True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Concerned that the skin around your eyes is aging you up way faster than the rest of your face? Then it might be time to reassess some of your beauty habits...

Aging skin is a fact of life. Like the rising sun and the changing tides, it just happens. But that doesn’t mean you have to sit back and let it take its toll without a little fight, right? Sure, fine lines are a sign you’ve lived a great life. And the odd wrinkle here and there? No biggie. But if there are ways to maintain youthful-looking skin for as long as possible, then why wouldn’t you?

This is never more important than when it comes to the skin around your eyes. Super fragile and way thinner than the skin on the rest of your face, your eye area is one of the first places to show the signs of visible aging. At around age 20, lines start to form due to collagen and elastin degradation. You may also start to notice dark circles or puffiness thanks to tissues around your eyes becoming weak and saggy, thus allowing fat to shift south and excess fluids to congregate under your eyes.

Of course, intrinsic aging (the genetic type of aging that’s totally out of your control) can’t be helped, but what about all the other stuff that contributes to how your skin ages? These you can do something about. So, let’s have a look at the top five beauty habits that could be aging up your eyes way before their time…

1. Squinting

Your facial expressions play a major part in where lines and wrinkles form on your face because repeated muscle movement compresses skin cells and causes weakness in your skin. When you’re young, no problem, your skin just bounces back, but as you age and your skin naturally loses volume, elasticity and suppleness, fine lines, then deep-set wrinkles will inevitably take up residence –especially around your eyes.

This means squinting is a big no-no if you want to avoid crow’s feet for as long as possible. Wear sunglasses whenever you go outside in the daytime (any excuse for a new pair of shades, we say) and if you find yourself squinting when you drive, watch TV or are working at a computer, it might be time for a vision test. Just saying.

2. Not Applying Eye Cream

Like toner, eye creams are constantly up for debate. Do they really work or are they just marketing hype to get you to spend more money on skincare you don’t actually need? Well, obviously we’re a little biased, but ask any dermatologist and they will agree, eye treatments are an essential part of an effective skincare routine. Here’s the thing, not only is the skin around your eyes thin, fragile and susceptible to damage, but it also contains less sebaceous glands than the rest of your face which makes it more prone to dryness. This means it needs more moisturization and benefits from other targeted ingredients to tackle concerns like dark circles and bags – stuff that isn’t an issue for the skin on the rest of your face.

So, if you’ve been dismissive of eye treatments for years, now's the time to get on board. And we have two awesome options for you – all wrapped up in fancy new packaging, but with the same super effective formulations we know you’ll love.

First up, there’s our moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream which contains everything the skin around your eyes could ever ask for. Think peptides, vitamin C, glycolic acid and thirst-quenching hyaluronic acid which work together to protect, hydrate and refresh your skin, while helping improve the look of dark circles, lines and puffiness.

Next, there’s our fabulous Peptide Eye Gel, a lightweight treatment that contains a whole host of powerful actives to instantly cool and refresh tired eyes, whilst also helping combat the other signs of visible aging around this delicate area.

Ignore the haters, eye creams rock. Debate over.

3. Applying Your Eye Cream In All The Wrong Ways

While we’re on the subject of eye creams, even the most effective treatment will be wasted if you don’t apply it properly. And by this, we mean with great care. None of your rubbing or full-on massage, thanks very much.

Here’s how to nail it. First, cleanse, tone and apply your facial serum, then comes your eye cream or gel (yes, always before moisturizer). Using clean hands, apply a tiny, pea-sized amount of product all around your eyes, using your ring fingers to ensure you don’t apply too much pressure. Either pat it into your skin, or smooth it gently around your eyes, but never pull on the skin as this will drag and damage it.

4. Constantly Rubbing Your Eyes

The odd eye rub is fine, but if you find yourself continually man-handling the skin around your eyes, you’re asking for trouble. For a start, touching your eyes with unclean hands transfers dirt and bacteria, causing irritation and redness. Which is not cool. Aggressively rubbing your eyes also does a real number on your collagen supplies, thinning your skin and wearing it down over time. Also uncool.

To help reduce the damage caused by rubbing and scratching your eye area, avoid using your whole hand. Instead, gently target irritation using the pads of your ring fingers only. Also, if your eyes are constantly itching, try to get to the bottom of why it’s happening. Chances are it’s being caused by some kind of allergy or airborne irritant which can be treated with eye drops or antihistamines. Bottom line, however, is itchy eyes can be due to any number of reasons so talk to your doctor if symptoms persist.

