True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Vitamin C as a skincare ingredient is practically a given. But do you know exactly which C-vit you’re putting on your skin? Because if it’s not sodium ascorbyl phosphate, you might want to rethink your decisions…

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate might sound like a scary ingredient that you’d rather keep as far away from your precious skin as possible. But on the contrary, it’s up there with retinol and hyaluronic acid as a veritable darling of the skincare world. Now don’t roll your eyes in exasperation as if to say ‘really? Then why haven’t I heard of it?’. Because a) you have – you just didn’t know it, and b) give us a minute and we will elaborate.

For those of you not wanting to read this entire piece, here’s the most important fact about sodium ascorbyl phosphate (we’re just going to call it SAP from now on). SAP is topical vitamin C. Granted, it’s not the pure, unadulterated vitamin C you often read about – that’s l-ascorbic acid – but it’s vitamin C nonetheless. Furthermore, it’s a far more stable, kinder-to-your-skin type of vitamin C. Here’s what you need to know…

SAP: The Facts

1. Along with a lengthy list that includes magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate and sodium ascorbate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a derivative of l-ascorbic acid – pure topical vitamin C.

2. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps fight the daily onslaught of skin damage that can be caused by free radicals. Free radicals form in your skin when it’s subjected to all those things it hates like UV radiation, pollution, smoke, a poor diet, cruddy sleep and, well, you know the drill.

Vitamin C is basically the Obi-Wan Kenobi to free radicals’ Darth Vader, stopping the long-lasting damage before it gets a chance to do a real number on your skin.

3. SAP is a salt form of vitamin C and one of the most stable versions available in skincare. How so? Because SAP has a sodium and phosphate molecule attached to it which helps it to stabilize.  This means it not only keeps its potency for longer, but is also more stable than L-Ascorbic Acid and MAP. These forms are notoriously unstable which means they break down and lose efficacy when exposed to light and air.

4. In order for your skin to experience the benefits of vitamin C, SAP has to be converted back to ascorbic acid after it’s been applied to your skin. This may sound counter-intuitive, but pure l-ascorbic acid is a very potent ingredient, so when you apply it directly to your skin it can be irritating, causing dryness, redness, stinging and even a mild burning sensation. Not cool. Literally. Switching up to SAP and having your skin convert it into ascorbic acid after application, significantly reduces your chances of irritation.

5. Full disclosure, the visible benefits of SAP take a tad longer to experience than pure vitamin C because your skin needs to do a little work to get to the bioactive form of the vitamin (l-ascorbic acid). But, call us crazy, we’ll take that over dry, red, itchy skin any day.

What SAP Does For Your Skin

Just like pure vitamin C, SAP has been clinically proven to improve the tone, texture and clarity of your skin. By fending off free radicals before they get a chance to damage DNA and valuable proteins within your skin (hi there collagen and elastin), SAP helps fight off the visible signs of aging such as dullness, dryness, fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and dark spots.

While we’re on the subject of dark spots, studies have also shown that vitamin C has a smart way of inhibiting melanin production which not only works to prevent dark spots from forming in the first place, but may also help fade any existing ones.

Now do you see why we’re all over this little gem of a skincare ingredient?

How To Up Your SAP Game

Good news: we've long been aware that active skincare ingredients are great… but not if they cause your skin to flare-up or break out. This is why we are in favor of the gentler, more stable SAP across all of our formulations.

Here’s a little reminder of some of our favorite SAP products.

The Awesome Cleanser: Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser

With a knock-your-socks-off blend of 15 percent SAP along with soothing aloe vera, collagen-boosting MSM, balancing tea tree oil and nourishing rosehip oil, this rejuvenating cleanser is the jack of all trades and master of all!

The Brightening Treatment: Vitamin C Facial Serum

As Amazon’s biggest selling vitamin C serum, you can’t fail to fall head over heels in love with this skin-brightening daily antioxidant treatment. The entire TruSkin brand was born from this, our original facial serum, and it’s still one of the best.

The Skin-Boosting Day Moisturizer: Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer

Pumped full of SAP along with its vitamin cousins, B5 and E, this classic moisturizer is a must for giving your skin’s barrier function a reboot while working hard to protect, nourish, brighten and clarify your complexion.

