True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Not that we’re dissing retinol. It’s just that it’s not the ONLY skincare ingredient out there worth a place in your daily regime…

Don’t get us wrong, retinol gives us all the feels and we’re mad about its cunning ability to improve everything from wrinkles and dark spots to acne and sagging skin. But it’s pretty potent stuff, so not everyone’s skin can get away with using it on the reg. Also, it’s not the be-all and end-all. In fact there are plenty of other trusted skincare ingredients that offer awesome anti-aging benefits for no-so-youthful-looking skin.

Of course, any brand promising you miracles like a ‘face lift in a bottle’ is lying to you – no matter what kind of clinically-proven wonder-potions are packed inside. But if you keep at it, and give skincare time to work, certain ingredients are guaranteed to offer real, skin-changing results.

Here are our top five…

1. Exfoliating Acids

According to the Mayo Clinic, exfoliating acids like AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) and PHAs (poly hydroxy acids) are among the most effective ingredients for reducing the visible signs of aging. Unlike manual exfoliators like scrubs, loofahs and face cloths that require some kind of physical movement to work, exfoliating acids dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells to encourage them to get a move on and fall away from the surface of your skin. This process accelerates cellular turnover and works to brighten, smooth and even out your entire complexion. It also helps prepare your skin to better absorb and reap the benefits of the rest of your skincare routine.

You’ll find exfoliating acids in various forms across anything from cleansers to serums, the most common of which are glycolic, lactic, gluconic and salicylic acids. We formulate salicylic acid into our Vitamin C Super Serum+ which is a great choice for aging skin. Always patch test first, then apply it to clean, dry skin before moisturizing.

2. Niacinamide

A form of vitamin B3, niacinamide is a very effective antioxidant that’s been gaining popularity as a skincare ingredient in recent years. And it’s about time, too.

Not a blog post goes by in which we don’t talk about antioxidants, yet here we go again –sorry, not sorry. Antioxidants are up there as some of the most important things to include in your skincare regime. Granted, cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen are THE most important products for maintaining healthy skin, but if you care about defying lines, wrinkles and so on, antioxidants are everything. How so? Because they protect your skin from free radicals which are unstable oxygen molecules that wreak havoc on your skin when it’s exposed to things like UV radiation and environmental pollution.

Niacinamide is very well tolerated by the skin which makes it a great choice for sensitive skin. Research also shows that it increases the production of ceramides in the top layers of your skin which improves your barrier function, increases moisturization and helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It also reduces inflammation, diminishes discoloration, fights breakouts and balances sebum. Is there anything niacinamide can’t do? For sure, but who needs a facial serum to walk the dog?

Try our awesome Niacinamide Facial Serum which blends this potent but skin-friendly antioxidant with healing vitamin E and hydrating hyaluronic acid. 

3. MSM

Often overshadowed by the big guns, MSM is 100 percent worth a place in your skincare routine. And here’s why. Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane (agreed, a real mouthful), MSM is a sulfur compound which primarily contains sulfur, as well as small amounts of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. Sulfur is extremely plentiful in the human body and found mainly in your skin and bones. It’s often known as the ‘healing mineral’ due to its ability to support healthy collagen synthesis, boost circulation, reduce inflammation and detoxify. Impressive stuff, right?

As a topical ingredient, MSM has been proven to not only increase collagen production, but to also reduce environmental damage by increasing your levels of glutathione. Glutathione is one of your body’s most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants, helping to fight oxidative stress caused by those devils called free radicals. We hate free radicals. You should hate free radicals, too.

You’ll find MSM in a bunch of your favorite TruSkin products including our Hyaluronic Eye Cream. 

4. Peptides

Peptides can be tricky to get your head around, but simply put they’re chemical compounds made up of amino acids. Now, if you paid attention in 7^th grade biology you’ll remember that amino acids combine to form proteins and are pretty much the building blocks of the human body, aiding in important functions like growth and repair. Well, while proteins are made up of long chains of amino acids, peptides are the little guys, made up of shorter chains.

In skincare, certain peptides act like little messengers to encourage your cells to produce more proteins – namely collagen, elastin and keratin – and simultaneously improve your skin’s texture and tone. They can work on fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, even breakouts. But only if you choose the right ones…

One of the most effective peptides to look out for is Matrixyl 3000 which is thought to be able to almost double the amount of collagen your cells produce. Impressed? Much? Then you have to try our Peptide Eye Gel and Ocean Minerals Super Toner which both contain the mighty Matrixyl 3000 as well as plenty of other skin-loving and anti-aging ingredients.

