True Radical Honesty From Our Community

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.

Retinol is one of the best ingredients for your skin, battling the signs of visible aging like no other skincare ingredient can even dream of doing. But it needs to be used consistently for the best results. So, if you’re of the opinion that retinol should be packed away in the summer, we’re here to change that.

When it comes to skincare powerhouses, retinol is top of the class. Ask any derm, skincare expert, A-lister or influencer and they will all agree it’s the gold standard in anti-aging ingredients. 

Derived from vitamin A and a gentle cousin to retinoic acid (otherwise known as tretinoin), retinol has this clever way of getting under your skin to communicate with important proteins like collagen and elastin. This stimulates their production and kick-starts them to do their jobs more efficiently and more effectively, speeding up cell turnover and helping to improve your skin’s tone and texture. Retinol also helps fade sun spots and boosts the production of blood vessels in the skin to enhance radiance. Gotta love that.

But retinol isn’t just an anti-aging whizz kid. Studies prove that retinol also has anti-inflammatory powers which makes it a very effective anti-acne treatment, keeping pores clean, clear, bacteria-free and therefore stopping your skin from breaking out like a hormonal teenager’s.

So, why is retinol often perceived as something to be wary of in the summer months? Well, it’s a little bit misunderstood. Most people think retinol is unsafe during the daytime because it makes your skin extremely sensitive to the sun. Which is kind of true… but not really.

The hard truth is that retinol itself is not sun sensitizing. We’ll just let that sink in for a minute...

NOT sun sensitizing? So, why the myth? Well, it does thin the very top layer of your skin (the stratum corneum) which is why it’s a bit of a bummer when it comes to reducing your skin’s ability to protect itself from UV radiation. But, to be honest this is why it’s so effective at controlling acne and reducing the signs of aging.

The main reason retinol is usually formulated into night treatments is not because of what it does to your skin in the sun, but the fact that it can become deactivated by sunlight. When a skincare ingredient becomes deactivated it doesn’t particularly harm your skin, per se, it simply becomes less effective. And retinol is such a fabulously effective ingredient, this is exactly the opposite of what you want.

So, how can you make the most of your retinol treatment this summer? Here are five things to bear in mind…

1. Summer Is Actually A Great Time To Start Applying Retinol

Many people experience increased dryness and sensitivities in the winter, which makes summer a much better season to introduce retinol into your routine. Summer equals more humidity and this extra moisture in the air helps keep your skin healthier, more hydrated and better equipped to start getting used to such a powerhouse of a skincare ingredient. Take that non-believers.

2. However, Retinol Can Cause Irritation – Any Time Of The Year

It’s true, retinol can irritate your skin come rain or shine, so you should always do a patch test before introducing it into your routine. Then, once you’ve established your skin can tolerate it, go low and slow.

Start with a moisturizer as these are usually less potent than treatment serums. Our Retinol Moisturizer is great for retinol newbies as it cleverly blends retinol with hyaluronic acid (HA) to hydrate your skin and help fend off flaky or peeling skin, which often occurs with regular use of retinol. If your skin is super sensitive you can even get away with alternating Retinol Moisturizer with our equally-as-awesome Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer. It'll still have a great impact on the look and feel of your skin.

3. Retinol Serum Is Perfect For Balmy Summer Evenings

Can’t bear heavy night creams when the mercury is rising and your bedroom feels hotter than the surface of the sun? Yeah, we hear you girl. And this is when our Retinol Facial Serum comes to the rescue.

Blended with HA and vitamin E for hydration and extra healing qualities, we call this our go-to-summertime serum because it’s super lightweight and absorbs into your skin in seconds so you can get some valuable beauty sleep without feeling like your face is totally suffocating. Even though it’s perfectly safe to use in the morning, UV light can destabilize retinol and diminish its effectiveness, so you’re always better off using it a night. Apply it two or three times a week (after patch testing first, of course) to freshly cleansed skin, then follow with moisturizer.