The Nourishing Night Cream: Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream

Rich but lightweight, powerful yet gentle, our SAP-infused night cream sounds like a total contradiction, but it has to be experienced to be believed. Ideal for all skin types it’s the best way to help your skin reach a whole new level of awesome while you sleep.

The Year-Round Sun Protector: SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C

Our new sunscreen might be the baby of our vitamin C family, but it’s by no means the weakling. Non-nano zinc oxide shields your skin from UVA and UVB rays while marine collagen, squalane and cucumber extract help hydrate and illuminate aging skin. And all this served up with a hefty helping of SAP? Yes, there is a beauty god!

Can You Use More Than One SAP Product?

Short answer, yes! Many of our customers use a whole regimen of our Vitamin C products and get awesome results. However, everyone’s skin is different, so we recommend adding new products one at a time and always patch test first to check for compatibility.

Because true beauty goes way beyond the surface of your skin…

As a skincare company, the health of your skin is super important to us. But when it comes to ‘real’ beauty who and what you are on the inside is what really matters. Not sure you know how to cultivate your inner beauty? Well, it’s all about embracing a positive mental attitude and being good to both yourself and everyone around you.

Here’s how…

1. Start The Day How You Mean To Go On

The first few minutes after waking up are extremely important to how the rest of your day will transgress. So check your mental state and start positive. This may sound easier said than done but it’s all about mind over matter. Sure, if you’ve had a great night’s sleep it’s easy to feel great first thing in the morning and hit the day running. But if you’ve had a rough night it’s natural to slip into a bad mood which is hard to shake off. Sounds familiar? Then turn that negative into a positive. You might be tired and grumpy but it’s a fresh new day and who knows what’s in store? Be mindful of your attitude, take control of your emotions, smile like you mean it and your inner beauty will naturally shine.

2. Say Something Nice To Yourself Every Day

The way you view yourself is super important when it comes to both your inner and outer beauty. When you look in the mirror, do you always see the things you dislike first? Why do we do that to ourselves?

The problem is that unlearning this negative thinking is really quite hard – it’s human nature, after all. However, it’s a great step towards celebrating your beauty so let’s try, shall we? Next time you check yourself in the mirror, look past your crow’s feet/wobbly thighs/graying hair and concentrate on the good stuff. Is your skin looking particularly fresh today? Then tell yourself so. This simple act of self-love will really boost your self-perception and help celebrate 'you'.

3. Be Gentle With Your Skin

Perfect skin is not something we like to promote. Because, life isn’t perfect and neither is your skin. However, looking after the skin you were born with? Now, that’s a different story. Your skin is the first thing people see when they meet you so, while it doesn’t define you, it can help reflect who you are.

The best ways to do this are as follows. First, be kind to your skin. Cleanse and moisturize twice a day with gentle ingredients that help strengthen your skin’s barrier function. Next up, avoid chemical nasties that can irritate your skin. Protect it daily with antioxidant treatments that counteract the damaging effects of, well, life. And shield it from UV radiation to help avoid premature aging from the sun’s nasty rays.

Ingredients like vitamin C are awesome for boosting your inner glow while hyaluronic acid keeps your skin plump, hydrated and healthy-looking. Check out our fan-favorites, Vitamin C Facial Serum and Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum which check both of those boxes – and then some!

A simple, but effective skincare routine shows you care about yourself. And that speaks volumes.

4. Look After Number One

While we’re on the subject of taking care of yourself, your inner health – just like your inner beauty – is super important. Most people think that eating well and exercising regularly is all about losing weight or building muscle, but it’s so much more than that.

Physical exercise, for example, releases endorphins which have been proven to reduce stress, boost your confidence and help improve your emotional wellbeing. Even short bursts of activity like walking or 10 minutes of morning yoga can increase you alertness, boost your energy and lift your mood. And of course, the added bonus of knowing you’re looking after your body does wonders for your self-esteem. Win win.

When it comes to your diet, what you eat also has a massive impact on how you feel about yourself. A balanced diet helps you sleep better, increases your energy levels and improves your state of mind – all of which play a major role in making you feel happier, healthier, more confident and less stressed. Certain foods like antioxidant-rich fruit and veggies also help you look, as well as feel amazing.

