science says don't freak out about your skincare
& soft glow's new vibe: less complexity, more fun!
Dear readers,
As some of you may already know, I had to pause most of my activities for months due to a concussion after a traffic accident. During this downtime, life has shifted in cute and unexpected ways.
I packed up my life (well, a part of it) and relocated to the beautiful city of Barcelona, while also still dividing my time with Amsterdam.
It really soothes my soul to be in Barcelona and having less of a social life means more time and energy to fully focus on building my little empire ;-)
Currently I'm devoting my time to launching a wellness platform, relaunching Soft Glow on social media, and a secret third thing!
I decided to restructure this newsletter to a more clear and simple format, less scienc-ey, more fun, still educational. Maybe even more holistic in a way.
For the new readers: compared to the beginning of Soft Glow in 2020, I've shifted perspective on some things. I've come to understand how things work at the back end of brands, shining my gaze on product development, the labs, the laws, and the liposomes.
A few years ago, some well-meaning individuals and brands alike began employing the term "clean beauty". Like "natural" and "green" beauty, it's a term that stirs confusion more now than ever before. It lacks a significant impact given that it's not legally protected.
This means every brand can use the term and decide it can mean anything they want it to mean. Most brands that identify with the term exclude a list of ingredients that are already legally banned or restricted with dosage, or rely on studies that have since been debunked.
Doesn’t it sound fresh, superior even? Like an answer to all your feelings of overwhelm? Like you make the right choice for the planet, the animals and your health? Clean beauty. Like a cool breeze flowing towards your face.
I hate to be cynical, but what a lot of brands using the term seem to have in common is greenwashing, badmouthing competitive, safe "non-clean" beauty brands, and unnecessarily scaring people about ingredients without the context of dosage, causing them stress for nothing.
Brands talking about being “clean” automatically let consumers feel that other brands are “dirty” while in fact there is basically no difference. There are “non clean” brands with better sustainability practices, better skin efficacy (I’ll stay away form safety here cause the laws around beauty are so strict that all skincare can be considered to be safe), more inclusive testing, better technologies. No one ever tests on animals anymore, not even in China.
It really ruffles my feathers when people or brands capitalize on half-truths, sparking fear to thicken their own wallets, or simply because they got misinformed themselves. If you start a brand, you have a responsibility to know and spread the facts.
I still buy and try products from “clean” brands if their formulas are great (AND I'm a weakling when it comes to aesthetic packaging) but I also email them about their misleading marketing strategies, asking them to do better.
From a brand perspective I understand that in a climate dominated by fear around ingredients, the safest route is to go “clean”, this is why you see so many of them. I don’t blame them, but I do want them to change and spread awareness. Skincare is not scary.
Hopefully the industry matures together with the audience (you<3), and we can let the terms that make scientifically no sense - like "non-toxic" and "nasties" - in the past. If you want to deepdive into the nutrient-rich soil of beauty science, please go follow @theecowell and @labmuffinbeautyscience on instagram. It's really worth it.
If you want to know which products genuinely live up to their promises, follow me on tiktok and on instagram for fresh daily beauty content. Oh, did I tell you I’m into make-up again? I’ll make sure to include formula reviews of this as well on soft glow.
Each month in this newsletter, I'll spotlight fresh beauty product launches that have captured my attention, and talk about new (tiktok) beauty trends - both those that are completely scandalous and those that actually make sense.
Thank uuuu for bearing with me !!
1 On routines and rituals
Learning more about neuroscience, I have come to realise that the following things are important for skincare efficacy, next to using great products in the right way.
Ritualising your routine: creating peace of mind, practicing intention and a positive view towards yourself in the mirror. It can be as simple as burning a candle every time you start your cleansing ritual.
Deciding this is a loving, beautiful private moment just for you, celebrating the parts of your skin / face that you already fully embrace and love, or simply shifting your mindset to a softer, non-critical gaze. This will feel very very different from a hasty routine!
Knowing what active ingredients are present in your skincare plus how they’ve been proven to work on your skin. How they’ll protect you from pollution, deeply replenish your cells, or how they’ll work like a vacuum cleaner, revealing your most radiant glow underneath the dead skin cells. Deep understanding and visualisation works wonders for consistency. And consistency is key for effective use of your products.
On efficacy: it's crucial to have confidence in the accuracy of a brand's product claims. Sadly, not all products deliver on their promises. Thankfully, Soft Glow only promotes products that genuinely live up to their hype <3
On safety: feeling fully supported by your products and routine, not experiencing any fear around them is important. This can be hard, in a beauty space where fear mongering is widely used as one of the biggest marketing tactics. Let me comfort you with a fact: in the EU (and honestly in most countries), safety of products is being ensured by independent, third party toxicologists. And believe me, they are extremely strict.
