True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Overnight skincare won’t transform your skin literally overnight, but apply a few carefully chosen formulations before turning in for the night and your skin will reap the benefits in the long term.

Some skincare sceptics firmly believe that night cream is a marketing con. Fools. The thing is, your skin has very different needs at night than during the day. If all you’re looking for in your routine is the basics (clean, moisturized skin) then sure, you’re going to be just fine with a couple of products for day and night. However, if you want to target, treat and prevent more pressing concerns such as fine lines, dark spots and acne, you’ll be sorely disappointed by the results a bog-standard cleanse and moisturize routine will offer.

An effective morning routine, for example, requires antioxidants and sunscreen to protect you from environmental stressors and free radical damage. It may also benefit from lighter day creams that give your skin almost invisible moisturization – the perfect base for priming your skin and facing the day.

In contrast, when you’re asleep, your skin kick-starts a whole regeneration process making it one of the most important times for rich, collagen-boosting products that help improve the health, look and feel of your complexion.

Studies show that people who get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night have skin that’s more moisturized and better able to protect and heal itself than those who sleep for five hours or less. How so? Because when your body rests, blood flow to your skin increases, collagen production ramps up, free radical damage gets repaired and your skin’s super important barrier function is restored. Cut back on your sleep and you deny your skin this precious time to repair itself. This means that compared to the lightweight, protective formulations your skin thrives on during the day, overnight skincare should revolve around boosting collagen, enhancing moisture, replenishing oils and therefore helping to repair and replenish your skin's protective barrier.

Convinced you need to step up your bedtime skincare routine but unwilling to spend hours in the bathroom before turning in for the night? Then you’ve come to the right place because we believe you need just three nighttime skincare formulations to care for your entire complexion. 

Overnight Must-Have #1. A Skin-Restoring Serum

If you’re serious about looking after your skin, you should always apply an overnight facial serum after cleansing. Serums are light, fast-absorbing formulations that have a much smaller molecular structure than moisturizers, meaning they’re able to deliver active ingredients deeper into your skin. We truly believe everyone needs two serums in their skincare lives – one for the morning and one for night – but the formulation you choose will obviously depend on what the issues you want to address. For dryness, HA is always a winner; for dark spots we love vitamin C or niacinamide, and for acne, serums containing salicylic acid or tea tree oil are always a great shout.

If you’re looking for the true gold standard of overnight face serums, however, try a formulation containing retinol like our fabulous Retinol Serum. Retinol is a clever little ingredient that derms, beauty editors and A-listers all swear by. When applied to your skin it triggers and activates certain genes to increase collagen production and stimulate your skin to turn over more efficiently. This not only helps soften, thicken and plump up the skin but offers no end of benefits for enlarged pores, acne, pigmentation and aging skin. If this wasn’t enough to convince you of its superpowers, research also shows that retinol has powerful antioxidant properties to help combat free radical damage.

Overnight Must-Have #2. An Awesome Eye Treatment

Lack of sleep is hell on the skin around your eyes, causing redness, fluid retention, dark circles, lines and wrinkles. Why do your eyes take the hit so badly? Because the skin in this area is thinner, more fragile and contains fewer sebaceous (oil-producing) glands than the rest of your face, so it ages lightning fast. If you think about it, the skin around your eyes also works pretty hard thanks to repetitive movements like blinking, smiling, squinting and so on. Without a targeted eye treatment product, therefore, it stands no chance in the fight against premature aging. And what better way to repair and replenish it than overnight when your eyes are less subject to the constant, repetitive movements of, well, being awake?

Some of the most powerful ingredients to look for in an overnight eye treatment are hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamin C and retinol. Hyaluronic acid (HA) helps your skin retain water, vitamin C brightens and repairs, while peptides and retinol boost collagen. All great stuff for the skin around your eyes, we think you’ll agree.

Try our Eye Cream which contains potent antioxidants such as vitamins B5, C and E, plus plant peptides and HA. Share a pea-sized amount between both eyes and smooth or tap it gently onto the skin, using your ring fingers for a lighter, less skin-damaging touch.

Overnight Must-Have #3. The Perfect Night Cream

If you have a highly moisturizing serum on the go, you might think you can do without night cream. Big mistake. Serums rarely contain emollient or occlusive ingredients which are important for sealing water and oils into your skin, so while serums are great for delivering ingredients deep into your skin, you still need to follow with moisturizer to lock all that goodness in. Whatever your skin type.

