Ok, as a Medical Esthetician from the United States, I agree and hard disagree with a lot of things in this video. Big companies are making an excess of products, yes, But the "chemical" argument is very moralizing and tends to point people toward skincare that often isn't the best for them and can be quite irritating. Im not pro essential oil in skincare. We see in office how it does irrtate folks' skin because it is often concentrated. Another issue is with the demonizing of preservatives they aren't evil inherently. I also want to bring up the fact that they keep bacteria from growing in your products. You keep your skincare in your hot, moist bathrooms and not your fridge. Therefore, preservation is required. A lot of "natural" brands are guilty of this. And their products often have abysmal shelf lives. You are better off buying a basic moisturizer that you like in bulk that has a better shelf life that you can use on your face and your body. The appeal to nature fallacy does actually run rampant in the low waste community, and it isn't helpful. When people say "chemicals," they mean things like glycolic and Salycilic acid. AHAs and BHAs, respectively. Also, those chemicals can be considered a retinol as well. Glycolic acid is often used in moisturizers targeted for extreme skin dryness because it's not just an acid. it's a sugar based molecule, so it acts as a humectant, drawing water below the stratum corneum Salycilic acid is great for people with acne. Because it's great at killing the bacteria. Salycilic acid, by the way, is willowbark extract... same as asprin. Her explanations of what a pimple is was a but vague because it's a clogged follicle that has become inflamed and yes can get infected. We have things like those "chemicals" to treat it. On the petrochemical front. Yes, there is a presence of them because those byproducts have been shown to be helpful. If you have spoken to anyone with a skin condition that causes extreme dryness or has been on high dosages of accutane, they will tell you things like aquaphore or vasiline made those trestments and conditions so much easier. Do i think there can be some formulations that have little or no petrochemicals? Absolutely, but there are just some forumlations that are just more effective with them. Love the sunscreen promotion. Just don't ever dip your toe into the diy sunscreens. They aren't actually sunscreens and will not protect you. Sunscreens are some of the hardest skincare products to formulate for stability and to protect you from skin cancer. Do I believe you need a 10-step skin routine? Nope. What people ultimately need are a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. Anything else is considered treatment and should be targeted to the skin concern. Yes, eyecreams are a scam. You can use the same moisturizer on your face. Do you want a retinol eyecream? Apply your retinol to your lower orbital socket only, then layer your moisturizer. As a professional in this industry, specifically on the medical side, there are just some factually inaccurate things said, and again, the naturalistic fallacy. Just because it came from a lab doesn't make it inherently evil. Sometimes, synthetics have been proven to be safer on the skin. We may take the natural thing and alter it to be safer. Your moms kitchen recipes for natural skincare aren't always going to guarantee that. I've watched Leena for a long time, I think she has some great views on things, but as someone whose profession is literally skincare. I literally treat people's acne for a living. Who does think the overconsumption problem has gotten out of hand. I am, however, always going to look to what the science says first. Because I've seen the nasty side of "clean beauty," which isn't regulated. There is no government that has actually sat down with a committee and said these are the laws around what clean beauty means. I hope Leena can consult some skincare professionals like dermatologists and Estheticians in the future a lot of us in this field do see the waste an excess problem in this industry but we want to do right by our patients first. Edit: spelling mistakes and grammar, I'm sick, thinking takes spoons.

Reminds me of a Welcome to Night Vale tweet: “You have nice skin. It really holds in all your blood and organs - no leaking or nothing. You look great.”

love this!! but also, not to be like a science fascist, i really hate when people say "chemicals are bad for you" when actually what they are referring to is a specific chemical reaction between your skin cells and a given product. it creates a lot of weird pseudo-anti-vax scepticism, i think. especially given that lab grown products are usually so much more trustworthy than natural alternatives because of the standardisation of concentrations, purities, etc

Ok now I just need a leena video on every possible aspect of life

"I've worked really hard to like the way that I look, and if that keeps changing, do I have to do that work over again?" Omigoodness, I'm in my early 40s and this is all of everything right now ❤

I know "don't trust your eyes" was just an off-hand comment about how sun is always there, but I do actually think more people need to understand that our eyes cannot be trusted to judge brightness. Eyes perceive light on a logarithmic scale (of lux) - that means exponential differences in actual strength are a barely perceptible difference in brightness to the human eye (hence our great night vision). Just ask your house plants. Just because something looks like it gets enough light to you, it does not mean it's all that much light in the real world. And the opposite is true if you step outside. It's brighter than you think -> you can't judge how strong the sun is.

