True Radical Honesty From Our Community

As we celebrate World Vegan Day on November 1, we thought you might like to know a bit more about what makes a beauty product truly vegan. 

Skincare and cosmetics can be a confusing game sometimes. The words ‘natural’ and ‘organic’ often get thrown around without any true meaning, and phrases like ‘against animal testing’ can be super misleading. But if you live a vegan life (and record numbers of you are making that switch) we know you’ve got no time for such BS. That's why we’re here to take the guesswork out of the equation.

Here’s what you need to know about going vegan with your beauty routine. And good news: it’s actually much simpler than you might think.

1. What Does ‘Vegan Beauty’ Really Mean?

Unlike other misleading terms used in cosmetics labelling, vegan beauty is relatively straight forward. It simply means that the formulation does not contain any kind of animal by-product or ingredient. Do you eat and live a vegan lifestyle? Then it makes sense to also avoid animal products in your beauty regime.

2. But Hold On, Because Vegan Beauty Products Are Not Always Cruelty-Free

One of the most common concerns about the beauty industry is animal testing. In China, animal testing is required by law, but we know that most of you agree it’s a horrific industry we must try to eradicate. Well, you may think that buying vegan skincare means you’re also buying cruelty-free – and this is exactly what it should mean – but sadly, this isn’t always the case. The truth is, unless it’s stated on the packaging, it’s possible a vegan product (or some of its ingredients) might have undergone animal testing at one point in its creation. We know it doesn’t make sense, but that’s the way it is.
 
Thankfully, there’s an easy way to know what you’re letting yourselves in for. Simply look for the Leaping Bunny logo on your product label – the only internationally recognized symbol that guarantees no animal tests were used to formulate a product bearing its logo. We’re proud to say all TruSkin products are Leaping Bunny approved (*pats selves on backs).

3. Vegan Skincare Is Not Necessarily Free Of Chemicals

Again, you may be under the assumption that vegan products are completely natural and free of synthetic chemicals. Wrong. Yes, some vegan products use only plant-based formulations, but others are often combined with synthetically-produced ingredients. Of course, these ingredients won’t be derived from animal sources and the thing is, not all chemicals are bad. Quite the opposite, in fact. We source most of our ingredients from nature, but sometimes blend them with safe, synthetic substances such as carbomers to produce the best formulations, textures and results for your skin.

4. What Are The Benefits Of Going Vegan With Your Beauty Routine?

As well as the obvious benefits of being kinder to animals – especially if you go vegan and cruelty-free – a vegan beauty regime is much more caring for the world.
 
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), animal products are the key cause of environmental issues such as climate change and water depletion. Farmed animals must be fed substantial amounts of grain and water before being killed, processed, stored and transported. All of which accounts for a substantial amount of global water consumption, land use and greenhouse emissions.
 
The production of plant-based ingredients, on the other hand, requires much less energy, land and water. Simple math.

5. Common, Animal-Derived Ingredients To Look Out For

OK, so what animal ingredients should you look out for in your beauty products? Well, that list is dang long so for a full run down, check out PETA’s comprehensive checklist. The most common ones to avoid, however, are carmine, collagen, gelatin, lanolin, squalene and stearic acid.
 
Here are some of the facts:

Carmine is a red pigment produced from crushing female cochineal beetles. According to PETA, 70,000 beetles are killed for just 1lb of carmine. It’s often used in cosmetics and shampoo.

Collagen is a protein that’s produced naturally in the skin and hair. In skincare, it comes mostly from cows or fish, so look for plant-based collagen instead.

Gelatin can be obtained from plants but is usually the result of boiling skin and bones from either cows or pigs. It sounds gross, but is often used as a thickening agent in skincare.

Lanolin is almost always derived from sheep’s wool. It very softening and moisturizing so is commonly found in lip balm and hair products. Plant-based lanolin is worth looking out for, but it’s rare.

Squalene is most often derived from shark liver oil, but good news: it’s becoming more and more rare as a skincare ingredient in the US. Instead, look for its plant-derived alternative, squalane (with an ‘a’ not an ‘e’) which is just as great for moisturizing dry skin.

