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True Radical Honesty From Our Community

  • Why Your Morning & Bedtime Skincare Routines Should Be Different
    Knowing how to switch things up to get your skin ready for the day as opposed to ready for bed? Life-changing. Well, skin-changing at the very least.

    There’s something to be said for nailing a consistent skincare routine. However, it’s not always easy to find your perfect product match. In fact, it requires much nurturing and tweaking – often over many years – to get your routine exactly where you want it. Whether you prefer to keep things basic or like to go all-out with every potion you can get your hands on, skincare is a very personal thing. But there are some fundamentals that every successful regime should abide by.

    One of these is the importance of variation. And by this we don’t mean owning 75 moisturizers and just as many facial serums that you switch out more often than your underwear. Because, frankly, this is not the kind of consistency skin strives for. No, by variation we mean having a few different products in your arsenal that are tailored to your skin’s needs as they change from AM to PM.

    Often brushed off as marketing hype, morning and night time skincare is, in fact, quite different. Do you really need separate cleansers, toners, eye treatments and exfoliators for morning and night? Absolutely not. These products are important, for sure, but they can definitely remain the same, no matter what time of day they’re being used. However, other products require a little thoughtful adjustment so they’re able to offer exactly what your skin needs as it transitions from day to night.

    Never quite sure how to approach your morning and bedtime skincare routines? Then read on for the three most important products you need for each of these skinfluential times of day.

    Your Morning Skincare Routine

    Life often gets in the way of awesome skin. Things like emotional stress, pollution, the sun, your diet, they all have their own ways of upsetting the health of your skin and throwing things way off whack. This means your morning skincare routine must, most important of all, set your skin up for a daily battle against everything life throws at you.

    Morning Skincare Musts

    1. Environmental Protection

    So, life. As awesome as it is, it batters your skin with daily aggressors that encourage the formation of free radicals. Free radicals are few and far between at night when you’re asleep, but during daylight hours, they can overrun your skin, compromising your collagen supplies, screwing up your elastin and even messing with your DNA. This is seriously bad news for the health of your skin as it can accelerate fine lines and wrinkles as well as other skin peskies like dark spots, sagging, dullness and poor texture and tone.

    Keeping your skin protected from free radicals, therefore, should be an absolute priority for your morning routine. And the best way to do this? With an antioxidant facial serum. Unlike other skincare ingredients, antioxidants work hard to neutralize free radicals, allowing your skin to go about its business without the risk of damage from things like the sun and environmental pollution.

    Topical antioxidants include the likes of vitamin E, niacinamide and green tea but the real biggie is vitamin C – something we know rather a lot about, here at TruSkin HQ! Universally loved and clinically-proven to nix free radicals in the bud while also brightening the skin, we think of it as a non-negotiable morning essential. You should, too. So try our fan-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum and get on that, this second.

    2. Hydration

    As well as to protect itself from the outside world, your skin’s other main job is to keep itself hydrated and moisturised all day so that its barrier function remains in optimum condition. Your skin’s barrier function is what keeps toxins and pollution out and moisture in so it’s vital to moisturize daily to keep it strong and in great working order. Otherwise, you’re asking for trouble in the way of dehydration, dryness, breakouts and potential irritation.

    We believe daily moisturizing should be about lightweight formulations that you can layer without overloading your skin. Look out for serums that harness ingredients like hyaluronic acid and aloe vera which help to draw moisture into the skin’s top layers. Then follow with a light lotion that locks all that moisture in. We love the winning combination of Niacinamide Facial Serum followed by Firming Collagen Day Lotion which is deeply moisturizing but light enough for everyday wear.

    3. And The Most Important Product Of All: SPF

    Of course, sunscreen is futile before bed, but your morning skincare routine is nothing without SPF. You just can’t ignore the fact that the sun is the biggest skin ager and responsible for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of external skin aging.

    If you want to ward off fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin for as long as humanly possible you need to apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning – rain or shine. Broad-spectrum formulations protect your skin from both UVA and UVB so that’s important to look out for on your product labels. Also, make sure to go with nothing below SPF 30 and stick with mineral formulations that are much kinder to your skin. Our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C checks all those boxes, so no probs there.

    Your Bedtime Skincare Routine

    As your body and brain go into rest mode, your skin goes into reset mode. Your environment has completely changed and gone are all the elements that have been going at your skin all day long. This makes night time the best time for your skin to heal and rejuvenate itself, ready to do it again tomorrow.

    Bedtime Skincare Musts

    1. Thorough Cleansing

    Cleansing your skin is essential, morning and night, but at night time, after subjecting your skin to a whole day of sweat, makeup, oil, sunscreen, dirt, pollution and, well you get the picture, cleansing is everything.

