Podcast

Ginseng - Why is it Used in Skincare?

Ginseng is definitely one of those alluring, almost magical ingredients that not only gets touted as a cure-all but almost as a skin cure-all as well. This root has been linked to a wide array of skincare benefits such as being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-aging. But is there any merit to these claims? We discuss the science and just how helpful ginseng can be to your skincare routine.

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Niacinamide - Can You Have Too Much?

Niacinamide is EVERYWHERE in the skincare world, and in some ways for good reasons. It’s a little jack-of-all-trades type of molecule that has actual clinical evidence that ranges from improving skin barrier function, reduce sebum production, and brighten hyperpigmentation. But the chemists have noticed in recent years that products now have more and more niacinamide. 10%, 15%, or even 30% niacinamde serums seem fairly easy to obtain. So in this episode, we review some of niacinamide’s most f...

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Urea - Can it Replace Your AHAs?

Urea has surprisingly been creeping up the ranks in skincare ingredient awareness. This oldie but a goodie has actually been looked at for some time and been compared to some of the greats like glycerin. Uniquely, urea at lower percentages serves as a hydration ingredient but at higher concentrations acts as a keratolytic similar to AHAs. So you have to wonder, can urea replace our AHAs?

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Glycerin - Is it the BEST humectant?

Glycerin is probably one of the first ingredients that chemists learn to work with in formulation. In fact, we happen to call this the Frank’s Red Hot of skincare because the industry really puts that sh** in everything! But despite its economical, functional status, this ingredient has really risen in the ranks in terms of trendy ingredients! In this episode, we review glycerin’s benefits and discuss whether or not glycerin deserves the title of best hydrating ingredient in skincare.

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Ceramides - Are They Only For Compromised Skin Barriers?

It’s great to see awareness grow around maintaining skin barrier health. In caring for your skin barrier, ceramides would probably be the first ingredient that would be suggested. However, there are a lot of questions on who and what skin types should be using ceramides. Based on the data, are ceramides only good for those with compromised skin barriers? We dive into the research to see what the data says and how to use ceramide in your routine for your skin scenario! 1:09 | What are Ceramide...

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Hyaluronic Acid - Is It a Must In Your Routine?

Hyaluronic Acid has consistently been a trendy ingredient in skincare for better or worse. There’s so much confusion with this ingredient because it’s been touted as a miracle anti-aging ingredient but also gets flagged as a potential irritant that may even cause skin dehydration. Not to fear! In this episode, we go through the science, and talk about when and how to incorporate hyaluronic acid in your routine.

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Bakuchiol - Is It Better Than Retinol? | CC Podcast

Bakuchiol was put on the map as soon as results came out that bakuchiol seemingly performed on par with retinol in treating anti-aging concerns. But does this hold true? The chemists’ review what bakuchiol even is, the actual study that made this ingredient famous, and discuss who would benefit from using this ingredient! Let’s talk babchi stuff!

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Retinal - Is it Better Than Retinol? | CC Podcast #83

Retinal (aka retinaldehyde) is definitely a hot ingredient in skincare right now! You might have heard that retinal is more potent than retinol because it only needs one step to convert into retinoic acid vs. retinol’s two. But is retinal truly better than retinol? We go through the data and give you the inside scoop on the state of retinal skincare! 1:08 | What is Retinal? 9:59 | Is Retinal Better Than Retinol? 21:53 | How to Use Retinal in Your Routine?

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Retinol - Can You Use it During the Daytime? | CC Podcast #82

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! 1:28 | What is retinol? 13:20 | Can retinol be...

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Adapalene - Can It be Used for Anti-Aging? | CC Podcast #81

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? 2:15 | What is Adapalene? 5:25 | Can Adapalene be Used for Anti-Aging? 22:10 | How to Use Adapalene in Your Routine

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Tretinoin - Is it bad to use it long term? | CC Podcast #80

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? Notable Moments: 0:58 | What is Tretinoin? A Review! 9:26 | Is Using Tretinoin Bad for Skin? 24:55 | How to use tretinoin in your skincare routine - Tips & Tricks

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