Our new Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream has been formulated to work with your skin’s overnight renewal system to support your skin, stimulate collagen production and strengthen that all-important barrier function. As well as containing one of our favorite antioxidants – vitamin C – this decadent night treatment comes bursting with nourishing and healing botanicals such as aloe, cocoa butter and rosehip oil. For the best results, apply it nightly as the final step in your bedtime skincare routine.

And you're done. See, that wasn't too time consuming, was it? Sweet dreams, y'all ;)

Face serums are a must for anyone interested in maximizing their skin’s potential and targeting those little annoyances like dryness, lines, dark spots or excess oil. But that’s the simple part: it’s choosing a serum to suit your skin that can be a bit of a minefield…

If you’re yet to introduce a serum into your skincare routine, let us be the ones to tell you – the right one could change your life. Yes it’ll add another step to your beauty routine, but honestly, what’s an extra minute or so between friends? And when you see what the right one can do for your skin, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it.

Lightweight and super-powered, serums pack a real punch thanks to their small molecular makeup. What does this really mean? Simple: small molecules allow for a deeper penetration of active ingredients and therefore more effective results for your skin. A serum is able to get right under your skin where regular lotions and moisturizers dare not, and in all honesty cannot, go. This means they are way more effective at targeting specific issues like discoloration, fine lines, wrinkles and any other bugbear you care to mention.

But how do you know where to start? Erm, right here, with these six, cleverly formulated serums that cater for the most common skincare types and concerns.

1. Normal or Dry Skin Types: C-Plus Super Serum

One of our favorite all-rounders, think of C-Plus Super Serum as your go-to for maintaining healthy, more radiant skin. Packed with vitamin C, along with niacinamide, retinol, hyaluronic acid and MSM it reads like a veritable who’s who of clinically-proven skincare ingredients. And if you’re worried about this cocktail of active ingredients playing havoc with your skin, don’t be. C-Plus Super Serum is surprisingly gentle and free of common irritants like synthetic fragrance, silicones, parabens and sulfates. It’s a bit of show-off, we know, but deservedly so. Use it two or three times a week for the best results.

2. Oily Skin: Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum

A customer must-have for reducing breakouts and balancing excess oils while maintaining a certain kindness to aging skin, Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum has been touted as “pretty life-changing” by one particular fan. Yes, truly.

Research shows that tea tree oil boasts anti-bacterial, antiviral, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties, making it an effective treatment for mild to moderate acne… and a great, natural alternative to benzoyl peroxide. Tea tree oil can also help balance oiliness, minimize enlarged pores and may even help relieve dryness. We combine it with salicylic acid, retinol and plenty of other age-defying ingredients to produce this gentle but oh-so-effective serum that your skin will love. Use it to spot treat troublesome breakouts, or apply it all-over, two to three times a week before moisturizing.

3. Dry Or Dehydrated Skin: Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been having a moment in skincare for quite some time now. And its popularity is not going away. A key component in your skin's natural makeup, HA has the unique capacity of retaining up to 1,000 times its weight in water. We’ll just let that sink in for a minute. One. Thousand. Times.

This sponge-like quality makes HA extremely important for keeping your skin moisturized and healthy, and it's why it rightfully takes its place at the top of ingredients your skin can’t get enough of. Hyaluronic Acid Serum harnesses the powers of this water-loving ingredient and blends it with vitamins C and E, plus jojoba oil to help lock moisture into your skin. A real find for dry, dehydrated or ANY skin type, if you ask us.

4. Aging Skin: Retinol Serum

Speaking of ingredients that can literally do no wrong, let’s give a big shout out to retinol. Proven time and time again to be one of the most effective ingredients for reducing the visible signs of aging, retinol is a topical form of vitamin A that activates certain genes in your skin to boost collagen production and stimulate your skin cells to turn over more efficiently. This helps soften wrinkles and dark spots, and it's dynamite at making your skin look, well, damn good.

Our Retinol Serum combines retinol with HA, vitamin E, aloe and green tea – an awesome combination known to help hydrate, protect, nourish and reduce irritation. Priceless.

5. Sensitive Skin: Niacinamide Serum

Sensitive skin and active ingredients don’t often make for a match made in heaven. However, niacinamide is one of the exceptions to this rule. A proven antioxidant, niacinamide boasts all the usual benefits of your favorite free radical-fighters (ie: an improvement in dark spots, lines, wrinkles, blemishes and firmness), plus it helps regulate inflammation and improve your barrier function to strengthen and protect your delicate skin. And all this with few to no side-effects. Yes, there really is a beauty god.

