True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Morning skin can often look kind of ‘meh’ – especially if you’ve over-indulged the night before, of course. But with these easy beauty hacks, glowing skin is just around the corner. 

As you all know, lack of sleep, stress, late-night pizza and a few too many pinots are a recipe for disastrous skin. But here’s the thing: life’s not been easy this past year and stuff gets in the way. Yes, in an ideal world you’d get great sleep every night, your emotional wellbeing would be top of the world, a healthy diet would be taken for granted and your all-round perfect lifestyle, would be, well, just perfect.

But you don’t live in a permanent state of perfection. In fact, nobody does. So, all you can ask is to try your best and give yourself a break – for the sake of your skin and your entire well-being. And great news, people: even though looking after yourself is the single most important way to maintain a radiant, youthful complexion, there are many other easy tricks you can employ to help get your skin’s glow on.

Here are eight of the most tried and tested hacks that are simple, but super effective for maintaining wide-awake skin. Even when inside you might be anything but. 

1. Say Hello To Regular Exfoliation

Whether you’re a fan of physical exfoliators like scrubs and cleansing brushes, or prefer a chemical exfoliator like our Daily Facial Toner, one thing’s for sure, exfoliating your skin is one of the best ways to get the blood flowing to your skin.

Exfoliating helps remove dulling dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to reveal a smoother, clearer complexion. It’s as simple as that. Just remember, if your skin is sensitive, don’t go too mad with AHAs or exfoliate too often with a facial scrub as you could cause irritation and dryness.

Literally the opposite of what you were intending.

2. Don’t Even Dream Of Going To Bed In Your Makeup

It’s late, you’re tired/tipsy and you can’t be bothered to properly cleanse your face before bed. We’ve all been there. But think about this for a second: your skin has been sitting behind that makeup for anywhere from 12 to maybe 16 hours. And that’s a helluva long time for it to collect grime, bacteria, chemicals and environmental pollution that could potentially clog your pores and stop your skin from renewing itself as you sleep. Your skin needs to naturally slough off dead skin cells overnight, but makeup will stop it from doing so, making it look increasingly duller the more you skip your overnight cleansing sesh. And if your makeup contains oils? Well, you might as well invite breakouts onto your skin for a permanent pimple party.

Make sure you fully cleanse every night before bed, using a gentle but effective cleanser like our Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser which contains the added brightening benefits of vitamin C. More on the mighty vitamin C in a sec...

3. Boost Your Skin With Facial Massage

Make facial massage a part of your morning cleansing routine and your skin will instantly look healthier and more radiant. As with exfoliation, massage increases blood flow to your skin which boosts collagen production and helps remove toxins. It also helps work the muscles for firmer, more youthful looking skin. And that’s always a bonus.

For a fabulous morning radiance boost, use your hands and pads of your fingers to really work your skin in upwards motions as you cleanse. Finish with a quick rinse of cool water to further boost circulation.

4. Hang Your Head Upside Down

If you’re a yoga bunny, doing a headstand every day is an amazing way to increase the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your face to really get your glow on. But not everyone has the ability to safely stand on their heads, so if this doesn’t sound like your jam, simply tip your head upside down for a couple of minutes every day and you’ll get the exact some results – minus the core strength, of course. Skincare expert and celebrity aesthetician, Renée Rouleau recommends lying on your tummy and hanging your head forward over the edge of your bed for three minutes per day to help boost your inner glow.

5. Make Friends With Vitamin C

When it comes to radiance-boosting skincare ingredients, vitamin C is the nuts. A mild exfoliant and potent antioxidant, vitamin C helps soften the look of hyperpigmention while protecting the skin from the sun and other environmental aggressors to help prevent new dark spots from developing. It also works hard to brighten and wake-up up your skin as a side-note – kind of like a morning shot of double espresso for your skin... but way better for you;)

Try introducing a vitamin C serum like our C-Plus Super Serum into your daily routine, applying just a small amount to clean skin after toning and before moisturizing. Vitamin C packs a punch, however, so always perform a patch test first to check for sensitivities.

6. Quench Your Thirst… And Your Skin

A thirsty body is a thirsty complexion and dry, dehydrated skin is so not the way to go if you’re in the market for a radiant glow. Therefore, make sure you drink plenty of fluids – especially if you suffer with puffy skin and bags under your eyes due to water retention. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and keep a bottle on your desk to sup throughout the day.

