True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Do you feel like your already-supersized-pores are growing by the minute? They're not. But it might feel like they are...

Pores are the foundation of healthy skin. Of course, collagen makes your skin strong, supple and plump. And yes, elastin gives it that all-important bouncebackability. But without pores, your skin would be a dry, shrivelled up shadow of its former self. Not to mention the fact that your entire body would lose its ability to regulate its own body temperature.

As a quick reminder, pores are tiny, microscopic openings found at the surface of your skin right at the top of your hair follicles and sweat glands. They exist to allow important liquids (as well as other particles and gases) to pass through the surface of your skin. The human body has two types of pores: sweat pores which help regulate body temperature; and oil-producing pores that are found at the top of your hair follicles where they release sebum to moisturize and lubricate the surface of the skin. The good thing about sweat pores is that they’re so small you can’t see them making them of very little concern in the grand scheme of things.

Oil-producing pores, on the other hand, are just so annoyingly visible. So why?

What Determines The Size Of Your Pores?

Like your height, skin tone and color of your hair, the size of your pores is largely shaped by genetics. This means that yes, you can blame your parents, and yes, the size of your pores is pretty much fixed.

Of course, this is great news if you have almost invisible pores. Not so much if yours feel like they take over your entire face. But let’s get one thing straight: no matter how enlarged you believe your pores are when you study them in the mirror, they’re rarely as bad as you think. Because the truth is, nobody else scrutinizes your skin on the same level as do you.

Do Pores Get Bigger Over Time?

Yes and no. The size of your pores never really changes on a physiological level. So yes, all those half-truths about being able to ‘shrink’ your pores with alcohol-heavy toners or freezing cold water is a bit of a con. But there’s a little bit of truth in there because while the actual size of your pores doesn’t alter, their walls can stretch and expand, making them appear more pronounced.

Penny drops.

What Causes Pores To Stretch With Age?

Many things happen to your skin throughout your life that can cause the walls of your pores to become damaged and loose. Of course, regular aging plays the most obvious role as your collagen levels naturally decrease over time. Sadly, there’s not a huge amount you can do about your biological clock (there’s those genes doing their worst again!) but there are many other factors of which you can control that contribute to the rate at which your pores become slack. 

Sun Damage

Gosh, the sun gets blamed for a lot of skin issues. But we don’t apologize for that because it really is one of the worst things for the condition of your skin. UV radiation breaks down important proteins like collagen and elastin thanks to a build-up of free radicals. This weakens the collagen fibers that give your skin its structure, thus allowing the walls of your pores to become slack, weak and kind of baggy-looking. AKA more visible!

Picking Your Skin

If you have a tendency to pick or squeeze your skin, this not only irritates your skin as a whole, but it can seriously mess with the collagen and elastin fibers that keep your skin firm and supple. Scarring is the most obvious possibility from picking your skin, but you pores will also suffer as a consequence.

Excess Sebum

After puberty sebum production usually levels out to a somewhat more ‘normal’ rate. However, things can get messy again during significant hormonal changes in your life. Menstruation, pregnancy, the menopause, all of these periods in your life cause your hormones to become unbalanced and your sebum levels to fluctuate. And when sebum production increases it fills up your pores causing them to expand, stretch and appear bigger.

Slow Cell Turnover

When you’re in your 20s each skin cell has a life cycle of around 28 days in which time it is formed at the lower levels, moves up to the surface and then sheds. As with most biological functions, however, cell turnover slows down as you mature, causing dead cells to hang around longer than necessary at the surface of your skin. Like excess sebum, these dead cells have nowhere else to go but to clog up your pores. And clogged pores = saggy, enlarged-looking pores.

Bad Makeup Choices

Certain foundations and face cosmetics that contain heavy oils and thick butters can also block your pores, causing them to expand and become more noticeable. Make sure you scan the labels of your favorite makeup formulations to ensure they’re non-comedogenic. Non-comedogenic means they’re way less likely to block your pores (comedone is the fancy term for pore, if you didn’t know).

