True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Treating your skin with active ingredients and potent formulations is all well and good, but when does vigilant skincare become too much for your skin to cope with? 

There are some incredible ingredients in skincare that have been trusted for decades to bring visible benefits to your precious skin. Retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid are just three powerhouses that come to mind, all of which work hard to bring awesome, skin-changing results to the table.

But here’s the thing. Yes, these ingredients are fabulous and yes, when used correctly they can truly transform average skin into great skin – with regular use and a little side of patience, of course. However, there’s that certain something called ‘too much of a good thing.’ And when it comes to potent skincare, that 'thing' can turn into some real issues for your skin.

The main problem with overstimulating your skin is that your barrier function becomes compromised. Not sure what that means? Well, your skin’s barrier function is its uppermost layer (aka the stratum corneum) and it’s extremely important as it’s your body’s first line of defense from the outside world, keeping crucial moisture in and nasty irritants out. 

When your barrier function is strong and working efficiently, it keeps your skin healthy, soft and supple. But if it gets screwed up – which can easily happen when you throw too many skincare ingredients at it – it’s unable to do its job properly. And this is where things start to go awry.

Read on for the most common signs you're working your barrier function too hard. And that it's unhappy as a consequence…

Your Skin Is Totally Breaking Out

Acne breakouts occur when overactive sebaceous glands produce an excessive amount of sebum (oil). This sebum then gets stuck in your pores where it mixes with bacteria and dead skin cells and results in a nasty old blockage. If this ‘plug’ of debris becomes inflamed it becomes a full-on zit, if not, it will usually result in a white or blackhead. None of which are welcome, if we’re honest.

Breakouts are generally thanks to your genes which determine your skin type and amount of oil your skin produces. However, certain factors can trigger the frequency, duration or angriness of your flare-ups. And overstimulating your skin is right up there with things like stress and your hormones.

The biggest offenders, in our opinion, are super astringent products that suck your skin dry and do no good whatsoever. Of course, it’s tempting to apply drying ingredients like harsh alcohols, and kick-ass surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate to oily skin because it feels like the right thing to do. Mistake. This move just encourages your sebaceous glands to produce even more oil to try to counteract the dryness you’re enforcing on your poor complexion.

On the flipside, you don’t want to over-moisturize your skin, either. Certain ingredients in moisturizers will block your pores and trigger breakouts with lightning speed. These are called occlusives and include things like heavy oils and butters. So avoid these at all times – and that includes makeup as well as skincare.

Do This: Stick with a light, gentle moisturizing product like Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer, combined with a balancing cleanser, gentle toner and a soothing facial serum like Tea Tree Super Serum+.

Your Face Looks Red & Feels A Bit Irritated

Other than the obvious conditions like eczema and rosacea – which are jobs for a dermatologist, btw ­– your skincare routine can be a major trigger of redness and inflammation.

And one of the most common offenders? Exfoliation. Exfoliating your skin can feel like pure joy and, when done gently and not too often, it’s a great way to boost cellular turnover, encourage collagen production and make your skin look and feel glowy and healthy. But, and this is a pretty big but, exfoliating your skin too often and with a super heavy hand weakens your barrier function and strips away all of those important ceramides, fatty acids and essential nutrients from the surface of your skin. Frankly, this is the perfect recipe for irritation and facial redness.

If you’re guilty of exfoliating more than once or twice a week and have noticed your skin becoming more sensitized than normal, you need to rein it in posthaste.

Do This: Either reduce your frequency or switch to a milder formulation. Better yet, do both. We love our Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains gentle chemical exfoliators to break down dead skin cells. Try this two or three times a week and see how you go. You can always move to daily as your skin calms down.

Dryness Has Become A Real Thing

Similar to your likelihood of getting acne, dry skin is something you’re born with. The good news, however, is that dryness can be controlled and balanced with the right skincare routine that concentrates on nurturing your skin and replacing the oils your skin often fails to product of its own accord.

Then there’s the wrong skincare routine – and this can have equally as profound results. Just not the ones you were hoping for.

What do we mean by the ‘wrong’ skincare routine. Well, for dry skin types, you have to avoid anything that’s going to exacerbate your dryness. And the biggest no-no for you? Potent cleansers that are big on sulfates, synthetic fragrances, parabens and harsh alcohol like ethanol and alcohol denat. Ingredients like oatmeal, rice milk, aloe vera and chamomile are way better friends for dry skin as they help nourish and protect your skin’s barrier function. Which, as you’ve probably realized by now, is the most important thing for reducing irritation and minimizing sensitivities.

