True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Answer: yes… and no. Because things are rarely black and white in the wonderful world of skincare.

If you thought smoking, booze, no sleep and poor skincare were the root cause of skin aging, well, you’re not wrong. However, hands down the biggest skin ager and far worse than all those factors put together is the sun. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the sun is responsible for around 90 percent of external aging. Not 50, not even 70, but a phenomenal 90 percent.

This, as well as the far more serious risks of skin cancer, is the reason we constantly chirp on about the importance of wearing sunscreen and doing everything you can to protect your skin from the sun. And not just in the summer months, but all year long.

Even the most prudent of you, however, will experience some form of sun damage as you age. Because: life. So, what exactly does sun damage look like – other than the obvious red, sunburnt skin? And once it's there can you do anything about it?

Here’s what we know…

What Is Sun Damage?

In fancy terms, any skin damage caused by the sun is known as photoaging. It usually starts to appear after the age of around 20 because the harsh reality is every time you step foot outside, UV radiation hits your skin and causes some kind of harm.

Sun damage not only damages your blood vessels, DNA, collagen and elastin, but it sends your melanocytes (melanin-producing cells) wild, causing your skin to develop dark patchy areas called solar lentigines – or more familiarly known as dark, sun or age spots. Oh, and you know those freckles you think are cute after a day on the beach? Sun damage, right there.

Other signs of photoaging include fine lines and wrinkles, loose skin, sagging, dryness, spider veins and a ruddy complexion.

So, Can You Reverse Sun Damage?

Completely? No. Somewhat? For sure. What we mean by this is that while a lot of photodamage can be permanent, there are certain skincare ingredients and treatments available to help repair and soften lines, fade dark spots, tighten loose skin and reduce spider veins or a blotchy complexion.

In no particular order, here are three of our favorites…

1. Retinol

Oh retinol, how we love thee. One of the most trusted ingredients in skincare, retinol works by stimulating cell turnover and increasing collagen production which helps improve the color, tone and texture of your skin. By working on your skin at a deeper level than many other ingredients, retinol has the ability to combat almost all signs of photoaging. More specifically it can significantly decrease the visibility of lines, wrinkles and dark spots. Let’s have a group hug for that, please.

It can take a good few months for the effects of retinol to be visible, so you must be patient and consistent. And don’t worry if your skin looks kind of cruddy before it gets better. A little dryness and redness is what’s known as retinization – the process in which your skin is adjusting to the treatment. This should be mild and subside after a short period of time, so bear with it and you’ll be thankful in the long run. Of course, if any irritation is painful or long-lasting, you might need to slow it down a little. Apply your retinol treatment just two or three times a week, rather than daily, until your skin acclimates. Then you can build up again as your skin becomes more tolerant. You could also try a Retinol Moisturizer rather than a serum as moisturizing creams and lotions have a slower delivery system so are much gentler on your skin.

2. Vitamin C

Known at TruSkin HQ as the brightening powerhouse, vitamin C is a clever little antioxidant that mops up free radical damage and fades dark spots into the bargain. Sun-induced free radicals are a real issue when it comes to aging skin because they hunt down all the good proteins in your skin, breaking down collagen and causing all kinds of harm. The great news is you can minimize free radical formation by regularly applying a hard-working topical antioxidant like vitamin C. Our Vitamin C Facial Serum not only contains a stable form of vitamin C called sodium ascorbyl phosphate, but two other antioxidants to the tune of vitamin E and hyaluronic acid. Frankly, free radicals stand no chance.

It’s also worth noting that vitamin C contains properties that inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that generates melanin production. Erratic melanin is what makes your skin go patchy and dark from too much time in the sun, so by regulating it, you immediately help lessen the blow of dark spots and an uneven skin tone. Take that, sun damage!

3. Sunscreen

There’s no denying that prevention is way, WAY better than cure. After all, skin cells that have been subject to decades of sun exposure with very little sun protection could be so damaged, they’re no longer repairable. Therefore, the best way to reverse sun damage is to avoid it in the first place.

Obviously we don’t expect you to never leave the house again, but there are some simple things you can do to protect your skin from the damaging rays of the sun like seek shade and wear protective clothing. However, the most important trick you can employ is to apply sunscreen. Every. Morning.

