When it comes to keeping our skin looking younger, what works? Retinol, hyaluronic acid, vitamin C? This simple question has become confused by the billion-dollar skin-care industry, which floods us with scientific-sounding claims about the chemicals they say we should put on our face. We find out the real science on what you need for healthy skin with Dr Natalia Spierings, Dr Szu Wong and Kirsten Drysdale.

Find our transcript here: https://bit.ly/sciencevsskincare

In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Chapter 1: Promises of the skin care industry

(04:12) Chapter 2: Why do we get wrinkles?

(06:36) Chapter 3: Can skin care products remove wrinkles?

(14:15) Chapter 4: Can vitamin A cream reduce wrinkles?

(21:30) Chapter 5: 99% reduction in fine lines!

(26:55) Chapter 6: Moisturizers and sunscreen

(29:00) Chapter 7: Is skin care a waste of money?

This episode was produced by Wendy Zukerman, with help from Joel Werner, Rose Rimler, Meryl Horn, R.E. Natowicz, and Michelle Dang. We’re edited by Blythe Terrell. Mix and sound design by Catherine Anderson. Music written by Bobby Lord, Emma Munger, So Wiley, Peter Leonard, and Bumi Hidaka. Gimlet’s managing director is Nicole Beemsterboer. Fact checking by Diane Kelly. Thanks to all the researchers who helped us with this episode including Dr Yousuf Mohammed, Professor Chris Anderson, Dr Lifeng Kang, Dr Heather Benson, and Professor Sara Brown. Special thanks to Flora Lichtman, the Zukerman Family and Joseph Lavelle Wilson.

Science Vs is a Spotify Original Podcast and a Gimlet production.

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