Guaranteed Ways To Breathe New Life Into Tired Skin

Reckon you’ll never see bright eyes and a glowing complexion again? On the contrary. Here’s how to hit the reset button on over-indulged skin.

Hangovers are bad enough. The headache. The foggy memory loss. The nausea. The maxed-out credit card. Oh the shame of it all. Plus there’s nobody to blame but yourself. Eugh, why do we do it to ourselves? You’d think we would have learnt better by now.

Ha, fat chance.

Another thing. Is it just us, or as we get older, don’t hangovers feel 3,000 times worse? And, hold on, but why does our skin look so freakin’ terrible? Surely that didn’t happen in our 20s right?

The truth is, hangovers do get worse with age because your body’s metabolism decreases allowing alcohol to hang around in your system for way longer than you’d like. Also, your liver becomes less efficient which means its less able to cope with all those toxins that alcohol throws at it. It will get there eventually but, again, it will take way longer than a 20-year-old liver. There are also other factors to take into consideration. Your body weight, whether you're taking any medication, all this adds up to longer, worse hangovers and ruddy-looking skin as a consequence.

Sigh.

How Alcohol Affects Your Skin

Alcohol affects your skin in a number of ways. Here are the biggest things you'll notice after a night (or two) on the sauce...

* Alcohol is a diuretic which means that it increases urine production, making you pee more frequently and therefore lose vital water. Cue dehydration and more visible fine lines.

* Excessive water loss also causes your body to miss out on vital vitamins, minerals and nutrients that help ‘feed’ your skin and strengthen its barrier function. Cue dullness.

* Alcohol causes your blood vessels to dilate. Cue redness and flare-ups in existing conditions like rosacea.

* Ever woken up after a boozy night out only to feel like you’ve slept for minutes, rather than hours? That’s because alcohol unbalances your sleep, causing you to wake up throughout the night. Cue dark under eye circles and puffy skin.

* Then there are all those free radicals that form and screw up your collagen and elastin. Cue accelerated skin aging.

5 Tips For Rejuvenating Morning-After Skin

No matter that we know how bad drinking excessive amounts of alcohol is for our health and our skin, we still do it. So if you find yourself experiencing some serious morning-after-the-night-before skin, here are five emergency sk-invigorating (see what we did there?) tricks to try.

1. Wake Up Your Skin

Even just stepping in the shower and letting the water fall over your body can instantly lift a hangover. But to really get your blood flowing and thus encourage oxygen and nutrients to flood to your skin, we recommend a good (but gentle) exfoliation session. Our energizing Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub is awesome for hungover skin as it also contains brightening whizz-kid, vitamin C – c’mon, it’s right there in the name!

Offering the effects of a mini facial (but with minimal effort), exfoliation helps clear out your pores and get rid of dead, dulling skin cells from the surface of your skin. It also boosts collagen production and smooths out the skin making it better able to absorb all the other goodies you’re about to treat it with. And trust us, your skin needs all the help it can get right now.

Gently work your scrub over your entire face and neck, using circular motions to lift and smooth out the skin as you massage it all over. And if you can bear it, try a cool rinse to finish. It’ll feel pretty savage at the time but, trust us, it’ll make you feel a million times better in the long-term.

2. Calm Redness

Facial flushing and booze go hand-in-hand for many people so if that includes you and you find that your redness lingers way into the next day, keep your morning-after routine simple and calming. Avoid exfoliating acids like glycolic and salicylic, and stick with gentle cleansers, hydrating toners and treatments that contain de-stressing ingredients like ceramides, aloe, vitamin E and niacinamide.

We love treating our skin with Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner after a particularly boozy night out. This one-ingredient-only (er, rose water) facial spritz instantly calms and hydrates the skin after cleansing, plus it feels cooling and refreshing which is perfect when, inside, you feel neither of those things!

TOP TIP: In future, try to stick with clear spirits rather than red wine or dark liquor. Clear spirits like vodka, tequila and gin contain less histamines and are less likely to aggravate the skin or cause inflammation.