I think it's worth noting that the big reason why so few cosmetic ingredients have published clinical trials proving their effectiveness is that cosmetic studies just aren't funded and selected for publishing in academia. Skincare, especially for cosmetic purposes (somewhat understandably) just isn't high up the academic funding and journal review committees' priority lists. So the studies that do exist have to be funded by the cosmetics companies themselves, which obviously leads to conflicts of interest. Plus the fact that companies usually don't publish the results of their research in peer-reviewed journals because they don't want their competitors to have that information. It doesn't mean that the research isn't being done, it's just not being shared. It doesn't automatically mean that an ingredient doesn't work and is a scam. It just means that academic clinical trials havent been funded. There are other ways that cosmetic scientists can fairly confidently predict that an ingredient will have a certain effect by using other types of research and preexisting knoweldge of chemistry and biology.

I think my fear of aging or at least my fear of looking older is the fear of not having achieved the things I had wanted to by the time I was 'this old'. Seeing the lines appearing on my face gives me such a feeling of existential dread because it's a reminder that my clock is running out and here I am feeling like I'm barely in my 20's without so many of the things I'm supposed to have done or achieved by the time I'm 'this old'.

Leena: Your skin naturally does all the steps for you! My Eczema Skin: I like your fancy words magic man, no idea what they mean though. Me: *drowning in ointment & medication*

Especially on SPF and sunscreen but also this topic in general, highly recommend Lab Muffin Beauty Science! Michelle has a PhD in chemistry and uses it for science communication about cosmetics and skincare. She's got several videos on sunscreen, myths, misinformation, etc. One piece of advice of hers missing from this video is we do need some amount of sun exposure for vitamin D. She follows her government's (Australia's) recommendation of using sun protection at or above a UV index of 3. Lots of weather apps help show you what the current UV is with the weather!

Thanks, Leena! ALSO on the topic of SPF - people as white as myself or you usually get skin damage and potentially sunburns after as little as 10-20 minutes of unprotected exposure (one hour is VERY optimistic ;D) So even a factor 30 is not gonna do very much for us on a day at the beach in Spain! Whoever is reading this: Get the 50, you’ll thank yourself at 50.

Getting an Ulta ad before the video starts. Sounds about right.

I'm 58 years old. My mom (who at 81 looks in her 50's) told me that if I never started with cosmetic products, I'd never need them. BEST ADVICE my mom ever gave me. I 've never had a makeup routine, saving it for very special occasions. I've never a "skin-care routine" other than washing in the shower with water (rarely even using soap). I've now been told by dermatologists that, even after significant weight loss, even after chemotherapy for bowel cancer, even after having a small basal cell carcinoma removed from my arm, I have the skin of someone 20 years younger. Their only advice was to be more liberal with sunscreen, as I am very pale with freckles. I might not be typical of your demographic, but I try not to miss any of your videos!

I really appreciate your effort to provide us an honest and informed opinion. But, as a person who has spent most of their years in dermatologist offices for my acne I have to disagree on quite a few points. Although you have mentioned that there are people who have particular conditions that require them to put on harsher products, you don’t have to have a condition like acne. Even before I had acne and now that I no longer have it exfoliation is crucial for me as I have oily skin. There are many people who have an oily skin (not a condition) and it is absolutely beneficial for them to exfoliate. Before I exfoliated I looked like a disco boll and had countless black heads. Tretinoin has been shown to work for anti aging and acne, there is countless evidence on the matter. I think it’s important to talk to dermatologists on these topics, they are doctors who are there to help, not to sell

I do think that retinol helps, I’ve seen a DRAMATIC impact on my skin. Honestly, because it’s had such a positive effect for me with my acne and skin texture, it’s allowed me to declutter a bunch of likely useless skincare and cut down on SO MUCH TIME spent infront of the mirror. Skin care is able to operate the way it does because it can create such a major insecurity, and that’s so heartbreaking

important note about suncream! you have to *reapply every two hours*. even if it feels like there's still suncream on your body it doesn't matter. it's absorbed enough and skin has done general skin-things like producing oil, shedding cells etc that after 2 hours you're at risk again! (more often if you're sweating a lot or go swimming!)