5. Vitamin C

Another, dare we say it, powerful antioxidant, vitamin C is so good, we like to tout its abilities on an almost weekly basis! But it’s so much more than a free radical-fighting powerhouse. It’s literally ‘the’ ingredient for boosting radiance and diminishing dark spots.

So, how does that work? Well, studies have shown that it reduces the amount of melanin your skin produces by inhibiting tyrosinase (a catalyst for melanin production). By hampering melanin, vitamin C works hard to fade existing dark spots, help stop new ones from forming and give you a more glowy complexion. Oh, vitamin C also promotes cellular turnover and collagen production as a couple of extra bonuses.

Topical vitamin C takes on many forms, most commonly l-ascorbic acid and sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP). L-ascorbic acid is the pure form but it’s notoriously unstable meaning it breaks down easily, therefore becoming less effective. It can also be a little potent for sensitive skin so, instead, we use SAP across all of our C-products because it’s way gentler on the skin, still super effective and maintains its stability for much longer. SAP is the salt version of pure vitamin C which is why our infamous Vitamin C Facial Serum looks a little cloudy.

So, now you know!

Halloween’s always a great excuse to scoff candy, but processed sugar can have dire effects on your skin…

Stuffing mealtimes with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and good fats goes a long way to maintaining glowing, healthy skin. But treating your body like a temple is easier said than done when all the naughty stuff tastes so darn good.

Well, do you know what? A little of the bad stuff is not going to do that much damage in the long run. It’s all about everything in moderation, right? Ha, moderation! That’s all well and good throughout most of the year, but there are certain times when temptation is just too hard to resist. And Halloween is one of them.

From candy corn and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups to ghoulishly decorated cupcakes and super sweet cocktails, there is literally no getting away from sugar at this time of year. Even when October 31 has passed, Thanksgiving is just around the corner, then the holidays and, well, you might as well right off the entire rest of the year because your willpower stands zero chance against all of that sweet stuff.

But here’s the thing, while a little sugar is fine, overloading your body with tons of processed sugar is hell on your skin and can lead to inflammation, premature aging, even pimples and blackheads. Not down with that? Then here’s everything you need to know about the disastrous effects excess sugar has on your poor complexion. And hopefully a little intel will make you think twice about living by the ‘one for them, one for me’ rule next time those trick or treaters come knocking on your door…

Why Sugar Is Bad News For Your Skin

Studies show that overloading your body with sugar accelerates the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) through a process called glycation. Glycation is a reaction that occurs when excessive amounts of sugar become too much for your natural insulin levels to handle. It then attacks your skin cells, latching onto fats and important proteins like collagen and elastin, breaking them down and causing them to stiffen, weaken and performing poorly. The result? Harmful compounds called AGEs that kill your radiant, youthful complexion by causing dryness, exacerbating fine lines, deepening wrinkles and making your skin look kind of ‘meh.’

But that’s not all. Sugar is also an inflammatory, so not only does it play a huge part in the speed in which your skin ages, but it can also be a major trigger for acne, eczema, rosacea and psoriasis flare-ups. Especially if you like to overindulge on the reg. 

How To Cut Down On Your Sugar Intake

Did you know, the average American consumes about 17 teaspoons of sugar every day – and who knows how much that spikes over Halloween and the holiday season? So, try to remember, Halloween candy should ideally be for the kids, not you! You probably wouldn’t give the likes of Skittles, M&Ms and Hershey’s Kisses a second look throughout the rest of the year, so just because they’re in the house now, this doesn’t mean you should scoff the lot.

A great tip is not to buy your trick or treat stash until the last minute – preferably the day of Halloween – then temptation won’t get in the way. And if you have leftovers you don’t know what to do with? Give them to a neighbor or take them to work so they’re well out of temptation’s reach.

When it comes to your regular, day-to-day eating habits, avoid adding extra sugar to your food and drinks, and limit packaged, processed foods that contain hidden sugars like corn syrup, fructose, molasses and invert sugar. Make small changes like replacing cookies and ice cream with fresh fruit and unsweetened yogurt, and swap sugary cereals for unsweetened oatmeal or granola. Simple tweaks like these won’t be too painful to stick to, but can make the world of difference to the look and feel of your skin.