    Your product choices are down to you and your skin type, but always stick with gentle formulations that are free of harsh ingredients like sulfates and parabens. Sure, effective cleansing is important, but you don’t want to strip your skin completely dry or irritate your delicate barrier function. Our current favorite is our Soothing Cleansing Milk but, like we said, the ball is in your court.

    When cleansing, take your time to thoroughly massage your skin to remove all traces of daily grime, and use lukewarm (never hot!) water to rinse well.

    Double cleansing can also be a good idea before bed – especially if you like to wear a good amount of makeup during the day or are prone to oily skin that feels pretty dirty by the evening. And double cleansing is exactly what it sounds like. First, you use an oil-based cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen, then you followed this with a water-based formulation to wash away other surface debris and help target your skin type or concerns.

    2. Rejuvenation & Repair

    Unlike the rest of your body which takes a well-deserved break as you sleep, night time is when your skin gets busy. All the excitement from the day shifts your skin into regeneration mode, repairing damage and preparing it for the next day. During this time blood flow increases, collagen production accelerates, cell turnover doubles and your skin’s natural antioxidant system amps up. It’s like a well-oiled machine that really kicks into gear as the rest of you catches your zzzs.

    The products you choose to help all this move along seamlessly are endless, so it’s really a matter of choice. Do you want to help target fine lines and wrinkles as you sleep? Then Retinol Facial Serum might be the one for you. Perhaps you want to concentrate on looking after your collagen? In which case, Smoothing Collagen Serum has your name on it. Then there’s Peptide Facial Serum which strengthens and protects your barrier function to help your skin rejuvenate.

    We know they all sound amazing (and that’s because they are!) but try to resist applying more than one at a time. Helping your skin during the overnight regeneration process is great. Overloading it with too many actives? Not so much.

    3. Deep Moisturization

    Did you know, your skin produces less sebum while you’re asleep? Well, now you do. And hopefully this also makes you better understand the importance of deeper, more intense moisturizing at night.

    You might, like us, hate the feeling of heavy creams during the daytime but there’s no better feeling than slathering your face (and neck, of course!) in a beautifully intense moisturizing cream that will nourish your skin and have you waking up with a soft, plump complexion.

    Our Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream is perfect for the job. It has that extra sprinkling of vitamin C to add a bit of antioxidant prowess to the party. Plus, it contains aloe to hydrate and our favorite beautifying compound, MSM to soothe, strengthen, firm and revitalize your skin. No effort required.

    We love that for you.

    Skincare Routine
    Why Your Morning & Bedtime Skincare Routines Should Be Different
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  • How A Face Mist Is Guaranteed To Change Your Skin For The Better
    Sure, face mists are less revered than their spotlight-loving facial serum friends, but choose the right formulation for your skin type and you’ll never want to live without it.

    There are very few products in your skincare routine you can successfully apply to uncleansed skin. Name three. You can’t, can you? Of course, there’s sunscreen which should be reapplied every couple of hours if you’re going to be outside for long periods of time. But, in all honesty the only other product we can think of is a face mist/spritz/toning spray. And call it what you like, but there’s no denying that this multi-tasking great deserves way more praise than it actually gets.

    So we’re here to change that.

    Whether you’re looking to amp up your skincare routine, boost the efficacy of your facial serum or grab a quick mid-afternoon skin refresh, a facial mist has your back. Read on for 10 reasons why we’re in love with face mists right now. Guaranteed by around #4, you’ll be just as smitten (*TruSkin team rushes to stock up on Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner and Ocean Minerals Super Toner).

    1. First up, what actually is a face mist? Fairly new to the skincare game, face mists are little sprays of skincare gold that are water-based and contain ingredients to help hydrate, calm, and revitalize your skin. They’re awesome as part of your morning or bedtime routine, but equally, can be used any time during the day, on top of your moisturizer or makeup.

    2. So hold on, isn’t a face mist the same as a toner? Yes, and no. Most toners are astringent and designed to whisk away any last traces of cleanser or impurities post-cleansing, to help prepare your skin for the next steps in your skincare routine. Some face mists can also do this, but they usually contain fewer astringents and more skin-loving nutrients, moisturizing ingredients or antioxidants which means they can be spritzed on your skin at any time.

    The upshot is that some toners may double up as face mists (delivery system depending, of course!) but a face mist will rarely double up as a toner. Makes sense? Phew.

    3. One of our favorite things about face mists is that they're quick, easy and offer instant gratification. No rinsing is required, no massage is needed, nothing. And in our crazy, busy world, there’s a lot to be said for that.

    4. Face mists can be used in a variety of ways. The most obvious is to prepare your skin between cleansing and moisturizing. Most of us towel dry our skin pretty well after cleansing, giving your serum or moisturizer a pretty arid surface to work with. And this is far from ideal. How so? Well, serums and moisturizers prefer damp skin because this allows them to penetrate and absorb into the skin much more efficiently. By spritzing your face with a mist after cleansing, you up its moisture factor, therefore giving the rest of your skincare routine a much better start in life.