5. Sleeping Poorly

You all know that lack of zzzs is a recipe for skin disaster, but what about the way in which you sleep? Sleeping on one side, for example, creases the same areas of your face, increasing your chances of developing fine lines in those areas. Also, sleeping on your back is terrible for the skin around your eyes – and in fact all over your face – as, again, smushing your face into your pillow causes creasing and, over time, accelerates the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Your best bet is to sleep on your back, with your head slightly raised. This not only avoids face-to-pillow contact, but it also stops excess fluids from pooling underneath your eyes.

So, you see, time isn't the only thing to blame for aging skin around your eyes. You have to take the hit, also.

Ever wondered whether your fine line was in fact a wrinkle? Or vice versa? But wait, aren’t they basically the same thing? Actually no, they’re quite different.

Fine lines and wrinkles – it’s like you can’t have one without the other. And we’re probably just as much to blame for this as the next skincare company, because whenever we talk about the visible signs of aging it’s all ‘fine line and wrinkles’ this and ‘fine lines and wrinkles’ that.

However, while lines and wrinkles are the most common signs of skin aging, they don’t always come as a package deal. In fact, they’re quite different. So, let’s have a quick look at what they're really about, shall we?

What Is A Fine Line?

Fine lines are the babies of the wrinkle family. They’re shallow, less than two millimeters in depth and more like small creases, if you will. 

Fine lines can appear anywhere on your face, but they’re usually more prevalent on and around areas that experience repeated muscle movement because repetitive motions like frowning and smiling cause weakness in your skin. When you’re young, your skin is able to easily bounce back, but as you get older, it becomes thinner, weaker, drier and less elastic which is why fine lines appear near expressive areas around your eyes, mouth and across your forehead.

Of course, your natural aging process isn’t the only cause of fine lines. Many other factors come into play including the usual suspects: sun damage, smoking, pollution and stress. Research also shows that darker skin is thicker and therefore stays smoother, firmer and with less lines than fair skin. But whatever your skin type, they're kind of inevitable at some point. 

What Is A Wrinkle?

Wrinkles, on the other hand, are fine lines that have simply grown-up. Over time, repeated use of your facial muscles, along with the continual degradation of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid cause fine lines to become thicker, deeper and more noticeable. This is when that innocuous fine line graduates into a big, bad wrinkle. Oh, and all those other external aggressors battling away at your skin for years and years don’t help either… 

But it’s not all bad news, folks, because fine lines and wrinkles might not be the same thing, but what you do to prevent them is. Can we get a 'hooray' for that?

The 3 Most Important Ways To Prevent Lines & Wrinkles

It’s perfectly normal for your skin to age and, in all honesty, expression lines around your eyes and mouth are all part of living your best life. However, there are certain other external factors you can control to help manage the rate in which your lines appear and mature into wrinkles.

1. Look After Your Barrier Function

Your skin’s barrier (aka the stratum corneum) is its uppermost layer and vital for protecting your body and keeping you alive.

Like the mortar that holds your skin together, your barrier is primarily made up of ceramides, fatty acids and cholesterol and it has three essential roles.

First, your skin’s barrier protects you from external toxins, allergens, pollution and UV radiation. Second, it works hard to reduce moisture loss. And third, it helps transport essential nutrients to the underlying layers of your skin. When your barrier works properly it maintains healthy skin by keeping it soft, supple, hydrated. It also keeps it safe from sensitivities, irritation and of course, environmental damage.

On the flipside, when it begins to weaken and function poorly, your skin becomes more prone to dryness, dehydration, inflammation and premature aging. Hello, fine lines and eventually wrinkles…

So, how can you look after your skin’s barrier function? Well, of course you shouldn’t smoke, get stressed or skip zzzs. But neither should you ever over-exfoliate. And this is really important because it’s one of the biggest mistakes people make with their skin. Sure, gentle exfoliation works wonders for increasing cellular turnover and boosting radiance, but too much of a good thing breaks down your skin’s barrier, causing it to become everything you don’t want for your complexion.

Our advice is to exfoliate your face just two or three times a week, using either a physical exfoliator like a scrub or cleansing brush; or try a treatment cleanser or toner that contains chemical exfoliating acids like lactic, glycolic or salicylic.

