True Radical Honesty From Our Community

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.

Overnight skincare won’t transform your skin literally overnight, but apply a few carefully chosen formulations before turning in for the night and your skin will reap the benefits in the long term.

Some skincare sceptics firmly believe that night cream is a marketing con. Fools. The thing is, your skin has very different needs at night than during the day. If all you’re looking for in your routine is the basics (clean, moisturized skin) then sure, you’re going to be just fine with a couple of products for day and night. However, if you want to target, treat and prevent more pressing concerns such as fine lines, dark spots and acne, you’ll be sorely disappointed by the results a bog-standard cleanse and moisturize routine will offer.

An effective morning routine, for example, requires antioxidants and sunscreen to protect you from environmental stressors and free radical damage. It may also benefit from lighter day creams that give your skin almost invisible moisturization – the perfect base for priming your skin and facing the day.

In contrast, when you’re asleep, your skin kick-starts a whole regeneration process making it one of the most important times for rich, collagen-boosting products that help improve the health, look and feel of your complexion.

Studies show that people who get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night have skin that’s more moisturized and better able to protect and heal itself than those who sleep for five hours or less. How so? Because when your body rests, blood flow to your skin increases, collagen production ramps up, free radical damage gets repaired and your skin’s super important barrier function is restored. Cut back on your sleep and you deny your skin this precious time to repair itself. This means that compared to the lightweight, protective formulations your skin thrives on during the day, overnight skincare should revolve around boosting collagen, enhancing moisture, replenishing oils and therefore helping to repair and replenish your skin's protective barrier.

Convinced you need to step up your bedtime skincare routine but unwilling to spend hours in the bathroom before turning in for the night? Then you’ve come to the right place because we believe you need just three nighttime skincare formulations to care for your entire complexion. 

Overnight Must-Have #1. A Skin-Restoring Serum

If you’re serious about looking after your skin, you should always apply an overnight facial serum after cleansing. Serums are light, fast-absorbing formulations that have a much smaller molecular structure than moisturizers, meaning they’re able to deliver active ingredients deeper into your skin. We truly believe everyone needs two serums in their skincare lives – one for the morning and one for night – but the formulation you choose will obviously depend on what the issues you want to address. For dryness, HA is always a winner; for dark spots we love vitamin C or niacinamide, and for acne, serums containing salicylic acid or tea tree oil are always a great shout.

If you’re looking for the true gold standard of overnight face serums, however, try a formulation containing retinol like our fabulous Retinol Serum. Retinol is a clever little ingredient that derms, beauty editors and A-listers all swear by. When applied to your skin it triggers and activates certain genes to increase collagen production and stimulate your skin to turn over more efficiently. This not only helps soften, thicken and plump up the skin but offers no end of benefits for enlarged pores, acne, pigmentation and aging skin. If this wasn’t enough to convince you of its superpowers, research also shows that retinol has powerful antioxidant properties to help combat free radical damage.

Overnight Must-Have #2. An Awesome Eye Treatment

Lack of sleep is hell on the skin around your eyes, causing redness, fluid retention, dark circles, lines and wrinkles. Why do your eyes take the hit so badly? Because the skin in this area is thinner, more fragile and contains fewer sebaceous (oil-producing) glands than the rest of your face, so it ages lightning fast. If you think about it, the skin around your eyes also works pretty hard thanks to repetitive movements like blinking, smiling, squinting and so on. Without a targeted eye treatment product, therefore, it stands no chance in the fight against premature aging. And what better way to repair and replenish it than overnight when your eyes are less subject to the constant, repetitive movements of, well, being awake?

Some of the most powerful ingredients to look for in an overnight eye treatment are hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamin C and retinol. Hyaluronic acid (HA) helps your skin retain water, vitamin C brightens and repairs, while peptides and retinol boost collagen. All great stuff for the skin around your eyes, we think you’ll agree.

Try our Eye Cream which contains potent antioxidants such as vitamins B5, C and E, plus plant peptides and HA. Share a pea-sized amount between both eyes and smooth or tap it gently onto the skin, using your ring fingers for a lighter, less skin-damaging touch.

Overnight Must-Have #3. The Perfect Night Cream

If you have a highly moisturizing serum on the go, you might think you can do without night cream. Big mistake. Serums rarely contain emollient or occlusive ingredients which are important for sealing water and oils into your skin, so while serums are great for delivering ingredients deep into your skin, you still need to follow with moisturizer to lock all that goodness in. Whatever your skin type.

Our new Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream has been formulated to work with your skin’s overnight renewal system to support your skin, stimulate collagen production and strengthen that all-important barrier function. As well as containing one of our favorite antioxidants – vitamin C – this decadent night treatment comes bursting with nourishing and healing botanicals such as aloe, cocoa butter and rosehip oil. For the best results, apply it nightly as the final step in your bedtime skincare routine.