The Best Ways To Keep Your Pores Tight

After reading the above you can probably guess what you need to do to avoid your pores becoming damaged and saggy. But we’ll lay it out for you anyway, just to drive the point home!

1. First up, wear sunscreen. This is the best thing you can do to conserve the collagen you’ve already got while ensuring you’re still making quality fresh stuff. Apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every morning as par for the course, and do your skin even more of a solid by doubling up your protection with an antioxidant serum underneath sunscreen. Niacinamide is a very good ingredient for smoother, more resilient skin so try our Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum.

2. Don’t pick your skin. Pimples or no pimples. Nothing good can come of this.

3. Balance sebum by gently cleansing and lightly moisturizing your skin come what may. It’s super important to keep your skin clean morning and night so that oils don’t build up at the surface. We love Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ which harnesses the power of tea tree oil to clarify the skin without leaving it feeling parched. Just remember, it’s equally as vital to follow with moisturizer so your skin doesn’t think it’s dry and overcompensate with more oil than you started with!

4. Exfoliate to boost cellular turnover. But don’t overdo it. Listen to your skin and exfoliate just once or twice a week if that’s all it needs. Our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub (which just won an industry award may we add!) is a fantastic way to keep your skin bright, clean and dead skin cell-free. Plus, it’s kind to your skin. Which is super important, at any age.

5. Finally, don't underestimate the powers of retinol. Retinol is an incredible way to boost collagen AND encourage healthy cellular turnover. That's great news for your pores. And for controlling acne. And for reducing the appearance of wrinkles. And... well, you get the picture. Try our classic Retinol Facial Serum once or twice a week to begin with, building up to nightly as your skin acclimates.

Good news: there are tons of ways to make your skin feel smoother and healthier.

Thankfully, you don’t remember the skin you were born with. If you did, you would seriously long for its plump, bouncy, softer-than-clouds feel. Because that’s how skin generally is at birth, before it’s touched by pollution, battered by the sun and generally subjected to the slings and arrows of modern life. Everyday wear and tear, however, is inevitable so it’s no use trying to resurrect your 6-month old skin. It’s simply never going to happen.

All is not lost, however, because what you can do is make the most of the skin you’re in right now by looking after it to the best of your abilities. The motto is, treat it right and it will repay you in kind. Granted, it will never feel as soft and smooth as it did way back when, but give yourself a break, EVERYONE has textured skin to some degree and, heck, you can only do so much, right?

On that note, here are some of the most effective ways to get your smoothest skin ever. And more good news: they’re easier than you might think.

Pay Attention To Your Pores

More often than not, rough texture is down to blocked pores. Oil-producing pores are tiny openings found at the top of your hair follicles and sebaceous glands where they release sebum to help moisturize and soften the skin at a surface level. They’re extremely important for keeping your skin healthy but, like all things are life, they’re not perfect. Some people have sebaceous glands that produce too much sebum, others have those that don’t produce anywhere near enough, causing everything from extreme dryness to super-oily skin that’s prone to acne breakouts.

Whatever your pore persuasion, it’s crucial to keep them cleansed, and clear of debris like makeup, dirt and skincare products. This reduces their likelihood of becoming clogged, thus expanding and creating tiny bumps at the surface of your skin. Common sense, right? Instead of stripping your skin with chemical-rich, harsh products, however, it’s important to cleanse right with gentle formulations and warm, never hot water. Our Soothing Cleansing Milk is fantastic for the job - especially if you have dry or sensitive skin – or you could also try Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which is fantastic for detoxifying your pores and balancing oilier skin types. Cleanse twice daily, no arguments, and again after working out.

It’s Great To Exfoliate

As skin ages, cell turnover slows down and dead skin cells have a tendency to outstay their welcome. It’s kind of inevitable, so to help keep this process from causing rough texture at the surface (and the dullness that inevitably comes as part of the deal!), it’s wise to exfoliate regularly.

