How To Use Retinol In The Summer
Retinol is one of the best ingredients for your skin, battling the signs of visible aging like no other skincare ingredient can even dream of doing. But it needs to be used consistently for the best results. So, if you’re of the opinion that retinol should be packed away in the summer, we’re here to change that.
When it comes to skincare powerhouses, retinol is top of the class. Ask any derm, skincare expert, A-lister or influencer and they will all agree it’s the gold standard in anti-aging ingredients.
Derived from vitamin A and a gentle cousin to retinoic acid (otherwise known as tretinoin), retinol has this clever way of getting under your skin to communicate with important proteins like collagen and elastin. This stimulates their production and kick-starts them to do their jobs more efficiently and more effectively, speeding up cell turnover and helping to improve your skin’s tone and texture. Retinol also helps fade sun spots and boosts the production of blood vessels in the skin to enhance radiance. Gotta love that.
But retinol isn’t just an anti-aging whizz kid. Studies prove that retinol also has anti-inflammatory powers which makes it a very effective anti-acne treatment, keeping pores clean, clear, bacteria-free and therefore stopping your skin from breaking out like a hormonal teenager’s.
So, why is retinol often perceived as something to be wary of in the summer months? Well, it’s a little bit misunderstood. Most people think retinol is unsafe during the daytime because it makes your skin extremely sensitive to the sun. Which is kind of true… but not really.
The hard truth is that retinol itself is not sun sensitizing. We’ll just let that sink in for a minute...
NOT sun sensitizing? So, why the myth? Well, it does thin the very top layer of your skin (the stratum corneum) which is why it’s a bit of a bummer when it comes to reducing your skin’s ability to protect itself from UV radiation. But, to be honest this is why it’s so effective at controlling acne and reducing the signs of aging.
The main reason retinol is usually formulated into night treatments is not because of what it does to your skin in the sun, but the fact that it can become deactivated by sunlight. When a skincare ingredient becomes deactivated it doesn’t particularly harm your skin, per se, it simply becomes less effective. And retinol is such a fabulously effective ingredient, this is exactly the opposite of what you want.
So, how can you make the most of your retinol treatment this summer? Here are five things to bear in mind…
1. Summer Is Actually A Great Time To Start Applying Retinol
Many people experience increased dryness and sensitivities in the winter, which makes summer a much better season to introduce retinol into your routine. Summer equals more humidity and this extra moisture in the air helps keep your skin healthier, more hydrated and better equipped to start getting used to such a powerhouse of a skincare ingredient. Take that non-believers.
2. However, Retinol Can Cause Irritation – Any Time Of The Year
It’s true, retinol can irritate your skin come rain or shine, so you should always do a patch test before introducing it into your routine. Then, once you’ve established your skin can tolerate it, go low and slow.
Start with a moisturizer as these are usually less potent than treatment serums. Our Retinol Moisturizer is great for retinol newbies as it cleverly blends retinol with hyaluronic acid (HA) to hydrate your skin and help fend off flaky or peeling skin, which often occurs with regular use of retinol. If your skin is super sensitive you can even get away with alternating Retinol Moisturizer with our equally-as-awesome Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer. It'll still have a great impact on the look and feel of your skin.
3. Retinol Serum Is Perfect For Balmy Summer Evenings
Can’t bear heavy night creams when the mercury is rising and your bedroom feels hotter than the surface of the sun? Yeah, we hear you girl. And this is when our Retinol Facial Serum comes to the rescue.
Blended with HA and vitamin E for hydration and extra healing qualities, we call this our go-to-summertime serum because it’s super lightweight and absorbs into your skin in seconds so you can get some valuable beauty sleep without feeling like your face is totally suffocating. Even though it’s perfectly safe to use in the morning, UV light can destabilize retinol and diminish its effectiveness, so you’re always better off using it a night. Apply it two or three times a week (after patch testing first, of course) to freshly cleansed skin, then follow with moisturizer.
