If there’s one thing we love to see at the Met Gala – alongside some incredible fashion, of course – it’s Beyoncé. And after a decade without that much-needed excitement, Queen Bey has finally graced the world’s biggest red carpet once again – only this year she brought along her coolest plus one so far.
Making her Met Gala debut, 14-year-old Blue Ivy was every inch her mother’s daughter as she nonchalantly made her way onto the carpet and prompted every single jaw drop in the vicinity. In fact, well beyond the vicinity, as I’m currently almost 3,500 miles away and I can assure you mine was on the floor and has yet to be picked up again.
Wearing a bubble hem Balenciaga gown, Blue’s look was completed with a matching jacket with exaggerated collar, sunglasses, and sparkling silver pointed heels, all designed by Pierpaolo Piccioli for Balenciaga.
Posing alongside her mum, there was no denying the star power in the room as she showed no sign of nerves or discomfort. In fact, she looked more confident than some who have walked that carpet year after year. “She looks so beautiful”, Beyoncé said in an interview on the carpet. “It’s incredible to be able to share it with her. She was ready. She is ready!”
The best Met Gala 2026 red carpet looks you need to see immediately
By Charlie Teather
Of course, Beyoncé’s look was a showstopper, too. The embellished skeleton served as the perfect nod to the theme of “Costume Art,” with the dress code described as “Fashion Is Art”, as the icon appeared to celebrate the human body as a canvas on which sartorial art is created in a beautiful creation by Olivier Rousteing.
But while her look was undoubtedly adhering to the event’s chosen direction, it seems she did break one rule. By bringing Blue Ivy, it looks like the Met Gala’s age restriction – reportedly implemented by Anna Wintour since 2018 that indicates only people over the age of 18 are allowed – just got thrown out.
But this is Beyoncé. And this is Blue Ivy. We like to think that if anyone can break the rules, it’s this iconic duo.
Have you ever wondered why professional makeup looks so effortless on the red carpet, yet sometimes feels heavy or “cakey” when we try to replicate it at home? The secret isn’t a hidden technique or a magic brush; it is a fundamental shift in how we view the relationship between our skincare and our makeup. In the world of 100% PURE, we don’t see them as two separate steps. We see them as a single, harmonious symphony.
To achieve that signature, lit-from-within glow, I’ve developed the Prep-Prime-Perfect method. This system is designed to take the guesswork out of your beauty routine, ensuring that your skincare-infused makeup performs at its absolute peak. When you treat your skin with the respect and nourishment it deserves, your makeup doesn’t just sit on top—it becomes one with you.
Let’s pull back the curtain on how to achieve professional-grade results with a routine that feels like a spa treatment.
I. Steps 1 & 2: Hydration is the Best Primer
In the traditional beauty world, “priming” often involves filling in pores with heavy, synthetic silicones to create a plastic-like smoothness. But skin isn’t plastic; it’s a living surface.
The “Prep” Phase: Deep Hydration
Think of your skin like a sponge. If a sponge is bone-dry and brittle, anything you pour onto it will either sit on the surface or be absorbed unevenly. But a damp, soft sponge accepts pigment beautifully. By using a nutrient-dense moisturizer or serum first, you are “plumping” the skin cells with water and essential fatty acids. This creates a smooth, bouncy surface that allows your foundation to glide on without resistance.
The “Prime” Phase: Why Moisture Prevents Creasing
The most common complaint about foundation is that it “settles” into fine lines or creates dry patches by lunch. This happens because the skin is thirsty. If your skin isn’t properly hydrated, it will actually try to drink the moisture out of your foundation, leaving the dry pigments behind to “settle” and “crack.”
By using a dewy skin routine that focuses on moisture-locking ingredients, you create a protective barrier. This ensures that the hydration stays in your skin and the makeup stays on the surface, looking fresh for hours. When your skin is satisfied, your makeup remains flexible, moving with your expressions rather than fighting against them.
II. Step 3: The “Perfecting” Serum
Once your skin is prepped and primed, we move to the final act of the trinity: Perfecting. This is where the Fruit Pigmented® 2nd Skin Foundation truly shines.
A Unified, Radiant Look
Unlike traditional foundations that can feel like a “mask” (as we discussed in our previous chapters), this formula is essentially a perfecting serum. Because it is formulated with a base of olive squalaneit has a molecular affinity for the skincare you’ve already applied.
Instead of sitting as a separate layer, the 2nd Skin Foundation blends seamlessly with your moisturizer. It’s a second skin finish that unifies your complexion. The fruit pigments—derived from antioxidant-rich peaches, apricots, and papayas—provide a soft-focus tint that blurs imperfections while allowing your natural skin health to radiate through.
The Expert Application:
To achieve that professional finish, don’t “swipe” the foundation. Instead, “press” it into your skin. Using your fingertips or a damp beauty sponge, gently bounce the serum onto your face. This technique ensures the product melds with your “Prep” and “Prime” layers, creating a unified glow that looks like you, just on your very best skin day.