The "better safe than sorry" mindset is understandable, and it is also something I was once trapped in. However I have since learned that, for most cases, the science guiding rule-making is very much up-to-date. Now, my mission is to help others minimise their fear around skincare products.
Understanding the science of skincare can be tricky. Remember: dosage matters as much as the ingredient itself, and formula synergy is more important than judging an ingredient list. A good baker and a bad baker can both use the same ingredients, that doesn’t mean the bread will taste the same. capisce?
Isn't it cute how science consistently validates the potency of mindfulness—even when applied to skincare? Fully immersing yourself in your skincare routine can be an effective way to lower cortisol, our main stress hormone. And we all know what stress can do to the skin, right?
In addition, from a neuroscience perspective, it appears that our beliefs surrounding various treatments, from medical to skincare, can indeed shape their effects. The implications of this are so substantial, it almost makes a case for deceptive marketing claims!
If you're curious and want to dive into the nitty-gritty of it all, Huberman hosts a fascinating podcast where he discusses the Belief Effect, Placebo Effect and Nocebo Effect.
The Latest
On Radiance: Hair gloss treatments are all the rage right now. Know that clean and shiny feeling after getting your hair coloured (or blown out) at the salon? you can do that at home now. I'm loving my Ouai for that high gloss look at the moment. And yes, it has that typical powdery Ouai scent that gently whispers opulence during your shower time.
TikTok: Is Hypochlorous Acid worth the hype?
A trend that has been popping up alot on social media is using a Hypochlorous Acid face mist during travel adventures, or just day to day to keep bacteria and other harmful pathogens like fungi at bay.
This spray works like a charm, especially for people that have acne prone skin or rosacea.Think of it as a hand sanitiser for your face, but wayyy more gentle and with lots of other benefits like DNA repair.
But what many creators don't disclose is that there is a highly specific way you should use this spray.
The issue is, the spray deactivates all anti-oxidant ingredients on your skin. Anti-oxidants, like vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide and many botanical ingredients, protect the skin from free radicals. Free radicals are the bad guys: they age skin cells faster and can even contribute to causing cancer.
Since we don't want to waste our precious anti-oxidant products, the only right way to use a Hypochlorous Acid is:
as a first step in your routine right after cleansing your face - leave it to dry fully, without speeding up the process with a van or blow dryer. Follow up with your anti-oxidant products!
yes you can use it during travel but don't overdo it (I've seen tiktoks with creators misting their face every 30 minutes, it's not necessary unless you have heavy sunburn or something) and ALWAYS use an anti-oxidant mist or serum afterwards followed by an SPF. So use it as often as you want to reapply your other products for best protection of your delicate skin ;-)
NEDERLAND EUROPE SPAIN UK US: Prequel , I can’t wait for this brand to launch in Europe!
New product launches that are on my list to try
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Hue Drops
The classic niacinamide hue drops but with a bronze glow added. I must say: the scent of watermelon glow is too intense for me on some days (neurologically speaking), but the fragrance never irritated my sensitive skin. I tried buying it several times now but it was sold out, will share on Tiktok once I get my hands on one.
Isle Of Paradise Gradual Self-Tan Lotion
This is currently my favorite fake tan brand!! Can’t wait to try this product. A true hybrid: infused with Vitamin C, Niacinamide and Hyaluronic Acid. They claim it helps improve skin's tone, texture and radiance. Officially tested to be safe for sensitive skin. We love!
Peptides are coming in strong this season for lip treatments. And that’s because they can be absolutely remarkable when formulated the right way. Byoma is affordable and they sure love a blend of actives. Byoma’s formula are quite reliable in my opinion. Let me know if you’ve tried this lip oil!
New product launches that I've tried and tested
Milk make up Cooling water jelly tint - Make up infused with skincare, it’s a candy like blush and lip tint in 4 colours.
Active ingredients: glycerin, niacinamide, aloe vera, allantoin, tremella mushroom polysaccharide <3
LANEIGE Bouncy & Firm Sleeping Mask
First impressions are: lush and original texture. Light scent but nothing that irritates my skin or overwhelms me. I woke up with soft skin, but not with a glow. Stay tuned for the reels + tiktoks about this pink cloud in a jar.
Dior Forever Glow Star Filter
I have been wearing this one in tint 2 for a couple of days now in stead of my usual Flawless Filter by Charlotte Tilbury and I have to say… I MIGHT love it even more than the flawless filter. And if you’re deep in beauty, you know that is a big statement.
Follow me on TIKTOK and INSTAGRAM for reviews on all of these and daily content <3
Lots of products reviews, skin routines and tips coming up the coming weeks. exciting!
Thanks for making it this far! I love feedback, you can always DM me.
Love,
Soft Glow
Painting by Yuki Ogura
Image by Bella Michlo
Welcome back 🙏