4. You MUST Go Heavy On The Sunscreen
The powerful rays of the sun, coupled with retinol’s potent, thin-skinning actions are asking for trouble if you don’t wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. We’re talking dryness, redness, itching, burning and worse. So, make sure you protect your skin carefully and regularly.
Around half a teaspoon of sunscreen is recommended for your face and you should reapply the same amount every two hours if you’re spending all day in the sun. Also, try to spend as much time with your face in the shade and wear a large-brimmed hat and good quality sunnies that block both UVA and UVB radiation for an added safety net.
5. Stop Using Retinol If Your Face Gets Sunburned
As previously mentioned, retinol thins the outermost layer of your skin which increases your chances of sunburn. However, as long as you take care to protect your skin, this should rarely, if ever happen. If you do get caught short, stop applying your retinol products immediately – and in fact any active ingredients including exfoliating acids. Instead, use super gentle cleansing products and soothing moisturizers only for at least a week or until your skin heals.
You see, due diligence and a bit of common sense is all it takes to crush an awesome retinol routine.
All. Year. Round.
More About This Article
Georgia Gould
Georgia is an award-winning beauty writer who has been in the business for over 20 years. British-born, she began her career as a magazine beauty editor in London before moving to San Francisco, CA in 2012 where she now continues her love as a freelance writer and editor. As well as her editorial work, Georgia has created content for many high-profile beauty brands, including Clarins, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Simple and TRESemmé. Her passions include retinol (obviously), golfing, skiing and walking her beloved Schnauzer, Dave.
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They might not be inflamed like pimples, or ‘dirty’ looking like their blackhead cousins, but nobody wants to deal with whiteheads.
Whiteheads can plague pretty much any skin type and can strike at any time of your life. But, like any type of acne, all is not lost when you’re armed with intel (and intel is incoming, don’t you worry), patience (sorry, we can’t help with that one) and the right tools to help eliminate those pesky skin bumps. Those, we can also do.
Here's everything you need to know about whiteheads, including what they are, what causes them and how to win the battle… as well as the war.
What Exactly Are Whiteheads?
Like pimples and blackheads, whiteheads are a form of acne most often found on the face, back or chest. According to the AAD, acne is the single most common skin condition in the country, affecting around 50 million people every year and often continuing from adolescence into adulthood. So, remember, if you’re suffering right now, you are not alone.
Acne, in all its various shapes and sizes, occurs when sebum and dead skin cells collect at the surface of the skin, clogging up the pore and forming a kind of hard plug that makes said pore swell and become raised.
What happens next determines the type of acne that rears its ugly head (or not, as the case may be!)… If the pore stays closed, it produces a white or pale yellowish bump called a whitehead. If it opens at the surface and becomes exposed to air it oxidizes, turns dark and becomes a blackhead. And if it becomes inflamed it becomes what we regularly refer to as a pimple. Pimples range in severity and can be pretty innocent (pink and tender) to extremely angry, painful and filled with pus.
All fun stuff. Not!
So, What Causes Whiteheads?
Contrary to many ridiculous old wives’ tales, whiteheads are not caused by chocolate or poor cleansing habits. Same goes for any type of acne. Their cause is solely thanks to excess sebum combining with keratin and dead skin cells. This little cocktail of 'gunk' then gets stuck in your pores and results in all sorts of acne-related problems.
However, there are many triggers and lifestyle factors that increase your risk of developing whiteheads. Your genes, for one thing (darn those parents of yours!). Then there are other factors like heavy, buttery moisturizers which can sit on the surface of your skin and block your pores; a diet that’s high in sugar and processed carbs, and wayward hormones – which is why puberty, menstruation and the menopause are such major times for breakouts.
5 Of The Best Ways To Deal With Whiteheads
So, what can you do to help prevent clogged pores and help stop whiteheads in their tracks? And what about when they still manage to break their way through your smooth complexion? What can be done then? Well, here are five of our favorite ways to cope with whiteheads.