III. The Polishing Steps: Adding Dimension and Life
With your base perfected, the final touches of the Real You Beauty Collection act as the “jewelry” of your look. This is where we add the light, the volume, and the shine that brings the face to life.
Dimension with the Gemmed Luminizer
A flat, one-dimensional face can look artificial. To keep the look professional and natural, we use the Fruit Pigmented® Gemmed Luminizer. Because it is a cream-to-powder formula enriched with cocoa butter, it layers beautifully over the 2nd Skin Foundation. It doesn’t disrupt the base; it enhances it. By placing light on the “peaks” of the face, you create a youthful, lifted appearance that captures every ray of light.
Volume and Protection: Mascara & Lip Gloss
We finish the ritual with two essentials that marry performance with care:
Passion Fruit Mascara: This provides the “lift.” Long, separated, and feathery lashes act as a frame for the eyes, making you look instantly more awake and vibrant.
Fruit Pigmented® Lip Gloss: This is the “seal.” Beyond just adding a juicy, berry-stained shine, the Vitamin E works to protect the delicate skin of the lips from environmental stressors. It’s the final step in ensuring your “Real-You” glow is protected all day long.
IV. Conclusion: Professional Results in Your Own Hands
Achieving a flawless, radiant finish isn’t about having a professional makeup artist in your bathroom every morning. It’s about having the right ritual and the right ingredients. When you embrace the Prep-Prime-Perfect method, you are honoring the harmony between your skin’s health and your desire to look polished.
At 100% PURE, we stand by our “Happy Promise.” We believe that if you feed your skin the best botanical ingredients, it will reward you with a glow that no synthetic product can match. This May, trade the complicated “hacks” for a system that actually works with your biology. You deserve a routine that is as kind to your skin as it is beautiful to look at.
Take a breath, follow the steps, and watch your “Real-You” glow emerge.
FAQ: Mastering the Harmony
What happens if I skip the “Prep” step?
If you skip the “Prep” phase (hydration), you’re essentially trying to paint on a dry canvas. Your foundation is more likely to look “patchy” or uneven. You may find that your skin feels tight throughout the day, and the foundation may emphasize fine lines rather than blurring them. Even two minutes of hydrating prep can change the entire longevity of your look.
Does the 2nd Skin Foundation work for all skin types?
Yes! That is the beauty of a breathable serum foundation. For oily skin types, the olive squalane actually helps balance your natural oil production (teaching your skin it doesn’t need to overproduce). For dry skin types, it provides a much-needed boost of hydration. For sensitive skin, the lack of synthetic dyes and fragrances means you can wear it all day without irritation.
How do I layer the Gemmed Luminizer over foundation without smudging?
The trick is in the “tap.” Rather than rubbing the luminizer onto your cheekbones, use your ring finger to gently tap the product into place. This “stippling” motion allows the creamy butters in the luminizer to meld with the foundation underneath without shifting the pigment. The result is a seamless, dewy transition from foundation to glow.
The multifaceted entrepreneur gets real about beauty, balance, boundaries, and why time management is the ultimate glow up.
Photo Credit: Angelica Whaley
There’s a particular kind of woman who walks into the room already settled. Not performing, not proving, just present. Angelica Whaley is exactly that kind of woman. Splitting her year between Puerto Rico and Dallas, raising two little ones, running a lingerie line, and quietly redefining what a “soft life” actually looks like behind the scenes, she’s built a life that doesn’t need a filter to be admired. Ask her about it, and she’ll tell you the truth: the softness took work. The peace was built brick by brick.
We caught up with Angelica from Puerto Rico for a conversation about hair, healing, motherhood, and why time management might be the most underrated beauty secret of all.
Teia Burroughs: Angelica, before we get into all the layers of who you are now, I want to start with the woman herself. You move with so much intention and ease, and that kind of energy doesn’t happen by accident. Walk us through how you ground yourself, starting with something as simple as your hair and your daily rhythm, before stepping into everything you lead.
Angelica Whaley: I love that question, and I love that you started there, because the woman truly does come first. I’ve always been a girl of major simplicity. I started doing my own hair around age nine, which is kind of unheard of, but it cultivated my individuality and independence early. By sixth grade, I had developed my signature look, and that mindset shaped the woman I am today.
I have girlfriends who’ll wake up and say, “My hair isn’t done, so I’m not going.” Me? I’m like, “They’re going to get this middle part. It’s going to be slicked down. I got business to handle.” Neat and put together will always trump trendy. Always.
TB: Your answer touched on hair, but it really spoke to something deeper, the freedom in being okay without a full beat face every day. The pressure to always be “on” is real. Can you expound on that?
