True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Because nourished skin = better skin and, we don’t know about you, but we are all in for that.

When you think of feeding your skin you might believe that it’s all about what you eat. And yes, a nutritious, balanced diet that’s packed with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids is vital for healthy, glowing skin. Similarly, a diet that’s packed with sugar, processed foods, refined carbs and booze can (and usually does) have the reverse effect, accelerating aging and harming your skin. Nobody’s arguing this. However, it’s worth remembering that what you put on your face is just as important as what goes into your body. In fact, topical nutrition provides your skin with even more targeted nourishment that works from the surface down to the deeper levels of your epidermis.

Not sure where to start when it comes to nourishing your skin with topical skincare? Well, if you’re a TruSkin fan (yeah you are!) you’re likely feeding your skin with some pretty kick-ass ingredients already – maybe without even knowing it. However, there’s always room for improvement, so here’s everything you need to know about amping up your skin nutrition from the outside in.

What Does Skin Nutrition Mean?

As with body nutrition, skin nutrition is about feeding your skin with certain ingredients in order for it to remain as healthy as possible. As you know, consuming your daily fill of fresh fruit and veggies, lean proteins, nuts and legumes is essential for your entire health and wellbeing (as well as your skin, of course!). Well, similarly, applying nutrients like vitamins and minerals to your skin helps it function at its best. For one thing, quality ingredients help your skin cells turn over and regenerate more efficiently. They also work hard to strengthen and fortify the skin’s protective barrier which is super important for keeping irritants out… and vital moisture in.

By feeding your skin with the nutrients it needs, it has no choice but to function like a well-oiled machine. Which is the ultimate goal for all of us, after all.

The Difference Between Hydrating, Moisturizing and Nourishing Your Skin

Often talked about in the same breath, products that hydrate, moisturize and nourish are quite different things. Yes, they sound fairly similar and some formulations manage to cleverly combine all three, but it’s worth having a quick recap about their vital functions.

An ingredient or product that hydrates is all about drawing water to your skin’s surface to add moisture and, well, hydrate it. Moisturizing, however, is the act of lubricating the skin and locking in water to prevent it from escaping from the surface. And then there’s nourishment which focuses on the nutrients required to help feed and drive your skin to function better.

Pretty simple when you think about it, right? 

Skin Nutrition: What To Look Out For In Your Skincare Products

So, which ingredients are best for nourishing your skin? Of course, the most obvious are nature’s finest offerings such as aloe vera, licorice, green tea and plant-based oils like chamomile, tea tree and ylang ylang. These all have their own unique super powers to help improve your skin by brightening tone, balancing sebum production, fending off free radicals and more.

Then you have minerals like MSM, a natural-occurring form of sulfur which reduces inflammation and accelerates collagen production; as well as magnesium, potassium and calcium which, among other benefits, are incredible for energizing your skin and helping it to retain water.

And of course, we mustn’t forget some of the most effective and clinically proven skin-feeding ingredients out there – vitamins. From A (aka retinol) through to K, topical vitamins offer so many awesome benefits, we’d need the best part of a day to go through them all. Instead, let’s have a look at three of our favorite TruSkin products for feeding your skin – and if you want to learn more about how different vitamins affect your skin, read about six of the best, right here.

3 MVPs (that’ll be the Most Valuable Products, BTW) For Awesome Skin Nutrition

1. Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum

If you’re looking for an all-round nourishing treatment that works like an oral multi-vitamin for your skin, our new facial serum is exactly the product for you. Infused with a complex blend of seven plant-derived vitamins (yes SEVEN!) including B3 (niacinamide), C, E, F and K, it’s the cat’s whiskers for feeding your skin and improving its overall health. Vitamin B3 helps clarify your skin and strengthen its barrier function, while C brightens and protects, E deeply hydrates, F aids repair and K calms inflammation. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum also contains a whole bunch of minerals and electrolytes that work hard to drive water into the skin and regulate pH, therefore improving hydration to ensure your skin retains as much moisture as possible.

Packed with super nutrients, this is skin nourishment in a nutshell.

2. Vitamin C Super Serum+

If you know anything about vitamin C, you’ll know that countless science-backed studies prove that it offers almost unbeatable, skin-changing results to dull or discolored skin. It’s also one of the most effective antioxidants available which makes it a shoo-in for any and almost every skin type.

