And for good reason! Of the actives out there, it comes with quite a resume of data behind it for reducing wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and even a little acne assistance. However, with that popularity comes a lot of confusion. Choosing the right retinol product can already be complicated, but on top of that, there’s a whole slew of “retinol alternatives” available on the market. In fact, if yo...

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We always talk a lot about the value of clinical tests in skincare and how helpful they can be in making a purchasing decision. Needless to say, we're doing celebratory dances over here because we finally completed our first clinical, designed with all the bells & whistles that we wanted. After 12 weeks of testing our Double Play Retinol Eye & Face Treatment, we’re excited to finally share the results. This has truly evolved into one of our more elaborate projects that took 2+ years to formul...

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So you're ready to tackle some pesky wrinkles eh? Don't worry, the chemists gotchu! The good news is that the skin concern of wrinkles is probably one of the more well-studied aspects in skincare science (even down to the physics and modeling of wrinkle formation!). As a result, more ingredients have been tested in this category than many other areas of skin concern, which is both good and bad. There are a lot of ingredients options to try, but it still requires some sifting through the foo-f...

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