AW: Absolutely. I love the expression of it all, and I really do call it expression. I love watching company culture shift so women can show up authentically through their hair, their nails, all of it.
But I’ve also taught myself that when you can’t make it to the salon, you better know how to do the bare minimum: clean cuticles, clear polish, blow dry, slick it down, bun it up. I’m not skipping an event because my hairstyle canceled on me. When they see me, they’re going to know I’m well put together. I’m a product junkie, but I’ve taken time since I was 12 or 13 to understand how to take care of things simplistically. That’s real life.
Photo Credit: Angelica Whaley
TB: You’re gorgeous, but you’re so much more than that. What are you working on right now? What’s fueling you?
AW: I’m in a place where I’m building, brick by brick, finding my individuality and identity all over again after becoming a mom and a wife. Before all of that, I had so much going on, and I had normalized being in constant motion. My nervous system was running on fumes.
Now that my babies are five and two, soon to be six and three, I’m regulating my nervous system 24/7. That’s what I mean when I say I’m living a soft life. People assume soft life means you don’t have bills or you can hit the spa whenever. No. I’m doing the inner work to figure out who Angelica is now, because I’m not the girl I was before kids and marriage. That’s the biggest project I’m working on.
TB: That takes boldness to admit. A lot of women won’t say that out loud.
AW: I think people are scared to say it. We see motherhood play out on social media in extremes, and I’m right there jolly in the middle, figuring out my nervous system, trusting that everything else will flow.
TB: For women balancing ambition, motherhood, and personal growth, what’s your advice on owning who they are unapologetically?
AW: My biggest thing will always be time management. I love my husband, I love my kids, but I want to wake up to God first. I want to wake up to peace, to sit and breathe, pray, meditate, journal, drink my warm water quietly before the day begins.
Time management will save my girlies every time. So many of us mastered it in school and at work, but when it’s time to be on time for ourselveswe don’t have it. Manage your time. Save your time. Own your time. It’s the only thing you can’t get back. You can buy meal prep, the cleaning lady, the nanny. You cannot buy your time.
Photo Credit: Angelica Whaley
Sundays, I block off and meal prep everything. The food is chopped, marinated, seasoned, and ready, so during the week I can spend my hours on my businesses and with my family instead of in the kitchen. Owning that time gives me my hours back.
TB: Speaking of protecting your time and your peace, boundaries seem to be a big part of how you operate. How do you approach them in your life?
Boundaries are everything to me. At this big age of 36, I’ve realized boundaries aren’t as common as we’d think, kind of like common sense. I’ll be having a conversation with a girlfriend and the math isn’t adding up, and it dawns on me: oh, you don’t have boundaries.
I’m not weird with mine, though. I give grace, because that’s what God gave us. I’m not cutting people off over one little thing. But once a boundary is set, I protect it, in friendships, family, work, all of it. Grace and boundaries can live together, and they should.
TB: Okay product girlie, what are your current must haves?
AW: I’m the worst person to ask because I love so much, but if I had to name a few: Danessa Myricks Beauty. Her whole line has been blessing me in this Puerto Rico heat, especially for the girlies who want a mattified finish.
Summer Fridays by Marianna and Lauren. I love watching them grow from influencers into brand owners. I picked up their perfume at Sephora and that body mist lasted on me from noon till 9 p.m.
And the K18 Honey Gloss line. Their honey gloss ceramide therapy shampoo and conditioner have been saving my life. Whatever’s in that formula has my strands obsessed, and it hydrates my babies’ hair too.
TB: What are your absolute non-negotiables for skin, beauty, and hair, especially in this heat?
AW: Number one: Vitamin C. It should be in everybody’s regimen, face and body, especially after 25. As beautiful chocolate and brown girlies, we glow, but we still need that brightening and balance. Wear your vitamin C.
Number two: SPF. Sunblock is non-negotiable on the face and body, every single day. We need to protect our skin, period.
Number three, and this one’s a little fun, Aquaphor on the feet. I’m in my Hermès sandals year round, and “sandal feet” is real. Slather Aquaphor on, put your socks on, and go to sleep. That’s the only way your feet stay hydrated. It’s going to be a sexy summer in Oran sandals, so we have to be ready.
TB: Before we close, anything you’re working on that you want our readers to know about?
AW: Yes! I’ll be in Miami soon for a beautiful Mother’s Day brunch hosted by Crystal. And shameless plug: I started a lingerie line called Belle Être Lingerie, French for “beautiful being.” I had the idea in 2017 and officially launched in 2020. The whole line is about women feeling comfortable and beautiful in lingerie and loungewear, whether they have a man or not. Send the girlies on over.
Belle Être Lingerie is a true reflection of who Angelica is as a creator and a woman. The line was born out of her belief that intimacy with self comes before anything else, that softness, sensuality, and confidence belong to every woman, regardless of her relationship status or season of life. Each piece is designed to feel like a love letter to the wearer, made for the woman who wants to lounge beautifully, sleep beautifully, and live in pieces that remind her she is the moment.