When we say drink lots, however, this doesn't necessarily mean you have to stick with water. Herbal teas and fresh juices are also great ways to hydrate. Fruit and veggies contain fibre, nutrients and antioxidants that help flush out toxins and fight skin-damaging free radicals, so up your juicing game with superfoods like carrots, beetroot, tomatoes, cucumber, pomegranate and papaya – all of which are awesome for glowing skin.

7. Lay Off The Heavy Makeup

When your skin is looking particularly sad, it’s tempting to pile on the foundation and concealer. But masking your skin with heavy makeup can sit in your fine lines and pores where it won’t fool anyone. Instead, apply makeup only where you need it. For your foundation, stick with light, mineral-based formulations and apply it on blemishes or uneven areas of your skin. Blend it well over these specific areas only and it’ll look way more natural than an all-over mask of foundation.

For dark, under eye circles, a great trick is to apply a light-reflecting concealer to the inner corners of your eyes only. This is often where dark circles are most obvious so if you lighten up this area it’ll instantly open up your eyes. Finish with a touch of color over the apples of your cheeks, a little gloss or balm on your lips and you’ll be amazed by how such a little amount of makeup can transform a tired face.

8. Curl Your Eyelashes

OK, so this one has nothing to do with your skin, but trust us, curling your eyelashes will instantly make your eyes and consequently your whole face look younger and more wide-awake. Honestly, try it on mornings when you feel like an extra from The Walking Dead and you’ll never look back.  

And now, you are officially ready to take on the world. Eight hours of sleep or not...

What’s the deal with vitamins in skincare and do they really work? Here’s what we know about our ABCs…

Drink plenty of water… get a good night’s sleep… don’t forget to take your vitamins. This stuff has been drummed into you for years, but are you aware that topical vitamins are just as important to your skin’s health as the ones you eat?

Skincare ingredients frequently come and go, and some (yes, we’re talking to you snail mucus) just seem downright insane. But in an often confusing beauty world, there are plenty of ingredients that make absolute sense. Hyaluronic acid and glycerin in your moisturizer? Hell yes. Salicylic acid for exfoliating the skin? Count us in.

And then there are topical vitamins. From A through K, vitamins are an essential part of an effective skincare routine and they offer so many benefits to your skin, it’s hard to write them all down in one blog post. But don’t worry, we’re going to nail it because whether you’re looking to brighten and strengthen or nourish and soothe, you’re going to need at least one skincare vitamin in your life.

Here, we talk you through six of the best…

The Anti-Aging Must-Have: Vitamin A

Vitamin A is rarely mentioned on skincare products, but it’s one of the most important and highly effective ingredients in skincare. Confused? Don’t be, you simply know it as retinol – or the prescription version, tretinoin. Penny. Drops.

Retinol and tretinoin are the topical forms of vitamin A and are two of the absolute darlings of skincare ingredients, without question. We know that’s a bold statement, but ask any derm to name their number one skincare ingredient and we bet retinol would come up more than anything else.

When absorbed by the skin, retinol gets converted into retinoic acid which is super smart acid because it’s able to ‘communicate’ with your skin cells to active collagen production and stimulate cell turnover. This offers a whole host of benefits to aging skin, namely reducing lines, wrinkles and dark spots. As a sidenote, it may also be used to treat acne. 

Retinol can be a little irritating if not used wisely, but we combine it with hyaluronic acid in our Retinol Serum to help hydrate the skin as it works. Because we're clever like that.

The Sensitive Skin Solution: Vitamin B3

We love a bit of vitamin B3. So much so that we recently launched a whole new serum dedicated to it in the form of Niacinamide Serum – vitamin B3’s other, more common name.

Vitamin B3 is fast gaining momentum in skincare for its multiple benefits for all skin types. For one, it’s a potent antioxidant so great for limiting damage caused to the skin by lifestyle and environmental aggressors (sun, booze, pollution etc.).

Vitamin B3 also has powerful anti-inflammatory properties which means it’s ideal for reducing redness, swelling and irritation. Couple all this with the fact that it’s very well tolerated by most skin types and you’ve got the perfect ingredient for anyone with sensitive or acne-prone skin. And that’s not all. It may also be a valid option for soothing rosacea or eczema – just remember to always seek expert advice from your skincare professional first.