Niacinamide Facial Serum might only be a year old but it’s already a favorite with customers looking for an antioxidant serum that brightens and balances skin gently, yet effectively.

6. Dull Or Sun Damaged Skin: Vitamin C Serum

We don’t like to blow our trumpets too much, but our awesome Vitamin C Serum continues to turn heads and now boasts over 65,000 reviews on Amazon. In fact, it’s the number one best seller in facial serums. Just saying.

One of the most effective and highly researched antioxidants in skincare, topical vitamin C works hard to boost collagen, fade dark spots and protect your skin from the damaging effects of the sun. Depending on the type of vitamin C used, it can be a tad too good to be true for some skin types, but we use sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) in our formulations which is more gentle than the pure stuff… but equally as effective. This classic serum combines SAP with vitamin E, hyaluronic acid, MSM and a whole host of botanicals for a glow-boosting treat you'll want to use time and time again.

PS: Before We Go…

Our serums have been carefully curated to suit all skin types, but still, they contain a lot of potent active ingredients so they should always be applied with care. The golden rules? 1. Do a patch test first. 2. Introduce one slowly into your routine (two or three times a week) before applying it every day. And 3. Always finish with your favorite moisturizer to lock all those ingredients into your skin.

Done and done.

Retinol often gets a bad rap for drying out your skin and making it super sensitive to the sun. But not everything you hear about retinol is gospel. Here, we sort out the facts from the fiction… 

Retinol is almost unbeatable for reducing the appearance of lines, wrinkles and dark spots. It’s also super effective for clearing up your zits. Even so, retinol sure does get it in the neck. And we think that’s kind of unfair for a skincare ingredient that’s been clinically researched for decades and proven to be one of the best, most effective ingredients you could (and should) be using on your skin.

Sure, haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate) and yes, like all active skincare ingredients, retinol is not for everyone. But we think it at least deserves a fair deal. So, here, we get to the bottom of the untruths.

Because there's no room in this blog for fake news.

Myth #1: Retinol Is Not As Good As Tretinoin

The Truth: Depending on your skin type, both can be very effective.

The Details: Retinol and tretinoin both belong to the same family: retinoids. Retinoids are active, topical forms of vitamin A that activate certain genes within your skin to stimulate it to turn over more efficiently. Tretinoin (or retinoic acid) is the purest, fastest-working form and therefore the most potent which is why it’s only available on prescription. Retinol, on the other hand, is a gentler version that does the same thing but must be converted into retinoic acid by your skin before it takes effect. Research shows that, because of this conversion, retinol is 20 times less potent than tretinoin, but while it’s less powerful and takes longer to work, this makes it way less irritating and better tolerated by different skin types.

Tomayto, tomahto.

Myth #2: Retinol Is A Terrible Idea For Sensitive Skin

The Truth: Retinol can be an effective treatment for most skin types ­– as long as you use it wisely.

The Details: When it comes to nailing the use of retinol, it’s all about understanding your skin and building up a tolerance. It may be tempting to dive head first into a super strong retinol formulation, but this can have dire effects in the form of redness, irritation, dryness and peeling. And this is where retinol’s bad rap comes from – people using one that’s way too potent for their skin, and applying it too often from day one.

The best way to incorporate retinol into your daily routine is to start with a low concentration and apply it just two or three times a week until your skin adapts. Then you can up your frequency and/or potency accordingly.

Skin still not happy no matter how much you’ve tried? Then retinol might not be for you, so think about alternative active ingredients such as niacinamide, lactic acid or vitamin E.

Myth #3: You Shouldn't Use Retinol Until You're At Least 30 Years Old

The Truth: It’s never too late to start applying retinol, but during your 20s is the sweet spot.

The Details: Most experts agree that retinol is perfectly safe to start using in your 20s when the first signs of aging begin to appear. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, right?

According to Scientific American, your skin produces 1 percent less collagen every year from the age of 20. Collagen is what gives your skin structure and strength, so promoting the quantity and quality of your collagen levels is super important if you want to maintain youthful skin. And what’s the best way to do this? With a topical retinol that's been proven to increase the production of collagen and boost your skin's elasticity.

Myth #4: If Retinol Makes Your Skin Breakout, Stop Using It Immediately

The Truth: Redness, dryness, and breakouts can be part of the skin purging process.