Again, win-win!

5. Do Things You Enjoy

If going to the gym fills you with dread, don’t do it. There, we said it. Yes, exercise is important for the health of your body and state of mind, but doing something you hate is extremely counter-productive. It’ll fill your mind with negative thoughts and make you feel bad about yourself for not wanting to go.

To overcome this, but still get some physical movement going, fill your life with activities you actually enjoy taking part in. Do you love team sports? Then research some local groups like softball or football. Perhaps you love the water? If so, check out your local swimming pool to see what they’ve got going on. Partaking in regular exercise you enjoy will make you want to do it more often. Which will simultaneously make you feel good and look fabulous.

6. Switch Up Your Social Media Habits

Ever found yourself falling into a black hole of social media scrolling, only to come away feeling kind of crappy about your boring existence and inadequate social life? You and us both. But remember, you have every single ounce of power over this. Not only do you control who you follow but you’re also in charge of how long you spend on social media. Don’t forget that. Another thing: perspective. People mostly post highlights of the best bits of their lives on social media; rarely the mundane stuff like taking the kids to school, cooking dinner or watching hours (and hours!) of Netflix.

If you find yourself feeling jealous of others while scrolling through their feeds, tap into these emotions and turn those negative thoughts into positive ones. Feel happy for your friends and remember, it isn’t real life. Not really. It’s just a snapshot and they’re just as likely to be sitting on the couch right now, feeling green with envy at the snippets of your life they’re currently checking out.

Know that you have just as much to be thankful for as everyone else.

7. Practice Kindness To Others

Being good to yourself is a great way to celebrate who you are. But don’t forget to offer the same kindness to everyone around you. Being a nice, authentic person, with a positive attitude and a genuine concern for other people’s feelings has a similar impact on your brain as physical exercise. This is thanks to happy hormones like oxytocin and endorphins which are triggered by acts of kindness.

Live by the rule ‘treat others as you want to be treated’ and the whole world will soon appreciate your inner beauty just as much as you do.

No matter your skin type or concerns a consistent routine is the only way to maintain the fabulous skin you deserve.

We may live in a world of filtered, unrealistic Instagram photos but, here at TruSkin, we’re all about enhancing your REAL skin. Sure you might hate your greasy t-zone, dark spots, crow’s feet or frown lines but the truth is, these small (and we stress ‘small’) imperfections do not define you and don’t need to be hidden behind. You are so much more than the odd wrinkle or chin pimple. You are awesome, and that’s something to be celebrated.

Now don’t start rolling your eyes in a ‘that’s easier said than done’ fashion – hear us out because we have our own skin woes to bear, too. The thing is, we’ve learned over the years that you may not have the skin you had 10 years ago and this understanding is the first and most important step to being happy in your skin. Instead of reminiscing about your plump teenage skin, it’s all about working with what you have right now.

But how do you successfully do that? Well, we truly believe that looking after your skin with a consistent skincare routine is the absolute foundation for an awesome complexion. What does a consistent routine mean? Thankfully it doesn’t mean standing over your vanity for hours on end applying an infinite cocktail of products day and night.

In fact, a solid, effective skincare routine requires just six products...

1. Cleanser

Cleansing your skin is often thought of as kind of a must, but not really that important in the grand scheme of things. Big mistake. If you don’t get rid of all that debris, you might as well throw the rest of your products away because they won’t work to the best of their abilities if they have all those surface nasties to get through.

We believe there are three important things to remember when cleansing your skin. 1. Choose formulations that aren’t loaded with chemicals and are free of irritating ingredients like sulfates, parabens, silicones and PEGs because these can upset your skin’s important barrier function and exacerbate dryness, dehydration, redness and breakouts. No matter your skin type, gentle is always the way to go. Try Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser which is perfect for daily cleansing.

2. Use only room temperature water. Anything too hot will also compromise your barrier function and have the same disastrous results. And 3. Take your time as you cleanse. Splashing your face, throwing a bit of cleanser at your skin and immediately rinsing it away is not going to do a great job. Instead, use your fingers and hands to massage your skin for a good couple of minutes to stimulate blood flow (hello radiant skin) and encourage lymphatic drainage (ditto!).

