Chemist Confessions

Chemist Confessions Inc.

Skincare chemists Gloria & Victoria’s weekly conversation on all things skincare science.
The podcast covers notable skincare news, decoding outrageous claims, demystifying the overwhelming product landscapes, and answering your burning skincare questions. Tune in if you might need help building a skincare routine, finding a serum that’ll ACTUALLY deliver, or just want to have a few laughs on some of the crazy things you see in skincare.

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100 episodes
Updated Friday
Explicit

Episodes100

Newest first

Dec 17, 2024 · 38 min
#123: Estriol & Estradiol Skincare - Do They Work?
As a follow-up on last week’s episode on skincare for certain age groups, this week, let’s dive into estrogen-based skincare, in particular creams with estradiol or estriol. This prescription skincare realm aimed to treat peri and post-menopausal skin issues like irritation, redness, and dryness. So! Do they work? Are there other benefits beyond skin barrier care?
Dec 12, 2024 · 46 min
#122: Skincare Tips by Age Group: Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50+
We all know that skin changes with father time, but how should you best skincare for your specific age? We discuss the science, what major timepoints to consider and what skincare you should be using in your teens, 20s, 30-40s, and 50s+.
Dec 9, 2024 · 47 min
#121: Neck care! Can topical neck creams help with … well.. anything?
Neck aging can be so difficult to address because of its complex biology. But can topicals do anything to help? Let’s take a closer look at 3 neck cream clincals done by Replenix, Skinceuticals, and Revision skincare to see if you really need a dedicated product just for your neck area.
Nov 25, 2024 · 52 min
#120: Skincare Holiday Gifting Guide
The holiday season is just looming around the corner. So whether you’re taking advantage of the discounts for yourself, or on the market for loved ones, here are some of thoughts on on the beauty holiday deals. Join us for some shopping inspirations or just some laughs!
Nov 4, 2024 · 54 min
#119: Which SPF Lip Balm is Best?
After a nice break from sunscreens, we had some time to dabble in lip SPF products. It turns out our lip skin actually has a lot less natural protection from both sun and dryness than the rest of our body. Thus, it only makes sense that having a good lip SPF (or two) is important to have handy. We tried 12 lip SPFS of various types and various price points and share all of our findings! The taste of some of these left quite a lasting impression.
Oct 29, 2024 · 48 min
#118: Are Peptides in Skincare Worth It?
Today we’re going to attempt to tackle the vast landscape of peptides! It’s a big topic but sadly without a lot of clarity. So let’s nerd out with us on just what peptides are, how they work on skin, what skin concerns they’re good for, and decode a few top peptide products.
Oct 22, 2024 · 31 min
#117: Hydroquinone and Some Comparison Actives
After listening to this podcast long enough, you’ll probably get a sense that good testing data is sparse so we inevitably have to work with what we have! With the recent US ban of OTC hydroquinone products, it's worth noting that a notable few actives have done testing in direct comparison to hydroquinone. Though more testing is always needed, direct comparison studies are considered rare and top-tier in our books. In this episode, let’s review why hydroquinone is so prolific and discuss actives that have actually been tested in direct comparison to hydroquinone.
Oct 14, 2024 · 25 min
#116: Is Arbutin A Good Hydroquinone Alternative?
This is a bit overdue! Arbutin is a hyperpigmentation active with a reputation as a hydroquinone alternative. So today we’re tackling all the major questions around arbutin: Does it convert to hydroquinone on skin? Is it even a good hyperpigmentation active?
Sep 30, 2024 · 34 min
#115: Can You Actually Treat Dark Circles With Skincare?
It’s time for another wet blanket type episode - dark circles Just why are dark circles so hard to deal with? Do eye creams even work? We go through the data and discuss what you can actually do to treat this stubborn and complex skin concern.
Sep 24, 2024 · 37 min
#114: What's the Deal With Exosomes in Skincare?
We’ve put it off for long enough, today we’re jumping into the very new, very hot realm of exosomes. These vesicle structures are getting a lot of attention because they’ve been tied to: stem cells, growth factors, fibroblasts…essentially all the juicy anti-aging good stuff. In this episode, the chemists attempt to make sense of exosomes’ true purpose in skincare, share what benefits they can bring, and explain the current exosome landscape. Strap in because we get pretty nerdy here, but hopefully this episode gives you a good idea of “hot tech” and how it evolves in the skincare world.
Sep 16, 2024 · 37 min
#113: Do Acne Patches Work?
We're wrapping up our acne series with a deep dive on acne patches. These face stickers often get tied to some pretty enticing claims like absorbing excess sebum and rapidly healing pimples. We discuss the science behind these mystical patches, what they actually do to acne lesions, and what are their real benefits. Finally, we end on our experiences trying 5 different acne patches on the market. Enjoy!
Sep 9, 2024 · 38 min
