Organic Skin Care Blog – Product Reviews & Healthy Skin

Skinceuticals recently launched their HA Intensifier, or Hyaluronic Acid Intensifier. As the name suggests, it's a serum/booster product with hyaluronic acid - but more than that, Skinceuticals also claims that the HA Intensifier will also help to boost your skin's ability to make its own hyaluronic acid, beyond just replenishing it. Application-wise, Skinceuticals recommends this go after your toner, but before your other skincare products.


Skinceuticals is one of those brands that's a little niche, but has quite the following among skincare devotees, particularly for its CE Ferulic (which is sometimes considered the gold standard in Vitamin C serums). So I was pretty excited about the HA Intensifier, and was hoping that it would also live up to the brand's reputation for good skincare.


Skinceuticals HA Intensifier: A key claim is that the product helps to boost skin's own hyaluronic acid production
I'm sure at this stage, you're curious about so many things - does this serum live up to Skinceuticals' brand reputation? How exactly does a serum boost your skin's own ability to make its own hyaouronic acid, and does the Skinceuticals product do so? So, let's start our review - at the ingredients list!
Continue Reading . . .

Here's my second "You Ask, I Answer" post, where I consolidate some common (and not so common) reader questions. Reader questions aren't a new thing on my blog, and I've written a bunch of posts based on reader questions over time, including some of my personal favourite science-y posts, like my post on parabens, and my post on talc. But I thought it would be nice if I could share some of my reader Q&As with everyone else too!


Today's question on DIY and natural skincare comes from Chelsi:

Chelsi asks:
I want to ask u something. It's so hard for me to get organic and natural skincare that avoids not using harmful chemicals...the fact is there are lots of brands outside there use chemical ingredients... I want to make DIY skincare but I think i don't have enough time to make it while I have to work and after work I am tired and just wanna take a rest..So , do you think it's okay to still using the skincare which still contains chemical ingredients? thx :)

Your question is quite a big hairy one, so I'll just touch on some key topics that you raised:
1. Are chemicals really a problem in skincare?
2. So when should I avoid "chemical" ingredients?
3. Can you actually DIY your own skincare, and if so, is it actually "better" that what's available out there?

Continue Reading . . .

Yes, more skincare questions are answered in today's post! This is part 2 of the post where Cetaphil's Regulatory Affairs Manager answers some skincare question, and busts some skincare myths along the way. And today, we're going to talk about how to simplify skincare routines, what you should do for different skin types, and answer some product questions, including those pertaining to Cetaphil products. As a skincare geek, I always feel like I already know most of the skincare basics, so knowing more about what makes a brand's products different from the other dozens of products on the market definitely excites me!


Fortunately, Tracy Chean, Regulatory Affairs Manager at Galderma South East Asia, was very kind to answer all of my (and everyone else's) questions! If you've read the previous post you'll already have some idea of who she is, but in short, she ensures that Cetaphil and other Galderma products comply with strict safety and compliance standards, and is also a licensed pharmacist. She was very friendly and helpful in answering questions at the Cetaphil Experience Workshop, and I really appreciated her broad knowledge of everything from cosmetic regulation to skincare science.


Some of the bloggers during the session - everyone is busy taking notes!
As with the previous post, while the content of the answers is reflective of the information conveyed, it might not be the exact word-for-word answer that Tracy gave, just because I was furiously scribbling down notes during the entire session, and couldn't get down every single word said exactly. However, the gist of each of the answers is accurate. I've also added in some editor's notes (aka my own additional thoughts) here and there to provide supplemental information where appropriate.


A quick photo of one of my notes pages - I'm not kidding when I say I was furiously scribbling down notes!
So without further ado, let's take a look at some common questions about building your skincare routine, and Cetaphil products! If you want to learn more skincare facts, and find out what else went on during the Cetaphil Experience, do check out the Cetaphil Singapore Facebook Page!
Continue Reading . . .

In August earlier this year, I had the opportunity to go for the Cetaphil Experience - basically a 3-day trip where I got to learn more about the brand, the philosophy behind their products, and their history in Singapore and in the Southeast Asia region. You might have seen some of the updates on my Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and so on - and now that I've had a bit more time to settle down after the trip, I've decided to share some of the learnings with you guys!


As a skincare geek, one of my favourite parts of the trip was the ability to get some burning skincare questions answered, and skincare myths busted by Cetaphil's own Tracy Chean, who is the Regulatory Affairs Manager for Southeast Asia at Galderma Singapore. Tracy ensures that Cetaphil and other Galderma products comply with strict safety and compliance standards, and also manages the Galderma National University of Singapore (NUS) Student Internship Programme. She graduated from NUS with a Bachelor of Science, and has also been a Singapore Licensed Pharmacist since 2010. Above that's a photo of Tracy, looking gorgeous in red! She was very friendly and willing to answer a lot of our questions, no matter how basic or esoteric they were.


The entire session was 1.5 hours long, and there was a lot of information shared during this session. During this session, Tracy helped to bust some skin myths, answer some questions about cosmetic regulations, and offer advice on a good skincare routine. Since there were quite a number of questions, I've arranged them by topic, rather than just in chronological order, so that it makes more sense to the reader. I've split the post into two - today's post will deal with skincare myths, and the next post will deal with questions on skincare routines and specific product questions.

Also, while the content of the answers is reflective of the information conveyed, it might not be the exact word-for-word answer that Tracy gave, just because I was furiously scribbling down notes during the entire session, and couldn't get down every single word said exactly. The photo below is of my notes pages from the session - you can see how much I was trying to write down! Nevertheless, the gist of each of the answers is accurate. I've also added in some editor's notes (aka my own additional thoughts) here and there to provide supplemental information where appropriate.


