safety – Lab Muffin Beauty Science

Sunscreen safety and the FDA situation: Huberman’s skincare podcast response (Part 2)

Michelle Wong — Sat, 22 Feb 2025 04:32:41 +0000

The most controversial topic in Dr Andrew Huberman’s skincare episode is probably sunscreen safety, which is hugely misunderstood even by scientists and medical doctors. Much of the confusion comes from differing sunscreen regulations around the world, and the fact that “not safe” has different meanings in everyday, regulatory and toxicological contexts. This is part 2 of my articles responding to ...

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Cyperus oil for hair removal: Is it safe and effective?

Michelle Wong — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 01:09:43 +0000

There’s been a lot of hype around Cyperus oil for hair removal, largely based on a study where it supposedly worked as well as laser. Unfortunately I don’t think it works, and if it did work, it would be a risky product to be using. For context, my PhD is in medicinal chemistry. Part of this involves looking at the ...

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Should You Be Avoiding Parabens? The Science

Michelle Wong — Wed, 08 Feb 2017 20:39:24 +0000

Much like “organic” and “all-natural”, “paraben-free” is one of those phrases you’ll see displayed prominently on increasing numbers of skincare and beauty products. What are parabens, what health effects do they have, and should you be avoiding them? Here’s the science behind the marketing. (I’ve written a much simpler rundown of parabens here, if you want a quicker overview.) What ...

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Fact-check: What’s to blame for the Mentality Nail Polish problems?

Michelle Wong — Tue, 25 Aug 2015 16:39:55 +0000

Update (2018-12-05): Since Danny of Mentality Nail Polish has generously sent me a cease and desist for defamation as seen in the comments section, I’d like to interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to clarify (even though I think it’s pretty damn clear already) that the causes of the issues are science-based opinion and speculation. Welcome to every nail polish lover’s ...

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Fact-check: “Solvent-Free” Nail Polish Removers

Michelle Wong — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 12:05:00 +0000

For years, we’ve been using just 2 solvents, ethyl acetate and acetone, to remove nail polish. But recently a whole host of new removers containing neither of those have made their way onto the market – what are they, and are they worth a shot? Are they really solvent-free? No. Anything that dissolves something else up is a solvent – ...

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Fact-check Friday: What is a chemical peel?

Michelle Wong — Sat, 29 Mar 2014 21:12:00 +0000

Sorry for the delayed Fact-check Friday this week! We’re looking at something more hardcore today – not quite surgery, but not something you want to attempt blindly either: chemical peels. What is a chemical peel? Photo credit A chemical peel is a procedure for treating certain skin disorders, or simply improving the texture and appearance of the skin. It involves ...

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Fact-check Friday: What’s the deal with parabens in cosmetics?

Michelle Wong — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 20:39:00 +0000

Today’s Fact-check Friday focuses on one of the most unfairly demonised of chemicals in beauty products: parabens. You probably own at least one beauty product that proudly declares itself to be paraben-free – is there any reason to buy more, or is it pure marketing? What are parabens? Parabens are chemicals derived from a chemical called parahydroxybenzoic acid, with this ...

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What’s wrong with SLS?

Michelle Wong — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 01:30:00 +0000

(Photo credit: Steve Ford Elliott) Lots of personal care products proudly say they’re “SLS-free”. What was wrong with it in the first place? Sodium lauryl sulfate (also known as sodium dodecyl sulfate, or sodium coco-sulfate) is found in many personal care products, such as shampoo, toothpaste . It looks like this: It has an oil-soluble “tail” (on the left) and ...

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Sun Protection Basics

Michelle Wong — Sun, 08 Jul 2012 05:00:00 +0000

You northern hemisphere girls are heading towards midsummer, and us southern hemisphere girls are missing summer, so I thought I’d remind everyone of the most important thing to remember when going into the sun… sunscreen! During my research I came across this brilliant infographic which presents all the research in a much more interesting and clearer format than I could, ...

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Is an aspirin mask the same as a beta hydroxy acid treatment?

Michelle Wong — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 06:39:00 +0000

(Chaval Brasil) Aspirin masks are a popular DIY skincare treatment, but can some pills crushed in water be an effective homemade replacement for expensive salicylic acid exfoliants? Aspirin vs salicylic acid Aspirin is acetylsalicylic acid, which sounds a lot like salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid that’s great for exfoliation, with anti-irritant and anti-bacterial properties that make it great for ...

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