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Now you have a solid grasp of AHAs and BHAs, it’s time to study up on one of our favorite skincare ingredients, the mighty MSM.

Skincare ingredients are not easy to decipher, we get that. Knowing your retinol from your tretinoin or understanding the difference between squalane and squalene? Minds constantly blown. And that’s OK, because this is why our blog exists, to educate and inform you of all the important stuff without hopefully coming across as too lecture-y. (Btw, please let us know if we’re doing a decent – or terrible – job of this. Full disclosure: we love hearing from our TruSkin family. Honestly.)

So, back to today’s 'fun' lesson in skincare: MSM.

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane, MSM is an ingredient that’s regularly used in skincare, but often gets overshadowed by the likes of hyaluronic acid, vitamin C and glycolic acid. Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of these major players, but we do think their notoriety is kind of unfair to the rest. And especially to MSM. Why? Because MSM is a) effective b) versatile and c) very well tolerated by all skin types. Now we don't know about you, but we reckon this makes it just as worthy of A-list skincare status as all the other aforementioned big guns we know and love.

Here’s the lowdown.

What Is MSM?

Simply put, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur that’s present in every living thing. Sulfur is one of the most important elements in the human body and is often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral because it not only promotes circulation and fights inflammation, but plays a key role in the production and composition of two essential skin proteins: collagen and keratin. MSM is not pure sulfur, but rather a sulfur compound (consisting of about 34 percent sulfur along with oxygen, carbon and hydrogen) and is vital for the healthy function of every cell, organ and tissue in your body.

Further to its use in skincare (more on that later), MSM has been used traditionally as a dietary supplement for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Research suggests that it may even help increase joint health and relieve inflammatory disorders like arthritis, cystitis and osteoporosis.

The Benefits Of MSM In Skincare

First let's talk about collagen: one of the building blocks of healthy, ageless skin. As as with all good things in life, your rate of natural collagen production decreases around your mid-30s. As this layer of collagen becomes thinner, the uppermost layer of your skin (the stratum corneum) starts to lose its firmness and bounce which is why, as you hit middle age, your skin becomes drier, saggier, less radiant and more wrinkled. The answer? Do everything you can to reduce this loss of collagen by staying out of the sun, eating a healthy diet and including ­clinically-proven, collagen-boosting skincare ingredients in your daily routine. Obvious contenders for the latter include retinol, peptides, vitamin C and hyaluronic acid, but MSM is also right up there. In fact, studies show that MSM can offer a significant improvement in wrinkles, firmness and skin elasticity.

As well as its collagen-boosting benefits, MSM works hard to fight environmental damage which often manifests itself in visible annoyances such as discoloration, fine lines and sagging. It does this by helping to increase your production of glutathione, one of the body’s most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. MSM’s anti-inflammatory qualities also help decrease damage to the skin caused by other lifestyle baddies such as stress, lack of sleep and a cruddy diet. This makes it pretty hard to beat in the fight against extrinsic (lifestyle and environmental) aging. Just saying.

Finally, MSM has been shown to help the skin become more permeable which not only allows toxins to escape more easily (buh-bye clogged pores and pimples) but enhances your skin’s ability to absorb other active ingredients in your skincare products. This means all the good stuff in your regime can penetrate the skin quicker and deeper giving you much more bang for your skincare buck. Neat, huh?

How To Up Your MSM Game

You’ll find MSM in many TruSkin products such as our top-selling vitamin C range which includes Vitamin C Serum, Daily Facial Cleanser and C-Plus Super Serum. This is because vitamin C assists in the absorption of MSM so they make the perfect power couple.

Due its awesome anti-aging qualities, MSM has also been formulated in our Eye Cream and Eye Gel. As you all know, the skin around the eyes is super susceptible to the visible signs of aging. It's also very fragile which makes MSM the ideal ingredient for applying to the eye area.

Just remember, MSM is sometimes listed as dimethylsulfone or DMSO2 on skincare labels, so keep your eyes peeled for any of these terms when scouring your products’ ingredients lists.

Winter’s a cruddy time for your skin, so if you’re feeling pretty bummed about your dull complexion, it’s time to get your glow on.