Stearic Acid is found in animal fats and often used in soaps, cleansers, creams and lotions to improve their texture and help moisturize your skin. Instead, look for vegan-alternatives such as those derived from palm oil, soy oil, cocoa butter and shea butter.
 
Finally, let's talk a bit about bee by-products – the subject of much debate in the world of vegans. Bee by-products (including honey) are a complicated business which we’re not going to get into right now, but the truth is they’re never likely to be considered ‘officially’ vegan. Why do we mention them? Because all of our products are vegan-friendly apart from four that contain bee by-products: Retinol Serum, Retinol Moisturizer and Charcoal Face Wash which are formulated with propolis extract, and Eye Cream which contains beeswax.

Propolis is an incredible antioxidant and anti-inflammatory substance that’s made from a combination of beeswax and tree sap. It has many healing and moisturizing benefits and is known to help reduce the unwanted bacteria that often leads to breakouts. Meanwhile, pure beeswax does all this while offering extra emollient qualities to help form a protective barrier over the skin to retain moisture and promote soft skin.

According to The Vegan Society bee by-products are not strictly vegan-friendly, but many vegans eat honey and have no qualms using products containing beeswax and propolis. The debate continues...

It is the spookiest time of the year, which means it’s also time to tell scary stories. Gather around, and listen to this harrowing tale of witchcraft.

Near a small town in the countryside, there lived in a forest cave a coven of witches. They were the three Wicked Witches of the Woods, and they were known throughout the land for their hideous appearances.

There was the Wrinkly Witch, whose skin was marred all around with deep, terrible wrinkles and lines; the Withered Witch who had a complexion so dry she looked like she was covered with old worn leather; and the Waxy Witch, with skin so oily that people ran screaming at the mere sight of her.

It was the night of Halloween, and the witches wanted to go and wreak mischief on the small town. There was just one problem - although they were wickedly proud of their terrible looks, it was clear already from afar that they were witches.

What could they do to sneak into the town without alarming the unsuspecting townsfolk, they pondered. Then, the Waxy Witch came up with a dastardly plan!

“Let’s brew a magical ointment in our cauldron that will give us the fairest skin in the land! Then we can waltz into the town without anyone stopping us,” she suggested. What a wicked, witchy scheme it was. And so, with an eerie cackle, the witches got to work.

They conjured hellfire under their cauldron, and began to consider the ingredients they should add to their brew. But a spell of such power required more than the usual newt’s eye and bat’s bladder.

A Dark Wash And Deep Black Seas

For the first ingredient, the Withered Witch pulled out an ominous, black bottle of TruSkin Charcoal Face Wash.

“This cleanser, black as the darkest night, contains reishi mushrooms, coconut charcoal, and astragalus root extract,” the Withered Witch explained to her sisters as she emptied the bottle into the cauldron. “It will absorb all impurities and clear the gunk from our pores. Our skin will be as fresh as a spring rain!”

All three shuddered at the thought of anything so clean, but these were the sacrifices they needed to make for their wicked plots.

The Waxy Witch, determined to not be outdone by her friend, went to dig through her chests and bags. She rummaged through troll nail clippings and snake tongues until she triumphantly held up an old, dusty container of TruSkin Ocean ineral Daily Face Super Toner.

“Yes, yes!” she cackled. “The minerals from the deepest, darkest ocean in this concoction will help all the other potions we’ll use absorb into our skins. It’s packed with other natural, herbal ingredients too that will give us a… Ugh, bright, healthy complexion, like marshmallow and witch hazel extract.”

“That’s my favorite kind of hazel!” said the Withered Witch, clapping with excitement as the Super Toner was added to the cauldron.

A Serum to Beat the Rest

Watching her sisters work, the Wrinkly Witch tapped her foot in deep thought. She wondered what she could add to their brew that could help them bring about the most terrifying Halloween the townspeople had ever known.

