5 Ways To Whip Your Skin Into Shape For Summer

Because a brighter, glowing complexion is skin goals. But dull, tired, unhealthy-looking skin? No, thank you.

When it comes to things you desire for your skin, bright, healthy-looking, clear and energized top most people’s list. Because even if you have wrinkles, the odd pimple, or a little sagging around your jawline, wide-awake skin trumps them all.

There’s simply no denying it: radiance instantly makes your skin look better. It just does. And although it may feel like an impossible reach, there are many easy ways to up your radiance game. Boosting blood flow to the surface of your skin is a great start, but ridding your face of dulling dead skin cells, boosting hydration and counteracting the damage effects of environmental pollution and UV radiation are also super important if you want to legitimately say a fond farewell to dull, tired skin.

To follow are six simple skincare and lifestyle tricks which are currently on repeat in our quest for brighter, more energized skin. We suggest you get on the same page, pronto.

Make Caffeine Your Friend

Drinking tons of caffeine on the reg might not be the greatest idea for the health of your skin (hi there dehydration), but topical caffeine – the stuff you put ON your skin – is one of the best ingredients for putting a pep in your skin’s step.

For starters, caffeine has an innate ability of tightening the tiny little blood vessels in your skin. This helps stimulate circulation which brings extra oxygen and nutrients to your skin to help it look brighter and firmer. And we don’t know about you, but we’re never going to say no to either of those things.

Caffeine is also a powerful antioxidant, and you know how important antioxidants are in your skincare routine, don’t you? No? Well, to recap, antioxidants help reduce environmental stress on your skin by neutralizing damaging free radicals that form when skin is exposed to things like pollution and UV radiation. Free radicals are killers because they break down important proteins like collagen and elastin causing the strength, suppleness and firmness of your skin to become extremely compromised. The result? Sad skin that looks dull and old before its time.

The even better news is that caffeine has a small molecular structure which makes it a great ingredient for penetrating the skin’s surface and getting deeper into the parts that could really benefit from all of the above. Try applying our new Caffeine Facial Serum every morning before moisturizing to reap all the rejuvenating benefits of caffeine, plus a healthy dose of niacinamide and skin-awakening ginseng. You won’t regret it.

Balance Your Diet

A bright complexion also needs to come from within, so don’t think a diet that’s high in sugar, salt and processed carbs is going to do your skin’s mojo any favors. Because it won’t.

In fact, the quality of the food you eat has a major effect on the look, feel and health of your skin so try to cut down on the bad stuff (c’mon, you know what they are) and switch them out for more skin-friendly foods like fresh fruit and veggies which are high in antioxidants. Beets are particularly awesome for upping your glow game as they contain nitric oxide which is known to have energizing effects on both your skin and your entire body.

And it goes without saying that you should never forget oily fish, seeds and nuts. They're all packed with omega fatty acids which are crucial for fabulous skin.

Start Your Day With A Gentle Face Scrub

We love exfoliation for removing dulling dead skin cells and instantly reviving your skin. It’s just so easy to do and equally as beneficial for the health of your skin. In fact, we rate it up there as the key to glowing skin.

But, of course, you must do it gently and correctly.

One of the best ways to exfoliate and glow up your skin is to grab a gentle face scrub and work this over your face and neck in the shower first thing. Don’t get us wrong, we’re not overly keen on doing this every day (too much exfoliation can overstimulate and thus irritate the skin), but two or three times a week if your skin can tolerate it? Priceless.

For the best wake-up call of your life, we can’t recommend our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub enough. The secret to its success lies in yuzu lemon which is a powerful citrus fruit packed with antioxidant properties (see above!). And if that’s not enough for you, we combine it with another of our favorite skin-brighteners, vitamin C, or sodium ascorbyl phosphate to be exact. Work it gently over moist skin after cleansing and rinse thoroughly. Heaven.

Improve Your ZZZs

When you turn in for the night, your skin repairs, regenerates and restores itself in preparation for a new day. Collagen production accelerates, blood flow increases, cell turnover almost doubles and your skin’s natural antioxidant system works extra hard to help repair free radical damage. Miss out on your sleep and you miss out on all this important stuff. And your skin will not thank you for it, resulting in dryness, dehydration and dullness. All the ‘d’s if you will.

If you’re a terrible sleeper, therefore, it’s time to change that. Of course, for some people, that’s easier said than done but if you know what’s causing your sleep to be cruddy, think about ways in which you can change them. Are you glued to your smartphone before bedtime? Stop that. Does your mind go into overdrive as soon as you hit the sack? Try making a ‘to-do’ list earlier in the evening to help clear your mind. Love a bedtime milky coffee? Then make it caffeine-free or, better yet, try a soothing chamomile tea instead.

Oh, and make sure your bedroom is dark, neither too hot nor too cold, and quiet. All these simple tweaks will help you get more quality sleep.

