True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Looking after your skin is important, for sure. But do you really want to put your skin above our world’s precious oceans? Thought not. So here’s how to upgrade your beauty habits to ensure both you and our oceans are well taken care of…

Thanks to social awareness and a greater need to do good, making eco-friendly shopping choices has become quite the norm for many of us. From opting for more natural ingredients in things like laundry detergent and facial moisturizer, to investing in minimal packaging and recycling as much as possible, it’s clear that we’re way more environmentally aware than we were ten years ago. And we love that.

When it comes to our precious oceans, however, there’s so much more we can do to stop poisoning our waters and everything that lives in them. Did you know, for example, that there’s an entire ‘island’ of trash in the middle of the North Pacific called the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? If that sounds awful…well… it’s because it is. Truth is, this so-called patch contains more than 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic and is double the size of Texas. Pretty scary, right?

So, here are four ways to improve your beauty habits to ensure you’re doing your bit.

Reduce Your Single-Use Plastics

Plastic is absolute hell on earth with over two-thirds of all plastic waste ending up either in landfills or in our oceans. Want to hear a really scary fact? OK, get this: it’s believed that by around 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish.

Frightening right? This is why limiting your plastic purchasing is really, like REALLY important.

Living a completely plastic-free life is not easy, we get that, but there are many ways you can reduce your usage. For starters, think about switching up your laundry detergent, toilet paper and household detergents to plastic-free alternatives. Check out companies like Dropps, Who Gives A Crap and Net Zero Co for some awesome options.

And when it comes to your beauty products? Look out for glass bottles like our facial serums which are easily recycled, and switch to plastic-free deodorants and solid bar shampoos, conditioners and body washes.

Stick With Reef-Safe SPF

Reducing plastic waste is obviously one of the most important factors we need to get to grips with. But it doesn’t stop there. Your choice of sunscreen is also pretty major.

According to the National Park Service, somewhere between 4,000 and 6,000 tons of sunscreen gets left in the oceans every year. And this causes a significant threat to coral reefs and marine life.

Of course, abolishing the use of sunscreen altogether is crazy talk. Because skin cancer. Plus aging, wrinkles, dark spots and so on. What you can do, however, is ensure you’re making good formulation choices. And the most important thing you can do is to avoid oxybenzone and octinoxate.

Already banned in Hawaii, parts of Mexico and Key West, oxybenzone and octinoxate have been shown to negatively impact coral by causing bleaching, damage to DNA and eventual death. Coral reefs are hugely important to the world as they provide a balanced ecosystem for marine life to thrive while protecting coastal areas from powerful waves and the consequent effects of potentially damaging storms and flooding. We must, therefore, try harder to look after them.

Instead of chemical sunscreens containing oxybenzone and/or octinoxate, protect your skin and the oceans by using reef-safe mineral sunscreens. How to do this? Easy. Look for formulations like our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C which uses non-nano zinc oxide to shield your skin from damaging UV radiation. Zinc oxide is much easier on the oceans. And way better for your conscience.

Ditch Those Dastardly Wipes

Why, oh why were disposable facial cleansing wipes ever invented? Sure, they can be convenient but, honestly, they don’t even do that great a job. Not only are they pretty poor when it comes to cleaning your skin and removing makeup, but most wipes contain chemicals and, worse yet, plastic fibers which never go away. Instead they slowly break down into smaller particles, sitting in landfills, polluting rivers and eventually ending up in our oceans.

Even wipes that claim to be biodegradable, often break down so slowly, they’re nothing more than a con.

Say no to disposable wipes and clean your face twice daily with a ‘proper’ cleanser like Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, using either your hands or an organic cotton cloth to help boost circulation, gently exfoliate and massage your skin.

Say No To Potentially Harmful Ingredients

According to the Environmental Working Group, the average woman uses 12 personal care products a day, which equates to around 168 chemical ingredients. Now, don’t get us wrong, some chemical ingredients are pretty harmless, but very effective – think retinol, vitamin C, niacinamide and friends. However, there are some dark destroyers we believe you should steer clear of. Not only for the sake of your oceans, but for your own health as well.

Parabens, for starters, may well be powerful preservatives that stop harmful things like bacteria, mold and fungi from ruining your beauty products but, like chemical sunscreens, they’ve also been linked to the deterioration of coral reefs. In fact, certain studies have detected parabens in surface waters, fish and sediments and shown that even the lowest levels of butylparaben – one of the most commonly used parabens in cosmetics – can cause significant harm and even death.

Synthetic fragrances, sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and phthalates are also thought to play their part in unnecessarily polluting our oceans, accumulating in marine life where they slowly making their way up the food chain. Which is kinda scary if you ask us.

The good news is we care about our oceans just as much as you do, so we avoid these potentially nasty ingredients across all of our products.

Let’s all try to be better by doing what we can to be more ocean-friendly, shall we? After all, every little bit counts.
 

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!

