THE JOURNAL

The Science Lab

Research-backed writing on sleep, fabric, skin, hair and the science behind better rest.

Folded stack of oat-colored eucalyptus lyocell sateen sheets with a fresh eucalyptus sprig on top, what to check before you buy eucalyptus sheets

8 min read

Eucalyptus sheets: 7 things to check before you buy

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: October 2026 Eucalyptus sheets are sheets woven from a fiber spun ...

Hand sliding across a smooth oat-colored sateen bed sheet in morning light, the softest sheets are judged by fiber diameter rather than thread count

8 min read

Softest sheets: why fiber diameter matters more than thread count

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: October 2026 The softest sheets are made from the finest fibers, n...

Woman asleep on her side with her cheek pressed into an oat-colored sateen pillowcase, the surface one cheek rests on for 8 hours a night

8 min read

Why am I breaking out on my cheeks? 6 causes, and the 1 on the side you sleep on

Written by Megan CaldwellAttending Dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Dermatology Naperville · Last updated: October 2026 If you are asking "why am I breaking out on my che...

Bed made in Soft Cashmere eucalyptus lyocell sheets and duvet cover, the smooth surface alternative in the linen vs cotton sheets decision

7 min read

Linen vs cotton sheets: what the numbers actually say

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: October 2026 In linen vs cotton sheets, linen wins on airflow and ...

Macro view of a worn cotton bed sheet surface covered in small fiber pills and loose fiber ends, the texture behind the question why are my sheets pilling

8 min read

Why are my sheets pilling? 5 causes and the fix that lasts

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: October 2026 Why are my sheets pilling? Because short fiber ends...

Bedroom with a bed made in Soft Cashmere eucalyptus lyocell sheets and duvet cover, the kind of sheet set whose lifespan is measured in wash cycles

8 min read

How long do sheets last? Washes, not years

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: October 2026 How long do sheets last? Most sets reach the end of t...

Bed dressed in Gentle Slate eucalyptus lyocell fitted sheet, pillowcases and duvet cover, the surface back and chest sweat pimples form against overnight

9 min read

Sweat pimples: 4 causes, 1 look-alike, and the sweat you never rinse off

Written by Travis HollowaySenior Microbiologist at UCB · Last updated: September 2026 Sweat pimples are ordinary acne with a specific trigger: sweat that stays on the skin. Swe...

Woman with dark hair in a low bun asleep with her temple and hairline resting on a Gentle Slate eucalyptus lyocell pillowcase, the surface a scalp prone to acne rests on for 8 hours

8 min read

Scalp acne: why it flares and 5 things that help

Written by Megan CaldwellAttending Dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Dermatology Naperville · Last updated: September 2026 Scalp acne is rarely acne in the strict sense. M...

Rumpled ivory sateen bed sheets and pillows in warm morning light, the everyday surface to weigh against polyester microfiber sheets

8 min read

Are microfiber sheets good? 5 trade-offs behind the low price

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: September 2026 Are microfiber sheets good? For price, wrinkle resi...

Woman lying on her side in warm morning light with faint sleep lines on her cheek, one of the 4 types of fine lines

7 min read

Fine lines: the 4 kinds, and how to tell which one you have

Written by Megan CaldwellAttending Dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Dermatology Naperville · Last updated: September 2026 Fine lines are shallow creases in the top layers...

Woman asleep on her side with damp dark hair in a loose braid resting on a Soft Cashmere eucalyptus lyocell pillowcase, the low-friction surface for sleeping with wet hair

9 min read

Is it bad to sleep with wet hair? What 8 damp hours do to your strands

Written by Robert Smith, MD, FAADBoard-Certified Dermatologist & Sleep Medicine Physician · Last updated: September 2026 Is it bad to sleep with wet hair? Once in a while, ...

Woman with long dark hair at a bathroom mirror holding a hair product, the residue that migrates from hair to pillowcase to forehead overnight

9 min read

Why is my forehead breaking out? 7 causes, and the 1 dermatologists rarely check

Written by Megan CaldwellAttending Dermatologist at Northwestern Medicine Dermatology Naperville · Last updated: September 2026 If you are asking "why is my forehead breaking o...