True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Here, we take a look at four of the greatest skincare ingredient double acts dermatologists agree bring out the best in each other.

Netflix and red wine… PB and J… some things work really well together. Like harmonious machines that are simply meant to be. When it comes to skincare, however, you can’t just buy into different formulations, whack them all over your skin and hope for the best. For a start, this is a complete waste of your hard-earned cash and precious time because certain ingredients render others useless. And for another thing, piling potent actives on your face can upset your skin’s natural pH level and compromise your barrier function, giving your complexion no end of problems like itching, redness and breakouts.

Word to the wise: skincare match-making? Bad idea. However, some ingredients complement each other so perfectly they're too good to miss. You just need to know what you’re dealing with in order to benefit from what they have to offer. Better yet, let us do the cocktailing for you.

Herein, four of the most popular skincare ingredient duos we’re totally on board with.

Vitamin C and Vitamin E

As antioxidants go, vitamin C is top of the class. It’s been studied for decades and proven to neutralize damaging free radicals which form in the skin when it’s exposed to environmental nasties such as pollution and UV radiation. If left to their own devices, free radicals cause oxidative stress which breaks down important cells, proteins (namely collagen) and DNA in your skin, leading to lines, wrinkles, dark spots and, well, you know the drill.

You literally can't go wrong if you apply a daily vitamin C treatment to your skin, but when you combine it with other trusted antioxidants, it goes into overdrive, offering your skin double the protection. The combination of vitamins C and E, for example, is one of the most popular in skincare. And for very good reasons. Vitamin E not only amps up vitamin C's ability to protect your skin from free radical damage, but it helps preserve its stability and therefore its efficacy and results. Good stuff.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Vitamin C Facial Serum

Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid

While retinol is one of the most cherished anti-aging ingredients in skincare, its powers can be a little, shall we say, intense for some skin types? A topical form of vitamin A, retinol works by communicating with your skin cells to make them turn over more efficiently. Of course, there’s much more to it than that, but this is the basic premise of how it helps boost collagen and elastin to work on fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and even acne breakouts.

To counterbalance the potential side-effects some of you may experience from using retinol (here’s looking at you redness, dryness and peeling), look out for formulations that blend it with hyaluronic acid. Retinol and HA is one of our favorite combos because it offers the amazing age-defying benefits of retinol, minus irritation thanks to the hydrating powers of HA.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Retinol Facial Serum

Tea Tree Oil and Salicylic Acid

If you’re prone to breakouts, you’ll know what a wonder ingredient tea tree oil is. Extracted from the leaves of, yes you’ve guessed it, the tea tree which is native to Australia, this botanical oil has been proven to have awesome anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial benefits. Studies show that it’s a very effective treatment for acne and, double bonus, is well tolerated by most skin types.

But if you really want to fight acne from both angles, try a tea tree serum that blends this wonder ingredient with salicylic acid. How so? Because while tea tree oil works on inflammation and redness at a surface level, salicylic acid goes a little deeper to improve cell turnover and help remove excess oil and dirt that can block your pores in the first place. Prevention and treatment? That has to be one of the best combos out there, right?

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Tea Tree Super Serum+

Niacinamide and Vitamin E

Niacinamide is somewhat of a dark horse. But it offers so much for your skin including radiance, hydration, strength and protection, so we’re aiming to change that!

Otherwise known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is a powerful antioxidant and one of the best choices for sensitive skin types as it’s non-irritating and very well tolerated. In fact, it can even work well for those of you with rosacea or eczema – and that’s not an easy accomplishment for any active skincare ingredient…

Because niacinamide is so easy on your complexion (but no less effective, of course), it works well with most other ingredients. However, one of our favorite pairings, especially for restoring and repairing damaged skin, is niacinamide and vitamin E. Vitamin E has awesome emollient and humectant properties which means it can draw water into the skin and keep it there. Twice the antioxidant love as well as the ultimate in moisturization? Count us in.

Find This Dynamic Duo In: Niacinamide Facial Serum

Of course, you must always tread carefully with potent actives – even if they’ve been carefully formulated into one bottle. Always patch test a new product before using it for the first time and remember, less is more.
 
Oh, and one final side note. If you're looking for TWO fabulous power couples that have your skin covered first thing in the morning and last thing before bed, allow us to introduce you to our Day & Night Duo skincare kit. This perfect pairing includes fan-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum and the equally effective Retinol Facial Serum. Plus it saves you $$$s as an added bonus.

