True Radical Honesty From Our Community

From classic cucumber slices to the latest beauty tool sweeping Instagram, it’s time to take action against your unwanted eye baggage.

What is it with puffy eyes? Sure, they might not be your biggest skincare concern – frown lines and hormonal breakouts can fight for that crown – but waking up with bags under your eyes that would put the Kardashians’ weekend luggage to shame is not how we like to start the day.

Like many skin issues, there are a number of reasons you might be blighted by under eye bags. Think genes, lack of sleep, allergies and smoking. But one thing’s for sure, puffy eyes become much more common as you age. How so? Because skin becomes looser thanks to a lack of collagen, while supporting tissues and muscles around your eyes weaken, allowing fat and fluid to accumulate.

OK, so that’s the bad news. But it’s not all doom and bloom because there are countless ways you can quickly and simply improve bags under your eyes...

1. Invest In A Depuffing Eye Treatment

Skincare is a very personal thing and if there’s one product that consistently splits opinion, it’s eye cream. If you’re a bit of a cynic in this department, hear us out for a minute. Sure, regular moisturizer is just about passable for the skin around your eyes. Until it’s not. And the reasons are simple. The skin in this area is way thinner and more fragile than the skin on the rest of your face which makes it extremely susceptible to the visible signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles and sagging. It also has fewer sebaceous glands, so it can quickly feel dry and irritated unless it’s looked after. Then there are more specific eye issues like dark circles and bags – both of which don’t need to be addressed on the rest of your face.

This is why a specific eye treatment – one that’s been carefully created to deal with issues around your eyes – is so important.

When it comes to reducing eye bags, look for ingredients like caffeine, licorice, cucumber, hyaluronic acid and green tea which all help to hydrate the skin and reduce puffiness. Both Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream and Peptide Eye Gel are also formulated with an ingredient cunningly called eyebright. This is a herbal extract that contains tannin to naturally tighten and refresh the skin while helping to reduce inflammation.

Apply your eye treatment to cleansed skin every morning and night and use your ring fingers to tap a small amount around both eyes. Using your ring fingers rather than your forefingers lessens the amount of pressure you put on your skin which reduces dragging. Meanwhile, the gentle tapping motion helps encourage lymphatic drainage.

2. Chill Out

One of the most effective and cheapest ways to instantly reduce puffiness is to apply something cold over your eyes. Cold temperatures make your blood vessels contract which reduces blood flow and immediately reduces swelling and inflammation. It’s simple science.

Of course, you could place two teaspoons (taken straight out of the refrigerator), a couple of cucumber slices or even some cold, used teabags over each eye for 10 minutes. These will all do the job nicely. But, if you love to embrace beauty tools, you might want to try out some facial ice globes.

Ice globes are a little bit like jade rollers but, as their name suggests, they have balls on the ends and are designed to be kept in your fridge or freezer. They can be used over your entire face to minimize inflammation and puffiness, but they’re particularly awesome for the eye area as their globe-like shape makes them easy to negotiate around the orbital bone. Use them in the morning to help waken up tired, puffy eyes, but be sure not to press too hard as this could drag and damage your skin. A gentle touch is all you need.

3. Be A Better Sleeper

Puffy eyes can be the result of many things, but more often than not poor or not enough sleep are the major culprits. The exact science behind this is kind of hazy but a lack of sleep causes the skin around your eyes to become dry and irritated, so there’s that. It also dilates the blood vessels which increases blood retention, and increases your levels of cortisol which makes your skin retain water.

The answer is simple. Get. More. Sleep. The American Sleep Association recommends between seven and nine hours. Not only that, but try to optimize any shut-eye you do get by sleeping on your back with your head slightly raised. Sleeping on your back helps reduce friction and any consequent inflammation and irritation to your skin from your pillowcase, while keeping your head elevated reduces fluid retention.

4. Embrace In A Little Gua Sha Therapy

You may have seen gua sha crystals popping up on your Insta feeds over the last year or so, but this ancient Chinese therapy has been around for hundreds of years. Using flat, smooth crystals like jade or rose quartz to massage your skin, gua sha is known to help remove a build-up of lymphatic fluids from the face.