Exfoliation encourages dead cells to slough away quicker, so that all the fresh, younger ones have a chance to reveal themselves to the world. And you can do it in a number of ways. Scrubs are the obvious choice, but be wary of harsh formulations that use over-sized particles that feel too sharp on your skin. Chances are, if they feel scratchy, that’s exactly what they’re doing, creating micro-tears on your skin which can cause irritation and long-term sensitivities. Instead, choose a kind-to-skin scrub like our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub which uses ultra-fine Bora Bora white sand to leave you with super soft skin, every time.

Not a scrub fan? Then try a leave-on solution that harnesses exfoliating acids like salicylic or glycolic to break down the glue between dead skin cells, giving them a firm nudge to leave town. Try our awesome 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant after cleansing and before applying serum and moisturizer. It’s the simplest way to even out your skin and smooth up its texture, plus it’s gentle enough for almost all skin types.

Layer With Moisture

Whatever your skin type, moisturizer is essential after every cleanse to support and fortify your skin’s barrier function and allow it to do its job properly – which is to keep good things like moisture in and bad things like irritants out. But, we get it, for some of you moisturizer might not be enough. Dehydration, for example, is a killer on the texture of your skin and that requires more attention than some moisturizers are able to offer.

To really get your smoothness going, we recommend doubling down with a hydrating serum as well as a kick-ass moisturizer like Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream. Serums that contain hyaluronic acid in particular, are incredible for helping to keep your skin plump, smooth and dewy because they draw moisture to the surface of your skin. Apply a couple of drops of Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum after cleansing and before moisturizing every day for a deeper moisturization and, over time, your skin will soon feel way more hydrated and much smoother as a result.

Give Irritants The Cold Shoulder

Word is, something in your skincare routine might actually be the cause of textural changes in your skin like dryness and roughness. Synthetic fragrance, for example, is one of the biggest offenders, and denatured alcohol as well as harsh sulfates like SLS and SLES can all be extremely irritating for certain skin types.

Try to avoid the most common irritants and, while you’re at it, look at your skincare routine as a whole and tame things down if it’s too heavy on active ingredients. Active ingredients like retinol, AHAs, BHAs and vitamin C are fantastic, don’t get us wrong, but too much of a good thing can have disastrous results. Rough, dry, flaky skin being just one of them.

Remember: Sunscreen Is King

UV radiation (which is present all year long) produces skin-damaging free radicals which work hard to break down your collagen and elastin and ruin your skin’s soft, smooth bouncebackability. Not only that, but it’s a killer on your skin’s natural levels of hyaluronic acid, leading to dehydration and, well, you know where we’re going here…

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that daily SPF is non-negotiable. Most experts – us included – recommend a broad-spectrum formulation that contains mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide and offers protection of at least SPF 30. Try our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C which is like the lovechild of your favorite moisturizer and sunscreen, with the added benefits of glow-getting vitamin C and age-defying vegan marine collagen.

Face scrubs are awesome but they’re not the only option for exfoliating your skin. Our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant does all that and more – and there’s not a grainy particle in sight! Here’s what you need to know about this fabulous leave-on exfoliating lotion.

Like cleansing, moisturizing, using treatment serums and applying daily sunscreen, exfoliating is an important part of a healthy skincare routine.

Your skin has its own system of turning over in order to rid the surface of dead skin cells and allow fresher, brighter cells to to reveal themselves. And it’s a pretty efficient system. Until it isn’t. Over time, as your body ages and you subject your skin to environmental and lifestyle stressors, this whole process become sluggish and this is when problems start to arise like blocked pores and dull, tired-looking skin.

Cue: exfoliation. Exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to help improve both the tone and the texture of your skin. However, it’s the one skincare habit that’s incredibly easy to get wrong. Use a harsh, grainy scrub that’s chock full of crushed nutshells and you risk causing micro tears in your skin. Exfoliate too often and you could end up with red, irritated skin that’s worse off than it was before.