The Details: Unlike allergies or acne, skin purging is when your skin temporarily reacts to a new product or ingredient in your routine, causing it to exfoliate and bring congestion to the surface. Skin purging often creates annoying flare-ups, but this means that whatever you’ve applied to your skin is actually working, so bear with it. More good news: pimples caused by skin purging don’t last as long as regular acne and they’ll heal much quicker, so a little patience will go a long way.

Reckon your breakouts are something more than a temporary reaction to your retinol treatment? Then it's best to seek advice from your dermatologist.

Myth #5: Never Apply Retinol In The Morning

The Truth: Retinol does not cause sun damage, so it's fine to use in the morning and/or night as long as you apply SPF daily.

The Details: Yes, it’s usually advised to apply retinol at night, but this is not because retinol makes your skin more sun-sensitive, but because most retinol formulations are deactivated and made less effective by sunlight. Oh. 

That being said, retinol will thin the top layers of your skin and decrease its ability to protect itself, so you should always apply a daily sunscreen with a broad-spectrum of SPF 30+. But that’s a given anyway.

Myth #6: You Should Never Use Retinol Around Your Eyes

The Truth: Retinol is a totally safe skin treatment for your entire face and neck.

The Details: The skin around your eyes is thinner and more fragile than the rest of your face, for sure, but this doesn’t mean it can’t tolerate retinol. In fact, your eyes are more prone to the visible signs of aging, so a gentle retinol treatment to help boost collagen in this area can work wonders on those fine lines and wrinkles. The potential for irritation is definitely greater than elsewhere on your face, however, so remember not to apply it too close to your eyes and start with just a once or twice weekly application when using it for the first time. You could also apply a moisturizing eye cream afterwards – as long as it doesn’t also contain active ingredients, of course.

Just like dry skin, oily skin comes with its problems. So, if a shiny t-zone, clogged pores and monthly breakouts are all too familiar bugbears, it’s time to take control.

If you’ve had oily skin for as long as you can remember you’ll understand the grievances of a greasy forehead, equally as slick bangs and makeup that just won’t stay put. And while having thicker, more resilient skin and fewer wrinkles (two of the plus sides of an oily complexion) might make you feel better for all of ten seconds, oily skin can seem like more of a curse than a blessing.

So, what causes oily skin and why might your skin be way slicker than your BFFs? Let’s investigate.

Important Fact: Your Skin Needs Oil

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and plays a very important role in regulating body temperature and protecting you from heat, light, injuries and infection. There are many factors that must come together for your skin to function properly, not least of which is its ability to produce a certain oil called sebum.

Sebum is a slightly sticky, oily substance that’s produced by sebaceous glands which are found in varying numbers all over your body – except on the palms of your hands and tops and soles of your feet. You know that infamous t-zone? Well, your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin have way more sebaceous glands than the rest of your face which is why it's notoriously shiny.

Sebum contains several types of complex oils and lipids such as triglycerides, fatty acids, wax ester, cholesterol and squalene which work together to lubricate and support the health of your skin. In fact, sebum is vital for sealing in moisture, creating a barrier from environmental stressors, helping your skin heal and transporting antioxidants to the skin’s surface. It also plays an important role in helping your skin maintain a slightly acidic pH level to prevent bacteria and viruses from penetrating the top layers.

Why Is Some Skin Oiler Than Others?

How much sebum your skin produces depends on many factors but it’s largely genetic. Does one or both of your parents have oily skin? Then chances are this is why your sebaceous glands are also larger and more active than you might like.

As you age, hormonal changes, medication and lifestyle factors such as stress, your diet and your skincare choices can also play a major role in your rate of sebum production (as does hot or humid weather), but for the most part you can definitely blame your parents if that makes you feel better.

The Downsides Of Oily Skin

As if the immediate annoyance of slick skin that requires a packet of daily blotting papers to control shine wasn’t enough to contend with, excess sebum can also create longer-term concerns. Namely, acne vulgaris – the medical term for common acne.

Oily skin and acne often go hand in hand because excess sebum prevents your dead skin cells from shedding from the surface of the skin, trapping bacteria and irritants with them. Your hair follicles then become blocked with this cocktail of sebum, dead skin cells and other nasties, which is when problems start to rear their ugly heads. If this plugged follicle remains closed, it will create a whitehead, whereas if it opens up at the surface of your skin it will become oxygenated, darken and turn into the dreaded blackhead. And if inflammation follows? Then we’re talking papules, pustules, nodules or cysts – known to most of you as zits.