5 Ways To Counteract The Negative Effects Of Sugar On Your Skin

Great skincare is also essential if you want to stop sugar from doing a real number on your complexion. Here are our top five ways to beat ‘sugar face.’

1. Load Up On Antioxidants

Pesky AGEs are a real killer on your body’s antioxidant system, deactivating your natural enzymes which work hard to fight against free radicals and all the damage they cause to your skin. To combat premature aging and limit oxidative stress, up your topical antioxidants. Vitamins A, C and E are fabulous antioxidants for your skin, as are niacinamide and hyaluronic acid. Not sure which to choose? Then you can’t go wrong with our fan-favorite, Vitamin C Serum For Face.

2. Up Your Intake Of Alpha-Lipoic Acid

Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA) is another antioxidant that helps protect your skin from free radical damage. It’s also an anti-inflammatory and, according to Diabetes Action, has been shown to help reduce levels of sugar and lipids in the blood by reducing oxidative stress and inflammation. ALA is found in spinach, broccoli, tomatoes, beets, carrots and red meat, but you can also find it in dietary supplements.

3. Get Plenty Of Zzzs

Your body does most of its damage limitation overnight while you’re catching valuable zzzs, so don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep for reducing the aging effects of glycation. Studies show that the sleep hormone, melatonin can reduce damage caused by glycation by up to 50 percent. Sleep also helps curb inflammation and regulates your blood sugar levels to reduce sugar cravings throughout the day. Win win.

4. Use Anti-Inflammatory Skincare

Skincare that reduces redness and inflammation is perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth. And our favorite, anti-inflammatory go-to? MSM. Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane, MSM is a sulfur compound that helps increase your body’s natural production of glutathione, a super important antioxidant that works hard to boost collagen, quash environmental damage and fight inflammation. Try Vitamin C Super Serum+ to get your daily fill of MSM.

5. Reduce Your Levels Of Stress

Stress is bad news on so many levels, not least of all its effects on a post sugar high complexion. How so? Because, for one thing it causes spikes in cortisol, which accelerates glycation, increases inflammation, mucks up your collagen and interferes with healing. It can also affect sebum production, making dry skin drier and oily skin even oilier. Try to manage your stress by taking some time for yourself at least once a day. Read a book, go for a walk or take a bath – in fact, anything that helps clear your mind of the daily grind will go a long way to improving your skin – and, of course, your well being. 

From classic cucumber slices to the latest beauty tool sweeping Instagram, it’s time to take action against your unwanted eye baggage.

What is it with puffy eyes? Sure, they might not be your biggest skincare concern – frown lines and hormonal breakouts can fight for that crown – but waking up with bags under your eyes that would put the Kardashians’ weekend luggage to shame is not how we like to start the day.

Like many skin issues, there are a number of reasons you might be blighted by under eye bags. Think genes, lack of sleep, allergies and smoking. But one thing’s for sure, puffy eyes become much more common as you age. How so? Because skin becomes looser thanks to a lack of collagen, while supporting tissues and muscles around your eyes weaken, allowing fat and fluid to accumulate.

OK, so that’s the bad news. But it’s not all doom and bloom because there are countless ways you can quickly and simply improve bags under your eyes...

1. Invest In A Depuffing Eye Treatment

Skincare is a very personal thing and if there’s one product that consistently splits opinion, it’s eye cream. If you’re a bit of a cynic in this department, hear us out for a minute. Sure, regular moisturizer is just about passable for the skin around your eyes. Until it’s not. And the reasons are simple. The skin in this area is way thinner and more fragile than the skin on the rest of your face which makes it extremely susceptible to the visible signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles and sagging. It also has fewer sebaceous glands, so it can quickly feel dry and irritated unless it’s looked after. Then there are more specific eye issues like dark circles and bags – both of which don’t need to be addressed on the rest of your face.

This is why a specific eye treatment – one that’s been carefully created to deal with issues around your eyes – is so important.

When it comes to reducing eye bags, look for ingredients like caffeine, licorice, cucumber, hyaluronic acid and green tea which all help to hydrate the skin and reduce puffiness. Both Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream and Peptide Eye Gel are also formulated with an ingredient cunningly called eyebright. This is a herbal extract that contains tannin to naturally tighten and refresh the skin while helping to reduce inflammation.

