True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Because breakouts are best dealt with over time with a combination of awesome skincare, healthy lifestyle choices and smart, professional treatments.

Did you know, around 40 to 50 million Americans have mild to severe acne? So, next time you look in the mirror and wonder ‘why me?’ just remember, you’re totally normal and not alone.

That being said, a positive mental attitude won’t magically banish your breakouts. Sure, confidence and self-assurance are everything and we’re big advocates of loving the skin you’re in… but if you’re serious about maintaining a clear, glowing complexion, you’re going to need more than good vibes alone.

You see, taking care of acne-prone skin is all about the long game. Shoving toothpaste on your zit the night before a big event might help, but it could also irritate and dry out your skin. Similarly picking and squeezing a custard-filled pimple the morning of a dinner date/holiday party/lunch with the girls will get rid of that pus, for sure, but it will also increase redness and inflammation, making your pimple hang around longer and possibly scar. Not cool.

So, instead, of freaking out about our acne spots and hitting the quick fix button – which invariably won’t work anyway – start a long-term plan right now with effective skincare and a little acne knowhow.

Below, our favorite long-term solutions for dealing with breakouts…

Fight Acne From Different Angles

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), one of the best ways to fight acne is to use different ingredients in your products to work on the different causes. Acne occurs when your pores gets clogged and inflamed thanks to a build-up of oils, dirt and bacteria. So, think about tailoring your skincare routine around these dealing with these little nasties.

Retinol, for example, works hard to reduce oiliness and improve cell turnover, while salicylic acid helps keep your pores clean and clear by accelerating the natural shedding of dead skin cells. Benzoyl peroxide, on the other hand, kills bacteria, while tea tree oil reduces inflammation and boosts healing.

Of course, we’d never suggest you throw all of these ingredients at your skin at once because overloading it with too many actives could worsen your acne and cause irritation. However, you could alternate between Retinol Facial Serum and a salicylic acid treatment, or you could try our awesome Tea Tree Serum two or three times a week. This facial serum combines a balanced blend of tea tree oil, salicylic acid and retinol to work on acne from all angles and offer a real improvement in acne-prone skin.

Give Your Skincare Regime Time To Work

Heads up, people: skincare products containing active ingredients that work on a deep cellular level do not work overnight. Far from it. In fact, they need at least four weeks to work to their best ability. And the reason for this is all down to the life cycle of the skin.

As you know, your skin is constantly regenerating itself, producing new cells within the deepest layers of your epidermis which mature as they work their way up to the surface where they die and shed. Well, this cycle takes around 28 days in an average adult – NOT that you’re average, of course;). Consequently, any product that changes the biological functioning of your skin will need at least the same amount of time (four weeks) to take effect and work on every cell that’s reached the surface. 

Patience. It’s a virtue.

Avoid Pore-Clogging Skincare Products

Hiding your face behind heavy, pore-clogging makeup will undo all the hard work of an awesome skincare regime. So, don’t do that. Your best bet is to leave your skin free of makeup but if you hate facing the world without a little something, make sure all your products are oil-free, non-acnegenic and/or non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic means a product has been formulated to be less likely to cause blocked pores (comedones). Note the words ‘less likely,’ however. This is not a guarantee they hands down won’t block your pores. But it’s a good start. Ingredients to avoid include things like cocoa butter, isopropyl myristate, soybean oil and lanolin acid.

Be A Clean Freak

Keeping your skin clean is really important so make sure you cleanse every morning, every night and always after exercising. Don’t rub too vigorously at your skin, however, and avoid products that could dry out your skin. Our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser has been specifically formulated with activated coconut charcoal to gently draw pore-clogging debris from your skin to detoxify and help control acne. It also contains aloe, glycerin and essential oils to heal, hydrate and nourish your skin without blocking your pores or causing irritation.

Equally, anything that touches your skin must also be kept clean. Think pillowcases, face towels, your smartphone and especially your hands. Wash them all thoroughly and often.

Try Light Therapy

Fancy trying something at the derm’s office? Then ask your dermatologist about LED Light Therapy – especially if your regular skincare regime doesn’t seem to be doing the job. It works by emitting light deep into the skin and can be a very effective, non-invasive treatment to try. A combination of blue and red light is often used to treat acne because blue light kills bacteria while red light activates collagen production to promote healing and rejuvenation.