Also, you really have to be careful with retinol because, while it’s the darling of skincare ingredients, retinol can be tricky to get right. Too much, too often can make dry skin conditions so much worse – especially if you go in like a bull in a china shop, not patch testing first, or applying it too frequently.

Do This: If you’ve recently started a new retinol product, pare it back immediately, reducing how often you apply to once or twice a week until your dryness improves. You should also swap your cleanser for something that'll nourish and protect your barrier function. Our new Soothing Cleansing Milk is literally made for dry, sensitive skin, since you asked. 

Your Skin Feels Tight, Itchy & Uncomfortable

Even oily or combination skin can feel tight and uncomfortable sometimes. And this is generally down to dehydration.

Quick refresher: dry skin is a skin type that's thanks to an absence of oils, whereas dehydration is more of a condition and due to a lack of water in the skin. Alongside cold weather conditions, pollution, stress and medications, one of the main causes of dehydration is over-exfoliation or over-stimulation with active skincare ingredients. How so? Because these break down your skin’s barrier function making it unable to effectively retain water.

Thankfully, dehydration is a temporary issue and one that can most definitely be dealt with. You just need to figure out what you’re doing that’s causing your dehydrated skin and work on that first and foremost. Chronic use of highly potent ingredients like prescription retinoids, for example, can be major offenders, as can overexposure to the sun. Then you need to manipulate your skincare routine to ensure it’s working hard to boost water in the epidermis while simultaneously reducing moisture loss from the surface of your skin.

Do This: Simplify your routine and introduce a daily hydrating serum that helps amp up your skin's moisture content. Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum is a great addition and ideal for sensitized skin. Just remember, you must always apply moisturizer on top to seal in hydration. You could also try our awesome new Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum which combines everything you need for a healthier barrier function – minus the irritation.

Turns out Cleopatra’s favorite milk baths might not have been such a wild idea, after all.

Milk for dry skin? Yes, word on the street is that the white stuff could be the answer to all your dry skin woes…

It’s fair to say that dry skin can be a real nuisance. And if you have it, you won’t need reminding of the many frustrations that come with dealing with dryness and flaking skin – especially on your face. Sure, oily skin comes with its own set of bugbears but, given the choice, it would win the ‘would you rather?’ argument every time.

You see, the thing with dry skin (medical term: xeroderma) is that it often comes with other frustrations like itching, redness, tightness, sensitivities and dehydration. Why is that? Well, dry skin has fewer sebaceous glands than other skin types. And sebaceous glands are super-important for the health of your skin because they produce sebum which contains all manner of fatty acids, wax esters, squalene and triglycerides to lubricate the skin, protect it from outside aggressors and help it retain water. As we said, important stuff.

Unlike oily and combination skin which both contain their fair share of sebaceous glands, dry skin is genetically lacking in these essential oil producers. Hence the dryness. And that’s not all. Thanks to a poorly functioning protective barrier, dry skin is also kind of bad at retaining moisture which means it has a tendency to become dehydrated and easily irritated. Then when you chuck things like harsh soaps and hot showers at it? Well, you’ve got a recipe for disaster on your hands. Sigh.

But it’s not all bad news because there are tons of ways to help treat and protect dry skin. Moisturizer, for one thing, is the single most important product anyone with dry skin can have up their sleeves, and ingredients like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, shea butter and jojoba oil can be total lifesavers.

There’s also a lesser-known ingredient that’s been steadily making its way back onto the beauty shelves and is already making headlines for its ability to care so awesomely for dry skin: milk.

Milk & Your Skin: The Facts

As an alleged devotee to bathing in sour milk, we have to salute the Egyptian queen Cleopatra for knowing her skincare stuff way before her time. Because milk is not only powerful and natural, but it’s truly effective.

So what’s the deal and why is it so damn good for your skin? Well, milk contains tons of exfoliating and nourishing compounds including minerals, vitamins, acids and antioxidants. One of its biggest plus points? Lactic acid. Like glycolic acid, lactic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), a naturally hydrating and exfoliating acid that dissolve the bonds between skin cells to encourage all those unsightly, no-longer-wanted dead ones to slough away. Skin needs gentle exfoliation every now and again because dead skin cells have a tendency to hang around longer than necessary, especially as you get older when cell turnover becomes slow and sluggish. And while harsh scrubs and potent glycolic acid can be too much for dry skin, lactic acid is the best of both worlds, gently removing the dead stuff while caring for your complexion and revealing all that plump, deliciously fresh skin.