Beyond the brand, Angelica continues to move as a multifaceted entrepreneur and influencer, building a digital footprint that blends real life motherhood, marriage, beauty, and business. She uses her platform to speak openly about the woman behind the highlight reel, the one regulating her nervous system, raising her babies, loving on her husband, and still showing up for her dreams. Whether she’s sharing wellness wisdom, beauty rituals, or the quiet truths of building a life on your own terms, Angelica is proof that you can be soft and successful, grounded and glamorous, all at the same time.
Follow Angelica Whaley on Instagram@angelicalwhaley and shop her lingerie line, Belle Ét.
What if your cosmetics could keep forests alive? It may sound like an idealistic idea, but in this episode of the Green Beauty Conversations podcast, we explore how it might actually be possible.
Imagine a world where the ingredients inside your skincare or haircare products create real economic value for forest communities – making standing forests worth more alive than cut down.
In this week’s episode, Formula Botanica CEO Lorraine Dallmeier sits down with John Goedschalk, founder and CEO of BioTara, to unpack a fascinating intersection of formulation science, regenerative sourcing and environmental economics.
Together, they discuss how cosmetic ingredients sourced from the Amazon rainforest could help protect ecosystems while delivering high-performance formulation benefits.
It’s a conversation that challenges how the beauty industry thinks about ingredients, supply chains and environmental impact.
If you care about sustainable beauty, ethical sourcing or the future of cosmetic formulation, this episode is one you won’t want to miss.
From replacing environmentally persistent silicones with natural lipid systems to building supply chains that directly support forest-based communities, this conversation reveals how the cosmetics industry could play a meaningful role in keeping the world’s forests alive.
“The goal is simple – to make a standing forest worth more alive than dead.” — John Goedschalk
In this episode with John Goedschalk, you will hear:
How economics and John’s personal journey led to BioTara: John Goedschalk’s journey into sustainable ingredient sourcing began with a career in economics and sustainability policy. After working for major organisations and spending time in Europe and the United States, he returned to his home country of Suriname with a growing concern about climate change and the future his children would inherit. A government assignment evaluating the economic outcomes of conservation policies sparked a deeper realisation – forests would only survive if they created meaningful economic value for the people who lived in and around them.
Building regenerative supply chains in the Amazon: John explains how BioTara works directly with forest-based communities and cooperatives to source high-value cosmetic ingredients from the Amazon. Instead of acting as a traditional ingredient producer, BioTara connects agro-cooperatives with global cosmetics buyers while ensuring quality control, traceability and fair payments. Their system even tracks data down to the family level – including who harvested the ingredient, how much they were paid and how the surrounding forest ecosystem is regenerating.
The Amazonia Magic 8 and selecting impactful ingredients: Not every plant or ingredient can support a regenerative sourcing model. John shares how BioTara identified a core group of botanicals – the “Amazonia Magic 8” – that combine strong cosmetic functionality with sustainable harvesting potential. These ingredients, including butters and oils like tucumã, murumuru and cupuaçu, were selected because they provide real formulation benefits while also supporting forest livelihoods and long-term ecosystem health.
Replacing silicones with natural lipid systems: For decades, formulators relied on volatile silicones such as D4, D5 and D6 to create luxurious textures and slip in cosmetic products. As regulators increasingly restrict these persistent materials, the industry needs viable alternatives. John discusses how Amazonian lipids can replicate similar sensorial effects when combined strategically.
The Amazonia Lipid Architecture approach to formulation: One of the most innovative concepts discussed in the episode is BioTara’s “Amazonia Lipid Architecture”. Instead of treating ingredients as standalone components, this framework combines butters, oils and homogenising lipids into functional systems that deliver structure, spreadability and sensorial performance.
Key takeouts include:
Making forests economically valuable is key to conservation: Protecting forests cannot rely on goodwill alone – it must also make economic sense for the people living in those ecosystems. When communities can earn a reliable income from sustainable harvesting of cosmetic ingredients, forests become a long-term asset rather than land that needs to be cleared for agriculture or other uses. By connecting communities directly to global markets, BioTara’s model creates a financial (as well as environmental) incentive to keep forests standing.
The cosmetics industry has enormous supply-chain influence: Beauty brands and formulators may not realise how much influence they have through ingredient purchasing decisions. By choosing responsibly sourced botanicals, companies can channel revenue directly into forest-based economies and regenerative land management. John emphasises that purchasing power is a tool – when used intentionally, it can strengthen communities, stabilise ecosystems and create long-term sustainability in supply chains.
Traceability and transparency drive accountability: Modern sustainable supply chains must go beyond marketing claims. BioTara tracks ingredient sourcing at a granular level – from specific trees and communities to payments and regeneration indicators. This data-driven approach ensures that environmental and social impact can be verified rather than assumed. It also builds trust between suppliers, formulators and consumers who increasingly expect transparency in the beauty industry.