    5. Mists can also be used whenever you need a quick pick-me-up. You can give your face a quick spritz before applying makeup for an extra smoothing boost of hydration. And you can even use them throughout the day if your skin feels dehydrated or generally kinda ‘meh.’ Just grab your mist and lightly spray it all over your face – and no, it doesn’t matter if you’re wearing makeup – for an instant wake-up call.

    6. Speaking of pick-me-ups we always recommend cleansing your skin after working out at the gym. However, sometimes time just does not permit, right? On those occasions a good face mist can be a total lifesaver, calming redness, refreshing your skin and even offering mild cleansing benefits.

    All this is doable in seconds – and with no need for even one drop of water. As we said, lifesaver.

    7. Other than to help refresh your skin for instant gratification, face mists can offer a whole host of other, longer-lasting benefits. This depends on the ingredients, of course, but you can expect to experience anything from more radiant, glowing skin through to extra protection from the slings and arrows of the sun and everyday pollution.

    But again, this all depends on what’s inside your facial mist so make sure you read your labels and check out the ingredients to look out for the good stuff.

    8. Not sure which ingredients fit into the category of ‘good stuff’? Well, one of our absolute favorites, and a very popular choice in the face mist space, is rose water.

    Rose water dates back to ancient Egyptian times when it was used topically for its antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-redness properties. Rose water is a natural cleanser and it simultaneously helps to promote healing while balancing, hydrating and strengthening the skin’s barrier function. What’s more, it can be used to control excess sebum and works hard to soothe the symptoms of acne, eczema and dermatitis.

    You see why it’s such a big deal? Rose water can literally do no wrong, so try our Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner which contains nothing but pure Moroccan rose water and can be spritzed on your skin day in, day out. Heaven.

    9. Other face mist favorites include the obvious hydrating humectants of the world: glycerin, aloe and hyaluronic acid. At least one, or a combination of these ingredients is an absolute must when you want to add much-needed moisture to flagging skin. Because, honestly, that’s when you’re going to use a face mist the most.

    We’re also massive fans of vitamin C which stimulates collagen and offers that little extra antioxidant protection from everyone’s favorite love-to-hate environmental bad boys, the sun and pollution. Our Ocean Minerals Super Toner, for example, contains just the right amount of sodium ascorbyl phosphate (a gentle and very stable derivative of pure vitamin C) alongside other favorites like exfoliating glycolic acid and strengthening MSM.

    10. Lastly, despite their name, face mists aren't just for your face but can be applied over your entire body to help cool, calm, refresh and hydrate your skin from head-to-toe. They’re great for keeping in your beach bag to help cool your body temperature while nourishing your skin at the same time. Just remember, face mists rarely offer an acceptable amount of protection from the sun’s powerful rays so always apply sunscreen over the top.

    And when we say always, we mean always.

    Skincare Routine
    How A Face Mist Is Guaranteed To Change Your Skin For The Better
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  • 5 Centuries-Old Skincare Tricks That Are Just As Good Today
    We love skincare technology and exciting new ingredients but sometimes, even we have to admit, the old beauty tricks are the best.

    As you get older you soon realize that mom/grandma/your Auntie May was right about a lot of things. Their stingy toilet paper rationing might have been questionable (what was that all all about?) and their ‘fun meter’ was often way out of whack (according to you, of course!), but when it came to looking after their skin, they may have been on to something.

    Back in the day, skincare was much more straightforward. There were no Botox or laser facials to be had and the closest they got to a treatment serum was some kind of cooking oil found in their kitchen cupboards. However, there’s a lot to be said for the simpler things in life. Don’t get us wrong, we’re all about innovative ingredients and ground breaking skincare technology, but certain, old-school skincare tricks have been passed down through generations for a reason. They work.

    Read on for five of our favorite vintage beauty hacks you’d be wise to add to your skincare routine.

    1. Sleeping On Silk

    Ten years ago we bet you didn’t give a damn what kind of pillowcase you slept on. Surely it made zero difference to your skin, right? Well, actually, it kinda does. And if the onslaught of satin and silk pillowcases currently available are anything to go by, (not to mention the number of TikTok videos there are about them) it seems this trusted beauty trick has made a welcome return.

    So what’s the deal here? Well, according to The Sleep Foundation regular cotton, linen or flannel pillowcases have a slightly rough surface which causes friction against your skin. This means that if you tend to toss and turn throughout the night you’re likely to crush and fold your skin into your pillowcase, causing creases which could eventually become permanently etched in. Go for a silk pillowcase, however, and the smooth, slippery surface allows your skin to glide over it with much less friction and, fingers crossed, fewer lines and wrinkles as a result. Silk is also believed to absorb less moisture from your skin than cotton which helps to keep your skin and hair better hydrated while you sleep. So there's that.