Because we don’t profess to know EVERYTHING about skin, but we like to help out as much as we can.

Incoming: the five most common questions we’ve received over the last year from you, our favorite TruSkin customers. Oh, and more importantly, their answers. Because what would be the point of questions without answers?

1. How Do I Choose The Right Products For My Skin Type?

Knowing your skin type is obviously the first and most important step here. Then and only can you make a considered judgement on which products and ingredients will best suit your skin.

To figure out your skin type, wash it with a gentle cleanser like Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, then pat it dry with a clean towel and leave it for about an hour. After this hour, study your skin in the mirror and touch it. If it feels and looks pretty similar to how it looked immediately after cleansing, it’s normal. If it looks shiny and feels greasy to the touch it’s oily. Maybe it feels tight and looks patchy and dry in places? Then it’s dry. And if it’s a mixture of all three, it’s combination.

Once you’ve nailed this, it’s much simpler to build your routine. For oily skin, your regime should include products that contain ingredients like tea tree oil, charcoal and salicylic acid which cut through excess oils and help balance your skin. Check out our Charcoal Face Wash and Tea Tree Serum if you haven't already.... Don’t forget, however, oily skin requires moisturization and hydration just as much as other skin types so make sure you get a good fix of lightweight ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin – preferably in gel or lotion formulations. Avoid occlusive ingredients like rich butters and heavy oils as these create a barrier on the surface of your skin and block pores.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, occlusives are ideal if your skin is dry. Shea butter, olive oil, cocoa butter and coconut oil, for example, are perfect for locking in moisture and boosting your lack of natural oils, so make sure any moisturizer you choose is packed with occlusives, as well as humectants like HA, aloe and glycerin. Be careful around potent active ingredients like glycolic acid and retinol as these could cause extra dryness. But that being said, you don’t need to avoid them altogether. Just be wise, listen to your skin and always patch test new products before using them for the first time.

If you have combination skin, your routine should be based around balancing oily areas and moisturizing the dry ones. Again, hyaluronic acid is ideal for hydrating without overloading your skin, so definitely include this in your daily regime. And spot-treat oily areas with tea tree oil.

Of course, if you have normal skin, you can get away with most things (lucky you), but don’t get too cocky and throw caution to the wind or you could become plagued by irritation or breakouts. Be gentle with your skin and always patch test new products.

2. What’s The Correct Order For Applying My Different Skincare Products?

It can be tricky to know in which order to apply your products but you just need to remember one simple thing. After cleansing and toning, your products should always be applied in order of weight, from light to heavy. Thinner products can’t penetrate through the thicker ones, so this rule makes perfect sense when you think about it.

This means that first comes serum, then your eye treatment, followed by moisturizer and finally sunscreen. If you like to use a face oil, this should come between moisturizer and sunscreen.

Easy when you know.

3. Do I Really Need To Use Toner?

Ah, the million dollar question. Well, in all honesty, like most skincare products, whether you use toner or not is all down to choice and what you want to achieve from your routine.

But first, let’s get one thing straight: toners are not what you remember from years gone by. Most skincare manufacturers have realized that stinging formulations and squeaky clean skin are no longer what consumers want, so things like drying alcohols and eye-watering chemicals have been removed. Nowadays, toners are more about treating, hydrating or gently exfoliating your skin in order to prime it for the rest of your routine. Of course, they’re optional, but as are serums and eye creams, so if you want to do the best for your skin, we say go for it.

Our Ocean Minerals Super Toner contains collagen-boosting peptides to strengthen your skin, glycolic acid to encourage cell turnover and a whole bunch of antioxidants to protect your skin from the daily onslaught of environmental damage. Now, why wouldn’t you want to give your skin all that?

4. What Is A Serum Supposed To Do?

Serums are like the super-powered tequila shots to your 'gin and tonic' moisturizer. OK, bad analogy, but you understand what we’re getting at, right? Extremely potent, serums exist to deliver concentrated levels of active ingredients right where your skin needs them. Unlike moisturizers which are thicker and contain larger, heavy molecules, serums are super lightweight and have much smaller molecules which are able to penetrate your skin quicker and deeper.

