Articles
Plain-language explainers on the ideas behind the claims the panel reviews: what the words on a label mean, how skin works, and what the evidence says. No product names, just the concepts.
Exfoliating your body: rough elbows, legs and backs
Why body skin behaves differently from your face, how lactic acid, urea and salicylic acid body products work, scrubs versus lotions, and how exfoliation fits with shaving and ingrown hairs.
Proteins, vitamins and minerals in skin care: what can they do from the outside?
Which vitamins actually get into skin (C, niacinamide, E), why proteins and minerals mostly stay on top, what “rich in” means on a label, and what to expect.
Panthenol (pro-vitamin B5): a quiet helper for your skin barrier
What panthenol is, how it works as a humectant, what barrier and wound-care studies found, who funded them, and why a small number of people are allergic to it.
Common eczema triggers in kids (and how to find yours)
The usual suspects behind a child’s eczema flare: heat and sweat, dry air, wool, fragrance, detergents, infections, stress and food, plus how to keep a trigger diary.
Retinol, retinal and adapalene: the retinoid family explained
How retinoids work on acne and aging skin, why retinol is a cosmetic while adapalene and tretinoin need a prescription in Canada, and how to handle irritation, sun and pregnancy.
Humectants, emollients, occlusives: the three jobs of a moisturizer
What humectants, emollients and occlusives each do in a moisturizer, with examples like glycerin, ceramides and petrolatum, and how to pick by skin type and season.
Sun protection for babies, before and after six months
Why shade and clothing come first for babies, what Canadian guidance says about sunscreen before and after six months, why mineral filters are gentler, and when a sunburn needs a doctor.
Ingredients on the “free from” list
Phthalates in personal care products: what’s actually known
Phthalates soften plastics, but one of them, diethyl phthalate, also hides inside “fragrance”. What Health Canada, the FDA and the EU concluded, and what the evidence shows for skin.
Soft laundry without fabric softener: what actually works
Why towels and clothes get stiff, and how to keep them soft without softener: correct dosing, tumble and line drying, dryer balls, and what’s known (and not) about vinegar.
Why “natural” fragrance and essential oils can irritate skin too
Essential oils are still fragrance. Learn how limonene and linalool turn into allergens once a bottle is opened, and why tea tree and lavender oils cause reactions.
Food allergy and eczema: what the evidence says
Why eczema and food allergy show up together, why food usually isn’t the cause, the real risks of cutting foods out, and what Canadian advice says about introducing allergens.
How to judge a skin care claim in 60 seconds
A quick six-question checklist for any skin care claim: who tested it, on how many people, what was measured, for how long, was it published, and who paid.
Hot showers and your skin: the comfort that costs moisture
What studies show about hot water and your skin barrier, why a long hot shower can leave you itchy, when itch after bathing needs a doctor, and easy ways to keep the comfort without the dryness.
Hypoallergenic & sensitive skin
Do you have sensitive skin? What dermatologists mean by it
Sensitive skin is a pattern of stinging, burning, tightness and redness, not a diagnosis. How common it is, the usual triggers, and which conditions can hide behind it.
Hand sanitizer and kids: safe use at home and at school
Why hand sanitizer is risky for young children to swallow or splash in their eyes, what Health Canada advises, and when soap and water is the better choice.
Ectoin: a stress-protecting molecule from salt-loving microbes
What ectoin is, how a molecule from salt-lake bacteria ended up in moisturizers, what it does to water in your skin, and how strong the eczema evidence really is.
Why sunscreen is a drug (or a natural health product) in Canada
Why Canadian sunscreens carry a DIN or an NPN, what the Health Canada monograph requires for SPF, broad spectrum and water resistance claims, and which words aren’t allowed on the label.
Cosmetic, drug or natural health product? How Canada sorts skin products
How Health Canada decides whether a product is a cosmetic, a drug or a natural health product, why a moisturizer, a sunscreen and a probiotic differ, and what it means.