When it comes to choosing sunscreen, look for a formulation that’s broad-spectrum which means it protects you from UVA as well as UVB radiation. Never go less than SPF 30 and apply it generously and often.

Professional Treatments For Reducing Sun Damaged Skin

If your sun damage is more serious, there are also some super effective, professional treatments available at your derm’s office. The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends chemical peels, laser treatments, IPL and microdermabrasion for addressing pigmentation issues, while fillers can restore lost volume and Botox is often a go-to for dealing with fine lines and wrinkles.

Speak to your skincare professional about any photoaging concerns you may have and they can recommend your best plan of action.

In the meantime, did we mention the importance of sunscreen?...

Here, we take a look at four of the greatest skincare ingredient double acts dermatologists agree bring out the best in each other.

Netflix and red wine… PB and J… some things work really well together. Like harmonious machines that are simply meant to be. When it comes to skincare, however, you can’t just buy into different formulations, whack them all over your skin and hope for the best. For a start, this is a complete waste of your hard-earned cash and precious time because certain ingredients render others useless. And for another thing, piling potent actives on your face can upset your skin’s natural pH level and compromise your barrier function, giving your complexion no end of problems like itching, redness and breakouts.

Word to the wise: skincare match-making? Bad idea. However, some ingredients complement each other so perfectly they're too good to miss. You just need to know what you’re dealing with in order to benefit from what they have to offer. Better yet, let us do the cocktailing for you.

Herein, four of the most popular skincare ingredient duos we’re totally on board with.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E

As antioxidants go, vitamin C is top of the class. It’s been studied for decades and proven to neutralize damaging free radicals which form in the skin when it’s exposed to environmental nasties such as pollution and UV radiation. If left to their own devices, free radicals cause oxidative stress which breaks down important cells, proteins (namely collagen) and DNA in your skin, leading to lines, wrinkles, dark spots and, well, you know the drill.

You literally can't go wrong if you apply a daily vitamin C treatment to your skin, but when you combine it with other trusted antioxidants, it goes into overdrive, offering your skin double the protection. The combination of vitamins C and E, for example, is one of the most popular in skincare. And for very good reasons. Vitamin E not only amps up vitamin C's ability to protect your skin from free radical damage, but it helps preserve its stability and therefore its efficacy and results. Good stuff.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Vitamin C Facial Serum

Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid

While retinol is one of the most cherished anti-aging ingredients in skincare, its powers can be a little, shall we say, intense for some skin types? A topical form of vitamin A, retinol works by communicating with your skin cells to make them turn over more efficiently. Of course, there’s much more to it than that, but this is the basic premise of how it helps boost collagen and elastin to work on fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and even acne breakouts.

To counterbalance the potential side-effects some of you may experience from using retinol (here’s looking at you redness, dryness and peeling), look out for formulations that blend it with hyaluronic acid. Retinol and HA is one of our favorite combos because it offers the amazing age-defying benefits of retinol, minus irritation thanks to the hydrating powers of HA.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Retinol Facial Serum

Tea Tree Oil and Salicylic Acid

If you’re prone to breakouts, you’ll know what a wonder ingredient tea tree oil is. Extracted from the leaves of, yes you’ve guessed it, the tea tree which is native to Australia, this botanical oil has been proven to have awesome anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits. Studies show that it’s a very effective treatment for acne and, double bonus, is well tolerated by most skin types.

But if you really want to fight acne from both angles, try a tea tree serum that blends this wonder ingredient with salicylic acid. How so? Because while tea tree oil works on inflammation and redness at a surface level, salicylic acid goes a little deeper to improve cell turnover and help remove excess oil and dirt that can block your pores in the first place. Prevention and treatment? That has to be one of the best combos out there, right?

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Tea Tree Super Serum+

Niacinamide and Vitamin E

Niacinamide is somewhat of a dark horse. But it offers so much for your skin including radiance, hydration, strength and protection, so we’re aiming to change that!

Otherwise known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a powerful antioxidant and one of the best choices for sensitive skin types as it’s non-irritating and very well tolerated. In fact, it can even work well for those of you with rosacea or eczema – and that’s not an easy accomplishment for any active skincare ingredient…

Because niacinamide is so easy on your complexion (but no less effective, of course), it works well with most other ingredients. However, one of our favorite pairings, especially for restoring and repairing damaged skin, is niacinamide and vitamin E. Vitamin E has awesome emollient and humectant properties which means it can draw water into the skin and keep it there. Twice the antioxidant love as well as the ultimate in moisturization? Count us in.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Niacinamide Facial Serum

Of course, you must always tread carefully with potent actives – even if they’ve been carefully formulated into one bottle. Always patch test a new product before using it for the first time and remember, less is more.
 