2. Apply Topical Antioxidants

Free radical damage (aka oxidative stress) is a killer for aging you up before your time, so doing everything you can to keep it under control is super important. Of course, maintaining a healthy barrier function will instantly help you ward off free radical damage from the sun and environment, but you should also include topical antioxidants in your daily skincare routine.

Antioxidants are vitamins and minerals that help protect your skin from oxidative stress by neutralizing free radicals. This stops free radicals from attacking all the good stuff in your skin that keeps it soft, strong and supple (yes, we’re talking to you, collagen and elastin), therefore reducing damage and helping your skin defy the signs of extrinsic aging.

Want to say ‘hold on a minute’ to fine lines and wrinkles? Then apply at least one topical antioxidant to your skin every day. Obviously, we’re massive fans of vitamin C, but vitamin E, niacinamide, retinol and hyaluronic acid also have antioxidant qualities that effectively get the job done. Not sure which one is right for you? Here’s some help choosing your perfect weapon.

3. Wear Sunscreen Every Day

If we had a dollar for every time we’ve stressed the importance of sunscreen we’d be millionaires... no, billionaires by now. But we’ll continue to bang on about it and make no apologies for it. Why? Because that big ball of fire in the sky is THE NUMBER ONE cause of external skin damage. Lines, wrinkles, dark spots, sagging, poor texture, the works. According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, a massive 90 percent of skin aging is caused by the sun and people who wear a daily sunscreen of at least SPF 15 or higher show 24 percent less skin aging than those who don’t.

Apply a good amount of sun protection (foundation, tinted moisturizer, powder... literally anything!) as the last step in your morning routine and we promise you, those lines will be much slower in coming.  

Lecture over. For now.

Aging skin isn’t just a result of getting old and spending too much time in the sun. What you eat also has a major impact on how fast your skin ages…

When it comes to skin aging, you can’t stop time (AKA intrinsic aging), but there are many other ways for you to control the rate in which fine lines, wrinkles, poor texture and sagging skin strike. Everything from pollution and sun damage through to stress, lack of sleep and of course, your diet are totally at your command and they’re major players in the look, feel and health of your skin.

We like to think we’re pretty thorough with our skin education and have already covered most causes of extrinsic aging (the fancy term for all the external stuff that affects the youthfulness of your skin). But one topic that’s passed us by is your diet.

Until now.

Eating a well-balanced, rounded diet that’s high in fibre and protein, yet low in carbs and fat is kind of a given. But knowing what you should or shouldn’t be devouring and actually putting this knowledge into practice are two very different things. However, if you’re anything like us, understanding what some of the biggest culprits are doing to your skin will make you question whether that second helping of key lime pie is really worth it.

To follow are five of the biggest dietary sins for skin aging, plus how to choose better alternatives. Don’t fret, we don’t expect you to completely cut these out of your diet for good (we’re not total savages). Just try to be mindful of what you eat. And that, we know you can do…

Skin Sin #1: Sugar

Research shows that excess sugar leads to the accumulation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are harmful compounds produced by the skin through a process called glycation. They form when you bombard your body with sugar and it attacks your skin cells, latching onto fats and proteins such as collagen and elastin, causing them to stiffen, weaken and performing poorly. This onslaught of sugar damage shows up on your skin’s surface in the form of lines, wrinkles, sagginess and dullness. No fun.

When you’re young, your body has the ability to fight oxidative stress caused by AGEs by producing plenty of fresh collagen and fighting off free radicals. However, as you get older, your body can’t keep up which is why a sugar-high diet causes your skin to age up lightning fast

Make The Switch: Cut down on refined white sugar and corn syrup, swapping it out for honey wherever possible. And snack on fruit to help curb your sweet cravings – go for antioxidant-rich options like blueberries, blackberries and raspberries.

It's also wise to add some topical antioxidants into your daily skincare routine to further fight free radical damage. We have many favorites, but a great place to start is Niacinamide Facial Serum which is super gentle but no less effective than some of its more potent friends like vitamin C and retinol.

Skin Sin #2: Salt

A diet that’s laden with salt is a fast-ticket to eczema flare-ups, acne breakouts and puffy, under eye bags. It’s also terribly dehydrating for your poor complexion. Excess sodium literally sucks all the moisture out of your skin which completely ruins your barrier function and results in dryness, itching, irritation and flakiness. It also causes inflammation and weakens collagen which, as you all know, is essential for plump, youthful-looking skin.