Our Vitamin C Super Serum+ harnesses the powers of vitamin C and blends it with another big favorite among dermatologists and skin experts the world over – retinol (aka vitamin A). Like vitamin C, retinol has undergone decades of clinical research to study its effects on the skin. And the results don’t lie… it’s good stuff. Like really good stuff. By communicating with your skin at a cellular level, retinol boosts the production of collagen and elastin and improves cell turnover to strengthen your skin while improving elasticity and reducing the visible signs of aging.

This powerful serum also enjoys an added zing of niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, MSM and essential oils making it a beautifully balanced treatment for ageless, gorgeous skin.

3. Ocean Minerals Super Toner

Finally, may we present to you our Ocean Minerals Super Toner which offers a fantastic, all-round hit of skin nutrition that’s often hard to come by in a toner? Toners are often swept aside in terms of their importance in your skincare routine. Big mistake in this instance.

Turbo charged with goodies like MSM, peptides, vitamin C and glycolic acid for that extra boost of exfoliation, this revitalizing spritz contains no less than 90 deep ocean minerals to stimulate your skin into action and help accelerate cell regeneration for brighter, fresher-looking skin. The addition of essential oils, plant extracts, aloe vera and witch hazel offer a further boost of hydration, protection, clarity and strength which is almost unheard of in a toner. Just saying!

When it comes to your skin we can’t think of a more mind-numbingly frustrating phrase than – wait for it – hormonal acne. Are we right or are we right? Here’s what we know about dealing with these pesky, recurring breakouts…

Hormonal acne might sound like one of those distant horrors from your teenage years when angry pimples plagued your chin on a monthly basis. But sadly, filing this common skin condition away in the annals of pubescent history isn’t the case for everyone. In fact, hormonal breakouts can affect you at any age. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, acne affects more than 50 percent of women between the ages of 20 and 29, while just over 25 percent of those between 40 and 49 are also suffering. What’s more, studies show that acne hits adult women way more frequently than men.

Joy.

Acne is caused by one thing and one thing alone – excess sebum that gets trapped in your pores and may or may not become inflamed. Nobody’s arguing this. But it’s the hows and whys your skin overproduces sebum that can change from person to person. Oh how simple it would be if you could point the finger at chocolate, poor cleansing or your parents (because, genes), right? Instead, a whole host of factors trigger acne. And one of the most common? Yup, hormones.

Read on for everything we know about how to deal with these pesky hormonal breakouts…

What Exactly Is Hormonal Acne?

While not strictly a term used in the medical profession, hormonal acne occurs when an imbalance in hormones stimulates the skin to produce excessive amounts of sebum and consequently (although not always) break out. These breakouts are cyclical and commonly coincide with periods in your life (no pun intended) when your body experiences major shifts in hormone levels. Think menstruation, pregnancy, child birth and the menopause.

The hormones in question here are estrogen and progesterone which fluctuate like crazy during these times, creating imbalances with your levels of testosterone.

However, not all hormonal acne is down to inherent hormonal fluctuations. That may sound like a contradiction in terms but all we mean is that certain medications can also throw your hormones out of whack, as can emotional stress which produces an excess of cortisol in your body. Cortisol is known as ‘the stress hormone,’ and it’s a major trigger of excess sebum production and inflammation. Say no more.

How To Tell If Your Breakouts Are Hormonal

If you’ve noticed your skin is breaking out monthly, around the time of your period, this is a tell-tale sign you have hormonal acne – especially if you’re experiencing red, inflamed pimples in the same places each time, and they’re mainly concentrated on your chin, around the jawline or across your back and chest. Even if you’re menopausal, hormonal fluctuations still occur on a regular basis as your reproductive hormones systematically decline.

Some hormone replacement therapies also use different hormones to replace those which your body is losing. And all this can cause a similar type of cyclical adult acne. So, there’s that.

During pregnancy, or postpartum is another common time as, again, your hormones are all over the place, sending your sebaceous glands into turmoil and creating excess oil at the surface of your skin. And if you’re super stressed? This won’t help one bit.

Of course, self-diagnosing hormonal acne is no mean feat so if you’re not sure whether your flare-ups are hormonal or thanks to some other trigger, it’s always wise to seek professional help from a board-certified dermatologist.