The Hydrating Healer: Vitamin B5

While we’re on the subject of the mighty B vitamins, we can’t move on without a shout-out to vitamin B5, also known as pantothenic acid or panthenol, the alcohol form of pantothenic acid.

Great for most skin types, vitamin B5 is a humectant like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. This means it has the power to draw water into the skin to help keep it hydrated. But it’s hydrating powers don’t end there, because vitamin B5 is also an emollient, so it not only attracts water to the skin, but it also seals and locks it all in. This is one of the main reasons we use it in our Eye Cream, FYI.

Research also shows that vitamin B5 helps strengthen and heal the skin’s barrier function, making it perfect for aiding in the treatment of sun burn, eczema and itchy skin. Nice work, B5.

The Glow-Getter: Vitamin C

You’ll be no stranger to vitamin C, we’re sure of it. But do you know exactly how darn good this stuff is for your skin? No? Then here we go.

Vitamin C is one of the most popular antioxidants used in skincare. It’s mildly exfoliating, inhibits melanin production and has the ability to help reverse sun damage. This makes it a super popular choice for anyone looking to include a hard-working antioxidant serum in their routine, but particularly for those seeking to help lighten hyperpigmentation and add radiance to their skin.

Vitamin C can be listed in your skincare ingredients in many forms, including l-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate, sodium ascorbate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate. We know that’s a lot to remember, but just look for some kind of ascorbic/ascorbyl/ascorbate term and you’ll know that's some kind of C vit. BTW, we use sodium ascorbyl phosphate in our vitamin C range because it offers all the benefits with very little irritation. Winner.

The Master Of Moisturizing: Vitamin E

Vitamin E has been used in skincare for 50 years and counting – and as you know, you should never dismiss your elders, right?

Often seen on your ingredients label as tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate or alpha-tocopheryl acetate, vitamin E is a fat-soluble antioxidant that’s naturally produced by your skin where it helps support, strengthen and maintain its overall health.

Levels of vitamin E deplete over time, however, so adding it to your skincare routine is a darn fine idea – especially if you notice your skin getting drier with age. Why? Because on top of its ability to fight free radicals and protect your skin from the sun, vitamin E has awesome emollient properties which means it’s the bomb at helping to repair and smooth cracks in your skin. And anyone with dryness or dehydration will know exactly how annoying and itchy cracked skin can be.

Try our Hyaluronic Acid Serum for a potent moisturizing hit of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and vitamin E.

The Skin Strengthener: Vitamin F

A member of the omega-6 family, vitamin F is a blend of essential fatty acids, hence the ‘F’. No, honestly, that’s where it gets its name. You see, sometimes skincare really is quite simple…

Vitamin F is also known as linoleic acid and unlike most of our favorite vits, it can’t be produced naturally by the body, so including it in your diet (olive oil and leafy greens will take care of that) and skincare is vital.

So, what are its benefits for your skin? Well, vitamin F promotes ceramide production which are some of, if not the most important components of your skin’s barrier. Ceramides make up around 50 percent of your skin’s composition and basically hold everything together to keep your skin healthy and strong – kind of like the mortar in a brick wall. Like all the other good stuff in your skin, however, ceramides deplete with age, so anything you can do to help keep them replenished is a great shout. Oh hi there, vitamin F.

The Undereye Brightener: Vitamin K

Vitamin K is relatively new to the skincare world and much research is needed to prove its effects on the skin. That being said, it has definite potential – specifically for helping to reduce dark circles around the eyes. And here’s why.

A fat soluble vitamin produced by the liver, vitamin K is also known as phytonadione. It's essential to your overall health and plays an important role in blood clotting. Because of its role within the blood clotting process many skincare experts and manufacturers believe vitamin K can offer similar effects when applied topically to things like bruising, swelling, redness and excess blood that pools under your eyes. Yes, that's the stuff that causes unwanted dark circles.

The jury's still out on vitamin K, but it's one to keep an eye on. No pun intended.

So, what do you reckon? Time to add a vitamin or two to your skincare routine? We think so. 

Not sure what to look out for in the search for a kick-ass moisturizer? Well, there are some ingredients your skin could probably live without (cough, parabens). Similarly, others have the kind of moisturizing prowess that will never let you down…

Moisturizers often contain all manner of hard to pronounce and even more impossible to spell ingredients – some of which are absolute winners, and others? Well, not so much. So, how do you separate the wheat from the chaff? Knowledge, dear readers, that’s how. Now, we don’t expect you to gen up on every acid, phosphate and peptide known to humankind, but just a smidge of ingredient knowledge will go a long way to reaching the heady heights of perfectly moisturized skin.