2. Toner

Hate the thought of drying out your skin with toner? Well, get that entire idea out of your head right now, because these days facial toners are so much more than alcohol-fueled lotions designed to suck all the life out of your skin. They’re actually an important step in your routine and, depending on your skin type, the benefits of a facial toner are endless. They can be saviors if you’re looking to balance, hydrate, calm or soothe your skin. And then some…

Our Ocean Mineral Super Toner, for example, floods your skin with skin-boosting treats like glycolic acid, vitamin C, MSM and botanical extracts. Even better news: simply spritz it on your skin after cleansing and this entire step is done and dusted in a matter of seconds.

3. Serum

Straight after toning comes your treatment serum. Serum should always be applied before eye cream and moisturizer because it’s lighter in consistency so needs cleaner, bare skin in order to do its job properly. Apply moisturizer first and it literally stands no chance of penetrating your skin.

Another fact for you: serum is a vital part of anyone’s skincare routine. How so? Because its small, molecular structure means it can deliver active ingredients to your skin way quicker and deeper than regular moisturizer.

If you’re not sure where to start with serum, don’t sweat it: we have an incredible collections of facial serums to suit every skin type. Looking for a gentle, antioxidant serum that won’t irritate your sensitive skin? Then our Niacinamide Facial Serum is right up your alley. Searching for an awesome all-round anti-ager to boost your flailing collagen supplies? Then look no further than our new Peptide Facial Serum. Whatever your needs, we’ve totally got your back. Just remember to only apply a couple of drops to your face and neck, and gently smooth or press it into your skin for the best results. Oh, and don’t forget to patch test first – serums are pretty potent so you should always make sure any new one is compatible with your skin before using it on the reg.

4. Eye Treatment

After allowing your serum to settle for a minute or so, apply an eye treatment. The skin around your eyes is notoriously dry and fragile making it very susceptible to the slings and arrows of everyday life – ie: sun damage, environmental pollution, stress and lack of sleep. Face moisturizer, however, can be a little heavy for this area, so stick with an eye treatment that’s been specifically created to treat the delicate skin around your eyes.

The golden rule when applying eye cream is that less is more – just a pea-sized amount will take care of both eyes easily. And don’t be too heavy-handed as you apply it. A great trick is to use your ring fingers to dab it around your eyes. This automatically forces you to use a lighter touch.

We have two equally awesome eye treatments: Peptide Eye Gel and Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream, so take your pick. You can't go wrong with either!

5. Moisturizer

Water makes up around 64 percent of healthy skin so it’s vital you help your skin stay hydrated 24/7. And moisturizer is the best/only way to do this. Serums are fabulous, for sure, but they don’t contain the slightly richer emollient ingredients that seal hydration into your skin and help reduce transepidermal water loss (TEWL).

Look for kind-to-skin formulations that contain a combination of ingredients to both hydrate your skin (aloe vera, glycerin and hyaluronic acid) and lock in moisture (shea butter, jojoba oil and friends). Try Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer for the morning and Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream before bed.

At night, moisturizer should be the final step in your routine, but in the morning there’s one final step to come. And it’s a VERY IMPORTANT one…

6. Sun Protection

Last, but by no means least, is sunscreen. Yes, applying SPF can seem like a chore but rain, shine, blue skies or gray, sunscreen is non-negotiable every day of the year. The facts are, it’s the most important (and effective) anti-aging product you could ever use and it can reduce your risk of developing skin cancer by up to 50 percent.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, you should choose a broad-spectrum formulation that offers a protection of at least SPF 15 (preferably 30), and you must apply around a nickel-sized amount to your face every morning. Sounds like a bore? Then try our brand new SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen which is lightweight, easy to apply and bursting with skin goodies like vitamin C, aloe vera, vegan marine collagen and the king of sun protection, zinc oxide.

Now For The Hard Bit…

Once you’ve got all this down, the important thing is to stick with your chosen routine – morning AND night. Too tired to wash your face before bed? Tough. Can't be bothered to apply sunscreen in the morning? Unlucky. The bottom line is that if you want to enjoy your best skin for as long as possible, you have to keep at it.