Oh, and one final side note. If you're looking for TWO fabulous power couples that have your skin covered first thing in the morning and last thing before bed, allow us to introduce you to our Day & Night Duo skincare kit. This perfect pairing includes fan-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum and the equally effective Retinol Facial Serum. Plus it saves you $$$s as an added bonus.

Consistently recommended by dermatologists, skincare acids can exfoliate, brighten, hydrate and even control pesky breakouts. Here, we take a look at five of the absolute best…

Who knew acids could be so awesome for your skin? Actually we did, which is why we formulated some of the most clinically researched and pretty dang effective skincare acids into your favorite TruSkin products.

So, no matter your skin type, age or concerns, it’s time to climb aboard the acid train. Not sure where to start? Then take a peek at these five absolute gems which promise to work hard to keep your skin looking (and feeling) totally awesome.

1. Citric Acid

Often overshadowed by the glycolics and lactics of this world (more on those in a jiffy), citric acid is a fully paid member of the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) club. AHAs are chemical exfoliators that work by dissolving the ‘glue’ that binds dead skin cells together on the surface of your skin so they can shed more easily. This helps renew and revitalize your skin, improving the texture and tone of your skin and simultaneously softening the signs of aging.

Extracted from, yes you guessed it, citrus fruits such as lemons, limes, grapefruits and oranges, citric acid has a fairly large molecular structure which makes it way less potent than its AHA cousins. For sure, this makes it less immediately effective, but on the bright side it makes it a great choice for sensitive or problematic skin types looking to improve cell turnover without causing irritation.

Citric acid is also a natural, but gentle astringent which means it’s awesome at balancing excess oils, plus it contains antioxidant properties to help protect your skin from external baddies like pollution and sun damage.

A Great Choice For: Acid virgins, sensitive or oily skin types.

Find It In: Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser.

2. Glycolic Acid

One of the most effective AHAs available in skincare, glycolic acid has the same exfoliating prowess as citric acid – to the power of ten. This is all down to its small molecular structure which allows it to penetrate your skin way quicker and deeper than other AHAs. Its mini-me molecules also work to stimulate collagen production which is always a winner for firmer, younger-looking skin.

Glycolic acid is extracted from sugar cane or fruit and is often used in professional chemical peels due to its exfoliating super powers. Derms highly recommend it for helping to reduce the visible signs of aging like lines, wrinkles, dullness and dark spots, but it also makes a mean anti-acne treatment by helping to keep those pores of yours clean and clear.

A Great Choice For: Anyone looking to improve tone and texture. It’s a potent acid, however, so start low and slow and always patch test any glycolic acid formulation before using it for the first time.

Find It In: Ocean Minerals Super Toner and Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.

3. Hyaluronic Acid

You’ll be no stranger to hyaluronic acid (HA) and its benefits to your skin – after all, it's completely stolen the limelight in recent years. And rightly so.

HA is a naturally-occurring humectant that’s found in abundance in your body where it helps keep your eyes and joints lubricated, and your skin hydrated. Humectants are clever little cookies because they work like sponges to attract and retain water from their surroundings. HA has the capacity to soak up around 1,000 times its weight in water. Not good at visualizing such math? Then let’s just say that’s a LOT. In fact, topical HA is hands down one of the best ingredients for boosting hydration in your skin. With age, however, your natural levels of HA decline (of course it does *eyeroll), which is one of the reasons your skin becomes dehydrated and less plump as time rolls by. And why topical HA is so important for younger-looking skin.

A Great Choice For: Dry, dehydrated skin types, or, in fact, any of you looking to up your skin’s moisture levels. So, that’ll be all of you, right?

Find It In: All of our facial serums, plus Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream and Retinol Moisturizer.