5 Ways To Help Treat Hormonal Acne

There are plenty of ways to help keep hormonal acne under control. At the doctor’s office, things like laser treatments, hormone-regulating meds and prescription topicals can reap awesome rewards for severe acne. However, if you’re dealing with mild to moderate breakouts these at-home acne treatments are also well worth it…

1. Keep Your Pores Clean

Dirty skin doesn’t cause acne, per se, but if you allow dirt and surface debris to build up in your pores, well, this won’t help at all. This means a great cleansing routine is imperative if you’re suffering right now. Don’t make the mistake of cleansing like your life depended on it, however, as harsh formulations and over-zealous scrubbing will completely strip your skin’s protective layer which accelerates oil production even further.

Instead, choose balancing products that, yes, whisk away dirt, oil and impurities but, no, don’t suck all the life out of your skin. Try Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which contains activated coconut charcoal to decongest your pores, along with reishi mushrooms to hydrate and ylang ylang blossom to fight inflammation. Cleanse twice daily, using lukewarm rather than hot water, and always after exercising.

2. The Same Goes For The Rest Of Your Home

Keeping clean doesn’t begin and end with the skin on your face. If you’re a face-toucher, oil and dirt from your hands will constantly transfer itself straight to your face which is bad news for your pores. So a) wash your hands regularly and b) try to stop touching your face as much.

Also, wash your pillowcases, bed linens and makeup brushes at least once a week, and do your face towels and smartphone even more regularly – daily if you can.  

3. Make Tea Tree Oil Your BFF

One of the most effective topical ingredients for targeting acne is tea tree oil. Naturally antifungal, anti-inflammatory AND antimicrobial, this incredibly therapeutic essential oil has been used in traditional medicine for centuries and is scientifically proven to treat and heal mild to moderate acne. It’s also less drying and irritating than other acne-busting favorites such as benzoyl peroxide which makes it awesome for sensitive or more mature skin types. It can still be pretty potent, however, so stick with diluted, carefully curated formulations that have been specifically created for safe use on your skin.

Try Tea Tree Super Serum+ which combines tea tree oil (well, dur!) with salicylic acid, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and vitamin C to create a purposeful, well-rounded treatment for clearer, healthier-looking skin. What’s more, it might be gentle, but it’s still mighty powerful so you only need to use it two or three times a week for awesome results. And remember, always do a patch test first.

4. Look After Yourself

Emotional anxiety and constant stress put your mental wellness on edge. They also encourage your body to produce excessive amounts of cortisol which upsets the balance of your hormones and triggers an inflammatory response in your skin. Now we’re well aware that being told to chill out and stress less rarely reaps the desired result, but if you can do a few things to improve your emotional wellbeing, this will really help the health of your skin.

Exercising regularly and making sleep a top priority are great ways to manage your levels of stress so try to go to bed at the same time each night, and do a fitness class or go for a brisk walk two or three times a week – or whatever your schedule allows. Just don’t stress about it. Because, well, you’re trying to reduce stress, not build on it!

It’s also worth taking a look at your diet as overdoing things like sugar, dairy and processed carbs are thought to increase inflammation in your body. And anything you can do to avoid inflammation is a very good thing.

5. Invest In Some Butt-Kickin' Retinol

Not only is it seen as the gold-standard in anti-aging, but retinol can have a huge impact on acne-prone skin. Retinoids have been proven to speed up cell turnover to help regulate sebum production and keep your pores clean and clear. They’re often the first port of call for the treatment of hormonal acne at the doctor’s office.

Prescription retinoids, however, can be pretty harsh on your skin – especially if it’s super sensitive – and some people simply don’t get on with them. Think redness, irritation, dryness and flaky skin which, when coupled with breakouts, is so not the desired effect. This is why many people turn to retinol, which is kinder to the skin and much more highly tolerated by the skin.

Try our powerful, but gentle Retinol Moisturizer or give Retinol Facial Serum a go which also contains vitamin E to aid healing. You could even layer them both, depending on your skin’s tolerance to retinol, of course. Just remember to patch test them first, then introduce them slowly into your routine – two or three times a week – building up to nightly use.

Feel like your skincare routine isn’t quite cutting it? Here’s how to make it work harder… and better.

An awesome skincare routine is all well and good, but if you’re not using your products properly, or applying them in the correct order, you’re never going to get the optimal results you deserve.