A series of multiple treatments is advised for the best results and of course, these results vary from person to person, so don’t expect miracles. Speak to your dermatologist first so they can give you an indication of what to expect. Who knows, they may even advise chemical peels or extraction as better options for your particular concerns? And remember, most professional treatments work better when combined with great, at-home skincare so don’t give up your salicylic acid and/or retinol regime.

Severe Acne? Ask Your Doctor For Help

If you feel like you’ve tried everything, ask your doctor about prescription-strength oral or topical medications. Anything from stronger retinoids and antiobiotics to oral contraceptives and steroid injections have been proven to help clear up even the most severe cases of acne. The options are almost endless, so don't lose hope, people – there's bound to be something out there for you.

Struggling with acne breakouts even though you’re no longer 15 years of age? We hear you. Adult acne: it’s a thing.

Adult acne affects around 85 percent of adults across the world. Now, correct us if we’re wrong (math was never our strong point), but with the world population being around 7.8 billion at last count, and approximately half of the world population being between 25 and 65 that amounts to roughly 3.3 billion people being plagued with breakouts at some point during their adult lives.

More bad news: adult acne is more likely to affect women than men.

Dang!

Chances are, therefore, you know a thing or two about dealing with whiteheads, blackheads and/or pimples way past the age of 25, correct? But why do you get adult acne? And more importantly, what can you do to keep your pesky pimples in check?

Here’s five things you need to know to help you get a firm grip on your adult acne…

1. Adult Acne Is Caused By One Thing And One Thing Alone

Just like the breakouts you had as a teenager, adult acne occurs when your hair follicles become blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells, clogging up your pores and forming a kind of ‘plug.’ It’s as simple as that. Scrap that, it’s not simple at all, because this plugged follicle can then form into a number of things...

If the plug bulges out above the surface of your skin it creates a whitehead, but if it opens up, it will oxidize with the air and cause a blackhead. And you know all that bacteria that breeds on your skin? Well, if this infects your blocked pore, it will cause a much larger, angrier kind of beast – namely a papule, pustule, nodule or cyst. Or as you probably call it, a zit.

Most adult acne takes the form of zits.

2. Not All Adult Acne Is The Same

While the cause of adult (and indeed all) acne is always the same, it’s generally split into two different types: persistent and late- or adult-onset acne.

Persistent acne is when it never lets up from your teenage years, continually plaguing you with pimples and carrying on right the way through to adulthood. Late-onset acne, however, is the stuff that appears on any of you who didn’t have acne as an adolescent. Instead, it decides to strike later on in your life, just when you least suspected it.

Neither type of adult acne is fun and both have the same end result, but it’s worth noting the difference.

3. Many Factors Can Trigger Adult Acne Breakouts

While adult acne is caused by the simple process of excess sebum and dead skin cells blocking your pores, the reason this happens to you and not the next person are many.  Acne, as a rule, runs in the family, so first and foremost, you can 100 percent blame your parents. But this is not something you can control, so best not get too angry with them, OK? Instead, try to pinpoint your triggers.

According to the American Academy of Dermatolgy (AAD), most cases of late-onset acne are hormonal and occur during your periods or through the menopause when your hormones are literally all over the place. During menopause, in particular, your estrogen levels start to drop, while androgens like testosterone remain far more constant, creating an imbalance that causes your skin to freak out. If this is happening to you, make an appointment with your doctor to discuss a plan of action. Hormone replacement therapy can be a very effective way to keep your hormones – and therefore your skin – under control.

But it’s not all about genetics and hormones – there are plenty of other factors that can trigger your skin to break out. Chocolate and pizza? Baloney. But other things? For sure. Certain medications can overstimulate your sebaceous glands, for example, and stress is a real biggie. You should also be careful not to use pore-blocking skincare, makeup or even hair styling products if you’re spots are concentrated around your hairline. Any product that contains occlusives like rich oils and butters will create a physical barrier on the surface of your skin which will block your pores and play havoc with acne-prone skin. 

4. Acne Scarring Is Often Worse Than The Pimples Themselves

Sure, acne sucks, but the scarring it leaves behind? Way more annoying and far harder to get rid of.

To avoid your spots leaving scars, never pick, prod or press at them – and if you really can’t help it, at least wash your hands first and clean the problem area afterwards to prevent bacteria from spreading and causing inflammation (which is what causes discoloration and scarring in the first place).