Oh sunscreen: you’ve got to love it for its valiant effort in the war against wrinkles. But, actually wearing it on a daily basis? Kind of annoying, right? Well, not any more. Say hello to one of the latest additions to the TruSkin family, SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C.

Facial serums are awesome for fighting off environmental nasties and targeting all manner of skin concerns. Toners are also fabulous for treating your skin and preparing it for moisturizer. But in terms of non-negotiable essentials, the big three are, without a doubt, cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen. After all, without a daily ritual of keeping your skin clean, moisturized and protected, you may as well not bother with the rest.

Now, all this chat isn’t meant to make you throw away your much-loved skin allies. Far from it. Serums, eye creams, toners and oils are extremely powerful tools for flooding your skin with hydration, antioxidants, peptides and nutrients. What we’re trying to stress, however, is the importance of the skincare fundamentals.

And sunscreen is one of, if not THE most important of those fundamentals.

The Importance Of Daily Sunscreen

Speak to any beauty editor, dermatologist or skin expert and they will undoubtedly agree on one thing: daily, broad-spectrum sunscreen is crucial if you care about maintaining healthy skin. It’s the most important way to ward off the signs of premature aging (beware dark spots, lines and wrinkles), but not only that; according to the Skin Cancer Foundation, regular use of SPF 15 can reduce your risk of developing certain skin cancers by as much as 50 percent.

And it’s not just when you’re lounging on the beach or picnicking in the park that sunscreen is important. In fact, you should really be wearing it on exposed skin every day of the year. Dramatic? Not even. The sun is present even when it’s cold outside because sunshine is about light, not just heat. So, while you might not feel the sun beating down on your skin on cold, cloudy days, it’s still there doing its thing. If it wasn’t? Well, frankly, it would be nighttime. UVB rays (the ones that burn your skin) are strongest in the summer, for sure, but they can still burn your skin if you’re not careful. What’s more, those equally-as-treacherous UVA rays (that ones that are responsible for deeper skin aging) are constant all year – rain or shine, blue skies or clouds. In fact, according to the American Academy of Dermatology, up to 80 percent of the sun’s harmful UV rays can penetrate right through clouds.

Mic. Drop.

Your New BFF In The Fight Against Sun Damage

No matter how many times we talk about the damaging effects of the sun, it’s clear that applying sunscreen every day can seem like a real chore for many. We’ve heard all the excuses in the book, from ‘sunscreen makes my skin breakout,’ to ‘I don’t have time for yet another step in my morning routine.’ Well, we hear you. And this is why we decided to launch our very own SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen to help deal with the damaging effects of the sun while being a product you might actually want to use.

Stacked with skin-protecting ingredients like our favorite free-radical-busting antioxidant, vitamin C, along with vegan marine collagen to enhance elasticity and moisturization, and aloe vera juice to soothe and shield the skin, SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen can be used on top of moisturizer or instead of – your choice. If your skin is super-dry, you’ll love it as an addition to your Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer, but many customers say they use it instead of moisturizer, applying it after their favorite hydrating serum to lock in moisture and protect their skin. So, that extra step you didn't want to deal with? Done.

The Secret Sauce

Recently awarded one of the Absolute Best New Sunscreens for 2022 by Stylecaster, the secret to SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen’s success is its smart non-nano zinc oxide formulation. Bear with us for a minute while we explain the science.

As you probably know, there are two main kinds of sunscreens available: chemical and mineral. Chemical sunscreens use chemical ingredients (dur!) like octisalate and oxybenzone to absorb UV radiation and help protect your skin from the sun. The problem with these are that they can be irritating for acne-prone or sensitive skin. Plus, the FDA is still unsure as to their safety and effectiveness. That’s what we call a major red flag, right there.

Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, contain, yes you guessed it, minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which instantly block the sun’s rays. These naturally protect your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation and are very well tolerated by all skin types. The only downside to mineral sunscreens? They’ve traditionally felt thick and sticky to apply and often leave a white residue on the skin. Many mineral sunscreens use nano-sized zinc oxide because its tiny size means it’s less whitening on the skin. The only problem there is, is that certain studies indicate that nano particles have the potential to negatively affect the environment, causing harm to marine life.

