No BS Bulletin 61

Sixty one

Author

Sarah
May 08, 2025

In partnership with

Welcome to Issue 61 of the No BS Beauty Bulletin!

This week’s Juicy Beauty News covers major layoffs at a beauty giant, new research showing we don’t age as gradually as we thought, and a viral trend so weird you’ll have to see it to believe it. Plus, a closer look at two powerhouse skincare ingredients making waves.

In What Did I Buy This Week?, IHerb might've tempted me again… just a few Life Extension favorites (nothing too wild, promise). 👀

About the Dogs features Lincoln’s dramatic vet visit, Ike’s imaginary food blog, and Gabby’s self-declared wellness retreat.

Our Winner of the Week is Beauty Boxes—the good, the bad, and the ones that ghost you after taking your money.

The Loser of the Week? Skincare “rules.” Most of them are made to be broken—and we’re calling them out.

And finally, Comment of the Week goes to @Yegus1216 for a great video idea: summer K-Beauty moisturizers for dry skin. It’s officially on my to-do list!

The Giveaway Winner is Laura C.—congrats! 🎉

Let’s get into it—there’s a lot to cover!

Made Me Laugh

Juicy Beauty News

👀 What did I buy this week?👀

Don’t tell Cameraman!

At IHerb

About the Dogs

This week’s drama star was none other than Lincoln, who somehow managed to break a nail—and no, not the glamorous kind. It was a sad, skinny little thing barely hanging on (photo evidence coming, but prepare yourselves). He had to go to the vet for removal, and they sedated him like a tiny diva who demanded zero discomfort. Post-sedation Lincoln? Absolute chaos. He came home looking and acting like your uncle at a wedding after too much champagne—wobbly, confused, and deeply emotional about his paw.

Ike, meanwhile, spent the week running a Michelin-star food blog in his mind. Every crinkle of a wrapper, every whiff of peanut butter—he was there, judging, hoping, and definitely drooling. We’re one step away from him demanding plating and presentation.

Gabby? She opted out of all the nonsense. She’s on a wellness retreat (self-declared), which mostly involves sleeping 23 hours a day, sighing dramatically when disturbed, and giving Lincoln side-eye for stealing the spotlight.

Winner of the Week -
Beauty Boxes

Beauty boxes are a great way to try new skincare and beauty products. Over the past decade I have tried dozens of beauty subscription boxes.  Some have been winners and some have not been worth the effort or money.  Many beauty subscription boxes have come and gone over the years.  Luckily I have never been “scammed” from these companies because as fast as new ones have come old ones have went bankrupt.  The Kinder Beauty Box is one that while still selling new “One Year Subscriptions” and went out “Like a Thief in the Night” as titled by one redditor.  They took their money and ran. Not only did they take money from subscribers, they also never paid their suppliers leaving them all high and dry.

Another was the original beauty subscription box called Birchbox. Birchbox has recently went through a long list of several different owners in the past few years.  The nature of this business makes it complicated and costly to start up.  Originally the main challenge and expense was customer acquisition.   At this time many brands were happy to get their product into vetted consumer hands for little to no cost.  These days a major cost of starting a beauty box is shipping.  Shipping used to be one of the cheaper expenses, but with the increase in the cost of gas, shipping isn’t as affordable as it once was. When Birchbox launched it was $10 per box, nowadays expect to spend that much just to ship each box.

To avoid being scammed I always recommend never signing into a locked-down one year subscription unless it is money you are okay losing. I also recommend paying with a virtual card if possible when you sign up for your box. A virtual card can be shut down at any point so this can prevent companies from charging you. All of this being said, there are couple Beauty Boxes I think are generally worth the checking out.  The Allure Beauty Box and Beautyfix by Dermstore has been wowing me these past few months. Dermstore has recently been including a lot of Medik8 goodies!

Loser of the Week - Skincare “Rules”

Every day, it seems like there’s a new “skincare rule” making the rounds—how to layer products, when to apply serums, which ingredients must be avoided or combined. While some of these rules are rooted in solid advice, many are more about trends than science—and often, they’re made to be broken.

Personally, I believe there are only two skincare rules that truly matter and should be followed consistently:

  1. Wear sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) daily

  2. Thoroughly cleanse your skin every night before bed

Beyond these two essentials, skincare should be flexible, personalized, and based on your individual needs, preferences, and goals.

For example, I recommend incorporating a vitamin C or antioxidant serum into your morning routine to protect your skin from environmental damage. If you're in your 30s or older, starting a retinoid can help support collagen production and minimize signs of aging. And of course, using a moisturizer morning and night helps keep your skin barrier healthy and hydrated.

If you’re dealing with acne or rosacea, ingredients like azelaic acid or niacinamide can be incredibly helpful. But even something as basic as morning cleansing isn’t a one-size-fits-all step—some people do better with just a water rinse to avoid stripping their skin.

So why aren’t most skincare rules important? Because skin isn’t universal. What works wonders for one person might irritate another. Skin type, climate, lifestyle, age, and even genetics all play a role in how your skin behaves and what it responds to. Rigid rules often overlook that nuance.

At the end of the day, if you’re protecting your skin from sun damage and keeping it clean at night, you’re already doing the most important work. The rest? It’s about listening to your skin and doing what works for you—not what an influencer or product label tells you to do.

In Case You Missed It

Comment of the Week

Some of my favorite K-Beauty moisturizers for summer:

At Yesstyle: Use Rewards Code NOBSBEAUTY for an additional discount!

Giveaway - The winner is Laura C.

This week’s Winner of the Week is Laura C. — congrats! 🎉

Last week’s winner, Amy R., was also outside the U.S., which reminded us that we still need a better system in place for international winners. Right now, we’re exploring options for the future, but at the moment, we aren’t set up for shipping outside the U.S. Thanks for bearing with us while we figure out what might work long-term!

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