#112: Does Any of the Plant Stuff Work for Acne?
Continuing our acne series, we’ve been able to delve into some solid actives with pretty juicy data behind it, but there are quite a few less validated ingredients that are pretty popular and worth a look. In this episode, we look at succinic acid, mugwort, witch hazel, and tea tree oil. Four popular plant-ish actives that have gained some traction as magical home remedies for acne breakouts. Let’s see if the data holds up shall we?
Aug 26, 2024 · 40 min
#111: How Much Benzoyl Peroxide Should You Actually Be Using?
When it comes to fighting acne, benzoyl peroxide has been around for so long it almost seems like it’s old-fashioned. However, because of its long history, BPO has a lot of great data and of the ingredients out there we actually have a very good understanding how it works to reduce breakouts. But are we actually using the right concentration? We dive into the research and discuss what concentrations we should all be trying to target and why.
Aug 19, 2024 · 38 min
#110: Is salicylic acid a MUST in your acne routine?
Salicylic acid is probably the most common active ingredient you’ll run into when putting together your acne routine. But is it actually a must have? What kind of acne can it actually treat? In this episode, we dive into a few key clinical studies that look at just what 2% salicylic acid really bring to your routine.
Aug 12, 2024 · 41 min
#109: Are Collagen Supplements a Scam?
One of the more popular questions we get is about collagen supplements and whether or not it’s a scam. We’d be lying if we said we haven’t been avoiding this one, but no longer! In this episode, we go through the clinical data. We discuss why it’s so hard to shop for good collagen supplements. Finally, we list our shopping tips and things to consider if you’re thinking of adding this to your beauty routine.
Aug 5, 2024 · 32 min
#108: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 2
After testing 30 sunscreens in 30 days, we’re finally going through our favorites! There was so much to discuss that this ended up turning into a 2 part segment. In part 2, we talked about our thoughts on baby sunscreens, international sunscreens, things we’d do differently in the future, and… pangolins? Let’s wrap the sunscreen series!
Jul 29, 2024 · 35 min
#107: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 1
After testing 30 sunscreens in 30 days, we’re finally going through our favorites! There was so much to discuss that this ended up turning into a 2 part segment. In part 1, we discuss what factored into our ratings and why. We then go through our “0 star” ratings and why they were so painful. Finally, we discuss our favorites for the mineral and tinted category! Hope you enjoy as we tell all in our journey to trialing another 30 sunscreens for 2024.
Jul 22, 2024 · 25 min
#106: Should You Stop Using Glycolic Acid in the Summer?
You probably hear us often championing glycolic acid as the gold standard of exfoliation and a main active to consider having in your routine. However, AHAs are known to cause photosensitivity. Does that means we shouldn’t use glycolic acid during summer months during higher chances of sun exposure? We discuss the data, what skin types should and shouldn’t use glycolic acid, and how to best use this ingredient during summer.
Jul 15, 2024 · 34 min
#105: Which Toners Should You Use?
This week we’re taking a break from skincare ingredients, and we’re talking about products. Specifically, toners! Toners will forever be a land of mystery. This category seems to always ends up in the spotlight, there are too many to choose from, and the claims can be all over the place. We decided to break down the product landscape, discuss some of the most popular toners of 2024, and weigh in on which toners we would want to use in our routine. It’s toner time!
Jul 8, 2024 · 30 min
#104: Does Tranexamic Acid Have Any Benefits for Skin?
When tranexamic acid started gaining popularity a few years back, it felt similar to CBD. Suddenly it seemed like every brand was using it, but there didn’t seem to be a lot of data shared on its effectiveness. In this episode, the chemists share the benefits that tranexamic acid can bring to skin, go through the testing (if any), and discuss whether or not it’s a worthy addition to your skincare routine.

Chemist Confessions

#123: Estriol & Estradiol Skincare - Do They Work?

#122: Skincare Tips by Age Group: Teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, and 50+

#121: Neck care! Can topical neck creams help with … well.. anything?

#120: Skincare Holiday Gifting Guide

#119: Which SPF Lip Balm is Best?

#118: Are Peptides in Skincare Worth It?

#117: Hydroquinone and Some Comparison Actives

#116: Is Arbutin A Good Hydroquinone Alternative?

#115: Can You Actually Treat Dark Circles With Skincare?

#114: What's the Deal With Exosomes in Skincare?

#113: Do Acne Patches Work?

#112: Does Any of the Plant Stuff Work for Acne?

#111: How Much Benzoyl Peroxide Should You Actually Be Using?

#110: Is salicylic acid a MUST in your acne routine?

#109: Are Collagen Supplements a Scam?

#108: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 2

#107: The Best of 30 for 30 Sunscreen Challenge Pt. 1

#106: Should You Stop Using Glycolic Acid in the Summer?

#105: Which Toners Should You Use?

#104: Does Tranexamic Acid Have Any Benefits for Skin?