4. Lactic Acid

Back to AHAs and one of the most widely-used acids in skincare, lactic acid. When formulated in skincare, lactic acid is extracted from sour milk. Now, if that sounds a tad weird, think about Cleopatra and her propensity to bathe in milk. If it was good enough for her…

As a chemical exfoliant, lactic acid is another one of the gentle guys. In terms of its molecular structure, it’s smaller than glycolic acid but bigger than citric acid which makes it a great all-rounder for most skin types, offering light peeling and brightening benefits without too much disruption to your skin’s delicate barrier.

As well as its exfoliating effects, lactic acid is known to have anti-bacterial benefits (see-ya, annoying breakouts). It’s also a humectant, so, like hyaluronic acid, helps your skin retain moisture.

A Great Choice For: Dull skin that needs a little pick-me-up. It also works well for brightening dark circles around your eyes.

Find It In: Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.

5. Salicylic Acid

Unlike most exfoliating acids, salicylic acid is a beta rather than an alpha hydroxy acid. What’s the difference between AHAs and BHAs? Well, they kind of do the same thing, boosting cell turnover and collagen production, but BHAs are oil-soluble whereas AHAs are water-soluble. This means BHAs like salicylic acid can penetrate deeper through the lipid layers of your skin and into your sebaceous glands where they help loosen sebum and unblock your pores.

Salicylic acid is derived from willow tree bark and not only exfoliates and unblocks your pores, but has anti-bacterial properties so is ideal for reducing redness and inflammation. It also helps heal as well as prevent breakouts. You’ve got to love it for that.

A Great Choice For: Zapping pimples, blackheads, whiteheads and excess oils. Just remember to go steady with it – overusing salicylic acid can irritate and dry out your skin.

Find It In: Vitamin C Super Serum+ and Tea Tree Super Serum+.

The benefits of applying vitamin C to your skin go on and on. So, if you’re looking for a tried, tested and very much trusted ingredient to amp up your skincare regime, the search is over.

We don’t like to show favoritism, but vitamin C is a real golden child here at TruSkin. Packed into a ton of our awesome skincare products, it's an absolute powerhouse for protecting, brightening and strengthening your skin. But don’t take our word for it – herein, the facts…

1. Topical vitamin C is a fully signed up member of a family of ingredients called antioxidants. Antioxidants are vital for the look, feel and health of your skin because they work hard to fight free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors such as air pollution, smoking and that biggest offender of all, the sun.

Your body has its own natural antioxidant defense system, but as you get older, this becomes weaker, allowing those highly reactive free radicals to do a real number on the good stuff in your skin – namely collagen and elastin. This is why, if you want to keep your skin looking fabulous for as long as possible, you need to boost your levels of antioxidants, through awesome skincare ingredients like vitamin C.

2. It's not just vitamin C's antioxidant properties that are essential for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown, however. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost collagen and elastin production to help keep your skin plump, firm and supple. Take that, premature aging.

3. So, exactly how does this visibly benefit your skin? Gosh, where to start...

As you know, collagen and elastin are vital components of your skin, providing structure, strength and suppleness. When these proteins become compromised, your skin pays the price in many ways. Lines and wrinkles start to form and you may begin to notice areas of sagging, especially in the lower parts of your face where gravity is not your friend. Of course, your natural levels of collagen and elastin start to degrade as you hit your mid-twenties anyway and there’s nothing you can do about this natural aging process, but what you can do is fight against all the other damage at work.

Enter topical vitamin C. By fighting free radical damage it reduces the breakdown of collagen and elastin, making it one of the best anti-aging ingredients out there for helping you keep your youthful good looks for as long as possible.

4. Lines, wrinkles and saggy skin aren't the only things to be scared because vitamin C also helps improve dark spots and discoloration.

Vitamin C contains properties that help inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that generates melanin synthesis. Melanin is a complex polymer that’s produced by special cells called melanocytes and it's responsible for the color of your skin, hair and eyes. Everybody has the same number of melanocytes, but depending on your genes, yours will work at a different rate to the next person. If they produce a ton of melanin your hair, skin and eyes will be darker, whereas if they produce very little, they’ll be much lighter.

When you expose your skin to sunlight, melanin production goes into overdrive, making your skin tan. It can also become erratic, resulting in patches of dark skin, otherwise known as sun spots. And this is where topical C comes to the rescue. By regulating melanin production, vitamin C has the ability to gradually fade patchy, dark areas and even out your skin tone. Say hello to brighter, glowy skin. Yes!