4. You MUST Go Heavy On The Sunscreen

The powerful rays of the sun, coupled with retinol’s potent, thin-skinning actions are asking for trouble if you don’t wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. We’re talking dryness, redness, itching, burning and worse. So, make sure you protect your skin carefully and regularly.

Around half a teaspoon of sunscreen is recommended for your face and you should reapply the same amount every two hours if you’re spending all day in the sun. Also, try to spend as much time with your face in the shade and wear a large-brimmed hat and good quality sunnies that block both UVA and UVB radiation for an added safety net.

5. Stop Using Retinol If Your Face Gets Sunburned 

As previously mentioned, retinol thins the outermost layer of your skin which increases your chances of sunburn. However, as long as you take care to protect your skin, this should rarely, if ever happen. If you do get caught short, stop applying your retinol products immediately – and in fact any active ingredients including exfoliating acids. Instead, use super gentle cleansing products and soothing moisturizers only for at least a week or until your skin heals.

You see, due diligence and a bit of common sense is all it takes to crush an awesome retinol routine.

All. Year. Round.

It might sound basic, but glycerin is anything but. And quite frankly it deserves just as much praise as hyaluronic acid when it comes to hydrating and protecting your skin…

Glycerin: it doesn't sound glamorous, nor does it steal all the headlines (mentioning no names, hyaluronic acid), but it should never be written off in terms of skincare ingredients you absolutely need in your daily routine. Yes, we know your brain’s already overloaded with ingredients like retinoids, hydroxy acids, peptides and MSM, but trust us, you’re going to need to make space for glycerin in your beauty vocab. And good news: it's very simple to get your head around.

What Is Glycerin?

There are three types of moisturizing ingredients in skincare: occlusives, emollients and humectants.

Occlusives are the rich, waxy ones like cocoa butter and petrolatum that create a barrier on your skin to help prevent moisture loss and protect it from irritation. Meanwhile, emollients are the smoothing oils or lipids that repair cracks and help smooth your skin – think coconut oil, argan oil and shea butter. Then, you have humectants.

Humectants work like sponges to draw water into the top layers of your skin. If the environment contains enough humidity, humectants attract water vapor from here, but they can also pull it up from the underlying layers of your skin to help protect and hydrate it at a surface level. Sidenote: for the ultimate moisturization, your routine should always include a mixture of humectants, emollients and, if your skin is super dry, dehydrated or sensitive, occlusives.

Just like hyaluronic acid (HA), glycerin is a highly effective humectant that’s naturally present in your skin. However, unlike hyaluronic acid, poor old glycerin has taken a bit of a back burner in recent years, being totally overshadowed in ad campaigns and TV commercials by its ballsy HA cousin. 

Now, don’t get us wrong, we love hyaluronic acid just as much as the next person. It’s a fantastic humectant that’s able to hold around 1,000 times its weight in water which is why we use it in plenty of much-loved TruSkin formulations including Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream and Retinol Moisturizer.

But HA is not the be-all and end-all. In fact, contrary to popular belief, studies suggest that glycerin (aka glycerol) is the most effective humectant out there. Stop. The. Press. This is due to its low molecular weight which helps it penetrate deeper into the skin, making it better at replenishing your skin’s natural moisturizing factor and helping to increase hydration and minimize moisture loss in as little as ten minutes. Glycerin also helps heal and protect your skin as an added bonus. It’s simple, but very, very effective.

A clear, colorless and odorless liquid, the type of glycerin used in skincare is derived from either vegetable oils or animal fats. We go for vegetable glycerin every time.

Is Glycerin Right For You?

Glycerin is naturally-occurring within your skin, making it a very effective and tolerable ingredient in skincare. For these reasons, derms often prescribe treatments with glycerin to help treat extremely dry, dehydrated, irritated or cracked skin, so if you have any of those concerns, your parched complexion will lap up its moisturizing benefits.

Glycerin is also great for combination or sensitive skin as it’s very unlikely to cause adverse reactions. However, before using any new product we always recommend performing a patch test first… y'know, just in case.