Real change requires reliable, long-term demand: For forest-based communities to benefit from regenerative sourcing, cosmetic brands must provide consistent demand. Sporadic orders or small experimental batches do not create stable income or enable communities to plan for sustainable harvesting. John emphasises that meaningful impact depends on dependable, year-on-year partnerships with buyers. When demand becomes predictable, communities can invest in production, regeneration and long-term forest stewardship.
Meet our guest: John Goedschalk, founder & CEO of BioTara
John Goedschalk is the founder and CEO of BioTara, a company working at the intersection of natural cosmetic ingredients, formulation science and regenerative sourcing in the Amazon.
His work is driven by a clear mission: to make standing forests worth more alive than dead by enabling forest-based communities to trade directly with the global cosmetics industry.
With a background in economics, sustainability and hands-on product development, John focuses on helping formulators rethink how natural lipids behave inside real formulations – not just as individual ingredients, but as functional systems.
Through BioTara and his own consumer brand experience, he has worked extensively with Amazonian butters and oils such as murumuru, tucumã, cupuaçu, andiroba and açaí.
His current work centres on Amazonia Lipid Architecture: a modular approach to designing structure, sensorial performance and spreadability using natural lipids, informed by formulation practice and evolving regulatory pressures around persistent materials.
John is particularly interested in bridging formulation pragmatism, regulatory reality and impact on people and ecosystems.
Special offer for listeners: Explore BioTara’s express shop for samples and low-MOQ ingredients.
Find out more about John and BioTara:
Related episodes:
Thank you for joining us for this episode of the Formula Botanica Green Beauty Conversations podcast. If you enjoyed listening, please share, subscribe and review this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Youtube so that more people can enjoy the show. Don’t forget to follow and connect with us on Facebook and Instagram.
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FREE TRAINING
How to become an Organic Skincare Entrepreneur
Join over 100,000 other Formulators
By providing your details, you agree to receive additional educational & marketing emails from Formula Botanica, which further introduce our curriculum. Your data is never shared or sold. Read our Privacy Policy.
FREE TRAINING
How to become an Organic Skincare Entrepreneur
Join over 100,000 other Formulators
By providing your details, you agree to receive additional educational & marketing emails from Formula Botanica, which further introduce our curriculum. Your data is never shared or sold. Read our Privacy Policy.
Lorraine Dallmeier is a Biologist, Chartered Environmentalist and the CEO of Formula Botanica, the award-winning online organic cosmetic science school. Read more about Lorraine and the Formula Botanica Team.
Following its 2025 rollout with Sephora in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K., the beauty brand founded by Hailey Rhode Bieber will be available at Sephora online and in most stores across Europe beginning this September.
This expansion builds on rhode’s strong performance in North America and the UK, alongside its recent $1B acquisition by e.l.f. Beauty.
Launched in June 2022, rhode began with a curated lineup of efficacious skincare, expanding into hybrid makeup.
“We’re excited to continue expanding our retail presence with Sephora across Europe, building on the momentum we’ve seen in the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. Last summer, bringing the world of rhode to Mallorca with our rhode summer club was a meaningful moment for us. It gave us the opportunity to connect more deeply with our European community and allow them to experience the brand in real life. As we look ahead, we’re focused on continuing to grow thoughtfully across Europe, creating experiences that feel true to rhode and resonate with our customer wherever they are,” said Lauren Ratner, Co-Founder, President and Chief Brand Officer of rhode.
According to rhode, there are strong synergies between the brand’s community-driven approach and Sephora’s global reach. “Community engagement is what rhode does best, and this partnership is expected to introduce the brand to a broader audience of beauty consumers across Europe,” they said.
“rhode’s social-first model, which has fueled viral demand and built a highly engaged global audience, resonates with Sephora’s commitment to bringing innovative and culturally relevant brands to our beauty community in the region. This launch further strengthens Sephora’s role as a leading platform and partner for the most influential brands and creators in the region,” highlighted Catherine Spindler, President of Sephora Europe & Middle East.
Following this rollout, rhode will be available at Sephora in Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Spain (including Canary Islands), Sweden, Switzerland, and Turkey, in addition to Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
Acne doesn’t only affect the skin on our faces. Knowing how to get rid of back acne isn’t the same as your regular acne, despite having the same causes. While breakouts are just as common on the back and neck as on the face, bacne comes with its own specific set of challenges.
Put simply, stress and blocked pores can show up anywhere on the body but especially as ‘bacne’, otherwise known as back acne. This is because the upper torso has more oil-producing glands than elsewhere on the body, making it a finicky beast when it comes to lifestyle and beauty habits as well as skincare choices.