Our Charcoal Face Wash is great for detoxifying oily skin and if you follow it up with Tea Tree Serum, you should be on to a sure winner. Tea tree oil is anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory so it’s ideal for spot-treating specific areas of your skin that simply won’t behave.

Finally, always wear sunscreen. Post-inflammatory pigmentation (PIH) is a type of hyperpigmentation that occurs when trauma like an acne spot causes an overproduction of melanin in that area, turning the skin dark and patchy. And it often stays like this permanently. This is the same melanin that causes your skin to tan in the sun, so by protecting your skin from damaging UV radiation you’ll reduce your risks of PIH. Stat.

5. Retinol Is One Of The Best Ingredients For Treating Adult Acne

How to get rid of acne is the million dollar question and one that Google is asked by thousands of people on a daily basis. Of course, managing your triggers is a great start, but it’s not always that easy. Which is why awesome skincare is a must.

It’s tempting to want to scrub away at super oily skin with harsh cleansers and toners. Don’t do that, it’ll just make matters worse. Instead, the key is yes, to keep your skin clean and free of bacteria-inducing oils and debris, but to do so gently with calming, balancing products that are free of harsh chemicals and sulfates.

One of our favorite ingredients for helping treat adult acne is retinol. Most people think of retinol as the gold-standard in anti-aging and they're not wrong. But it’s also crackerjack for dealing with breakouts. Retinol works by communicating with your skin on a deeper level to decrease sebum production, reduce inflammation and, most importantly, help regulate skin cell turnover which stops dead skin cells from hanging around at the surface and clogging up your pores. What’s more, this means you get to create a better foundation at a surface level, so the rest of your skincare ingredients (salicylic acid, always a winner) get a better chance to do their job properly.

Try our Retinol Moisturizer for a gentle but effective way to reduce acne and keep your skin balanced and moisturized without weighing it down.

Final thought: If your adult acne is severe, persistent and painful, always visit your doctor or a dermatologist for professional advice and a targeted treatment plan. Chances are you might need more than smart skincare alone...

Don’t sweat the small stuff. Love your skin for its absolute brilliance at keeping you alive. Then, and only then, should you think about dealing with any little concerns you may have…

We’ve said this before and we’ll say this again: your skin is awesome. We know it’s hard to remember that when all you see in the mirror are lines, sun damage and/or pesky pimples. But know one thing – others don’t see these so-called flaws like you do. More likely they’re coveting your shiny hair or checking out your cute new pumps.

With this in mind, take a deep breath, smile at yourself in the mirror and congratulate yourself for continuing to do the best you can to maintain healthy, radiant skin. Then you can afford to think about what to do to minimize the stuff you’re not so fond of. After all, nobody’s skin is perfect…

So, what’s your gripe? Hormonal breakouts? Lines around your eyes? Glaringly obvious pores? Then let’s figure out how to deal with those, while trying to remember that a) they’re not the end of the world, b) they don’t define you and c) you are not alone.

Now, let’s spring into action. Because being proactive about your ‘flaws’ (gosh, we hate that word) will immediately make you feel better about them. You see, it’s all about taking control…

Stress #1: Pimples & Blackheads

Freaking out over your breakouts will only make matters worse, as emotional stress causes your body to produce an excess of cortisol – aka the ‘stress hormone.’ Says it all, right? Too much cortisol in your system not only accelerates inflammation, but it screws up the natural pH level of your skin. This forces your sebaceous glands into overdrive, making them produce too much sebum which has nowhere to go but your pores. 

Take Action: First up, make sure you gently cleanse your skin twice daily to remove build-up of dirt, makeup, oils and bacteria. This is extremely important if you’re prone to breakouts and our Charcoal Face Wash is the ideal guy for the job.

Also, introduce a treatment serum into your routine, preferably one that contains anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory ingredients like salicylic acid and tea tree oil. Our Tea Tree Serum is carefully formulated to help unclog pores and soothe acne-prone skin. Plus it only needs to be applied two or three times a week for visible results. Gotta love that.

Stress #2: Fine Lines

Why is it that fine lines seem to suddenly appear out of nowhere? Cheeky little monsters, aren’t they? Usually found around expressive areas on your face such as your eyes, mouth and forehead, fine lines occur when repeated muscle movements like smiling and frowning cause your skin to become weak in those specific areas. In your younger days, skin can easily bounce back, but as time ticks on it becomes thinner, less elastic and hence the creation of lines.