Wake Up Morning Skin With Vitamin C

We mentioned vitamin C earlier but it’s too good not to drive the point home. Because, yes, it’s a total winner for energizing dull skin.

You see, as well as its powerful antioxidant properties, vitamin C helps inhibit melanin production. Why is that crucial for bright, radiant skin? Well, melanin can get a bit wayward thanks to things like sun damage and hormones, and this can cause things like dark spots and an uneven skin tone. Neither of which make for anything close to clear, bright skin.

We have a whole bunch of vitamin C products which are all awesome for rebooting tired skin, but one of our favorite powerhouses is our Vitamin C Super Serum+ which is so good you only need use it two or three times a week to reap its incredible benefits. Its superpowers like in a curated blend of dynamic ingredients including vitamin C, retinol, niacinamide and salicylic acid. Try alternating it with our Caffeine or Vitamin C Facial Serum for truly fabulous results.

When something as important as exfoliation comes in two completely different guises, how do you know which is best? Read on for a complete breakdown of the highs and lows of both chemical and physical exfoliation…

Exfoliation is one of the simplest, most effective skincare habits for transforming dull, sad skin into the brightest, healthiest-looking skin of your life. It works hard to smooth out annoyingly bumpy skin texture, reduce the frequency of pesky breakouts, decrease excess oil, and even minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

But exfoliation is often plagued by contradictions and it can be hard to navigate the facts. Should you or should you not exfoliate every day? Are scrubs better than exfoliating masks? Or is the opposite correct?

Of course, the truth usually depends on your skin type and its current condition (because, yes these are two very separate things), but one thing’s for sure, exfoliation takes on two very different forms. And it’s important you know what’s what so you can make the right decision about what’s right for you and your skin.

Before we go any further, however, let’s have a quick refresh on the basics. As you know, skin renews itself every day, shedding millions of cells as it produces fresher ones deeper below the surface. This process is called desquamation and it’s a pretty efficient way of keeping your skin fresh, healthy, moisturized and well protected from the slings and arrows of daily life. Like most good things in life, though, this process slows down as you age, allowing dead skin cells to hang around at the surface and encouraging dryness, dehydration, blocked pores and the formation of lines, wrinkles and other visible signs of aging.

The good news is that exfoliation – both physical and chemical – is here to save the day, sloughing off dead skin cells (as well as other nasties like grime, pollution, makeup and excess oil), boosting circulation, accelerating cell turnover and helping to keep your skin’s barrier function ticking along nicely. Technically, both physical and chemical exfoliation do the same thing. But they work in completely different ways.

So first up, let’s take a look at the most ‘classic’ and well-known form of exfoliation: the physical kind.

What Is Physical Exfoliation?

Physical exfoliation is the one you’ll be most used to. Remember those scrubs you made as an enthusiastic teenager that contained all manner of kitchen ingredients like mashed banana, oatmeal and yogurt? Well, thanks to the oatmeal, that’s a physical exfoliant right there.

Physical exfoliants are abrasives and basically include anything that requires some kind of manual force or motion in order to remove dead cells from the surface of your skin. Face scrubs, which contain grainy elements like sand, sugar, salt and fruit seeds, are the most obvious choice, but mitts, loofahs and cleansing brushes also fit into the same camp.

Then there are the professional treatments like microdermabrasion and dermaplaning. If you’re not acquainted with these, microdermabrasion works by combining microcrystals with a vacuum suction to exfoliate dead skin cells and stimulate collagen production. Dermaplaning, meanwhile, employs a tiny razor to gently shave the skin’s surface. This helps remove peach fuzz, but is also helps get rid of the upper-most layer of dead skin cells as an extra bonus.

Is Physical Exfoliation For You?

When used carefully, gently and not too often (two or three times a week is usually the sweet spot), physical exfoliation can be a great addition to any skincare routine.

We find they’re particularly great for:

* Improving poor skin texture
* Oily skin
* Boosting circulation
* A truly deep clean
* Instantly brighter skin

In? Then Try: Our brand new Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub which we’re super excited about. Abrasive without being too hard on your complexion, this delicious scrub harnesses our favorite type of vitamin C, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, alongside antioxidant-rich yuzu lemon (which is also naturally chock-full of vitamin C) to work on dull, lifeless-looking skin fast.

All this combines with the smoothness of Bora Bora white sand which is no ordinary sand. Ultra-fine, it's extremely gentle on the skin to help promote cell turnover and remove rough, dead skin cells without the irritation often experienced with inferior face scrubs. Add in some soothing, hydrating aloe and all this makes for the ideal twice weekly scrub in a nutshell. Although, fyi, no nutshells were used in the making of this scrub. Nutshells do not have a smooth, uniform shape which makes them notorious for creating micro-tears on the surface of your skin. And we do not want that for you.

What Is Chemical Exfoliation?