Make The Switch: Don’t get us wrong, salt is vital in small amounts for your health and well-being. Plus, avoiding it completely would be impossible. Instead, avoid adding salt when cooking, cut down on cheese and processed meats, and next time you’re tempted to throw a bag of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos in your shopping cart, go for unsalted nuts, instead. 

Skin Sin #3: Fried Food

Fried, processed foods like burgers, fries and brats not only raise your bad cholesterol and lower your good cholesterol, but they also increase the number of AGEs in your skin. They’re a little different to the ones sugar plague you with, however. How so? Well, these AGEs are not created inside your body, but form within the food when it's cooked at especially high, dry temperatures.

Studies have shown that dry heat may increase the amount of AGEs in food by up to 100 times their levels before cooking. Baking, broiling, roasting and barbecuing all cause AGEs to form in certain high fat/high protein foods (especially red meat), but frying is undoubtedly the worst for your skin and health. For example, fried bacon contains around ten times the number of AGEs as microwaved bacon. Dang.

Make The Switch: If you can't say no to fried foods, at the very least swap regular fries for sweet potato fries (preferably baked). Also, choose lean, white meat such as chicken and turkey above fatty, processed meats like hot dogs and beef patties.

Skin Sin #4: Refined Carbs

Again, this is all about AGEs – yeah, we know, those pesky devils get everywhere, don't they? As with sugar, your body turns refined carbs like white bread, pasta and rice into glucose, causing a serious amount of glycation and all the skin damage that comes with it. Say no more.

Make The Switch: When digested, all carbs are converted into sugar, but good carbs like wholemeal bread and brown rice produce way less and do it in a much slower fashion. This makes them much better for maintaining younger-looking skin. Furthermore, ‘good carbs’ retain more fibre and B vitamins, so nutritionally they’re far superior.

Skin Sin #5: Dairy

Dairy’s a controversial one because it’s a key source of potassium, calcium, zinc and vitamins A, B12 and D, so it's essential for the health of your skin. It’s also perfectly fine for many people and causes few problems for their skin. That being said, there are a significant number of people who are lactose intolerant and find that dairy increases inflammation which leads to free radical damage among may other things. As you know, free radicals break down collagen and elastin, accelerate skin aging and give your skin a general feeling of ‘meh.'

Make The Switch: If you think dairy could be causing your skin problems, try alternatives like almond milk, vegan cheese and coconut yoghurt.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Of course, a balanced healthy diet is always key and completely eliminating any essential foods (fried food aside – we said essential!) can have serious health implications. Therefore, always visit your doctor or a dietician for advice before doing anything drastic.

You all know how damaging the sun is to your skin, but what about all the other stuff going on around you? Here’s a look at how air pollution affects the health of your skin.

Environmental pollution: the struggle for our poor world is most certainly real. But closer to home, and to really drive that nail in the coffin, pollution also has negative effects on your skin. In fact, experts believe air pollution plays a major part in the way in which your skin looks and feels and it’s known to be a huge factor in exacerbating (perhaps even causing) concerns like dark spots, wrinkles, inflammation and many other signs of skin aging.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the United States has come a long way since the Clean Air Act was enforced in 1970 to help protect the ozone, reduce toxic pollutants and improve air quality. But despite these improvements, air pollution continues to cause harm to your health and the world in which you live.

So, what is environmental pollution and exactly what is it doing to your skin? More importantly, is there anything you can do to prevent this onslaught of damage?

What Is Environmental Pollution?

Environmental pollution encompasses any gas or particle that’s been created and released into the atmosphere by us pesky human beings. Think exhaust fumes from your car; cigarette smoke; soot and acid from power plants, even smoke from your charcoal grill or fire pit. These human activities all create microscopic specks of pollutants that are released into the air.

If you live in a city or a particularly industrial area, you’ll be hard pushed to escape environmental pollution on a daily basis, but don’t think you’re safe even if you live by the beach or in the countryside ­– the truth is, air pollution is everywhere.

What Does Environmental Pollution Do To Your Skin?