And you're done. See, that wasn't too time consuming, was it? Sweet dreams, y'all ;)

Say goodbye to overly complicated skincare and makeup that takes hours to apply, because this year is all about embracing your natural glow. Unrealistic beauty standards? So last year. And we are 100 percent down with that.

According to the Pinterest Predicts 2021 report, this year is all about a newly coined beauty trend called skinimalism – see what they did there? Skinimalism is not only a clever little word blend (or portmanteau, if you will), but it’s a movement we believe everyone can get on board with: natural, fresh-faced beauty and a clean, simple skincare routine that allows your ‘real’ skin to do all the talking.

Skinimalism is the kind of trend that some beauty brands who want you to ‘buy big or go home’ shudder at. But as a company with a conscience; one that truly believes in enhancing your skin with effective yet affordable products, we’re all over it. We never test on animals, source many of our ingredients from nature and formulate all of our products right here in the US, so while we cut down on our carbon footprint, you get to feel better about the products you put on your face.

But while cleaning up your beauty routine is an important first step, how else can you make sure your skin screams "I'm a natural beauty," rather than "it took me three hours to look like this, but I’m finally Insta ready"?

Here’s how to crush skinimalism and enhance your fresh-faced glow. Because beauty trends may come and go, but gorgeous, natural skin will always be in.

Know Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin is super important when you’re trying to nail the ‘less is more’ approach to beauty. After all, if your products are in constant battle with your skin type, you’re never going to be able to maximize your skin’s potential.

Next time you cleanse your skin, leave it completely free of makeup or skincare for a few hours, then study it in the mirror. Look for redness, dry patches or shininess and touch it – with clean hands of course – to test for further rough patches, bumps or oiliness. By doing this every few months (and especially as the weather changes) you’ll understand your skin so much better and be able to hone your skincare routine accordingly. 

Learn The 3-Step Basics

It’s easy to get bogged down with new beauty products, tools, tricks and techniques and in doing so, forget about the basics. But the simple three-step cleanse, tone and moisturize routine has stood the test of time for a reason: it works. Obviously, you can (and ideally should) include a few other products to target specific concerns and protect your skin from environmental damage, but if you’ve not got your fundamentals sorted, you may as well not bother with the rest.

When it comes to cleansing your skin, do this gently, twice a day and always before bed to thoroughly remove makeup, oils, dirt and debris that can build up throughout the day. Choose your cleanser depending on your skin type and avoid anything that’s laden with unnecessary chemicals and preservatives to help maintain the integrity of your skin’s natural protective barrier. After cleansing, follow with a gentle toner like Daily Facial Rose Water Toner to hydrate, balance, soften or brighten your skin ­– again, depending on your needs. But remember, toners should prep and treat your skin, not strip away your natural oils.

After toning, for sure, add in your extra serums and treatments, but don't forget to finish with moisturizer to lock in hydration and create a protective seal on the surface of your skin. If you have oily skin, stick with light, gel-based formulations and if you’re dry or dehydrated, go for a rich balm or cream. Reckon you’re somewhere in the middle? Then lotions are right up your alley. Smooth moisturizer all over your face and neck while your skin is still damp, using light upwards motions for the best results.

Basic stuff? Yes. But important? Absolutely.

Strip Back Your Daily Routine

Next, it’s time to rethink everything else that goes into your routine such as treatment serums, eye cream and night cream. We know it’s tempting to try and target all your skincare concerns at once with a whole plethora of lotions and potions packed with varying degrees of AHAs, retinol, antioxidants and botanicals, but hold on there because this is against everything you’re working towards – and more importantly, you skin will hate you for it. Yes, you might be a dab hand at whisking up the perfect dirty martini, but skincare cocktailing with powerful, active ingredients is a much finer art. Many ingredients cancel each other out, while others work totally against each other and often cause irritation and redness. So, best leave it to the pros, yes?

Most experts agree that skincare routines containing countless steps and more products than you can count on two hands is completely unnecessary. So, think about your main skincare concern – be it lines, sagging, acne, dark spots, dryness, whatever – then invest in a single daily treatment serum that can tackle your needs in one. Check out our range of carefully curated serum blends if you’re looking to up your skincare game simply but effectively. That is what skinimalism’s all about, after all.

Use Makeup To Enhance Not Hide Your Skin

Paring down your beauty regimen does not stop at skincare: your makeup can always benefit from a little fine-tuning as well.