    A few problems, however: silk pillowcases a) are pricey, b) often require hand-washing (yawn!) and c) are not vegan-friendly since silk comes from silkworm cocoons. The good news is that satin pillowcases can offer just-as-good benefits for your skin (and hair) and are budget-, vegan- and washing machine-friendly.

    2. The Magic Of Olive Oil

    Olive oil has long been used to benefit the skin and hair thanks to its high antioxidant and fatty acid content. As you know, antioxidants are super important for neutralizing the collagen-crushing effects of environmental aggressors like the sun and pollution. And fatty acids? Well, they’re excellent for fortifying your skin’s barrier function and helping to moisturize at a surface level. So put them together in one kitchen cupboard ingredient and it’s no wonder your mother couldn’t get enough of this stuff, often slapping it on before bed to reduce dryness and ‘feed’ the skin through the night.

    Olive oil isn’t for everyone, however. Because it sits on top of your skin it can be fabulous for dealing with dryness and dehydration. It’s also great for removing makeup and can be an incredible treatment for people with eczema. But if you have oily or acne-prone skin this layer of oil can clog your pores and exacerbate breakouts.

    If you sit in the latter camp and don’t fancy slapping pure olive oil all over your face, we get that. And boy do we have the ideal solution. Say hello to Vitamin C Super Serum+ which contains olive oil squalane. Nice.

    3. Witch Hazel To Tone

    Ask any older relative who’s been consistently into looking after their skin and most will tell you that, in days gone by, they’d often reach for witch hazel as a post-cleansing toning treatment.

    Witch hazel is harvested from the bark and leaves of the witch hazel plant, a small tree that grows wild in Asia and the east coast of North America. It’s a natural astringent and full of anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant compounds which is why many households ensure they always have a bottle at hand to topically treat a variety of ailments from hemorrhoids and dandruff to bug bites and acne. As a sidenote, it also makes for a pretty effective house cleaner! But we digress…

    Although it’s wonderfully healing and great for balancing oily skin, witch hazel can be pretty potent in its purest form. Instead, enjoy its benefits while taking care of your complexion with our Ocean Minerals Daily Face Super Toner which combines this awesome tonic with other powerhouses like vitamin C and glycolic acid.

    4. Nice, Ice Baby

    We hate to break it to all you Tiktokers out there, but skin icing is not new! Hollywood makeup artists have long raved about the benefits of running ice cubes over the face to reduce puffiness and get skin glowing. It’s a trick that’s been passed down for decades.

    When you think about it, the concept of applying cold water or ice to brighten, tone, smooth and depuff your complexion makes sense. After all, cold temperatures constrict your capillaries which stimulates blood circulation, encouraging oxygen and nutrients to flood to the surface. However, you need to know how to do this properly because freezing cold temperatures can also cause redness, irritation and dehydration if not dealt with carefully.

    For starters, you should never apply actual ice cubes straight to your skin because they can strip the skin of natural oils, killing your skin’s barrier function and even causing ices burns which is no fun. Instead, wrap ice cubes in a soft handkerchief or cloth and gently work them in circular motions over your skin for five minutes max. Oh, and always work on clean skin – we love to cleanse first with our Soothing Cleansing Milk.

    Even better? Invest in some ice globes which are glass or metal wands with balls on the ends that are kept in the fridge or freezer and awesome for massaging the skin. These give you all the benefits of the frigid temps, without all that melty mess.

    5. The Classic Eye Depuffer

    While we’re on the subject of cold things, hands up if you remember your mom or older sister lying on their bed with either cold teabags, potatoes or slices of cucumbers on their eyes? Classic. But this age-old beauty tricks is not to be knocked.

    The concept of popping a couple of cold things over your eyes for 10 minutes is similar to placing ice cubes on your skin – cold temperatures make your blood vessels contract which reduces puffiness, tiredness and dark circles. The light pressure also helps drain excess fluid. Plus who can knock the stress-relieving benefits of lying down and enjoying a bit of me-time once in a while?

    What you use is totally up to you but slices of cucumber are great because they have a high water content which helps to boosts moisture under the eyes. Potatoes, on the other hand contain skin-brightening enzymes. And cold tea bags? Well, depending on the type of tea used, you can help tackle all manner of eye issues. Chamomile is soothing and great for calming redness while lavender tea may help relieve dryness. Green and black teas contain caffeine so they should be your go-tos for tightening the skin and reducing under eye bags.

    We also like to finish this kind of treatment with a little eye cream just to really drive the eye-loving point home! Try Peptide Eye Gel if you’re looking for a good all-rounder.