Glowing skin is very much ‘in’ right now. It’s always of huge importance if you ask us, but it seems that natural radiance, rather than full-on makeup, is a major beauty prediction for the new year. 'Prove it,' we hear you shout. Sure. The Pinterest Predicts annual report was recently released and guess what topped the list for upcoming beauty trends for 2021? Yes, ‘effortlessly chic,’ radiant skin – aptly being coined Skinimalism. This is all thanks to a massive increase in Pinterest searches for terms like ‘glowing skin how to get naturally,’ ‘face yoga exercises’ and ‘natural everyday makeup’ which shows that maybe (just maybe) the years of facial contouring and graphic brows might be coming to an end.

All hail real, glowing skin. Yay. Gotta love that.

The problem with this trend, however, is that skin radiance doesn’t always come easy – especially when cold temperatures and low humidity are totally working against you. Yes, natural skin means you can say goodbye to hours of makeup application, but if you want to allow your skin to really shine through, you’d better start looking after it. So, if you’re craving ways to enhance the complexion nature gave you, here are some trusted tricks for ditching winter dullness and amping up your dewy skin game.

Work Out Your Skin

Facial massage is one of the simplest and most important things you can do to boost radiance as it instantly improves circulation and encourages the removal of waste and toxins through a process called lymphatic drainage. And the best time to do it? While cleansing your skin in the morning (two birds and all that). Here’s how:

1. First, wash your hands, then wet your skin with lukewarm (never hot) water.

2. Squeeze your favorite cleanser into the palm of your hand, then smooth it all over your face and neck.

3. Place your fingers in the middle of your forehead, spreading them from your eyebrows up your forehead. Work your fingers out towards your hairline a few times, pressing the skin gently.

4. Next, place your fingers over the center of your nose and work them out along your cheeks, rubbing the cleanser into your skin in large circles. Do this a few times, then continue with the same motion over your chin and jawline.

5. Finish by smoothing your fingertips up your neck a few times, then rinse thoroughly and gently pat your skin dry with a clean towel.

Another great way to give your skin a bit of a morning workout is to try your hand at facial yoga. And excellent news: not only will a committed routine of morning exercises boost circulation and add radiance to your skin, but it’ll help strengthen facial muscles to reduce sagging and make your skin look firmer and more youthful in the long-term.

One of our favorite facial yoga exercises (mainly because it’s so easy!) is to pout then smile repeatedly as fast as you can and for as long as you can stand it. Just do it in private, yes? You don’t want to scare the neighbors.

Get Your Vitamin C

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to work out that, here at TruSkin HQ, we think vitamin C is the absolute cat’s whiskers as a skincare ingredient. A clinically-proven antioxidant, vitamin C is well-known for helping prevent accumulated skin damage by neutralizing attacks from environmental and lifestyle nasties. Think sun, pollution and cigarette smoke that love to do a real number on your skin, causing everything from fine lines and wrinkles to dullness and discoloration.

Vitamin C is also mildly exfoliating, so when you apply it topically and regularly, it works to effectively reboot collagen and elastin production to help strengthen, firm and smooth your complexion. Couple all this with its ability to help reverse UV-related skin damage and it’s a big fat ciao to uneven skin tone and dark spots. Boom.

The thing is, not all topical vitamin Cs are created equal. This means you could see it listed on your skincare label in many forms including l-ascorbic acid, ascorbyl palmitate and sodium ascorbyl phosphate. We use sodium ascorbyl phosphate – or SAP as we like to call it – in our popular vitamin C products because it’s a) stable, b) less irritating and c) very effective. Literally everything we want in a skincare ingredient, right there.

Try A Professional Chemical Peel

For an extra high-powered boost of radiance, treating your complexion to a professional chemical peel is a great shout.

Chemical peels work by using potent (but safe) skin acids to injure the top layers of your skin which makes them fall off – taking any dead, dull skin cells and unwanted dark patches with them. The first three to five days following a chemical peel procedure aren’t pretty because your skin literally does flake and peel away, but after a week your skin will be visibly smoother, clearer and your glow factor will have gone through the roof. Trust us, we’ve been there.  