How To Control Oily Skin – The Do’s & Don’ts

When it comes to sebum, the key is balance. This means that over-stimulating your skin with insane amounts of chemicals in your skincare or being a little too enthusiastic with your exfoliation routine is totally off the menu. Gentle skincare is the future.

Here’s a checklist of the most important do’s and don’ts for you to remember…

1. DO Resist The Urge To Over-Cleanse

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again (sorry, not sorry), cleansing your skin like your life depended on it is seriously bad news. This is true whether your skin is dry, combination, normal or oily, but it’s especially important for oily skin types. How so? Because skin that’s ‘squeaky clean’ is skin that’s had all of its natural sebum stripped away. This may sound like the best news ever, but sebum is important for your skin’s health, so if you take it away with chemical-laced cleansers and/or harsh exfoliation your skin will produce even more sebum to compensate. The result? Skin that’s just as oily as it was before you cleansed. Maybe even more so.

By all means cleanse your skin morning, night and after exercising, but stick with gentle formulations like our Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser. You could also try Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash which contains activated charcoal to help draw out oils, dirt and bacteria – all without drying out your skin.

2. DO Perfect Your Moisturizing Game

First things first, don’t think you can get away with not moisturizing because the same rules apply here as they do with over-cleansing: no moisture = more sebum.

When it comes to choosing a great moisturizer for oily skin, stick with gels, serums and light lotions above balms, creams and ointments. Also, keep away from heavy, occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter, beeswax and petrolatum as these create a barrier on your skin which you, of all people, should avoid.

If you suffer with clogged pores and/or acne, look for the terms non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic on your skincare labels. These mean that a product has been specifically formulated not to clog pores or cause acne respectively. It doesn’t mean they absolutely, 100 percent won’t, but they’re much less likely to. And that’s good enough for us.

3. DON’T Touch Your Face

You might think your hands are as clean as they’ve ever been, but they’ll still harbor dirt, oil and bacteria, no matter how often you wash and sanitize them. It’s just life. So, although it’s tempting, stop touching your face throughout the day as this will transfer all that extra oil and debris straight from your hands to your face. And if you’re guilty of wiping excess sebum off your cheeks and forehead with your fingers? Don’t do that. Invest in some blotting papers instead.

4. DO Apply A Retinol Treatment

We’re big fans of retinol as an anti-aging ingredient, but did you know retinol is also the nuts for tightening pores and balancing sebum? Regular use of a retinol treatment stimulates cell turnover, shrinks sebaceous glands and draws dead skin cells out of your pores, making them appear visibly smaller. Just remember to introduce retinol into your routine slowly and carefully to enable your skin to adjust without freaking out.

5. DON’T Overload Your Skin With Pore-Clogging Makeup

Heavy makeup might be tempting if you have blemishes you want to hide, but caking your skin in heavy, oil-based foundation will further clog pores and exacerbate flare-ups. And that’s a big nope from us.

If you can, leave your skin clean, bare and moisturized (at least on those days when you’re not leaving the house) or wear an oil-free tinted moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen as a lighter alternative to full-on foundation. Mineral powder foundations are also a great shout for oily skin as they’re non-comedogenic and help mattify your skin without looking like you’ve tipped a vat of oil-controlling powder all over your face.

6. DO Get Some Salicylic Acid In Your Skincare Routine

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and quite possibly one of the most effective ingredients for treating oily and acne-prone skin. Like glycolic and lactic acids, salicylic acid exfoliates the skin. But unlike the others it’s lipophilic which means it penetrates oil to target blockages and thin sebum, allowing sebum to flow more freely to the skin’s surface. This helps deeply cleanse, balance and reduce inflammation while minimizing enlarged pores as part of the bargain.

As with retinol, salicylic acid can pack a potent punch, so always perform a patch test first, then go slowly when using it for the first time. Start applying it just once or twice a week, then as you continue to use it you can up the ante as your skin acclimates.

One of our top picks for oily skin is our Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum which combines the powers of salicylic acid with tea tree oil and retinol. And if that sounds like skin irritation just waiting to happen, fear not. It also contains calming niacinamide and hydrating hyaluronic acid. So... winner.

Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could turn back the clocks and retain the skin you had in 2005? Well, sadly we live in the real world and time machines just aren’t an option. However, with some effective skincare and a few tweaks to your lifestyle habits you can definitely delay the visible signs of aging.

Wrinkles, dark spots, dullness and sagging skin are four of the most common signs of aging skin. And while the likes of Botox, dermal fillers and microneedling are extremely effective ways to reduce these concerns and nail younger-looking skin, needles aren’t everyone’s jam. But skincare is. Granted, you’ll never get the same dramatic results from skincare that you would from aesthetic treatments at the doctor’s office but that’s OK, because we know some of you don’t even want such dramatic results. Just to soften those fine lines, add radiance and fade discoloration would be nice, right?

Done. Here’s how.

1. Wear Sunscreen ALL YEAR ROUND

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation around 90 percent of all external skin damage is caused by the sun. Scary, huh? And the main culprits? UVA and UVB radiation. UVA radiation is the real skin ager as it penetrates deep into the skin where it breaks down and damages vital proteins such as collagen and elastin. UVA can also increase your risk of developing melanoma skin cancer which is nasty business. Meanwhile, UVB is the one that tans and burns your skin while potentially increasing your chances of developing non-melanoma skin cancers like basal and squamous cell carcinomas.

All in all, there may be no better feeling than the sun on your skin, but it's seriously bad news so we cannot stress enough the importance of year-round sun protection. We like to think you’re savvy enough to slap it on every day during the summer months when that big ball of fire in the sky is a constant reminder to look after your skin. But fess up, are you as vigilant in the winter when the days are cold and miserable? Thought not.

The thing is, the sun can be just as intense on cold days as it is in summertime. Yes, clouds work to partially block the sun’s damaging rays, but according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), up to 80 percent of UV radiation can still penetrate your skin on cloudy days. And that’s a lot. 

Most derms will agree that your best defense against aging is to wear sunscreen every day. And not just any sunscreen. Stick with a formulation that’s broad-spectrum (this means it offers protect from UVA and UVB), never go lower than SPF 30, apply it vigilantly and you’ll be golden. Oh, and don’t scrimp when you apply. You’ll need a dime-size amount for your face and another one for your neck, chest and hands if these are going to be exposed.

2. Get On The Retinol Train

After sunscreen, a retinol product is arguably the second most important weapon you can have in your skincare arsenal. Especially if you’re in the market for an ageless complexion and, well, who isn’t?

Retinol is an active form of vitamin A that gets converted into retinoic acid by the skin. Here, it works to fight environmental damage, increase collagen production and stimulate cell turnover. It’s one of the most researched ingredients in skincare and is a huge favorite with dermatologists, skin experts and beauty editors alike for its powers to thicken, firm and brighten the skin. In fact, studies have shown that regular use of retinol offers a significant improvement in fine lines after just 12 weeks of use.

Full disclosure: retinol is a potent, active ingredient so it requires a lot of respect. Always do a patch test before applying then introduce it slowly into your routine. Retinol is best applied at night to reduce dryness and redness from exposure to the sun, so start by applying a low concentration such as 0.5 or 1 percent every third night to clean skin before bed. As your skin acclimates, you can up your application to every other night, then after a few weeks, if your skin is tolerating it well, move to every night. If you start to experience redness or peeling, go back to twice a week, or try layering your favorite moisturizer on top.  

3. Fight Free Radical Damage With Antioxidants

After years of abuse from the environment, it’s no wonder the skin you had in your teens is not what it used to be. Overexposure to light, heat and pollution produces free radicals which work like demons to damage everything from DNA to collagen and elastin.

One of the most effective ways to battle the effects of environmental skin damage such as dark spots and wrinkles is to add an antioxidant serum into your daily routine. Antioxidants fight free radicals by diverting their attention away from damaging the good stuff in your skin. And they work. Boy do they work. Super effective antioxidants include vitamins C, E and B3 (niacinamide) – all of which you’ll find in our fabulous serums. Again, just make sure you patch test any new product before getting too slap happy with it.

Also, don’t forget to include as many antioxidant-rich foods in your diet to help your skin and body fight free radicals from the inside. We’re talking berries, kale, spinach, asparagus, carrots, beans and (let’s have a round of applause for…) dark chocolate.

4. Stop Eating All That Sugar

OK, so you know that sugar’s the actual devil when it comes to dental health and your weight, right? Well, it’s also a real contender for skin enemy of the year. And here’s why: it ages your skin like crazy through a process called glycation.

