The EWG's Skin Deep Database

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The EWG is a group that looks at pesticides and herbicides. They also have a skin deep database to help people with choosing their skincare products. A lot of the time they'll go and find an animal study, for example, where they fed way too much of a cosmetic ingredient to a rat. And without any sort of extra interpretation, they'll stick that in the database and say this is clearly going to be a cancer hazard.

Episode #235. Cosmetic chemist Michelle Wong shares a different approach to skincare – one you're probably not used to seeing on your Instagram feed. In an age of extensive skincare routines and misleading marketing, how do we navigate our skin’s natural state and optimise its appearance and wellness?

We cover this question and many more in this week’s episode.

Specifically, we discuss:

Intro (0:00)
Defining ‘Clean Beauty’ (2:17)
‘Natural’ vs synthetic (7:14)
EWG’s Skin Deep Database (8:26)
What to Avoid (10:17)
Is the Risk worth the Reward? (15:32)
PFAs (20:25)
“Free From” Claims (22:59)
Risk During Pregnancy (30:08)
Effective Ingredients (32:56)
Addressing the Root Cause of skin issues (35:05)
Skin’s ability to Heal (36:11)
Danger in Combining Ingredients (38:06)
Aging & Collagen (40:21)
Combining Multiple Products (52:02)
Does Price Indicate Effectiveness? (54:16)
Participants in Studies (59:31)
Preventative Aging (collagen vs retinol) (1:01:57)
Hyaluronic Acid (1:07:49)
Exfoliation (1:09:57)
Skin Microbiome (1:15:14)
Pigmentation (1:17:24)
Overrated Ingredients (1:19:27)
Natural Plant Compounds (1:21:27)
Acne (1:24:36)
Hair Care (1:32:47)
Shampoo/ Conditioner (1:37:34)
Hair Loss (1:40:41)
What to Avoid (1:42:01)
Deodorants (1:44:49)
Society’s Beauty Standards (1:51:12)
Outro (1:55:29)

To connect with Michelle Wong, PhD, you can find her via the Lab Muffin Beauty Science social accounts on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. For a comprehensive guide on skincare basics, Dr Wong has an eBook available for purchase here. Listen to Dr Wong’s previous appearance on The Proof, focusing on sunscreen, at Episode #234.

Discover additional resources, supporting studies, and more insights in the full show notes.

Enjoy, friends.

Simon

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Simon Hill, Msc, Bsc (Hons)

Creator of TheProof.com and host of The Proof with Simon Hill

Author of The Proof is in the Plants

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Enjoy, friends.

Simon