And if your skin is super oily? Sure, your skin will benefit from a good douse of glycerin, but you may want to back off products containing it in super high concentrations. Why? Because glycerin is so effective and hydrating that unless your skin really needs all that moisture, it can leave it feeling slightly sticky.

How To Include Glycerin In Your Skincare Routine

Glycerin is one of the most commonly used ingredients within the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, so, chances are, your skincare routine already contains it in some form or another.

Some people advise buying pure vegetable glycerin and mixing it with your favorite moisturizer for an extra hit of moisture. But we don’t really agree with skincare DIY-ing. Instead, look out for it on your product labels. And not just in moisturizers, either. Glycerin is an awesome ingredient within facial cleansers as it helps counteract the often drying effects of washing your skin. We use a small amount of kosher vegetable glycerin in our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash to help balance and increase hydration while unclogging your pores and decongesting your skin.

You’ll also find kosher vegetable glycerin in many of our serums, moisturizers and eye treatments because yes, it’s that good.

Don’t see glycerin in any of your products? Look out for glycerin derivatives which include glyceryl caprylate and glyceryl stearate. These clever esters combine glycerin with emollient fatty acids like caprylic acid and stearic acid to not only draw moisture to the surface to the skin, but to hold it there while smoothing and softening your skin at the same time. Our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer contains both glycerin and glyceryl stearate for the ultimate in hydration.

Now, move over, hyaluronic acid, it's time to share the limelight.

Raise your hand if you’re baffled by BHAs. Fess up if you’ve no idea what free radicals are. Well, you don’t need a doctorate in dermatology to help care for your skin, but knowing a few important terms is vital when it comes to nailing your skincare routine. Here are ten beauty buzzwords you really should know…

1. AHAs

AHAs stands for alpha hydroxy acids: otherwise known as the darlings of chemical exfoliation. AHAs are water-soluble acids extracted primarily from fruit or milk sugars and formulated within skincare to dissolve the bonds between dead skin cells so they naturally slough away from the surface of your skin. They’re the chemical equivalent to face scrubs or cleansing brushes, helping increase cellular turnover to keep your skin feeling soft and looking radiant and more youthful. The most commonly used AHAs in skincare are glycolic and lactic acids, but citric, tartaric, malic, mandelic are also good examples.
 

2. Antioxidants

An effective skincare routine is nothing unless it contains some kind of antioxidant. But what are antioxidants? Well, they’re basically molecules that prevent oxidative damage to your skin caused by free radicals (see below). They work by stopping free radicals from reacting with and damaging vital molecules like collagen, elastin and DNA which are essential for the health, strength and structure of your skin. When included in a balanced skincare routine, antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide and retinol hinder oxidative stress and help reduce unwanted skin concerns like inflammation, sun damage, dullness, sagging, lines and wrinkles. They’re up there with cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen as the most important weapons in your skincare arsenal.

Not sure where to start with antioxidants? Then go for a vitamin C serum. Vitamin C is not only the most highly researched antioxidant, but it’s a great all-rounder for brightening, protecting, strengthening and improving the quality of your skin. Just remember to always patch test topical antioxidants first as they can be pretty potent – especially if you have sensitive skin.
 

3. BHAs

Just like AHAs, BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) are chemical compounds used in skincare to boost cell regeneration and help exfoliate your skin. However, while AHAs are water-soluble, BHAs are oil-soluble which means they can penetrate beneath the skin’s surface to get deeper into your pores and clear out excess sebum. If you have oily skin or are prone to breakouts, BHAs should be right up there on your list of must-haves. And more good news, there’s really only one BHA you need to know: salicylic acid. Can we have a high-five for that?

4. Ceramides

Ceramides are lipids that make up around 50 percent of your skin’s composition and play a major role in the efficiency of your barrier function. Derms tend to explain ceramides as being the mortar that holds your skin cells (the bricks) together, helping to prevent water loss while protecting your skin from environmental pollution at the same time. Sounds simple enough, right?