Looking to add an extra glowy edge to your skin just in time for brighter, sunnier days? We say vitamin C for the win! Here’s why…

Vitamin C is everything to us. Our first ever product launch was all about harnessing the powers of vitamin C in skincare and since formulating our awesome OG (the award-winning Vitamin C Facial Serum in case you were wondering!), everything we’ve gone on to create has stemmed from the incredible powers of this antioxidant powerhouse.

Otherwise known as l-ascorbic acid, topical vitamin C is adored by derms, celebrities, beauty editors and skin experts all over the world. In fact, along with retinol, it’s probably the most loved ingredient of all time. It’s also consistently up there as the one of the most searched-for skincare ingredients on the internet. A true skincare GOAT if you will. So, what’s the deal? Well, first and foremost, vitamin C is an antioxidant; a real fighter against skin damage and premature aging.

You see, antioxidants are the only ingredients to be able to neutralize pesky free radicals that form in your skin when it’s been subjected to the slings and arrows of everyday life. Think UV radiation, pollution, smoking, stress and a poor diet. All these factors create harmful free radicals which attack collagen and elastin and screw up their integrity. This can only mean one thing – bad news for your skin. As you know collagen and elastin are the super important building blocks of healthy skin. Without a good amount of quality proteins in your skin, it will become dry, lacklustre, saggy and blotchy. Not to mention the fact that fine lines and wrinkles will show up in no time.

As well as it’s free radical-fighting abilities vitamin C has been shown to help your sunscreen work harder and better, souping up its protection to further shield your skin from harmful ultraviolet rays. It’s not a sunscreen by any stretch of the imagination so it can never replace your SPF, but still, the combination of the two? Pretty darn good. Its anti-inflammatory properties (oh, didn’t we mention that?) are also thought to help control sebum production and therefore aid with breakouts. Which is not to be sniffed at.

All this is awesome and hats off to vitamin C for everything it does for the skin. But it boasts one more benefit and, call us shallow, but it’s probably the thing we love most about it. Simply put, vitamin C makes the skin look so much… well… better. We know that’s no scientific term but admit it, that’s what we all want for our skin, right? For it to look and feel its radiant best?

We truly believe that good skin is all about having a healthy glow. Who cares – in all honesty – if you have laughter lines and a slightly less contoured jawline than you used to? If your skin is healthy and glowing, nothing else really matters. And, as skincare ingredients go, vitamin C is almost unbeatable in its glow-inducing powers.

How Vitamin C Gets Your Glow On

Being able to fight off free radical damage is the first step here because if your collagen and elastin supplies are hunky dory, your skin cells will turn over more efficiently and all those dead skin cells will get sloughed away quicker to reveal all that fresh stuff underneath. Sluggish cell turnover is a sure-fire route to dull skin, so major kudos to vitamin C right there.

However, that’s just part one of the story because vitamin C also inhibits melanin production to help reduce dark spots and improve uneven skin tone. How does that work? Well, vitamin C decreases the production of tyrosinase which is an enzyme in your skin that accelerates melanin synthesis. Slowing all this down significantly reduces the amount of melanin in your skin. The result? Less patchy skin, fewer dark spots and a brighter, more even-looking complexion.

All. Over. That.

What’s The Best Form Of Vitamin C For Your Skin?

There are countless types of vitamin C used in skincare but we believe there’s only one real choice: sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP). Sure, pure vitamin C (l-ascorbic acid) is extremely potent but this can have its downsides, causing dryness, stinging and redness – especially if your skin is sensitive. L-ascorbic acid is also very unstable, meaning it breaks down and loses efficacy when it’s exposed to light and air.

SAP, however, is a salt form of l-ascorbic acid and contains sodium phosphate molecules. So what, you might wonder? Well, these molecules are actually super important because they help stabilize the vitamin C which makes it last longer. Gold star for that. Your skin does have to convert SAP back into ascorbic acid after it’s been applied to your skin because this is its bioactive form, but this actually helps reduce your chances of irritation so we think that’s worth another gold star.

3 Of The Best Ways To Add Vitamin C To Your Skincare Routine

1. In Your Cleanser

Cleansing is one of the best ways to boost blood flow and draw nutrients to the surface of your skin thanks to a combination of massage, cool refreshing water and awesome skincare ingredients. We love starting (and ending!) the day with Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser which contains 15 percent SAP plus collagen-boosting MSM and nourishing rose hip oil.

2. In A Serum

If you’re looking for the best formulation for delivering active ingredients to your skin, straight where it needs it, serum is the absolute go-to. Serums have a small molecular structure which means they’re able to penetrate the skin better than heavier products like oils and face creams. Try Amazon’s biggest selling vitamin C serum – our Vitamin C Facial Serum (*pats selves on backs).

3. In Your Sunscreen

Our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is the newest baby within our vitamin C range, and it’s fast becoming a fan favorite. Carefully blended with plenty of protective, radiance-boosting SAP it uses non-nano zinc oxide to shield your skin from damaging UVA and UVB rays. A morning must, if we do say so ourselves.

For more fabulous vitamin C products, including our hydrating night cream, daily moisturizer and super-charged turbo serum, check out our entire range right here.