Ask your skincare expert about medical-grade peels that contain hard-working, glow-inducing ingredients such as salicylic, trichloroacetic or glycolic acids as these are particularly effective for fading discolorations and brightening an uneven skin tone. We love truly professional chemical peels from medical-grade skincare companies like SkinMedica or PCA Skin as these have been proven to offer results and can often eliminate new discoloration issues in just one session. If you have older, deeper pigmentation issues, however, a series of three or four appointments is usually recommended, followed by maintenance treatments on a less regular basis.

Use Makeup To Enhance (Not Hide Behind)

Embracing the Skinimalism trend is all about making your skin look lit from within, but that’s not to say you should dismiss those extra finishing touches. Makeup, after all, is a great way to enhance your natural glow, so if you’ve already nailed your radiance-boosting skincare routine, invest in a brightening primer to apply after your skincare and before (or even instead of) makeup. A great primer will help blur fine lines, smooth pores and add instant radiance without looking like you’re caked in makeup.

If you’re in the market for a natural-looking base, we suggest choosing a mineral, powder foundation that you can buff and swirl over your skin, rather than a cream or liquid-based formulation. How so? Because creams and liquids are often more tricky to keep light and streak-free.

And for a little extra red-carpet glow? Try a subtly shimmering highlighter. But we mean subtle shimmer, people  – full-on glitter is never cool. Apply this to the parts of your face that naturally catch the light such as your cheekbones and brow bones and keep it as natural-looking as possible by going for warmer, golden shades if you have olive or dark skin, and pinker tones if you’re pale.

Gorgeous.

Pores are super important, but if yours are way too big for their britches they can really kill that ‘flawless complexion’ vibe you’re trying to give off. The good news is, with the right skincare tricks, you can significantly improve any enlarged pore situation.

Your skin is your body’s largest organ. According to the National Geographic Society, an average adult’s skin weighs in at around 8 pounds, measures a grand total of 22 square feet and without this vital protective barrier? Well, you’d literally cease to exist. Your skin is continually battling pollution, controlling your body temperature, fighting infection and protecting your body from injuries. And that’s just the start of it.

It’s no wonder then, that your skin is the cause of so many concerns. From dryness and itching, through to acne, fine lines, wrinkles and annoying dark spots that seem to creep up on you literally overnight, skin has a lot to contend with. Not least of which are pesky, enlarged pores.

Enlarged pores might not be up there with more serious skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis, but if you’re a sufferer you’ll know just how annoying they can be.

But first, let's have a look at what they are and why you need them.

What Are Pores?

Pores are tiny openings in your skin’s surface that allow microscopic particles to pass in and out. The human body has two types of pores: ones that produce sebum and others than produce sweat. Let’s stick a pin in the sweat-producers for now and concentrate on the ones that produce sebum (AKA oil) because these are the ones that get clogged and can ruin your notions of a smooth complexion.

Oil-producing pores are the openings found at the top of your hair follicles and sebaceous glands where they release sebum at a surface level to help naturally moisturize and soften the skin. Sounds important, right? Well, yes, it is. The problem, however, starts when your sebaceous glands get over-excited and produce way too much sebum than your skin really needs. This excess can cause blockages (more on that later) which stretches your pores and leads to breakouts. Sigh.

While your pore size is determined by genetics and you can neither shrink them (sorry about that) nor make them physically grow, many factors come into play where their general appearance is concerned. And yes, the following will sound super familiar because they’re everything in life that your skin truly hates – namely aging, sun damage and other lifestyle and environmental nasties such as a poor diet, lack of sleep and pollution. All of these contribute to enlarged-looking pores by breaking down collagen and compromising the strength, firmness and suppleness of your skin.

But all is not lost because, thankfully, you can take steps to keep your pores looking as trim as the day they were born. OK, that might be pushing it, but you know what we mean…

Herein, our five favorite tricks for climbing the ladder to pore perfection.

1. Make Good Cleansing Choices

Keeping your skin clean is one of the most important steps for maintaining good pore health. How so? Because oil loves to bind itself to bacteria, dirt and makeup, so if you let excess sebum sit around on the surface of your skin your pores end up stretching to make room for all of that extra debris. This is seriously bad news for the appearance of your complexion and can raise total havoc for acne-prone skin.

That being said, over-cleansing your skin with a routine that’s packed with chemicals is never a good idea, either. It’ll do nothing but compromise your skin’s natural protective barrier and dry out your complexion. Yes, it may strip away all those oils in the short-term, but in the long-term it’ll simply make your sebaceous glands think your skin needs more oil, so they'll continue to produce more and more of it. Vicious circle.