The problem is that with age and environmental damage your skin’s natural level of ceramides drops dramatically, resulting in dryness, redness, irritation and dehydration. This is why as far as anti-aging ingredients go, ceramides are up there with the best. Look out for ceramide AP, ceramide EOP and ceramide NP written on your product labels.

5. Cruelty-Free

These days, there are so many misleading terms around clean, green beauty products it’s hard to know what you’re buying into. Are organic products always 100 percent natural? And does ‘vegan beauty’ mean the same as ‘cruelty-free’? Sadly not. In fact, the only way to guarantee you’re buying cruelty-free is to look for the Leaping Bunny logo. This internationally recognized symbol is an absolute promise to you that no animal tests were carried out in the development of any product that shows it on its packaging. We're super proud to be Leaping Bunny approved.

6. Free Radicals

Your skin is constantly exposed to environmental and lifestyle damage that work hard to cause what’s known as extrinsic aging – the term used to describe anything that contributes to how your skin ages other than, well, your age.

Why is extrinsic aging so powerful? Because free radicals. Free radicals are produced by the skin when it’s exposed to light, heat, pollution, stress and the like. They’re highly reactive, unstable atoms that like to snatch electrons from other atoms or molecules (think DNA, collagen and elastin) in a bid to stabilize themselves. This causes damage to all that good stuff in your skin and is one of the main reasons your skin becomes patchy, lined, wrinkly, saggy and so on.

Thankfully, for every skincare villain, there’s an even mightier superhero and in this case, it’s antioxidants. Unlike other skin components that become damaged when they lose electrons to free radicals, antioxidants have the special ability to donate them without losing stability. As we said before, antioxidants are the best.

7. Glycation

Speaking of extrinsic aging, glycation is another beast that works to ruin the look and feel of your skin. Glycation is when excess sugar molecules bind themselves to fat and protein molecules in the skin including collagen and elastin. These combine to form nasty little molecules called advanced glycation end products – or AGEs as they’re so aptly known. AGEs weaken and stiffen your collagen and elastin resulting in dullness, loss of elasticity and all the other visible signs of aging you know and hate. They also make your skin less able to defend itself from bad things like UV damage and cigarette smoke. Not good.

Obviously cutting down on refined sugars and high-fructose corn syrup are great ways to lessen the effects of glycation on your skin, but know that all carbs get converted into sugar by the body so watch what you eat. Everything in moderation and all that.

8. MSM

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur, one of the most important elements in the human body. Sulfur is often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral because it promotes circulation, fights inflammation and plays a key role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin.

MSM is a sulfur compound that’s used in skincare to not only boost collagen and keratin, but to increase the production of glutathione – one of the body’s essential antioxidants. This makes it awesome for improving wrinkles, firmness, elasticity and dark spots and why we use it in all of our vitamin C products, including the fabulous new Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream. Not tried this yet? You really must.

9. Noncomedogenic

Comedones is the fancy word for blocked pores. Blackheads, for example, are open comedones that have formed bumps and turned dark from oxidization, whereas whiteheads are those that remain closed and the same color as your skin. Once you get a grasp of this, the term noncomedogenic makes much more sense. Simply put, it means a product contains ingredients that have been tested to NOT clog your pores.

Unfortunately, like many skincare terms, the word ‘noncomedogenic’ is not regulated by the FDA, so while any product bearing this term is unlikely to clog your pores and cause a backup of oil and dead skin cells, it’s no guarantee. But it’s a good place to start, especially if you have super oily or pimple-prone skin.

10. NMF

While it might sound more like an early ‘90s alternative rock band, NMF actually refers to your skin’s natural moisturizing factor. Your NMF is a built-in moisturization system that’s located in the epidermis and contains a collection of powerful, naturally-occurring humectants such as amino acids, lactate, urea, minerals, sugars and peptides. These work together to draw in moisture and help protect your skin to keep it healthy, strong and supple.

As with sebum production, your NMF decreases with age which is why including humectants like hyaluronic acid, lactic acid and glycerin into your routine is so important – especially after you hit age 30.