Then it hit her! Another witch had ages ago gifted her some TruSkin Tea Tree Clear Skin Serum. She rushed to her cabinet of magical implements and returned with the eerily blue bottle that seemed to almost glow in the dark cave.

“Oh, this is the most powerful, concentrated serum we’ve ever used,” she hissed with malicious glee.

“Even better than toad’s venom serum?” the Waxy Witch asked.

“Much better! Its anti-aging tea tree extracts and salicylic acid will smooth out even my hideously lovely wrinkles and lines,” the Wrinkly Witch said with a sinister laugh. She poured the serum into the cauldron and turned to the Withered Witch.

“Now we’ll need something to moisten our skin. Your face is so dry that anyone with eyes would know you’re a witch from miles away!”

Perfecting the Spell

The Withered Witch flashed all of her three teeth in a mischievous grin and pulled out a tube of TruSkin Retinol Moisturizer.

“Way ahead of you, sister,” she said as she squeezed the tube that was as green as her face. “This lotion holds vitamins, botanical acids, and shea butter that will moisturize even my withered skin!”

The three wicked witches stared at their brew as it bubbled in the cauldron. It looked nice and evil, but they couldn’t help thinking that something was missing from the perfect witchy skincare recipe.

Suddenly, the Waxy Witch got an idea. She went back to a chest and produced from it another black container.

“Our eyes are all puffy and there are dark bags hanging under them. This TruSkin Eye Gel should take care of that,” she declared.

“Yes, I’ve heard of it,” said the Wrinkly Witch, nodding as the gel was added to the cauldron. “Anyone using it will get smooth, bright eyes with no dark circles around them. It must be the botanical amino acids and cucumber hydrosol contained in the gel. It’s awfully un-witchy!”

What Wicked Witchcraft!

Finally, the witches’ terrible concoction was complete! All they needed to do was to speak the magical words to activate the brew. Evil laughter echoed in the cave as they recited the spell:

“Cauldron bubble and bring trouble
Upon the town and make it double!
Licorice root and horsetail plant,
Will our witchy skins enchant!
Oils of herbs and flowers too,
All have been added in our brew.
Give us smooth skin and eyes so bright,
Make us pretty this Halloween night!”

With the spell cast upon the brew, they grabbed handfuls of the bewitched lotion and smeared it onto their faces. Like magic, the witches’ dry and terrible faces transformed into flawless visages!

“Look at me!” exclaimed the Waxy Witch, gazing at herself in a smudged mirror. “Not a drop of oil on my face. I’m hideous!”

“And my skin feels so fine and smooth,” the Withered Witch moaned, running her fingers down her cheeks. “What have we done? This is awful! Will we stay like this forever? We’ll be laughing stocks with all our fellow witches!”

“Worry not, sisters. I still have an ace up my sleeve!” the Wrinkly Witch, now without a line on her skin, said confidently. And indeed, from her sleeve she pulled out a bottle of TruSkin Vitamin C Face Cleanser.

“This gently foaming cleanser will remove even the thickest make-up lickety-split! Once we’re done scaring the townspeople senseless, we’ll have our old witchy faces back.”

And so, as shadows of bats flapped across the full moon leering in the black sky, the witches stole off into the night. What terrible tricks they played on that small town near the woods on that Halloween! But that, my friends, is a whole other story.

DISCLAIMER: Unless you’re a wicked witch casting ominous spells, don’t pile on skincare products like you’re throwing them in a cauldron. TruSkin highly recommends always using our products according to label instructions.

Flawlessly moisturized skin comes from so much more than a daily dose of hyaluronic acid (although we would never knock HA, of course). Here, we show you how to get your moisturizing routine just right with the perfect blend of emollients, humectants and occlusives.

Skincare terms can be so darn mind-boggling, sometimes. And we get it. It’s enough to know your UVAs from your UVBs, let alone your GAGs from your NMFs. And don’t worry, we’re not going to bore you with too many acronyms today – let’s save those for another time. Instead, we’re here to talk about emollients, humectants and occlusives: the moisturizing masters of the skincare world, if you will.

No idea what the heck these even are? Then you’ve come to the right place. 