I think some of the information in this video is quite misleading. I wish you had collaborated with a dermatologist or cosmetic chemist on this video as you are talking about the treatment of skin conditions. It's had to separate cosmetics from drugs in skincare, as a lot of cosmetic ingredients can be used to treat skin conditions. And some ingredients classified as drugs can be used cosmetically. I also dont see why you find skincare being a large industry bad, when you enjoy makeup and fashion. Cosmetic skincare is what i use to make my face look nice instead of makeup. Theyre both.. cosmetics..

A small comment on vitamin C: its main purpose is as an antioxidant, which means to 'take the hit' of oxidation instead of having your cells take it. For that purpose, if it doesn't penetrate the skin it doesn't matter, as it's working as a shield.

The section about seeing older women happy and thriving really spoke to me. I'm 34 as well, and 2 years ago I ended up in a job that puts me in the company of some of the kindest, most compassionate, healthiest and happiest women I've ever met, and many of them are 65+. We are horse people, so we spend a lot of time outdoors and you can see their age in their skin, although many act much younger than you might expect of someone the same age. You can just tell that they've spent a lot of their life smiling by the grooves that are worn on their faces. Lately, I've found myself taking a quiet pleasure from noticing the little smile lines that show up around my mouth after a particularly fun, smiley day or a night out with friends. I have learned to be careful about sunscreen for my health, but I think it will be a lovely thing for my face to reflect the life I've lived. Great video, as always.

I can’t like this video enough. I just ran out of a skin care product but I’ve been dragging my feet about ordering more. I am ready to simplify my routine and now I can do so confidently.

Thanks for talking about people with genuine medical conditions! I have sever eczema managed with a dermatologist and some strong meds. Since lockdown, this last month is the only time I have ever had “clear” skin. I’ve tried so hard to achieve this and I don’t think I care too much about it aesthetically anymore. I’ve noticed how even now I’m still critically picking apart my skin for just being a bit red. “Clear” skin is just another unnecessary beauty standard forced upon people!

Loved the video :) About the clinical trials, Michelle from Lab Muffin Beauty Science who’s a cosmetic scientist has a great video about the challenges on having clinical trials for cosmetics. Her videos are super well researched and I think provide an alternate perspective on the topic. I agree though that skin care marketing in general is so deceiving, it’s very frustrating!

the biggest scam is spf face creams coming in 30ml packages, and thats only enough for a week if you use the "recommended amount" lmao

The best decision i made was to go to a dermatologist. Trying to find what works for you while watching all the ads and recommendations online was a nightmare and mostly didn't help. Now, my skin is mostly healthy looking, and i only use the products I've been prescribed and it's way less than what i was using before.

What I will say as someone with sensitive skin (and it’s been that way since I was a little kid) retinol has been a lifesaver for my facial skin. I was dealing with all kinds of painful issues and regularly using it for 2-3 years has kept it clear and painfree. And it was recommended to me by my dermatologist. I also use sunscreen religiously (have been for the last 5 years) and that’s my skincare routine. Lots of moisturizer, cleansing, SPF, and retinol. Honestly I wouldn’t have done it if my dermatologist hadn’t recommended it.

I don't know, man. After starting using retinol, niacynamide and acids the quality of my skin improved tremendously.

Id recommend the Labmuffin video 'does retinol in scincare really work' Might shed some light on why its recommended by dermatologists to treat skin conditions even without as much scientific backing.

