The Chemists' Blog

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Can you use glycolic acid with retinol?

The skincare world is never short of the newest, glitziest active ingredient vying for your attention. But while trendy ingredients can come and go...

Tretinoin or Retinol? Which one is best for skin?

Acne

Tretinoin vs. Retinol - Which one should you use?

Retinoids, molecules in the vitamin A family, are probably some of the most celebrated skincare actives out there. With a proven track record for a...

Decoding Actives

Bakuchiol - A "Retinol Alternative" Worth Trying?

Good old anti-aging retinol promises so many benefits. Yet for many (Gloria included!), it’s a temperamental little guy that can wreak havoc on you...

Anti-Aging

Retinal - Is it Better Than Retinol?

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 ...

Anti-Aging

Retinol: The Tried-and-True Way to Putting Off Botox

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 dec...

Acne

Tretinoin - Is it Bad for Skin Long Term?

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 hist...

Eye Area

Do Eye Creams Actually Work on Dark Circles, Puffiness, or Eye Bags?

We’ve been dragging our feet on this topic for a while! The main reason we have been avoiding the big eye cream question for so long is simply beca...

Anti-Aging

A Chemists' Guide to Navigating "Retinol Alternative" Skincare

It feels like everyone is now launching a "retinol alternative". But wait! Let's do a deep dive to make sure we're actually shopping for an actual ...

Anti-Aging

Our Double Play Retinol Clinical Testing Journey

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...

Antioxidant

Actives Pairings With Clinical Testing Behind Them

*Updated as of 5/17/2022 When you start dabbling in actives, you’ll easily fall into the rabbit hole of what you can and can’t layer. One of the co...

ahas

Hyperpigmentation Pt 2: routine guide and shopping tips

In this part 2 of our pigmentation guide, we’re going to shed some light on how to shop for the best ingredients & products to target that stub...

ahas

How to Combine Skincare Actives like a Pro pt 2

One of our most popular articles of Chemist Confessions and the center of a lot of questions is combining actives. In How to Combine Actives Like a...