Take Action: Expression lines around your eyes and mouth are all part of life but to minimize their impact, you must look after your skin’s barrier function. This uppermost layer of your skin is super important for protecting you from external toxins and pollution as well as for reducing moisture loss. Without a strong, healthy barrier, skin becomes dry, dehydrated and will look old way before its time.

To care for your barrier function avoid over-cleansing and over-exfoliating with harsh, oil-stripping chemicals. Instead, flood your skin with hydration (hello glycerin and hyaluronic acid), antioxidants and moisturizer, and apply sunscreen every morning.

Stress #3: Hyperpigmentation

Freckles when you’re 7-years-old might be cute, but brown patches on your face that get darker and bigger as you age? Kind of annoying.

Hyperpigmentation is caused by an overproduction of melanin (pigment) in your skin. Melanin production stays fairly uniform throughout your life, but when something throws it off, it causes certain areas of your skin to become darker than the rest, resulting in a patchy, uneven skin tone.

Take Action: Hyperpigmentation comes in many forms and can be caused by anything from hormones and acne, through to poorly healed bites, cuts and scrapes. However, most dark spots are either caused, or at least exacerbated by the sun. This is why protecting your skin from the damaging sun is so, SO important. Of course, you must apply a broad-spectrum SPF30+ sunscreen every morning to stop UV radiation from doing a number on your skin, but antioxidants are also great for fighting sun-induced free radical damage.

Vitamin C is a particular favorite of ours because it not only battles free radicals, but also works hard to brighten your skin. Clever. Apply Vitamin C Facial Serum every morning to cleansed skin – before moisturizer and sunscreen – for the ultimate in UV protection.

Stress #4: Enlarged Pores

Hands up if your pores drive you insane. Boy, do we hear you. The problem, however, is that the size of your pores is predetermined by your genes and you simply cannot shrink them. Because biology. However, sun damage, a poor diet and the natural aging process all contribute to them appearing more prominent because these stressors break down collagen and therefore work against the firmness of your skin. Allowing your pores to become blocked is also a massive no-no as excess baggage will cause them to stretch and appear bigger.

Take Action: Gentle exfoliation with a chemical exfoliator is a great way to keep your pores tight and free from clogging debris. Glycolic and lactic acids are very effective but if you also suffer with oily skin, there’s little better than salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) that cuts through oil to exfoliate deep within your pores. It also reduces redness and inflammation as an added bonus.

Apply Tea Tree Clear Skin Serum twice weekly to get your exfoliating fix of salicylic acid, plus other skin-loving ingredients like vitamin C, niacinamide and hyaluronic acid.

Stress #5: Puffy Eyes & Dark Circles

Thinner, drier and more delicate than the rest of your face, the skin around your eyes takes a real hit from aging – sometimes as early as in your twenties. This is because collagen and elastin starts to degrade around this time: cue fine lines and dark circles. Tissues also start to weaken, allowing fat to shift south and excess fluids to pool under your eyes: cue eye bags the size of a small country.

Take Action: Looking after the skin around your eyes is a delicate operation. Invest in an eye treatment like Peptide Eye Gel, but apply it very gently around your eyes, using only the smallest amount and patting it onto your skin with your ring fingers to reduce pressure and dragging. Aggressively rubbing your eyes damages collagen and weakens your skin which will make lines and dark circles appear so much worse.

Now smile! 

If your skin is seeing red and you don’t know why, finding the root cause is everything. 

A little facial redness is normal. Rosy cheeks after a few too many red wines? Yeah, we’ve all been there. Slightly flushed skin during your weekly hot yoga class? Check. But if you’re facial redness simply won’t quit, chances are there’s more going on with your skin than you might realize.

Facial redness happens when blood vessels beneath the surface of your skin dilate, causing blood to rush to your skin and the inevitable redness that comes with it. If you have fair skin you’re more likely to be afflicted with redness because your skin is genetically thinner and more fragile than darker skin types. But that being said, anyone can suffer – whatever your skin type or tone.

So, what causes your blood vessels to dilate? Well, the short, slightly vague answer is many, MANY things. But that’s pretty unhelpful, we know, so here are six of the most common causes of facial redness, plus what you can do to help soothe, treat and care for your pesky flare-ups.

Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema)

What It Is: The most common form of eczema and often hereditary, atopic dermatitis (AD) affects around 16.5 million adults in the US. It occurs when your immune system becomes compromised, triggering inflammation in your skin that damages your barrier function.

Symptoms: Along with the obvious redness, atopic dermatitis is typically defined by the amount of itching you will experience. In fact, according to the National Eczema Association, 85 percent of people with AD suffer itching on a daily basis. Dryness and discoloration is also a common symptom.

How To Treat It: A board-certified dermatologist should be your first port of call to truly diagnose and treat atopic dermatitis. They may prescribe an anti-inflammatory or cortisone treatment to help control the redness and reduce any sensitivities. At home, keep your skincare regime simple and free of potential irritants such as synthetic fragrance, sulfates and bad alcohol. Also, try to reduce stress and make sure you eat a healthy diet and get plenty of sleep. The usual, all-round, smart lifestyle choice are super important here.

Acne

What It Is: Acne occurs when your pores becoming blocked with dead skin cells and excess oil. This blockage then breeds bacteria, causing swelling, pimples and inflammation.

Symptoms: Oily skin coupled with red bumps that may be filled with pus are a sure-sign acne is in town. However, what sometimes looks like acne, isn’t, so it’s always best to see a dermatologist for a professional diagnosis.

How To Treat It: Severe acne should always be treated by a derm or doctor, but for mild acne, topical treatments and smart skincare choices can reap great rewards. Ingredients like retinol, salicylic acid and tea tree oil are all proven to help reduce and prevent breakouts. Our Tea Tree Super Serum+ is formulated with all of these, plus hyaluronic acid to hydrate and niacinamide to soothe. What’s more, you only need to apply it two or three times a week to see visible improvements in your skin. Gotta love that.

Contact Dermatitis

What It Is: Certain irritants can cause the skin on your face and neck to flare-up including fragrance, hair dye, jewelry and chemicals or preservatives in skincare products. This is a condition called contact dermatitis and it comes in two forms: irritant contact dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis.

According to the Mayo Clinic, irritant contact dermatitis is the most common and occurs when your skin is exposed to something it doesn't like which then damages and irritates your skin’s outermost layer. Allergic contact dermatitis, on the other hand, triggers an immune reaction in your skin and can be caused by eating certain foods as well exposing your skin to irritants in personal care products.

Symptoms: Contact dermatitis usually results in redness, itching, dryness, swelling and sometimes burning, bumps or blisters. It can also lead to infection, especially if you scratch the affected area.

How To Treat It: The best way to deal with contact dermatitis is to identify what’s causing your reaction. And word to the wise: don’t even bother trying to do this at home – you’ll just waste time and energy. Instead, check in with an allergist who will perform various patch tests to pinpoint the exact allergen that’s doing a number on your skin. Going forward, avoid this, look after your skin with gentle formulations, moisturize twice daily and you should be laughing.

Over-exfoliation

What It Is: Exfoliating is a great way to boost cell turnover, deeply cleanse your skin and help the rest of your skincare penetrate your skin more effectively. However, too much exfoliating can weaken your skin’s barrier function, stripping away essential ceramides, fatty acids, cholesterol and other nutrients that work hard to keep your skin soft, supple, healthy and hydrated. Without this protective barrier, your skin becomes vulnerable to the outside world and is easily irritated by external aggressors such as pollution, chemicals and toxins. Cue the inevitable facial redness.

Symptoms: How can you tell if you’re over-exfoliating your skin? Well, your skin will become red, dry, tight, itchy and even sting a little when you apply other skincare products. You may also break out. Shock, horror.

How To Treat It: First, stop exfoliating so much. If you like to use a physical scrub or facial mitt, limit these to two or three times a week. Better yet, use a gentle chemical exfoliator that breaks down dead skin cells without you physically having to buff them away. Our Ocean Minerals Super Toner contains glycolic acid which does just that.

Psoriasis

What It Is: Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition that affects over 7.5 million adults in the US. According to the National Psoriasis Foundation its cause is kind of unclear, but it’s all down to a dysfunction of the immune system which causes inflammation and a build-up of skin cells on the surface of the skin. Psoriasis not only affects the skin, but can also impact the joints and other organs and tissues in the body.