3. Reduce Puffiness

Too much booze makes your body want to retain water in a bid to combat dehydration. And fluid retention is the pits for your skin, inevitably making your face – and especially the area under the eyes – look puffy and swollen. It doesn’t help that you’ve also been starved of quality sleep which raises your levels of cortisol (the ‘stress’ hormone) which alters the salt balance in your body and forces it to retain even more water. Ever woken up after a big night out with under eyes bags the size of China? Yeah, this is exactly what we’re talking about. 

To help pep up your face and reduce swelling, try a deep massage with your morning cleanse. Your hands are a powerful tool for getting blood flowing and improving lymphatic drainage so spend a few minutes working on your face to help depuff your skin.

When it comes to your eyes, place cold, used tea bags, cucumber slices or teaspoons over them and relax for 10 minutes. Anything cool will help reduce swelling by narrowing the blood vessels. Then, for an extra shot of depuffing freshness, follow with Depuffing Longevity Eye Cream.

4. Enjoy A Hit Of Multivits

Similar to how your oral multivitamins will give your body a much-needed pick-me-up, their topical cousins will also make your skin feel (and look!) a hundred times better. Vitamin C helps boost energy while vitamin E soothes and calms your skin. Then there are your Bs, D, F and K which all work together to balance the skin, neutralize damaging free radicals, protect your collagen supplies and strengthen the barrier function.

Our Multivitamin Facial Serum is a great post-party treatment because not only does it contain all of the above but it’s chock full of minerals and electrolytes for a complete, healthier-looking skin overhaul. Apply just a few drops to your face and neck after cleansing and toning and nobody will ever know about that extra shot of tequila you downed when you should really have been getting an Uber.

5. Load Up On Hydration

Morning-after thirst is real. Not only for your entire sorry being, but for your skin, too. So as well as drinking plenty of fluids to reduce nausea and a banging headache, you need to rehydrate and moisturize your skin from the outside in.

If you have some kind of intensely hydrating mask at hand, that’ll go a long way to taking the thirst away from parched skin. Look out for ingredients that draw water to the surface. These are called humectants and include things like glycerin, aloe vera and the biggest crowd-pleaser of them all, hyaluronic acid.

Our Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum contains all three of these big guns and believe us when we tell you that your skin is going to lap it all up! Apply it to damp skin to make the most of surface moisture, then finish with a rich day cream that contains botanical oils, ceramides and/or fatty acids to help seal it in for the rest of the day.

Our favorite post-party moisturizer? Undoubtedly Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer which blends antioxidant-rich green tea with jojoba oil and a cheeky hit of vitamin C to really get your glow back on.

Now, who's ready for another night out? Anyone?

Choosing the right skincare is extremely important. Especially when it comes to moisturizing.

Reckon you’re doing everything you can to help your skin stay healthy and strong… yet it still seems unhappy? It could be something as simple as using the wrong moisturizer. Because while it’s common to concentrate on the potent retinol, glycolic acid or vitamin C treatments in your routine, moisturizers are often given little thought. They’re all the same, right? Wrong. In fact, slapping ‘any old cream’ on your face can do more harm than good.

The good news is if your moisturizer is all kinds of wrong, your skin will not be shy in coming forward. You just need to look out for the red flags. 

Why Your Choice Of Moisturizer Matters

Moisturizing keeps dryness and flaky patches away and, of course, that’s super important – whatever your skin type. However, your moisturizer’s true role is to strengthen your skin’s barrier function so it’s able to naturally protect itself by holding in moisture while repelling environmental nasties that might, otherwise, cause irritation.

Of course, back in the day, the best moisturizer was thought to be petroleum jelly. And fair’s fair, things like Vaseline are pretty unbeatable when it comes to sealing moisture into the skin – just ask all those slugging fans on TikTok! But creating a seal on the surface of your skin is about all they offer. Nowadays, moisturizers are so much more than that, furnishing your skin with all kinds of goodness like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, natural botanicals and antioxidants. Combined with emollients and occlusives like shea butter and jojoba oil, these ingredients not only to help reduce water loss but they bring extra moisture, nutrients and environmental protection to the table. 