Apply your eye treatment to cleansed skin every morning and night and use your ring fingers to tap a small amount around both eyes. Using your ring fingers rather than your forefingers lessens the amount of pressure you put on your skin which reduces dragging. Meanwhile, the gentle tapping motion helps encourage lymphatic drainage.

2. Chill Out

One of the most effective and cheapest ways to instantly reduce puffiness is to apply something cold over your eyes. Cold temperatures make your blood vessels contract which reduces blood flow and immediately reduces swelling and inflammation. It’s simple science.

Of course, you could place two teaspoons (taken straight out of the refrigerator), a couple of cucumber slices or even some cold, used teabags over each eye for 10 minutes. These will all do the job nicely. But, if you love to embrace beauty tools, you might want to try out some facial ice globes.

Ice globes are a little bit like jade rollers but, as their name suggests, they have balls on the ends and are designed to be kept in your fridge or freezer. They can be used over your entire face to minimize inflammation and puffiness, but they’re particularly awesome for the eye area as their globe-like shape makes them easy to negotiate around the orbital bone. Use them in the morning to help waken up tired, puffy eyes, but be sure not to press too hard as this could drag and damage your skin. A gentle touch is all you need.

3. Be A Better Sleeper

Puffy eyes can be the result of many things, but more often than not poor or not enough sleep are the major culprits. The exact science behind this is kind of hazy but a lack of sleep causes the skin around your eyes to become dry and irritated, so there’s that. It also dilates the blood vessels which increases blood retention, and increases your levels of cortisol which makes your skin retain water.

The answer is simple. Get. More. Sleep. The American Sleep Association recommends between seven and nine hours. Not only that, but try to optimize any shut-eye you do get by sleeping on your back with your head slightly raised. Sleeping on your back helps reduce friction and any consequent inflammation and irritation to your skin from your pillowcase, while keeping your head elevated reduces fluid retention.

4. Embrace In A Little Gua Sha Therapy

You may have seen gua sha crystals popping up on your Insta feeds over the last year or so, but this ancient Chinese therapy has been around for hundreds of years. Using flat, smooth crystals like jade or rose quartz to massage your skin, gua sha is known to help remove a build-up of lymphatic fluids from the face.

To specifically work on puffy eyes, you basically hold your crystal almost flat against cleansed skin, then sweep it under your eye and out to your temple area. Repeat this three or four times, then do the same thing on the other eye and finally repeat the whole process above each eye, working just underneath your brow area. For even better results, always apply eye cream first.

5. Drink More Water, Eat Less Salt

While drinking water doesn’t directly hydrate your skin, if your body is dehydrated it will hold on to all the fluid it can, making your eye bags ten times worse. This means it’s super important to drink plenty of fluids. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, a healthy adult female should consume around 2.7 liters of fluids every day, while men need around 3.7 liters. That may sound like a lot, but some of this will come from your food, with 80 percent being required from drinks like water, milk, juices and herbal teas. Still confused? Then go for eight glasses a day - it's much easier to remember!

One last thing before we go: try to reduce the amount of salt in your diet. Salt is just as dehydrating to your body as a lack of fluids because excess sodium causes it to retain water. This is bad news not only for puffy eyes, but for bloating as well, so decrease your salt intake, especially in the evenings. Fancy a cheeky packet of Cheetos before bed? Nope.

Answer: yes… and no. Because things are rarely black and white in the wonderful world of skincare.

If you thought smoking, booze, no sleep and poor skincare were the root cause of skin aging, well, you’re not wrong. However, hands down the biggest skin ager and far worse than all those factors put together is the sun. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the sun is responsible for around 90 percent of external aging. Not 50, not even 70, but a phenomenal 90 percent.

This, as well as the far more serious risks of skin cancer, is the reason we constantly chirp on about the importance of wearing sunscreen and doing everything you can to protect your skin from the sun. And not just in the summer months, but all year long.

Even the most prudent of you, however, will experience some form of sun damage as you age. Because: life. So, what exactly does sun damage look like – other than the obvious red, sunburnt skin? And once it's there can you do anything about it?

Here’s what we know…

What Is Sun Damage?

In fancy terms, any skin damage caused by the sun is known as photoaging. It usually starts to appear after the age of around 20 because the harsh reality is every time you step foot outside, UV radiation hits your skin and causes some kind of harm.