To specifically work on puffy eyes, you basically hold your crystal almost flat against cleansed skin, then sweep it under your eye and out to your temple area. Repeat this three or four times, then do the same thing on the other eye and finally repeat the whole process above each eye, working just underneath your brow area. For even better results, always apply eye cream first.

5. Drink More Water, Eat Less Salt

While drinking water doesn’t directly hydrate your skin, if your body is dehydrated it will hold on to all the fluid it can, making your eye bags ten times worse. This means it’s super important to drink plenty of fluids. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, a healthy adult female should consume around 2.7 liters of fluids every day, while men need around 3.7 liters. That may sound like a lot, but some of this will come from your food, with 80 percent being required from drinks like water, milk, juices and herbal teas. Still confused? Then go for eight glasses a day - it's much easier to remember!

One last thing before we go: try to reduce the amount of salt in your diet. Salt is just as dehydrating to your body as a lack of fluids because excess sodium causes it to retain water. This is bad news not only for puffy eyes, but for bloating as well, so decrease your salt intake, especially in the evenings. Fancy a cheeky packet of Cheetos before bed? Nope.

Glowing skin is a sure sign your complexion is happy. But what about when things don’t look or feel as good as you’d like? Chances are your routine could be the very reason your skin is having a mini meltdown…

Happy skin is something everybody strives for. And if only we were all blessed with the type of complexion that permanently behaved itself and looked downright perfect. But life’s not like that – no matter how famous you are or how much money you throw at your skin. Call it Murphy’s law if you like, but as soon as you accept that flawless skin is rarely achieved, the happy we know you (and your skin) will be.

That being said, while you can’t change your genes or suddenly transform your skin type from oily to normal overnight, what you can do is give your skin its best shot at happiness by ensuring your skincare routine is on the right path.

As you know, a great routine consists of gentle cleansing, an antioxidant treatment, regular moisturization and broad-spectrum sun protection. Then there are all the added extras like toner, exfoliation, extra hydration and eye treatments. Reckon you’ve got these down to a tee? Well, we hope that’s true. However, your skin might think otherwise and if it’s showing signs of grief – redness, itching, dry patches, breakouts etc. – chances are, you’re somehow upsetting your skin’s important barrier function. Let’s have a look into that a bit more…

Skin Barrier 101

Your skin has three main layers. The lowest is the hypodermis, followed by the dermis and on the very top, the epidermis. Each of these layers is split into even more layers which are super complex and all play a very important part in the health of your skin and body.

Right at the top of your epidermis is the uppermost layer, the stratum corneum, otherwise known as your skin's barrier. The stratum corneum is kind of like a brick wall of around 20 layers of cells, held together by essential lipids such as ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. This brick wall is your body’s first line of defense against the outside world and works hard to protect you from the slings and arrows of everyday life like pollution, toxins and chemicals. It also stops TEWL (transepidermal water loss) to retain the right balance of moisture in your skin and help keep it soft, supple and healthy.

Sounds great, doesn’t it? Yes, in theory. it is. However, your skin’s barrier naturally weakens with age, a cruddy skincare routine and poor lifestyle choices. And if your barrier is not functioning to the best of its abilities, moisture can escape from the surface of your skin far too easily – bad news for things like lines, wrinkles, dehydration, sensitivities and irritation. It also means your skin becomes more sensitive to things like active skincare ingredients and other environmental irritants.

So, how can you ensure your skincare is barrier-friendly and your complexion is in a much happier place?

5 Simple Ways To Avoid Upsetting Your Skin

1. Always Perform A Skincare Patch Test

One of the most vital, and often overlooked ways to ensure everything you put on your skin is a-okay is to patch test it first. We can see you rolling your eyes, but hold on there because your skin is a very delicate organ and there’s always the possibility of it not liking a certain ingredient in your skincare.

The worrying truth is that other than color additives, cosmetic ingredients don’t have to be tested or approved by the FDA to be allowed into a beauty product. Scary huh? Of course, most reputable manufacturers (us included) ensure that everything is safe when used correctly, but still, that’s a worrying thought…

Your only option, therefore, is to test a product on a discreet area of skin and leave it for at least 48 hours before using it properly for the first time. Not sure how to patch test? We can help with that right here.

2. Go Slow With Your Active Ingredients

Piling on vitamin C, retinol, glycolic acid and anything else you can put your hands on is a recipe for skin barrier disaster. So, go steady. Check all of your skincare labels and write down any active ingredients you come across. Actives include any ingredient that has been proven to change the skin in some way – whether it be to improve acne, discolorations, dryness, fine lines or wrinkles. Think AHAs, BHAs, antioxidants, retinol, urea, hyaluronic acid and so on.

Once you’ve made your list, have a look at it and make a note of any major repetitions and how your skin is feeling right now. If your skin feels red and dry, for example, and you notice every single product in your regime contains some kind of exfoliating acid, think about ditching one or two of these products for more calming, moisturizing options.

Similarly, you shouldn't need to apply more than one serum, so if you're doubling up, well, stop that. All of our serums have been formulated with at least one active ingredient, but they’ve been carefully blended to cause as little irritation to your skin barrier as possible. Niacinamide Facial Serum, for example, contains vitamin E and hyaluronic acid as well as strengthening niacinamide, so it’s the perfect choice for a healthy barrier function.

3. Don’t Double Cleanse

Double cleansing is fine if you wear tons of makeup or have oily skin that rarely feels clean after a single cleanse, but for most of you, we think it’s kind of pointless. Worse than that, it can strip away all of your essential oils and fatty acids which disrupts your barrier function and can cause long-term dryness, dehydration and irritation.

Instead, gently cleanse your skin morning and night with Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser to wash away impurities without sucking your skin dry. Massage it gently over moist skin and rinse with lukewarm, but never hot water.

4. Be Mindful Of How Much You Exfoliate

Hands down, one of the most common skincare sins is to over exfoliate. And this is a big mistake for your skin’s moisture barrier. Sure, exfoliation is great for boosting cell turnover and ensuring a radiant glow, but too much strips your protective barrier and is a one-way ticket to red, inflamed, excessively dry skin. Which is probably not what you were hoping for when you embarked on your kick-ass exfoliation regime, right?

If your skin is particularly unhappy right now, pare back on any kind of exfoliation – and yes, that means everything from scrubs and cleansing brushes to glycolic and lactic acid treatments. Stay away from these for at least 10 days then slowly introduce one form of exfoliation into your routine just once or twice a week. Cleansing using a soft facecloth is a great way to reintroduce light exfoliation into your life. We’re also big fans of glycolic acid so try our Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains peptides and MSM to strengthen and rebuild your skin.

5. Moisturize Every Morning & Night

Never, we repeat, NEVER forget to moisturize your skin twice a day. Hydration is the absolute key for rebuilding and strengthening your skin’s barrier, so, even if your skin is oily, you need to apply a hydrating moisturizer after cleansing, toning and treating your skin to lock in moisture and stop water from evaporating from the surface.

When choosing a great moisturizer to support your barrier function it’s all about the right ingredients, and a truly balanced and effective moisturizer has to include at least two of three types of ingredient. 1. A humectant. 2. An emollient. And 3. An occlusive.

Humectants such as glycerin, aloe and hyaluronic acid draw water into the skin like a sponge; emollients like jojoba oil and squalane soften the skin and smooth over cracks, while occlusives like shea and cocoa butters form a physical barrier on the surface of your skin. Our awesome trio of moisturizers (Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer, Deep Hydration Night Cream and Retinol Moisturizer) all contain a fabulous combination of humectants, emollients and occlusives. Win. Win. Win.

Finally, Don’t Expect Your Skin To Cheer Up Overnight

Healing your skin barrier isn’t something that can be achieved with the click of your fingers. Far from it. It’ll more likely take somewhere between two and four weeks to truly see stronger, happier skin.

Patience is a virtue, people.

Put aside your serums, essences, oils and elixirs for a hot minute because it’s time to focus on the basics. Why? Because they might be basic but they’re actually the most important part of a kick-ass skincare routine…

The basics of a good skincare routine are simple: your skin needs to be cleansed regularly, moisturized effectively and always protected from the damaging rays of the sun. End of. Yes, eye treatments are awesome for targeted puffiness, crow’s feet, dark circles and everything else that causes you grief in the area around your eyes. And sure, antioxidant serums are the bomb for all number of issues like dryness, dullness, wrinkles and dark spots. But if you’re not down with a fabulous cleansing, moisturizing and sun protecting routine, you can forget the rest.

Feel like you’re overlooking what are undoubtedly the most important elements of your skincare regime? Then it’s probably time to get back to basics. Here’s how…

How To Nail The Basic Steps Of A Top Quality Skincare Routine

The first thing to remember with any regime is that no matter your skin type, condition, concerns or budget, your skin is super fragile and needs to be treated with the utmost of respect. This means avoiding tons of parabens, sulfates, phthalates and the like, while simultaneously taking it easy when it comes to potent, active ingredients like retinol and vitamin C. Sure, active ingredients are awesome for your skin – but only in small doses and only if they don’t cause your skin to freak out. Try to remember that.

Now, let’s get down to the specifics of a classic but effective cleansing, moisturizing and sun protecting routine.

1. Cleansing

People often dismiss cleansing as being unimportant, believing you can just wash your face with soap for a few seconds and job done. Not so. We believe cleansing is one of the most essential parts of your routine. Not only does it remove all the impurities from the surface of your skin including excess oils, dead skin cells, sweat, dirt, makeup and pollution, but creating a clean canvas helps set the rest of your routine up to succeed. If you leave all that grime sitting on your skin it will build up, block your pores and cause irritation, breakouts and premature aging. It will also create a barrier which the rest of your products will find almost impossible to penetrate. And what’s the point in investing in fantastic serums and moisturizers if they can’t do their jobs properly? No point. No point at all.

To nail your cleansing routine, do it every morning and every night (nope, facial wipes don’t count) and choose kind formulations that aren’t chock full of stripping alcohols or nasty sulfates like SLS and SLES. Gentle balancing cleansers are great for oily skin but avoid anything that’s too drying as this will overstimulate your sebaceous glands and exacerbate oiliness. Our amazing Charcoal face wash is a sweet choice for oily, combination or acne-prone skin. For the rest of you, try our awesome Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser.

One of our biggest pieces of advice for pro-style cleansing is not to rush. If you spend just a couple of minutes gently massaging your skin as you cleanse you will instantly boost blood flow and lymphatic drainage which brings oxygen to the skin and helps take toxins away. You don’t need to get too handsy, either, just be gentle and use the pads of your fingers to work your cleanser in circular motions all over.

After you’ve massaged your face and neck for two minutes, rinse well – using lukewarm (never hot) water – then pat your skin dry with a fresh, clean towel. Hot water is a major no-no as it strips your skin. And using dirty communal towels the whole family dries their hands with? Not cool for your beautifully cleansed face.

2. Moisturizing

Moisturizing your skin has to be one of the best parts of your routine. Are we right or are we right? There’s just something about smoothing cream or lotion on your skin that feels so darn good. Moisturizing is also vital for taking care of your skin’s barrier function and keeping your skin soft, supple and healthy. So, there’s that.

The best time to moisturize, if you’re not toning or applying treatment serums, is straight after cleansing while your skin is still slightly damp. This helps lock moisture into your skin for extra hydration. Neat huh? Make sure your hands are super clean – they should be because you’ve just cleansed – then apply a quarter-sized amount over your face and neck, using the palms of your hands to smooth it all over. Put your hands in a prayer position, either side of your nose, then press your hands flat onto your skin and work them up and out towards your hairline. Repeat this two or three times, then repeat over your forehead, finishing at your jawline and finally your neck. This should help you create an even layer all over.

If your skin still feels tight, dry or dehydrated, don’t go ahead and pile on more moisturizer. Instead, your skin is trying to tell you that you either need a heavier formulation or that you might benefit from a treatment serum before you moisturize. The same principle applies if your moisturizer feels too rich or heavy. Don’t scrimp on how much you apply, simply switch it up with a lighter gel or lotion formulation. Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer and Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream have both been formulated to suit most skin types, but still, it’s all about listening to your skin, people.

3. Protecting Your Skin From The Sun

The last step in any skincare routine, whether you stick with the basics or go full-on K Beauty on us, is to apply sunscreen. The fact is simple: the sun is the number one cause of skin aging. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation people who apply sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or more every day show 24 percent less skin aging than those who don’t. Now, we don’t know about you, but we’ll take 24 percent less aging in a heartbeat, thanks very much.

Our advice when it comes to applying sunscreen is simple. Smooth it generously over any area of your skin that's not covered by clothing, and apply it every day of the year. Cloudy days? Yes. Snowy days? Even more so. UV radiation is present all year round. End of discussion.

Around half a teaspoon is an ideal amount to generously cover your face and neck, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). And if you’re spending all day outside? Then you'll need to reapply it every two hours and immediately after swimming or sweating. Also, when it comes to specific ingredients, the FDA recognizes just two safe and effective ones for protecting your skin against damaging UV radiation: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Make sure any formulation you choose contains one or both of these.

Simple? Yes. Effective? 100 percent.

Because if your routine is all over the place, your skin could easily end up in the exact same boat.

Do you love your skin? And we’re not talking about your so-called imperfections because you’d be kind of weird if you truly loved your dark spots, lines and pimples. No, what we’re actually talking about is your skin as a whole. That massive and super important organ which accounts for around 15 percent of your entire body weight, covers an average of 20 square feet and is your body’s first line of defense against the world and everything it throws at you.

Understanding your skin and coming to terms with the fact that it may not be what it used to be is the first step to loving your complexion. And the second? Working diligently every single day to help protect, treat and maintain what you now have.

We believe that looking after your skin with a consistent regime is the single most important way to help balance your skin, prevent acne, treat dryness, reduce the visible effects of aging and so on and so forth. By sticking to a routine that includes gentle cleansing, targeted treatments, smart moisturizing and, of course, that all-important sun protection, you can rest assured you’re doing everything you can to manage the effects of time. And by doing this you automatically maximize your skin’s full potential. Which is all you can ask for, right?

So, how do you know what’s the correct routine for you? Well, first you need to understand your skin type.

What’s Your Skin Type?

Sure, you may have days when your skin feels oilier than others, but do you honestly have oily skin? And yes, your skin may feel a little irritated sometimes (don’t we all!), but is it genuinely sensitive?

To work out your true skin type, wash your face with a mild cleanser, then pat it dry and leave it completely bare for an hour or so. After this time, study it in the mirror and feel it with clean hands. If it feels tight and a little itchy it’s dry; if it looks shiny and feels greasy – especially around your t-zone – it’s oily; if it’s a bit of both it’s combination and if it looks the same as it did an hour ago – ie: peachy keen – then we hate you (jokes) because you’ve been blessed with the much-coveted normal skin.

Once you know your skin inside out, you can then tailor a smart routine that caters for both your skin type and your current concerns. Trust us, this knowledge is worth its weight in gold.

How To Build An Awesome Skincare Routine

Here’s how to nail the five most important steps…

1. Cleansing

No matter your skin type, gentle is always the way to go when it comes to cleansing your skin. Choose products that are free of irritating ingredients like sulfates, PEGs, phthalates, silicones and bad alcohols, and make sure you cleanse every morning and night – without fail. Your skin is subject to all manner of toxins, chemicals and pollution throughout the day, not to mention the natural oils and sweat that blend with your makeup and build up on the surface of your skin. All this simply has to go before turning in for the night if you want to keep your skin clean, clear and healthy.

When you cleanse, use lukewarm water only as hot water could cause redness and irritation. Massage your face and neck (don’t forget your neck, people) using the pads of your fingers to boost blood flow and lymphatic drainage, then rinse thoroughly and pat dry with a clean towel. That communal hand towel the whole family uses to dry their hands? Unacceptable for the delicate skin on your face.

2. Toning

After cleansing, don’t forget to spritz your skin with toner. Long gone are the days when toners stripped your skin of every last drop of oil, claiming to be the cat’s whiskers for getting rid of acne spots but often making matters worse. Nowadays, toners are formulated to flood your skin with hydration, antioxidants, minerals, peptides, exfoliating acids, the works.

Even the most sensitive of skin can benefit from toner. Take our Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner, for example. This 100 percent pure and natural Moroccan rose water gently balances, hydrates, calms and heals the skin, making it ideal for all skin types, but particularly great for irritated skin.

Simply mist it all over your skin immediately after cleansing. So easy, but so effective.

3. Treating

Now’s the time to apply your eye treatment and serum. Serum should come first, straight after toning, and remember, less is more. Apply just one or two drops to your fingers, then smooth or press it all over your face and neck. Take care not to massage it in too much as serums are formulated to penetrate your skin without too much effort on your behalf.

Think about what niggles you about your complexion and choose your serum accordingly. Are you concerned with dehydration? Then something with hyaluronic acid or glycerin should be your first port of call. Perhaps you want to target the visible signs of aging. Then you can’t go wrong with retinol. Or maybe your skin is looking dull and you want to up your radiance game. Say hello to vitamin C. We have a whole team of serums just waiting to help deal with your skin woes. You’re welcome.

After applying your serum, allow it to settle for a few minutes while applying an eye cream or gel to moisturize this notoriously dry area and target issues like dark circles or puffiness. The skin around your eyes is around 10 times thinner than the rest of your face, so avoid applying your regular moisturizer here – it could overload the skin and cause irritation or bags.

Again, a tiny amount of eye treatment is plenty, so dispense just one pump between the pads of your ring fingers, then dab it gently all around your eyes, taking care not to apply too much pressure or drag the skin. Big no-no, right there.

4. Moisturizing

Give your serum and eye treatment another minute to settle before applying the next stage in your awesome routine: moisturizer. This will help avoid pilling –  those annoying balls of product that build up on the surface of your skin.

Your moisturizer should be formulated with a blend of humectants (to hydrate) plus emollients and/or occlusives (to smooth and seal in moisture) and should be targeted to your specific skin type. Look out for oil-free, gel formulations if your skin is super oily, and richer butters or balms if you’re extremely dry.

Lotions and creams are ideal for normal or combination skin types, but if they’ve been formulated cleverly they can be great all-rounders for all. Our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer, for example, is an awesome choice for hydrating, moisturizing, brightening and protecting most skin types. Same goes for Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream.

Apply a dime-sized amount all over your face and neck, using the palms of your hands. Start either side of your nose and sweep it out towards the hairline. Repeat this a few times, then work in the same motions over your forehead, chin, jawline and neck.

5. Protecting

Your nighttime regime is now complete. Not so for the morning because there’s one vital component missing here: sun protection. Of course, great serums and moisturizers will be packed with antioxidants to help protect your skin from sun-induced free radical damage, but you must further protect it with a broad-spectrum sunscreen every day of the year: rain or shine.

Unlike the rest of your regime, sun protection is not something you can afford to scrimp on. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends a good nickel-sized dollop for your face, so don't be tight and apply it evenly and generously.

Now, Stick With It, People

You know your skin type, you’ve pinned down an awesome routine, now all that’s left to do is to stick with it. Of course, the odd lazy evening when you’re too tired to spend 10 minutes on your skin is OK, but try to keep up with a consistent routine as much as you can. And no matter how tired you are, at least cleanse and moisturize your precious skin before bed.

Your skin will thank you for it, we promise.

Whether you’re off to college, back at the office or doing the morning school run, life’s about to get busy. But don’t let your skin suffer; just 10 minutes is all it takes to get your skin ready to face the world again…

Summer is almost over and the goose is getting fat. No wait, sorry, wrong season. Thankfully, there are no fir trees and holiday lights to contend with quite yet, but still, with the kids going back to school, college life beginning and offices opening up for business, life is certainly moving up a gear. 

With the start of new beginnings comes the stress of juggling your morning skincare routine. And when time is of the essence, spending 30 minutes looking after yours truly is often the first thing to go. But your skin shouldn’t suffer simply because you have a million other things to do before getting out of the house by 8 am. You just need to hone your morning routine to maximize your time.

And that’s exactly what we plan to do with this 10-minute super-speedy step-by-step skincare routine that’s short on time, but big on benefits. Because even the minimum amount of effort can make the world of difference to your skin… and when you look good, you feel great.

Step 1: The 2-Minute Cleanse

Start strong by spending a good two minutes cleansing your face and neck. You shouldn’t have too much grime to contend with after washing your face before bed, but still, cleansing is a great way to boost blood flow and lymphatic drainage to bring oxygen and nutrients to your skin while flushing away toxins.

Use a radiance boosting cleanser like Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser which contains potent antioxidants and aloe vera to maximize your glow and set your skin up for success. Massage the pads of your fingers over your skin in circular motions, then rinse with lukewarm water and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

Step 2: Tone In 30 Seconds

Don’t be tempted to dismiss toner, just because you can’t be bothered. This is the speediest step of all and toning’s a great way to drench your skin with extra moisture and feed it with nutrients and antioxidants. What’s more our Ocean Minerals and Rose Water toners both come in handy spray bottles, so all it takes is a few spritzes over your face and you’re done. In all honesty, 30 seconds is being generous. You could probably nail this step in 10.

Step 3: Set Aside 2 Minutes For Your Serum

As soon as you’ve toned, apply your favorite treatment serum straight away, while your skin is still damp. This will help lock all the moisture and goodness into your skin – plus that’s an extra 30 seconds saved, right there!

Dispense just two or three drops of serum to the pads of your fingers, then gently pat and press it evenly over your face and neck. You don’t need to spend too much time massaging it in because its small molecular makeup should allow it to absorb into your skin with very little effort.

We have many serums to choose from, depending on your skin type and concerns, but our current go-to for instant get-up-and-go skin is Vitamin C Super Serum+. How so? Because it’s literally chock-full of everything your skin needs to face the day. We’re talking vitamin C to brighten and protect; hyaluronic acid and glycerin to hydrate; niacinamide to strengthen and plump up your skin, plus a list of skin-loving essential oils as long as your arm. It also contains salicylic acid to exfoliate your skin into the bargain – so no need to add that extra step into your morning routine.

Step 4: A Minute On The Eyes

Next, spend just a mere minute dabbing a moisturizing treatment around your eyes. Much better than slapping moisturizer all over the eye area which can be too heavy and cause puffiness, a targeted treatment will hydrate and moisturize the skin around your eyes while attacking things like dark circles and bags at the same time.

Pat or press Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream all around the eye area, using your ring fingers to reduce unnecessary pressure and remember, a tiny amount goes a long way.

Step 5: Multi-Task For One And A Half

OK, now’s the time to breathe and relax for a couple of minutes to allow your serum and eye cream to fully absorb into your skin. This is super important if you don’t want to end up with pilling – that’s when too many products build up on the surface of your skin and form annoying little flakes or granules.

Take this time to brush your teeth, make some coffee, shout at your kids, pack your bag or whatever else might float your boat.

Step 6: Moisturize In 2 Minutes

After a few minutes resting time, apply moisturizer to feed your skin with oils and nutrients and to help seal in hydration.

We love Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer as a morning skin pick-me-up. Work a quarter-sized amount between the palms of your hands and fingers, then place your hands in a prayer position on either side of your nose and smooth your hands up and out towards your hairline. Repeat this a few times to ensure an even coverage, then repeat the same action over your forehead, chin and jawline.

Step 7: 60 Seconds For The Finishing Touches

Great skincare means you shouldn’t need much makeup, but good news, you have a whole minute left to use as you please. SPF is vital, of course, so apply this first, then finish with lip balm, gloss, mascara or whatever you need to face the day.

And stop the clock, you’re done!

Your skin, and how you look after it, can deeply impact your emotional well-being. Here’s how to boost your confidence and lift your spirits by learning to love and care for the skin you’re in.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we firmly believe your skin can play a major role in your state of mind.

Think about how you feel when you look at your face in the mirror. Those ‘off’ days when your complexion looks kinda lousy rarely fill you with confidence. But other days when your skin seems to naturally glow from within? Priceless for your self-esteem. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. More serious skin concerns like rosacea, eczema or hormonal acne can often stop people from leaving the house and living a normal, day-to-day life. In a 2014 study carried out by the National Rosacea Society, for example, a massive 90 percent of rosacea patients reported low self-confidence and over half said they avoided regular face-to-face contact.

The fact is simple: your skin plays a vital role in the way you feel about yourself. When it looks and feels awesome, you feel better about yourself. It’s just the way the human psyche works. But the thing is, we’re all different and your skin and its condition should never define you. Yes, your crow’s feet might drive you crazy and sure, that zit on your chin is as annoying as hell. But remember, 1) you're not alone – imperfect skin is perfectly normal and 2) nobody notices your 'flaws' as much as you do. 

If you’re feeling stressed about your complexion, however, here are a few ways to help you fall in love with your skin again – and up your self-confidence levels at the same time.

1. Enjoy A Consistent Routine

While trying new products and upping your skincare game is fabulous within reason, having a consistent skincare routine allows for true noticeable results to start happening. This makes it one of the best ways to maintain healthy skin. You wouldn’t skip brushing your teeth every other morning, would you? Then respect your skin in exactly the same way.

Set aside five or 10 minutes or so each morning and evening to gently cleanse, tone, treat and moisturize your skin using the best ingredients and formulations for your skin. And remember, apply them according to their instructions and always in the correct order. Look after your skin – especially before bed when it’s getting ready to regenerate and revive itself – and your skin will look after you.

Having a regular morning and evening skincare routine doesn't just benefit your skin, however. It also helps give you structure, grounding and has been proven to improve mental stability. Studies show that people who have more consistent routines throughout the day are less likely to suffer with mood problems and depression. To boost your state of mind even further, use products that make you feel good and you enjoy using like our Vitamin C Super Serum+ which contains essential oils like pink grapefruit, lavender and ylang ylang to help lift your mood and alleviate anxiety.

2. Get Your Glow On With A Weekly Pampering Session

Taking care of your skin is awesome for your mental health because it allows you to focus on yourself and stop worrying about all the other stuff that might be stressing you out. Set aside one hour a week to pamper your skin and you will immediately improve your well-being (not to mention your complexion) without even thinking about it. Lock the bathroom door, light a candle, run a bath, play some calming music and drink wine (hells yeah). Whatever you need to switch off and concentrate on you.

During this time, you might also want to think about indulging your senses with a little facial massage. Massaging your skin is one of the best ways to boost circulation and help lymphatic drainage for firmer, smoother, more radiant skin. This relaxation process also sends messages to your brain that it’s time to be calm which lowers the production of cortisol (the stress hormone) and simultaneously reduces your anxiety levels. Try a two or three minute facial massage as you cleanse your skin with warm water and our skin brightening Vitamin C Daily Cleanser. Close your eyes to focus your mind, then work the pads of your fingers all over your face and neck using gentle but firm circular motions.

Sidenote: when your skin looks glowing and radiant, nobody will even notice your wrinkles or age spots. Oh, the power of a little me-time.

3. Break Your Bad Beauty Habits

Do you touch your face all the time, therefore spreading germs, chemicals and bacteria all over your skin? Perhaps you just can’t resist picking at your pimples, always making them so much worse… Bad habits are often a sign of stress, anxiety or just plain boredom, and while some are harmless, the aforementioned spell disaster for your skin.

Take control of your bad beauty habits by understanding when and why you do them. Figuring out your triggers allows you to understand the reason for your actions and enables you to find alternatives that don’t totally screw up your skin. For example, if you find yourself picking your face in the evening when you’re bored watching TV, find something else to do with your hands like knitting. Can’t resist scrutinizing your skin before bed looking for something, anything to squeeze? Then throw out your magnifying mirror. Nobody ever sees your skin at such a close range, so gouging out that tiny blackhead and risking more damage than reward? So not worth it.

If you're looking for support with mental health issues or would like to help raise awareness of Mental Health Awareness Month, please head to Mental Health America for more information.