You know AHA’s but have you met any PHA’s yet? If you haven’t you will. Polyhydroxy acids were first discovered, researched and patented by Neostrata, the inventors of the gylcolic peel (literally) and one of my favorite brands. But, as all good things come to an end, their patent ran out- and lots of beauty brands are now incorporating PHA’s into their products. I spoke with the lovely Sara Spruch-Feiner for a story she was doing on PHA’s. Check it out here ..read more

There is huge demand for cannabidiol (CBD) due to its medicinal benefits for a wide range of health concerns, and it's also been showing up in topical skincare and body care products. Just like most substances, there's a big difference between getting CBD into your bloodstream though oral tinctures and vaporization vs absorbing it through the skin via a topical skincare product. But first, some background.. What is CBD? Cannabidiol, or CBD, is a cannabinoid derived from varieties of the cannabis plant. Cannabinoid is a term used to refer to chemical compounds that are found in the c ..read more

I live across the street from a CVS, so I'm in there almost every other day grabbing something or other. The other day in the skincare aisle, something caught my eye that I had never seen...a box of retinol wipes from Skin+Pharmacy. Turns out that they have their own in house brand of skincare. Who knew! There is a wide array of offerings, even an acne kit. I picked a few items to get an idea of what they are all about. The prices are very affordable, and while it seems they aren't creating new innovative formulas, they are using tried and true ingredients commonly found in more man ..read more

 \  ˈē-ˌthäs \  1. the fundamental character or spirit of a culture; theunderlying sentiment that informs the beliefs, customs, or practices ofa group or society; dominant assumptions of a people or period: in the Greek ethos the individual was highly valued. 2. the character or disposition of a community, group, person, etc. I'd like to use this space to share a little about myself, my career, my ethos. Most of my clients know me very well, but you may not (so, hello new friends!)  Being a teenager dealing with problematic skin was probably the time where my ..read more

On this page you'll find reviews of popular (and not so popular) acid exfoliators. It will be periodically updated with more reviews and also if ingredient lists change. I am not and have not ever been compensated in any way from these brands, nor do I use affiliate links. This post features products from the following brands:  Paula's Choice Skincare Biologique Recherche Skin Medica The Ordinary  First Aid Beauty Drunk Elephant   Paula's Choice Acid Exfoliators I've been using the Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment With 2% BHA consistently for at least 5 years. It's a ..read more

Hello! If you follow me on Instagram or are one of my clients (thank you, I appreciate you!) then you also probably hear me talk about acid exfoliation often because it should be an essential for almost everyone. I've always gotten a lot of questions about how, when and why to exfoliate, so lets talk acids!  If you want to skip to my acid exfoliator reviews, click here.    Why should I exfoliate? Removing built up skin and increasing cell turnover is part of keeping skin looking fresh and smooth. Our skin does this to some extent naturally, but as we get older along with so man ..read more

This was one of the funnest interviews I've ever done. I'm always talking about all skincare, but it was interesting to chat about my personal beauty habits and routines. The Regimen has become one of my favorite blogs, they showcase detailed skincare routines from real men and women. You can read it here ..read more

The creation of MŪN Skincare (pronounced 'moon') was co-founded by makeup artist Munemi Imai a few years ago, and her passion for green living lead her to envisioning a natural line. While traveling and learning about ingredients, she had a remarkable experience with using Prickly Pair Oil while on a trip in Morocco, where MŪN sources this oil from a local co-op of women.  “The MŪN philosophy- to make a company that would do good from end to end - from the customer who uses the product and experiences better skin to the producers who use ethical practices to protect our en ..read more

Anytime I see a brand on my instagram feed or in a magazine that I'm not familiar with, I'll immediately jump on their website and go straight towards the ingredient listing to see if there are any products worth looking into. More times then not, the initial excitement turns into disappointment - but oh how nice it is to be pleasantly surprised. After looking at a few of these products, my interest was piqued, and a sampler kit was ordered right away!  TAHNYC (pronounced 'tonic') was started after the founder, Irene Barksy, had a myriad of skin issues. Irene explains: “It all really ..read more

Regular exfoliation is essential- and whether it's a manual scrub or a leave on acid, the days of your St Ives apricot scrub should be long gone. I've put together my favorites in all exfoliation categories, focusing on eco-friendly and clean beauty.  You can read the full article on Garden Collage here! Garden Collage curates stories about the aesthetic value of gardens, plant-based beauty products, environmental policy, the farm to table movement, DIY gardening tips, travel journals, and other fresh takes on the value of gardening in our modern world. Their mission is to brin ..read more