Skincare is a fine art and, while it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out how to moisturize your face, knowing the finer details that help maximize a product’s potential can result in some major differences to the look, feel and health of your skin.

Here’s how to kick-start your routine into doing the best job it can for your skin.

Rule #1: Always Read Your Labels

Are you guilty of buying a new product and using it right away without so much as glancing at the label? Big mistake. Sure, you might have spent the last 30 years cleansing your face with zero issues because, come on, how difficult can it be? But it’s worth bearing in mind that not all products are created equal. Some cleansers are formulated to be used without water, others are meant to be applied to damp skin and massaged into your skin for few minutes. And how do you know which is which if you've not read the fine print?

Reading the instructions is super important and will help you get the most from each and every product in your routine. It’ll help guide you in terms of how often to apply as well as how much to apply. So do it. No arguments.

Rule #2: Use Your Products In The Correct Order

This is another one that might sound obvious, but gone are the days when skincare routines were basically cleanse, tone, moisturize… and you’re done. Now there are tinctures, oils, essences, serums, gels, lotions, and all sorts to get your head around. And if you apply them in the wrong order, then they might not work correctly. Money. Down. The. Drain.

The general rule of thumb when it comes to layering skincare formulations is to cleanse and tone first (obvs) then work from your thinnest to your thickest product. The simple fact is that thinner products aren’t able to penetrate through the thicker stuff so you need to build up to the big guys. This means that after toning, you should apply your serum first, then your eye treatment, moisturizer, face oil and finally – in the mornings anyway – sunscreen. Of course, your specific regimen doesn’t need to include each and every one of these steps, but if it does, then this should be your order if you want to get the best results.

Rule #3: Apply Your Treatments To Damp Skin

To turn up the efficacy of your products, full throttle, always apply your first treatment product to moistened skin. This could be an exfoliating toner such as Ocean Minerals Super Toner or an antioxidant serum like our new Peptide Facial Serum. But whatever it is, try to apply it within the first minute of cleansing. The reason for this is that damp skin is more permeable than dry skin which makes it far more receptive to active ingredients like vitamin C, glycolic acid, MSM and peptides.

Gently pat your skin with a clean towel after cleansing so just a small amount of water is left on the surface, then, using fingertips, apply your treatment product all over your face and neck. Simple, but super effective.

This being said, there is one exception to the rule, and that’s to avoid doing this if you have skin that’s particularly sensitive to certain ingredients like retinol. Retinol is a potent (but awesome) little beast that can easily irritate sensitive skin. So if you apply it to damp skin you could exacerbate these irritations. Instead, apply it to dry skin, after patch testing first, and you'll likely get along with it way better.

Rule #4: Know That A Serum Is The Absolute Key For Targeting Skin Concerns

Facial serums might not be absolutely essential for clean, moisturized skin but if you really care about your complexion and the rate at which it ages, facial serums are everything. The bare minimum skincare routine is, of course, cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. But if you have concerns like acne, blocked pores, fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots, sagging skin and the like, and you want to really target them with your skincare, you simply HAVE to include a serum (or two) in your daily routine.

Serums are formulated differently to moisturizers and have a smaller molecular structure. This means they’re able to penetrate the surface of your skin quicker and deeper to hone in on your particular skin gripes. Getting really peeved by dull, patchy skin? Then a moisturizer is essential, for sure, but it will never give you the same results as an antioxidant treatment serum like our best-selling Vitamin C Facial Serum.

Not sure where to start with choosing the right serum for your needs? Not a problem. Check out our helpful guide right here. And remember that important order: serum comes after cleansing and toning, and before moisturizing. Always.

Rule #5: Understand The Importance Of An Awesome Nighttime Routine

Your morning routine is great for waking up your skin, replacing lost moisture and preparing yourself for the day ahead, but overnight is when the real business happens so it’s vital to prepare your skin for eight hours’ worth of healing, regenerating and repairing time before you hit the sack.

At night, blood flow to your skin increases, collagen production speeds up, cell turnover accelerates, free radicals get nixed by your body’s natural defense system and your skin’s barrier function works hard to restore itself. All good stuff, we think you’ll agree. But how can all this happen if your skin is covered in crud that’s built up on the surface during the day? Well, it can’t. Not properly, anyway. So you simply have to cleanse properly with a gentle but effective face wash before bed. We have three awesome cleansers to choose from depending on your skin type and needs – check them out here. Then, after cleansing, apply a collagen-boosting treatment serum like Retinol Facial Serum followed by Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream to help seal in moisture.