    Anti-Aging
    5 Centuries-Old Skincare Tricks That Are Just As Good Today
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  • Spring Skin Prep – Yes, It's That Time Again!
    Because it's almost time to wave winter goodbye and welcome the season of sunshine and glowy skin. 

    Good news, people: you and your skin have made it through winter and spring is officially in the air.

    So what should you do to ensure you’re doing the best for your skin as the weather changes and the temperatures rise? Well, we believe that a great skincare routine should, first and foremost, be as consistent as possible. Do you have a darling cleanser you could not live without? Then stick with it. Love your night cream more than life itself? Then you keep doing you. However, as the year passes and the weather transitions from winter to spring, there might be certain products in your routine that, while might have worked great in the colder months, suddenly feel a bit much.

    Crazy rich moisturizers and heavy treatment masks, for example, are all great when dry, cold temps outdoors combine with dry, warm air indoors, sucking all the life and moisture from your skin. But do you really need them once humidity increases and the mercury rises? Probably not.

    Instead, here are five important ways to get your skin (and your skincare routine) ready for spring…

    1. Exfoliate More Regularly

    Exfoliation often takes a bit of a back seat in the winter when the thought of exacerbating dryness and upsetting your skin’s barrier function far outweighs the potential benefits of exfoliation. And we get that. Dry, cold weather dehydrates your skin and can even cause irritation, so why on earth would you want to mess with that by overusing facial scrubs or exfoliating acids?

    In the spring, however, humidity levels increase which offers up more natural moisture for your skin to soak up and hydrate itself with. This means skin becomes more resilient and is able to tolerate regular, albeit gentle exfoliation to boost cell turnover and freshen it up for sunnier days ahead. Also, if your skin is anything like ours, by the end of winter it definitely could do with a little radiance boost.

    We recommend our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant which is non-abrasive and a gentle way to exfoliate your skin. But don't get us wrong, it still packs a good enough punch to boost sluggish skin turnover and wake up your collagen supplies. Depending on your skin type, you can use this exfoliating lotion every day but always patch test first, and if you have super sensitive skin, try it just two or three times a week.

    2. Lighten Up Your Moisturizing Regime

    There’s no better feeling than smothering your face and neck with a rich moisturizer in the winter months. But as the weather gets better and your skin starts to hydrate itself more efficiently (and maybe sweat a little more)? Not so much.

    Spring and summertime are when lighter moisturizers come into their own. Unless you have very dry skin all year round, now’s the time to move away from heavy, occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter and mineral oils in favor of lighter, hydrating humectants and emollients. Humectants, which include the likes of glycerin and hyaluronic acid, draw water into the skin’s top layers while emollients like jojoba oil and squalane help to lock moisture into your skin without clogging up your pores.

    Feel like lightening up for spring? Our favorite moisturizer for this time of year is our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer which also contains an added glow-getting boost of vitamin C. Speaking of which…

    3. Embrace The Benefits Of Vitamin C

    It’s wise to go easy on potent, active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid in the winter when your skin is drier, more dehydrated and easily irritated by strong ingredients. However, as humidity levels rise your skin becomes way more tolerant to powerful ingredients.

    That’s why we believe spring is the best time to introduce some topical actives into your routine. And what better than vitamin C?

    Vitamin C is a freakin’ amazing antioxidant, making it the perfect choice when you’re spending more time in the great outdoors. Because, sun damage. What’s more, it also helps your skin tone remain even and bright by keeping melanin production under control.

    We have a whole bunch of winning vitamin C formulas but for the most powerful boost try our Vitamin C Super Serum + two or three nights a week under moisturizer. You could even alternate it with our classic Vitamin C Facial Serum if that floats your boat. We don’t think you’ll regret it.

    4. Breathe Life Back Into Your Pores

    All those heavy moisturizers and weighty makeup choices can sure weigh down your pores, so now’s a great time to give your skin a detox. Or a spring clean, if you will.

    Cleansing in the winter can be a real juggling game because skin becomes very needy in the moisture department during those cold, dry months. However, come spring you can afford to introduce deeper cleansing ingredients into your routine – if that’s what your skin needs, of course.

    Don’t fall into the trap of over-cleansing your skin with a routine that’s packed with chemicals, however. This will dry out your skin and fool your sebaceous glands into thinking your skin needs more oil. And the more oil your skin produces, the more likely it is to bind itself to bacteria, dirt and makeup, stretching your pores and asking for trouble, aka breakouts.

    Instead, choose gentle, effective cleansing products that harness balancing ingredients like tea tree oil, coconut charcoal and kaolin. Wash your face in lukewarm, never hot water, and use a light massaging technique to thoroughly cleanse your skin without over-stimulating your pores. Try our Tea Tree Super Cleanser + to help kick-start dreary, end-of-winter skin.