Two words: free radicals. Pollution is one of the biggest causes of free radical damage. Furthermore, pollutant particles can be 20 times smaller than your skin’s pores, which means they can really get under your skin – like, literally. 

Free radicals are unstable molecules that react with all the good stuff in your skin, stealing electrons from unsuspecting proteins and causing no end of damage to things like collagen and elastin. As you know, collagen and elastin are super important for the support, strength and structure of your skin so any damage they suffer has disastrous effects on your skin, accelerating premature aging and causing your skin to become loose, thin, saggy and wrinkled way before its time.

Gaseous pollutants are less likely to penetrate your skin, but they’re equally as evil. These work away at the surface, causing problems with your skin’s protective barrier and eventually breaking it down, allowing toxic particles to penetrate your skin and essential moisture to escape.

All in all, air pollution paints a pretty ugly picture for the health of your skin, aggravating your barrier function and compounding problems like dark spots, poor texture, enlarged pores, irritation, wrinkles and well, need we go on? Thought not.

3 Ways To Protect Your Skin From Environmental Pollution

OK, so there’s bad news and good news when it comes to battling environmental pollution. First, the bad news: you’ll never win the war against environmental pollution and protect your skin 100 percent of the time. It’s just too big of a beast. However, the good news is there are tons of way to prevent those nasty pollutants from doing their worst.

Here are three of our favorite anti-pollution skincare weapons…

Weapon #1: Detoxifying Charcoal

The best way to reduce surface pollutants is with detoxifying cleansing ingredients like activated charcoal.

Activated charcoal is a little bit like a sponge and works by binding itself to pollutants then whisking them clean away. It’s often used in medicine to remove dangerous toxins that have been ingested, but it’s also a great skincare ingredient for clearing away anything nasty from the skin’s surface. Our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash is formulated with activated coconut charcoal which is produced by burning coconut, then treating it to remove unwanted substances and increase its surface area. Activated coconut charcoal is one of the best ingredients for removing pollutants, as well as bacteria, excess oil, makeup and other unwanted debris for the surface of your skin. Use it to cleanse your skin morning and night and your complexion will be much less polluted as a result.

Weapon #2: Antioxidants

Nothing fights free radicals like antioxidants, so up your intake in both your skincare and your diet to hit those FRs from all angles.

When it comes to your topical skincare choices, an antioxidant treatment serum is an absolute must. Active ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide and vitamins C and E all have awesome antioxidant properties. Even better, choose a carefully curated formulation that combines one or more antioxidant ingredients. All of our serums contain at least one topical antioxidant and are perfect for applying to clean skin before your moisturizer to counteract the effects of free radical damage.

Not sure which serum will suit you best? We get it, they’re all pretty darn fabulous. However, we can help you with that tricky decision, right here.

Combine an awesome topical antioxidant serum with a diet that’s rich in nuts, beans and fresh fruit and veggies such as cherries, berries, leafy greens and carrots and you’ll be well on your way to reducing the effects of free radical damage (aka oxidative stress). Oh, you might also want to treat yourself to some antioxidant-rich dark chocolate, too. Arm. Officially. Twisted.

Weapon #3: Strengthening Night Cream

Keep your barrier function strong, supple and hydrated to help shield your skin from as many airborne pollutants as you can. This will also prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL) – the amount of water that evaporates through your skin – to reduce your chances of developing unwanted dryness, dehydration and inflammation. So, there’s that.

To maintain a healthy barrier, avoid over-exfoliating your skin and try to keep harsh chemicals, bad alcohols and fragrance to a minimum as these will strip away all of the natural oils and nutrients from the surface of your skin.

Before bed, you should also apply a night cream as the last step in your evening skincare routine to strengthen and moisturize your barrier function.

Our new Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream blends antioxidant-rich vitamin C with aloe, MSM and botanical oils to deeply replenish, heal and support your skin.

Be afraid air pollution, be very afraid.

What are those dark circles under your eyes all about? And can you really make them go away with just a few lifestyle changes and the odd beauty hack here and there? Sure you can.

If bedtime for you means countless hours of tossing, turning and clock-watching until morning finally arises, you’ll be well aware of the never-ending list of body woes that come with sleepless nights. We’re talking dull hair, lifeless skin, dryness, breakouts and, well, need we go on? Actually yes, because there’s one thing missing from this list. And it’s a big one: dark, under eye circles.