So, how to find the right moisturizer for you? Well, we believe that first and foremost you must look for the gentlest formula for your skin type; one that avoids common irritants like synthetic fragrance or parabens. Then it’s about listening to your skin and switching things up when your moisturizer isn’t quite hitting the mark.

Finally, remember that your skin changes all the time, so what worked for you in the summer might not be enough come the cold, dry winter months. Similarly, an age-old favorite you’ve been using since 2005 is not going to deliver the same moisturization your skin needs 20 years later. And your skin will give you fair warning with some not-so-subtle hints.

5 Signs Your Skin Is Begging For A Moisturizer Update

1. Your Skin Feels Crazy Dry – Even After Applying Moisturizer

If you experience tightness, peeling skin, flaky patches or tiny cracks in your makeup these are all tell-tale signs that your moisturizer is not offering the amount of water and oil-boosting TLC your skin is crying out for. 

Dry skin lacks oil, while dehydrated skin is short on water so make sure your moisturizer contains ingredients that work hard to replenish both. Avoid strong actives such as retinol and exfoliating acids, and stick with humectants like hyaluronic acid which draw water to the surface of your skin. These should ideally be combined with ingredients that balance sebum and help repair tiny cracks in the skin in order to keep TEWL (transepidermal water loss) to a minimum.

Our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer and Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream are particularly great as they offer all-day AND all-night moisture replenishment while bringing harmony to dry, unbalanced skin. 

2. Oiliness Is Taking Over Your Face

If you have oily skin that’s way greasier than normal, or normal (ish!) skin that’s feeling kind of slick, your moisturizer could definitely be to blame. But don’t give up on it altogether. Do this and your skin will keep on producing more and more sebum to counteract the lack of moisturizer you’re offering. Bad move.

The key to successfully moisturizing oily skin is to keep your products light – gels and lightweight lotions are always winners. Avoid heavy ingredients like cocoa butter and coconut oil because these will trap oil at a surface level, making your skin feel sticky and greasy. Not to mention the havoc it can potentially create in your pores. One word: breakouts.

Again, go big on humectants and choose products containing jojoba oil which helps seal in moisture without blocking your pores. It’s also wise to layer up with a lightweight hydrating serum like Smoothing Collagen Serum if your skin needs a little extra love. 

3. Your Skin Is Red & Itchy

Facial redness can be down to all manner of issues, from chronic skin conditions like rosacea and psoriasis, to more temporary concerns like breakouts and irritation. 

If you feel like your red skin is thanks to the latter, you’re going to want to reduce the number of active ingredients in your skincare routine. Stop exfoliating for a while and lay off the retinol to see if that helps. You should also check the ingredients in your moisturizer because chances are there’s something in there of which your skin is not a fan. The most common irritants in moisturizers are fragrance, preservatives (notably parabens), benzyl alcohols and propylene glycol so avoid these if you can. Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream is a good choice because it contains a gentle, retinol alternative called bakuchiol and is specifically formulated for sensitive skin.

4. You’re Breaking Out More Than Normal

Instincts tell us not to moisturize the skin when it’s oily and breaking out, but this is a mistake. As previously mentioned, oily skin still needs moisture replenishment in order to remain balanced and healthy.

Of course, you must avoid rich, heavy balms, butters and creams as these can worsen acne by clogging up your pores. But look for water-based formulas that are oil-free or contain only the ‘right’ kind of oils – aka those that are noncomedogenic (less likely to block your pores) – and you’ll be on a much better path to balanced, harmonized skin. Noncomedogenic oils include jojoba, sunflower, grapeseed and rosehip seed. Niacinamide, retinol and salicylic acid are also awesome for balancing sebum and accelerating sluggish cell turnover. Try Retinol Moisturizer.