    5. Be Extra Vigilant With SPF

    Of course, you’ve been routinely applying your SPF all winter long, right? RIGHT? Well, if you haven’t, then a) shame and you and b) best you rectify that right now.

    While UVA rays are able to penetrate through clouds and are present all year long – rain or shine – the intensity of UVB rays increases in the warmer months when the earth is closer to the sun. Of course, they’re at their peak during summer, but if ever there was a time to start being more strict with your SPF, spring is it. Start now and it’ll become a habit before you even know it.

    We recommend applying SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every morning as an absolute must. Even if you hate the feeling of sunscreen on your skin, this sheer, lightweight formulation is sure to win you over.

     

    Skincare Tips
    Spring Skin Prep – Yes, It's That Time Again!
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  • Weird Things That Can (Surprisingly!) Give You Wrinkles
    Fine lines and wrinkles are totally natural, but if you want to lessen their impact, you might want to take a look at some of these seemingly innocent lifestyle habits.

    We’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve warned you about the perils of the sun and its effect on the number and intensity of your wrinkles. Ditto for stress, smoking and a lack of sleep. But while these things are up there as the most common culprits of aging skin – the sun being the number one offender, of course – there are plenty of other everyday lifestyle habits you probably didn’t realize were affecting the rate at which your skin aged.

    Obsessed with your Stanley water bottle right now? Well, for one thing, who isn’t? But for another, you might want to rethink that whole drinking-from-a-straw situation once you’ve read the rest of this article. You have been warned…

    Drinking From A Straw

    One of the main reasons smoking is so bad for your skin (toxic chemicals aside) is the repetitive motion of puckering up your lips. How so? Well, this repeated action contracts a ring of muscle around the mouth area called the orbicularis oris muscle. Over time, this causes your skin to lose elasticity. And you know those lines you see when you purse your lips? Instead of going away after you relax your mouth, they start to become permanently etched in.

    Same thing happens if you drink through a straw all day long.

    What To Do: As much as we know you love your Stanley Quencher try not to drink out of it 24/7. At home, switch it out for a regular glass and when you’re out and about go for a water bottle that doesn’t have a straw. Oh, and if you get offered a straw when you next order a gin and tonic in a bar, say no. Those fine lines around your lips – as well as the environment – will be forever grateful.

    Your Smartphone

    What would we do without our digital devices? They are pretty much everything in today’s modern world. And we wouldn’t have it any other way. However, your smartphone, in particular, plays a huge part in the health of your skin. For one thing, constantly looking down while texting, gaming, emailing and browsing can accelerate the formation of creases or bands around the circumference of your neck, aka ‘tech neck.’ Similarly, squinting and frowning at your phone can add even more lines and wrinkles both on your forehead and around your eyes.

    Your digital devices also emit something called high-energy visible (HEV) or blue light which studies suggest are just as damaging to your skin as UV light. Blue light not only has the potential to disrupt your skin’s natural barrier function but it can promote inflammation, encourage discoloration and accelerate collagen damage which is a one-way ticket to fine lines and wrinkles.

    What To Do: Use your phone less (ha, if only it were that easy!) and always hold it upright so your head isn’t looking down all the time.

    You must also try our awesome Longevity skincare range. This collection of three healthy aging products contains lingonberry stems cells which have been shown to help protect your skin from blue light damage.

    The Way You Sleep

    Getting lots of quality sleep is majorly important for the state of your skin, but skincare experts also agree that the way in which you sleep carries just as much weight on your skin’s aging process. Sleeping on one side, for example, causes creasing on that same side of your face which can increase your chances of developing fine lines on one side more than the other. Similarly, sleeping on your front and smushing your face into your pillow every night creates repeated pressure on your entire face – a sure-fire way to invite fine lines and wrinkles to do their worst.

    What To Do: A silk pillowcase can help reduce friction, but your best bet is to change your sleep position so you sleep on your back with your head slightly raised. This avoids repetitive face-to-pillow contact and stops excess fluids from pooling under your eyes which helps stop dark circles and puffiness. Extra bonus right there.

    Forgetting To Wear Sunglasses

    Squinting is another one-way ticket to fine lines and wrinkles around the eyes as it causes your periocular muscles to repeatedly contract. And if you continue to do this day after day you will soon see exactly what we mean when those cute lines around your eyes turn into deep crevices that just won’t go away. Squinting also contributes to those annoying vertical lines between your eyebrows – glabellar lines or 11s – making it a real no-no if you care about aging skin.  

    What To Do: Wear shades whenever you go outside – even if it’s bright but not particularly sunny. This’ll immediately stop you squinting and will also protect the skin around your eyes from those damaging UV rays. And if you find yourself squinting at your computer or the TV? Well, it might be time for an eye test. Just saying.

    Finally, to help keep the skin around your eyes moisturized and youthful-looking, apply an eye cream morning and night. Try our Peptide Eye Gel which helps support collagen production to minimize premature aging.