There’s no blanket approach to treat bumps and, in a strange twist of fate, just because you get spots on the face doesn’t automatically mean you will also get body acne. According to cosmetic dermatologist Dr Sam Bunting, only 15% of people who get facial acne will also suffer from body acne.
No wonder bacne is so shrouded in mystery. We know what to do if our acne is hormonal, the specific ingredients to incorporate into our regimes, and the treatments to tackle acne scarring. But when it comes to our backs, it’s a problem we tend to ignore for most of the year – that is, until the warmer months roll around and we start reaching for those off-the-shoulder outfits and strappy summer dresses.
Really though, we shouldn’t be waiting to treat bacne or simply covering it up with a jumper during the winter months. Neglecting the condition will only make it harder to treat in the long run, so it’s much better to tackle is head on as soon as you notice it starting to pop up.
The good news is, simple tweaks to our daily personal care routines can make a huge difference and they’re much easier to implement than you think. So, if you’re keen to know how to get rid of back acne once and for all, here’s what you need to know according to the skincare experts.
What is ‘bacne’ or back acne?
Bacne is acne that occurs (yep, you guessed it) on your upper back and shoulders, since these areas contain the most sebaceous glands. It is exceptionally common and can appear as bumps, whiteheads or blackheads as well as more severe cystic acne. Due to the much larger surface area, you may experience a lot more spots across the entire area – which can be extremely painful – or it may be concentrated in specific places like around your shoulders or down at your lower back. Wherever it might be, almost any spots appearing there will be bacne.
What causes backache?
Back acne develops in the same way as spots on the face. “Excess sebum production combined with the build-up of dead skin cell, and bacteria can result in blocked pores,” says dermatologist Dr Justine Kluk. “The skin on our backs is extremely thick so the potential for this happening is very high.”
“The accumulation of oil and dead skin cells in our pores creates an ideal environment for a particular bacterium called ‘propionibacterium’ acne to thrive,” she continues. “This triggers inflammation in the skin leading to angry red bumps and pus-filled spots.”
Bacne can also be caused by:
Changes in hormones
If you’re pregnant or going through puberty you are more likely to get bacne and acne breakouts.
Excessive sweating
“Body acne is more probable during the summer, if you work out regularly and if your skin is already acne-prone,” says Julie Morris, an aesthetic nurse at Effortless Skin. Sweat can get trapped between your skin and your clothing. When it does, your pores can get clogged because the bacteria that causes acne thrives in moist, damp conditions. So keeping your sweaty sports gear on for hours creates the perfect storm.
In this monthly roundup, artificial intelligence is no longer a future-facing concept for beauty and personal care—it is rapidly becoming embedded across the entire value chain. From product development and ingredient science to retail, health and enterprise operations, partnerships between beauty giants and technology leaders are accelerating a shift toward smarter, faster and more predictive business models.
Retail and consumer experience are at the forefront of this transformation. Ulta Beauty partnered with Google to launch AI-powered shopping experiences, signalling a move toward more intuitive, personalised discovery at scale. Similarly, Sephora launched an AI-powered shopping app within ChatGPT, marking a significant step in integrating conversational commerce into the beauty journey—where product recommendations, education and purchase can happen seamlessly in one interface.
Enterprise-wide AI adoption is also deepening. Unilever and Google Cloud forged a five-year partnership to advance agentic commerce, highlighting how AI is moving beyond marketing into supply chain, operations and decision-making systems. In parallel, Coty entered a strategic collaboration with OpenAI to expand enterprise AI use, reinforcing how global beauty players are embedding AI across functions—from product innovation to internal productivity.
Innovation at the formulation level is advancing just as rapidly. Amorepacific developed an AI-designed peptide to strengthen hair keratin, demonstrating how machine learning is accelerating ingredient discovery and performance validation. Likewise, Shiseido is using AI systems to assess ingredient biodegradability and safety,aligning technological capability with sustainability and regulatory demands.
Strategic partnerships between beauty and tech giants are becoming increasingly central. L’Oréal expanded its collaboration with NVIDIA to advance AI-driven beauty innovation, reinforcing its long-term commitment to digital transformation and scientific leadership. These alliances reflect a broader trend: the convergence of computational power, data and beauty science is unlocking new frontiers in product development and consumer engagement.
Beyond beauty, adjacent sectors are also influencing the pace of change. Novo Nordisk partnered with OpenAI to accelerate drug development, highlighting how AI breakthroughs in healthcare and pharmaceuticals are likely to spill over into skin health, longevity and wellness-driven beauty categories. Meanwhile, Amazon is reportedly in talks to invest up to US$50 billion in OpenAI, underlining the scale of capital being directed toward AI infrastructure—investment that will inevitably shape the tools and platforms available to beauty companies.
Consumer health technology is also gaining momentum. Oura is exploring an IPO as growth accelerates in wearable health tech, reflecting rising demand for data-driven wellness solutions. As wearables become more integrated with beauty routines, insights around sleep, stress and recovery are increasingly informing personalised skincare and holistic wellbeing approaches.
