Ingredient Spotlight: N-Acetyl Glucosamine
A key ingredient in our Vegan Rewind Formula
Humectants: Skin Hydration & More
Out of the three classes of moisturizing ingredients (humectants, emollients, and occlusives), humectants are probably my favorite. Well, tied for first. But they’re incredibly cool.
The Making of Stratia
How a passion project in a kitchen became a thriving small business.
Thinking of Making Your Own Sunscreen? Don’t.
Homemade sunscreen recipes pop up every summer and with it, the myth that you can get protection from raspberry seed oil or other plant oils. The only DIY that can...
Exfoliation or Hydration: Understanding What Your Skin Really Needs
In the 21st century, we know more about our skin than ever before. Let’s take a deep dive into what exfoliation is on a scientific level, the different ways we...
How to Transition Your Skincare Routine as the Seasons Change
Your skin can change by the season, month, or even day. Here’s just a few of the common contributors to skin changes.
The Science Behind Purging
If you’ve been using skincare for a while, chances are you’ve experienced a product reaction of some kind at least once. Perhaps you were excited over a new product but...
How To Build a Skincare Routine with Essentials
It’s 2023 and the skincare landscape has changed drastically over the last decade. Never before have we had so much access to education on skincare - and it’s just a...
Eye Cream For Dark Circles: Lipid Gold
All the power of Lipid Gold in a nourishing eye cream formula designed to get rid of dark circles under eyes, enhance firmness, and fortify the delicate skin around the...
SKINCARE GOAL SPOTLIGHT: Fading Hyperpigmentation
This week, let’s take a deep look at the albatross hanging around the neck of many skincare addicts: long-term discoloration caused by acne. There are three types of long-term physical...
Skincare Spotlight: Clogged Pores
Clogged pores are one of the more baffling aspects of having skin. Sometimes, clogged pores get inflamed and turn into pimples; sometimes, they just hang around indefinitely, like a party...
SKINCARE GOAL SPOTLIGHT: Anti-Aging
Glycerin: The Unsung Hero in Your Skincare Routine
Glycerin. The humectant that you’ve probably seen in most of your skincare products but never really stopped to think about. If hyaluronic acid is the show horse of the skincare...
Are Mineral Sunscreens Actually Better?
Sensitive skin? Pregnant or breastfeeding? Experiencing hyper pigmentation? Chances are, you’ve been told to use mineral sunscreen. Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide based sunscreens are often touted as the safest, most...
Skincare Trends Explained: Castor Oil and Tallow
Moisturizers not only combine an array of moisturizer ingredients like emollients, occlusive agents, and humectants but can act as a vehicle for UV filters or other ingredients. Yet instead, TikTok and...
Unlocking the Power of Ceramides: A Comprehensive Overview for Skincare Enthusiasts
Ceramides are really having their moment in the spotlight, shooting from a little known skincare ingredient to the star ingredient of countless new launches. They’re an integral part of a...
The Power of Hyaluronic Acid: A Scientific Breakdown
Hyaluronic acid. One of the most popular ingredients in skincare yet often misunderstood. We’ve sifted through all the claims, myths, and most importantly the science to bring you this deep dive...
The Truth About Parabens
You may have noticed that there’s been a growing debate on the safety of preservatives - particularly parabens. Concerns range from their supposed endocrine disrupting ability to their presence in...
INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: Fatty Acids
Fatty acids are absolutely necessary for healthy skin (and healthy everything else, technically). Some people, especially ones raised in a Western beauty ethos, tend to equate “oil” with “clogged pores”...
INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: Surfactants
Let’s learn about cleansers and surfactants! Starting with the Basics Cleansers work via a class of ingredients called surfactants (that stands for surface active agents). Surfactants are long, two-headed molecules. One head is hydrophilic, meaning it’s...
