Skincare, explained honestly

Short pieces written from public research, with the caveats left in. This is the reading side of Mirror, an iPhone app that reads your skin and builds a routine around what you already own.

Mirror 101

Sunscreen, the whole argumentIf you only ever do one thing, do this one. Here is why, without the scare tactics.4 min readWhat routine order actually doesThin to thick is the rule everyone repeats. Here is what it is really about, and when it stops mattering.3 min readMoisturiser is not optionalEspecially if your skin is oily. The logic that says otherwise is backwards.3 min readHow to read an ingredient list in thirty secondsYou do not need chemistry. You need to know where to look and what to ignore.4 min read

Your ingredients

Niacinamide, minus the mythsIt does not clash with vitamin C, it will not purge you, and the tingling has a boring explanation.3 min readRetinoids without the peelingThe strongest evidence in skincare, and the easiest thing to ruin by rushing.5 min read

Trends through a science lens

Beef tallow on your faceA trend with a real mechanism, a real risk, and very little research either way.4 min readSkin cycling, worth it?A dermatologist gave a sensible idea a name and it went everywhere. The idea holds up.3 min read

About the app

Mirror scans your face from five angles, reads the products on your shelf, and builds a routine at whichever level suits your budget. It never gives you a score out of ten, and it tells you when something you already own does the job.

iPhone. Subscription. Coming soon.