Instead, one of the best ways to avoid exfoliation overkill is to use a leave-on, chemical treatment. Chemical exfoliants use topical ingredients (usually hydroxy acids) rather than physical movement to dissolve and break down the bonds between dead skin cells so they slough away more efficiently. Think glycolic, lactic, salicylic acids and friends. Of course, some of these acids can be extremely potent so you have to a) know what you’re doing and b) use smart, curated treatments that have been thoughtfully blended to deliver results, without the headaches of itchy, red raw skin.

And one such product is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant.

What Is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant?

Launched two years ago, 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant was our first dip into the exfoliation market (we’ve since launched Vitamin C Face Scrub for all your scrub fans!) and it became an instant hit. Having tried a bunch of exfoliating acids over the years – both hit AND misses – it took us a while to formulate this treatment because we knew that we needed to get it spot on right from the off. We felt strongly about harnessing the potency of glycolic acid. However, we didn’t want to put all our needles in one glycolic-shaped basket. Because glycolic acid is effective, for sure, but it can be pretty kiss-ass if it’s used in hefty quantities. And not in a good way!

After months of playing around with different concentrations and ingredient combinations we finally cracked it. And the result is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, a blended exfoliating lotion that uses not one, not two, but three of the best ingredients for exfoliating your skin.

What Makes 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant Different From The Rest

1. It combines three exfoliants… because three’s a charm, right?

Many of our top competitors use just one type of chemical exfoliant: an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or a poly hydroxy acid (PHA). But we believe they’re all equally as good as each other, so we figured why not formulate a treatment that includes all three?

Quick refresher: AHAs are water-soluble exfoliants like glycolic acid while BHAs like salicylic acid are oil-soluble substances. PHAs, on the other hand, are much newer to the exfoliation scene and are a new generation of AHAs crafted to have a larger molecular size and thus be more gentle on your skin. They work exclusively at a surface level to boost radiance without irritating your complexion and include things like gluconolactone and lactobionic acid.

So why create a product that uses the whole kit and caboodle? Simple, with our harmonic combination of glycolic acid (the daddy of exfoliation), salicylic acid (the oil balancer) and gluconolactone (the gentle guy) this unique exfoliator is able to work incredibly hard to improve skin turnover while remaining kind enough for all skin types, even sensitive.

Now everybody can say hello to healthier, smoother, clearer skin. Because, fairness.

2. Then there’s the added benefit of vitamin C

Among other things, exfoliation is all about creating a brighter complexion. And what other ingredient literally has ‘brightness’ as its middle name? Vitamin C. So how could we resist adding just a smidge of our favorite type of topical vitamin C: sodium ascorbyl phosphate?

Of course, pure vitamin C (aka l-ascorbic acid) is great, but it’s super powerful (read, a tad irritating) and it breaks down when it’s exposed to light and air which forces its superpowers to dwindle lightning fast.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP), however, is a salt form of the pure stuff which gives it the edge when it comes to resilience. It’s also way gentler on your skin. Some might call it the GOAT.

3. It’s so gentle, you can use it every day

Thanks to the inclusion of SAP, kind-to-skin gluconolactone (a PHA) and hydrating glycerin, 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant is absolutely fine to use every day. In fact, if your skin is up to it, we highly recommend it. And that’s not something every exfoliator gets to brag about.

4. Calming and soothing botanicals make it a shoo-in for all skin types

If you hate exfoliating your skin because you always end up with facial redness, itching, dryness or even flare-ups of existing skin conditions, we hear you. And we’ve also been there. 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, however, was formulated to be extra sensitive to your skin’s quirks and foibles. In fact, it was created specifically with sensitive skin in mind. Organic reishi mushroom, for example was added to support hydration, strengthen the skin’s barrier function and help reduce inflammation. Then there are the added benefits of turmeric root extract, another anti-inflammatory which is known to accelerate the healing process.

