We’re Back - Sorry for the absence!

Table of Contents

• Made Me Laugh - Look at that tan line

• Juicy Beauty News

• 👀 What did I buy this week?👀

• About the Absence

• Winner of the Week - No BS Beauty website

• Loser of the Week - Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)

• In Case You Missed It

• Comment of the Week

• Giveaway - The winner is annems2111.

Made Me Laugh - Look at that tan line

Juicy Beauty News

• L'Oréal buys second Chinese skincare stake as C-Beauty brands snare market share
  Cosmetics giant L'Oreal, opens new tab said on Monday it has taken a minority stake in mass-market Chinese skincare brand Lan, marking its second investment in recent months in China, where local brands have grown rapidly.

• More than 30 zinc sunscreen brands using formula that failed preliminary SPF testing
  Preliminary testing by whistleblower Craig Jones on a zinc sunscreen showed the sunscreen provided SPF protection in the 20s, rather than the advertised 50.

• L’Oreal class action alleges La Roche-Posay sunscreen SPF overstated
  A new class action lawsuit alleges L’Oreal falsely advertises its La Roche-Posay Anthelios Melt-In-Milk Sunscreen as having an SPF of 60 when it actually provides SPF 34 protection.

• PSA: Sephora won’t refund to PayPal for in-store returns anymore
  USA ONLY: Not sure when this changed, but I figured I’d share in case it helps someone avoid the headache.

• Cavities could be prevented by a gel that restores tooth enamel
  Enamel does not naturally regenerate, which can lead to painful cavities, but a gel that harnesses some of the properties of saliva could restore the hard, shiny layer to teeth

• Experimental serum shows promise in reversing baldness within 20 days
  Researchers used mouse studies to identify fatty acids that trigger hair stem cell growth

👀 What did I buy this week?👀

Don’t tell Cameraman! This also includes Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

• SkinMedica TNS Advanced+ Serum At Dermstore

• SkinMedica TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream At Dermstore

• Medik8 Liquid Peptides Advanced MP at Dermstore

• Prequel Retinal Renew Gel at Prequel

• Prequel Urea Moisturizer Travel Size at Prequel

• Prequel Gleanser Travel Size at Preque

• CeraVe Skin Renewing Brightening Lotion SPF 30 at Ulta

• SUNGBOON EDITOR Deep Collagen Power Boosting Cream In Serum at Ulta

• Good Molecules Soothing Azelaic Acid Cleanser at Ulta

• Good Molecules Rich Cream with Ceramides at Ulta

• Good Molecules 10% Azelaic Acid Treatment at Ulta

About the Absence

Apologies for missing the past few weeks - it’s a busy time of year for us (as well as most of the world)! We have some exciting news to share. Cameraman and I have been working overtime to get our new, updated website up and going. It is still in its infancy but when you have time check out the new format and feel free to tell us what you think.

We also took time out of Thanksgiving week to record and upload our 7th Annual No BS Beauty Best in Beauty Awards Show. If you didn’t see it please check it out! Last, but not least, our kitchen remodel should be completed before 2026 begins. I’ll be sure to share the new look soon.

Winner of the Week - No BS Beauty website 

Be sure to check out the makings of our new website! My goal with the website is to feature written reviews and provide the most up to date information on your favorite skincare products. Let me know your thoughts: what you’d like to see, what information I can add, and what else may be helpful before deciding what products you might want to purchase. We hope to update this to include information from every review I’ve done.

Loser of the Week -
Methyl Methacrylate (MMA)

This chemical is commonly used in acrylic nail sets and also serves as a compound ingredient in dentistry. Dentists use it to fill and fit dentures and crowns because it creates an extremely strong bond. In the United States, the regulation of MMA is left up to individual states. Although MMA has been used since the 1970s and is much cheaper than its safer alternative—Ethyl Methacrylate (EMA)—it poses serious risks. EMA is a far safer acrylic powder but can be more than ten times the price of MMA. While MMA is regulated or banned in most states, many nail salons still use it to keep their prices low and profits high.

After getting my nails done consistently for the past four years, I learned the hard way that you really need to pay attention to the products being used on your nails. MMA is dangerous because of how aggressively it bonds—it is nearly impossible to remove safely. The biggest risk is that it can adhere so strongly to the natural nail bed that it can rip the entire nail off. It may also cause allergic reactions, redness, itching, rashes, or swelling.

When winter arrived, my hands became very dry and red. I decided I wanted to remove my artificial nails. Acetone, which easily dissolves EMA, did nothing. Even using a dremel didn’t help—the layers were so thick that not even my dad’s higher-grit bits made a difference. I eventually ended up slowly ripping them off one by one over the course of a week (I DO NOT RECOMMEND DOING THIS YOURSELF—see a professional nail tech).  Next time you go in for a manicure be aware and advocate for yourself and stay away from MMA!

Red flags to watch for:

• Very cheap nail sets: They may be cutting corners with the cheapest—and unsafe—products.

• Unlabeled bottles: These can be filled with anything, including MMA.

• Strong, unusual smell: MMA has a distinctive ammonia/urine-like odor.

In Case You Missed It

I released this years award show

Comment of the Week

@10:45 What is a neutralizing product? I don’t know what that means? What “neutralizing products” do you recommend?

@NOBSBeauty
• 5 minutes ago (edited)

Great question!  I am making this the Comment of the Week for my Newsletter!

Thank you for asking, I'm sure there are others with the same question.  

A neutralizing product in between two actives is any serum or thick essence that has a neutral pH, usually just something marketed as a hydrating, basic, or soothing serums.  This allows you to use two products that would normally not "go together" in the same routine.  For example, Peach & Lily Glass Skin Serum, Hyggee Natural Repair Serum, Round Lab Soybean Serum,  and the Purito Seoul Wonder Releaf Serum.  I just use these in between my vitamin c and my peptide products.

Giveaway - The winner is annems2111.