Symptoms: Normal skin cells go through a cycle of around a month, in which they form, grow and then shed. However, if you have psoriasis, this process goes into overdrive and happens lightning fast – usually in around three or four days. This results in dead skin cells piling up on the surface of your skin, causing raised scaly patches, itching, burning and severe redness.

How To Treat It: Diagnosing psoriasis isn’t something to be done in the comfort of your home, but it’s easy for your doctor to do so. Therefore, you know the score – get yourself to a doctor or dermatologist quick smart. There are many treatments available for psoriasis, including steroid creams, retinoids and light therapy. Moisturizing your skin is also imperative for reducing flaky patches and dryness, but always patch test new products to check for irritation first.

Rosacea

What It Is: Rosacea is an extremely common, but treatable skin condition that’s flummoxed skin experts for decades. How so? Because its cause has never been fully understood. Rosacea is linked to your vascular system and causes redness and visible blood vessels on the face, usually around your cheeks, chin, nose and forehead. It often comes and goes and is triggered by environmental or lifestyle factors such as diet, alcohol, stress, extreme temperatures, exercise and certain medications.

Symptoms: Redness is the main symptom here, but it’s often coupled with pimple-like bumps that can be itchy and crusty. You may also experience swelling and a burning sensation on the surface of your skin, as well as dry eyes and blurry vision. These symptoms will come and go depending on your triggers.

How To Treat It: There are various options available including light therapy, antibiotics and prescription topical treatments, but as with all redness concerns, it’s vital to see a doctor for a professional diagnosis. You must also protect your skin from the sun as this is a devil for rosacea flare-ups, and think about keeping a diary to help identify your triggers. Your skincare regime should be simple, gentle and minus too many active ingredients like AHAs and retinol. Niacinamide could be an option for you because it has soothing, anti-inflammatory properties, but again, patch test any new product before using it for the first time.

PS: The main takeaway for concerns with any kind of persistent facial redness is to see your doctor or a skin specialist for a diagnosis and plan of action. Trying to figure out what’s causing yours will just stress you out. And this will do nothing but make the issue worse in the long run.

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.

Dark, under-eye circles getting your goat? Facial redness seriously starting to cheese you off? Then it’s time to take action against these common skin concerns. And thankfully, we know how… 

What’s your skin hangup, because we know you have one? Maybe even more than one. Come on, even the most perfectly porcelained among you will have something you hate about your skin. And yes, even if it is the tiniest of lines between your brows that nobody else notices, but you see EVERY TIME you look in the mirror.

When it comes to taking care of annoying skin issues like lines, wrinkles, acne and dark spots, a regular skincare routine doesn’t usually cut the mustard. But all it takes is that one awesome product to take your regime to a whole other level.

Here, we take a look at eight of the most common skin concerns you might face… plus what to do to minimize their effects on your skin – and your mental wellbeing.

1. Redness

Severe facial flushing can be caused by anything from rosacea and psoriasis through to eczema and seasonal allergies. And the most important thing here is not to even try to self-diagnose. Rosacea, for example, is often mistaken for acne which can lead to nothing short of disastrous results for your skin. So, first up, visit a skin specialist straight away to talk through your symptoms and treatment options.

If you think your skin is red due to harsh cleansing or irritation from potent actives in your skincare, you should also pare back your routine. Remove a facial serum from your regime for a few weeks and see if this helps. Or switch up your cleanser to a gentler formulation that avoids parabens, sulfates or harsh fragrances. This will help you understand if there’s a certain ingredient your skin has taken offense to. Rose Water Refreshing Toner is also a great shout for calming and soothing irritation.

2. A Shiny T-Zone

Excess shine around your nose, chin and forehead is due to too many overactive sebaceous glands in your skin which produce an excess of oil. And while shiny hair and shiny lips are all well and good, a slick face? Not so much.

The best ways to control excess shine are to avoid oil-heavy moisturizers, invest in some salicylic acid which cuts through oil like no other ingredient, and cleanse regularly, but gently, using a detoxifying ingredient like charcoal.

Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is just the guy for the job here. Containing activated coconut charcoal, it not only draws out toxins from your skin but also mops up excess sebum while it’s at it. Thankfully, it also contains aloe, glycerin and non pore-clogging lavender oil to keep your skin hydrated and balanced while it works it’s wonders. Because we're smart like that.