Here are some of the most effective, clinically researched moisturizing ingredients to look out for.

Aloe Vera

The aloe vera plant is made up of over 95 percent water so it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to get that as a hydrating skincare ingredient aloe is pretty hard to beat. Aloe also contains polysaccharides and phytosterols which are rich in vitamins and nutrients and work hard to help prevent transepidermal water loss (TEWL). Not sure what TEWL is? Naturally, we’ve got your back: it’s the term used for the amount of water that evaporates from the surface of your skin. The upshot is, you want your TEWL to be low and to do so you need awesome ingredients like aloe vera to help seal moisture into your skin.

Aloe’s also great for treating acne, eczema, rosacea, sunburn and is well tolerated by almost all skin types.

Glycerin

After water and fragrance, glycerin (also known as glycerine or glycerol) is the third most frequently used ingredient in cosmetics. An important component of your skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF), glycerin can be produced synthetically or derived from vegetable or animal sources, but don’t sweat, we use kosher vegetable glycerin in our products.

Glycerin works as a humectant, meaning it attracts water from its surroundings then draws it in like a sponge. It figures, therefore, that by applying a humectant like glycerin on a regular basis you automatically increase the levels of moisture available to your skin to help reduce dryness and irritation. Glycerin also has slight keratolytic properties which means it helps soften and shed dead skin cells to increase cell turnover and further improve the skin’s natural barrier function. Is it fair to say that glycerin’s an unsung hero in the world of skincare? Yes, we think so.

Green Tea

Usually praised for its high-powered antioxidant properties, green tea (camellia sinesis) contains a whole host of vitamins and nutrients to help balance and hydrate the skin. Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), for example, works to maintain mucus secretion which regulates sebum production and prevents dryness, cracking and even acne. Meanwhile vitamin E is a powerful emollient that repairs and smooths the skin. More on vitamin E later...

Hyaluronic Acid

Similar to its more unassuming cousin glycerin, hyaluronic acid (HA) is a humectant that sucks water into the skin. Sometimes referred to as hyaluronan on your skincare label, HA can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water which is darn impressive, don’t you think? Your skin naturally contains a fair amount of HA, but as you age and become more and more exposed to environmental stressors, these levels start to decrease – in fact by the time you hit 40 you could have lost up to 50 percent of the stuff. This is why it’s a smart move to include HA in your daily moisturizing routine.

As a skincare ingredient, HA is formulated to act just like your own which means it rarely causes reactions or irritation. Can we get a round of applause for HA, please?

Palmitates

Palmitates might sound a little scary, but they’re really not. Produced from a naturally occurring fatty acid called palmitic acid, palmitates such as isopropyl, cetyl and ethylhexyl are what’s known in the biz as emollients. Emollients help repair, smooth and seal cracks on the surface of the skin to trap in moisture and strengthen the skin’s natural protective layer. They work especially well in skincare when formulated with humectants like glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Humectants deliver the moisture; emollients seal it all in. Clockwork.

Jojoba Oil

Another effective emollient, jojoba oil is one of our favorite, nutrient-rich oils for dry skin because it’s super light, but packs a real moisturizing punch.

Produced from the seeds of the jojoba plant (or simmondsia chinensis if you’re feeling fancy) jojoba oil is extremely stable meaning it can hold up well under extreme conditions without breaking down and rendering itself, well, useless. Jojoba oil is also very similar in its molecular makeup to your skin’s natural oils – more so than any other oil, in fact. This makes it ideal for balancing sebum production while deeply hydrating your skin and sealing it all in. Triple win.

Lecithin

Lecithin is a naturally-occurring phospholipid that’s most commonly obtained from soybeans, milk, corn or eggs. It’s another member of the skin-smoothing emollient family, but also has emulsifying benefits which means it helps stabilize skincare products that contain both oil and water.

But that’s not all, lecithin also acts as a penetration enhancer to allow other active ingredients in your products to better penetrate the skin. Now, that’s what we call an awesome team player.