However, in our modern world, milk is no longer just milk and given that many people are vegan or lactose-intolerant, it’s important to know that plant-based options like rice and oat milk are just as good, if not better for looking after your dry skin.

Oat Milk: The Soothing Treatment

Undoubtedly the most popular of the dairy-free milk alternatives, oat milk has similar soothing, calming and antioxidant effects as its cousin, colloidal oatmeal – another commonly used ingredient in skincare. Made purely from oats and water, its antioxidant benefits are great for warding off environmental skin damage from the daily wear and tear of UV radiation, pollution and the like, while its soothing effects are perfect for reducing irritation and helping to calm dry skin.

Oat milk also has anti-inflammatory properties so may help skin conditions like eczema and rosacea. Oh, and it acts like a humectant, drawing water to the surface of the skin to help keep it hydrated and healthy. Impressive stuff, right?

Rice Milk: The Skin Brightener

While oat milk wins the popularity contest, rice milk is not to be dismissed. Because it's good. Like, really good. In fact, rice milk boasts a whole bunch of skin benefits, not least of which is it ability to help brighten and even out your skin tone while calming the skin and reducing the visible appearance of dark spots. It does this thanks to its natural astringent properties, coupled with its abundance of niacin which is known to have gentle whitening effects.

Rice milk is also packed with free radical-fighting antioxidants (bonus!), plus it contains a vitamin-like component called inositol which helps moisturize the skin and supports healthy collagen production.

Say Hello To New TruSkin Soothing Cleansing Milk!

Hopefully you now understand just how effective milk can be for protecting, nourishing and soothing dry skin. So where’s all this leading? Well, after listening to you and realizing that, while our cleansing line-up is downright awesome, it’s been missing something specifically tailored to dry skin, we spent hours (more like months!) in the lab formulating an exciting new cleansing milk that cares for your skin without leaving it feeling tight and dry.

And our Soothing Cleansing Milk is finally here! Suitable for all skin types, but specifically created for dry and sensitive skin, this cleansing milk is soothing and lightweight, whipping away make-up, dirt and debris while leaving your skin feeling super soft, nourished, hydrated and comfortable. Bursting with both oat and rice milk (because one’s just not good enough for you!) it also contains hyaluronic acid for extra hydration and its soft, milky texture is one you really cannot miss.

Click here to check out the full details and try out new Soothing Cleansing Milk for yourself – trust us, you won’t regret it!

Stress = irritation, which is one of the worst things for your skin. Let’s see what we can do to help turn stressed skin into your best skin ever.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so it’s no wonder what you see on the outside reflects exactly what’s going on inside. When you’re rested and bursting with energy, for example, your skin often reflects that. And, ps, can we have a group hug for those rare but joyous days, please?!

Similarly, when you’re super tired, anxious and emotionally drained, your skin is likely to react in the same way, looking dull, feeling rough and, frankly, being a bit of a stressed mess.

But why does stress and emotional anxiety affect the skin in such a major way? Well, when you feel stressed about something, your brain prepares your body to go into fight or flight mode. In doing so, your nervous system releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream which nudges your heart to beat faster, your breath to speed up and your muscles to tense up. All this is great in short-lived stressful situations like job interviews or when dealing with a threat or emergency. But when stress becomes more the norm than a rarity, these hormones go into constant overdrive and things start to go awry. Headaches and nausea can kick in, your digestive system becomes compromised and, in extremely chronic cases, you may even increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

And then there’s your skin.

Various studies show that both acute (temporary) and chronic (consistent) stress create negative effects on the health of your skin. For starters, spikes in cortisol increase inflammation and cause your sebaceous glands to go wild, encouraging them to produce way too much oil than your skin really needs (cue breakouts!). An overload of cortisol also breaks down vital collagen supplies, decreases hydrating hyaluronic acid, upsets the balance of your skin’s barrier function and messes up its pH levels. All of these things equal bad news for the health of your skin, resulting in any number of skin annoyances such as blocked pores, acne, dehydration, irritation and flare-ups in existing conditions like rosacea, psoriasis or eczema.

And the worst thing of all? Cruddy, stress-induced skin is, well, stressful in itself. Which doesn’t help your emotional well-being one tiny bit. Sigh.