3. Dark Circles & Bags Around Your Eyes

Puffiness and dark, under-eye circles generally form as you age, when your skin loses collagen and therefore weakens and sags. Why is the area under your eyes so susceptible to aging? Because the skin here is thin, fragile and lacks fat and muscle to support it.

Dark circles are usually hereditary, but both conditions can be exacerbated by sun damage, cruddy sleep, stress, dehydration and irritation, so your first step to clearer, smoother eyes is to make better lifestyle choices. Our top three pieces of advice? Wear sunglasses outside, sleep with your head elevated and add a topical eye treatment to your daily routine. Peptide Eye Gel is the nuts for tackling dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles around your eyes.

4. Visible Pores

Your pore size is another skin grievance that’s determined by genetics and newsflash: it’s physically impossible to shrink them – even though many skincare manufacturers would like you to believe otherwise.

However, by keeping your skin healthy, strong and supple, you can definitely improve the look of enlarged pores. Of course, protecting your skin from the sun is super important as UV rays break down collagen and compromise the structure of your skin. Therefore always wear a lightweight sunscreen and introduce antioxidants into your regime to further boost your protection.

You should also look out for gentle cleansers and toners containing salicylic or glycolic acid as these boost cellular turnover and help remove dead skin cells which can hang around on the surface of your skin and block your pores. Try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains glycolic acid along with MSM and our favorite antioxidant, vitamin C.

5. Cracked, Flaky Skin

Cracked, flaky skin is usually a result of dryness (or eczema, of course). Dry skin is hereditary, caused by a lack of natural sebum and is not to be confused with dehydration which is due to a lack of water in the skin and can affect any skin type – dry, normal, oily, you name it.

The best way to look after dryness and cracked skin is to treat it super carefully. Avoid harsh chemicals in your skincare and never wash your face in hot water which compromises your barrier function and depletes essential fatty acids and lipids from the surface of your skin. 

It’s also a great idea to include occlusive or emollient ingredients in your skincare to help repair and smooth over cracks and reduce moisture loss. Our Vitamin C Night Cream contains some of the best emollients including cocoa butter, beeswax and botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose oil.

6. Frown Lines

You might be applying the best eye treatment to the lines around your eyes, but what about those pesky 11 lines that lurk right between your eyebrows? What can you do about those – without having to resort to a syringe full of Botox, of course?

Frown lines are caused by the natural loss of collagen and elastin as you age, coupled with repeated facial expressions like raising your eyebrows, squinting and frowning.

Facial yoga can be an effective way to combat a crinkly forehead. A great one is to open your eyes as wide as possible – without wrinkling your forehead – then stare at the horizon for 10 seconds, relax and repeat five times.

Of course, the usual suspects of stress, excessive sun exposure and pollution also play their part, so protect your skin with SPF and antioxidant serums. We recommend our super-powered Vitamin C Super Serum+ which is packed to the brim with antioxidant favorites like vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and retinol.

7. Hormonal Acne

Acne is the most common skin condition in the US and can affect any one of us, at any time in our lives. Research shows that hormonal acne, which makes you break out while dealing with hormonal fluctuations during your periods or the menopause, affects 25 percent of women in their forties and a massive 50 percent of women in their twenties.

Retinol is an awesome ingredient for treating and controlling mild hormonal acne because it boosts cell turnover which helps slough off dead skin cells and prevents your pores from becoming blocked. Retinol can be pretty potent, remember, so introduce Retinol Facial Serum slowly into your routine and always perform a patch test first.

If your hormonal acne is severe and manifests itself through deep, cystic bumps, oral medications might prove more effective.

8. Dark Spots

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, sun damage is the most common cause of dark spots which usually appear on your face, hands, shoulders and/or arms – yes, the areas that are most often exposed to sunlight. It goes without saying, therefore, that if you limit your time in the sun, and protect your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen every time you step outside, you’ll dramatically reduce your chances of developing sun-related dark spots. But you knew that.

Retinol, vitamin C and AHAs such as glycolic acid are also fabulous for dealing with minor, surface-level discolorations. Vitamin C has even been proven to prevent future dark spots from developing, so you’ve simply got to add Vitamin C Facial Serum to your daily routine if dark spots are your thing. And you really don’t want them to be…