Instead of stripping your skin of every last inch of oil, choose gentle, effective cleansing products that harness the power of ingredients like tea tree oil, coconut charcoal and kaolin. Wash your face in lukewarm, never hot water, and use a light massaging technique to thoroughly cleanse without over-stimulating your pores.

2. Don’t Dismiss Toner

Potent, alcohol-laced toners that promise to rid you of oily skin forever often just suck all the life out of it. So one word: avoid. Gentle, balancing treatments, however, that are formulated to help unclog your pores and prevent breakouts should never be written off.

Our Daily Super Toner, for example, contains one of the best ingredients for cleaning and exfoliating your skin, glycolic acid. Glycolic acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that works by loosening the ‘glue’ that binds dead skin cells together and holds them to the surface of your skin. Dead skin cells that hang around for too long spell disaster for your pores, so gently sloughing them off is key for avoiding any excess flakes that block your pores and cause inevitable breakouts.

Keep your eyes peeled for toners and products containing salicylic acid as well. Salicyclic acid is another great choice for keeping your skin clean and clear while boosting cell turnover at the same time. It can be a little drying, however, so make sure it’s either blended with lightweight moisturizing ingredients, or follow with a non pore-clogging moisturizer…

3. Never Forget To Moisturize

Adding more moisture to an already-oily complexion might seem foolhardy, but it’s actually vital for balancing your skin and stopping your sebaceous glands from filling up your pores with even more excess oil. Obviously heavy oils, waxes and butters are out of the question, but a light moisturizing routine will work wonders for the health of your pores and skin.

Awesome ingredients to look out for are ceramides, glycerin and one of our favorites, hyaluronic acid (HA). HA is a super lightweight but powerful humectant that draws water into your skin like a sponge. It’s clever and very effective – especially for oily complexions, enlarged pores and acne-prone skin.

4. Choose Non-Comedogenic Makeup

Your skincare isn’t the only part of your routine that might need a little adjustment if your pores are giving you real grief. In fact, pore-clogging makeup can be just as much to blame.

Most liquid foundations, for example, contain a whole bunch of oils that pores loathe. Creamy concealers, blushers and bronzers can also have a similar effect, so our advice? Stick with mineral, powder formulations and look for the term non-comedogenic on the label of all your cosmetics. Non-comedogenic means a product and its ingredients have been formulated and tested to reduce its risk of clogging your pores. It doesn’t mean it hands-down won’t clog your pores, but it’s less likely to.

We’ll take that.

5. Be Super Sun Savvy

As you all know, overexposure to the sun breaks down collagen in your skin and is a killer for fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and sagging. Well, the damage does not stop there as it also causes the walls of your pores to lose elasticity, sag and appear much bigger as a result.

To combat UV damage, apply an antioxidant serum every morning (we love vitamin C), then after moisturizing, finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30. Just remember, as with your makeup, choose sun protection that’s oil-free and non-comedogenic to avoid any chances of clogging your perfectly protected pores.

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... 

Fed up with buying candy, socks and other stocking stuffers you know your friends and family don’t really want? Yeah, we imagine they’re equally as fed up receiving them;) So, this year, step up your gifting game with some skincare treats they’ll love.

We’ve rounded up ten TruSkin favorites that are guaranteed to go down a storm this holiday season…

1. C Plus Super Serum

Bursting with skincare’s finest and hardest-working ingredients, this anti-aging serum is a real gem for all skin types. Not only does it smell awesome thanks to pink grapefruit, lavender and ylang ylang essential oils, but the combination of 20 percent vitamin C and retinol are super-charged to fight dark spots and other signs of aging. The perfect gift for your BFF. We're calling it.

2. Daily Facial Rose Water Toner

A gorgeous, skin refreshing boost for everyone you love, this 100 percent pure rose water spray calms sensitive skin, hydrates dry skin, balances combination skin and soothes inflamed or acne-prone skin. Is there anything it can’t do? Not really. In fact, we recommend you employ the ‘one for them, one for me’ rule on this one. 