Taken together, this monthly roundup shows an industry moving rapidly into an AI-defined era. The focus is no longer on experimentation, but on integration—embedding intelligence into every layer of the business. In 2026, competitive advantage in beauty will increasingly be determined by how effectively companies harness AI to drive innovation, personalise experiences and build scalable, future-ready systems.
That said, it’s not directly targeting the structural causes of cellulite (like fibrous bands or fat distribution), so think of it more as a skin-quality enhancer than a treatment. “While it won’t directly ‘treat’ cellulite, improved hydration and elasticity can reduce how prominent cellulite appears,” Dr. Camp adds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cellulite creams actually work?
Yes, but with realistic expectations. “Topical treatments can improve the appearance of cellulite, but they don’t address the underlying structural cause,” says Dr. Wang. The best firming creams work by supporting overall skin texture and delivering visible (if temporary) cellulite reduction. What they can do effectively is “improve hydration, support the skin barrier, enhance elasticity, and reduce low-grade inflammation,” which helps skin look smoother, firmer, and more even overall. The key, he notes, is understanding that these products refine the appearance of cellulite rather than eliminate it.
What ingredients should I look for in a cellulite cream?
When you’re scanning the label, a few key ingredients come up again and again for their ability to improve how cellulite looks on skin:
Caffeine The most studied topical for cellulite. As Dr. Haskin explains, it can “temporarily make skin appear slightly tighter through vasoconstriction and reducing fluid retention,” which helps minimize visible puffiness. It may also support lipolysis (fat breakdown), with some evidence suggesting it can improve that diffuse, rippled look.
Retinol / Retinoids “These work more long-term by increasing dermal thickness and supporting collagen remodeling,” says Dr. Haskin. This means smoother, firmer-looking skin with less crepiness—so cellulite appears less pronounced.
Peptides “Think of these as your firming support system,” says Dr. Haskin. They help signal collagen and elastin production, improving skin’s structure, elasticity, and overall bounce over time.
Hydrators (like hyaluronic acid + glycerin) These don’t target cellulite directly, but they make a visible difference. “By boosting hydration in the top layers of skin, they create a plumper, smoother surface—a.k.a. a quick blur effect for dimpling,” says Dr. Haskin.
Are the results of cellulite creams permanent?
Short answer: No, they’re not permanent, and they won’t truly get rid of cellulite. “The effects are largely dependent on continued use because they do not change the underlying structural anatomy of cellulite,” says Dr. Camp. In other words, these creams can help smooth, moisturize, and temporarily tighten the look of dimpled skin, but once you stop using them, “the skin gradually returns to its baseline appearance,” he adds. That doesn’t mean they’re not worth it; it just means consistency is key. If you’re looking for longer-lasting results, Dr. Camp notes that in-office treatments are needed to address cellulite at a deeper, structural level.
Meet the experts
Brendan Camp, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist at MDCS Dermatology: Medical Dermatology & Cosmetic Surgery in the tri-state area
Kristina Collins, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist based in Austin
Alessandra Haskin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at Weiser Skin MD, based in New York City
Maryam Safaee, MD, a board-certified dermatologist based in Los Angeles
James Wang, MD, a double board-certified dermatologist and founder of Metropolis Dermatology based in California
How we test and review products
When Allure tests a product, our editors look at it from every angle in an effort to best serve you. We review ingredients, scrutinize brand claims, and, when necessary, examine peer-reviewed scientific and medical studies. In addition to testing each and every product that’s included in each and every review, we rely on experts who shape their fields, including dermatology, cosmetic chemistry, and medicine, to help us vet the ingredients and formulas.
For our list of the best cellulite creams, we considered each product’s performance across five primary categories: product ingredients and efficacy, packaging, fragrance, texture, and product wear. Every product was determined to have excelled in each category by our editorial team, which is composed of in-house writers and editors as well as contributors—along with special consideration from board-certified dermatologists. To learn more information on our reporting and testing processes, read our complete reviews process and methodology page.
Our staff and testers
A beauty product is a personal purchase. You might be searching for a face cream to address persistent dryness or a new nail product to add to your Sunday self-care routine; you may simply be browsing around for the latest launches to hit the hair market. No matter what you seek or your individual needs and concerns, Allure wants to ensure that you love anything we recommend in our stories. We believe that having a diverse team of writers and editors—in addition to the wide range of outside testers and industry experts we regularly call upon—is essential to reaching that goal.
After all, can we really say a skin-care product is the “best” for people over 50 if the only testers we’ve solicited opinions from folks who have yet to hit 30? Can we honestly deem a high-end diffuser worthy of your hard-earned cash if it’s never been tested on curls? We’re proud that our staff spans a wide range of ages, skin tones, hair textures, genders, and backgrounds, which means that we are able to fairly assess any beauty product that comes into the beauty closet.
