What does the research say?
Evidence-backed answers to common skincare questions — what I think, what the studies suggest, and what I'd actually pay attention to.
Browse questions →NEW HERE?
Welcome. Here's how this works.
I compare skincare ingredients using effect sizes from clinical trials — not just whether they work, but how much more one outperforms another. Here's how to use what I've found.
Pick your question
What makes a real difference?
See which ingredients have the strongest comparative evidence — and which don't live up to the hype.
Explore the evidence →Stay in the loop
I send one ingredient comparison per week — which outperforms which, by how much, and what it means for your routine.
Subscribe →WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT
Comparison, not opinion.
Most skincare advice tells you what to buy. I try to show you how much more one ingredient does than another — so you can decide for yourself.
Ranked by effect size
I compare ingredients by how much more one outperforms another in clinical trials, not by popularity or brand.
What doesn't work is in here too
Most comparison sites only show winners. I include the ingredients that underperformed — because knowing what to skip saves as much money as knowing what to buy.
Check the evidence yourself
Every comparison links to the trials it's based on.