I think the most important takeaway is to not obsess over skincare. If you enjoy it it can be great as self-care routine but don't feel pressured to spend more time and money on it than you're happy with. Personally I like to keep my skincare simple but effective: serum + SPF in the morning, cleanser + tretinoin + moisturizer at night. This routine is cheap, easy and makes me feel like I'm taking care of myself without stressing myself out. And the funny thing is that since developing this routine even though my skin doesn't magically look "perfect" I worry less about the pimples and wrinkles. I'm doing what I can on a reasonable (time and money) budget and the rest is up to genetics and environmental factors outside my control. As long as my smile lines outweigh my frown lines I'm good!

That's not how the numbers on the SPF work Leenaaaaaaaaa

all the love to your channel and this new video (I watch every one). As a science friend, I would suggest when you quote a source, to share the source (last name of first author and publication year tend to be sufficient) on the frame of the video. Great quote! Would love for it to be easier to read more in the source material. Love the additional sources in the description of the video

As a pharmacist: our chemistry professor said (not related directly to skin care but health care) pharmacists should support the use of renewable energy sources, because we are ones that are aware of the need of petrochemistry to synthesise the majority of pharmaceutical ingredients. So we should minimise the use of fossil oils elsewhere, so we have enough to treat humanity’s illnesses.

This also explains why the men in my life barely wash their faces and yet have perfect skin

as a 33yo woman i’ve been bombarded by skincare and face sculpting ads/videos and i’m grateful to have this video in my arsenal for the next time i’m about to fall for the things that i know don’t do shit except making me want to buy stuff to feel better about myself. i was hesitant about starting retinol even though all my friends and ig skincare gurus tell me so, bc i have sensitive skin and didn’t want to literally strip it away; i feel very validated by this vid now 😄❤️

It’s such a good idea that our bodies actually came up with the idea millennia ago… I love your wit!

I definitely went through the stages of grief watching this video - denial (the dermatologists I follow surely aren't lying to me?), anger (the skincare/beauty industry is utterly maddening), bargaining (okay, but if there is a 10% chance of retinol maybe working I should at least keep that in rotation), depression (our environment is becoming uninhabitable and I'm worrying about looking 'young') and finally acceptance!! Thank you so much Leena for making this well-researched and thought-provoking video. I think I speak for a load of people in this community when I say it's so comforting to have a trustworthy voice on this platform.

I don't care if I look older tbh, I mostly focus on keeping my skin clean and moisturized. I don't wear make-up (I was the alternative, not-like-other-girls teen, I never learned how XD), only SPF (and not enough of it. I use skincare as a way to take care of myself, it makes me feel taked care of, even when depression hits hardest. I don't think we should throw away all of our skincare - yes, it moisturizes and exfoliates on its own, but it was not made to work in the polluted world we made for ourselves, to deal with chlorinated water. As long as we don't just throw money at every magical miracle cure, observe which ingredients actually do help us (niacinamide helps me a lot to deal with skin imperfections, heals them quicker and makes dark spots disappear quicker too), we can do skincare reasonably :D Also - our skin was developed by evolution to more-or-less work. Somerimes better, sometimes worse, and we live in a society in which "good looks" are very important, looking shabby and not taken care of (or even: not pretty! for some people in some places) may impede on your career. We can change it, but it is going slowly

well, I don't now about completely not using products, I think the rule should be: if you don't need products, don't use them. I unfortunately need a minimal skincare (I'm an old millennial and I can call it simply: wash and cream) to deal with my skin sometimes oily, sometimes dry, with a tendency to acne. I found out that the right cleanse and moisturizer prevent it to blow up in a messy mess (and maybe along the years prevented some wrinkle to appear but I have no proof of that). But you are right about the ridiculous amount of products they are selling to very young people when you need literally two things: to be clean, to be hydrated. Ah yes, one thing more: to be protected from sun.

I have always been genuinely really excited to see how I age naturally, I’m currently 32 and I’m starting to get lines at the corners of my eyes which makes me so happy. The way I see it, signs of ‘ageing’ show that you have lived. My grandpa was given a brown leather satchel when he turned 18. When he first got it the leather was stiff and smooth. He carried it every single day to work until his late 80s by which time the leather had become marked and scuffed but was also so soft and had developed the most beautiful patina. That’s why I can’t wait to see how I age naturally and why I look forward to it and fully embrace it.

