Bakuchiol vs retinol: what the clinical trials actually show
Dhaliwal's 2019 trial put 0.5% bakuchiol head-to-head with 0.5% retinol over 12 weeks. The result, the methodology, and where the marketing copy breaks.
May 15, 2026 · Maya Chen
Category
Product Science
Ingredient deep-dives, formulation chemistry, and the science of why complexion products do what they do.
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Retinyl palmitate: does pro-retinol eye cream actually work?
Pro-retinol eye creams are everywhere. The conversion math from retinyl palmitate to retinoic acid says they barely qualify as retinoids at all.
May 14, 2026 · Maya Chen
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Polyhydroxy acids: the gentle cousin of glycolic
PHAs (gluconolactone, lactobionic acid) exfoliate without the AHA sting. Larger molecules slow the burn. Here's the chemistry and which serums actually deliver.
May 13, 2026 · Maya Chen
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Cica: what madecassoside actually does to your skin
Cica's marketing is vague. The chemistry isn't. Four triterpenoids do the work, and one of them is doing more than the others. A breakdown of what each does.
May 9, 2026 · Maya Chen
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Why your sunscreen pills under foundation: the silicone problem
Sunscreen pilling is a polymer-film failure. Here's the silicone chemistry behind it, and the three changes that actually fix it for good.
May 8, 2026 · Maya Chen
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Niacinamide and vitamin C: the incompatibility myth, debunked
The rule against layering niacinamide with vitamin C traces to old tube-test chemistry. Here is what actually deactivates ascorbic acid, and what does not.
May 7, 2026 · Maya Chen
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What peptides actually do in your moisturizer (and don't)
Peptides are sold as 'Botox in a bottle', but the evidence base is thinner than for retinoids. Here is what each class actually does on real skin.
May 7, 2026 · Maya Chen
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Why Your Foundation Turns Orange by Lunch
What everyone calls foundation oxidation is mostly iron oxide pigment agglomerating with sebum and skin pH. Real chemistry, real fixes.
May 6, 2026 · Maya Chen