3. Vitamin C Serum

With over 45,000 reviews on Amazon, this top-of-the-class serum is formulated with what we truly believe is the best form of topical vitamin C – sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP). Less irritating than other forms of vitamin C, SAP has the unique ability to fight free radicals and brighten the skin. It's a real saviour for anyone who cares about the quality of their complexion. So, that’ll be everyone on your shopping list then (*adds five to cart).

4. Retinol Moisturizer

We can’t think of a single skincare ingredient that’s loved more by derms, skincare experts and beauty editors alike. Not one. Seen as the gold-standard of anti-aging ingredients, retinol is a must for anyone concerned about the effects of Father Time on their skin. It also plays like a dream when combined with hyaluronic acid in this clever little moisturizer. A great one for folks concerned about the 'w' word. That's wrinkles, btw.

5. Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Speaking of hyaluronic acid, our HA serum will bring joy to the skin of anyone on your holiday gift list. How so? Because hyaluronic acid is especially fabulous in the winter when skin is crying out for extra hydration. We combine it with vitamins C and E, plus organic jojoba oil to help seal all that moisture into your skin. Winner.

8. Retinol Serum

Surprisingly gentle, our Retinol Serum is a great shout for any discerning skincare fan. We blend retinol with glycerin, green tea, vitamin E and HA for one heckuva treatment that’s ideal for targeting the visible signs of aging including discolorations, poor texture, dryness, lines and wrinkles.

9. Eye Cream

With masks concealing most of our faces these days, the skin around the eyes is even more important than ever. Help friends and family look after theirs with our deeply moisturizing Eye Cream which helps take care of tired dry skin and unwanted lines around the eyes. After all, who doesn’t love a good eye cream?

10. Niacinamide Facial Serum

Say hello to the newest member of our TruSkin family, Niacinamide Facial Serum. Famed for its ability to smooth, brighten, balance and clarify the skin (although the list is so much longer than that) niacinamide is way gentler than many other active ingredients, so it's a real gem for sensitive skin types. We’re pretty excited about this new launch and it's going in every single one of our stockings. Our own included.

Skincare acronyms can be super confusing sometimes, but there are some terms you really should know about. Namely AHAs, BHAs and PHAs. Why? Because skincare acids could be just what your skincare routine has been waiting for.

Slapping acid on your face was probably not among the beauty tricks your beloved grandma told you about as a young girl. Cold cream, maybe. But skincare acids? We doubt that very much.

But the thing is, facial acids can help treat any number of skincare concerns including acne, scarring, pigmentation, dull skin, dryness, heck even fine lines and wrinkles. And while they used to be only available via chemical peels or professional facials, smaller concentrations of these little dreamboats are now widely available in skincare formulations.

So, while dear grandma’s secret to ageless skin might well have been her trusty cold cream, for you newer generations it’s all about the alpha, beta and polyhydroxy acids – or more simply put, AHAs, BHAs and PHAs.

Here’s what we know…

A Look At AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids)

Alpha hydroxy acids are water-soluble chemical compounds that can be naturally occurring or synthetically produced. Most AHAs are extracted from fruit or milk sugars and they’re used primarily in skincare for their exfoliation skills – which are top of the class, btw.

Unlike physical exfoliators like scrubs and loofahs which manually slough away dead skin cells, chemical exfoliators like AHAs work to dissolve the bonds between skin cells to encourage the dead, dull ones to fall off. This process helps accelerate cell regeneration for a smoother, brighter, more even complexion. The extent of exfoliation depends on the type of AHA used, as well as its pH and concentration (usually around 4 percent for at-home use and up to 70 percent for professional peels).

The Benefits Of AHAs

You know those pesky visible signs of aging that freak you out every time you look in the mirror? Well, fighting the likes of fine lines, wrinkles and discoloration is what AHAs live for.

As you get older, the rate in which your skin cells turn over slows down which means dead skin cells hang around for way too long on the surface of your skin. This causes dullness, unevenness, dryness and dehydration which can age you up way before your time. By encouraging fresh new skin to grow, however, AHAs help solve these skin woes.

Also, if you regularly incorporate an AHA into your routine – whether through monthly chemical peels at the doctor’s office or with at-home skincare – it will continue to encourage collagen and elastin production for a cumulative anti-aging effect. We’ll take a group hug for news like that.