Glycation is a natural process in which sugar in your bloodstream attaches itself to collagen and elastin to produce free radicals called advanced glycation end products, or AGEs which is a clever acronym in itself, don’t you think? These nasty little AGEs cause your collagen and elastin to become weak, stiff and rigid which ends up manifesting itself in dullness, sagging, fine lines and wrinkles. Before you put every ounce of the glycation blame on sugar, however, it’s worth nothing that glycation is a fact of life and always happening within your skin as you age thanks to hormones, sun damage and the other usual suspects. It’s just that a high sugar diet unnecessarily speeds up this process and prematurely ages you up with little to no warning.

The obvious answer is to avoid refined white sugar and simple carbs, but don’t forget the more hidden sweet stuff like high-fructose corn syrup which is often used to sweeten soda, bread, breakfast cereals and salad dressings. Corn syrup is quite possibly the worst of the lot.

5. Look After Your Eyes

Never forget, the skin around your eyes is way thinner, drier and more fragile than the rest of your face which means it’s one of the first areas to show signs of aging such as fine lines (crow’s feet), puffiness and dark circles.

To be honest, crow’s feet are kind of inevitable, but this doesn’t mean you should admit defeat and let nature take its course because there are many way to slow down this particular aging journey. How so? Stop squinting at your computer (maybe an eye test is in order?), wear sunglasses as much as possible, get more sleep (preferably on your back) and up your skincare game with a targeted, moisturizing eye cream that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid, green tea, ceramides, peptides and antioxidants – yes, those again.

One last thing: remember to apply your eye cream with as little force as possible – rubbing it in too heavily will do nothing but drag and damage the skin. Instead, use your ring fingers to tap it gently around the orbital bone and then let it sink in on its own.
 
Who needs Botox, anyway?

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Retinol opens up a whole world of confusion for some people. But when it comes to proven anti-aging skincare ingredients it gives us all the feels. 

That’s why knowing what it is and, more importantly how to make it work for you,  well, that knowledge is priceless. Not sure of the difference between retinol and retinoic acid? Wondering whether a topical retinoid is OK for your super-sensitive skin? Then get comfy, because we have all the answers to your most pressing questions, right here.

Q: First things first, what are retinoids?

A: Retinoids are active, topical forms of vitamin A that can be split into two camps: retinol and tretinoin.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin found naturally in eggs, yellow and orange fruit and veggies, liver, fish, cheese and butter. It’s an essential part of a well-balanced diet and helps maintain healthy cell growth while boosting your vision and reproductive and immune systems.

The active form (the one that does all the good stuff) of vitamin A is called retinoic acid and its topical counterpart is called tretinoin. Tretinoin is a clever little prescription-only ingredient that delivers retinoic acid to the skin to stimulate healthy cell turnover for a glowing, more youthful complexion.

Retinol, meanwhile, is an over-the-counter, gentler version of tretinoin that biochemically does the same thing, but must be converted into retinoic acid by the skin before it can get to work. Studies have shown that retinol is 20 times less potent that tretinoin, but it’s considerably kinder on the complexion which why it’s every beauty editor’s/derm’s/celebrity’s favorite anti-aging ingredient.

Still confused? Then just remember this, retinol is the tortoise to tretinoin’s hare.

Q: What are the benefits of using a topical retinoid?

A: When absorbed by the skin, retinoic acid molecules attach themselves to the center of cells where genetic information is stored. Here, they trigger and activate certain genes to increase collagen production and stimulate the skin to turnover more efficiently. This not only helps soften, thicken and plump up the skin but offers no end of benefits for enlarged pores, acne, pigmentation and aging skin.

Research also shows that retinoids have powerful antioxidant properties, which is why many people call them the ultimate miracle-workers. We, on the other hand prefer not to subscribe to such bold promises. Let’s just say they’re up there with the most proven and effective skincare ingredients, shall we?

Q: So, does that mean tretinoin is better than retinol?

A: Yes and no. Tretinoin is only available on prescription and is often advised to patients who are serious about treating fine lines, wrinkles and discolorations. Derms and doctors see tretinoin as the gold standard of retinoids because it’s so pure, but it packs such a retinoic acid punch that it can be hard to tolerate – especially if you have sensitive skin.