The issue is, to avoid cancer, especially in Australia where I live, we need sunscreen. So the minimum routine would be sunscreen in the am, oil cleanse it off and then water based cleanse at night. But cleansing tends to dry out skin, so moisturise after that. As someone with acne, I need retinol. So my minimum routine is sunscreen, oil cleanse, water cleanser, treatment and moisturiser.

I’ve never been been this early so I’ll take this opportunity to say I love your videos !! You really inspire me to try new things and to be more hopeful about social change ! 😊

This makes me feel so justified in just giving up on most skincare things not prescribed by a doctor. But also deeply embarrassed at my lack of SPF use

Leena this video is amazing, thank you so much!!! I have a similar skin care routine to you but always felt bad because I just felt too overwhelmed to do anything more and let myself believe that I'm actively harming my skin by not doing more - I feel so relieved right now!!!

I use SPF, a gentle cleanser to remove the SPF, basic moisturizer, and a glycolic acid serum I alternate with a retinol. I am incapable of leaving pimples alone so I always end up with scabs & scars when I get one, and I've found the glycolic acid and retinol do keep things in check and help my skin heal more quickly. I went 10 years of getting pimples without using any active products so I feel pretty confident that the difference I've noticed is real, but I also don't think that means the products are infallible or clinically proven. They just make me more physically comfortable (and prevent me wearing concealer and beginning the vicious cycle that makeup does to my skin). I really enjoyed the video and appreciate anytime we share accurate and scientific information about these things, and also I won't be changing my skincare routine unless my skin starts responding to it differently :)

1) I had cystic acne for a long time that was painful and also made it so I didn't like looking at my own face, because I felt like I didn't look like "me". I also had it on my back and shoulders, which was particularly painful and left me with a lot of scars. Because of the cystic acne, I did 8 months of isotretinoin (Acutane), which is basically a big overdose of vitamin A. It worked and I'm so glad I did it. But it was intense (emotionally and physically) and painful (everything in your body is dried out). It gave me a really good perspective on what it actually means to have skin issues and take care of your skin - which is much more than your face! 2) I have adhd and having a complicated skincare routine just wouldn't be possible for me to maintain long term. The energy of caring for my body needs to be put towards brushing my teeth and bathing.

Just btw LabMuffinBeautyScience did a video about if sunscreen is necessary indoors and I think her general conclusion was not really unless you're sunning yourself in front of a giant window with direct sunlight. Might want to check it out and double check if my memory is correct!

Fab. All the points well and clearly made too, this feels like one I could link to friends drowning in skincare with a gentle 'just watch, there you go.' And I'm so glad you mentioned Jessica and her work! She's so good at breaking down the myths and harms in the beauty sphere.

I can’t tell you how validating this is as someone who didn’t know that you were “supposed to” wash your face daily (ie more than just after wearing makeup or sweating or getting dirty) until college. People mocked me for not having a skincare routine but my skin was fine lol and now I know why!

I appreciate the message that aging is not the enemy and we should be happy to live long, full lives no matter how our skin looks. There is so much focus now on the idea of clear skin as a moral achievement somehow. But I do think some of this video lacks a bit of nuance, particularly about the efficacy of some products mentioned and on the idea that products might be "hurting" our skin. I really love Dr. Shereene Idriss here on KZfaq (she's the only derm online I actually trust). She gives a really in depth overview of some of these products and how they work. For example, she'll break down every type of Vitamin C and which is most effective/least irritating. I feel she's very science driven. Plus, she overlaps a lot with the ideas you mentioned about how we shouldn't be afraid to age and she is also pretty merciless about junk marketing on cosmetics (for example, she would agree collagen is a useless product, lol).