The Main AHA Players

Glycolic acid is the most highly researched of all the AHAs and is known as the do-it-all acid. Derived from sugar cane, glycolic acid has a very low molecular weight which makes it darn good at its job – AKA penetrating the skin. It’s a very popular peeling agent because of its efficiency and potency, but while it's great for normal, oily and acne-prone skin types, it can sometimes be irritating for sensitive complexions. 

This is where lactic acid comes into play. Lactic acid can be extracted from fermented milk sugars or vegan sources such as beets or tapioca and has a larger molecular size than its glycolic cousin. This means it doesn’t penetrate the skin quite as well, so it takes longer to take effect. Lactic acid is way gentler, however, and studies have shown that it can also have moisturizing benefits so is the safer bet for sensitive or dry skin types.

Our Eye Cream contains a clever blend of both glycolic and lactic acids

Next Up, We Have BHAs (beta hydroxy acids)

Just like AHAs, beta hydroxy acids work to increase cell regeneration through chemical rather than physical exfoliation. BHAs, however, are oil-soluble rather than water-soluble which means they not only accelerate cell turnover on the skin’s surface, but they also penetrate through the lipid layers between the skin cells to get deeper into your pores. This helps target and reduce excess sebum to clear as well as brighten the skin.

Again, the efficacy of any skincare formulation containing BHAs depends on its pH and concentration. In this case, anywhere between 0.5 and 5 percent should offer visible results.

The Benefits Of BHAs

BHAs are a massive deal for anyone struggling with oily, inflamed or spotty skin because they help reduce inflammation, fight bacteria and dry up excess oil. 

While dry, aging or dehydrated skin types dream of upping their sebum levels, for those oily or combination types among you, an excessive amount of sebum is the devil. Super-oily skin often clogs the pores and can lead to, like, a gazillion problems (OK, so we exaggerate, but if you suffer with breakouts it often feels this way, right?).  

The Main BHA Player

When it comes to BHAs, there’s only one player worth mentioning – mainly because it’s the only one used in cosmetics and dermatology, but still. This BHA, dear friends, is the mighty salicylic acid. Derived from the bark of willow trees and used to treat skin concerns for over 2,000 years, salicylic acid is found in thousands of acne-fighting treatments from cleansers and toners to serums and moisturizers. And the good news is, it works, without completely stripping the skin of moisture.

Not only does salicylic acid target pores and increase cell turnover, but it also has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which is music to the ears of anyone who suffers with red, angry flare-ups.

C-Plus Super Serum contains just the right amount of salicylic acid

Finally, Don’t Forget PHAs (polyhydroxy acids)

While AHAs and BHAs have been around for years, PHAs are very much the NKOTB. Often seen as the underdogs of the hydroxy acids, PHAs are basically a new generation of water-soluble AHAs with all the exfoliating, cell regenerating benefits… but with less of the side-effects. The reason for their gentle nature? PHAs are formulated with multiple strands, so they have a larger molecular size than AHAs and are therefore unable to penetrate the deeper layers of your skin. Instead, they work exclusively on the skin’s surface to boost cell renewal without irritating your complexion.

The Benefits Of PHAs

PHAs are where to go if you’re concerned about the visible signs of aging but have super-sensitive skin – yes, even rosacea or atopic dermatitis. They might take a little longer to do their business, but if your skin flares up at even the thought of exfoliation, these are your guys. More good news for sensitive skin: PHAs have humectant and moisturizing qualities to help hydrate your skin and strengthen its natural protective barrier. As with all active ingredients, however, a patch test is still a good idea to triple-check for sensitivities.

The Main PHA Players

While a bit of a mouthful, gluconolactone (sometimes referred to as gluconic acid) is one PHA worth remembering – especially if you’re in the market for a mild exfoliation treatment for pigmentation issues like melasma and sun spots.

Lactobionic acid is another commonly used PHA which is an oxidized form of lactose and extracted from cow’s milk. Lactobionic acid has been shown to have antioxidant properties so it's a great choice for fighting the damaging effects of environmental stressors such as UV radiation and pollution.

One Last Word: Most skin acids make your skin more sensitive to the sun, so always apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ daily whenever using an AHA, BHA or PHA in your skincare routine.