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Actives Investigation

“Essences” are claimed to have all sorts of powers, but do they really make a significant impact on the skin? Our cosmetic chemist weighs in

Mountain High

Getting poked, prodded, massaged, and wrapped—detoxing never felt so good. Susanne Kaufmann’s retreat in the Austrian Alps reimagines the spa

Hungary for Improvement

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It Takes Two

Cleanse

Doctor’s Orders?

Is “medical-grade skin care” really all that superior to whatever is stocked at Sephora? We investigate and discover a few surprises

Don’t Shoot Me

The chipmunk cheeks, the bulbous chin, the lips that look ready to pop. When filler injections go too far, doctors say, they can be dissolved. Turns out, it’s a little more complicated

A Replacement for Retinol?

Our cosmetic chemist breaks down the good, the bad, and the ugly truths about bakuchiol

Seeing Red?

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Don’t Sweat It

Roll

Touch and Glow

Is the humble safflower the next big miracle worker in skin care? We go to Japan with a hope and a prayer

Slathering on the Midnight Oil

Our science guy weighs in on whether face oils really live up to their hydrating hype

Rocky Mountain High

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Ice, Ice, Baby

Roll

Turn On the Red Light!

Clever marketing campaigns for L.E.D. and laser devices make all sorts of promises. But can these so-called skin saviors take the heat?

Creature’s Comforts

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Striking Oil

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Silver Lining

Re-fill

Baby Face

Pricey serums and high-end night creams aren’t just for grown women anymore—meet the new consumers who are raiding the skin-care aisles

Defaced, Refaced

What happens when plastic-surgery procedures don’t go exactly as planned?

Ever Tried Acid?

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Champagne Wishes and Caviar Creams

The ingredients are mysterious. The benefits can be elusive. But the newest skin-care products are determined to prove their worth

Smells Like Teen Spirit …

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Coming Clean

People told her she was dirty. After years of frustration, Scarlett Johansson tackled the problem head-on—and now watch her glow

The Secret Lives of Tanorexics

One drop of rain and they’re off to the sun. What drives these bronze obsessives? And why won’t they ever learn?