Shea Butter

Say hello to yet another awesome emollient ingredient: shea butter. Derived from the nuts of the karite tree, shea butter is super popular in skincare because it’s dope at smoothing the skin without the heaviness you might experience from other pore-clogging, occlusive butters like cocoa.

Shea butter is brimming with skin-loving vitamins and fatty acids, is a rich source of free radical-fighting antioxidants and helps restore balance and hydration to all skin types. And while shea butter is produced from tree nuts, those with nut allergies need not worry because it’s very low in allergy-triggering proteins. Look out for its Latin name of butyrospermum parkii on your skincare products. You won’t regret including this baby in your routine.

Vitamin E

Last, but not least, we have vitamin E, often seen on skincare labels as tocopherol, tocopheryl acetate or alpha-tocopheryl acetate.

Vitamin E is a fat-soluble emollient and humectant rolled into one which means it has a clever way of drawing water into the skin and then holding it there to work its moisturizing magic. Your skin naturally contains a solid amount of vitamin E, but as with HA and glycerin, these levels deplete with age – hence its popularity in skincare for decades.

Vitamin E also has anti-inflammatory and repairing benefits so it’s an excellent choice for sun damaged skin or to help heal scars.

Skincare that promises the world then delivers zip is annoying at the best of times, but for those with acne, it's downright soul destroying. The good news is there are a whole host of clinically-proven ingredients that offer real results for acne-prone skin. You just need to know what they are…

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), acne is the most common skin condition in the US, affecting around 50 million Americans every year. And it’s not just teenagers who are plagued by breakouts. In fact, research shows that approximately 12 to 22 percent of adult women in the US suffer from acne in some form. Whether you're prone to blackheads, whiteheads, pimples or deep painful cysts, the fact is, acne sucks.

But what really causes acne? Well, it’s pretty simple actually: blocked pores. More to the point, acne is caused when an excess of sebum (oil) works with bacteria and dead skin cells to clog up your pores. If this pore remains closed, it’ll become a whitehead, whereas if it opens up, oil and dead skin cells oxidize and turn brown or black, making it a blackhead. Pimples and pustules, meanwhile, form slightly deeper under the surface of the skin which is why they become red and inflamed. All good fun – not.

Now we hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the main trigger of excess sebum production is kind of out of your control, and that’s family history – you can’t change your genetics, after all. Oil glands also become over-stimulated by stress and an imbalance of hormones, which is why puberty, pregnancy, menstruation and the menopause can all lead to flare-ups. Think you can find a miracle cure for acne? Yes, reducing your levels of stress will help and yes, a healthy diet is a great idea. But a miracle cure? Sorry, it’s simply not going to happen. 

Treating and controlling your breakouts, however? Now that, you can do. Here’s how.

5 Of The Best Skincare Ingredients For Acne-Prone Skin

At-home skincare can be very effective for managing blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and pustules if you know what to embrace – and also what to avoid. Your first step is to look for products that are non-comedogenic which means they’re less likely to block your pores. You should also avoid rich, occlusive oils such as coconut, olive and avocado. Lighter oils like jojoba and grapeseed are less likely to cause problems and in fact some oils such as ylang ylang and lavender even have anti-inflammatory benefits, so don’t dismiss oils altogether. Just make smart choices and avoid the super-heavy ones.

Next up, look for these scientifically-proven ingredients in your skincare and remember, when trying any new treatment, always do a patch test first and give them a reasonable amount of time (at least four, but preferably eight weeks) to work.

1. Salicylic Acid

A highly researched beta hydroxy acid (BHA), salicylic acid is one of the most effective ingredients for acne-prone skin. Salicylic acid is an oil-soluble acid that works by breaking the bonds between skin cells to encourage the dead ones to fall off. Unlike alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) like lactic and glycolic, salicylic acid also targets oil blockages where it thins sebum, allowing it to flow more freely to the skin’s surface. This helps decrease excess oil, reduce inflammation and minimize enlarged pores which are three important skincare needs for anyone suffering with unwanted breakouts.

Tip: For the best, visible results, look for leave-on salicylic acid treatments that are formulated with a concentration of at least 2 percent – BTW, our Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum checks both of those boxes.

2. Benzoyl Peroxide

Benzoyl peroxide is a chemical compound that’s been used very successfully as an acne treatment for over 90 years. Similar to salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide has anti-inflammatory properties and its main job is to accelerate cell turnover while removing sebum and dead skin cells from your pores to help reduce blockages. It also has one other trick up its sleeve, however, and it’s a very important one: it totally destroys bacteria by releasing oxygen onto the skin. This makes it particularly effective for inflammatory acne such as pimples and pustules.