This simultaneously made me angry and breath a sigh of relief 😮‍💨 I have incredibly sensitive skin and have had so many types of long routines over the years. After a recent flare up, seemingly out of nowhere, I went back to basics (wash, moisturise, SPF) and have had no issues with my skin. I started thinking "was the old routine doing anything?" and now I'm certain...NO! These were the facts I didn't want to hear but am extremely glad I know 😭😂

Absolutely incredible video! Skincare is one of my favourite topics. Not in the "i want to buy all the stuff" sense but rather that I'm interested in what our skin is capable of doing by itself and how the industry is trying to trick everyone into spending money.. Sooo basically exactly your video! Thank you for making it! My skincare routine basically looks like yours! Not the same brands but I also only use a solid cleansing bar, spf and a simple moisturizer and my skin looks just fine! Also side note: Absolutely in love with your witchy setup! You put so much love and effort and creativity and crafting into your videos and I really appreciate that!

As a person who has a chronic life altering skin condition, this is such a refreshing video! Thanks so much for this video. I really enjoyed it ❤

I used to “wash, tone, moisturize” twice a day because “you’re supposed to” / “it’s good for your skin”… how many times have I heard that? Now I wash when it feels dirty and moisturize when it feels dry. Toner had been irritating my skin no matter which brand I tried. I feel a lot better about it now!

As someone who struggled with chronic cystic acne for almost 15 years and now struggles with a very sensitive and reactive skin I rely on skincare products everyday. In the process of taking care of my skin I have tried every cookie crazy recipe on the internet and tested every product on drugstores, from the cheapest to the luxurous. I also have gone to several dermatologists and used many prescriptions medication. What I can say is that less is more and if you have a serious skin condition, seek professional healthcare. Otherwise cleansing, protecting and moisturizing is more than enough and doesn't have to be expensive.

Oh my god, Leena, THANK YOU so much for all of the research you've put into this. Wow, if we have even get half the quality of this, it is so worth waiting an extra week between your videos.

One of the things that baffles me about people who use skincare to fight ageing/prevent wrinkles/etc. is that they would have never known what their skin would have looked like without those products. So how do they know if the products are doing what they claim? They have absolutely nothing to measure it against! It all just seems like a waste of money, time and effort to me. My philosophy is simple: drink water, eat, exercise and sleep well. Avoid makeup, skincare, alcohol, caffeine and stressing about how you look. The quicker you learn to accept the way you look naturally, the happier (and also richer) you’ll be.

Oh man I needed to hear ALL of this. I went hard on the skincare during lock-down and now I'm in the process of using up my stash and weaning myself off everything except sunscreen, cleanser and moisturizer. I'll likely keep exfoliating too but not religiously like I was.

Very interesting video, made me wonder about my own skincare routine. Something that I want to point out, however, is that it seems you put all skin types into two categories: normal skin with occasional blemishes and awful skin conditions. I feel like this is a false dichotomy. I don't have any life-altering skin conditions on my face, but it is very oily, so if I don't cleanse it twice daily, it becomes an oily mess that not only looks and feels unpleasant to me, it also transfers to my pillowcase, which I have to change very often. I have seen changes to my appearance once I went into some kind of routine: less oil, more glow, relatively smooth surface, etc. Did it completely change and "healed" my skin, as those ads promise? No. Did it help me with some problems? Yes. What I want to say is that skincare may not be a miracle cure and you are right to point that out, but it can change the appearance somewhat.

Initially the 2.5 hours sounds bananas, I was in the midst of writing a very shocked comment before realizing that’s only 20 minutes a day. And people who care about skincare generally apply it twice, once in the morning/once at night. So, 10ish minutes per application on average. Which means if you do a face mask once a week or a peel or tweeze your eyebrows- you’re already over that 2.5 hour average That seems pretty reasonable

I needed this. I've been struggling a lot with adult acne for the past 2 years and the amount of products people have recommended to me that have made no difference at all. My acne is hormonal, not something that can be fixed with an OTC topical product! I really dislike the idea that clean skin can be brought.

so glad you did this topic!! I've thinking these things for the last year or so after getting over my own obsessive skincare phase that I had

Watched this while doing my skincare 😂 I totally agree with you about the ritual of it. I know spending ten minutes massaging my face with my gua sha isn't making any meaningful difference but after a busy, headache-inducing day it does feel nice.

Thank you so much for making this video. This is the most life changing video you have made and I love many of your videos. I already suspected a lot of what you said but I feel a sense of relief at confidently being able to bypass all the expense and time we have been bullied into spending on 'maintenance '.

