Photographed by Ramona Jingru Wang.

If it feels like a new skincare buzzword drops every week, you’d be right. As a beauty editor, I generally view most new ‘ wonder-ingredients ’ with a fair amount of skepticism, but when spicule skincare first caught my attention, it made me sit up and take note.

Without subjecting you to a chemistry lesson, spicules are microscopic, needle-like structures derived from natural marine or plant sponges. It might not sound like something you’d want in your skincare routine, but when applied to the skin, these tiny needles create temporary micro-injuries that stimulate collagen and elastin production — the proteins responsible for keeping skin supple and strong.

What are spicules in skincare?

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