Ingredient Spotlight: Sea Buckthorn Oil
Sea buckthorn oil is one of the most interesting ingredients in Liquid Gold. It’s what gives Liquid Gold its signature color, but that’s just a fun side effect. I chose...
INGREDIENT SPOTLIGHT: Hydroxy Acids
This week, we’re going to talk about a very special type of acid: the chemical exfoliant workhorses of our skincare toolkit, hydroxy acids. What Are Hydroxy Acids? In terms of...
A No-Nonsense Guide to Mixing Skincare Ingredients
There is a lot of information out there and it can feel like you’re navigating a tightrope just trying to figure out when to use your Vitamin C serum and if your...
Skincare Routine: Guide To Perfect Skincare Order & Layering
If you’re trying to figure out how to layer products in your skincare routine, there’s a simple rule (with a few exceptions) – I call it the “I before E except...
How To Layer Skincare
Once you’ve taken the plunge and decided to begin your skincare journey, every beginner has the same question when those products start showing up in the mailbox… how on Earth do...
Are Eye Creams a Scam?
Are eye creams a scam? Short answer: no. Much longer answer: although some sources claim there’s no difference between eye cream and regular moisturizer, the eye area actually has some...
How Dark Undereye Circles Form
As someone who’s had dark undereye circles since kindergarten, I know how frustrating – and stubborn – they can be. I want to dive into the science behind how dark...
What You Can (And Can't) Tell from an Ingredients List
One of my favorite trends in skincare in the last decade is the shift away from a blind trust of marketing claims and a focus on truly understanding how skincare...
Skin Barrier 101
TikTok is full of videos on how to fix a damaged skin barrier and there’s countless Google search results on what the skin barrier is. But a decade ago, the...
What Is a Sunburn? Unraveling the Science Behind Skin Damage and Prevention
A serious sunburn increases your risk of skin cancer and the more times you’re burnt, the higher the risk. But what is a sunburn and why is it so damaging?
The Power of Antioxidants in Skincare
If there’s one ingredient category you should be adding to your morning routine this summer, it’s antioxidants. They work alongside your sunscreen to protect against the sun - and other...
Understanding Hyperpigmentation: Causes, Types, and Treatment for Dark Spots
Dark spots can be very difficult to address with skincare and many people end up feeling like they’ve tried it all with nothing to show for it. If that’s you,...
Retinoids: A guide to Vitamin A in Skincare
Retinoids are one of the most researched and effective categories of skincare ingredients. They can improve a variety of skin concerns, making them highly popular with experienced skincare users.
Mastering Acne: Your Go-To Resource for Evidence-Based Education on Clearing Skin
If you’ve ever experienced acne, you’re probably familiar with the unsolicited advice that it can invite. But while acne may be one of the most common skin concerns worldwide, affecting over...
The Intriguing Science of Growing Older
We all know the visible signs of aging and it’s an inevitable process that we will all face. And while everyone has different feelings on getting older, aging can be...
The Power of Clarity: Eradicating Skincare Myths through Education
Fear sells, and by making customers feel worried about their health and safety, clean brands have found an easy way to market their products. We’re here to say: you can...
Dry Skin Vs Dehydrated Skin
Dry skin is different from dehydrated skin. Unlike typical dehydration, where your body is low on water, skin dehydration comes from a damaged moisture barrier.
All You Need to Know About Peptides
There’s been a lot of buzz around peptides on social media and it would be easy to write them off as another viral TikTok trend. But peptides in skincare have...
The Science Of Growth Factors
Growth factors. If you’re a science nerd, this category of skincare ingredients is one of the most fascinating in terms of the science and possibilities for skin rejuvenation. But like...
Everything You Need to Know about pH and Skincare
The pH of skincare is a hot topic, and an issue that can have a dramatic impact on your skin. Fortunately, it’s also a fairly easy concept (at least as...
All About Skin Types
For me, the most difficult part of building a good skincare routine was actually listening to my skin. I’d get so starry-eyed over rave reviews that I’d buy a product...