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5 Skincare Tips I Learned from TikTok’s Resident DermatologistByrdie, April 2022

If you’re one of Dr. Muneeb Shah’s 16 million followers on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube, you probably know how easy it is to go into a spiral watching his videos. By day, Dr. Shah is a dermatology resident physician. He shows up on social media at night and on weekends to educate and entertain the public with skin-focused content.

When he’s not reacting to viral skincare videos and trends, Dr. Shah debunks beauty myths and shares prevention and treatment tips with his curious followers. We caught up with Dr. Shah to learn more about his philosophy on skincare and his favorite dermatologist-approved products. Ahead, find five skincare lessons we learned.

Leave It To The French To Create a Lip Plumping Mask That Actually WorksThe Zoe Report, April 2022

If there’s anything I learned from using Biologique Recherche products, it’s that they often create an immediate glow and noticeable difference in your skin (with consistent use) due to the quality of the formulas. I had to find out if the same could be said for the newest launch, Liftkiss Contour and Volume Lips Patch.

Liftkiss is a smoothing and plumping patch that is intended to add volume, repair lips, and promote skin regeneration. As a result, the appearance of fine lines is reduced and lips appear supple and feel more hydrated. In general, lip plumping products are trending right now with many brands launching a plumping gloss or cream mask. Still, I was excited to try the Liftkiss patch since it adds volume without the stickiness of a gloss, and it can repair signs of dehydration.

I Finished This Buzzy Cleansing Balm and My Skin’s Never Been SofterByrdie, March 2022

Cleansing is a non-negotiable step in my skincare routine. A twice-daily cleanse removes my eye makeup, foundation, SPF, and the dirt accumulated throughout the day. I’ve gotten breakouts since my teenage years, and practicing consistent cleansing with the right products has helped keep my skin clear over time. Still, the occasional adult acne breakout likes to make a rare appearance. Because of this, I’m always open to trying out a cleanser if it means keeping breakouts at bay.

There are countless cleansers on the market targeted for particular skin types and concerns. When I saw that The INKEY List Oat Cleansing Balm had over 92,000 “loves” on Sephora.com, I was curious to see how it compared to some of my other favorite cleansers and am thrilled to say that while using it twice daily, I’ve had minimal breakouts. I was so happy with the results and I felt compelled to share. Keep reading ahead for my detailed review on the product.

My Pandemic ToddlerDoré, March 2022

The night my baby was born, Philadelphia was a ghost town. My husband ran out to get me my post-birth meal of choice – a turkey, lettuce and tomato hoagie from Wawa and came back telling me about his post-apocalyptic experience in a city that was usually packed with people urgently on their way somewhere. Hollow city streets, empty stores, a lack of pedestrians and endless silence. My baby was born during the pandemic, right in the beginning when stay at home orders went into effect for what was supposed to be two weeks.

Let’s Talk About RosaceaDoré, November 2021

Skincare is never a one size fits all type of scenario. With rosacea, the type of condition and treatment varies from individual to the next. It can be a frustrating and anxiety-inducing condition that has a profound impact on quality of life. To further complicate things, there are different theories as to what causes rosacea and various triggers that make it significantly worse.

So what exactly should you know about rosacea? To better understand this common skin condition, we turned to two experts: Dr. Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified Dermatologist, Co-Founder at LM Medical NYC and Clinical Assistant Professor of Dermatology at The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City and Dr. Macrene Alexiades, MD, PhD, FAAD, a double board-certified dermatologist in New York City and founder of Macrene Actives. Read on for what they had to say.

Drugstore Buys from a PharmacistDoré, November 2021

There’s something therapeutic about perusing the drugstore aisles for the latest skincare products. I can remember myself as a seventh grader, begging my parents to take me to Eckerd Pharmacy so I can 1. pick up the latest issue of Tiger Beat and discover what Leonardo DiCaprio does in his spare time/secretly hope the magazine contained a new folded up poster so I could update my very worn one, and 2. browse the skincare and makeup aisles for the latest product launches. There is nothing that could excite me more than getting a brand new Neutrogena Acne Wash and immediately applying it at home. Normal? Maybe not. But I did eventually become a Pharmacist so it may or may not be related.

Five Busy Moms Reveal the Skincare Products They Swear ByByrdie, October 2021

As a mom, I can attest: Mothers handle a lot. Not to say that fathers do not. However, I can personally relate to the feeling of being pulled in several different directions, wanting to be there for everyone in your life, and having very little time for yourself.

When everyone in my house is sleeping, I love tip-toeing to my bathroom and methodically going through my skincare routine while listening to 90s R&B. I don’t always have the luxury to go through a multi-step process before one of my three children inevitably wakes up, so I try to keep my routine fairly minimal. My skincare time is a small part of my overall self-care, and I truly savor it.