Tip: Benzoyl peroxide can bleach bed linen and clothing, so make sure you allow any leave-on treatment to fully dry before getting dressed or going to bed.

3. Retinol

While it’s most often thought of as an anti-aging ingredient, retinol should never be overlooked in the treatment of acne. And here’s why. Retinol is an over-the-counter derivative of vitamin A that, again, increases cell turnover, but in a very different way to salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. The difference is that retinol attaches itself to nuclear receptors in the center of your cells which is where genetic information is stored and where major cellular functions are processed. Once attached to these receptors, retinol activates certain genes to accelerate cell turnover and therefore remove dead skin cells and keep the pores clear from debris. Smart cookie.

Tip: Retinol is a super-active ingredient, so start your usage slowly by applying it every two or three evenings to clean, dry skin. As you build tolerance, you can build up to a nightly routine.

4. Tea Tree Oil

Looking for an all-round antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial ingredient whose entire MO is to target your acne problems? Then tea tree oil could be exactly what you’re looking for. This essential oil has been used in traditional medicine practices for centuries and has been scientifically proven to treat and heal mild-to-moderate acne. In fact, one clinical study showed tea tree oil to be 3.5 times more effective at reducing acne lesions than a placebo after six weeks of use. Now, that’s the kind of stat we love. Tea tree oil is also less drying and irritating than salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide and retinol which makes it a great option for sensitive skin types.

Tip: Although rare, tea tree oil has been known to cause allergic contact dermatitis, so stick with diluted formulations like our Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum and always carry out a patch test first.

5. Activated Charcoal

Activated charcoal works by binding itself to nasty substances on the skin and whisking them clean away. Kind of how a sponge soaks up spillages. This is why charcoal is often used in medicine to remove dangerous ingested toxins such as poison. And why it’s such a great skincare ingredient for drawing bacteria, toxins, dirt and oils out from the skin – which as you know are the main causes of acne.

Activated charcoal is produced by burning a plant or animal product and then treating it to remove certain substances and increase its surface area. Don’t worry, however, we use activated coconut charcoal in our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash. No animals were harmed in the process.

Tip: Activated charcoal is black (obvs), so be careful when using it near light clothing and face cloths as it may cause staining.

A Final Word On Professional Acne Treatments

If you want to hit acne from both sides, think about getting some regular professional treatments at the derm’s office. There are many awesome options for treating acne-prone skin that perfectly complement an effective at-home routine – think chemical peels, HydraFacials, light therapy, even steroid injections.

What works for some might not work for you, however, so always get a consultation first from a qualified expert.

Now you have a solid grasp of AHAs and BHAs, it’s time to study up on one of our favorite skincare ingredients, the mighty MSM.

Skincare ingredients are not easy to decipher, we get that. Knowing your retinol from your tretinoin or understanding the difference between squalane and squalene? Minds constantly blown. And that’s OK, because this is why our blog exists, to educate and inform you of all the important stuff without hopefully coming across as too lecture-y. (Btw, please let us know if we’re doing a decent – or terrible – job of this. Full disclosure: we love hearing from our TruSkin family. Honestly.)

So, back to today’s 'fun' lesson in skincare: MSM.

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane, MSM is an ingredient that’s regularly used in skincare, but often gets overshadowed by the likes of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and glycolic acid. Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of these major players, but we do think their notoriety is kind of unfair to the rest. And especially to MSM. Why? Because MSM is a) effective b) versatile and c) very well tolerated by all skin types. Now we don't know about you, but we reckon this makes it just as worthy of A-list skincare status as all the other aforementioned big guns we know and love.

Here’s the lowdown.

What Is MSM?

Simply put, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur that’s present in every living thing. Sulfur is one of the most important elements in the human body and is often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral because it not only promotes circulation and fights inflammation, but plays a key role in the production and composition of two essential skin proteins: collagen and keratin. MSM is not pure sulfur, but rather a sulfur compound (consisting of about 34 percent sulfur along with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) and is vital for the healthy function of every cell, organ and tissue in your body.

Further to its use in skincare (more on that later), MSM has been used traditionally as a dietary supplement for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Research suggests that it may even help increase joint health and relieve inflammatory disorders like arthritis, cystitis and osteoporosis.

