In this week’s edition, we’re diving into some eye-opening stories in Juicy Beauty News, including Pamela Anderson’s candid thoughts on going makeup-free, the dangers of blindly following beauty influencer advice, and a new approach to treating inflammatory skin conditions. Plus, we’re spotlighting a cosmetic nightmare that serves as a warning about risky procedures and highlighting the latest beauty regulation updates.

In What Did I Buy This Week, I’ve added a mix of skincare must-haves and practical winter finds to my stash (yes, I might have gone a little overboard on Amazon again). Meanwhile, the Dogs are fully embracing the winter vibes, with Gabby stealing hearts in her holiday outfits.

Our Winner of the Week segment features a skincare tool I swear by—perfect for anyone curious about pH and skincare science. And for the Loser of the Week, dry skin takes center stage as we battle harsh winter weather and its effects on everyone’s routine.

Don’t miss out on the latest updates in In Case You Missed It, where I’m sharing reviews, anti-hauls, and evening routine tips for the colder months. Finally, congratulations to this week’s giveaway winner, Liz D., and a quick reminder for Rosemary B. to check her email before time runs out!

Let’s dive in!

Made Me Laugh - This is Ike and I

Juicy Beauty News

• Pamela Anderson Says Makeup-Free Lifestyle Was an 'Experiment' at First: 'I Didn't Even Think Anyone Would Notice'
  The actress spoke candidly about her decision to go makeup-free in an interview with 'Entertainment Tonight'

• I ruined my skin following beauty influencer advice — and wasted thousands of dollars
  People are ruining their skin and wasting thousands of dollars following influencers’ skincare routines – with experts once again warning against following social media-fueled beauty trends.

• Feeling itchy? Study suggests novel way to treat inflammatory skin conditions
  A new approach to treat rosacea and other inflammatory skin conditions could be on the horizon, according to a new study.

• Gym junkie’s ‘vain’ quest for big booty backfires — Brazilian butt lift leaves woman ‘rotting from the inside out’
  A UK gym bunny’s “vain” quest for a dream derriere nearly killed her after her bottom began “rotting from the inside out” following a botched liquid Brazilian butt lift.

• Regulatory focus: Top 10 stories on cosmetic regulation and safety in 2024Opens in new window

  Our most-read stories on beauty and personal care regulation updates in Asia Pacific in 2024.

• ‘Below Deck’ star Jason Chambers diagnosed with melanoma
  The 52-year-old reality star publicly revealed his health news in an Instagram video on Monday.

👀 What did I buy this week?👀

Don’t tell Cameraman!

• COSNORI PDRN-Shot 675 - Korea Facial Serum with 675,000 high purity spicules - Turnover K-Beauty Face Serum with High Nutrition Salmon DNA PDRN at Amazon

• Athleta Easy Fleece Mid Rise Jogger at Athleta

• Trendmood Volume 30 at Trendmooxbox (non-affiliate link)

• Lighted Neon Dog Collars (so I can find Ike nad Lincoln when it’s dark outside) at Amazon

About the Dogs

The pups are settling into winter life as the snow keeps falling. Lincoln has been spending extra time under his heated blanket, while Ike keeps an eye on the frosty yard from the window. Gabby, ever the diva, is fully embracing the holiday spirit—she's loving all the festive outfits and looks absolutely adorable in her little holiday sweaters. Winter might not be everyone’s favorite, but this trio is making the most of the season!

Winner of the Week -
Macherey-Nagel 0-14 pH Indicator Strips

Many skincare products require a proper pH to be effective. pH refers to the potential of hydrogen, which measures how acidic or alkaline a product or substance is on a scale of 0 to 14:

0-6: Acidic
7: Neutral
8-14: Alkaline (or basic)

Using products with a balanced pH also helps protect your skin from degrading its natural barrier. Keeping your skin barrier intact is extremely important because it protects your skin from harmful bacteria and pathogens, reduces the likelihood of irritation and sensitivity, and it helps your skin hold onto moisture.

Most skincare products are properly pH balanced which is good. Generally you will find most skincare products are around a 5 to a 6. Most people’s skin has a pH generally around 5. When a skin barrier is damaged it can lead to many other issues including:

- Redness
- Flaking and scaling
- Tingling/ stinging sensation
- Acne and possible infection
- Increased trans epidermal water loss leading to dehydrated skin

When it comes to certain active ingredients checking the pH can be very beneficial and may prevent your skin from damage. For example, most bar soaps end up being extremely acidic (pH of 9) and can cause severe dryness and damage to your skin’s natural barrier.

To be effective certain products require a proper pH dependent.

These are typically:
L Ascorbic Acid - pH of 3.5 or lower
Glycolic Acid - pH of 3-4
Lactic Acid - pH of 3-4
Mandelic Acid - pH of 3-4

The kicker of this is that some skin types can be sensitive to products with a pH that is too low (as well as too high). Some people just cannot tolerate large amounts of ascorbic acid on a regular basis because of the low pH. There are currently many ascorbic acid derivatives that do not require a low pH to be effective and because of that it gives people some nice alternatives and a way to keep vitamin c in their skincare routine.

Over the years I’ve tried about half a dozen different pH test strips and out of all of them the Macherey-Nagel are by far the best. They are easy to read and decipher the colors and I find these especially beneficial when it comes to measuring various skincare products.

Macherey-Nagel Strips at Amazon

Loser of the Week - Dry Skin!!!!

I had an interesting day yesterday.  I will occasionally be asked for recommendations for skincare products.  Yesterday was totally different.  Yesterday 7 people reached out to me for help with their extreme dry skin.  Some reached out over text, some in email, and some in person.  Some were friends, some family, and some were friends of friends who needed recommendations.  The Minnesota winter weather is here and last week we even had a couple days at -10F.  While that sounds cold, we haven’t seen anything yet.  I am not looking forward to those -30F days…

My biggest recommendation for them is to purchase a humidifier for their bedrooms.  Ever since I fired up my humidifier it has helped reduce the dryness in my skin as well as the static in my hair.  My other recommendation is layering products.  For my friend Tatiana I recommended she use the Cosrx Snail Essence and follow that up with a hydrating moisturizer such as the Neogen High R Exosome Cream in her morning routine.  I also recommended she try adding in a face oil in her evening routine.  

A friend of Cameraman was asking about what he could do for his dry, scaly, painful skin.  He was using a hyaluronic acid serum on his skin morning and evening.  I made sure to recommend a gentle moisturizer to use over the hyaluronic serum to get the best benefit from it and to treat his dry skin.  Using hyaluronic acid alone in the dry and cold winter typically won’t be very beneficial on its own.  On the bright side, only about 4 more months of winter!

In Case You Missed It

12.12 Prequel Skin New! Cleansing Oil & Gleanser Demo & First Impressions Review

12.13 What's New Skincare & Beauty Products Anti-Haul ?! 🆕 Drunk Elephant, Tatcha, Biossance & More!

12.14 Hydrating & Plumping Toner & Essence Product Favorites - Best Toners of the Year!

12.15 Klairs Skincare 🆕🍁 Maple Energy Infusing Serum Review, How to Use, Dupes & Alternatives

12.16 K-Beauty Anti-Aging Evening Routine ⏰ My High Maintenance Night Time Skincare

12.17 SkinMedica TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream Review, How to Use, Dupes & Skin Medica Alternatives

12.18 Beauty of Joseon 🆕🌞 New! Daily Relief Sunscreen SPF 40 First Impressions Review & Demo

Giveaway - The winner is Liz D.