Guides
The plain version of the questions people actually ask about what is in their skincare, hair care, and body products. Evidence, not fear, in both directions.
Hazard tells you what a substance could do. Risk tells you what it does at the amount actually in the bottle.
- How to read a cosmetic ingredient label7 min
INCI names, descending order, the 1% line, and where fragrance hides, explained in plain terms.
Basics - Fragrance-free vs unscented: what the words actually mean7 min
They sound like synonyms on a label. They are not, and the difference matters if you react to scent.
Basics - Parabens, explained without the panic7 min
Why parabens became clean beauty's villain, what the studies actually found, and where they stand today.
Ingredients - Are sulfates bad for your hair and skin?7 min
SLS and SLES are cleaning agents, not toxins. Here is what the evidence actually says, and who might want to skip them anyway.
Ingredients - Which preservatives are actually worth watching7 min
Preservative-free is usually a risk, not a virtue. Here is which preservatives deserve a second look, and which do not.
Ingredients - Are silicones bad for your skin and hair?7 min
The honest read on dimethicone and friends: what they actually do, and where the real questions are.
Ingredients - Mineral vs chemical sunscreen: the plain comparison8 min
Zinc oxide, avobenzone, and the rest, graded on the actual evidence, not the marketing.
Guides - Baby skincare, plainly7 min
What actually matters on a baby label, and what is just noise, graded against published safety reviews.
Guides