The Benefits Of MSM In Skincare

First let's talk about collagen: one of the building blocks of healthy, ageless skin. As as with all good things in life, your rate of natural collagen production decreases around your mid-30s. As this layer of collagen becomes thinner, the uppermost layer of your skin (the stratum corneum) starts to lose its firmness and bounce which is why, as you hit middle age, your skin becomes drier, saggier, less radiant and more wrinkled. The answer? Do everything you can to reduce this loss of collagen by staying out of the sun, eating a healthy diet and including ­clinically-proven, collagen-boosting skincare ingredients in your daily routine. Obvious contenders for the latter include retinol, peptides, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, but MSM is also right up there. In fact, studies show that MSM can offer a significant improvement in wrinkles, firmness and skin elasticity.

As well as its collagen-boosting benefits, MSM works hard to fight environmental damage which often manifests itself in visible annoyances such as discoloration, fine lines and sagging. It does this by helping to increase your production of glutathione, one of the body’s most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. MSM’s anti-inflammatory qualities also help decrease damage to the skin caused by other lifestyle baddies such as stress, lack of sleep and a cruddy diet. This makes it pretty hard to beat in the fight against extrinsic (lifestyle and environmental) aging. Just saying.

Finally, MSM has been shown to help the skin become more permeable which not only allows toxins to escape more easily (buh-bye clogged pores and pimples) but enhances your skin’s ability to absorb other active ingredients in your skincare products. This means all the good stuff in your regime can penetrate the skin quicker and deeper giving you much more bang for your skincare buck. Neat, huh?

How To Up Your MSM Game

You’ll find MSM in many TruSkin products such as our top-selling vitamin C range which includes Vitamin C Serum, Daily Facial Cleanser and C-Plus Super Serum. This is because vitamin C assists in the absorption of MSM so they make the perfect power couple.

Due its awesome anti-aging qualities, MSM has also been formulated in our Eye Cream and Eye Gel. As you all know, the skin around the eyes is super susceptible to the visible signs of aging. It's also very fragile which makes MSM the ideal ingredient for applying to the eye area.

Just remember, MSM is sometimes listed as dimethylsulfone or DMSO2 on skincare labels, so keep your eyes peeled for any of these terms when scouring your products’ ingredients lists.

Skincare acronyms can be super confusing sometimes, but there are some terms you really should know about. Namely AHAs, BHAs and PHAs. Why? Because skincare acids could be just what your skincare routine has been waiting for.

Slapping acid on your face was probably not among the beauty tricks your beloved grandma told you about as a young girl. Cold cream, maybe. But skincare acids? We doubt that very much.

But the thing is, facial acids can help treat any number of skincare concerns including acne, scarring, pigmentation, dull skin, dryness, heck even fine lines and wrinkles. And while they used to be only available via chemical peels or professional facials, smaller concentrations of these little dreamboats are now widely available in skincare formulations.

So, while dear grandma’s secret to ageless skin might well have been her trusty cold cream, for you newer generations it’s all about the alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids – or more simply put, AHAs, BHAs and PHAs.

Here’s what we know…

A Look At AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids)

Alpha hydroxy acids are water-soluble chemical compounds that can be naturally occurring or synthetically produced. Most AHAs are extracted from fruit or milk sugars and they’re used primarily in skincare for their exfoliation skills – which are top of the class, btw.

Unlike physical exfoliators like scrubs and loofahs which manually slough away dead skin cells, chemical exfoliators like AHAs work to dissolve the bonds between skin cells to encourage the dead, dull ones to fall off. This process helps accelerate cell regeneration for a smoother, brighter, more even complexion. The extent of exfoliation depends on the type of AHA used, as well as its pH and concentration (usually around 4 percent for at-home use and up to 70 percent for professional peels).

The Benefits Of AHAs

You know those pesky visible signs of aging that freak you out every time you look in the mirror? Well, fighting the likes of fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration is what AHAs live for.

As you get older, the rate in which your skin cells turn over slows down which means dead skin cells hang around for way too long on the surface of your skin. This causes dullness, unevenness, dryness and dehydration which can age you up way before your time. By encouraging fresh new skin to grow, however, AHAs help solve these skin woes.