5. Experts agree that vitamin C and sunscreen are a veritable power couple. Not only does vitamin C boost the efficacy of your sunscreen by offering your skin further protection from UV damage, but sunscreen helps prevent your vitamin C from oxidizing on your skin. Apply a vitamin C without sunscreen and it will just burn away, rendering it, well, pretty useless.

This is why sunscreen is vital. And sunscreen plus vitamin C? Even better.

6. Vitamin C comes in many guises on your skincare labels. Ascorbic acid is the purest form of vitamin C – but this can be pretty potent, especially if you have sensitive skin. Other forms to look out for include sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and the mighty sodium ascorbyl phosphate. 

7. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is our vitamin C of choice. So, why do we believe in this form in particular?

Much gentler than its big, bad ascorbic acid cousin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a salt derivative of pure vitamin C and converts into ascorbic acid once it’s been applied to your skin. This process makes it much more tolerable and way less irritating for most skin types. But it still does a great job, of course. The saltiness is also why many of our vitamin C-enriched serums have a slightly cloudy look to them. Think about how water looks when you dissolve salt in it. It's cloudy, right? 

8. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is also much more stable when it comes into contact with light, air and water than pure vitamin C. It should always be packaged in an opaque or dark colored bottle, but still, this is great news because it means it doesn’t lose its potency after you’ve had it open for a few weeks.

9. So, what’s the best way to incorporate vitamin C into your routine? Well, you’ll find it in many of our skincare formulations including Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, Moisturizer and Night Cream, but if you’re looking to pack the most powerful C-punch, serums are the way to go.

Serums like our awesome Vitamin C Super Serum+ are extremely effective at delivering active ingredients into the skin because they have a small molecular size (much smaller than moisturizers). This means they’re able to penetrate the skin deeper and quicker.

Just remember, always do a patch test to check for sensitivities before using any new product for the first time.

10. If you want to majorly up the antioxidant ante, look for serums that contain both vitamin C and vitamin E. Why? Because, like gin and tonic, these ingredients work perfectly well on their own, but they’re even better together. In fact, studies show the effectiveness of these antioxidants is almost doubled when they’re applied as a team. Furthermore, vitamin E helps stabilize vitamin C, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck.

Try our customer-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum which is formulated with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (the cloudy C star), vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate and protect your skin all-in-one bottle.

Cleaning up your beauty act requires very little time and effort. All it takes are a few tweaks to the ingredients you use in your daily routine. Simple.

According to studies carried out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average woman uses around 12 cosmetic products a day. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But the problem is, these products equate to a staggering 168 chemicals and contaminants that could be potentially harming your skin, your health and even the planet.

Now, we don’t know about you, but we’re not down with exposing ourselves and our precious world to so many chemicals on the reg when, frankly, we don’t have to. So, here, we talk you through some of the nastiest ingredients you should put on your beauty blacklist.

Oh, and public service announcement: you won’t find any of these ingredients in your TruSkin products. Not one. So, if you’re looking for a very lazy but super effective way to get a cleaner skincare routine, we’ve got your back.

Now let's get to it. Beauty bad boys, it’s time to stand up and be accountable

1. Parabens

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 years, you’ll know that parabens are a major no-no on your ingredients label. In theory, they sound like a great idea because they act like preservatives to prevent gross stuff like bacteria, mold and fungi from growing in your beauty products. However, while considered safe by the FDA, research suggests that parabens such as butyl, methyl and propyl parabens can be linked to hormone disruption, fertility and reproduction problems, even cancer.

The good news is we use small concentrations of alternative preservatives like ethylhexylglycerin and phenoxyethanol which are safer and much kinder to your skin and health.

2. Sulfates

Just like parabens, sulfates will undoubtedly be familiar to you for their notorious bad press in recent years. And sorry, sulfates, but we agree with every word of it, you’re nasty and unnecessary.

The thing about sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) is they’re known irritants. Yes, they work extremely hard to clean your skin and hair by lathering up and removing oil, dirt and product residue. But they can cause all manner of problems for your eyes and skin including dryness, itching, redness and breakouts. Claims from the early ‘90s that sulfates were carcinogenic have since been disproven, so that’s something. But still, we say a big fat ‘no’ across all of our products.