As you know, we’re not down with that. At all. Which is why we worked out a way to formulate non-nano zinc oxide into our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen. A non-whitening, lightweight cream that won’t leave your skin feeling heavy or weighed down. It's also cruelty-free, vegan friendly and reef-safe, which makes it the perfect addition to anyone’s morning routine.

Fast becoming a TruSkin fan favorite, now you have NO excuses not to protect your skin from sun damage every day of the year.

Literally none.
 

Don’t be fooled by that gorgeous ball of fire in the sky. Sure, it makes you feel instantly happier and healthier. But word up, it’s hell on your skin.

The sun and your skin have a real love-hate relationship. On the surface, the sun makes your skin feel warm and glowing. But there’s a much darker side of the sun – if you’ll pardon the paradox.

The center of our entire solar system and the closest star to the Earth, the sun is a veritable fire ball of hot, glowing gases. Without it, we would not survive. However, as important as the sun’s rays are for fueling life as we know it, they’re also responsible for a massive amount of damage to your skin (as well as your eyes, health and immune system but that’s whole different story for another day).

Of course you know you need to protect your skin from the sun. But do you really understand why and, be honest, do you actually do it on the reg? Well, here are ten important facts about sun protection that will hopefully nudge you to get ahead of the sun damage game. Because, frankly, it’s no game at all…

1. Sun damage is all about UV radiation.

Sunlight is split into various forms of energy. It’s called the electromagnetic spectrum if you want to get technical, and it includes ultraviolet (UV) radiation, among others. UV is not the stuff you see (that’s called visible light), nor does it create heat (that’s infrared), however, it’s extremely powerful and the absolute devil when it comes to the health of your skin. It generates premature aging (think dark spots, wrinkles, sagging and leathery skin) and is believed to be one of the biggest causes of skin cancer.

2. Then there are your ABCs.

UV radiation is split into three different types: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC rays are the shortest and, thanks to the ozone, don’t reach the Earth’s surface or your skin. So, you really just need to be concerned about the As and the Bs.

UVA rays have the longest wavelength and account for around 95 percent of all UV radiation that gets through the ozone. Because of their longer length, UVA rays are able to penetrate through clouds and even glass, which means that a) they hit your skin all year round and b) they can even get you if you’re inside, sat next to a window. UVA rays go deep into your skin where they produce free radicals, break down collagen and elastin and age you up in no time.

UVB rays, on the other hand, are slightly shorter in wavelength and penetrate only the uppermost layers of your skin. They’re still bad news, though, damaging the cells at a surface level, and causing redness and sunburn.

Confused as to how to possibly remember all this? Simple: think UVA for aging and UVB for burning. Both, consequently, play their part in damaging DNA and causing skin cancer.

3. UVA is present ALL YEAR ROUND.

While UVB rays are more prevalent in summer, and especially during the middle of the day when the sun is at its peak, UVA rays stay pretty constant all year long. Experts agree that even on gloomy days, around 80 percent of the sun’s UVA rays still pass right through those clouds. This means that your risk of UVA skin damage never really goes away.

4. Newsflash: SPF only protects you from UVB radiation.

The SPF rating you see on your sunscreen is a great idea of how much protection it offers you from sun damage. But it really only concerns UVB radiation and burning, not UVA and its consequent effects on premature aging. So, how can you ensure you get the full monty? Well, the most important phrase you need to know and look out for is ‘broad spectrum'.

Broad spectrum means that a formulation has been tested to protect your skin from both UVA and UVB rays – aka, a broad spectrum of radiation. This was historically a very gray area but in 2011, the FDA issued a new ruling for sunscreen labels which meant that in order for a product to be labeled ‘broad spectrum’ it had to offer UVA protection that was proportional to its UVB protection. This means a higher SPF equates to higher UVA protection as well as higher UVB protection, which makes it much easier for you to know what you're buying into. 