The main thing to remember is that skinimalism is all about revealing the real you, so while it's tempting to cover your flaws with concealer and foundation, there really is no need. Swap out your heavy base for tinted moisturizer and instead of spending hours perfecting overly contoured cheekbones and eyebrows, go for a touch of creamy blusher on the apples of your cheeks and leave your brows well alone.

Lastly, stop worrying about the odd blemish or fine line... and smile. Your perceived 'flaws' are totally normal and the world wants to see them.

Pack away your jackets and rethink your beauty routine because spring has officially sprung. 

Spring is here, people, and we don’t know about you, but we’re thrilled at the thought of longer, brighter days and placing our piles of thick sweaters firmly at the back of the closet. But saying farewell to winter is not just about switching up your fashion choices. Warmer temperatures and an increase in humidity mean it’s also a great time to rethink your beauty routine.   

Here’s how…

1. Swap To A Lighter Moisturizer

While layering thick, heavy moisturizers and facial oils is awesome when the air is dry and your skin is crying out for extra hydration, come spring, you can afford to go much lighter.

Unless your skin is super dry, avoid rich balms, butters and creams that contain occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter and mineral oils as these can weigh your skin down when the weather warms up. Instead, choose lotions and gel formulations and look for water-based moisturizers that contain lightweight, hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe and urea.

2. Give Your Body A Whole Lotta Love

Admit it, your body doesn’t get much beauty attention in the winter months. Well, why should you spend hours buffing, preening and moisturizing your legs and arms when they’re covered up for the entire time, right? If we’re honest, great body care is important all year long to help reduce dryness and buildup on the surface of your skin, but we know that life gets in the way, so you’re excused. Just this once.

Now that spring is in the air, however, sleeves, skirts and pants are about to get shorter and skin that’s been in hibernation for the past six months is about to be revealed. So, you’ve got to up your head-to-toe skincare game. Like now.

First up, buff off those dead, winter skin cells and give yourself an all-over glow by using an exfoliating mitt twice a week in the shower. You could even use it with our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash to help unblock clogged pores on the tops of your arms, or to treat and prevent ingrown hairs on your legs or bikini line. Just remember to go gently, working in light circular motions as you exfoliate.

Oh, and don’t forget to moisturize all over with a light cream or lotion. Do this every day while your skin is still damp to lock in extra hydration.

3. Ditch Out-Of-Date Products

Hands up if you’re guilty of holding on to skincare products even when you don’t use them any more. You’re not alone – beauty hoarding is real.

Products that are past their best, however, not only lose their potency, but also harbor bacteria which may cause irritation to your skin.

All of our TruSkin products have a ‘best used by’ date on their packaging which makes it a breeze for you to know when to toss them. Because we’re good like that. You could also look for the PAO (period after opening) symbol on your product labels. It looks like a little pot with an open lid that has a number followed by the letter ‘M’ inside. This number tells you how many months your product is good for after you’ve opened it which can be super helpful – as long as you remember when you started using it, of course.

When in doubt, anything that’s changed color, gone lumpy or runny, or developed an odd smell should not go anywhere near your skin. Off it goes to product heaven. Buh-bye.

4. Up Your Eyecare Game

Spring equals brighter sunshine (we hope), which means way more squinting and a higher risk of developing lines and wrinkles around your eyes.

Help keep those crow’s feet in check by applying a moisturizing eye cream twice daily. Apply just a tiny amount gently around the contours of your eyes, using your ring fingers to help keep pressure and skin dragging to a minimum. Antioxidants like green tea are great ingredients to keep an eye on (pun 100 percent intended), as are peptides and humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Our Eye Gel contains all these and more, making it the perfect update to your spring regimen.

5. Spring Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Grubby makeup brushes that haven’t seen water, let alone cleanser for the past year are asking for trouble – especially if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends cleaning your brushes and sponges every seven to 10 days to get rid of harmful bacteria that can breed due to a buildup of residue, dirt and oil. So, if you’ve not done yours for months, now’s the time to do so.

Simply run the tips of your brushes under lukewarm, running water for a few minutes, then massage a gentle shampoo or cleanser into them for a minute or two. Rinse with clean water and repeat until the water runs clear, then squeeze out excess moisture before laying them flat on a towel to dry.

Finally, it goes without saying that you should apply an antioxidant serum and broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning – without fail. To be honest, this is vital every day of the year, but even more so as the sun gets more intense and you start spending more time outdoors.

Bring it on.

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

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

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

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

1. Say Hello To Regular Exfoliation

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

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

Literally the opposite of what you were intending.

