so happy you're here <3
let's explore the confusing landscape of cosmetics together
Hello, fellow beauty buffs and skincare enthusiasts!
Welcome to the inaugural edition of Soft Glow’s beauty guide – a glittering Mecca of real talk in a sea of beauty-based confusion. For this special first newsletter, please bear with me as I untangle the knotted world of beauty and show you what’s in store for this monthly skincare guide, packed with product recommendations, skincare news, myth-busting, and articles you won’t want to miss.
Fake nails over fake news, anytime plz.
Misinformation in the beauty space has always been a slippery eel, and nowadays, it feels like we've misplaced our beauty manuals entirely. Brands, media outlets, and the wave of social media fame have churned up a whirl of exaggeration and uncertainty, muddying the clear waters of beauty truth. Yes, in some cases truth can be in the eye of the beholder just like beauty is. And skincare can be personal. But some things just don’t work! And some information is just flat out false.
Unlike beauty brands, influencers aren't tied down by regulations, so they can essentially say anything. And even beauty brands can often dodge regulations. They need clinical studies to support their claims about product effectiveness or safety on packaging, but the digital sphere? It’s more like the wild west. False claims can be erased quicker than a makeup mistake before regulators can even reach for their fine books.
The perpetrators of misinformation aren't always villains - sometimes they're simply misinformed or misguided. We largely rely on social media 'experts' who provide more marketing clout than factual insight, and unfortunately, it’s the consumers who are left in the dark.
Here’s the sad, sad fallout of current affairs
Beauty products have morphed from self-care tools into sources of anxiety.
Trust has become a rare commodity.
Misinformation spreads faster than a viral beauty trend.
The believe that “natural” is better, is thriving. (please don’t get me wrong, I love nature and scientifically backed, sustainable ingredients derived from nature. Things are just way more nuanced than any brand will tell you. We'll dive into all this very soon.)
Science has become the misunderstood friend we tend to stop inviting to our parties.
This newsletter series aims to navigate these choppy waters, debunking myths and busting beauty misconceptions while highlighting the best beauty products and trustworthy beauty reads to inspire your beauty routine.
Who am I?
You may be wondering why I should be the one to guide you through this beauty minefield. And I’m not claiming to have written the ultimate beauty Bible or that my words are set in stone. However, I do have a network of scientists, regulators, toxicologists, formulators, and skin professionals who are reliable, nuanced, and up-to-date on all the latest beauty intel. And I have a deep passion for facts & promise keeping products.
From modelling for more than a decade to leading the development of 15 skincare products (and scooping 3 beauty awards for them <3 ), I've had my fair share of experiences in this dazzling world. I've graduated from being a 'natural-is-better' evangelist to understanding the complexities that lie beneath the shiny surface of beauty marketing. If I make a mistake? I will be vocal about it because I believe that owning up to mistakes and maintaining flexibility in your views is a pathway to trust and truth. That's also one of the big differences between science and pseudoscience, by the way. We'll delve more into that in future newsletters.
I'll debunk marketing tactics, illuminate hidden agendas, and expose the dangers that lurk behind seemingly innocent linguistic expressions.
While I can't promise to simplify the world, my aim is to empower you with knowledge and reassurance about your beauty + self-care choices, and ultimately, I hope to provide you with tools to sharpen your critical thinking skills towards all kinds of media and wellness brands while lowering your general fear levels.
In the meantime, take a deep breath and relax – your beauty products are safer than you probably think. We'll tackle those sensationalist beauty documentaries another time.
Let's kick things off with a few enlightening reads to set you on the path to informed beauty bliss. If there are any distortions in the truth, rest assured, I'll be your guiding light!
xoxo, Romy - Softglow
Read
This article in The Cut about aluminium in deodorants is one of the better ones I’ve read about the topic lately.
This NY times article from January on clean beauty has some great takes. Still, please be cautious when reading the following part, as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a highly unreliable source that cherry picks science to make biased points and often relies on outdated or inconclusive studies. They have their own financial agenda’s to do so. Also good to be conscious of the motivations and bias of Mr. Talati in the article, who works for GOOP (a pretty radical clean beauty platform, I would say. I absolutely enjoy GOOP from time to time but I really take their views with a big spoon of salt.)
For anyone looking to better understand the ingredients listed on beauty and skin-care products, Mr. Talati of Goop pointed out that there are databases, like Skin Deep from the Environmental Working Group. There, consumers can find hazard rankings for controversial substances like lilial (recently banned by the E.U.) and parabens (often used as a preservative in cosmetics) and more run-of-the-mill substances like beeswax, which some dispute as clean because it is sourced from insects.
Here’s an interesting article about how to take care of your hair. It’s in Dutch, but if you click on the little translate button in your browser you can translate it with ease :)
LISTEN
SUCH a great podcast!! It’s about misinformation within the beauty space and they’re also touching the subject of buying into clean beauty vs. believing in conspiracy theories. The talk is easy to understand and brought by reliable experts: Lalita Iyker @ skinchemy, Esther Olu @ themelaninchemist and Michelle Wong Ph.D. @ labmuffinscience . If you want a general recap, listen from 27:00 to 36:30. But please listen to the whole thing if you can, this topic is what I’m most passionate about <3
WATCH
How to truly know if a product works for you, explained by Susan Yara, a TikTok about chemicals and free-from claims and the EWG’s newsletter analysed by a cosmetic chemist:
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SHOP
Let's start with my current obsession: transforming my skin into the glazed goodness of a fresh doughnut, all thanks to snail mucin. I promise, no snails are harmed in the process. According to a trusted brand, their snail farm is more like a five-star resort than a factory. The resident molluscs leisurely stroll across a grid for a mere four hours each day, spending the rest of their time basking in the glory of their lavish snail spa (I swear this is what they told me!). But if you’re against any form of snail labour, I've stumbled upon a fabulous effective product that mimics the sticky-yet-absorbent consistency of Natto gel. It blends into your skin like a dream, leaving behind a silky-smooth, non-sticky texture. I’m rebuying it as we speak.
Also, don't miss out on a yam extract-based toner. It's a little bit slimy, a tad milky, but very hydrating! It's hard to find because it's selling like hotcakes, but there's still some left on a German webshop I found.
I currently LOVE using face mists, they’re great to use when traveling or to cool down on summer days when stored in your fridge.
They’re hygienic because you don’t have to use your hands to apply, they’re hydrating and this selection contains all kinds of calming and other helpful active ingredients:
I really hope the links in the image work lol but otherwise, google is your friend! Good to know: Allies Of Skin has a 1+1 free promo for 1 more day.
In the coming editions we’ll be talking sunscreen, fragrance, dive a bit deeper into clean beauty + natural cosmetics vs. sustainability, and I’ll share some more completely safe and effective products that I’ve fallen in love with.
This was it for for now. I’m still experimenting with the density of text vs. image and links. Feel free to give me some feedback and plz share if you’ve enjoyed this little ride with me. See you in 2 weeks ! xoxo
Loved reading the first oeuvre! Keep it up ☄️