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

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

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

What Does Skin Nutrition Mean?

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

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

The Difference Between Hydrating, Moisturizing and Nourishing Your Skin

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

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

Pretty simple when you think about it, right? 

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

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

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

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

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

1. Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum

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

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

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

2. Vitamin C Super Serum+

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

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

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

3. Ocean Minerals Super Toner

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

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

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.

Synthetic-based products backed by science or clean, green, natural formulations? Which are better for your skin? And do you even need to make the choice? Here’s what we know.

Being more planet-conscious about what you eat, drink, wear and do is great and we salute all of you trying to do your bit to better the world we live in – no matter how small. But it’s not always easy to live a clean, eco-friendly life. 

And this is especially true when it comes to what you put on your skin. The natural and organic skincare market is expected to double in the next ten years, but nailing a clean, green skincare routine is a feat in itself. How so? Because terms like 'clean,' 'green,' 'natural' and 'organic' often mean different things to different people and, most importantly, they’re unregulated which means that some products claiming to be such things often aren't quite what they seem...

Then there’s the question of do these products even work or are you better off choosing synthetic, lab-created formulations that are supposedly more powerful and effective… but could potentially harm your skin and/or the planet? Oh. My.

Read on for the complete lowdown on the natural vs synthetic debate, plus how you can get the best of both worlds.

And breathe!

What Does ‘Natural’ Mean In Skincare?

This is the 64 thousand dollar question because there’s no real set definition in the skincare industry or, in fact, the beauty industry as a whole. For us, however, we think of ‘natural’ in its simplest form – meaning that anything termed as such should be derived from nature. Whether this is a plant extract like aloe vera or an botanical oil like tea tree or ylang ylang, if an ingredient is found in nature, it’s natural. Makes sense, right?

The important thing to note here, however, is that just because a formulation contains a number of natural ingredients, this doesn’t make the entire product natural. You’ll often see certain brands claiming their products are ‘natural’ even if they contain synthetic ingredients. We won’t name names but that’s called ‘pulling the wool over your eyes’ and we don’t subscribe to that.

OK, So What About Synthetic Ingredients?

Synthetic ingredients are basically chemicals that have been created in a laboratory. Now, if that strikes fear into your very core, think about this. The water you drink contains a whole host of chemicals. As does much of the food you eat. Even the air you breathe. The truth is, chemicals are not necessarily the enemy. In fact, some of the most effective and highly regarded ingredients in skincare are chemicals. Here’s looking at you vitamin C and retinol.

The Cases For & Against…

If 100 percent natural skincare brands are to believe, the only ingredients you should ever put near your face are natural. Because chemicals are bad news for both humans and the planet. Meanwhile, synthetic-based skincare brands will have you convinced that natural ingredients don’t work, whereas chemicals are the only choice if you care about the health of your skin.

So, is any of this true? Yes. And no.

Yes, there are some sketchy chemicals around like oxybenzone, phthalates and parabens which have the potential to harm things like marine life, your skin and even your health. But most chemical ingredients used in skincare have been tested to exceptional standards and are proven to be safe and sustainable. What’s more, not every natural ingredient is great for your skin. There are plenty of essential oils, for example, that can be extremely drying and irritating, and when you think about the poison oaks of the world, well, this proves that nature is not always such an innocent party.

Are chemicals more effective than natural ingredients? Again, some are, but others aren’t. With today’s sophisticated technologies, certain natural ingredients can be very effective for moisturizing, hydrating, brightening or toning the skin – especially when they’re formulated to high industry standards. In fact, some of the hardest-working ingredients in skincare are natural. Green tea, aloe vera, salicylic acid and rosehip oil are just a few examples of effective, natural ingredients that have been used in skincare for decades.

Because they work.

So, Which Offers The Best Results: Synthetic or Natural Skincare?

There’s no real right or wrong answer here, but we believe that responsibly combining science with nature is the best, most balanced solution. Plants offer powerful benefits to the skin, so we strengthen all of our formulations with trusted, natural ingredients that have been clinically tested to improve the health of your skin. Simply put, nature is at the core of every TruSkin product.

However, we know that certain synthetically-produced ingredients like sodium ascorbyl phosphate (vitamin C), d-alpha tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) and retinol are pretty much the gold-standard of skin rejuvenation so they mustn’t be ignored either. What's more, as well as their undoubted efficacy, these are some of the safest ingredients in skincare thanks to their compatibility with the skin and years' worth of clinical research.

Take our fan favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum, for example, which might be packed with natural ingredients like aloe, witch hazel and jojoba oil but similarly relies on the extraordinary powers of lab-created ingredients like vitamin C and vitamin E. As we said before, it's all about balance.

Of course, we would never add unnecessary chemicals, additives and fragrances to any of our products and rest assured, we’re free of phthalates, parabens and sulfates which are up there as three of the biggest no-nos in skincare. But chemicals that are non-toxic, skin-friendly and extremely effective? Count us in. And when they can be powered by nature’s very best? Even better.

Seems like a no brainer, right?