Every investigation, deep dive, and formulation explainer. Updated as new pieces are published.
15 articles
Niacinamide is now in everything from £5 drugstore serums to £200 clinical treatments. But the concentration wars, the vitamin C myths, and the flush debates have buried the actual science. We went back to the literature.
Rosa canina seed oil contains one of the highest concentrations of linoleic acid of any carrier oil — up to 54%. That single fact explains most of its cosmetic benefits. Everything else is marketing.
The hyaluronic acid in a £10 serum and a £100 serum may share the same INCI name — Sodium Hyaluronate — but behave completely differently on skin. Molecular weight is the variable that marketing never mentions.
Squalene is unstable, oxidises rapidly, and was historically sourced from shark liver. Squalane is its hydrogenated, stable, plant-derived counterpart. The INCI list will tell you which one you are buying — if you know what to look for.
Retinol has the strongest evidence base of any cosmetic anti-ageing ingredient. It also has the highest rate of misuse. The gap between the clinical literature and the consumer experience is almost entirely a formulation and education problem.
HLB values, phase inversion temperatures, and the difference between O/W and W/O emulsions — the fundamentals that anyone evaluating a moisturiser needs to understand before they trust a label.
Vitamin C requires a pH below 3.5 to be effective. AHAs need to be below 4.0. Retinol is most stable above 5.5. Most brands do not disclose their product pH. Here is why that matters — and how to find out.
The 'no preservatives' claim has become a marketing asset. In reality, an unpreserved water-containing cosmetic is a microbial growth medium. The preservative-free movement is putting consumers at risk.
Every cosmetic product sold in Australia must carry a full ingredient list in INCI format. Most consumers ignore it. Once you know how to read one, you cannot unknow it.