How To Make 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant Work For You

While our leave-in exfoliator is gentle enough for daily use, your skin might not need or in fact like to be exfoliated every day. The key is to listen to your skin and work with its tolerance levels. Patch test your product first (here are some helpful tips for that) then start off using it just two or three times a week. You could also alternate it with your favorite facial serum or scrub, or try using it at night only. It’s all about a bit or trial error for the first few weeks until you know your sweet spot.

Apply a small amount onto freshly cleansed, dry skin using your fingers or a cotton pad (reusable, of course!), then leave it to dry for a few seconds before following with serum, moisturizer and sunscreen every morning.

Want in? Then what are you waiting for, add 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant to cart this minute.

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

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

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

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

Make Caffeine Your Friend

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

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

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

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

Balance Your Diet

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

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

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

Start Your Day With A Gentle Face Scrub

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

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

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

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

Improve Your ZZZs

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

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

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

Wake Up Morning Skin With Vitamin C

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

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

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

Not a fan of those vertical lines that extend from your nose down to the sides of your mouth? Then read on for five ways to help minimize their appearance.

Smile lines might sound rather lovely and, in all honesty, most of us have some kind of fold – however tiny or etched in –  down the sides of our mouth. Do us a favor and dig out a picture of yourself smiling or laughing 20 or so years ago. Chances are, even then, they were apparent. But the thing is, smile lines, aka laughter lines, marionette lines or nasolabial folds come and go with your facial expression when you’re young and your skin is full of delicious collagen. Not so much as time ticks on. In fact, smile lines get progressively deeper as you age, often to the point where they’re always visible around the lips, even when you’re not smiling.

Many people can totally live with their smile lines. Some of you may even find that they’re an essential part of who you are. And we love that. However, that’s not the case for everyone. Smile lines, like crow’s feet and elevens (frown lines) can be a pesky annoyance for many of us. Sounds familiar? Then keep scrolling for some simple skincare tricks and lifestyle habits for helping to reduce the appearance of your smile lines. Just one thing, though. Don’t stop actually smiling in a bid to soften those lines. That’s just miserable.

Prioritize Regular Exfoliation

Exfoliation is one of the simplest ways to stimulate cellular turnover, remove dead skin cells and help improve the appearance of wrinkles by refining the tone and texture of your skin. Of course, in-office treatments like microdermabrasion offer the deepest type of exfoliation so they're always an option, but if you prefer to deal with your skin at home, our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant is a fabulous choice.

A leave-on liquid that’s best applied to freshly cleansed skin (but before serum), this lightweight treatment contains a super smart blend of exfoliating ingredients to do all the hard work without any kind of scrubbing action. The main ingredients in question are glycolic acid, salicylic acid and gluconolactone which are different types of exfoliating acids. Together, they work like clockwork to encourage collagen production, hydrate the skin and say a big, fat ‘ciao’ to dead skin cells.

It’s gentle enough to use daily but we always recommend starting slowly, then building up to frequent use as your skin acclimates.

Build Collagen With Retinol Or Bakuchiol

Collagen is extremely important for the health of your skin, giving it structure, support, strength and volume. You’re born with tons of fabulous collagen in your skin which is why baby’s skin is so soft and plump. However, as you age, your production of collagen gets slower and thus your levels get lower, making your skin become drier, thinner and less elastic. This happens from around your mid-to-late 20s onwards. Yes, that early!

Sadly, you can’t stop this inevitable natural aging process, but there are many ways to help keep your collagen from disappearing quicker than nature intended.

Two of the most important topical ingredients for collagen are retinol, or nature’s gentler alternative to retinol, bakuchiol. Both of these work at a cellular level to kickstart collagen and encourage a more efficient barrier function to help keep your skin hydrated and healthy. Our Retinol Facial Serum is an incredible nightly treatment for improving smile (and indeed all!) lines, or try our fabulous Longevity Regimen Bundle if retinol’s not your thing.

Stimulate Blood Flow With A Facial Workout

Daily massage around your mouth can be a super effective way to work out the muscles and help improve the skin’s texture in this area. Of course, it won’t miraculously make your smile lines disappear but if you practice it regularly you should see an improvement over time.