This means that while they’re not an essential part of your routine (unlike cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen) they pack a real punch and can make a remarkable difference to the look, feel and health of your skin. If yours is feeling dehydrated, for example, and your moisturizer isn’t cutting the mustard, a hydrating serum is going to be exactly what it needs. Or perhaps your skin is feeling dull and needs a high-powered pick-me-up? Then a serum containing brightening vitamin C can reap a thousand rewards.

Serums might be tiny, but they’re invincible. Check out our range of serums for all skin types and concerns, right here.

5. What Does Vitamin C Do For My Skin?

Speaking of vitamin C, this is the one ingredient that seems to baffle you the most. But, the good news is we know a lot about vitamin C. Like, a helluva lot, so hit us with your questions as we love hearing from you…

In the meantime, what exactly is vitamin C in skincare and what are its benefits? Well, pure vitamin C (also known as ascorbic acid) is an essential nutrient and powerful antioxidant that’s produced synthetically for everything from cleansers and toners to moisturizers and serums. It’s actually one of the most highly studied ingredients in skincare so you know you’re getting the real deal, and it works hard to fight free radical damage to boost collagen production, even your skin tone and basically give you better, more glowy skin.

The only problem is that pure vitamin C is highly volatile and can be a little irritating, especially if you have sensitive skin. This is why we use a gentler, more stable version called sodium ascorbyl phosphate, or SAP to its friends. And yes, that includes you.

SAP is a salt derivative of ascorbic acid which converts to vitamin C once it’s been applied to your skin. This makes it way more tolerable while still being extremely good at its job. The saltiness is also why many of our vitamin C-enriched serums have a slightly cloudy look to them. Just remember, cloudy is good and a sure sign of brighter times ahead. For your skin and your mood.

Because looking good always makes you feel great.

And can we have a high-five for that?

Ready to get your glow on, peeps – without having to reach for your shimmering bronzer, of course? Excellent timing, we’re on it…

There’s a fine line between glowing skin and shiny skin. The former’s something we all strive for, but the latter’s not so appealing. The difference is that glowing skin is radiant and healthy, whereas shiny skin is often due to an excess of oils (or sweat… or both!). Of course, you can’t change your genetic makeup and suddenly transform your oily skin into a perfectly balanced, flawless complexion. And similarly those of you with dry skin know you can’t magically force your skin to start naturally producing more oil. But what you can do is help what Mother Nature gave you to boost your glow and up your skin's radiance game.

Here’s how…

Glowy Skin Rule #1: You Gotta Exfoliate, End Of

Clean skin is obviously super important here, so make sure you cleanse gently twice a day. Use upwards strokes as you cleanse your face to ensure you get right into the pores and always rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. You could even try a final splash with cool water to really boost your circulation… if you can bear it.

But clean skin doesn’t stop there. Gentle exfoliation is also vital. For your face, we advise using a chemical exfoliator that contains AHAs or BHAs such as glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid. Unlike scrubs which can sometimes be a little abrasive on your face, chemical exfoliators break down the bonds that hold dead skin cells in place. This helps them gently slough away without you forcing them off. Try Vitamin C Super Serum+ which contains salicylic acid to exfoliate and balance sebum at the same time.

When it comes to your body, a salt scrub is a fabulous way to buff away rough skin and boost your glow. Or try using a loofah or body mitt with your favorite cleanser.

Glowy Skin Rule #2: Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Toner

Never sure whether you really need a toner in your life? Well, if you’re looking to get your glow on, the answer is simple: you do. Today’s new generation of toners aren’t just there to make up the skincare numbers, in fact they’re quite the opposite, working hard to hydrate, feed and balance your skin. And healthy skin is the absolute foundation of radiant skin. 

Looking for the perfect toner for the job? Then try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains glycolic acid to accelerate cellular turnover, vitamin C to protect and brighten, plus MSM, a sulfur compound that boosts collagen production and significantly helps improve the tone and texture of your skin. This awesome toner also comes in a handy spray bottle meaning you can spritz it on thirsty skin any time you please.

Glowy Skin Rule #3: Go To The Upside Down

It might be a while since you did a headstand, but if you’re a yoga pro, you’re in luck here. Being upside down for two or three minutes a day is a great way to boost blood flow and oxygen to your face for an instantly more glowing complexion.

Not a headstand kinda girl? Then lay on your back and tip your head back over the side of your bed. Same result, less falling over.