5. Group hugs for mineral sunscreens which block both UVA & UVB radiation.

Ingredients in sunscreens can be split into two categories: chemical and mineral. Chemical ingredients like oxybenone and octinoxate have been under great scrutiny recently and are continually being studied for their potential negative effects on the environment and your health. In fact, no chemical sunscreens are currently proposed to be safe and effective by the FDA. The only two are mineral ingredients: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

Zinc oxide and titanium dioxide form a physical, protective barrier on your skin which reflects the sun’s rays away from the surface. They provide instant protection from the sun and not only that, but they protect your skin from both UVA and UVB radiation. Chemical sunscreen ingredients can’t always boast such abilities, which is why our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen has been formulated with non-nano zinc oxide – in our opinion, it’s the ultimate defense against sun damage.

6. 30 is the magic number.

When it comes to the best SPF, most experts agree that 15 is as low as you should go. SPF 15 blocks out roughly 93 percent of the sun’s UV rays when applied thoroughly and generously – we’ll come to that in a bit.

As you get higher than SPF 15, your levels of protection increase minimally, but significantly. We believe SPF 30 is the sweet spot (especially when it comes to the fragile skin on your face), because this blocks around 97 percent of UV radiation.

7. In the case of sunscreen application, more is always more.

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, most people don’t apply enough sunscreen, which means the level of protection promised on your bottle isn’t what you’ll get. Big mistake. To protect your skin the way it deserves, apply about a nickel-sized amount to your face and a good two tablespoons for the rest of your body – if it’s not hidden underneath clothes, of course.

8. Sunscreen should be the final step in your routine.

It can be confusing to know when to apply all the products in your skincare routine, but sunscreen must always be last. This way, it won’t interfere with or block out the ingredients in your moisturizer, but will sit nicely on top to block out the stuff it’s supposed to – in other words, the sun.

9. The longer you’re in the sun, the more often you need to reapply.

Most sunscreen labels tell you to reapply at least every two hours; more often if you’re swimming, sweating, sunbathing etc. This is super important because the harder your sunscreen has to work, the quicker it will lose its powers.

But what about for everyday use when you’re either sitting at your desk, or just going about your normal life? Do you really need to cleanse your face and reapply your facial SPF every two hours in these instances? In all honesty, this is up to you and a little bit of common sense. If you’re picnicking in the park all day long, then yes, you should definitely reapply regularly. But if you’re working inside, away from a window and only going outside to grab some lunch or a coffee then your sun exposure will be limited, so a generous morning application should do the job.

10. Sunscreen is awesome… but it’s not the be-all and end-all.

The best way to protect your skin from sun damage, aging and skin cancer is to go for a multi-pronged approach that shields you from all angles. Our top sun safety rules are:

• Stay out of the midday sun and search out the shade as much as possible – especially on scorching hot days.
• Wear sun-protective, long-sleeved clothing as well as cute sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat.
• Invest in some UV protective film to fix to the windows around your house. This is especially important if you sit at a desk all day and your desk happens to face a window.
• Apply an SPF 30 sunscreen to all exposed areas of your skin every morning. Our new SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen is ideal because it’s light enough for everyday use, yet packs a real punch to protect your skin from UVA and UVB radiation.
• Double up your sun-battling skincare regimen by including antioxidants like vitamin C in your morning routine. Vitamin C not only helps mop up skin-damaging free radicals, but it’s also been proven to help maximize the powers of your sunscreen, giving you added protection. Our sunscreen includes its own shot of vitamin C but you can up the ante by applying Vitamin C Serum every morning after cleansing and before moisturizing.

You know sunscreen is important. You know you need to apply it on the reg. But do you know that there are two very distinct types of sunscreen formulations? Allow us to explain…

As beauty products go, sunscreens can be a lot to wrap your head around. You know where you are with cleansers, right? Even moisturizers, for the most part, are fairly simple guys. But sunscreens are far more complicated. Not only do you have things like SPF, UVA and UVB to get to grips with, but terms like ‘broad-spectrum,’ ‘photostability’ and ‘noncomedogenic’ also get thrown into the pot and, well, mind… officially… blown.

The good news is you don’t need to be a complete sun protection know-it-all – that’s what sunscreen manufacturers, skincare experts and dermatologists are for. But it is useful to understand a few things in order to avoid sun damage, do the absolute best for your skin, and make fair judgements when choosing the right products for your needs and concerns.

On that note, today’s lesson is all about the two main types of sunscreen available to you: chemical and mineral. What’s the difference and which is best? Let’s have a look, shall we?

