No BS Bulletin 65

Sixty Five

Author

Sarah
June 12, 2025

Welcome to Issue 65 of the No BS Beauty Bulletin!

Welcome to Newsletter 65! In Juicy Beauty News, we’re diving into the teen craze of “checking the UV” and why experts warn it could do more harm than good, plus a deep-dive into why 77% of sunscreens fail new safety standards (and why some dermatologists disagree). We’ll also share what doctors wish you knew about proper SPF application, spotlight up-and-coming K-Beauty startups defying tariff woes, and tease big beauty deals—from L’Oréal’s latest acquisition to e.l.f.’s billion-dollar purchase of Hailey Bieber’s brand. Plus, learn the nightly K-Beauty hack that’s got everyone glowing and see which brands top a new report of acquisition targets.

On the lighter side, What Did I Buy This Week? somehow stayed virtuous—just a tub of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides Powder made the cut. About the Dogs finds Ike mastering the art of the sunbeam nap, Lincoln on relaxed backyard patrol, and Gabby curled up for maximum cuddle power. Our Winner of the Week shines on the Korean MFDS and the ingredient-sleuthing heroes at Incidecoder, while Loser of the Week calls out several beauty brands for shady ad tactics. In In Case You Missed It, catch up on all our recent videos, then stick around for Comment of the Week, featuring your favorite body-care staples. Finally, congrats to Aleksandra K. on this week’s Giveaway—check your inbox for the prize details!

Juicy Beauty News

👀 What did I buy this week?👀

OMG I Have been so good this week - TELL CAMERAMAN!!

About the Dogs

It’s been a wonderfully mellow week for the pups— Ike has basically turned into a professional lounger, sprawled out in every sunbeam he can find and only groaning when it’s time to move for dinner. Lincoln’s been content to patrol the backyard at a leisurely pace, pausing to sniff the breeze or chase a leaf before settling down for a nap. And Gabby’s been her usual easygoing self, curling up next to whoever’s reading on the couch and barely lifting her head unless treats are involved. Honestly, just a chill week all around—and we’re here for it.

Winner of the Week -

Korean Ministry of Drug and Food Safety & Incidecoder.com

This week, I want to spotlight two major contributors who have made a big difference for K-Beauty fans.  First up is Incidecoder. If you’re new to skincare, this website is a fantastic resource. It lets users look up product ingredients and understand how they’re typically used. While it isn’t perfect and doesn’t cover everything, it’s a great starting point for anyone wanting to learn more about what’s in their skincare.

Incidecoder’s real impact goes beyond just ingredient breakdowns. They played a key role in uncovering the truth about K-Beauty sunscreens. It’s believed that they funded independent lab testing to verify the actual SPF levels of popular K-Beauty sunscreens. Thanks to this effort, the industry discovered that several beloved products (including those from Purito, Klairs, Keep Cool, and Krave) were not offering anywhere near the level of sun protection they claimed. So, a huge thank you to Incidecoder and everyone else involved in shedding light on this issue.

The second shoutout goes to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Since 2021, they’ve made major improvements in sunscreen regulation. These include adopting international SPF testing standards, requiring more documentation for raw materials, enforcing stricter water-resistance testing, and increasing oversight of testing labs. These efforts have significantly boosted the reliability of sunscreen products, making K-Beauty safer and more trustworthy for everyone.  I only with the US FDA worked this quickly to improve issues surrounding sunscreen and sunscreen filters.   Maybe one of these decades we’ll finally get all the new filters…

Loser of the Week -

Shady & Sneaky Advertising

If you’ve spent any time on Reddit, you know there’s a subreddit for just about everything. This week, I was browsing the K-Beauty and Asian Beauty communities, and something caught my attention.

The Asian Beauty subreddit has clear rules—especially around paid promotions and advertising. But unfortunately, it seems that many brands are ignoring those rules. Some are paying users to post what looks like genuine, grassroots recommendations. In reality, these posts are often just stealth ads. These brands continue to break the rules by offering money or free products in exchange for positive mentions, so be cautious when something suddenly gets a lot of hype—it might be paid for.

This is exactly why I’ve made a personal promise: I will never accept payments or free products for my videos. Every single product I feature is one I bought with my own money. That means I can speak freely—whether it’s glowing praise or honest criticism.

Sadly, it feels like social media is drifting further from this kind of transparency on a daily basis.

This list of brands involved in this sketchy practice includes:

  • ANUA

  • GoSelly

  • Glam Up

  • Lotus Botanicals

  • Medicube

  • mochiskin

  • NANA Hospital

  • Spigen Beauty/World

  • Vegreen

You can check out the site here:  https://www.reddit.com/r/AsianBeauty/wiki/businessrules/ 

In Case You Missed It

Comment of the Week:

My favorite products for body care are:

Giveaway - The winner is Aleksandra K.

Aleksandra check you email for a separate email about how to claim this prize.

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