Because, sure, it's extremely important, but summer is not only about SPF, SPF and more SPF…

When we talk of summer skincare, the first thing that always springs to mind is sunscreen. And rightly so. Protecting your skin from that fire ball in the great big sky is one of the most important things you can do for the health of not only your skin, but your entire body. The hard truth is that the sun is accountable for between 80 and 90 percent of external skin aging (ouch!). And not only does it break down important proteins in your skin (hello collagen and elastin), accelerating wrinkles and dark spots but, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, UV radiation is the number one cause of skin cancers. In fact, around 90 percent of nonmelanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to the sun.

Scary stuff, right?

Knowing how to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun is an important skincare lesson. Feel like you’re not quite on the ball? Well, we’re not going to go into it today because all you need to know is right here. Instead, we're here to talk about everything else involved in summer skincare because warm weather brings a whole slew of other challenges for your skin.

Thankfully, there are many ways to up your summer skincare game to ensure your complexion stays looking fabulous all the way through fall…

1. Level Up Your Cleansing Routine

Why: Hot, steamy days mean one thing: sweat. You have between two and four million sweat glands all over your body, a large number of which are found on your forehead on cheeks. This means your cleansing game needs to be on point to ensure your pores are kept clean and clear.

How: Gel or foam face washes that contain deep cleaning ingredients like activated charcoal, tea tree oil or salicylic acid are great for the summer months. We’re currently in love with our new Tea Tree Super Cleanser which is refreshing and leaves your skin super clean. Cleanse your face every morning and more importantly, every night (when you’ll be at your sweatiest!) using lukewarm, never hot water. And make sure you get right into your hairline as this area is particularly prone to breakouts in the summer.

PS: Cleansing your body every evening is also super important if you’ve been slathered in sunscreen all day.

2. Avoid Pore-Clogging Ingredients

Why: While we’re on the topic of clogged pores, it’s not just sweat you need to worry about in the summer. Excess oils, dirt, debris, sunscreen and makeup can also get jammed in your pores, leading to breakouts on your face and body.

How: Again, regular cleansing is key, but to help keep your pores clear in the first place, try to also use non-comedogenic products across your entire skincare routine.

'Non-comedogenic’ is the term used for ingredients that are unlikely to block your pores. Rich butters and heavy oils, for example, are awesome for locking moisture into your skin and protecting your barrier function. But, they are not non-comedogenic. Far from it. Instead, look for lighter moisturizing ingredients like jojoba oil and shea butter, as well as hydrating gems such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid. You’ll find all of these in our awesome Retinol Moisturizer. And yes, contrary to popular belief you CAN use retinol in the summer.

3. Exfoliate (In Moderation)

Why: Another way to keep summer breakouts at bay is to exfoliate more often than normal. Exfoliation increases cellular turnover and rids your skin of dead skin cells which are not something your pores want to deal with on top of everything else.

How: Over-exfoliating your skin is never wise and it’s one of the biggest issues derms have to deal with. However, if you’re going to up your game, now’s the time to do it. Just tread carefully. Think two or three times a week rather than every day and switch out harsh scrubs containing skin-damaging fruit shells or nut pieces for a gentler product like Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains naturally exfoliating glycolic acid.

4. Make Friends With Antioxidants

Why: The sun is one of the leading causes of free radicals in the skin. And as innocent as they sound, free radicals have zero redeeming qualities. They’re basically unstable molecules that damage your skin by trying to bind themselves to important proteins and DNA. This causes a process called oxidative stress which weakens collagen and elastin and ages you up in no time. The good news? Antioxidants to the rescue! These little skincare geniuses bind themselves to free radicals, preventing them from damaging all the good stuff in your skin.

How: Antioxidants are awesome all year, but they’re especially important in the summer when you spend more time in the great outdoors. If you’re looking for the cream of the crop we recommend bringing out the big guns, namely vitamins C and E. This antioxidant double act not only reduces oxidative stress, but helps prevent dark spots, reduces the appearance of fine lines and works hard to boost collagen production. Apply just a few drops of Vitamin C Facial Serum every morning after cleansing and before moisturizing to get your daily quota.