This is why we truly believe that over-the-counter products are the cat’s whiskers. Retinol can be just as effective as tretinoin, as long as you shop wisely and are happy to play the long game. Derivatives of retinol such as retinyl palmitate, retinyl propionate, retinyl acetate and retinyl linoleate are super weak and, in our opinion, not worth it. But choose formulas that contain pure retinol and while visible results may take a little longer, you’ll see just as many benefits as you would from a tretinoin product.

Q: If I start using a retinoid regularly, how long will it be before I see improvements in my skin?

A: Tretinoin usually offers visible results at around the three month mark. Retinol, due to its gentler nature, however, may take up to six. The good thing is that retinoids are among the most highly researched ingredients in skincare and show proven, visible results. Unlike other headline-grabbing ingredients that promise the world but fail to deliver, retinoids have been tried and tested for decades. And they work. They just do. But patience is a virtue.

Q: What’s the best way to use topical retinoid?

A: Great question. Retinoids are best used at night because sunlight can deactivate vitamin A. Nighttime use is also advised to reduce any dryness and redness you may experience from the sun. Contrary to popular belief, retinoids themselves are not sun sensitizing, but they do thin the very top layer of your skin to help rid your complexion of pore-clogging dead skin cells. This is a good thing, but it also disrupts the natural protective barrier which is why you should apply it at night, then in the morning wear a daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or above. 

Another tip is to start slowly. Most derms agree you should begin with a low concentration of retinol such as 0.5-1.0 percent. Apply it to clean skin every other night to begin with, then as your skin acclimates you can up your application to every night. After a few months, you could also move up to a higher concentration as tolerated. And if your skin feels dry? Then feel free to layer your favorite moisturizer on top.

Q: Is it true you should never apply retinol to damp skin?

A: In a word, no. There’s no real evidence to suggest that applying retinol to damp or wet skin will intensify skin irritation. Nor will it render the ingredient more or less effective. More importantly, you should ensure your skin is clean and well prepped before applying your retinol product. Cleanse thoroughly and gently exfoliate any dry, flaky patches to make way for the fresh skin underneath. This helps the active ingredient penetrate your skin which actually reduces irritation.

Q: Speaking of which, my skin became really dry and irritated after introducing retinol into my skincare routine, should I stop?

A: Dryness, flaking and slight redness are part of what’s called the purging process, so don’t worry, this is very normal. Skin purging is just your skin reacting to the active retinol which accelerates the exfoliation process and promotes skin cells to turnover quicker than normal. This is great for the health, look and feel of your skin in the long run, but can temporarily exacerbate redness, irritation and scaling.

The good news, however, is these side-effects are temporary so try to push through them. There are also a few tricks to help you avoid them in the first place. First, slowly introduce retinol into your routine to allow your skin to adjust – and yes, once a week is OK. Then you can up the frequency by one day per week as your skin becomes more tolerant. If the irritation continues or gets worse, take your usage back down again and/or try a super-low concentration – we’re talking 0.5 or even 0.3 percent.

Still struggling? Then speak to a skincare expert because retinol might not be for you. There are plenty of other effective skincare ingredients that are more tolerable for sensitive skin like niacinamide, aloe vera or hyaluronic acid.

Q: Can I use retinol with other active skincare ingredients like vitamin C?

A: Combining active skincare ingredients can sometimes have disastrous effects if left in the wrong hands. But that is the key because if you know what you’re doing or better still, leave it to the experts, the results from ingredient cocktailing can be glorious.

Take retinol and vitamin C, for example. Studies have shown that, together, this little power couple offers visible benefits to aging skin such as an improvement in texture and tone, plus a notable reduction in photodamage – aka hyperpigmentation. Retinol and vitamin C are both proven antioxidants and work well to defend the skin against the damaging effects of the sun. We actually combine them with hyaluronic acid and niacinamide in our Vitamin C-Plus Super Serum for a potent, but surprisingly gentle fix of skin-loving actives.

As a side-note, retinol also combines well with AHAs and BHAs like glycolic and salicylic acids. In fact, like John Krasinski and Emily Blunt, they bring out the best in each other to increase turnover and leave you with healthy, glowing skin.

Q: At what age should I start regularly using a retinol product?

A: This depends on each individual because everyone’s skin ages at different rates based on their genes, lifestyle, diet and overall health. Someone living the high-life in the full California sun may find their skin ages at a much faster rate than someone of the same age living in less sunnier climes, for example. That being said, most experts agree that somewhere in your mid to late 20s is ideal, but you know your skin and it’s never too early (nor too late)…