Instead of using physical movement to boost cellular turnover, chemical exfoliants use topical ingredients (usually acids) to dissolve and break down the bonds between dead skin cells so they slough away more efficiently. Again, there are skincare products you can use at home, but also professional treatments like chemical peels can offer very powerful results.

Most at-home chemical exfoliants use AHAs, BHAs or PHAs as a means to get the job done.

Alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) are water-soluble chemical compounds that are usually extracted from fruit or milk sugars. Glycolic acid is probably the most well-known AHA because it has a very low molecular weight which makes it very good at penetrating the skin. Sometimes, too good if your skin errs towards the sensitive side. And this is where lactic acid comes into its own. Lactic acid has a larger molecular size than its glycolic cousin which makes it way gentler and more readily tolerated by sensitive skin.

Unlike their water-soluble AHA cousins, beta hydroxy acids (BHAs) are oil-soluble substances which means they’re able to cut through the lipid layers between your skin cells to penetrate into your pores and exfoliate your skin on a much deeper level. As well as being darn good at exfoliating your skin, BHAs also target and reduce excess sebum to clear and brighten the skin – that’s a big deal for anyone struggling with oily, inflamed or acne-prone skin, btw. Examples of BHAs? Frankly there’s only one worth mentioning, salicylic acid which has been studied for decades and proven to not only target pores and increase cell turnover, but to offer incredible antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Last, but not least, you have poly hydroxy acids (PHAs). Much newer to the exfoliation scene, PHAs are a new generation of water-soluble AHAs with all the benefits… but with less of the side-effects. The reason for their gentle nature is that they’re formulated with multiple strands, so they have a larger molecular size and are therefore unable to penetrate the deeper layers of your skin. Instead, they work exclusively on the skin’s surface to boost cell renewal without irritating your complexion. They’re basically your go-to if you have super-sensitive skin but are concerned about the visible signs of aging. Main players include gluconolactone (sometimes referred to as gluconic acid) and lactobionic acid which is an oxidized form of lactose and extracted from cow’s milk.

Is Chemical Exfoliation For You?

Just like their abrasive co-workers, chemical exfoliants work for all skin types as long as you patch test them first and use them as often (or as little!) as your skin allows.

They’re specifically good for…

* Sensitive skin
* Targeting dark spots
* Acne-prone skin
* Fine lines and wrinkles
* Enlarged pores

In? Then Try: 6% AHA, BHA + PCA Liquid Exfoliant which, as the name suggests, combines all three chemical exfoliants (and vitamin C, of course!) to gently but powerfully boost cell regeneration and promote brighter, younger-looking skin. Simply apply it to cleansed skin before your serum and moisturizer for a daily glow-getting fix and watch your skin continue to get better and better.

Good news: the most effective things you can do for your skin are also the simplest.

We know we don’t need to reiterate the importance of cleansing and moisturizing your skin every morning and night. Those kind of skincare practices are a given. However, there are plenty of other basic habits you should get into if you want to maintain the best skin of your life. Because taking care of your skin is way easier than you think – but there are still rules.

Read on for ten of our favorites.

1. Use Toner

Toner is often overlooked in the quest for fabulous skin. But here’s the thing. It might not be an absolute ‘essential’ like cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, but similar to other skincare greats like serums, a good toner can provide a whole lot of love to your skin.

Typically water-based, think of your toner as like a primer for your skin, gently removing any last traces of grime from your pores, while balancing your pH and providing much-needed hydration. Depending on the ingredients used, certain toners may even help brighten, firm or clarify your skin.

Take Action: Introduce a toner to your morning and evening routine and you’ll notice the benefits almost straight away. Just make sure you choose well, steering clear of harsh alcohols and synthetic fragrances in favor of calming, soothing and balancing botanicals like rose water and aloe vera. Try Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner.

2. Prioritize Sleep

Great skin isn’t just about great skincare. Your lifestyle is even more important than the products you put on your skin. Sleep, for example, is crucial. Deprive yourself of a good night’s sleep and your skin misses out on valuable regeneration time in which collagen production amps up, cell regeneration accelerates, blood flow increases and antioxidants kick in to neutralize environmental damage.

Take Action: You must have noticed how much better you look after a quality eight hours of sleep time, right? Then do your damnedest to make that a regular occurrence. Your skin will look and feel ten times better. Stat.

3. Avoid Harsh Skincare

If you have sensitive skin, you'll already err on the side of gentle when choosing your skincare products. But, in all honesty, the same rule should apply regardless of your skin type. We know it’s tempting to choose oil-stripping products if you have greasy or acne-prone skin, for example, but honestly, they won’t help. In fact, they’ll probably make matters worse, causing dehydration and irritation in both the short- and long-term.