5. Don’t Stop Believin'... In Moisturizer

Why: Moisturizing may feel counter-intuitive in the warmer months when your skin feels sweatier and oilier than normal. But here’s the thing, natural oils and sweat do not keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. In fact, the summer heat can dehydrate your skin which will make your skin produce even more oil than normal. And that’s what we call a vicious beauty circle. Thankfully, the solution is simple: continue to moisturize to hydrate your skin, promote cellular turnover and protect your skin's important barrier function.

How: Choose lighter products that won’t clog your pores or make your skin feel heavy and sticky, and look out for moisturizers that are high on humectants. Humectants are ingredients like aloe, hyaluronic acid and glycerin which draw water to the surface of your skin to help keep it hydrated. Try Hyaluronic Facial Serum each night before bed, followed by Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream to moisturize and recharge your skin while you sleep.

Finally, of course, you should continue to apply a daily broad spectrum SPF30 to any exposed skin.

But we hope that goes without saying by now...

Eating chocolate and greasy fries won’t necessarily give you pimples, and a week in the sun won’t make them vanish, either. But there are certain things that really can help prevent and treat acne breakouts. Here, we’ve rounded up ten of the best…

Acne is the most common skin woe in the whole of the United States. Not dark under eye circles, not sun spots, not even wrinkles, but acne. According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), it affects up to 50 million Americans every year, and around 15 percent of women are plagued by some form of acne during their adult lives.

Sigh.

If you’ve had acne on and off for most of your teenage and adult life, you’ll have heard every last trick about how to avoid breakouts. Most of which were probably complete BS. So, we’re here to set the record straight once for all with our guide to the most tried and trusted ways to keep acne under control. 

1. Don’t Pick

The world’s fascination with popping pimples shows no signs of going away (thanks mainly to dermatologist Dr. Sandra Lee, aka Dr. Pimple Popper!), but attempting this at home is rarely a good idea. Sure, squeezing that white top might be hard to resist, but it can trigger inflammatory responses in your skin which can delay healing and potentially make your pimples worse.

Picking and prodding zits also introduces a bunch of new bacteria to your skin and quite frankly, it has enough to deal with already. Finally, if all that wasn’t enough, popping pimples creates trauma to your skin which can lead to scabbing, infections, pigmentation and scarring. Don’t do it. Just don’t.  

2. Keep Your Skin Clean

A primary cause of acne is blocked pores that get clogged up with oil, dirt and dead skin cells, and then become inflamed or infected with bacteria. This makes cleansing your skin twice daily extremely important – especially at night after sweat, sebum, makeup and sunscreen have built up on the surface of your skin.

Try our new Tea Tree Super Cleanser + which is ultralight, super refreshing and mega calming. It also douses your skin with a powerful blend of nature’s blemish-controlling superstar, tea tree oil, and our ultimate secret weapon for breakouts, MSM.

3. Wash Your Hands

While we’re on the subject of cleanliness, don’t underestimate the power of clean hands. Of course, you’re far too disciplined to pick at your pimples (see above), but even touching your face or leaning on your hands spreads unnecessary dirt, oil and bacteria all over your skin. It’s a tricky habit to kick because it’s usually an unconscious move, but the least you can do is wash your hands regularly to minimize the after-effects.

4. Keep Everything Clean

Not to keep banging on about cleanliness, but there’s more… Towels and pillowcases can also harbor bacteria if they’re not laundered regularly, so make sure you change these out on a weekly basis. And perhaps consider using a fragrance-free detergent if your skin tends to be reactive.

Also, wash your makeup brushes twice a week (especially if you wear makeup daily); shampoo your hair often to avoid oils from your hair transferring to your face, and wipe down your smartphone with a hand sanitizing wipe as often as you remember.

5. Use Retinol

Retinol is an anti-aging given, but it’s also a powerful tool for acne-prone skin. How so? Well, retinol helps unclog your pores by stimulating collagen production and encouraging cell turnover. It also promotes healing and, by keeping your pores clear, can help other skincare or topical acne medication penetrate more effectively.

Introduce Retinol Serum into your evening routine a few times a week and apply it to cleansed skin before moisturizing – you won’t regret it.

6. Wear Sunscreen

This might not be one of the most well-known anti-acne tricks, but it’s important, so hear us out.