What Are Chemical Sunscreens?

Chemical sunscreens use active chemical ingredients (although you probably guessed that much) to protect your skin from the sun. They do so by absorbing UV radiation like a sponge just below the surface of your skin. These UV rays are then broken down into heat and released through your skin. Typical chemical sunscreens include ingredients like oxybenzone, octisalate, avobenzone, octocrylene and octinoxate.

Granted, these chemicals are pretty clever and due to their molecular structure, they allow for sunscreen formulas to be lightweight, sheer and ideal for everyday use. However, there are some potential downsides. Many experts believe that some of these chemicals are being absorbed by the body way too much, possibly causing hormonal disruption and cell damage. Other studies have shown that certain chemicals sunscreens like oxybenzone may have an environmental impact, negatively affecting our planet’s waterways and marine life.

In 2019, the FDA proposed some regulation changes to chemical sunscreen ingredients and, while this proposal did not categorically deem these ingredients to be unsafe, it did state that more information and research was needed before they were proposed safe and effective.  

Because of all this, many companies have completely stopped using certain chemical sunscreen ingredients in their formulations. Hawaii has even banned some of them. Oxybenzone is one of the main offenders, even though much work is still to be done to prove hands-down that chemical sunscreens are harmful to humans and the environment.

The Pros Of Chemical Sunscreen

• Lightweight & easy to apply 
• Long-lasting 
• Great for all skin tones 

The Cons Of Chemical Sunscreen

• Must be applied at least 20 minutes before sun exposure 
• Not ideal for acne-prone or sensitive skin
• Potentially harmful to your health & the environment

What Are Mineral Sunscreens?

Also known as physical sunscreens, mineral sunscreens contain active mineral ingredients that sit on the surface of your skin to form a physical, reflective barrier against the sun’s rays. (Although some research suggests absorption may also be at play.) One thing's for certain, they're super effective at stopping those rays from penetrating and potentially damaging your skin. Typical mineral sun blockers are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide which both offer natural, broad spectrum protection and are consequently the only two sunscreen ingredients currently proposed safe and effective by the FDA.

Mineral sunscreens naturally protect your skin against both UVA and UVB radiation (not all chemical sunscreens do that), are less irritating than chemical sunscreens and they also provide instant protection – you need to apply chemical ones a good 20 minutes before exposure.

So, what’s the catch? Well, mineral sunscreens have historically been thick, sticky and harder to apply and, because they sit on the surface of  your skin, they tend to rub off more easily. However, thanks to technology moving on in leaps and bounds over the last few decades, those gloopy white, impossible-to-spread sunscreens you remember as a child are no longer the norm. 

The Pros Of Mineral Sunscreen

• Works immediately 
• Effective for all skin types 
• Safe for your health & the environment 

The Cons Of Mineral Sunscreen

• Needs to be reapplied frequently
• Thicker formulation
• May leave a slight white cast

So, Which Sunscreen Is Better: Chemical Or Mineral?

The answer to this question depends on who you ask. Someone with very dark skin might have a tough time with mineral sunscreens because, although many formulations today are tinted or sheer, there’s still a slight chance of some formulas leaving a whitish cast on skin. On the other hand, chemical sunscreens can block your pores and cause breakouts or irritation, so people with sensitive or acne-prone skin are often better off with mineral sunscreens.

And then, of course, there are the health and environmental debates which are constantly ongoing. Studies still need to be made to clarify any negative issues caused by chemical sunscreens, but we care about our oceans, reefs and marine life just as much as we care about your skin and health, so just to be sure, we personally sit firmly in the mineral sunscreen camp. This is why (drumroll, please) we just launched our very own Mineral Sunscreen with Broad Spectrum SPF 30, which has been formulated with non-nano zinc oxide and comes jam-packed with other skin-loving ingredients like vitamin C and vegan marine collagen. 

To finish, the most important thing to remember is that whichever type of sunscreen you choose, make sure you apply it regularly and generously. The sun is responsible for between 80 and 90 percent of external skin aging, so protecting your skin and shielding it from those damaging UV rays should be one of the most important parts of your daily routine. And when we say daily we mean every day of the year. Not just spring, not just summer. Every day. No arguments.