Curious about the skincare products other moms love, I asked some talented and busy mothers about the skincare products they swear by. What I found most interesting was how skincare fits into each woman’s overall self-care routine. Each mom I spoke to was juggling so much but took pride in addressing their skin and having a quiet moment to themselves. Here’s what they said:

Lasers, Peels, and Micro, Oh My! – Doré, September 2021

It feels like everyone I know seems to be talking about lasers, peels, microneedling and microdermabrasion. Everyone wants to get something or is about to get something or just had a little something done, which leaves me wondering – how do you know what you should get?

To find out, we interviewed Dr. Melissa Doft, a NYC-based double board-certified plastic surgeon, and Gabrielle Garritano, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of New York City spa, Ject, to weigh in and tell us what they know about lasers, peels, microneedling and microdermabrasion – and how to know which one is right for you.

The Six Best Concealers for Tired Mom EyesByrdie, September 2021

As a mom of three kids under six years old, the past few months have been filled with dance parties, hiking adventures, weekend beach trips, and many sleepless nights. Although—let’s face it—even if I’m not up with my kids, I’m most likely staying up late binge-watching Arrested Development.

Because of this, concealer has become my secret ingredient for the recipe of motherhood. I keep the majority of my makeup light and natural during the day, but I rely on my concealer to cover, highlight, brighten, lift and camouflage to make me look fresh and, you know, alive. The trick is finding the right one for the right occasion.

Generational BeautyDoré, September 2021

In a pre-war Brooklyn building on Ocean Avenue, I watched carefully as my grandmother, Jenya, prepared for a night out. It was 1992 and only three years since we immigrated to the US from the USSR. As a five-year-old, I didn’t know much about beauty rituals but I was fascinated by all the bottles on her dresser. I couldn’t help but think they were an assortment of mysterious potions. She sat in front of her mirror and carefully applied her lipstick, usually Revlon or Maybelline, whatever was on sale at the local drugstore and usually in a shade of pink.

What is colostrum and how can it benefit your skin? Doré, July 2021

I remember the moment like it was yesterday. I had recently stopped breastfeeding and now had the time and mental capacity to readdress my grooming and beauty routines, starting with a much needed facial. As I fully relaxed, enjoying the feeling of being triple masked, and not, I repeat not, pumping milk, expressing milk, storing milk or doing anything related to milk, I turned to the side and saw a bottle of colostrum on the shelf. I kid you not.

If you’re not familiar, colostrum is the first milk your body produces when you give birth. What I didn’t realize is that it is also used in skincare and stimulates cellular repair. It’s known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties. I needed to know two things immediately – 1. What was the source of this product because no human mother would give up something so precious that was meant for her newborn, and 2. Does it work? In an effort to better understand the placement of colostrum in skincare, I turned to the experts. Below, everything you need to know about what mothers collectively refer to as liquid gold.

How much beauty is too much beauty? Doré, June 2021

Are you a skin minimalist or do you love an extensive routine? Once upon a time, a skincare routine consisted of face wash and a moisturizer. In college (a long ago version of me), I was lucky if I remembered to wash my face at night. Now, the possibilities are endless, with morning and evening skincare routines consisting of a cleanser, toner, serum, eye cream, spot treatment, hyaluronic acid, moisturizer, sunscreen, essence, masks… and more.

To find out how much beauty is too much beauty, we asked the experts – two board-certified dermatologists and a celebrity aesthetician, to answer all our questions. From product combinations to avoid to what to do if you’re experiencing a skin reaction, we break it all down below.

5 beauty lessons I learned when I became a mother, Byrdie, May 2021

Last week, I stood in front of my bathroom mirror doing my hair and makeup as my five-year-old daughter stood beside me, carefully observing each step. I could feel her watching me intently as I brushed mascara through my top lashes and touched up my eyeliner. It made me smile as I thought of when I used to sit next to my own mother when she was getting ready to go somewhere, taking mental notes.

As I get myself ready, she tries on my highest pair of heels and slowly walks back and forth while trying to balance and firing off questions. She asks why I’m making skeleton eyes (a smoky eye), what each cream does, and why I’m painting my face. I struggle to answer these questions in a truthful but responsible way. As I move a wand methodically through my hair to define my curls, she adds, “Mama, why are you changing your hair?”

Everything you need to know about cactus in beauty, Doré, August 2020

More beauty companies are highlighting cactus in their skincare products. LA-based beauty brand Freck Beauty launched their skincare collection in November 2018 with cactus as their main ingredient, citing its hydrating and nourishing properties when used topically. Brands like Japanese brand, Boscia, created their ultra-lightweight moisturizer and peel-off mask with cactus water while Youth to the People released a face oil containing prickly pear cactus extract.

This all left me wondering – can a dry, prickly plant hydrate your skin with long-term benefits? To find out, we asked two founders, a dermatologist and a chemist to weigh in and tell us everything they know about cactus in beauty…

This Highlighter Helps Me Look Awake Despite My Newborn Keeping Me Up All Night, Byrdie, August 2020

I can remember as far back as elementary school when my best friend and I would walk to the local pharmacy to scour the makeup aisles for product releases. Now, as a pharmacist and beauty enthusiast, I love researching new products but with one caveat: I’m often skeptical. Although, when I do find a product I love, I am forever loyal to the product and the brand.