Sun damage not only damages your blood vessels, DNA, collagen and elastin, but it sends your melanocytes (melanin-producing cells) wild, causing your skin to develop dark patchy areas called solar lentigines – or more familiarly known as dark, sun or age spots. Oh, and you know those freckles you think are cute after a day on the beach? Sun damage, right there.

Other signs of photoaging include fine lines and wrinkles, loose skin, sagging, dryness, spider veins and a ruddy complexion.

So, Can You Reverse Sun Damage?

Completely? No. Somewhat? For sure. What we mean by this is that while a lot of photodamage can be permanent, there are certain skincare ingredients and treatments available to help repair and soften lines, fade dark spots, tighten loose skin and reduce spider veins or a blotchy complexion.

In no particular order, here are three of our favorites…

1. Retinol

Oh retinol, how we love thee. One of the most trusted ingredients in skincare, retinol works by stimulating cell turnover and increasing collagen production which helps improve the color, tone and texture of your skin. By working on your skin at a deeper level than many other ingredients, retinol has the ability to combat almost all signs of photoaging. More specifically it can significantly decrease the visibility of lines, wrinkles and dark spots. Let’s have a group hug for that, please.

It can take a good few months for the effects of retinol to be visible, so you must be patient and consistent. And don’t worry if your skin looks kind of cruddy before it gets better. A little dryness and redness is what’s known as retinization – the process in which your skin is adjusting to the treatment. This should be mild and subside after a short period of time, so bear with it and you’ll be thankful in the long run. Of course, if any irritation is painful or long-lasting, you might need to slow it down a little. Apply your retinol treatment just two or three times a week, rather than daily, until your skin acclimates. Then you can build up again as your skin becomes more tolerant. You could also try a Retinol Moisturizer rather than a serum as moisturizing creams and lotions have a slower delivery system so are much gentler on your skin.

2. Vitamin C

Known at TruSkin HQ as the brightening powerhouse, vitamin C is a clever little antioxidant that mops up free radical damage and fades dark spots into the bargain. Sun-induced free radicals are a real issue when it comes to aging skin because they hunt down all the good proteins in your skin, breaking down collagen and causing all kinds of harm. The great news is you can minimize free radical formation by regularly applying a hard-working topical antioxidant like vitamin C. Our Vitamin C Facial Serum not only contains a stable form of vitamin C called sodium ascorbyl phosphate, but two other antioxidants to the tune of vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Frankly, free radicals stand no chance.

It’s also worth noting that vitamin C contains properties that inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that generates melanin production. Erratic melanin is what makes your skin go patchy and dark from too much time in the sun, so by regulating it, you immediately help lessen the blow of dark spots and an uneven skin tone. Take that, sun damage!

3. Sunscreen

There’s no denying that prevention is way, WAY better than cure. After all, skin cells that have been subject to decades of sun exposure with very little sun protection could be so damaged, they’re no longer repairable. Therefore, the best way to reverse sun damage is to avoid it in the first place.

Obviously we don’t expect you to never leave the house again, but there are some simple things you can do to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun like seek shade and wear protective clothing. However, the most important trick you can employ is to apply sunscreen. Every. Morning.

When it comes to choosing sunscreen, look for a formulation that’s broad-spectrum which means it protects you from UVA as well as UVB radiation. Never go less than SPF 30 and apply it generously and often.

Professional Treatments For Reducing Sun Damaged Skin

If your sun damage is more serious, there are also some super effective, professional treatments available at your derm’s office. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends chemical peels, laser treatments, IPL and microdermabrasion for addressing pigmentation issues, while fillers can restore lost volume and Botox is often a go-to for dealing with fine lines and wrinkles.

Speak to your skincare professional about any photoaging concerns you may have and they can recommend your best plan of action.

In the meantime, did we mention the importance of sunscreen?...

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! 

#1: Yes, you absolutely DO need to apply sunscreen on cloudy days.

You all know the importance of generously slapping on sun protection before heading out for a day at a beach/park/backyard bbq. But what about the rest of the year? Must you? So, what’s the correct SPF value? And if you apply an SPF 30 are you doubly protected than if you were to apply SPF 15? 

The facts about sun protection can be fairly mind-boggling. But it's vital you know what's what. Not only is the sun accountable for around 90 percent of skin aging, but according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, skin cancer is the most common cancer all over the world (including right here in the US). A staggering 9,500 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every day and two people die of it every hour of every day. Now, we don’t know about you, but we find those statistics very worrying. 