Instead, we use milder, non-drying surfactants like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate in our Vitamin C and Charcoal cleansers. Because we care about your skin as much as we care about our own.

3. Phthalates

Be wary if you ever see DEP, DBP or DEHP on your ingredients list. While deemed safe by the FDA, these phthalates are not cool, according to the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics.

Often found in makeup, nail polish, cleansers and moisturizing lotions, phthalates are chemical compounds used as solvents, fixatives and fragrance stabilizers. Many experts believe phthalates cause reproductive and fertility problems and they’re actually banned from cosmetics in the EU which should be enough of a red flag, right there.

4. Hydroquinone

No harmful beauty ingredient list would be complete without the oh-so-controversial hydroquinone getting a brief mention. It’s completely banned in Europe, Australia and Japan and, as of September 2020, also became banned in over-the-counter products here in the US. Not only that, but all prescription hydroquinone products must now be approved by the FDA.

Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching chemical that inhibits melanin production to help fade dark spots and discolorations. It’s effective, boy is it effective. However, it can also be super irritating, thin your skin and may even make dark spots worse if it’s not used with the utmost of care. 

5. Silicones

There are hundreds of different silicones used in skincare and, while they might not be toxic, they have occlusive properties and therefore have the potential to build up on the surface of your skin. Not great for oily or acne-prone skin types for a start.

Silicones are also non-biodegradable which means there are gazillions of silicone microparticles being washed down the drain and into our oceans and wildlife on a daily basis.

It's still unclear exactly how detrimental silicones are to the environment, but we’re not willing to take the risk just to produce skincare that ‘feels good’ when you apply it. Plus, we think ours feel pretty darn amazing on your skin anyway, thanks, in part, to sustainable, natural oils like sweet almond and avocado oils. You'll find both of these in our Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.

6. PFAS

Otherwise known as polyfluoroalkyl (or perfluoroalkyl) substances, PFASs are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics to condition, soften and smooth or add shine to your skin or hair. They’re also formulated in things like waterproof mascara, to help repel water. Teflon is a common PFAS. Yes, the stuff used to make nonstick pans. Eesh.

There've been very few studies on PFA substances as skincare ingredients meaning the jury’s still out on whether they’re harmful to your skin and your health. However, the EWG reckons PFASs are ‘among the most worrisome’ of chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products and have the potential to pollute ‘people, animals, drinking water and the environment.’

If that worries you – and we believe it should – be wary of any beauty ingredient that has the word ‘fluoro’ in it. These are all PFA substances.

7. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is banned in many countries and highly restricted in Europe and Canada due to its links with cancer and potential to harm your immune system. While historically used as a preservative, it’s pretty unlikely you’ll see formaldehyde in your skincare these days as it’s become a well-known toxic ingredient that manufacturers prefer to avoid. Phew.

However, there are many other preservatives still in use that slowly release formaldehyde when applied to your skin. Not cool. Look out for, and avoid, ingredients like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, bromopol and glyoxal. 

Now, you can better understand what you put on your body. And reap the benefits of better skin and a cleaner conscience into the bargain. 

Because firming the skin on your face doesn’t have to mean a trip to the injector’s office…

We always advocate loving the skin you’re in, but there’s no harm in trying your best to minimize the stuff that annoys you the most, right?

Take loose skin, for example. Correct us if we’re wrong, but this has to be the sneakiest skin ager of the lot, creeping up on you until, wham, your jawline suddenly goes from firm and taut to, well, a little bit saggy.

So, why does your skin slacken as you age? Because collagen. As you know, collagen is one of the most important proteins in your skin, giving it structure and strength by acting like scaffolding to hold it all together. When you hit your mid-twenties, however, studies show your skin produces about 1 percent less collagen each year. Dang. This means your skin gradually becomes thinner, more delicate and more prone to the visible signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles, rough skin, uneven tone and the inevitable sagging.

Unfortunately you can’t press pause on the clock and stop your skin from maturing after the age of 25. But you can work to prevent all the other external stuff that accelerates the rate at which your skin ages. For starters you MUST protect your skin from the sun which is the number one cause of skin aging. Then, of course it’s sensible to get more sleep, reduce your stress levels, not smoke and drink less alcohol. You know the drill.

Once you’ve nailed some smart lifestyle choices, it’s time to think about your skincare routine and what it needs to help keep any tricky areas more firm and youthful-looking. Not sure where to start? Then here are our favorites...