That is exactly what happened with the clean beauty brand Saie and one of their latest products, Dew Balm. The brand launched with their first product, Mascara 101, and the Liquid Lip Balm shortly after. After loving both products, I continued to try more of their offerings and eventually found and fell in love with Dew Balm. It helps me look awake in the morning despite being up all night with my baby. I’ve used the Dew Balm since he was born in March and continue to use it now, four months later. He’s still keeping me up all night and I’m still using the Dew Balm to pretend like it never happened….

From pharmacist to clean beauty advocate, Doré, July 2020

You can say I’m a clean beauty advocate, but an apprehensive one. Afterall, clean beauty companies are still trying to sell us products. I was cautious and had issues with writing off products as toxic without data to back it up. What is clean beauty anyway? Is it legitimate or another way to promote a product? What does it mean when an ingredient is possibly linked to cancer or is known as an endocrine disruptor? I was seeing brands discuss ingredients like phthalates and parabens being linked to hormone disruption and autoimmune diseases. Aluminum in antiperspirants being linked to breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. Talc, a mineral commonly found in cosmetics, potentially being contaminated with asbestos. Were all of these statements definitive? It felt as though many companies were making unsubstantiated claims and labeling their products as nontoxic and safe to differentiate themselves in a crowded market…

The 9 Skincare Products a Breastfeeding Mom Swears By, Hello Giggles, September 2020

Given that I spent many years scouting pharmacy aisles for the latest skincare products, I must confess that I didn’t start paying attention to their ingredients until I was pregnant with my first daughter. It was then that I realized I had to be super safe with what I was putting on my skin since it could transfer to her. Five years later, I’m breastfeeding my third child and I continue to be cautious.

Many of the ingredients that should be avoided during pregnancy should also be avoided while breastfeeding. Retinoids, for example, can be excreted in breast milk and negatively affect fetal development. Obviously, I nixed that from my routine and cut down on many more. After going through so many hormonal changes and the constant lack of sleep, I craved simplicity and clean skincare to give myself some peace of mind…

My Newborn Helped Me Feel Empowered About My Breasts, Hello Giggles, August 2020

This morning at 3 a.m., I breastfed my 4-month old baby while the rest of the house slept quietly. I keep telling myself I should start sleep training him, but a part of me loves this quiet time in the early hours of the day—just the two of us. I took a minute to really appreciate the moment: his blue eyes staring up at me, his body curved alongside mine, his tiny fingers holding my arm, my body providing the nourishment he needs. It’s exhausting, of course, but I know it’s temporary.

Breastfeeding has not come easily for me. However, despite the constant worrying about my milk supply, crying in the middle of the night from sheer exhaustion, and the endless energy it takes to feed my baby, it’s the most beautiful yet emotionally strenuous activity I have done in my life. According to Forbes, a year of breastfeeding comes out to about 1,800 hours of a mother’s time, which is almost as much as a full-time job (1,960 hours based on a 40-hour work week). With that time commitment comes a lack of autonomy as you’re tethered to this fragile human being who depends on you for sustenance and on-demand feeding…

How to achieve the deconstructed curly girl look in 10 easy steps, according to experts, Hello Giggles, May 2020

If you’ve ever looked at your curly hair in the mirror and wondered how to manage it in the least amount of time possible, know that you are not alone. I’ve spent over 20 years straightening my curly hair into submission, but, thankfully, educating myself on how to keep my curls healthy was a turning point. After speaking to experts, I learned how to achieve an everyday deconstructed curly look that was key to embracing my natural texture without a tremendous amount of effort.

The main key is to focus on hair health and then move on to styling. “It is important for curly-haired textures to view their curls and hair fibers as a delicate fabric that needs to be nourished and handled with care,” says Bridgette Hill, a trichologist and stylist at Paul Labrecque Salon. According to her, curls thrive when they retain their spherical structure and coil patterns, and she adds that less is more with curly hair when it comes to manipulating and disturbing their pattern and definition…

Experts suggest following these 7 tips to keep curly hair healthy all summer, Hello Giggles, May 2020

There are some things that only people with curly hair understand, like avoiding brushing your hair when it’s dry. Similarly, anyone with curly hair understands the challenge of keeping curly hair healthy in the summer. Learning how to take care of curly hair can take years, and just when you think you have it down, the seasons change and the new weather conditions require a few modifications. With an increase in temperatures comes increased humidity, and this can make curls more frizzy, change the shape of a cut, and make hair particularly hard to style, says celebrity hairstylist Justine Marjan.

In addition to humidity there is also the issue of harmful UV rays. We all know how the sun can have harmful effects on our skin, but there is also research on how UVA and UVB rays affect the scalp and hair. Studies show that UVA radiation is responsible for hair discoloration, and UVB radiation leads to hair protein loss. The absorption of radiation in amino acids produces free radicals, which affects hair proteins such as keratin. That is to say: Our hair requires sun protection, just like our skin. Even chlorine—although great for ridding public swimming pools of bacteria—can strip the hair of its natural oils, causing a damaging effect…