The good news, however, is that most cases are totally preventable simply by protecting your skin. Of course, we know you’re not silly enough to use tanning beds, so we’re going to scratch that from the equation straight away. But even the most skincare savvy among you might not be aware of the real truth when it comes to looking after your skin in the sun. How so? Because there are way too many myths floating around about what you should and shouldn’t do. Sigh.

Thankfully, there’s a simple solution to that. Dispell these myths with pure, unadulterated facts. And we're so on that…

Myth #1: You Only Need Sunscreen On Super Sunny Days

The Real Truth: While it might sound like an urban myth, a whopping 80 percent of the sun’s rays pass right through clouds, causing just as much damage to your skin on gray, dreary days as they do on sunny ones. Just remember, sun damage is caused by UV radiation from the sun, not heat, so even though it feels cooler on cloudy days, those nasty rays are still very much there, just waiting to do a number on your collagen supplies and cause havoc to the DNA in your skin cells. UVB rays are certainly stronger in the summer (they’re the ones that burn), but UVA rays are the same strength all year round and they’re the long-term damagers that age you up and are the main cause of skin cancer. You have been warned.

Take Action: Apply sunscreen to any unprotected parts of your face and body every day of the year. Your face, in particular, is constantly subject to exposure and it's very susceptible to aging so look after it with sunscreen and antioxidants. Try Vitamin C Facial Serum every morning before moisturizing for a super-powered hit of antioxidants including vitamin C, vitamin E, aloe vera and hyaluronic acid. Then finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen. No arguments.

Myth #2: SPF 30 Is Twice As Effective As SPF 15

The Real Truth: Put your math skills aside here because standard principles don’t apply when it comes to sun protection factors. It’s kinda confusing, but the main thing to remember is that SPF 15 blocks around 94 percent of UVB radiation, then anything above that is incremental. An SPF 30, for example, blocks around 97 percent, while SPF 50 gives you approximately 98 percent protection. Even an SPF 100 doesn’t offer 100 percent protection, more like 99 percent.

Take Action: The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) advises sticking with something around the SPF 30 mark for day-to-day use, maybe SPF 50 if you’re out in the sun all day. We agree. Also, make no mistake that a higher SPF means you don’t need to frequently reapply. The truth is, ALL sunscreens last for the same period of time. This means that no matter what SPF you’re using, you must always reapply every two hours and immediately after swimming or sweating.

Myth #3: The Sun Can’t Damage Your Skin If You Stay In The Shade

The Real Truth: This is so very wrong. For sure, staying under an umbrella or tree is going to reduce your risk of burning, but while you might be shielding yourself from visible sunlight, those pesky UV rays are still able to reflect off nearby surfaces and hit you where it hurts. Sand, for example, reflects around 25 percent of UV radiation.

Take Action: By all means, sit in the shade (in fact, we advise it), but don’t think you can do this and get away with not wearing sunscreen. You must still regularly and generously apply your SPF. Oh, and try to find solid rather than dappled shade as any holes or gaps will allow a certain amount of radiation to penetrate your skin.

Myth #4: You Don’t Need Sun Protection If You Have Dark Skin

The Real Truth: Sun damage can get to everyone in the end. It’s true, skin cancers like melanoma are less common for darker skin types because dark skin contains a higher level of protective melanin. However, nobody is 100 percent safe from skin cancers because they can attack any skin color. What’s more, they're harder to detect in black or brown skin which means they often go undetected and can become more life-threatening.

Take Action: The same advice applies here: use a broad-spectrum SPF 30 for every day use and SPF 50 for full-on days in the great outdoors. No matter your skin color. Also, be vigilant when it comes to checking for unusual moles or dark spots and get anything you're unsure of checked out immediately.

Myth #5: The Sun Can’t Damage Your Skin When Driving

The Real Truth: Oh, if only this one were true. However, glass does not block UVA radiation. We repeat, glass does not block UVA radiation. You’re pretty safe from burning UVB rays (unless you have the windows open, of course), but the sun’s nasty UVA rays can still penetrate through glass, causing all manner of cellular damage and premature aging like dark spots, fine lines and sagging skin. Tinted windows offer a small about of protection but you can’t legally tint your whole front window anyway, so that’s kind of a moot point.

Take Action: Again, protect, protect, protect with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that’s nothing less than SPF 30. The term ‘broad-spectrum’ means a product will protect your skin from UVA rays, not just UVB, and that’s super important here.