    Allergies

    Do you find yourself continually rubbing the skin around your eyes during the allergy season? This happens when your body’s defense system reacts to an allergen it feels threatened by. Mast cells in your eyes then release chemicals like histamine to try and get rid of these allergens which causes your eyes to become red, watery and itchy.

    Allergy triggers can come from many things, including airborne pollen and pet hair, but the worst thing you can do for your skin is to vigorously scrub away at your eyes. This seriously upsets your collagen supplies, thinning your skin, wearing it down and inviting lines around your eyes to do their worst.

    What To Do: If your eyes are constantly itching, the most important plan of action is to find out why, so talk to your doctor if symptoms persist. In the meantime, try eye drops and if you can't help but rub your eyes, reduce damage by using just the pads of your ring fingers rather than your whole hand. This will help reduce pressure and friction.

    Swimming

    We hate to knock any form of exercise but swimming in chlorinated water can be pretty harsh on your skin (and your hair for that matter!). Chlorine is great for sanitizing water and eliminating any contaminants that may otherwise cause infection and illness. But it’s not ideal for your delicate skin. In fact it’s a natural irritant that strips natural oils and moisture from your skin’s protective barrier. This is OK in small doses but if you swim every day and don’t protect your skin, this can potentially cause dryness and dehydration. And two things wrinkles love in order to thrive are dryness and dehydration.

    What To Do: A pre-swim shower is a great way to reduce chlorine damage because if your skin is already wet, it will absorb less chlorinated water. Smart huh? Of course, you should also shower immediately after swimming and moisturize all over to replace lost sebum and hydration.

    When it comes to your face, apply Vitamin C Facial Serum to fully cleansed skin after swimming. Vitamin C helps neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine. Follow with moisturizer and you should be good.

    3 Of Our Favorite Wrinkle-Busting Skincare Products

    Because a little help goes a very long way...

    1. Collagen Boosting Skin Supplement

    Want to keep your skin looking its best for as long as possible? Then you simply have to look after your collagen. And what better way than with this daily supplement that’s literally brimming with clinically-proven, collagen-promoting ingredients like vitamin C, acai and biotin.

    2. SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C

    Did we mention that the sun is the biggest culprit when it comes to premature skin aging? We did? Yeah, well, we will continue to do so. We will also continue to laud the benefits of daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen for warding off the sun’s damaging UV rays. And this is an absolute must. No arguments.

    3. Retinol Facial Serum

    One of the most effective anti-aging ingredients in skincare, retinol helps stimulate cell turnover and up your skin’s content of quality collagen. This awesome facial serum also contains hydrating hyaluronic acid (take that wrinkles) and vitamin E (same). We love that for you.

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  • The Ingredients That Make Our Longevity Range So Darn Good
    Packed with some of the most forward-thinking (and super effective) ingredients in skincare, our Longevity range is everything for healthy, aging skin. So, let’s get acquainted, shall we?

    It’s not often we pat ourselves on the backs, but at the end of 2023 we launched a complete new range of awesome, healthy aging products called Longevity. Brimming with incredible ingredients and with three expertly formulated products, we’re super proud of this range. It’s also been getting some excellent feedback on Amazon with reviews like: “This eye cream has truly been a game-changer for me,” and “I’m sensitive to retinol products, but this makes my skin feel so soft and hydrated.”

    True praise indeed.

    We figured, therefore, that it was time to tell you a little more about the range. Consisting of three products, Renewing Longevity Moisturizing CreamDepuffing Longevity Eye Cream and Rejuvenating Longevity Serum this collection is all about its innovative ingredients which are specifically formulated to help skin age healthily and beautifully. We know how much you love to learn about skincare ingredients so we figured you’d love to hear more about the five powerhouses that make Longevity so unique and effective.

    So, here we go…

    1. Bakuchiol: The Retinol Alternative

    Bakuchiol has made headlines over the last five years, but if you’re still none the wiser, here’s the lowdown.

    A botanical extract derived from the leaves and seeds of the Psoralea Corylifolia plant (commonly known as babchi), bakuchiol has been used in traditional Chinese and Indian medicine for years to treat skin ailments and diseases. Thanks to its popularity in Ayurvedic practices, it started making its way into western skincare around 2007. And it quickly showed a lot of promise because of its similarities to the gold standard of skincare, retinol.

    Unless you’ve been living under a rock for your entire life, you’ll be well aware that retinol is one of the most highly regarded ingredients for improving the tone and texture of the skin. It works at a cellular level to rev up turnover and encourage healthy collagen production, making it a shoo-in for both aging and acne-prone skin. But the thing with retinol is that it’s potent. Like, really potent. So much so that it doesn’t suit all skin types, often causing facial redness, excess dryness, irritation and itching. Which is no one’s idea of a good time.