And PS: if blackheads and pimples are more your jam, these tips work across the entire acne board. You’re welcome.
1. Never Squeeze Your Whiteheads
Yes, it’s tempting and weirdly satisfying to prod, poke, pick and squeeze whiteheads. But don’t. This can spread bacteria which, in turn, makes matters far worse in the long run. It can also lead to scarring. Which is not cool.
Whiteheads tend to disappear and heal much faster if you keep your fingers away. However, if it does look ready to pop, you can apply a warm flannel then gently press the surrounding skin away (not towards) the whitehead to help it drain. A gentle touch is the key here, however, and if it nothing shifts, leave well alone and let nature take its course.
2. Know That Regular Cleansing Is Vital
The best way to stop sebum (and other debris like makeup and sweat) from building up on the surface of your skin? Easy, a good cleansing routine. Of course, stripping your skin of every last drop of oil and moisture will make your skin flare-up even more, so don’t go down that road. It’s so 80s!
Instead, choose finely balanced cleansing products like Tea Tree Super Cleanser + which contains purifying, acne-busting goodies like tea tree oil and witch hazel, combined with healing champs like MSM and chamomile, and hydrating wonderkids like aloe vera and botanical oils.
Cleanse every morning, every night and again after working out (one word: sweat!), using warm, not hot water and concentrating on any problematic areas like around your nose and over your forehead. You won’t see results immediately, but trust us, make this cleansing routine a daily habit and your skin will soon thank you.
3. Add A Little Retinol To Your Night Time Routine
Retinol is the gold-standard of anti-aging skincare. But did you know it also makes for a pretty mean acne-fighting machine?
Retinol is an over-the-counter derivative of vitamin A that increases cell turnover by attaching itself to nuclear receptors in the center of your cells. Without getting too technical, this is where genetic information is stored and where major cellular functions are processed. Once attached to these receptors, retinol activates certain genes to accelerate cell turnover and help encourage dead skin cells to shed more efficiently. This helps keep your pores from clogging up and breaking out. Pretty neat, huh? As you can probably guess, we’re big fans over here.
Try our Retinol Facial Serum or Retinol Moisturizer if you want to get in on the action.
Just remember, as great as retinol is, it’s very potent and extremely active, so always patch test any new product first, then start using it slowly by applying it just two or three evenings a week to clean, dry skin. As you build tolerance, you can then work up to nightly use.
4. Avoid Abrasive Scrubs & Harsh Chemicals
Like squeezing whiteheads, it’s tempting to want to throw all sorts of scrubs, astringent lotions and products that contain drying alcohols at them. Massive mistake. This can seriously compromise your skin’s barrier function which invites all manner of other issues to the party. Think irritation, redness, itching and all sorts. Remember, skin-friendly, plant-powered products are always best.
5. Embrace The Powers Of Salicylic Acid
Exfoliation is super important for ensuring those dead skin cells don’t get stuck at the surface of your skin. But you’ve got to be kind as you exfoliate because too much can over-stimulate your sebaceous glands and can make matter worse.
Instead of harsh scrubs, we recommend sticking with exfoliating acids that work specifically on breaking down dead skin cells, without any need for unnecessary pressure or friction.
Salicylic acid, for example, is a total shoo-in for oily, problematic skin as it not only dissolves the ‘glue’ that binds dead skin cells together, but it’s oil-soluble which means it’s able to penetrate into your sebaceous glands to loosen sebum and unblock pores. We combine this oily skin hero with all manner of balancing, brightening and soothing ingredients in our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant. We recommend you add to cart immediately.
Still not able to get on top of your whitehead situation? Then check-in with a skincare professional for further advice and/or recommendations. There are plenty of options out there, from hormone therapy to laser treatments, so don't lose heart, you've got this.
AcneThe Best Ways To Treat Whiteheads, Once And For All
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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.
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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.
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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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 Cream, Depuffing 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.
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.
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.
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.
Skincare ingredientsThe Ingredients That Make Our Longevity Range So Darn Good
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