5. Sun Damage Is So Very Real

If dark spots are becoming more and more noticeable (heck, even if they’re not!), you should seriously think about upgrading your moisturizer to one that contains broad-spectrum SPF and, even better, protective antioxidants. There are some fantastic formulas out there that not only shield your skin from UV radiation but add moisturization, boost collagen production or help to brighten dull skin. And they’re a far cry from the thick, hard-to-apply formulas you may remember from years gone by.

Our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen, for example, is beautifully wearable and goes on like a dream. It can also be applied alone or over your favorite day cream depending on the level of moisture your skin needs.

(PS: Big sun protection news is coming from us real soon. One word: serum. We literally can’t wait.)

Serums can truly supercharge your skincare routine – especially if you know how to maximize their effectiveness. Here’s how…

We believe your face serum should be one of your most prized skincare possessions. Of course, daily sunscreen is crucial, and yes, your cleanser provides the foundation to everything that follows. But a face serum is the key to targeting everything you love (and maybe don’t love so much) about your skin. Whether you want to improve hydration, deal with breakouts, soften fine lines or brighten tired skin, the right face serum can help fix the lot.

Speaking of the ‘right’ face serum, finding your perfect fit is vital, but let us ask you this: do you feel like you’ve found the one... yet it’s kind of underperforming? Then it’s probably not the serum that’s the issue. Instead, it’s likely the way you’re using it.

So let’s fix that, shall we?

Your Serum Strategy 101

Think of your face serum as the VIP in your skincare routine. Because yes, it's that special. Plus, it’s likely to have cost more than most of your other products, so it’d be foolish not to fuel yourself with the knowledge of how to use it effectively. 

Here are the face serum rules we follow to the letter…

When To Use Your Face Serum

The correct order in which to apply ALL of your skincare products matters. A lot. And the general rule of thumb is that you should always work with your products from thin to thick; from water to oil. 

This means that cleanser comes first (obvs!), then toner, serum, eye cream and finally moisturizer. If you apply serum after your moisturizer, on the other hand, the rich, slightly heavier nature of moisturizer will block the serum from the surface of your skin. And this will immediately make it less effective. That’s what we call money down the drain.

Serum BEFORE moisturizer, people. Always.

How Much Face Serum Should You Use?

Face serums are super lightweight due to their small molecular structure. This means they’re able to carry a high intensity of concentrated, active ingredients in a relatively thin, slippery formulation. This is crucial because it gives serum the ability to penetrate the skin more effectively than thicker, more viscous formulations like moisturizer and facial oil.

Thanks to their slippery nature, face serums smooth over your skin like a dream – well, a good one does, anyway;). Sure, it’s tempting to smother your face in it because you think your skin will end up reaping more benefits from all those awesome ingredients. But that’s a mistake because, the truth is, your skin can only soak up so much.

A reputable serum will always come with guidelines on how much to use, but a pea-sized amount, or roughly two to three drops, should generally be sufficient for your face and neck. Any more will simply be a waste.

5 Ways To Make Your Face Serum Work Harder

Because it's not just what you apply, but the way in which you apply it...

1. Exfoliate First

If the surface of your skin is clogged up with dead skin cells, your face serum stands no chance of penetrating at a deeper level. And this means it won’t work so well. So make sure you exfoliate regularly to create an easier pathway for your serum to go about its business.

A gentle scrub two or three times a week is a great shout, but if you’re not keen on face scrubs, try a leave-on chemical exfoliant that uses ingredients like glycolic acid and/or salicylic acid to dissolve the ‘glue’ that holds dead skin cells together. 

Try: 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant

2. Nail The Damp Skin Technique

Serums are able to penetrate the skin better if your skin has a bit of moisture present at its surface. Why? Because damp skin is more permeable, easy as that.

The trick is to apply a couple of drops to your hand as quickly as you can after cleansing or toning your skin. Then apply serum all over your face and neck using clean hands and light pressing motions. Not only will your skin be more receptive to all those fabulous ingredients but you’ll also lock in a little extra moisture while you’re at it. Win win.

One word of warning, however. If you have sensitive skin, you might actually be better off applying your serum to dry skin to reduce irritation. But play around, see what works best for you.