EMOLLIENTS

What Are Emollients?

Emollients are lipids, butters or oils that help repair cracks in the skin caused by aging and environmental or lifestyle stressors such as UV radiation, pollution, a poor cleansing routine or even a bad diet. These all work together like a fine-tuned wrecking ball to destroy the levels of natural lipids in your skin, resulting in cracks, flakes and dryness. By sealing these cracks and smoothing the surface of your skin, emollients work to strengthen the skin’s natural protective layer, which in turn helps prevent trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) – the process in which water evaporates from the skin’s surface into the air. Keeping your levels of TEWL at an all-time low is what skin lives for.
 
Emollients can be synthetic, plant-based or derived from sources such as alcohol, sheep’s wool or mineral oils. Plant-based emollients get our vote, every time.

Effective Emollients To Look Out For

Argan oil, coconut oil, colloidal oatmeal, isopropyl palmitate, jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, shea butter, squalane and sweet almond oil.

A Side-Note On Emollients

Just to confuse matters, emollients can also refer to the types of products (lotions, creams and ointments) that contain emollient ingredients. Lotions contain mostly water with fewer emollients, while creams contain similar amounts of water and emollients, and ointments consist of mostly emollients in very little water. This makes ointments awesome for super-dry skin, but a poor choice for oily, combination or acne-prone complexions. Think about it ­– massive amounts of pore-clogging oil and congested skin? Not the best combo, right?

HUMECTANTS

What Are Humectants?

While their raison d’être is very much the same as emollients – to keep the skin hydrated if you hadn’t cottoned on to that already – humectants work very differently. Rather than repairing the skin to seal in moisture, humectants attract water from their surroundings and draw it into the epidermis. If the air has enough humidity, humectants will pull water vapor from here, but they may draw it up from the underlying levels of your skin. They do this to moisturize the upper levels of your skin and reduce dryness, flakiness and cracking at the surface.

Humectants also work to promote cell turnover by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This process is called desquamation and it makes the dead stuff fall off to make way for fresher, healthier skin. Woot.

Skin naturally contains humectants, but these levels drop as you age which is why skin becomes drier as you get older, and why including more humectants in your skincare becomes more important over time.

Effective Humectants Look Out For

Aloe, glycerin, glycolic acid, honey, hyaluronic acid (HA), lactic acid, panthenol, propylene glycol and urea.

A Side-Note On Humectants

Humectants are smart little cookies, but they can have the reverse effect on your skin if you don’t use them wisely. How so? Well, if you slather your skin only in humectants and expect the world you’ll be sorely disappointed, because in order to work to their best ability, humectants need to be sealed into your skin with emollient or occlusive ingredients. Otherwise all that moisture will just evaporate into thin air. Check out the label of your HA serum and if it doesn’t contain an emollient like aloe vera or jojoba oil in the ingredients list (ours does, BTW) make sure to always apply moisturizer over the top.

OCCLUSIVES

What Are Occlusives?

Just like emollients, occlusives don’t actually increase moisture levels, but rather work to create a physical barrier on the surface of your skin to protect it from external aggressors and help prevent moisture loss (there's that all-important TEWL, again). Some emollients, like cocoa and shea butters, have occlusive properties and may be referred to as occlusive emollients (just to confuse matters), but an emollient’s main function is to soften, whereas occlusives are all about sealing water in the skin. In short, most emollients have occlusive properties, but not all occlusives are emollients.

Still with us? Good.

Occlusives are generally a bad idea for oily or congested skin as they’re usually thick, waxy and heavy in texture meaning they're suckers for blocking your pores. They’re awesome at reducing irritation and restoring the skin barrier, however, so are extremely effective when applied to severely dry skin or to help concerns like eczema and psoriasis.

Effective Occlusives Look Out For

Allantoin, beeswax, carnauba wax, cocoa butter, dimethicone, lanolin, mineral oils, petrolatum, shea butter and silicone.