Also, if you regularly incorporate an AHA into your routine – whether through monthly chemical peels at the doctor’s office or with at-home skincare – it will continue to encourage collagen and elastin production for a cumulative anti-aging effect. We’ll take a group hug for news like that.

The Main AHA Players

Glycolic acid is the most highly researched of all the AHAs and is known as the do-it-all acid. Derived from sugar cane, glycolic acid has a very low molecular weight which makes it darn good at its job – AKA penetrating the skin. It’s a very popular peeling agent because of its efficiency and potency, but while it's great for normal, oily and acne-prone skin types, it can sometimes be irritating for sensitive complexions. 

This is where lactic acid comes into play. Lactic acid can be extracted from fermented milk sugars or vegan sources such as beets or tapioca and has a larger molecular size than its glycolic cousin. This means it doesn’t penetrate the skin quite as well, so it takes longer to take effect. Lactic acid is way gentler, however, and studies have shown that it can also have moisturizing benefits so is the safer bet for sensitive or dry skin types.

Our Eye Cream contains a clever blend of both glycolic and lactic acids

Next Up, We Have BHAs (beta hydroxy acids)

Just like AHAs, beta hydroxy acids work to increase cell regeneration through chemical rather than physical exfoliation. BHAs, however, are oil-soluble rather than water-soluble which means they not only accelerate cell turnover on the skin’s surface, but they also penetrate through the lipid layers between the skin cells to get deeper into your pores. This helps target and reduce excess sebum to clear as well as brighten the skin.

Again, the efficacy of any skincare formulation containing BHAs depends on its pH and concentration. In this case, anywhere between 0.5 and 5 percent should offer visible results.

The Benefits Of BHAs

BHAs are a massive deal for anyone struggling with oily, inflamed or spotty skin because they help reduce inflammation, fight bacteria and dry up excess oil. 

While dry, aging or dehydrated skin types dream of upping their sebum levels, for those oily or combination types among you, an excessive amount of sebum is the devil. Super-oily skin often clogs the pores and can lead to, like, a gazillion problems (OK, so we exaggerate, but if you suffer with breakouts it often feels this way, right?).  

The Main BHA Player

When it comes to BHAs, there’s only one player worth mentioning – mainly because it’s the only one used in cosmetics and dermatology, but still. This BHA, dear friends, is the mighty salicylic acid. Derived from the bark of willow trees and used to treat skin concerns for over 2,000 years, salicylic acid is found in thousands of acne-fighting treatments from cleansers and toners to serums and moisturizers. And the good news is, it works, without completely stripping the skin of moisture.

Not only does salicylic acid target pores and increase cell turnover, but it also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which is music to the ears of anyone who suffers with red, angry flare-ups.

C-Plus Super Serum contains just the right amount of salicylic acid

Finally, Don’t Forget PHAs (polyhydroxy acids)

While AHAs and BHAs have been around for years, PHAs are very much the NKOTB. Often seen as the underdogs of the hydroxy acids, PHAs are basically a new generation of water-soluble AHAs with all the exfoliating, cell regenerating benefits… but with less of the side-effects. The reason for their gentle nature? PHAs are formulated with multiple strands, so they have a larger molecular size than AHAs and are therefore unable to penetrate the deeper layers of your skin. Instead, they work exclusively on the skin’s surface to boost cell renewal without irritating your complexion.

The Benefits Of PHAs

PHAs are where to go if you’re concerned about the visible signs of aging but have super-sensitive skin – yes, even rosacea or atopic dermatitis. They might take a little longer to do their business, but if your skin flares up at even the thought of exfoliation, these are your guys. More good news for sensitive skin: PHAs have humectant and moisturizing qualities to help hydrate your skin and strengthen its natural protective barrier. As with all active ingredients, however, a patch test is still a good idea to triple-check for sensitivities.

The Main PHA Players

While a bit of a mouthful, gluconolactone (sometimes referred to as gluconic acid) is one PHA worth remembering – especially if you’re in the market for a mild exfoliation treatment for pigmentation issues like melasma and sun spots.

Lactobionic acid is another commonly used PHA which is an oxidized form of lactose and extracted from cow’s milk. Lactobionic acid has been shown to have antioxidant properties so it's a great choice for fighting the damaging effects of environmental stressors such as UV radiation and pollution.

One Last Word: Most skin acids make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so always apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily whenever using an AHA, BHA or PHA in your skincare routine.