THE BLOG

Since they feel relatively lightweight on skin and don’t leave a greasy white residue behind, chemical sunscreen formulations dominate the U.S. market. But the truth is that they are likely not doing us any favors.  Chemical sunscreens work by absorbing UV radiation to prevent it from penetrating skin. But many of the most common ones such as homosalate, octisalate, octinoxate...

Choosing skincare that will address your specific concerns and lifestyle can be a tricky business.  With brands, forms, recommendations and endorsements knowing what product to buy can be an overwhelming experience.  And because of the dizzying number of ingredients used, making a wise decision on what to buy and use on your skin can be a daunting challenge. A typical...

As time starts taking a toll on our skin in the form of lines, wrinkles and loss of firmness, many of us start turning to so-called anti-aging skincare to reverse the damage. But while some products may help temporarily improve skin’s appearance by adding a cosmetic sheen, or superficially plumping up creases, they cannot make significant changes because they merely...

Winter’s almost over and as it exits we can say goodbye to the season’s cold, dry air and parching indoor heating that can leave our skin dry, our lips crackly and our complexion looking sallow and fatigued. There’s actually a biological reason for that wan-winter look. Our bodies are built to survive the cold. When the temperature drops our blood...

According to researchers, 45 percent of Americans make New Year’s resolutions. They’re a January 1st phenomenon as common as midnight kisses, bowl games and hangovers.  This is logical, after a holiday season of indulging in late nights, rich food and maybe more wine and eggnog than are completely healthy, you may wake up on New Year’s Day not looking and...

Winter is here, which likely means chapped lips are also on the way. So it makes sense to stash a lip balm in every bag or pocket you have and constantly reapply, right?  Wrong!  The truth is that slathering on lip balm like it’s your job can actually make chapped lips worse.  Most conventional lip balms contain ingredients like menthol...

While everyone talks about “good” and “bad” cholesterol, it seems like this waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells of the body is pretty much considered the devil incarnate. But the Truth is that cholesterol is an important biological substance not only undeserving of its evil reputation, but arguably the most valuable and functional molecule in the body.  Cholesterol...

Retinoids are the uncontested superstars of skincare ingredients. In fact, in the worlds of both dermatologic pharmacy and conclusive research, these Vitamin A derivatives, along with Vitamin C, are the only skincare ingredients that have definitively and repeatedly been confirmed to have skin-healing and anti-aging benefits.1  Numerous studies show that Retinoids normalize cell proliferation, stimulate the production of new skin cells...

Melanocytes are cells within the skin that produce pigment color (melanin). They inject this color into other cells that move upwards toward the skin surface. Think dark spots and suntans. Ideally this pigment will be a smooth, even coloration.When there is too much color injected into one area, the appearance becomes blotchy and uneven. This is referred to as hyper-pigmentation...

Hyaluronic acid, is a fascinating sugar-like substance and a natural component of the skin’s lower layers, that can hold thousands of times its weight in water!  This gives it some notable anti-wrinkle effects and its presence allows the skin to be strong and flexible Unfortunately, HA in topical products is more sizzle than steak.  The epidermal upper layer repels hyaluronic...