In addition to the obvious protection from UV damage, sunscreen reduces redness and can help skin avert post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (those dark spots that pimples often leave behind). It also reduces the likelihood of your skin becoming dry in the sun which keeps sebum balanced and under control.

So there you go, sunscreen for acne – surprisingly important. Just remember to avoid heavy, pore-clogging sunscreens that can cause breakouts or make the pimples you have even worse. Instead, try our new SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen which is sheer, lightweight and oil-free.

7. Moisturize… But Do It With Care

Acne often goes hand-in-hand with oily skin which can get forgotten about when it comes to moisturizing. It’s a huge mistake to skip this vital step, however, no matter how oily or pimply your skin may be. If you fail to moisturize your skin, the surface will become dry and your sebaceous glands will overproduce oil to compensate. Cue excess oil which can block your pores and make acne worse.

Your best bet is to hydrate with a light serum like Hyaluronic Acid Serum, then follow with a non-comedogenic moisturizer that’s less likely to block your pores. Oh, and make sure you do this day AND night, especially if you use harsh acne treatments that dry out your skin.

8. Avoid Over Exfoliation

Scrubbing your face feels great, but it’s one of the biggest mistakes you can make, particularly if you’re prone to breakouts.

Exfoliation is great for boosting cell turnover and keeping your pores clean and clear, but too much can cause redness and inflammation – something you definitely don’t want to encourage if acne is already making your skin both of these things. Stick to once a week max, or better yet, allow chemical exfoliating ingredients like salicylic acid to gradually do the job for you.

9. Manage Your Stress 

As with seemingly everything, when it comes to acne, stress only makes matters worse. Research has pointed to a direct link between stress and acne, thanks to stress-related hormones like cortisol encouraging your sebaceous glands to produce more oil. Cortisol also reduces your skin’s natural levels of hyaluronic acid which makes your skin more dehydrated and further triggers sebum production. All this excess oil is a veritable playground for bacteria to breed and acne to worsen.

Of course, keeping stress under control is no mean feat, but breathing exercises, yoga, or taking a short walk each day may help clear your mind. Go for whatever form of relaxation suits you and helps take the pressure off, even if only for a few minutes. And remember to get your seven or eight hours of quality sleep while you’re at it. Sleep is SO important.

10. Strike Down Inflammation, Inside and Out

As helpful as skincare tips may be, acne is often an inside job rooted in internal factors influenced by diet and hormones. While addressing these triggers is an important part of getting chronic acne under control, it’s also key to hit back at topical inflammation. This beauty baddie not only exacerbates breakouts, it can increase the likelihood of hyperpigmentation and scarring, so it’s especially critical to diminish it as much as possible.

To help do this on the daily, look for skin saviors with anti-inflammatory clout like vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, as well as MSM and aloe, all of which have a reputation for mitigating inflammation and blemishes alike. You can find them teamed up in our Vitamin C Serum, as well as across several other TruSkin formulas—because we know how invaluable these good guys can be for all skin types.

Fine lines and wrinkles, dark spots and dry, dehydrated skin: three of the most common signs of aging skin, right there. So, let’s see what we can do to keep them to a minimum, shall we?

Skin aging happens to us all. Literally, every one of us. And while you can’t press a button and stop time (if so, we’d take age 32, please!), you can, for sure, take control of the rate at which you age – to a certain degree, of course. Looking after yourself with a healthy diet and regular exercise is a given. But what else can you do to specifically target your most niggling skin bugbears? Here, we take a look at three of the most common signs of aging skin…

1. Fine Lines & Wrinkles

What They Are: Fine Lines and wrinkles can crop up on your skin pretty early on in life. They happen when your skin’s support network (collagen and elastin) breaks down as you age, causing your skin to become thinner, weaker and less resilient. Kind of like deflating a balloon, your skin loses its plumpness, feels less taut and starts to wrinkle. Lines and wrinkles are usually most prevalent around your eyes, mouth and forehead where your face is the most expressive.

What Causes Them: Father Time is obviously a major factor here, but it’s not just getting old that breaks down collagen and elastin fibers. Exposure to the sun also speeds up this process like lightning. As does smoking; a poor diet that’s laden with salt, sugar, processed carbs and bad fats; environmental pollution, and repetitive facial movements such as smiling, laughing, frowning or squinting.