Here are three great exercises to try:

1. Create a fist with both hands and place them at the corners of your mouth. Apply gentle pressure, then smooth your fists up the cheekbones to your temples. Repeat 10 times.

2. Part your lips slightly and use the pads of your fingers to pull the corners of your mouth back towards your face while keeping your lips parallel. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times.

3. Hook the corners of your mouth with your index fingers and pull your fingers apart about a quarter of inch while tightening the corners of your mouth towards each other. Hold the resistance for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times.

Shield Your Skin From Sun Damage

If want to choose just one wrinkle-reducing trick for preserving your collagen and therefore improving wrinkles, lines, folds and creases on your skin, sun protection is unquestionably it. Granted, it won’t get rid of anything that’s already formed, but it will prevent further issues from rearing their heads and will help stop your smile lines from getting any worse.

We understand that applying sunscreen every morning can be a real pain in the butt, which is why we formulated our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C to be a real joy to use. It’s non-sticky, totally lightweight, blends into your skin like a dream and doesn’t leave any annoying white marks. What’s more, it contains a cheeky boost of vitamin C to further protect your skin and add a little extra glow factor. Seems rude not to, right?

Practice Good Lifestyle Habits

Finally, the classic, skin-loving lifestyle habits must never be forgotten about if you want to hold on to young-looking skin for as long as possible. We’re talking, of course, about getting plenty of regular, quality sleep; staying hydrated with lots of sugar-free, caffeine-free drinks and water-rich foods (watermelon, anyone?); drinking booze in moderation; eating a fruit and veggie-forward diet; getting your fill of omega-3s and trying to keep your stress levels to a minimum.

Surely that’s not too much to ask, is it?

Face scrubs can be fabulous for the health of your skin. Using yours incorrectly, however, is not. So, don’t be that person who screws up their exfoliation routine and makes their skin pay for it.

With the launch of our awesome new Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub, we’ve finally made it into the wonderful world of exfoliating scrubs. Can we have a group hug for that, please? Packed with some of the most incredible, skin-boosting ingredients, our new scrub instantly wakes up your skin, encouraging efficient cell turnover and healthier collagen to give your skin the best (but most gentle!) exfoliation of its life.

Yet to try Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub? Don't worry, a) you’re forgiven, it’s very new, after all and b) here’s a quick lesson in what you need to know. For starters, this super lightweight scrub is fragrance-free which is very important if your skin flares up at the mere mention of synthetic fragrance in your skincare routine. And instead of fruit seeds or ground nutshells (which can cause micro tears in your skin) we use white Bora Bora sand to exfoliate. This superior type of sand is much finer than your regular beach sand, helping to gently buff your skin without risk of irritation.

If all this wasn’t enough, Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub also contains a whole host of plant-powered ingredients including our new bestie, yuzu lemon which is brimming with vitamin C. We combine this with another C-vit favorite, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) to provide top quality antioxidant protection and a hard-to-break shield against free radical damage.

So, what’s the best way to use our new scrub without causing your skin to freak out? Well, we cut out the harsh ingredients and over-scrubby particles to help you out there. But, still, you have to do your bit, so read on for seven deadly (dramatic, much?) face scrub mistakes you do not want to make…

Face Scrub Mistake #1. Exfoliating Too Often

You know that phrase about having too much of a good thing? Yeah that. When it comes to how often you use your face scrub, always keep that phrase front of mind. Daily exfoliation, for example, can send your barrier function into a total frenzy, stripping it of essential moisture and leaving it vulnerable to breakouts, dehydration, dryness, redness and sensitivities.

If you’re experiencing any of these right now and reckon your over-excited scrubbing routine could be the culprit, pare it back by a good 50 percent.

Face Scrub Mistake #2. Not Exfoliating Enough!