Glowy Skin Rule #4: Concentrate On Dry Skin

Dry skin is a fact of life, but this doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to it, or worse, leave it untreated, to become even drier and potentially irritated. Dry, flaky patches are often due to an impaired skin barrier, so make sure you look after it by soothing and replenishing your skin from head-to-toe with gentle skincare products (no synthetic fragrance or unnecessary chemical, thanks) and an impeccable moisturizing routine.

Moisturize after every time you cleanse and make sure your chosen formulation includes a combination of humectants, emollients and/or occlusives. Humectants draw water into your skin, emollients smooth cracks and occlusives lock all that moisture in. Our Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream combines glycerin, aloe, botanical oils and cocoa butter which checks all those boxes nicely. It also contains the mighty vitamin C. Speaking of which…

Glowy Skin Rule #5: Embrace Brightening Skincare Ingredients (cough, vitamin C)

When it comes to brightening your complexion, certain skincare ingredients punch way above their weight. Retinol, niacinamide and kojic acid, for example are all fabulous for helping to brighten uneven or dull skin. But the absolute queen of brightening? Vitamin C. It’s everything.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent antioxidant and works hard to protect your skin from the damaging onslaught of free radicals caused by environmental aggressors like that pesky, but beautiful sun. It also reverses existing damage and inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that fuels melanin production. All this combines to help reduce dark spots and mottled skin while amping up your skin’s radiance like nothing else.

Pure vitamin C can be volatile, however, and too potent for sensitive skin types, so we use a gentle, but super effective derivate called Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP to its friends). You’ll find it in all of our vitamin C products and is the reason some of them have a cloudy look to them – it's the sodium component of our awesome vitamin C doing its finest work, right there.

Glowy Skin Rule #6: Try A Little Dry Body Brushing

If you’ve never tried dry body brushing, the time is now. A fabulous way to encourage cell turnover, dry body brushing stimulates your circulatory and lymphatic systems to effectively remove dead cells, metabolic waste and toxins. After a few weeks, guaranteed you’ll notice your skin is softer and much more radiant. It also prepares your skin for your moisturizer, allowing it to be more readily absorbed and therefore way more effective.

The best time to dry body brush is in the morning, before showering. Work from your ankles, upwards using long strokes or circular motions and be gentle, especially over delicate areas like your tummy and chest. You should also avoid open wounds, rashes, varicose veins, freshly shaven legs and sunburn.

The benefits of applying vitamin C to your skin go on and on. So, if you’re looking for a tried, tested and very much trusted ingredient to amp up your skincare regime, the search is over.

We don’t like to show favoritism, but vitamin C is a real golden child here at TruSkin. Packed into a ton of our awesome skincare products, it's an absolute powerhouse for protecting, brightening and strengthening your skin. But don’t take our word for it – herein, the facts…

1. Topical vitamin C is a fully signed up member of a family of ingredients called antioxidants. Antioxidants are vital for the look, feel and health of your skin because they work hard to fight free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors such as air pollution, smoking and that biggest offender of all, the sun.

Your body has its own natural antioxidant defense system, but as you get older, this becomes weaker, allowing those highly reactive free radicals to do a real number on the good stuff in your skin – namely collagen and elastin. This is why, if you want to keep your skin looking fabulous for as long as possible, you need to boost your levels of antioxidants, through awesome skincare ingredients like vitamin C.

2. It's not just vitamin C's antioxidant properties that are essential for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown, however. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost collagen and elastin production to help keep your skin plump, firm and supple. Take that, premature aging.

3. So, exactly how does this visibly benefit your skin? Gosh, where to start...

As you know, collagen and elastin are vital components of your skin, providing structure, strength and suppleness. When these proteins become compromised, your skin pays the price in many ways. Lines and wrinkles start to form and you may begin to notice areas of sagging, especially in the lower parts of your face where gravity is not your friend. Of course, your natural levels of collagen and elastin start to degrade as you hit your mid-twenties anyway and there’s nothing you can do about this natural aging process, but what you can do is fight against all the other damage at work.

Enter topical vitamin C. By fighting free radical damage it reduces the breakdown of collagen and elastin, making it one of the best anti-aging ingredients out there for helping you keep your youthful good looks for as long as possible.

4. Lines, wrinkles and saggy skin aren't the only things to be scared because vitamin C also helps improve dark spots and discoloration.

Vitamin C contains properties that help inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that generates melanin synthesis. Melanin is a complex polymer that’s produced by special cells called melanocytes and it's responsible for the color of your skin, hair and eyes. Everybody has the same number of melanocytes, but depending on your genes, yours will work at a different rate to the next person. If they produce a ton of melanin your hair, skin and eyes will be darker, whereas if they produce very little, they’ll be much lighter.