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

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

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

3. Boost Your Skin With Facial Massage

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

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

4. Hang Your Head Upside Down

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

5. Make Friends With Vitamin C

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

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

6. Quench Your Thirst… And Your Skin

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

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

7. Lay Off The Heavy Makeup

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

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

8. Curl Your Eyelashes

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

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

Dreaming of the skin you had when you were age 12? Hard truth: it’s never going to return. And that’s OK because lines and wrinkles are a fact of life. But why? Read on for the science behind why your skin ages…

Growing old is all part and parcel of, well, growing old. But this doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to get annoyed by every new wrinkle, dark spot, saggy body part and gray hair. Knowing how they got there, however, is all part of accepting your body and working with what mother nature gave you.

So, let’s get all sciencey for a minute, shall we? Don’t fret, we’re not talking Sheldon Cooper levels of science, but a bit of knowledge about why your skin ages won’t go amiss now, will it? (And remember, if there's ever anything else you want to know about your skin and/or our products, please shout!)

The first thing you need to know about skin aging is that there are two different types that work together to determine how quickly and the extent to which your skin shows signs of visible aging, namely intrinsic and extrinsic aging.

What Is Intrinsic Aging?

Determined by genetics, intrinsic aging (aka chronological or natural aging) happens over time and is totally out of your control. This means that whatever you do and however much you care for your skin, this type of aging will happen. It's called nature.

So, why is this the case? Well, many factors come into play, but it’s mainly because production of all that good stuff beneath the surface of your skin starts to slow down and degrade as you age. This includes: collagen which strengthens and plumps your skin; elastin which makes it springy and pliable; natural oils which keep it soft and supple; glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and hyaluronic acid for hydration, and ceramides which protect your skin and help retain moisture. Studies show that after the age of 20, for example, your skin starts to produce 1 percent less collagen every year. All this ‘slowing down’ works to make your skin thinner, drier, more delicate, more prone to damage and less likely to heal so quickly.

But that’s not all. You naturally lose fat below the skin’s surface as you get older and this often manifests itself in loose skin around your jawline, sunken eyes and/or less plump cheeks. Bone loss – which starts to slowly happen at age 40 – also plays its part, causing the skin around your mouth and chin to become puckered and wrinkled.

The good news is that despite intrinsic aging being completely out of your control, it only plays a small part in what you see in the mirror. That's where extrinsic aging comes into play – the true bad cop in this story…

What Is Extrinsic Aging?

On top of the whole Mother Nature, Father Time thing comes extrinsic aging – a far more controllable, but way more powerful beast.

Extrinsic aging is the process that takes place as a result of environmental and lifestyle stressors. The main culprit here is the sun (no surprise there) which is why extrinsic aging is often known as photoaging. However, there are plenty of other offenders that play their part. Pollution, emotional stress, alcohol, smoking, a poor diet, lack of sleep, you know the drill…

Every factor involved in extrinsic aging causes what’s known as oxidative stress on the skin – a process in which the balance of antioxidants (your skin’s natural defense mechanism) vs free radicals (damage-inducing molecules) gets thrown way off. This onslaught of free radicals then attack and break down important proteins in the skin’s dermis including collagen and elastin, which is a one-way ticket to premature skin aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, thin skin, lack of radiance, sun spots and sagging.

On top of all that, lack of sleep and emotional stress also increase the levels of cortisol in your body which encourages inflammation in your skin, further depletes collagen and elastin, and plays havoc with your barrier function – the top protective layer of your skin that keeps essential moisture in and damaging toxins out. Compromise this important protective barrier and you’re asking for trouble in the form of dryness, dehydration, inflammation and itchy skin.

All this spells disaster for the youthfulness of your skin. 

So, Can You Protect Your Skin Against Intrinsic and Extrinsic Aging?

When it comes to intrinsic aging, no. But extrinsic aging? Absolutely. Lifestyle-wise try to sleep more, booze less, don’t smoke, eat better, stay out of the sun and be less stressed. And yes, we know these are easier said than done, but trust us, they’ll go a long way to enjoying a more youthful-complexion – especially if you simultaneously kick-start an effective, anti-aging skincare routine.

To do so, treat your skin with care (no zealous scrubbing on a daily basis, capeesh?) and introduce an antioxidant serum into your regimen to help protect your skin from environmental damage. Anything containing vitamin C is going to be super effective at neutralizing free radicals, specifically those bad boys produced from the sun and the harmful effects of the ozone. Apply yours every morning to clean skin before moisturizing for the best results.

Sunscreen with a broad-spectrum protection of SPF 30 or more is also an important step in your routine. And yes, you do need to apply it all year round. No discussion.

Finally, never forget to moisturize – no matter how oily you think your complexion is. Moisturizing helps strengthen and maintain that protective barrier we talked about earlier making it vital for the health and look of your skin.

At any age.