Hell yes! Thanks so much for your care and research Leena!

"The idea and the industrial complex of skincare belongs more in entertainment than it does in a pharmacy". YEEEESSSS!!

This is great advice, I went to a dermatology study day last weekend with a dermatologist working for the NHS and he couldn't stress enough the damage the products we use on our skin daily causes! Great vid!

This is honestly such a relief. I’ve always been skeptical about skincare and resented having to buy lots of things I didn’t really understand so it’s good to know that my instincts are right in this case!!

thank you for this! a breath of fresh air!!

Fantastic video! I feel so much better for never bothering with skin products other than sunscreen. Please don't be afraid of aging-- it's actually pretty awesome in a lot of ways. I just turned 60, and I am happier in my own skin (no pun intended) than I have ever been.

Always the most top notch content on the internet! Loveliest Leena!

I sometimes go in a Leena video with mild interest and then she delivers the most entertaining and informative thing I've seen all week ! I really love your videos !! (I just sometimes forget about them...)

This really changed my perspective on my relationship with skincare, thank you for researching and making this video!

Dear Leena, I'm impressed again and again about what you create. Thank you!!

This is the video I so badly needed! I think we all need it!

Thank you, I loved the video! I have been a subscriber for some time and I can say you still are full of life !

Needed channel! Thank you for your research 💗

You'll be happy to know the add that followed your video was for SPF 50 of the decent kind ;P My skincare rutine is dictated by my eczema and has all my life. Honestly I think it might be a blessing in disguise given how the industry evolved. It has shaped my approach to products, not just the obvious of fragrance free and such, but if it's not simple, transparent and tested by independent third party agencies then it's a no-go. Granted I am very privileged living in a part of the world that has several of those.

Very much needed! I turn 25 this year and have started going down the rabbit hole of skin care and rentinol/retinoids etc. So I'm very glad this video came into existence before I could spend a small fortune on skin care, and I'll just carry on as I am (with SPF and moisturizer)

Yay! Hoped you'd cover this in your lies series!

The damage shown in the truck driver photos can also just be prevented without spf by wearing a hat and staying in the shade. I have never ever encountered a sunscreen that did not make my skin bright red and burn it off my face, so I'll stick with the shade.

Absolutely loved this video Leena, thanks for doing the research so we don’t have to! Also veryyyy up for fewer but more-researched videos if they’re as interesting as this one! 🥰

A couple of years ago when I had a lot of climate anxiety and did a school assignment about microplastic in our oceans I literally stopped using anything packaged in singleuse plastic including skincare. I wanted to find better alternatives, but couldn't find anything that lived up to my high standards regarding ethics, sustainability and effectiveness. I haven't used skincare for years. At first I felt bad (and sometimes even dirty) and genuinely believed I was treating my skin badly, but over time I realized that my skin Is not really that different. Regardless of whether or not I use products that suit my face I will have a pimple or two around my period, but that's basically it. These days I only use sunscreen and in the rare occasion were I wear makeup (only parties) I literally just remove I with coconut oil. Ive been suspecting for years, that a lot of claims made by the beauty industry is bullshit, and have seen other people claiming so, but this video really validated those thoughts. Great video as always!

I am definitely going to stop worrying so much this is everything I needed

Wow - I’ve learned so much! Thank you for passing on this research and sparing us the bull that the industry continues to push on us!

Thank you so much for this video! I've been struggling with adult acne for years, and just felt like all the anti-acne skincare was a scam. It was always so disheartening to hear friends talk about skincare like it was a good thing when it was never my experience.

