Skincare questions, answered

Last updated: October 2026

Clear, sourced answers to the skincare questions people search for: how to layer actives, what labels and claims mean, how ampoules and serums differ and what to expect from common ingredients. Each guide answers its question in the first paragraph and cites dermatology research, the FDA, the EU cosmetics regulators or the Cosmetic Ingredient Review. Browse by topic below, or go to the Ingredient Library for single-ingredient pages.

Ampoules, labels and routines

• Ampoule vs serum vs essence: what does the format change?Ampoule, serum or essence? What each term means, and what a sealed vial, a dropper bottle and a pump change about portioning, air exposure and preserving.
• Can you apply a serum after microneedling?What goes on skin during and after microneedling is the practitioner's call. General principles, what waits until skin is intact, and when care resumes.
• Do skincare acids make your skin sensitive to the sun?Why alpha hydroxy acids raise sun sensitivity, what FDA's sunburn alert says, how salicylic acid compares, and how to use acids with daily sun protection.
• How do you read a cosmetic ingredient list?How to read an INCI ingredient list: descending order, the 1% rule, INCI names, fragrance allergens and why percentages are absent, with a worked example.
• How long does an opened vial last?How long a Vegalab sealed vial lasts after the first draw, how to store it, how many applications it holds, and when to discard it, for clinic and home.
• Is Vegalab FDA approved?Does FDA approve cosmetics? What MoCRA registration and product listing mean, what FDA does approve, how Canada regulates cosmetics, and what to check.
• What do "clinically tested" and "dermatologist tested" mean?What skincare testing terms mean on a pack: clinical, dermatologist, instrumental and self-assessed results, and seven questions that weigh any study.

Skincare questions

• Can you use niacinamide with retinol?Can you use niacinamide with retinol? Why the pair works, whether niacinamide eases retinoid irritation, and how to layer them together in a routine.
• Can you use vitamin C with retinol?Can you use vitamin C and retinol together? When to apply each, morning or night, how to start the pair without irritation, and which forms of each matter most.
• Chemical peel vs microneedlingChemical peel vs microneedling: how each works, which did better for acne scars in trials, whether to combine them, and the recovery and risks of each.
• Do hair growth serums work?Do hair growth serums work? What the evidence shows for minoxidil, caffeine, peptide and rosemary scalp serums, and which claims make a serum a drug.
• Encapsulated retinol vs retinolEncapsulated retinol vs retinol: what a carrier changes for stability and irritation, what the clinical evidence shows, and how both compare with tretinoin.
• Exosomes vs PRP for skinExosomes vs PRP for skin: how they differ in source and preparation, what the studies show for each, and how they are used and regulated with microneedling.
• How do you fade hyperpigmentation on the face?How to fade hyperpigmentation on the face: what causes dark spots, how to fade marks left by acne, which ingredients have evidence, and how long fading takes.
• How do you know your skin barrier is damaged, and how do you repair it?Signs of a damaged skin barrier, what causes it, how to repair it with gentle cleansing and the right moisturizer, and how to tell barrier damage from acne.
• How often can you microneedle?How often you can microneedle: how far apart sessions were spaced in clinical trials, how many sessions a course takes, and how often to book maintenance.
• Is at-home microneedling as good as professional?At-home vs professional microneedling: how home rollers differ from clinic pens, whether a serum belongs in home needling, and who should not microneedle.
• Melasma: what helps and what makes it worseMelasma explained: what causes the brown patches, what makes them worse, which treatments and at-home steps help, and what to expect during and after pregnancy.
• RF microneedling vs microneedlingRF microneedling vs microneedling: how the added heat changes the procedure, which works better for acne scars, the risks of each, and whether RF works at home.
• Should you use vitamin C serum in the morning or at night?Vitamin C serum morning or night: why morning under sunscreen makes sense, whether night use still works, and which form, strength and storage matter more.
• What are liposomes in skincare?What liposomes in skincare are made of, how liposomal creams interact with the skin's outer layer, and what liposomal technology can and cannot do for actives.
• What order should you apply skincare products?Skincare routine order, morning and night: whether serum goes before or after moisturizer, ampoule or serum first, where actives go, and why sunscreen is last.
• What should you not mix with retinol?What not to mix with retinol, from benzoyl peroxide to exfoliating acids, plus what not to mix with vitamin C or niacinamide and how to build a retinol routine.
• Why is my skin so dry in winter?Why skin gets so dry in winter: how cold air, indoor heating and hot showers pull water from skin, and which winter skincare routine and moisturizers help most.