Issue 015 · 27 June 2026
Skincare, graded by the evidence.
An independent, ad-free reference led by Dr. Paul (Research) and Dr. Sundeep (Medical Review). Ingredients, products, routines, supplements, and the trends in your inbox — every one rated by the strength of the trials behind it, not the brand behind it.
In this issue · Trend Watch
All issues →Hypochlorous acid spray, at-home exosomes, and the emergence of ectoin
Three emerging trends that dominated our feed in June. One holds up; two need a reality check.
- Hypochlorous acid spraysHolds UpGenuinely useful for gymgoers and maskne. Spray after workouts, but don't replace your active serums.
- At-home topical exosomesSkipSkip at-home serums. The active vesicles do not survive the shelf.
- Ectoin as a barrier protectorPromisingA solid, calming hydrating active. Excellent for compromised barriers, but not a miracle molecule.
Signed — Dr. Paul + Dr. Sundeep
Browse · Ingredients
All 27 briefs →Actives, graded by the evidence
- Ingredient · Dicarboxylic acid · AzelaicTier AAzelaic acid
Three jobs at once. Quietly underused.
04 / 28Filed 17 APR 2026 - Ingredient · Antioxidant · L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C)Tier AL-ascorbic acid
The most-bought antioxidant. The most-misused, too.
03 / 28Filed 16 APR 2026 - Ingredient · Vitamin B family · NiacinamideTier ANiacinamide
The boring multi-tasker that earns its place.
02 / 28Filed 14 APR 2026 - Ingredient · Beta-hydroxy Acid · SalicylicTier ASalicylic acid
Oil-soluble, pore-soluble, and quietly indispensable.
08 / 28Filed 12 APR 2026 - Ingredient · Anti-aging & fine linesTier ATretinoin
all-trans retinoic acid · C20H28O2 · MW 300.4 Da
001 / 30Filed 18 APR 2026 - Ingredient · Photoprotection · UV filter overviewTier AUV filters
The one non-negotiable in the entire library.
20 / 28Filed 10 APR 2026
Browse · Concerns
All concerns →Protocols by concern
Brief in focus · Pigmentation
Sun spots & solar lentigines.
Cumulative UV damage. Prevention beats correction.
Solar lentigines — the flat, sharply-edged brown patches on cheeks, dorsal hands, and forearms. Distinct from melasma in pattern, distinct from PIH in trigger, distinct from seborrheic keratoses in texture. Prevention is cheap; correction is harder.
Bottom line
The category where prevention is dramatically cheaper than correction. People who started SPF in their 30s do not have this conversation in their 50s.
Read the full brief →
- AcneInflammatory acne
Papules, pustules, nodules. BPO + retinoid + sometimes oral.
Dr. PaulFiled 22 APR 2026 - PigmentationMelasma
Symmetric, hormone-driven pigment. Controllable, not curable.
Dr. SundeepFiled 22 APR 2026 - Anti-agingPhotoaging
Cumulative UV damage. Tretinoin reverses, SPF prevents.
Dr. SundeepFiled 22 APR 2026
Browse · Routines
All routines →Step-by-step, not influencer-led
- AM · Adult acneThe morning that doesn't strip.
Salicylic cleanser, niacinamide, zinc-only SPF. Gentle on the barrier, hostile to C. acnes.
- AM · Pigment-proneFour steps. Twelve minutes.
Cleanse, antioxidant, pigment-blocker, SPF. The single most-recommended morning protocol on the site.
- PM · 35+ skinTretinoin without the chaos.
Buffered tretinoin protocol with ceramide sandwich. Twelve-week ramp.
Browse · Products
All products →Highest-tier products
On review · Tier-A product
The Ordinary
Azelaic Acid Suspension 10%.
Azelaic 10% in a silicone-cream suspension at the lowest price point on Earth. The vehicle is divisive — silicone-rich, slow to absorb — but the active is the real thing, and the only sub-₹ 1,000 entry into proper azelaic.
Read the full review →
- CeraVeTier AMoisturizing Cream
The dermatologist-recommended moisturiser more often than any other in the past decade. Three ceramides, two humectants, MVE delivery, no fragrance. Thick enough to feel like medicine, light enough to wear daily.
88⁄100Filed 22-APR-2026 - GaldermaTier AAdapalene 0.1% Gel (Differin)
The first FDA-approved OTC retinoid. Adapalene is a third-generation receptor-selective retinoid with comparable acne efficacy to tretinoin and meaningfully better tolerability — at one-tenth the cost of branded Rx alternatives.
87⁄100Filed 22-APR-2026 - Generic (Rx)Tier ATretinoin 0.025% / 0.05% Cream
The reference topical retinoid. The most-evidenced active in dermatology. Costs less than a single influencer serum and outperforms all of them. The only barrier between most patients and visible improvement is whether they can adhere to the six-week retinisation period.
86⁄100Filed 22 APR 2026
Browse · Supplements
All supplements →Oral, graded honestly
Reality check · Pigmentation
Glutathione (IV).
Clinic marketing. Evidence does not match the price tag.
The premium-priced sibling of the oral category, sold through aesthetic clinics as a 'whitening drip.' The published literature does not support the claims, the safety profile is more concerning than the marketing admits, and the FDA has issued warnings. Not a recommendation.
Bottom line
A category we cannot recommend. The marketing has outrun the evidence, and the safety profile makes the gap especially difficult to defend.
Read the full brief →
Live now
27 ingredient briefs — graded
Each one with mechanism, trials, concentration ranges, pairings, and shelf picks.