Along with fine lines, wrinkles, dryness and puffiness, dark circles under the eyes are something that affects everyone at some point in their lives. But are they purely a result of lack of sleep or is there more to them that that? Here, we take a look…

What Causes Under Eye Circles?

Contrary to popular belief, the main reason for dark circles – or periorbital hyperpigmentation if you want to get real fancy – is not lack of sleep, but your genes. Yes, time to blame the parents again. Has your mom or dad got noticeably thin, translucent skin along with dark circles under their eyes? Then it’s almost guaranteed that you’re going to be plagued with the same problem. As you know, the skin around your eyes is much thinner and more delicate than the skin on the rest of your face anyway, meaning it ages quicker, becomes looser over time and shows up the underlying tissue and blood vessels more prominently. This means that if your skin is thinner than others (thanks parents), you stand very little chance of naturally keeping dark under eye circles at bay.

But your genes aren’t solely to blame. Dark circles can also be caused by more prominent blood vessels around the eyes or by puffy eyelids which causes shadows under your eyes. The aging process further thins your skin and sun damage can increase the pigment in this area which will cause dark circles to become more noticeable as you get older. Of course, missing out on your quality zzzs further exacerbates the problem due to blood and fluid retention around the eye area and your skin appearing paler from failing to properly regenerate as you sleep.

Sigh.

In other, more positive news, there are plenty of simple home remedies that can help manage dark circles around your eyes. Here are five of our favorites…

5 Ways To Ditch Under Eye Circles

1. Try A Cold Compress

Cold teaspoons, used teabags (chilled, of course) or slices of cucumber may sound like old wives’ tales for treating under eye circles and helping reducing puffiness, but the good news is, they work. Anything that has a cooling effect will constrict your blood vessels, while the light pressure helps drain excess fluid. Cucumber also has a high water content which boosts moisture under the eyes to help with dryness and irritation. Works like a charm, every time.

2. Get More Quality Sleep

Short nights aren't usually the primary cause of dark circles but pale skin from lack of sleep will make them much more obvious. Poor sleep also makes your eyes dry and irritated which won’t help any inflammation or swelling one little bit. Try to get your eight hours as much as possible, (Gallup data shows that Americans only average about 6.8 hours of sleep a night) and elevate your head with an extra pillow. This helps prevent excess fluids from pooling in your lower eyelids.

3. Apply An Effective Eye Treatment

Not only is the skin around your eyes thinner and more delicate than the rest of your face, but it also contains fewer sebaceous glands. This means it’s less able to keep itself moisturized, supple and healthy-looking which all adds up to a big, fat hello to premature aging. To combat dark circles – as well as puffiness and lines – invest in an effective eye treatment that contains antioxidants to protect and strengthen the skin, plus peptides to boost collagen and elastin. Both TruSkin eye treatments work on the visible signs of aging around the eyes but we particularly love Eye Gel for getting to grips with dark circles and puffiness. Just remember to use a gentle touch as you apply it so you don’t drag or rub the skin around your eyes.

4. Stay Hydrated

Like lack of sleep, dehydration isn't the main cause of dark circles, but it’s not going to help matters. Not one bit. On the other hand, drinking plenty of water helps flush toxins through your body and stops it from retaining fluid – especially under your eyes. Make sure you get your fill of H20 and herbal teas, and eat plenty of water-rich foods like watermelon, zucchini, tomatoes, citrus fruits and of course, cucumber.

5. When In Doubt, Cheat With Makeup

As with most skincare concerns, treatment and prevention are your best bet for long-term results. But you can’t beat a little cover-up job in the meantime. Dark circles are usually blue-ish in color, so to hide them properly look for a concealer that's yellow or peach toned. Apply it in an upside-down triangle shape below each eye and blend well with a soft-bristled concealer brush. Feel like you can still see those pesky shadows? Then finish with a slightly lighter concealer to really brighten and open up your eyes.

Yes, the struggle with dark, under eye circles is real. But thankfully, the solutions are just as real. Can we have a hurrah for that?

When your face’s age says 25, but your neck looks more like 55, something’s got to change.

Your neck deserves so much better than the lousy skincare it gets. We’re sure you lovingly apply your eye cream, antioxidant serum and moisturizer to your face morning and night. Heck, even your hands are probably treated to a slathering of hand cream a few times a day. But your neck? Not so much.

