The verdict / Actives8 min
Vitamin C is brilliant, unstable and widely misunderstood
The right formula can brighten and protect. The wrong one is an expensive bottle of oxidised optimism.
Skin, decoded
Beauty
Ingredients, rituals and products examined with taste, curiosity and a low tolerance for impossible promises.
Stories / Guides / The evidence
Cover storyRead next
Selected storiesSkin01
Your barrier is not a trend
Why a less aggressive routine may be the most sophisticated thing you can do for your face.
Hair02
What scalp care gets right
The category is booming. Dermatologists separate the useful formulas from the elaborate shampoos.
Objects03
Seven things we finished to the last drop
No launches, no first impressions: only products our editors used completely.
WellnessTactics field guide
What the evidence says
A fast, clear reading of the claims currently taking up space in the beauty conversation.
Retinoids
Start slowly. Irritation is not evidence of efficacy.
Collagen cream
A large molecule cannot simply replace lost collagen.
LED masks
Wavelength, dose and regularity make the difference.
CorrespondenceOne good thing,
One good thing,
every Friday.
The week’s most useful research, one considered recommendation, and the things genuinely worth your attention.