as someone that has been researching skincare products for years, so much of this video is just not it. I agree with the most important point, which is you need a good SPF in a proper amount every day regardless of your skin tone or the weather, and then you need a proper cleanser to take it off. I also agree that a lot of cosmetic trials leave much to be desired. that being said, I really dislike the general "chemicals are bad" tone in this video and also the inaccuracies of how skin works, what pimples are, etc. let's fight over consumption and promote loving our skin and the privilege of aging, yes, but let's do so without falling into naturalist fallacies and over generalisations. just because some ingredients don't follow the dalton rule doesn't mean they don't work. just because some ingredients are byproducts of petroleum doesn't mean that they aren't some of the safest and best ingredients out there for many, many skin conditions (petroleum is already being mined regardless for literally everything. i highly doubt giving up vaseline is going to have much of an environmental impact and there simply isn't anything that comes close to it cosmetically in how well it works and how well tolerated it is for even the most damaged and sensitive skin. there is a reason it's used on burned victims). many "natural" products are actually quite wasteful and take a lot more resources to produce than their synthetic counterparts and are often quite irritating. there is honestly so much more i want to say, but i don't have the spoons for it and also I've already seen it mentioned in other comments.

This has inspired me to see what happens if I go back to basics !

Thank you so much for doing all that research so that we don’t have to. I can now stop using the moisturiser that costs much more than it should and get something else that more suits my budget and does the same thing without worrying. Much appreciated Leena 👏🏻💛💐

SUCH a great video! Thank you Leena

here's a fun skincare lie i was told as a kid with bad acne (turns out i probably have pcos, so that's... fun): if the cleanser doesn't burn a little bit, then it's not working well enough

Amazing video. You hit all the relevant points during it. I learned so much and will from now on lather on the sunscreen!

Its interesting that most people with actual skin problems avoid facials at all costs and I heard a lot more horror stories of people breaking out from facials than it being a recommended regular activity.

Thank you so much Leena for sharing this. I'm in my mid 40s and my age is really starting to show from lines, puffy eyes, blotchy, and red spots. I have been overwhelmed researching what is the 'best' products to use. I just started retinol as I thought that's supposed to work, but it's another sad promise from skincare. Unfortunately I am from the generation that use to use SPF 2 so I haven't been as religious as I should be with applying it daily. I have always washed my face though thankfully. Time to go back to a simple routine. But as you said getting older is a fact. It is ok to be older, it shows we have lived - it's the wisdom maybe we have a problem with. Our expectations need a redefinition.

Wow. Pleaseeeee do one for hair. I would love to pull back on all the expensive products but I just don’t know where to start. Amazing Leena ❤️

Just wanted to say that Jessica DeFino's writing has, over the past year, completely de-influenced me from buying skincare. Truly, she is such an amazing researcher/writer, and subscribing to her Substack has made such a difference for me in how I interact with the beauty industry; and once you open your eyes to how much marketing there is about telling us how horrible it is to age, it's impossible to close them again. Thank you Leena for doing such a thorough and thoughtful deep dive into something that we ALL think about, on the daily!!!

so glad you mentioned Jessica DeFino! she really reassured me that it's okay to be doing nothing with my skin because it's a radical act in this world that wants us to hate it

I feel so validated. Thank-you!

you're so COOL! thanks for all your research efforts Leena 💃🏽

Thank you for this video. I've always just been a person who uses minimal makeup and fragrance free drugstore moisturizer, so thanks for confirming I don't really need more than that. Although, great reminder that I need more SPF 🌞

I think children should learn skincare for the purposes of SPF care: protecting their skin from the sun and cleansing that effectively removes it. However, I dont know that we should rely on corporate marketing for that education. 😅 I'm super not surprised about "clinical trials" being a marketing ploy. Unlearned a few lies myself today! There's so much internalized bs we need to unlearn about to love ourselves. But (along with simmering rage about being lied to) I feel better that I can live with less in the skincare dept. 🎉 Hats off to you for tackling this, Lena. 🎉

As someone who has experienced clinically bad acne and has been pretty obsessed in the past about skincare I am so grateful for this video existing. I have tried to minimise my routine hugely and do believe it’s more about what you put in your mouth, stress levels, genetics and environmental exposure than a product. Like others I have also heard we need some level of exposure to sun without sun cream otherwise we’ll all be vitamin d deficient and also not all sun creams are created equally but apart from that we don’t need a lot. I was conned into buying expensive eye cream and I actually love putting it on so much (instantly makes me feel calm) but I’ll try and find some alternative. It was interesting that you said even ‘natural’ products are produced using fossil fuels, definitely going to investigate my skincare now! Thank you 🙏