When you expose your skin to sunlight, melanin production goes into overdrive, making your skin tan. It can also become erratic, resulting in patches of dark skin, otherwise known as sun spots. And this is where topical C comes to the rescue. By regulating melanin production, vitamin C has the ability to gradually fade patchy, dark areas and even out your skin tone. Say hello to brighter, glowy skin. Yes!

5. Experts agree that vitamin C and sunscreen are a veritable power couple. Not only does vitamin C boost the efficacy of your sunscreen by offering your skin further protection from UV damage, but sunscreen helps prevent your vitamin C from oxidizing on your skin. Apply a vitamin C without sunscreen and it will just burn away, rendering it, well, pretty useless.

This is why sunscreen is vital. And sunscreen plus vitamin C? Even better.

6. Vitamin C comes in many guises on your skincare labels. Ascorbic acid is the purest form of vitamin C – but this can be pretty potent, especially if you have sensitive skin. Other forms to look out for include sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and the mighty sodium ascorbyl phosphate. 

7. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is our vitamin C of choice. So, why do we believe in this form in particular?

Much gentler than its big, bad ascorbic acid cousin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a salt derivative of pure vitamin C and converts into ascorbic acid once it’s been applied to your skin. This process makes it much more tolerable and way less irritating for most skin types. But it still does a great job, of course. The saltiness is also why many of our vitamin C-enriched serums have a slightly cloudy look to them. Think about how water looks when you dissolve salt in it. It's cloudy, right? 

8. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is also much more stable when it comes into contact with light, air and water than pure vitamin C. It should always be packaged in an opaque or dark colored bottle, but still, this is great news because it means it doesn’t lose its potency after you’ve had it open for a few weeks.

9. So, what’s the best way to incorporate vitamin C into your routine? Well, you’ll find it in many of our skincare formulations including Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, Moisturizer and Night Cream, but if you’re looking to pack the most powerful C-punch, serums are the way to go.

Serums like our awesome Vitamin C Super Serum+ are extremely effective at delivering active ingredients into the skin because they have a small molecular size (much smaller than moisturizers). This means they’re able to penetrate the skin deeper and quicker.

Just remember, always do a patch test to check for sensitivities before using any new product for the first time.

10. If you want to majorly up the antioxidant ante, look for serums that contain both vitamin C and vitamin E. Why? Because, like gin and tonic, these ingredients work perfectly well on their own, but they’re even better together. In fact, studies show the effectiveness of these antioxidants is almost doubled when they’re applied as a team. Furthermore, vitamin E helps stabilize vitamin C, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck.

Try our customer-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum which is formulated with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (the cloudy C star), vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate and protect your skin all-in-one bottle.

Because firming the skin on your face doesn’t have to mean a trip to the injector’s office…

We always advocate loving the skin you’re in, but there’s no harm in trying your best to minimize the stuff that annoys you the most, right?

Take loose skin, for example. Correct us if we’re wrong, but this has to be the sneakiest skin ager of the lot, creeping up on you until, wham, your jawline suddenly goes from firm and taut to, well, a little bit saggy.

So, why does your skin slacken as you age? Because collagen. As you know, collagen is one of the most important proteins in your skin, giving it structure and strength by acting like scaffolding to hold it all together. When you hit your mid-twenties, however, studies show your skin produces about 1 percent less collagen each year. Dang. This means your skin gradually becomes thinner, more delicate and more prone to the visible signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles, rough skin, uneven tone and the inevitable sagging.

Unfortunately you can’t press pause on the clock and stop your skin from maturing after the age of 25. But you can work to prevent all the other external stuff that accelerates the rate at which your skin ages. For starters you MUST protect your skin from the sun which is the number one cause of skin aging. Then, of course it’s sensible to get more sleep, reduce your stress levels, not smoke and drink less alcohol. You know the drill.

Once you’ve nailed some smart lifestyle choices, it’s time to think about your skincare routine and what it needs to help keep any tricky areas more firm and youthful-looking. Not sure where to start? Then here are our favorites...

