Sometimes I marvel at how far humans have come from the days of putting leeches on our skin as a form of medicine. I feel so lucky to live in a world that offers many types of sunscreen—not just chemical and physical, but also tinted sunscreen and even sunscreen that’s designed to provide a cooling sensation. The latest innovation I spotted in the drugstore was “dry” sunscreen—not “dry” in the sense that it’s actually a powder, but sunscreen that doesn’t…

Nine out of 10 little sisters agree: Big sisters are expert authorities when it comes to discovering cool new stuff first. I read my sister’s books after she finished reading them, I wore her clothes after she outgrew them, and I listened to the music that she played in the car. So when I visited my sister a few weeks ago, I was more than happy to try out a new product that she picked up a Costco: the Karuna exfoliating foot mask.

I still remember the first time I heard about AmorePacific. I was at Sephora with my sister, and a store representative was gushing about a new brand that was centered on natural ingredients, particularly bamboo sap. I remember making a joke in my head about pandas, but I never actually tried anything from the brand because it was pretty expensive. I don’t normally buy premium skincare products because I can’t seem to justify the expense on something that may or may not work. But I…