The good news is there are many ways to improve our skin when stress is hitting you hard. To follow, seven of our tried and tested favorites…

1. De-Stress With A Journal

Before you start working on your skin, you need to concentrate on your entire health and well-being. And the best way to do this? Make a note of any habits or experiences that make you stressed or uneasy. Write down how they made you feel, how you reacted to them and what, if anything, you did to make yourself feel better. This allows you to notice themes or patterns in your stress levels, as well as ways to improve your mood and help you relax. 

2. Sleep like A Queen

Like all skin experts, we’re big believers in the power of a great night’s sleep. In terms of stress, this is because cortisol levels dramatically drop when you’re asleep. So, if you deprive yourself of valuable zzzs your skin misses out on this important time of repair and rejuvenation during which collagen production accelerates, cell turnover speeds up, blood flow increases, muscles relax and antioxidants kick in to repair damage caused during the day.

The Mayo Clinic recommends at least seven hours of quality sleep every night but the most important thing is to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time to get into a good routine. Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, not too warm and limit caffeine, food and your smartphone for at least two hours before you hit the sack.

3. Dial Down Your Actives

Active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid are all well and good when your skin’s barrier function is working like clockwork. But when stress upsets its delicate nature, your skin’s ability to heal and repair itself becomes compromised. This is when an overload of actives can be too much for your skin to deal with. Cut back for a while and allow your barrier function to rebuild itself. If you usually exfoliate every other day, for example, switch to once or twice a week. Love to apply your Retinol Facial Serum every night? Reduce this to every other night for a short period of time, or try alternating it with our soothing Niacinamide Facial Serum which is perfect for sensitized skin.

Trust us, giving your skin a break is super important during times of stress.

4. Avoid ‘Triggering’ Skincare Ingredients

We recommend avoiding the most common skincare nasties ALL of the time, but it’s even more important during times of emotional and mental stress when your barrier function might not be working to the best of its abilities.

Keep your routine straightforward, simple and steer clear of sulfates, in particular, which are excellent at cleansing, but can exacerbate dryness, itching, redness and breakouts – especially if your skin is feeling stressed out.  

Gentle cleansers that contain non-drying surfactants like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate are a far better choice and ideal for sensitized skin. Try our Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser which also contains nourishing rose hip oil to help reduce inflammation and redness.

5. Save New Skincare Products For Another Time

Sure, we all love to try out a brand new product every now and again but now’s not the time to introduce a newbie to your daily routine. Stressed skin is more reactive which means ingredients that usually feel great may bother you more than normal.

Stick to what you know for now and save the new stuff for later.

6. Enjoy A Cup Of Tea

Research shows that drinking black tea helps lower the levels of cortisol in your bloodstream, making you feel more relaxed and positive. It’s even been suggested that the simple act of making tea alone is enough to help soothe stress and anxiety. 

The reason black (as well as green) tea is thought to be such a mood booster is mainly down to l-theanine, an amino acid that helps promotes relaxation, counteracts anxiety, reduces fatigue and supports thinking.

7. Finally, Give Yourself A Break

Everyone goes through stressful periods in their lives and it’s perfectly normal for things to get on top of you every now and again. But try not to allow your stress to get the better of you as this will result in a vicious circle for both your health and your skin – and that can be hard to shake off. Practice deep breathing throughout the day to center yourself, go for a quick walk to clear your head, or read a book for ten minutes in the afternoon to take your mind off things.

These healthy habits are awesome for lifting your emotional health and maintaining stronger, radiant skin. Period.
 

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.

Your skincare routine can make or break your skin so if yours doesn’t seem quite right, maybe it’s time for a rethink. Here’s how to spot the tell-tale signs you’re using the wrong products…

We’ve all been there – gotten swept up by some miracle-sounding wonder serum that, rather than giving us ten-years-younger skin, actually made our skin nothing short of a hot mess. And oftentimes it’s not immediately obvious that a certain skincare product is unsuitable for your skin. Instead, irritation creeps up over time or breakouts become more of a norm than the odd occurrence. Ugh!

Here are some of the most common warning signs that it’s time to reconsider what you put on your face...

Skin Issue #1: Weird Breakouts

Breakouts are caused by excess sebum that gets trapped in your pores with no place else to go. This blockage then forms a kind of plug which may or may not become inflamed, causing anything from blackheads and whiteheads through to full-blown zits.

As you know, breakouts can be down to any number of reasons – your genes, hormones, stress, you know the drill – but if your skin is usually clear and acne-free, and has broken out suddenly, with no real reason, then it’s prudent to look at the products you’ve been recently using.