A Side-Note On Occlusives

When it comes to oily skin types avoiding occlusives, silicones are the exception to the rule. Unlike waxes and butters, silicones have large spaces between their molecules, which means oxygen and nutrients are still able to pass through them, but water can’t. This gives silicones great occlusive qualities, without clogging your pores and/or causing acne. Clever stuff.

So, What’s Best For You?

If we were to host a three-way moisturizing battle between humectants, emollients and occlusives, it would result in a dead heat. Sorry to be boring, but it really would because the truth is, not one of them is better than the rest.

It figures, therefore, that the best moisturizing regime should include a combination of humectants to draw in moisture, emollients to smooth, and occlusives to seal all that goodness in. Those of you with normal, combination or oily skin types may find that emollients are enough to hold moisture into your skin, whereas dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin types often benefit from a thicker, heavier occlusive.
 
But the thing is, as with all skincare, it’s a totally personal choice.

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.

If you’re the type of person who lovingly exfoliates, treats and moisturizes your face religiously… but then stops at your chin, congrats on the former, but shame on you for the latter. The fact is: ageless skin should never begin and end with your face.

Obviously, your face is the first area others see and it’s exposed to environmental stressors on a daily basis, so needs a lot of TLC. And yes, the skin on your face is also thinner than the rest of your body, making it more delicate and sensitive to the elements. But the thing is, there’s so much more to beautiful, healthy skin than just your face.

Think about this: the front of your head accounts for just 4.5 percent of your total surface area. Now, that’s a lot of skin going unloved and uncared for – 95.5 percent of it to be precise. Food for thought, right?

So, if you reckon it's time to pour some attention onto that large expanse of skin from your chin to your toes, then good on you. Here’s how…

1. Exfoliate All Over

Gentle exfoliation is just as important to your body as it is to your face.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), you lose between 30,000 and 40,000 skin cells every day, and if you let these dead skin cells sit around on the surface of your skin, they'll make it look dull and miserable. Nobody wants that. To give your dead skin cells a little nudge in the right direction (ie: down the drain), exfoliate twice a week with a gentle, pH-balanced scrub, or try using a loofah as you cleanse. It really is as simple as that.

2. Try Dry Body Brushing

Dry body brushing is also a great (and inexpensive) way to encourage cell turnover. It works by stimulating both your circulatory and your lymphatic systems. The lymphatic system is what keeps your body’s immune system in check by draining and removing dead cells, metabolic waste and toxins. Allow your lymphatic system and your blood flow to become sluggish and your skin will thank you in the form of dry patches, dullness, cellulite, acne and, well, need we go on? Thought not.

To really work both systems, brush your body daily, before showering, working from your ankles upwards and using long strokes or circular motions. Be gentle (it’s not supposed to be torture) and avoid open wounds, rashes, varicose veins, freshly shaven legs and sunburn. After a few weeks, guaranteed you’ll notice your skin is softer and much more radiant. Plus, any product you apply to your body afterwards is going to be more readily absorbed and therefore way more effective. Gotta love that.

3. Moisturize Daily

Just like the skin on your face, your body becomes drier and itchier in the fall and winter as the climate gets cooler, windier and less humid. So, while you might have been able to ‘get away with’ not moisturizing from head-to-toe in the summer months, that won’t be the case for the rest of the year.

If you buy just one moisturizer this fall, make it TruSkin Vitamin C Moisturizer which is packed with vitamin B5, shea butter, aloe, green tea and pure organic jojoba oil for a lightweight, yet super-effective full body moisturization. Vitamin C also helps fight free radicals and leaves your skin literally glowing. Granted, there’s no such thing as a ‘miracle’ cream, but this one comes darn close. Use it every day after bathing and showering and apply it while your skin is still slightly damp to help lock moisture in.

4. Target Acne

Pimples on your face are bad enough, but when they rear their ugly heads on your back, chest and buttocks? Well, that’s just rude. Again, dry skin is often the culprit, especially at this time of year when skin overcompensates for things like dry, cold weather and indoor heating.