The skin on your neck has fewer sebaceous glands than that on your face, which means it can’t produce as much sebum (oil) to keep it soft, nourished and lubricated. On the one hand this is great news because your neck will rarely suffer from blocked pores and pimples. However, in the fight against the visible signs of aging such as dry skin, fine lines, wrinkles and sagging, a lack of oil is not good.

Couple this with the fact that your neck is exposed to the elements just as much as your face, and, well, you can see where we’re going here.

The upshot of this is you need to employ a better skincare regime for your neglected neck. And fast. Here’s how…

1. Continue Your Skincare Past Your Jawline

As we mentioned, the skin on your neck has very few oil-producing glands. It’s also thinner than the skin on your face which means it contains less collagen and is therefore more prone to dryness, wrinkling and sagging.

All this means that your neck will probably age faster than your face, so whatever skincare routine you apply to your face, don’t stop there. Cleanse and tone your neck twice daily, exfoliate regularly and apply treatment serum and moisturizer down your neck and over your décolletage area.

Humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera are particularly great for the dry neck area as they draw water to the surface of the skin. As are emollients like shea butter and jojoba oil which smooth over cracks and lock in moisture. Our Retinol Moisturizer contains all these, plus retinol which is ideal for boosting collagen and elastin while treating tone, texture, lines and wrinkles.

2. Apply Products in Upwards Motions

When it comes to applying products to your neck, how you apply them is just as important as what you use. Don’t drag or frantically rub moisturizer down your neck as this will do nothing but push folds into your skin and increase your chances of prematurely aging your neck with saggy, loose skin. Instead, work against gravity by applying your serum and moisturizer in light, upwards strokes to lift the skin rather than drag it down.

3. Protect Your Neck Every Single Day

Protecting your skin from UV damage is vital if you want to avoid all the aforementioned signs of aging, plus pigmentation issues like sun spots. Again, we like to think you’re vigilant about applying sunscreen to your face, but your neck needs it too, because it’s exposed to the sun just as much as the rest of your face, plus it has less natural oils to protect it from environmental damage.

Firstly, up your antioxidant vitamin C levels by applying a C serum all over your face and neck. Vitamin C works like a dog to protect your skin from those damaging free radicals which are so often caused by UV exposure. It also inhibits melanin production to not only prevent your skin from developing dark spots but to help treat those that are already there. Which is nice.

Apply C Plus Super Serum to your neck two or three times a week, and a broad-spectrum moisturizing sunscreen every morning. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends going with SPF 30 or higher. And we agree.

4. Stop Looking Down At Your Phone

Looking down at your phone for hours at a time is not only bad for the muscles in your neck, but this repetitive movement will also increase your risk of developing bands of wrinkles around your neck. To help prevent what is not-so-lovingly known as ‘tech neck,’ bring your phone up to your face and try to keep it at eye level as much as possible. The same rule should also be applied to your computer monitor and laptop. Eye level all the way, baby.

5. Practice Some 1-Minute 'Necksercises'

Exercising your neck is a great way to improve muscle tone and boost blood circulation to the skin, therefore allowing more oxygen and nutrients to reach the skin cells and help reduce the signs of aging. And all it takes is a few minutes each day – which you can totally do while working at your desk, cooking dinner or watching TV…

One of our favorite exercises for your neck, or 'necksercises' if you will, is to tilt your head back and point your chin up to the ceiling. Then, keeping your mouth closed, make a chewing motion with your mouth 10 times in one direction and 10 in the other. Simple. You could also follow this with pouting your lips 20 times as if you were kissing the sky for an added extra workout. Do this every day to help keep your neck trim and firm. 

6. Keep Perfume Away From Your Neck

While spritzing perfume on your neck is something we’ve have been doing for centuries, it’s actually not that smart. Most perfumes contain alcohol, you see. In fact, depending on the type of perfume you use, it could contain anything from 70 to 95 percent alcohol. Eau de toilette, for example, is generally only about 5-15 percent fragrance with the rest being alcohol mixed with the tiniest amount of water.

As you know, alcohol is very drying on the skin, so unless you’re using a pure, oil-based scent, you’re better off keeping it away from your neck area where it could cause further drying and crepiness. A better idea is to spray your fragrance at the top of your forearms or spritz it over your clothes where it will sink into the structure of the fibers and take longer to evaporate.