Cetaphil has uploaded lots of videos from the session on the Cetaphil Facebook Page. Where the videos of a particular answer is available, I've also embedded it directly below the answer - so you can hear Tracy in the flesh as well! For more of the learnings from the trip, and to see more skincare myths and questions, do check out the Cetaphil Facebook Page.
Continue Reading . . .

Kiehl's Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate has launched earlier this month, and this is probably Kiehl's largest launch for the year! The Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate claims to utilize quinoa seed extract to exfoliate the skin, and it claims to be effective at exfoliating, but at a lower risk than a typical at-home peel product. Obviously, the quinoa is pretty intriguing at first glance - it's been a pretty popular health food as of late, and now it looks like the fad has made its way into our beauty products too!


Kiehl's Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate is supposed to be a gentle exfoliant that can be used everyday, and is safe for sensitive skin. It's meant as a night treatment, rather than a day product. Kiehl's also recommends that the product be used after toner, but before serum. And for those who are familiar with the old Kiehl's Overnight Biological Peel, I was also told that the Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate would be replacing this product, and the Overnight Biological Peel will be discontinued.


Kiehl's Nightly Refining Micro-Peel Concentrate: A gentle but effective peel you can use everyday
Of course, since this is a peel product, we'll have to answer lots of questions: What's the exfoliating agent? Is it really quinoa seed extract? And is this really a gentle but effective peel? And how does it compare to the old Overnight Biological Peel? We'll be answering those questions, and of course, to do that, we'll start at the ingredients list. Of course, this is going to be a pretty long review, so make yourself comfortable while you read this, and off we go!
Continue Reading . . .

Is talc in cosmetics dangerous or safe? Does it cause cancer, particularly ovarian cancer? Is it safe to use talc in makeup? With the news about Johnson and Johnson being sued over the talc in their baby powder supposedly causing ovarian cancer, I've been asked a couple of times about talc's safety in makeup. One such question came from my lovely reader Joanna (hello Joanna!) as below:

Hello!! Just wanted to say your blog is very very informative and I've made several purchases following the information on your reviews. Since you're so into looking at ingredients of cosmetics too I was wondering what your thoughts are regarding talc-based products, especially bronzers and loose face powders. With the recent news about Johnson and Johnson's baby powder case it's sort of alerted me a little to think about this. I know that we don't use make up in the genital area hence ovarian cancer risks are unlikely but there's also mixed evidence about chronic inhalation of talc maybe causing lung cancer. What are your views in this area? It has raised my concern as I believe effects are cumulative but I've also realised a lot of big brands such as Bobbi Brown, Benefit and 3CE all have talc based powders and bronzers. Please share your opinion :)

From her question, it's clear that there is concern about talc on multiple fronts - applied on skin, inhalation, and also perineal use (aka, using talc down there in the genital area). Although Joanna was specifically asking about talc with respect to inhalation, I thought, in view of current events, as well as other questions I've been getting, I'll just look at all 3 concern areas of skin, inhalation, and perineal use - that way, I have a neat, more complete summary of what the science says on talc in general that will hopefully be more helpful!


First though, before I start, I would like to say that this is not in any way meant to detract from the suffering of women who do have ovarian cancer. It is a serious disease with far-reaching effects, and my sympathy goes out to all ovarian cancer sufferers and their families, and they deserve our support. But for the purpose of this blogpost, I am most interested in responding to Joanna’s question, which is specifically about talc in cosmetics. So although this question certainly is prompted by current events, the scope of this blogpost is not to talk about the J&J lawsuit, but just to look at what the science says about the safety of talc in cosmetics. So, I hope that noone takes offense the narrow scope of this blogpost. Trust me, this pretty narrow scope is already quite a lengthy blogpost!
Continue Reading . . .

L'Oreal's Revitalift Filler HA Micro Volumizing Essence and Revolumizing Cushion Cream have both hit stores here in Singapore, and these are two new additions to L'Oreal's already-popular anti-aging Revitalift skincare range. The Revitalift Filler HA products contain hyaluronic acid, as you might have guessed from the "HA" in the names. I've had these two products for awhile, so I thought it was about time that I reviewed them properly!


Obviously, hyaluronic acid is a big selling point for the Revitalift Filler HA line, and also the "volumizing" or "filler" aspect. Basically, these claim to "fill up lines" and "restore skin plumpness" (I'm quoting those two claims directly from the packaging there). The idea is that it's not just wrinkles that make a person's skin look old, but also a lack of facial volume and plumpness, and the Revitalift Filler HA line is supposed to address both these concerns. We're already familiar with hyaluronic acid as a humectant, so in this sense it could be useful in skincare to help hydrate the skin. In addition to the "micrometic hyaluronic acid", there is also Fibroxyl, which L'Oreal explains is a derived from rye seed and is an anti-wrinkle and firming ingredient.


L'Oreal Revitalift Filler HA Essence and Cushion Cream: Advertised as containing hyaluronic acid, and Fibroxyl
Well, that's a whole lot of claims for two products, so let's get down to the review! We'll take a look at the Essence first, and then the Cushion Cream. And of course, we're going to start right at the ingredients lists, to see if the products really live up to their claims. But first, let's talk about Fibroxyl, which appears in the products as Secale Cereale/Rye Seed Extract, and what that actually does in skin!
Continue Reading . . .