To treat acne gently and effectively, target flare-ups with a balancing cleanser and never forget to moisturize with a non-pore-clogging, light lotion. You could also spot treat pimples with products containing benzoyl peroxide, witch hazel or tea tree oil.

Sweating under heavy coats, panty hose and sweaters won’t help the acne sitch either, so wash your clothes regularly and wear natural fabrics as much as possible to stop sweat and oils from getting trapped on your skin.

5. Protect Your Hands

Let’s get one thing straight, any skin that’s not covered up by clothes needs to be protected from the sun – whatever the weather. Love your tinted, SPF 30 moisturizer and wear it all year round, without fail? High-fives to you. But what about your hands?

Oh.

Hands are exposed to the elements just as much as the skin on your face, yet they rarely get looked after or smothered in SPF. The skin on your hands also contains very few hair follicles and only a very thin layer of fat, making it prone to dryness – especially with all the hand washing you’re doing these days. Poor mitts, they literally stand no chance.

To keep them hydrated and protected, apply moisturizer after washing your hands and slather sunscreen over the top before going outside.

6. Be Skincare Savvy

Don’t be fooled by anti-cellulite or firming creams that over-promise – if they sound too good to be true, they probably are. The fact is, no cream can melt away fat or get rid of your cellulite: that’s what surgery and aesthetic treatments are for.

If you are looking to help firm, tone and smooth the skin on your legs and booty, however, dry body brushing (see above) is a great play. Moisturizing your skin daily with an antioxidant-rich lotion that’s pumped full of ingredients to boost collagen and elastin production will also go a long way in helping reduce orange peel thighs.

7. Avoid Hot Baths

Although super-tempting on a Sunday night with a glass of red and some relaxing beats, a long soak in a hot bath is bad, BAD news for your skin. Hot water strips the skin of its naturally protective lipid layer, making it super-dehydrated and more susceptible to irritation and sensitivities. And if you’re an eczema or rosacea sufferer? Don’t even go there.

The longer you’re in hot water, the worse it is for your skin, so either stick with warm showers or if you can’t give up your weekly soak, limit your bathing time to 10 minutes and add a little lavender or chamomile oil to your tub to help reduce dehydration. Essential oils can be unpredictable, however, so if you’ve got sensitive skin, tread carefully.

8. Nix Annoying Bumps

Do you suffer with pesky, sometimes itchy little bumps that like to hang out at the tops of your arms or thighs? This is called keratosis pilaris ('chicken skin' to its frenemies) and is caused by a build-up of keratin in the hair follicles.

The best way to treat keratosis pilaris is three-fold. First, avoid abrasive body scrubs in favor of a weekly chemical exfoliation – scrubs will just aggravate the skin and potentially make the situation worse. Second, always moisturize after showering or bathing. And third, try a gentle, topical retinol treatment. Derived from vitamin A, retinol helps increase cell turnover which will prevent keratin from clogging up your skin.

9. Pamper Your Neck & Chest

While the skin on most of your body is thicker than your face, this is the opposite when it comes to the skin on your neck and décolletage. And not only is it thinner, but it has fewer sebaceous glands, so if you leave it to its own devices it’ll feel dry and age quicker than you can say, ‘time for a neck lift.’

The trick is to treat these areas as you would your face. Whenever cleansing or exfoliating, smooth any extra product down your neck and over your chest area. Similarly, treat them to a little of your facial serum every now and again, especially if it's a brightening one – the décolletage is particularly prone to dark spots.

Lastly, moisturize both your neck and chest area daily with an antioxidant-rich moisturizer containing hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid or ceramides.

10. Add A Little Glow

A vacay tan might not be an option right now, but that doesn’t mean your skin can’t have a little bit of a glow. Granted most of your skin is going to be covered up during fall and winter but that ‘aint necessarily so, so if you fancy self-tanning (especially for the holidays), we say go for it.

If you’ve followed these tips, you’ll already have the ideal base for a flawless tan, so grab a tanning mitt to protect your hands and go. Just remember to work on clean, dry skin and other than your knees and elbows, leave your skin unmoisturized because oily residue will cause the color to streak.