Harsh scrubs. Toothpaste spot treatments. Chemical face peels. Some of the beauty ‘hacks’ you might see on the internet (or recognize from middle school) can actually be pretty dangerous.

But decades of research and cutting-edge tech can help us take better care of our skin. So together with Droplette, we set out to explore the science that can help us skincare smarter. In this special episode, we break down a few proven ingredients and techniques. So you can figure out which products are right for you and develop the perfect routine.

In this episode, you’ll hear from InStyle Executive Beauty Editor Kayla Greaves and cosmetic chemist and science educator Dr. Michelle Wong of Lab Muffin Beauty Science.

This episode is Skimm’d by Alex Carr and our Senior Director of Audio Graelyn Brashear, with help from Senior Branded Content Editor Liz Smith. It's engineered by Elie McAfee-Hahn and Andrew Callaway.