Of course, not exfoliating your skin enough (or, gasp, at all!) can be just as detrimental for your skin, allowing your pores to become clogged, collagen synthesis to become sluggish and your skin to become dull or congested as a result. As you know, exfoliating your skin helps to remove dead skin cells and debris like oil, makeup, and dirt which can build up on the surface if you allow it. So don’t. Introduce a face scrub to your routine to keep your skin healthy and glowing but remember to listen to your skin and find your exfoliating sweet spot depending on your skin type and concerns.

If you have oily skin, for example, you might be able to get away with more frequent exfoliation to help balance sebum – maybe three or four times a week. Dry skin, on the other hand, is more susceptible to irritation so once or twice a week could be enough for you.

Face Scrub Mistake #3. Bombarding Your Skin With Other Exfoliating Formulations

Exfoliation comes in two different guises: chemical and physical. Chemical formulations like our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant use ingredients like fruit acids to sit on your skin and break down the bonds between dead skin cells, whereas physical formulations (like scrubs) require pressure and movement in order to exfoliate your skin.

Both are great in their own special ways, but it’s not the best idea to use both at once. Again, too much of a good thing. Of course, your skin might be able to cope with a scrub one day and a gentle chemical exfoliator the next, but don’t double up at the same time. And always read your skin – any signs of irritation, redness or inflammation is a red flag and you need to cut back.

Face Scrub Mistake #4. Being Too Rough With Your Scrub

Sure, physical exfoliation requires physical pressure (the clue’s in the name, after all!) but let’s not get too physical, OK?

Scrubs are excellent for sloughing off dead skin cells but you do not need to rub away at your skin like your life depended on it. This can cause micro-tears in your skin, leaving it red, raw, sore and inflamed. Not only that, but it will compromise the delicate balance of your barrier function, encouraging irritation and dryness. Conversely, it could also over-stimulate your sebaceous glands, causing your skin to become super oily and break out.

Basically nothing good can come of exfoliating too hard, so apply gentle pressure only, using your hands and the pads of your fingers to massage your scrub lightly all over your skin. Also, remember to be extra careful when dealing with thin, fragile areas like around the eyes and over your décolletage.

Face Scrub Mistake #5. Skipping Your Cleanser

Are you one of those people who uses their face scrub instead of a face wash? Then you’re doing your skin a real disservice. A face scrub shouldn't substitute your cleanser but should be used alongside it – as and when your skin needs it, of course.

There really is no rule about which comes first, however – cleanser or face scrub – because both ways have their benefits. Cleanse before exfoliating (the more common combo) and you’ll have prepped your skin to give your face scrub a beautiful, clean base to work on. But exfoliate before cleansing and your fresh skin will reap the benefits of your cleanser much better.

Try them both to see which you prefer. Just don’t ditch your cleanser. Ever.

Face Scrub Mistake #6. Not Moisturizing Post-Scrub

While you’ll love the look and feel of your skin after physical exfoliation, it’s crucial to replenish any lost moisture and nourishment by following with a good moisturizer and, even better, a healing or hydrating serum. What’s more, freshly exfoliated skin will accept other skincare products more readily, allowing all those fabulous active ingredients in the rest of your routine to penetrate the skin and get to work more effectively.

We love the awesome combination of Smoothing Collagen Serum and Firming Collagen Day Lotion which, together, help to ‘feed,’ firm and strengthen your skin while boosting collagen production and restoring moisture.

Don't miss this vital, post-exfoliation step in your routine. You'll regret it if you do. Simple as that.

Face Scrub Mistake #7. Forgetting Your Sunscreen

And then there’s sunscreen which is vital every day of the year, but especially on days when you’ve exfoliated and removed the dead, uppermost layers of your skin. Those new, fresh cells are extremely vulnerable and likely to burn and age up in the sun in no time. Which kind of defeats the purpose of exfoliation in the first place.

Get involved in our SPF 3 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every day, applying it after or instead of your moisturizer depending on your skin type. Trust us, this gorgeous sun protection cream is so good you will actually want to wear it!