3. Understand That Your Skin’s Needs Vary From Morning To Night

Just like your entire body, your skin’s needs are very much governed by time. Cell turnover, for example, is at its peak during the night, while you’re asleep. This means that instead of using a sun protective antioxidant serum before bed, it’s much better to encourage repair and regeneration with ingredients like retinol, peptides and growth factors. Sebum production also slows down at night so it's similarly wise to enlist in some help sealing in hydration.

Meanwhile, your levels of cortisol are at their highest when you wake up, so anti-inflammatory serums that contain ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin E are better as part of your morning routine. Skin brightening and awakening ingredients like caffeine and vitamin C are also more beneficial first thing when you’ll be able to maximize – and actually see! – their revitalizing effects. And obviously antioxidants that help to protect your skin from environmental harm are crucial every morning.

Try: Day Night Duo with Vitamin C and Retinol Facial Serums

4. Wait A Hot Minute Before Applying Moisturizer

While it’s great to apply face serum swiftly after cleansing and/or toning, it’s wise to wait 60 seconds or so between your serum and moisturizer. Most serum formulations will sink in super fast but still, giving the formulation a short while to fully absorb and dry helps it to really settle into your skin.

5. Give Your Face Serum Enough Time To Work

Serums aren’t miracle workers that instantly make wrinkles vanish overnight. On the contrary, for real results, you’ll need to consistently apply yours for at least six to eight weeks before you’ll even begin to see their true effects.

Saying that, don’t rush in without patch testing any new formulation first. Then, if you’re good to go, make sure to introduce it slowly into your routine. This will give your skin time to adjust, thereby reducing your chances of irritation. It’ll also stop you from giving up too soon!

Check out our line-up of awesome serums right here. And if you don’t know which one is right for you, here’s a helpful guide.

Want to crush lit-from-within skin this spring? Then you’d better start your glow-getting routine immediately.

We don’t know about you, but this time of year is when we generally start thinking about getting our skin prepped and primed for spring. After all, brighter sunshine, longer days and warmer temps mean more time spent outside and so we want our skin to reflect the joys of springtime weather – bright, radiant and full of life.

Don’t get us wrong, we’ve done everything we can to keep our skin moisturized and looking good all winter long, but it’s not always easy, especially after the holidays when the focus has been more on wine and cheese than topical antioxidants and deep moisturization.

So what’s on the ‘must do this’ list for getting skin glowing and ready for spring? Follow these pointers and you’ll be well on the way. 

1. Focus On Moisture

Winter is notorious for drying out the skin. You can blame the weather, for sure, because dry, cold air sucks all the hydration from the skin’s uppermost layers. But there are plenty of other things going on that ruin your skin’s moisture mojo. Central heating has to take some responsibility, as must things like hot baths and comfort foods.

If your skin is still feeling somewhat thirsty after battling the elements all winter long, stick with what you’ve likely been doing for the past few months. It’ll pay off eventually – promise. Invest in a humidifier for your bedroom to boost the moisture content in the air as you sleep and make sure your diet includes plenty of water-rich foods like cucumber, watermelon and tomatoes, as well as omega-3 fatty acids found in oily fish and seeds.

As for your skincare routine, we love to layer a hydrating, nourishing serum under moisturizer as this supercharges the skin’s levels of moisture, without it needing to rely on super-heavy creams that can weigh it down.

Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum is always a smart choice but you could also try our much-loved but often underestimated Peptide Facial Serum which combines three of the best hydrators we know – aloe, glycerin and panthenol – alongside collagen-enhancing peptides. Apply your serum of choice under moisturizer morning and night and your skin will soon have a brighter pep in its step. Plus, it'll feel downright amazing as an extra bonus.

2. Get Friendly With Exfoliating Acids

Chemical exfoliants are awesome for gifting your skin with a smoother (and therefore brighter) surface. Unlike facial scrubs which use grains like fine sand or salt and require physical motion to work, chemical exfoliants simply sit on your skin and go about their business with no effort at all. They work by breaking down the bonds between dead skin cells so they’re able to slough away quicker and more efficiently. Simple as that. 