What You Can Do: One of the most important ways to prevent lines and wrinkles is to look after your skin’s barrier function through gentle cleansing and regular moisturizing. Your skin’s barrier is its outermost layer that protects it from external nasties, while reducing moisture loss and transporting essential nutrients and hydration to the underlying layers of your skin. This barrier is super important for the look, feel and health of your skin, so ensure you moisturize regularly, never over-exfoliate and cleanse gently twice a day, avoiding skin-drying chemicals and scorching hot water.

What To Use To Target Fine Lines & Wrinkles: Topical antioxidants are a joy for dealing with the signs of aging, and when it comes to those pesky lines and wrinkles, you can’t go wrong with Retinol Serum. Proven time and again for being one of the most effective ingredients for improving collagen synthesis and cell turnover, retinol is the boss when it comes to softening crinkly skin. And we don’t say that lightly.

2. Dark Spots

What They Are: Possibly even more frustrating than lines and wrinkles are those dark spots that seem to come from nowhere as you hit your 30s and beyond. Otherwise known as hyperpigmentation, dark spots occur when your skin’s production of melanin (that’s the pigment that gives your skin its natural color) goes awry, creating patchy areas of dark skin in all the wrong places. Dark spots can appear anywhere on your body but are commonly seen on your face, shoulders, chest and hands.

What Causes Them: Three things: the sun, hormonal fluctuations or some kind of skin trauma/injury like a bug bite, acne spot or eczema. These all interfere with the melanin-synthesizing cells in your skin (melanocytes), causing them to over-produce melanin which then gets unevenly distributed in the epidermis. The result? Blotchy, speckled skin.

What You Can Do: Exfoliation is a great way to remove dulling dead skin cells at a surface level, allowing for all the fresh, untarnished stuff to make its way to the surface. Chemical peels are great for this if you want something hardcore, but don’t dismiss at-home exfoliation which can also reap great results with patience and dedication. Just don’t overdo it or you could cause irritation, redness and an unnecessary thinning of the skin.

What To Use To Target Dark Spots: As well as being mildly exfoliating and a go-to for fighting off damaging free radicals that form in the skin thanks to sun exposure and pollution, studies have shown that vitamin C can help inhibit melanin production at a cellular level. This is great news for anyone looking to improve dark spots. Try our fan favorite Vitamin C Serum.

3. Dryness & Dehydration

What They Are: Similar… but very different, dryness refers to a lack of oil in your skin, whereas dehydration indicates a lack of water. Also, dry skin is a skin type that you’re born with, whereas dehydration is a condition anyone can experience.

What Causes Them: As you get older, the dermis and underlying layers of your skin get thinner and more fragile which makes it harder for your skin to retain moisture. Couple this with the natural loss of ceramides, hyaluronic acid, fats and lipids and it’s no wonder your skin becomes drier and more dehydrated. Your sebaceous glands also slow down through age which might be music to the ears of oily skin types, but for everyone else this is a one-way ticket to unwanted dryness.

What You Can Do: Fight back and make moisturizers, facial oils and hydrating serums your BFFs. Moisturize your skin after every cleanse, and choose products that contain both humectants (to help boost moisture content) as well as emollients and/or occlusives (to create a seal over your skin and help lock all that moisture in). Also, try to avoid using hot water on your skin which can strip all the healthy fats and oils away, causing further dryness and dehydration.

What To Use To Target Dryness & Dehydration: You can't beat a well-rounded formula like our Hyaluronic Acid Serum for boosting much-needed moisture in dehydrated skin. Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in your skin, but as you hit age 20 it tends to beat it faster than you can say 'pass the moisturizer'. Our awesome serum helps counteract natural HA loss and also lavishes your skin with aloe, glycerin and botanical oils to help dryness as well as dehydration. Just remember to apply moisturizer on top to make sure all that skin-loving moisture stays there.

Finally, there’s one other small but seriously important skincare trick for helping to prevent ALL of the above. You probably know where we’re going here, right? Yes, sun protection.

Excluding the natural aging process, the sun is responsible for between 80 and 90 percent of all visible signs of skin aging. Lines, wrinkles, dark spots, dryness, dehydration, the works. So, as well as using an awesome facial treatment that’s targeted to your specific concerns, you must always apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen every morning. No excuses, no arguments.