Vitamin C

When it comes to firming your skin, vitamin C is a no brainer. How so? Because it fights hard to neutralize free radicals which, if left alone, accelerate collagen breakdown and cause no end of damage to your skin. Consistent use of a topical vitamin C treatment (oh hi there, Vitamin C Facial Serum) not only keeps free radicals and all their nasty side-effects at bay, but because it’s highly acidic it also triggers your skin to produce more collagen to help heal itself.

As we said, no brainer.

Facial Massage

Massaging your skin as you cleanse? Priceless. And if you’re worried about getting your technique absolutely perfect, don’t be. As long as you’re not too full-on, pulling and pushing your skin like your life depended on it, any kind of massage using your hands and the pads of your fingers will boost collagen production to help lift, tighten and firm your skin. As a sidenote, it will also improve blood circulation to flush out toxins and add that all-important glow.

If your loose areas are mainly around your chin and jawline (the dreaded jowls), concentrate on these areas specifically when you cleanse your skin, using Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser for an added antioxidant boost. Work it up and down your neck using the pads of your fingers, then place the palms of your hands on each side of your nose and smooth your hands up towards your hairline a few times to lift the cheeks. Next, pinch the bottom of your chin with your thumbs underneath and your knuckles on top, then repeat this action all the way up your jawline to your ears. Do this a few times every day.

Retinol

Retinol is a winner for battling against free radical damage and stimulating collagen synthesis. It works by altering the behavior of aging skin cells to enhance cell turnover and make your skin appear younger-looking. Like most derms and skin experts, we’re always blowing retinol’s trumpet. But it works, so go figure.

Of course, you have to be patient and consistent with retinol because it takes a good three months for it to start offering visible results. It’s good, but it’s not a miracle-worker, OK? Try Retinol Facial Serum two or three times a week making sure to smooth it over your jawline and down your neck to help boost collagen and lift these troublesome areas.

Facial Exercises

Did you know your face contains around 50 muscles? Best start working them out then – especially since many of them rarely get used.

To help firm and tighten your skin, exercise your facial muscles three or four times a week for 10-15 minutes at a time. A great one for your neck and jowls is to tilt your head up to the sky, then pucker up your lips and push them forward as if you’re trying to kiss the sky. Hold this for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat five times.

Peptides

If retinol and vitamin C aren’t enough for you, boost your collagen even further by making sure your skincare routine contains peptides. Peptides are similar to proteins in that they’re chemical compounds made up of amino acids – the building blocks of pretty much everything in the human body. When it comes to your skin, peptides act like little messengers to encourage your cells to produce more collagen and elastin. And just to reiterate, if you’re hoping to maintain the firmness of your skin, collagen is everything.

To up your peptide game and help firm and tone sagging skin around your eyes, our Eye Gel has totally got your back. And for an all-over skin lift, try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which is awash with peptides and the perfect way to refine, refresh and improve laxity. In our humble opinion, anyway.

LED Light Therapy

LED (light-emitting deode) therapy works by discharging various frequencies or wavelengths of infrared light to trigger certain reactions deep within the skin. Depending on the type of light used, your skin will react in different ways. Blue light, for example kills bacteria to help clear acne, but if you’re looking to boost collagen and firm your skin, a combination of red, amber and/or white light is going to be more up your street.

Red and amber lights are the shortest and target the top layers of your skin to boost circulation and stimulate collagen production which, note to self, makes them the perfect combination for firming and lifting. Meanwhile, white light, which is usually administered during in-office treatments only, penetrates the deepest and is thought to help reduce inflammation and help tighten your skin.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, in-office treatments can be costly because you’ll need up to 10 sessions to get the best results, with each one costing anything from $25-$85. In other news, however, at-home LED kits are available which are a tad easier on your wallet.

MSM

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane (trying saying that after a few White Claws), MSM is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound that promotes circulation, fights inflammation and plays a major role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. It also boosts your body’s antioxidant defense system (bye bye free radicals) so is a total shoo-in for maintaining firm, youthful-looking skin.

We believe very strongly in MSM and incorporate it in many of our favorite skincare formulations including Vitamin C Serum, Vitamin C Super Serum+, Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser and both of our eye treatments.