Furthermore, if you choose wisely and opt for a kind-to-skin formulation that harmonizes different kinds of chemical exfoliants, you may even be able to use it every day. Take our 6% AHA, BHA and PHA Liquid Exfoliant, for example. This hard-working, but never too hard-on-your-skin toner accelerates cell turnover with a perfectly balanced blend of glycolic acid (AHA), salicylic acid (BHA) and gluconolactone (PHA). And, yes, we know that might sound like a lot of exfoliating acids for one face, but fear not, we made sure to include just the right amount of each to gently exfoliate without leaving your skin feeling stripped or dry.

It’s the perfect product to give your skin the coveted glow you’ve been seeking since September said goodbye.

3. OD On Vitamin C

One of our favorite skin mottos is ‘when in doubt, reach for topical vitamin C.’ And do you know what? It’s never let us down. In fact, vitamin C is what’s known at TruSkin HQ as the ultimate brightening powerhouse. Not only is it one of the most trusted and tested antioxidants (reminder: antioxidants fight free radicals and keep your collagen levels in check) but it’s also thought to inhibit melanin production which means fewer dark spots, less patchy areas and a more glowy, even-looking complexion all round.

Of course, we don’t literally want you to OD on vitamin C. Some forms can be extremely potent and even a little irritating if you use them too much and apply them too often. So you have to tread carefully. Our advice? Introduce new products slowly into your routine, patch test them first, and stick with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP). SAP is a salt form of the pure stuff which makes it more stable and therefore much gentler.

You'll find vitamin C, and more specifically SAP, in a ton of our skincare formulations so you really can pick and choose depending on your skin’s needs and preferences. Serums are the obvious choice, but since you're likely concentrating on hydration with your facial serum right now, how about trying our Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser instead? With a name like that, it would be rude not to.

4. Think Of Bedtime As TLC Time

You might be under the impression that overnight skincare is a bit pointless when you’re tucked up in bed doing nothing but dreaming of the teenage skin you wish you still had. But on the contrary, your skin does its best repair work when you’re asleep. Cell turnover peaks, collagen production revs up, blood flow increases and your body’s natural antioxidants system kicks in to help neutralize any pesky free radicals that may have built up during the day. Leave your makeup on and go to bed with dirty, unmoisturized skin, however, and all this good stuff becomes basically redundant.

To encourage the magic to happen, cleanse your face and neck gently but thoroughly before bed and start a slow-building retinol regime to naturally accelerate cell turnover and collagen synthesis. Our Retinol Facial Serum has your back here as it’s also infused with vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to boost radiance and hydration both in the short- and long-term.

Mimic your morning routine by always following your serum with moisturizer. In this instance try Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream which contains that all-important, glow-getting vitamin C, as well as ‘nature’s beauty mineral,’ MSM which is one of the most underrated but overachieving ingredients for healthy skin. And we don’t say that lightly.

5. Make Massage A Must

We can think of little better for waking up your skin than a morning massage. The benefits of a facial massage are undeniable. For starters, it boosts blood flow and therefore allows more oxygen and nutrients to rush to the surface of your skin. Hello big-time glow! It also improves lymphatic drainage to help remove toxins away from the skin, reducing things like puffiness and inflammation. Not to mention how relaxing and stress-reducing a morning facial massage can be.

Don’t worry, though, we don’t expect you to learn all the tricks of the massage trade just like that. You can actually do this facial massage quickly and easily in mere minutes. You can also do it while cleansing, or applying facial oil – it totally depends on your jam. 

Simply work your chosen product all over your face and neck, using the pads of your fingers, then sweep your fingers down your nose a few times, across your cheeks from the center outwards, then up and around your forehead. After your forehead, take your hands down to the middle of your chin and use sweeping motions to lift the skin up and out towards your ears. Finish with your neck, using the palms of your hands to perform light strokes from the base of your neck up to your jawline. Repeat this as many times as you like, using medium pressure to work the skin and get everything flowing.

Now, how long until March, again?