    Of course, there are plenty of alternatives out there that work on similar issues (ceramides, peptides, antioxidants and exfoliating acids to name just a few) but nothing before has ever been compared so closely to retinol as bakuchiol.

    This is why we simply had to base our corrective, aging products around this absolute gem of a skincare ingredient. All the powers of wrinkle-reducing, skin-smoothing retinol with way fewer side effects? We’d have been fools not to.

    2. Coffeeberry: The Free Radical Terminator

    One of skin’s biggest enemies is the free radical. Free radicals are nasty components that form in your skin when it’s exposed to external aggressors like UV radiation, pollution, stress and cigarette smoke. They’re bad news because they screw up your collagen and elastin supplies, having the knock-on effect of encouraging premature lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin. As we said, bad news.

    A proven way to combat free radical damage is to throw topical antioxidants at your skin. And, while we’re huge fans of vitamin C (*understatement of the year, right there!), we’re nothing if not open to other antioxidant ingredients. And coffeeberry extract fits firmly into this camp.

    Derived from the fruit that surrounds the coffee bean, coffeeberry extract is chock full of antioxidants and some studies suggest that it has up to 10x the antioxidant powers of other topical ingredients. We call that a pretty strong argument for using it in skincare products for mature skin. So that’s exactly what we did! And you’re welcome.

    3. Glycerin: The Hydrating Classic

    While we love being at the forefront of skincare technology and exploring nature’s finest new ingredients, we loathe to ignore the classics. And glycerin might be an oldie… but it’s a real goodie.

    TruSkin Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream

    Sometimes known as glycerol, glycerin is one of the most effective humectants in skincare. In fact, research suggests it’s the most effective humectant you can use on your skin. Even better than hyaluronic acid (HA). This is because it has a lower molecular weight than HA which allows it to penetrate the skin deeper and quicker.

    But wait, what do humectants do? Well, they’re the wonderkids of hydration, drawing water to the top layers of the skin like tiny little magnets. This helps to replenish your skin’s natural moisturizing factor, increasing hydration and minimizing water loss while also encouraging healing and better protection from that bad old world we live in. For such an unassuming ingredient, it's pretty powerful stuff… and something you’ll find not only in our Longevity range but across a whole bunch of TruSkin favorites. We salute you, glycerin.

    4. Lingonberry Stem Cells: The Anti Blue Light Hero

    Berries are big in the superfood world, but few pack the punch of lingonberries which are literally loaded with active plant compounds such as vitamins and polyphenols (basically super-charged antioxidants).

    With small, bright red berries and glossy green leaves, the lingonberry plant is a hardy evergreen that’s commonly found in northern American forests as well as northern Europe and Canada. Again, it’s not as common in skincare as other fruits, but it’s great for adding hydration and blocking those pesky free radicals that love to cause havoc deep within your skin. In particular, these smart stem cells have been shown to protect the skin against blue light damage (aka high energy visible, or HEV light) which surrounds us everyday thanks to the sun as well as your smartphones, computers, TVs and other digital devices.

    TruSkin Depuffing Longevity Eye Cream

    Blue light is part of the visible light spectrum which means that, unlike UV radiation, you can see it. It’s pretty good stuff because it’s high in energy and proven to boost your mood, improve memory and increase mental alertness. However, it’s been linked to eye damage and, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if you expose your body to blue light late at night, it throws your sleep way out of whack. It’s also seen as a real enemy to your skin because, just like UV rays, it produces free radicals which damage DNA and destroy collagen and elastin.

    Protection is key, people, and lingonberry stem cells are your gals.

    5. Snow Algae: The Pink Powerhouse

    You might not have seen snow algae on the skincare shelves before (or in your local park for that matter!), but don’t let that fool you, because it's a true force to be reckoned with.

    Snow algae is found in the ice caps and mountain tops of some of the coldest, most extreme climates in the world. Although it’s green at warmer temperatures, snow algae turns pink when the mercury drops and levels of UV radiation increase. This is why it’s often referred to as pink, red or watermelon snow. Why the color change? Well, this produces a clever defense system which protects snow algae from harmful UV radiation and allows it to thrive in such extreme, frigid conditions where most plants would stand no chance.

    TruSkin Rejuvenating Longevity Serum

    Pretty cool, right? Well, it’s just as cool for your skin. In fact, research shows that when applied topically and regularly, snow algae not only offers amazing antioxidant properties (take that, free radicals) but also activates certain enzymes and genes to restrict energy to your skin. This encourages them to work more efficiently which, in turn, accelerates DNA repair, boosts collagen production and slows down the aging process to help fortify your skin’s barrier function and strengthen your skin.

    Fancy getting in on all these skin-regenerating, age-loving ingredients? Then you must try our fantastic Longevity range, right here.

     

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