Vitamin C

When it comes to firming your skin, vitamin C is a no brainer. How so? Because it fights hard to neutralize free radicals which, if left alone, accelerate collagen breakdown and cause no end of damage to your skin. Consistent use of a topical vitamin C treatment (oh hi there, Vitamin C Facial Serum) not only keeps free radicals and all their nasty side-effects at bay, but because it’s highly acidic it also triggers your skin to produce more collagen to help heal itself.

As we said, no brainer.

Facial Massage

Massaging your skin as you cleanse? Priceless. And if you’re worried about getting your technique absolutely perfect, don’t be. As long as you’re not too full-on, pulling and pushing your skin like your life depended on it, any kind of massage using your hands and the pads of your fingers will boost collagen production to help lift, tighten and firm your skin. As a sidenote, it will also improve blood circulation to flush out toxins and add that all-important glow.

If your loose areas are mainly around your chin and jawline (the dreaded jowls), concentrate on these areas specifically when you cleanse your skin, using Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser for an added antioxidant boost. Work it up and down your neck using the pads of your fingers, then place the palms of your hands on each side of your nose and smooth your hands up towards your hairline a few times to lift the cheeks. Next, pinch the bottom of your chin with your thumbs underneath and your knuckles on top, then repeat this action all the way up your jawline to your ears. Do this a few times every day.

Retinol

Retinol is a winner for battling against free radical damage and stimulating collagen synthesis. It works by altering the behavior of aging skin cells to enhance cell turnover and make your skin appear younger-looking. Like most derms and skin experts, we’re always blowing retinol’s trumpet. But it works, so go figure.

Of course, you have to be patient and consistent with retinol because it takes a good three months for it to start offering visible results. It’s good, but it’s not a miracle-worker, OK? Try Retinol Facial Serum two or three times a week making sure to smooth it over your jawline and down your neck to help boost collagen and lift these troublesome areas.

Facial Exercises

Did you know your face contains around 50 muscles? Best start working them out then – especially since many of them rarely get used.

To help firm and tighten your skin, exercise your facial muscles three or four times a week for 10-15 minutes at a time. A great one for your neck and jowls is to tilt your head up to the sky, then pucker up your lips and push them forward as if you’re trying to kiss the sky. Hold this for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat five times.

Peptides

If retinol and vitamin C aren’t enough for you, boost your collagen even further by making sure your skincare routine contains peptides. Peptides are similar to proteins in that they’re chemical compounds made up of amino acids – the building blocks of pretty much everything in the human body. When it comes to your skin, peptides act like little messengers to encourage your cells to produce more collagen and elastin. And just to reiterate, if you’re hoping to maintain the firmness of your skin, collagen is everything.

To up your peptide game and help firm and tone sagging skin around your eyes, our Eye Gel has totally got your back. And for an all-over skin lift, try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which is awash with peptides and the perfect way to refine, refresh and improve laxity. In our humble opinion, anyway.

LED Light Therapy

LED (light-emitting deode) therapy works by discharging various frequencies or wavelengths of infrared light to trigger certain reactions deep within the skin. Depending on the type of light used, your skin will react in different ways. Blue light, for example kills bacteria to help clear acne, but if you’re looking to boost collagen and firm your skin, a combination of red, amber and/or white light is going to be more up your street.

Red and amber lights are the shortest and target the top layers of your skin to boost circulation and stimulate collagen production which, note to self, makes them the perfect combination for firming and lifting. Meanwhile, white light, which is usually administered during in-office treatments only, penetrates the deepest and is thought to help reduce inflammation and help tighten your skin.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, in-office treatments can be costly because you’ll need up to 10 sessions to get the best results, with each one costing anything from $25-$85. In other news, however, at-home LED kits are available which are a tad easier on your wallet.

MSM

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane (trying saying that after a few White Claws), MSM is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound that promotes circulation, fights inflammation and plays a major role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. It also boosts your body’s antioxidant defense system (bye bye free radicals) so is a total shoo-in for maintaining firm, youthful-looking skin.

We believe very strongly in MSM and incorporate it in many of our favorite skincare formulations including Vitamin C Serum, Vitamin C Super Serum+, Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser and both of our eye treatments.

Not that we’re saying sunscreen isn’t important. It is. It SO is. But couple your daily SPF with these other sun safety tips and you can be happy knowing you're doing everything you can to protect your skin from the sun.

While we love the sun and, well, couldn’t survive without it, studies show that sunlight is the number one cause of external skin aging. Now, we don’t like to point the finger, but this means almost everything you hate about your skin – fine lines, wrinkles, rough texture, lack of firmness, dark spots, enlarged pores, the works – is primarily down to sun damage. Dang.