Ever wonder what it’s like shopping with a beauty editor? Welcome to Counter Service, a series where we visit our favorite beauty boutiques IRL. We’re visiting the curated spaces and places that make shopping in person oh-so worth it—and you’re coming with. Up next, Sarah Felbin, Allure’s senior commerce editor, visited Ulta Beauty on the hunt for Mother’s Day gifts that her mom will love and use on the daily.
I’ve always been super close with my mom (think Lorelai and Rory from Gilmore Girls, but with less boy drama). She was my introduction to all things beauty, from helping me perfect my eyeliner before a dance competition to choosing the right mani-pedi color combination for my senior prom. And most lessons started the same way: with a trip to our local beauty store. In our case, that was Ulta.
My mom and I have spent hours roaming its hallowed beauty halls, tossing new launches into our bags to discuss in detail later. So, when I was at a loss for where to pick up a Mother’s Day gift she’d actually love, I decided to swing by my local store first—and I’m so glad I did.
The author with her mom
Sarah Felbin
Hoping I can find everything on my list.
Katie Gunderman
Stepping into the 86th Street location in New York City (past the rainbow lipstick mural) takes me right back to those childhood shopping sprees. You know the vibe: massive sales floor, bright lights (perfect for swatching—and you know we’re testing everything), and seemingly endless, with rows of pristinely organized prestige beauty brands and drugstore favorites alike. As a beauty editor, this is my dream. I literally can’t wait to dive in—even the playlist, stacked with Beyoncé, ABBA, and Dua Lipa, gets me in the mood to do some digging.
Ready to shop ’til I drop!
Katie Gunderman
As I pace the aisles, browsing, swatching, and chatting with the store associates, I find some things I already can’t live without that I know Mom will love, and some new things I can’t wait to introduce her to. Almost without realizing it, I’ve filled my bag with a pile of presents ranging from skin-care devices to makeup to fragrance—and I’ve barely even made a dent in all of Ulta Beauty’s offerings. (There’s always her birthday…and Christmas, too.) Here’s what my haul looked like.
Allure is a big fan of science, which makes us not big fans of supplements. Thousands of capsules and gummies flood the health aisles, but since they’re not required to be regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, they have to show zero proof of efficacy before they’re put on a shelf. So a supplement’s claims can potentially be murky, if not outright false. And the few solid, independent trials we have on supplements’ effects on our hair and skin and nails (and hearts and bones and mood) haven’t been able to prove to us that even the most above-board products in this space are actually doing anything. (A 2013 Johns Hopkins study was bluntly titled “Enough Is Enough: Stop Wasting Money on Vitamin and Mineral Supplements.”) But we have some big news: A recently published review of 113 clinical trials on collagen supplements specifically showed some promising evidence that taking them consistently over time has the potential to have positive effects on your skin, musculoskeletal, and oral health.
So, we may owe you a mea culpa because, well, we have really never said anything nice about collagen supplements. But it’s a mea culpa with caveats.
In the beauty space, collagen supplements have long been king among the pills and powders we wishfully ingest to look fresher and smoother and plumper. Collagen is the main structural protein in the skin, and it does a lot to make us look younger (babies have a ton of the stuff). It’s no surprise that so many companies are desperate to bottle it up—or that many consumers, searching for the fountain of youth, are here for it: Globally, 60 million people take collagen supplements daily; last year the collagen supplement market size was valued at $2.6 billion.
Doctors, researchers, and Allure editors, on the other hand, have not been here for these lucrative over-the-counter offerings—because of the whole no-proof-of-efficacy situation. So we called up a few MDs to talk about this new review and they have to admit: It’s kind of a big deal. Mona Gohara, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, says it’s one of the most comprehensive looks we’ve had at collagen supplements maybe ever. “Collagen appears to offer modest but consistent improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with some added benefits for joints and musculoskeletal health,” she says of the review. Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, told us that this new review provides more tangible evidence than we’ve ever had that ongoing collagen use can have positive impacts, especially when it comes to skin elasticity and arthritis symptoms. “It was hard not to see collagen supplements as a possible snake oil because we just didn’t have data,” she says. “Now, the [new] data we have backs that it is actually potentially helpful.”
Daniel Belkin, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, says that this evidence gives him enough confidence to recommend collagen supplements to his patients. “Before I wasn’t able to do that,” he says. Dr. Belkin’s favorite supplements are from Elysium Health. He takes Basis, an NAD+ supplement, and Mosaic, a supplement for “collagen support.” He also started dabbling with the brand’s collagen powder after being persuaded by anecdotal evidence from his patients. “I started taking that just because I was like, ‘You know what? My patients are telling me this is helping them. Let me try it,’” he says. As of this month, he also has some data that it could be helping.