Some products contain occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter, oils and petroleum jelly which are awesome for sealing moisture into the skin, protecting from external irritants and helping to repair a compromised barrier function. However, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, they also have a thick, heavy consistency which leaves a protective layer on the skin and blocks up your pores.

If you’ve recently invested in a new moisturizer and are breaking out, chances are it contains occlusives that are ‘suffocating’ your pores. Switch it up for a lighter formulation that’s either oil-free or formulated with non pore-clogging oils like jojoba. Good news: our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer checks that box – and then some!

Skin Issue #2: A Burning Sensation

Nothing in your skincare routine should ever make your skin burn. End of story. Sure, some active ingredients can create a mild tingling sensation for a minute or so after application, but tingling and burning are very different things. And the latter is not good news for your skin.

Anything that causes pain is a sign you’re using something way too potent for your skin to handle. AHAs and BHAs like glycolic and salicylic acids are the usual culprits here, but retinoids can also be too strong for certain skin types so stick with retinol rather than tretinoin or retinoic acid. Retinol is a gentler type of retinoid and much better tolerated by the skin. Our Retinol Moisturizer, for example, combines retinol with skin soothing, hydrating ingredients like botanical hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to create a powerful formulation, with less irritation.

Still feeling the burn? Then call time on retinoids altogether and stick with milder anti-aging ingredients like vitamin C, peptides or MSM.

Skin Issue #3: Redness

Inflamed skin is a sure sign something’s not quite right. Of course, facial redness may be down to skin conditions like rosacea, contact dermatitis or psoriasis so it’s always worth getting your skin checked by an expert if you think one of these might be the cause.

And then there’s your skincare routine. One of the most common reasons for facial redness is over-exfoliation. Exfoliating is incredible for accelerating cell turnover and boosting radiant, healthy-looking skin, but too much can weaken your barrier function, stripping away its important layer of ceramides, fatty acids and essential nutrients. And that’s a one-way ticket to red, irritated skin if ever we heard one.

Have you upped your exfoliation game recently or introduced a new exfoliant into your routine? Then pare it back or change to a milder formulation. Chemical exfoliants like our Ocean Minerals Super Toner are a great option for sensitive skin as they contain gentle chemicals to break down dead skin cells rather than abrasive physical elements like crushed up nut shells or fruit seeds.

Skin Issue #4: Tightness or Itchy Skin

Dryness is a common skin type and needs to be looked after with gentle formulations and lots of moisturizing occlusives to help replace the lack of oils in the skin. Problems like tightness and itching generally arise when this is ignored and too many active ingredients are introduced into your routine. So there's a lesson, right there.

Of course, tightness and itching might also be down to dehydration rather than dryness. And yes, these are two very different things. While dry skin is a skin type and thanks to an absence of oils, dehydration is more of a condition and due to a lack of water in the skin. Again, over-exfoliation or over-stimulation can cause dehydration because these break down your skin’s barrier function making it unable to retain water.

Does any of this sound familiar? Then simplify your routine and, if you’ve recently invested in a new facial serum, try using it just once or twice a week rather than daily to see if this helps reduce any discomfort. Niacinamide Facial Serum is a great choice for soothing and balancing sensitive skin or try Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum to amp up your skin's moisture content.

Skin Issue #5: So. Much. Oil.

If oiliness is unusual for you, or you’re noticing your skin is way greasier than normal, something in your skincare regimen could definitely be to blame. Similar to most skin issues, using harsh cleansers or layering too many active ingredients breaks down your skin’s natural protective barrier. And while this often causes dryness, it can also result in the complete opposite – forcing your sebaceous glands to go into overdrive and produce more oils to compensate for those which have been stripped away.

Reckon you could be overdoing it with the oil-reducing skincare products right now? Chances are this is causing your skin to dry out and produce excessive amounts of sebum, so cut back and introduce lightly hydrating and moisturizing formulations into your regime to help stabilize oil production. Rose Water Refreshing Toner is awesome for this and works perfectly with our fabulous Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ to balance, hydrate and clarify oily skin.

One Last Word…

Of course adverse reactions aren’t always down to the products you put on your skin… But they can be. Which is good news and bad. Good because if this is the case you can do something about it. Bad because it’s not always easy to pinpoint exactly which product or ingredient is causing you bother – especially if you’ve invested in a whole new regime.

The solution? Never switch out your entire routine at once. Introduce new products one at a time, patch test them first, then give your skin a good month to adjust before adding in another product. Doing this will allow your skin plenty of time to let you know if it’s right for you.

Or not.

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.