Take Action: Don’t be too harsh on your skin. Sure, choose products that are tailored to help your individual skin type (dry, oily, normal or combination) but avoid anything that’s packed with strong alcohols and/or unnecessary chemicals. Kindness is next to godliness. Or something like that!

4. Embrace Eye Cream

For some people, eye cream falls into the same ‘do I really need it?’ category as toner. And sure, if you’re young enough to yet be dealing with dark circles, puffiness, dryness and wrinkling around your eyes then fair enough, eye cream won’t be your highest priority. For the rest of us, however, eye cream is vital.

Gentler than regular moisturizer, eye creams are specifically formulated to deal with the thinner, more delicate skin around your eyes. Unlike the rest of your face, this area contains fewer sebaceous glands to keep it moisturized as well as less muscle and fatty tissue for strength and volume. So it really does need looking after.

Take Action: We have three fantastic eye creams to choose from depending on your skin concerns. Depuffing Longevity Eye Cream is incredible for improving eye bags, while Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream is a must for hydrating and firming the skin around your eyes. But don’t forget Peptide Eye Gel, our fabulously lightweight, cooling gel that works on all the visible signs of aging. Use just a tiny amount of your chosen formulation morning and night.

5. Find A Simple, Consistent Routine

Consistency is everything. It’s as simple as that. However, what might work for your BFF might not work for you, so find your own way in your skincare life. Then stand firm.

Take Action: Sticking to a daily routine that’s simple and effective will go a long way to helping you reach your skincare goals. This may be applying Retinol Facial Serum every night and exfoliating twice a week; or it could be alternating between Vitamin C Facial Serum and Niacinamide Facial Serum. If it works for you, roll with it.

Of course, you can switch the odd product up every now and again to work with the seasons and help target certain changes that may occur in your skin. But don’t mess around too much, and definitely don’t switch out your products every month. This won’t give them time to do what they set out to.

6. Quit Smoking

Cigarettes are packed with thousands of chemicals which are terrible for the skin. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the long-term effects of smoking include dryness, patchy skin, bags around the eyes, sagging and deeper-then-normal wrinkles.

“It is common for the skin of a 40-year old heavy smoker to resemble that of a 70-year-old non-smoker,”  experts claim. We’ll just leave you with that for a hot minute.

Take Action: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. And if you do, there are many ways to quit. It might not be easy, and it’ll take time, patience and a lot of willpower. But we believe in you. Head here for help.

7. Wear Sunscreen

We may have said this before (ha, like only a thousand times!) but sunscreen is the most important product you can have in your anti-aging skincare arsenal. In fact, UV radiation is responsible for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of all visible skin aging, helping to ward off premature lines, discolorations and sagging.

And yes, you do need to protect your skin from UV radiation every day of the year. Because, not only does UVA penetrate right through clouds but it also goes through windows to hit your skin when you least expect it.

Take Action: Go for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30. This will ensure you’re giving your skin sufficient protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Apply it generously to any exposed skin (your face, neck and back of the hands as an absolute minimum), and choose a formulation you actually enjoy applying to ensure it seamlessly becomes part of your routine, like cleaning your teeth and brushing your hair. Good news: SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is so lightweight and easy to apply, you'll actually WANT to wear it.

8. Stop Touching Your Face

No matter how often your wash or sanitize your hands, they will always carry germs, allergens and bacteria that can transfer straight to the skin on your face. This can upset your skin’s delicate microbiome, potentially triggering breakouts or worsening existing conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Take Action: We get it, touching your face is something you rarely realize you’re doing. But whenever you clock it, call yourself out. Hopefully over time you can stop, or at least reduce the amount of face touching you do on a daily basis.

9. Clean Up Your Diet

Whether it be chocolate, ice cream, Fritos or hot dogs, we all have our vices. And treats are fine in moderation, but too many can cause harmful compounds that attack your skin cells and really mess with the tone and texture of your poor complexion.

Take Action: The best diet for your skin is one that’s packed with antioxidant-rich fresh fruit and veggies, plus oily fish, seeds and nuts, all of which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Don't starve yourself of the good stuff (that rarely works), but don't go overboard and make sure the healthy stuff always outweighs the unhealthy.

10. Exfoliate

As you get older, exfoliation becomes ever more important as your skin’s rate of turnover becomes sluggish and dead skin cells start to outstay their welcome. This can leave your skin looking drab, dreary and extremely dull. Worse yet, it can block up your pores and invite acne breakouts to the party. Prefer brighter, smoother, more wide-awake skin than any of the above? Then you gotta exfoliate.

Take Action: Give your face a gentle exfoliation as often as you think your skin needs it. This could be as frequent as every day, or as little as once a week. It may also take a few weeks to figure out your skin’s sweet spot, but when you get there, trust us, it’ll be worth it.

Also, think about whether you prefer the physical action of a scrub or the simplicity of a leave-on lotion. The good news is we cater for both with our awesome Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub and 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant.