True Radical Honesty From Our Community

If you have sensitive skin, your best defense isn’t to overload it with a gazillion products in an attempt to ‘cure’ your sensitivities. Instead, it’s all about going back to basics to strengthen and care for your skin’s barrier function.

It's a fact, the uppermost layer of your skin really gets put through the mill. From constant cleansing through to the daily grind of heat, cold, sun, wind, pollution and central heating (need we go on?), its job to protect and defend your body comes under so much stress it’s a wonder it copes.

But that’s the thing: oftentimes, it doesn’t. And this is when problems like inflammation and flare-ups set in.

So, let’s have a look at the skin barrier to see what we can do to keep it at its very best, shall we?

What Exactly Is The Skin Barrier?

Your skin consists of three main layers. At the lowest level is the hypodermis (also known as subcutaneous tissue) which keeps your skin attached to your bones and muscle, supplies it with blood, and pads and insulates your body. Next, you’ll find the dermis which is where you’ll find your hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels and connective tissues. And at the very top is the protective layer, the epidermis, which serves primarily as a barrier to things like water, pollution, infection and damage.

The epidermis is split into many more layers but the uppermost layer is the one we’re concerned about here: the stratum corneum. Why? Because when we talk about your skin’s barrier function, the stratum corneum is where it all happens.

The stratum corneum is your body’s first line of defense and it works super hard to protect you from the environment and everything it throws at you. It’s kind of like a brick wall, built from around 20 layers of cells – although this is different for everyone and varies in certain areas of the body. These layers are made primarily of keratin, held in place by lipids such as ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids. Together with your skin’s NMF (natural moisturizing factor) these work to keep the skin soft, supple, healthy and moisturized.

What Happens When Your Barrier Function Is Compromised?

Simple: if your stratum corneum is thin and/or weakened it won’t work as efficiently as it should to retain moisture and block out irritants. Cue dryness, dehydration and sensitivities such as itching, inflammation, redness, rashes and so on. And that's not all. Skin disorders like eczema, psoriasis and rosacea are also thought to be exacerbated or even triggered by an impaired skin barrier.

But why do some people have a weaker barrier function than others? Well, everyone’s skin composition is different (hello genetics), but there are a few factors to take into consideration when determining how strong and healthy your personal barrier function is. For starters, pale skin generally has a thinner stratum corneum than darker skin types which means its barrier doesn’t function as well and it’s more prone to irritation. Oh, and guess what? Your skin barrier weakens as you age, so while your skin might have been super strong and resilient in your 20s, by the time you hit your 30s this might no longer be the case. Aging. Ruthless.

5 Ways To A Better Skin Barrier Function

The good news is there are plenty of ways to care for your barrier function, strengthen your skin and therefore reduce sensitivities. Here are five simple ways to do all of the above.

1. Ditch The Harsh Cleansers

One of the worst things you can do for your skin’s barrier is to strip away all of its natural oils when washing your face. Be kind as you cleanse by using lukewarm, never hot water and choose your ingredients wisely. Surfactants like sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) are often used in cleansers because they’re very good at cleaning the skin. But we think they’re a little too effective and this can end up leaving your barrier dry and compromised. This is why sulfates get a big no from us. Instead, look for gentler surfactants in your cleansers like disodium laureth sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate. We use these in our cleansers as they’re known to be much kinder and way more skin-friendly than SLS and SLES. 

2. Don’t Over-Exfoliate

As with the downsides of over-zealous cleansing, exfoliating your skin too much or too often can also damage your poor old stratum corneum. Skin cells have a life cycle of around 28 days in which time they form, mature and shed. This cycle often becomes sluggish and needs a little kick up the butt with things like exfoliation and chemical peels, but if you go too crazy you can end up causing more harm than good.

If you’re a fan of chemical peels, ask your derm to recommend the best frequency plan for your skin type and when it comes to at-home exfoliation? Replace super harsh scrubs that contain damaging particles like ground nut shells with gentle chemical exfoliators like lactic acid.

3. Embrace Antioxidants

Environmental stressors such as pollution and sun exposure are massive threats to the skin’s barrier function which is why we truly believe that protecting your skin is just as important as treating it well. Make sure you wear a daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen that has an SPF of 30 or above and never underestimate the powers of a good antioxidant serum to help counteract the damage caused by free radicals. Vitamin E and niacinamide are great options because they help repair barrier function and are tolerable by most skin types.

4. Boost Your NMF With The Right Ingredients

Your skin’s natural moisturizing factor (NMF) is a clever and very efficient way for your skin to keep itself naturally hydrated and healthy – but as you get older and subject it to the daily grinds of life, it needs help with some choice moisturizing ingredients.

Most derms and skin experts will tell you that ceramides are some of the most important ingredients for helping to up your NMF and restore your skin’s barrier. Ceramides are lipids that hold everything together in the stratum corneum but they’re greatly reduced by aging and environmental damage, so it totally figures that adding extras into your skincare routine will be beneficial in the long-term.

Similarly, humectants like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe and urea are great ways to draw water into the skin, while emollient or occlusive ingredients like jojoba oil and colloidal oatmeal will seal it all in to help your barrier heal and repair itself.

5. Eat Well, Sleep Well & Try Not To Stress

This may be easier said than done but leading a healthier lifestyle in which you keep stress to a minimum, get eight hours of sleep and eat a balanced diet will go a long way in protecting and repairing your skin’s barrier from the inside out. Stress and lack of sleep have both been proven to weaken the skin’s barrier by slowing down its healing process, so do everything you can to be more zen and get your zzzs on a regular basis. This is important stuff, OK?

When it comes to what you eat, avoid refined carbs and sugars which are the devil and introduce more healthy fats such as omega-3 into your diet. Omega-3 is vital for a top dollar barrier function, so up your quota by eating more fatty fish like salmon and mackerel.

Finally, if your skin is causing you real concerns, it probably needs more help than you can offer it at home, so never hesitate to seek advice from a skincare professional. It may be that you’ve become intolerant to a certain ingredient in a product or become allergic to a specific type of food. And these are not things you can easily diagnose at home. Trust us, we've been there... 

Good news: at night, while you catch up on valuable zzzs, your body and skin go into overdrive to repair damage from the day. And this, dear friends is why we truly believe that sleep is one of the most important players in your skincare arsenal. 

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, there are very few skincare tricks as effective as a good night’s sleep. Yes, daily broad-spectrum sunscreen is imperative for warding off the signs of premature aging, and if you skip moisturizer on a regular basis, especially as you get older? Well, you can say goodbye to that baby-soft skin you took for granted in your teens and early 20s.

But when all is said and done, if you deprive yourself of quality sleep time, you might as well throw the rest of your skincare routine in the trash.

Here, we lay out the facts about beauty sleep and why you 100 percent need it – if nothing else but for the sake of your wrinkles.

1. If you’re anywhere between the ages of 18 and 64, the National Sleep Foundation recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. This means if you’re up every day at 7 am to workout before work or take the dog for a walk, you need to be turning in at midnight at the very latest – but preferably by 10 pm.

Why do we need so much sleep? Because it ‘powers the mind, restores the body and fortifies virtually every system in the body,’ explain sleep experts at the foundation.

2. What does this mean specifically for your skin? Well, as your brain goes into rest mode, your skin does the exact opposite. Blood flow to the skin increases which nourishes it with valuable nutrients; cell turnover accelerates to bring fresh, healthy skin cells to the surface, and collagen production revs up big time. Collagen is a super important protein in your body that works like glue to hold everything together. When it comes to your skin, collagen is basically responsible for its structure, firmness and plumpness. In short, lots of collagen is very good. Short supplies, not so much.

Aging, a cruddy diet, too much sun and smoking are all major enemies of collagen, but sleep is its BFF. So, beauty lesson number one? More sleep = more collagen = more youthful-looking skin. 

3. Plenty of other things are also going on while you sleep, so let’s talk about hormones for a hot minute.

First up, is cortisol, or as it’s otherwise known, the stress hormone. Cortisol not only regulates your levels of stress, but also your blood pressure, immune system and metabolism. Levels of cortisol vary throughout the day, being high in the morning and gradually decreasing into the evening. When you fall asleep these levels drop dramatically, which means if you miss out on valuable sleep your body continues to produce cortisol. This puts unwanted stress on pretty much every important internal bodily function, and spells disaster for your skin as too much cortisol completely wrecks its ability to heal and regenerate. It can also cause flare-ups and exacerbate skin conditions like rosacea, eczema and psoriasis.

4. While we’re on the hormone topic, melatonin also needs a mention. Melatonin – often thought of simply as a sleep supplement you buy from your local CVS – is actually a hormone produced naturally by your body when it’s dark to help it repair itself as you sleep. It has awesome antioxidant properties, so just like vitamin C and niacinamide, helps reduce skin aging by fighting damaging free radicals that are caused by those environmental bad guys: namely UV radiation and pollution. 

Beauty lesson number two: lack of sleep = less melatonin = more skin damage.

5. The last hormone we’d like to bring to your attention is HGH, the human growth hormone. Like melatonin, this is produced naturally by your body during deep sleep to help maintain your organs and build strength in your tissues and muscles. HGH production decreases with age which is why it becomes increasingly harder to build muscle, bone density and exercise stamina as you get older. It’s also one of the reasons your skin becomes thinner over time.

Note to selves. Up your sleep levels to help your body produce as much HGH as your age will allow.

6. As we previously mentioned, sleep is vital for maintaining a balanced metabolism. Well, it also helps regulate your blood sugar levels which is super important for reducing sugar cravings.

A diet that’s high in simple carbs and refined sugars results in a process called glycation which leads to inflammation in your skin and a significant disruption to your collagen and elastin production. Glycation also produces skin damaging free radicals which drive a further nail in the coffin of your hopes for a long-lasting youthful complexion.

7. If you’ve ever woken up after a night of poor sleep (wine, what wine?) only to be faced with puffy eyes and dark circles, you’ll be more than aware of how much the skin around your eyes feels the hit of sleep deprivation. But why? Unfortunately, the exact science is a little unclear, but lack of sleep definitely makes eyes dry and irritated, so this could be one reason for the inflammation and/or swelling. It also causes the blood vessels under the thin skin around your eyes to dilate which increases blood retention and creates that infamous dark tint.

Too much cortisol may also be partly to blame for eye puffiness. High levels in your bloodstream change the salt balance in your body which makes it retain water and cause unwanted swelling.

8. The process of repair and regeneration that happens as you sleep also helps strengthen your skin’s natural, protective barrier. If your skin barrier is compromised – which may happen if you keep up a shabby sleep routine – it fails in its job to hold the good stuff (water) in as well as to keep the bad stuff (chemicals, UV, pollution and bacteria) out. 

And there's life lesson number three: lack of sleep = poor barrier function = dry, dehydrated skin.

So, what should you take away from all this sleep intel? Simple. Number one, never underestimate the power of a good night's rest. If your skin is looking particularly sad or your under eye circles are out of control, turning in early should be an absolute priority. No arguments. And number two, overnight is a great time to help boost your skin's natural healing and repairing processes with some quality skincare products. Look to ingredients like retinol to amp up your anti-aging game, try hyaluronic acid to moisturize or go for salicylic acid to help unblock pores and improve cell turnover.

Trust us, your skin will be super grateful come the morning.

When it comes to new skincare products, patience is a virtue. So, don’t get mad when your vitamin C serum doesn’t give you instantly glowing skin. Just get real and give it a chance.

We bet you’ve all been there: invested in a fancy, new overnight glow-getting serum that’s promised to give you radiant skin just like the advertising campaign portrays. You’ve smoothed it lovingly over your face with nervous excitement and anticipation of the miracle results you ‘know’ you’re going to be faced with after just one application… Then you’ve been sorely disappointed when you wake up with the same, average-looking complexion the next morning. Sigh.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Even the most seasoned beauty editor has put their every hope on a new product being ‘the one.’ But unlike your favorite red lipstick or those sexy black Manolos, skincare rarely offers such instant gratification.

So, how long should it really take before you see results from your new whizz-bang skincare product? Well, it all depends on the job that product is trying to accomplish. Is it a basic moisturizer simply there to relieve surface dryness? Then, yes, it should do that straight away. But if it's a retinol cream you’re hoping will help reduce enlarged pores and fine lines, it’s all about the long game, or more specifically working with your skin’s natural life cycle.

Here’s the deal. Your skin is constantly regenerating itself. Skin cells form within the deepest layers of your epidermis, then as they mature they work their way up to the surface of your skin where they die and shed. (Fun fact: you lose about 50 million skin cells every day. Yes, that's a lot.)

The life cycle of your skin takes around 28 days in an average adult, but it's much quicker when you’re younger and continually slows down as you age – no surprise there. This means any skincare product that works on a deeper, cellular level will also take at least 28 days to take effect and work on every cell that’s reached the surface of your skin. Makes sense? We hope so.

If you’re not sure what to expect from a new skincare product, the general rule of thumb is to give it about a month to do its best work. But let’s break it down a little more, shall we?

The Instant Gratifiers

Products that don’t claim to work on a deeper, cellular level are quite capable of getting the job done instantly. Most cleansers, for example, are simply there to remove dirt, oil and makeup from the surface of your skin so they're able to take care of business without requiring weeks of waiting. Similarly, toners, exfoliators and face masks all offer instant results because they work primarily on the uppermost levels of your skin. And we’re not saying this is a bad thing. Far from it. You just need to know that instant results rarely offer long-term advantages.

There are two main exceptions to this rule, however. Namely chemical exfoliation and moisturizer.

Chemical exfoliators such as those containing glycolic acid, lactic acid and salicylic acid offer both short and long-term benefits. A chemical exfoliator’s main job is to help accelerate sluggish cell turnover by loosening the bonds between dead skin cells so they’re able to shed more easily. This not only gives you instantly more radiant skin, but helps improve the strength, thickness, texture and tone of your skin in the long-term. Some may also help prevent congestion and pimples with continued use.

Depending on what you were using before, a new moisturizer might also give you both immediate and long-term benefits. Most moisturizers contain a combination of humectants, emollients and/or occlusives to draw moisture into your skin and hold it there. This offers all manner of instant relief such as immediate hydration and skin softening benefits. But you’ll also reap enhanced results over time (usually between two and six weeks) as all these ingredients work hard to maintain moisture and improve your skin’s barrier function.

Moisturizers (and in some cases, cleansers) may also contain other active ingredients such as retinol or vitamin C, so if this is the case you should always play the slightly longer waiting game for the best results.

Speaking of which…

The Long Game Players

Any formulation that works on a deep, cellular level and causes semi-permanent changes to the biological makeup of your skin will need at least four weeks of patience and continued use. This will allow the active ingredients to work on a whole cycle of skin cells, by which point those cells will be visible on the surface to give you an indication of how effective (or not) the product has been.

Long game players include the likes of retinoids, growth factors, peptides, antioxidants like vitamin C and any ingredient that claims to treat acne. And while we said that 28 days is the sweet spot for the tortoises in this skincare race, sometimes six or seven weeks is required before you’ll see the best results. In fact retinol often only reaps true rewards after two months of continued use. We repeat, patience is a virtue.

When it comes to treating discolorations, be extra sensible with your expectations – especially during summer when those evil rays from the sun will be fighting hard to combat any good you’re doing with your active skincare routine. Give all brightening products (yes, even hydroquinone) two or three months to do their best work and wear a broad-spectrum SPF daily to ensure the sun doesn’t win the pigmentation war.

Finally, Don’t Forget

Introducing new products into your skincare routine should never be rushed. Always perform a patch test first to help reduce irritation, and only ever introduce new products one at a time, giving yourself two weeks before trying another. This will help you understand if there are certain products and ingredients your skin might not tolerate.

Any new product that makes your skin itchy, sore, red, peel or break out means it might not be the right fit for your routine. Granted, some ingredients such as retinol have this kind of ‘purging’ effect in the short-term, but if symptoms persist or get worse, stop using it and visit a board-certified expert for advice.

Are you suffering with flare-ups around your chin and cheeks? Chances are they’re all down to wearing a face mask for prolonged periods of time. The good news is we can help with that.

The world in which we currently live has created so many challenges to our health it’s hard to keep up. But it doesn’t look like Covid-19 is going away any time soon and the impacts of this extremely complicated virus are very real. We’re not qualified to go too deep into this horrible disease, but what we can do is help with one issue that’s become a real struggle for many people: acne on the cheeks, chin and jawline that's caused by the constant mask-wearing we're faced with for the foreseeable future, otherwise known as maskne.

What Is Maskne?

Maskne is not a new phenomenon. Any healthcare worker can tell you that wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) 24/7 can cause nasty reactions on the skin. It’s just that you and we are not used to it and so, with the help of Instagram and Twitter, we’ve given it a new name;)
 
The real medical term for maskne, however, is acne mechanica.
 
Acne mechanica is a term given to localized acne spots caused by pressure, friction and/or continued rubbing against the skin. This stress irritates the hair follicles and results in a build-up of oil, dirt, sweat and bacteria. And there are no prizes for guessing what all those nasties end up doing to the skin. Breakouts galore.

As well as healthcare workers, footballers often feel the brunt of acne mechanica across the tops of their backs and shoulders thanks to constantly wearing shoulder pads. Truck drivers may also suffer with it where their backs rub against their seats. And now, the nation is feeling their pain thanks to the necessity of wearing a face mask in public to help reduce the spread of Covid-19.

But friction isn’t the only cause of maskne. All that warm, moist breath creates a delicious environment for bacteria to breed on your skin. And when you couple this with the synthetic materials most masks are made of (yes, we’re talking to you nylon, rayon, polyester and acrylic)? Well, your skin stands literally no chance of fighting maskne.

Actually, we take that back, because with a little know-how and some top notch skincare swag, you can totally win the maskne war. Here’s how…

5 Ways To Prevent & Treat Maskne

1. Keep Your Skin Clean And Moisturized

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the number one way to prevent mask-related skin irritations is to cleanse and moisturize your skin well and often.

Keep some fragrance-free, biodegradable cleansing wipes in your purse for quick, on-the-go cleansing, and thoroughly wash your skin both morning and night with a gentle, non-pore clogging cleanser. We love our Charcoal Face Wash which contains activated coconut charcoal to absorb oil and balance your complexion, plus soothing aloe and antibacterial lavender.

And word on the street is that you folks love it, too…

“I noticed a big difference after using this for three days,” explains TruSkin customer, Liz Brown.
 
“I had started breaking out in my mask area around my chin and jaw line. I’m 41 and was breaking out like a teenager. <But this> works great! I plan on keeping using this and even made a Facebook post telling all my family and friends,” she adds.

Thanks Liz, we're so glad you love it as much as we do.

For an effective clean, always wash your hands first, then massage the cleanser over your damp face and neck using the pads of your fingers to gently work it all over. Rinse thoroughly and gently pat dry with a clean towel.

After cleansing, whatever other skincare serums and treatments you like to use and however oily your skin is, never forget to moisturize as this will not only strengthen your natural protective barrier, but will help reduce friction and irritation from your mask. Go for light, but effective moisturizers that contain humectants and emollients rather than heavy occlusive ingredients like butters and oils.

2. Be Mask Savvy

Having the right kind of mask to best protect yourself from Covid-19 is obviously the most important thing here and experts agree that those with at least two tightly woven layers of fabric are the most effective.

To help reduce maskne, swap out masks made from synthetic fabric for 100 percent cotton. Cotton is lightweight, washable, breathable and allows moisture and heat to escape way more easily than its synthetic counterparts, so make sure you stock up on a few so you’re never without. Also, ensure your mask fits snugly, but comfortably, as this will offer further protection while reducing irritation at the same time.

Another important piece of mask advice is to clean yours after each use and especially after exercising. This will help get rid of saliva, nasal secretions, dead skin cells and microbes from hanging around in your mask and doing their dirty deeds. Pop yours in the laundry regularly – using a fragrance-free, hypoallergenic detergent – or hand wash it after every use using mild soap or shampoo.

3. Skip The Heavy Makeup

In an ideal sitch, we’d say go makeup-free whenever you need to wear your mask. But we know many of you would rather eat your own toenail clippings than venture into the outside world with no makeup on. Caking your skin in heavy foundation, however, will just exacerbate flare-ups, so try to go light and oil-free all the way.

Tinted moisturizers are great if you like wearing a light dose of color to even out your skin tone, but if your skin craves more coverage, try mineral foundations. These are generally non-pore clogging so are perfect for oily or problematic skin types. They also protect your skin from the sun as an added bonus. Woot.

4. Go Easy With Active Skincare Ingredients

When your skin is irritated and sensitized its barrier function has been compromised. This means strong, active ingredients such as retinol, antioxidants, AHAs and BHAs could cause even further problems to the surface of your skin including redness, itching, dryness and peeling.

To keep irritations to a minimum, curb your actives for a short while by applying them on a less frequent basis (perhaps every two or three days, rather than daily) or choosing gentler formulations that contain lower concentrations of active ingredients.

Also, if your skin is really suffering, the AAD recommends sticking with what you know rather than introducing new, potentially irritating products into your daily routine.

“To reduce skin problems, avoid trying harsh products such as chemical peels, exfoliants or retinoids for the first time,” recommends board-certified dermatologist Daniela Kroshinsky, MD, MPH, FAAD.

5. Remember, No Touching

Avoid transferring even more bacteria, dirt and oil to your skin by keeping your hands well away from your face. Yeah, yeah, we know your hands have probably never been so clean, but still, they have no place touching your skin. End of.

Finally, if you’ve tried everything but your skin is still suffering, please don’t hesitate to contact a skincare professional for advice. It may be that your breakouts are being caused by something other than your face mask, but an expert will be able to diagnose this far better than you.

High on stress and low on rest? The delicate skin around your eyes will be the first to suffer.

With the world dictating some major mask-wearing for the forseeable future, your eyes have never been more important. Annoying, then, that the skin around your eyes is thin, fragile and prone to dryness, meaning it ages super-fast and totally gives the game away when you're tired. Sigh.

So, if you're looking for the best ways to solve inevitable eye issues such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging, puffiness and dark circles, you've come to the right place.

Here are our top three ways to up your anti-aging eyecare game.

1. Don’t Underestimate The Power Of A Good Night’s Sleep

Even though the sleep sweet spot is between seven and nine hours a night, a whopping 40 percent of Americans get less than seven hours. That’s a lot of people not getting enough zzzs, and a lot of you whose appearance is probably suffering because of it. You’ve all been there, right? Woken up after a crappy night’s sleep only to be faced with dark circles and bags under your eyes. So not what the beauty doctor ordered.

The harsh truth is that skipping on sleep does a real number on the skin around your eyes. Lack of sleep makes your blood vessels dilate (hello dark circles), leads to water retention (ditto puffy eyes) and can even decrease moisture levels in your skin (dry skin, be damned). You know that term ‘beauty sleep’? Yeah, that.

The solution? Go to bed earlier, for one; skip caffeine in the evening; don’t eat too late and disconnect yourself from your smartphone at least 30 minutes before you turn in. Words With Friends can wait until the morning.

2. Add An Eye Cream To Your Skincare Routine

As well as it being thinner and more fragile, the skin around the eyes is generally drier than the rest of your face, so it requires extra moisturization and a delicate touch. It also gets a vigorous, daily workout due to constant muscle movement from talking, squinting, frowning, laughing, eye rolling, the works. It’s no wonder, then, that the skin around your eyes is among the first areas to show the visible signs of aging.

And this is where a quality eye cream comes into play. Note, the word ‘quality’ – after all, like most skincare formulations, not all eye creams are created equal. We believe it’s all about key ingredients that have been tried and tested to offer results. And our three favorites for the skin around your eyes? Hyaluronic acid, peptides and antioxidants. 

Hyaluronic Acid (HA)

Say hello to the darling of the skincare industry. And rightly so because hyaluronic acid does, for sure, pack a very powerful hydrating punch which is super-important for the dry skin around your eyes. Countless studies prove that HA holds more than 1,000 times its weight in water giving it an amazing ability to draw moisture into the skin. Just remember, however, if a product formulation doesn’t include some kind of occlusive emollient to seal in the moisture, it’ll just evaporate from the surface of your skin rendering all that delicious HA, well, kinda pointless.

Occlusive emollients include things like ceramides, cocoa and shea butter, squalane and various oils such as jojoba and olive.    

Peptides

Peptides are small chemical compounds that create the building blocks of essential proteins such as collagen, elastin and keratin. It’s a little confusing, we know, but bear with us. Without these proteins, skin loses its firmness, smoothness and suppleness, so the objective for peptides in skincare is to help stimulate collagen and elastin production for healthier, more youthful-looking skin. Make sense? Good.

By strengthening the skin, peptides have also been shown to help improve dark circles under the eyes and the appearance of puffiness. Gotta love that.

Antioxidants

If you don’t stop pesky free radicals (caused mostly by environmental damage) from damaging valuable collagen and elastin in your skin, your eyes will pay the price and leave you with any number of concerns including crow’s feet and sagging skin.

And the only way to win the free radical battle? With antioxidants such as vitamins C and E which have the unique capacity to neutralize free radicals before they get the chance to strike.

In case you were wondering, our Anti-Aging Eye Cream and Eye Gel both contain all of the above (group hug).

To make the most from your eye treatment, never use too much and try not to be too heavy-handed with it. This means a tiny dab (less than a pea-size) should be enough for both eyes.

Apply it to one ring finger, then press it between your other ring finger to get an even distribution for each eye. Next, lightly press, don’t rub, each ring finger around each eye, working it around the orbital bones and over your brows as instructed on the label. Using your ring fingers rather than your forefingers means you’ll get a much lighter touch which reduces dragging (read: wrinkles). 

3. Make Better Lifestyle Choices

Whether it’s sugar, salt, alcohol or a combination of all three, your vices are the source of many skin concerns. All three of these oh-so-good, yet oh-so-bad treats are extremely dehydrating and not only exacerbate dryness to your skin but may cause fluid retention, sagging skin and dark circles under your eyes.
 
Sugar, specifically, is seen as the root of many skin evils. One word: glycation. Glycation is the name of the process in which sugar molecules attach themselves to proteins (namely collagen) and fats in your skin, causing them to become stiff and inflexible. The end result is a severe loss in your skin’s elasticity and an acceleration in the visible signs of aging.
 
Instead of constantly over-indulging in salt, sugar and booze, up your intake of beans, oily fish, nuts, tomatoes and leafy green veggies.

Boring, we know, but totally worth it in the long run.

Applying your products in the wrong order or in record-breaking time is asking for serious trouble. So, if dry patches, itchy skin and flare-ups are so not your jam, let’s get this layering malarkey nailed, shall we?

Knowing when (and when not) to apply your skincare products can be something of an art form. Does your antioxidant serum come before or after your moisturizer? And what about sunscreen? Also, are you supposed to wait a few minutes between applications or can you just go for it and layer to your heart’s content?
 
So. Many. Questions.
 
But don’t worry, because we’ve all been faced with the dilemma of which battalion of serum to apply first and thought 'what the heck, I’m gonna apply them both – together.' Instant regret.

So, should you hone down your regime into a couple of key products? Or do you simply need to learn how to play the skincare cocktailing game? Actually, it’s kind of up to you and the concerns you want to address. But if you need a little help getting started, we’ve put together a four-step guide to the art of skincare layering.
 
Here it goes...

1. Understand Your Skin

Some of you can get away with applying product after product with no adverse reaction (lucky you), but this is not the case for everyone. For example, while a nightly dose of 1 percent retinol could be a slam dunk for many of you, it might be way too intense for anyone with sensitive or dry skin.

The key is to understand your skin and learn what it does and does not like. And the best way to do this? Always patch test a new product before trying it all over your face. This way you’ll learn if your skin becomes irritated by a particular ingredient. Also, give new products a chance to work before you write them off completely. Your skin takes between four and six weeks to turnover, so the general rule of thumb is to give new products this amount of time to really do their thing. No judging after 24 hours, OK? Unless you’ve had a negative reaction, of course. Then you’re totally OK to judge. And to stop using it.

One other thing: if you ever become sensitive to one of your favorite serums, but can't bear to trash it, try applying a gentle moisturizer first to reduce its potency and cause less irritation. And if it still causes issues? Then it’s time to say ciao.

2. Get Some Order 

When it comes to knowing what to apply when, obviously you know that cleanser happens first, then toner. But what should come next? Well, if you’re using some kind of treatment serum for acne or pigmentation, for example, this should follow your toner.

Next up would be an antioxidant serum like vitamin C, hyaluronic acid or niacinamide, followed by eye cream, a pimple treatment, moisturizer, face oil and finally a broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning.

Obviously, your skin doesn’t need ALL of these, every day, but moisturizer is the one product everybody should use. Reckon your skin is too good, oily or zitty for moisturizer? Think again. Moisturizer not only locks in, er, moisture, but it balances your skin and seals in all those products you’ve applied previously to help them work more effectively and efficiently. You need it. You just do.

Sunscreen is also vital every morning and, without question, always comes last because most (and especially mineral sunscreens) are formulated to sit on the surface of your skin. If you apply sunscreen before your serum, for example, it’ll literally block it from penetrating your skin. That’s just wasteful.

Not sure if your product is a serum or an oil? Then get a feel of its texture, weight and viscosity and compare it to the rest of your skincare line-up. Then all you need to remember is that your thinnest product should be applied first, with the thickest, most dense product going last.

Makes so much more sense now, right?

3. Don’t Overload Your Skin With Actives

While it may be super-tempting to bombard your skin with AHAs, BHAs, retinol and vitamin C, remember, you can have too much of a good thing. And in this case, too many hard-working, active ingredients can cause breakouts, dryness or in worse cases, severe irritation. Most derms agree that three treatment products is the maximum anyone should apply.

We recommend either sticking with actives that have been cleverly formulated in precise concentrations to work synergistically together (oh hi there, C-Plus Super Serum). Or go for just one main, active ingredient in your morning regimen (vitamin C, for example) and a different one in the evening (retinol, of course).

4. Finally, Take Your Time

Remember, your skincare routine should be something you enjoy, not a race to the finish line, so take time when smoothing products onto your skin. And avoid any frantic rubbing. Slowly and gently pat and press products into your skin as this helps minimize friction and allows them to absorb way better. 

Also, try to give yourself a little breather between product applications. If you pile all your products on in quick succession you could wipe away the previous one, therefore a) wasting it and b) increasing your chance of pilling. Instead, stick the coffee machine on between applications or check your FB feed for a few minutes to allow each product to settle into your skin before applying the next.

These extra minutes will not only be beneficial to your skin and give you the perfect base for your makeup, but they'll help you start off your day on the right foot – ie: not in a complete frenzy.