We constantly bang on about the importance of applying a broad-spectrum SPF 30 sunscreen daily and make no apologies for it. But today, we’re here to give that particular lecture a temporary rest because we want to talk about all the other things you can do to protect your skin from the slings and arrows of the sun.

Make the below a top priority this summer (along with your essential SPF, of course) and who knows, you might ward off those visible signs of premature aging just that little bit longer.

Apply Topical Antioxidants

As we’re sure you’re aware, we’re massive fans of topical antioxidants here at TruSkin. And one of the main reasons we love them? Sun damage control.

Exposure to the sun is one of the biggest causes of free radicals – those pesky compounds which love to do a number on your skin, destroying important proteins and causing what’s known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress spells major bad news for your skin as it leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, resulting in lines, wrinkles and premature sagging.

The good news is antioxidants fight tooth and nail against free radicals to limit harm and keep your skin looking awesome for as long as possible. Studies have shown that two of the best antioxidants for sun protection are vitamins C and E. And more good news: we combine these two free radical-fighting powerhouses with hyaluronic acid in our Vitamin C Facial Serum. Apply it underneath your moisturizer and sunscreen daily to really amp up your protection game. But remember, antioxidants do NOT protect your skin from sun burn so don’t think applying a vitamin C serum makes you invincible from the sun. It does not.

Avoid Direct Sunlight Whenever You Can

Nothing beats lounging outside on a hot, sunny day. Actually, add a frozen margarita into the mix and now we’re getting somewhere. But sitting outside in the direct, midday sun? So not good for your skin. Shade always trumps sun, hands down.

Depending on the density and coverage of your chosen shady spot, sitting in the shade protects you from around 15 percent of UV light. Granted, this doesn’t sound like a lot, but when it comes to looking after your skin, we say every smidge of protection counts.

Look for a tree to sit under when picnicking in the park, or remember to take an umbrella if you’re going to spend a day out in the sun. And when looking to buy a new beach umbrella or awning, make sure you look for The Skin Cancer Foundation's Seal of Approval which guarantees the fabric has reached the minimum requirements of 30 UPF (ultraviolet protection factor).

Wear Protective Clothing

Did you know what you wear can also have an impact on your level of sun protection? Plus, clothes don’t wear off like sunscreen as an added bonus. Simple choices like wearing loose fitting clothes, long sleeves or densely woven fabrics such as denim or wool are way more protective for your skin than tight, stretchy or sheer clothing.

Also, according to The Skin Cancer Foundation, dark or bright colors are way better than lighter tones because they help absorb UV radiation before it reaches your skin, adding further protection from sun damage.

Finally, don’t forget a good, tightly-woven hat that doesn’t show too much light through it (you can always check this with a flashlight). A 3-inch brim around the entire circumference is optimum, but if you’re a baseball cap kinda gal, think about adding some kind of drape over your neck and ears to protect those delicate areas.

Don’t Forget Your Sunglasses

Looking after the skin around your eyes is arguably even more important than the skin on the rest of your face. How so? Because this area is thinner and more delicate meaning it’s much less efficient at protecting itself from environmental damage. Also, between 5 and 10 percent of all skin cancers are found on the eyelids. Big warning, right there.

Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses all year round (even on cloudy days) and choose those that are 100 percent effective at blocking both UVA and UBA radiation. And remember, dry, dehydrated skin around your eyes will age you up super fast so always apply a hydrating eye cream twice daily. Try Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream which, on top of HA, contains hard-working antioxidants and age-defying ingredients like plant peptides, panthenol and botanical oils.

Think About Your Diet

Last but not least, up your sun protection from the inside out by making a few smart healthy eating choices. Laden your diet with antioxidant-rich fruit and veggies like kiwis, berries, citrus fruits, tomatoes and broccoli and snack on almonds, walnuts and seeds to up your levels of omega 3 essential fats which help reduce UV-induced inflammation.

Studies have also shown that foods which are high in beta-carotene may also play a part in protecting your skin from sun damage. These included sweet potatoes, bell peppers, carrots, spinach and butternut squash.

(Don't forget, however, none of these steps are as important as regular sunscreen. Always, we repeat, always protect your skin with a broad-spectrum SPF 30 lotion or moisturizer as the final step in your morning routine)