True Radical Honesty From Our Community

It might be thought of as an ‘extra’ step in your skincare routine, but exfoliation can make or break the condition of your skin.

Reckon you’re a dab hand at exfoliating? Got the product, worn the t-shirt and all that? Well, as great as you might be, there’s always room for improvement. Whether it’s getting your frequency absolutely correct, knowing when is the best time to exfoliate or learning how to exfoliate your face and neck without damaging your skin there are many ways to do better.

So if you hate resting on your laurels when it comes to the health of your skin, read on for five important exfoliating lessons you need to know…

1. It’s Better To Under-Exfoliate Than To Over-Exfoliate

The first, and undoubtedly the most important rule when it comes to exfoliating your skin is to never, ever, overdo it.

Here’s the thing, exfoliation is your way of stimulating your skin to turn over at a faster rate, removing dead, hardened cells from the skin’s surface while encouraging the fresher, younger ones to reveal themselves. All this helps remove toxins, unclog pores, control breakouts, fade surface level dark spots, smooth lines, balance oil production, allow the rest of your skincare routine to work better and, well, you get the picture.

Of course, your skin has its own pre-programmed way of shedding millions of dead skin cells every day – a process called desquamation – but things like aging and environmental damage slow this process down from around 28 days to as long as 80 days. And this is not good news. Slow, sluggish cell turnover means that instead of naturally sloughing away, dry, old skin cells get stuck at the surface causing your skin to look dull, patchy, congested and dehydrated.

So you get the picture that exfoliation is pretty important. Well, here’s the catch. Exfoliating your skin too hard or with high concentrations of super-potent ingredients will speed up cell turnover way too much. And this can totally upset your skin’s barrier function, stripping away important proteins and oils, leaving it open to irritation, breakouts, redness and stinging.

This is why it’s key to be gentle. If you like to use physical exfoliants like scrubs, cleansing brushes or facial mitts you should only ever use very light pressure, and avoid harsh tools and products that make your skin sting or hurt. On the other hand, if you prefer chemical exfoliants that harness the powers of hydroxy acids such as glycolic, salicylic and lactic acids, try to avoid super high concentrations and don’t attempt any kind of DIY mixology. Mixing and matching such potent ingredients is best left to the skincare professionals. Otherwise it inevitably does not end well.

2. Yes, You CAN Alternative Between Physical & Chemical Exfoliants

While we’re on the subject of physical and chemical exfoliation, the good news is you don’t have to choose between the two. Of course, you should never scrub your skin and then immediately apply a chemical exfoliant afterwards. Or even on the same day for that matter. This is completely over-egging the pudding, plus you know all that irritation we just spoke of? Well, double exfoliation is opening up the door for sore, sensitive skin.

However, you can certainly alternate between the two if you tread carefully and don’t overdo it. Just remember to stick to two or three times a week with your face scrub, then on alternate days, apply a gentle-on-the-skin chemical exfoliant.

And boy, have we got just the product for that!

Say hello to our new 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant which is formulated with an incredible blend of glycolic acid (an AHA), salicylic acid (BHA) and gluconolactone (PHA). Together with vitamin C this fragrance-free, pH-balancing treatment has been specifically formulated to offer an effective way to increase skin turnover, with less of the irritation often associated with acid exfoliants. The key is the 6 percent sweet spot which we believe is just the right amount to care for all skin types – yes, even sensitive.

3. Cleansing Can Be Effective Before OR After Using Face Scrub

Exfoliating your skin with a physical scrub, washcloth or mitt should never replace your cleansing routine. In fact, you should still cleanse your skin whenever you exfoliate.

But should you do it beforehand or after exfoliating? Well, surprisingly you can do either.

Most skincare experts recommend cleansing before exfoliating because this helps remove surface debris like makeup, oils, sunscreen and sweat, allowing your exfoliator to really get to business straight from the off. However, doing the opposite lifts away those dead skin cells first which gives your cleanser a better chance to wash all that debris away.

In short, cleansing first allows for a deeper, more effective exfoliation, while exfoliating first gives you a better cleanse.

Of course, if you prefer chemical exfoliants like our new 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, this whole point is null and void. You must always apply chemical exfoliants to clean skin for the best results. End of discussion.

4. For Excellent Results, Exfoliate In The Morning

Never quite sure whether to exfoliate before bed or after you wake up? To be honest, any time of the day is good and it really depends on your skin type, needs and routine. However, if you really want to get the most out of your exfoliant, it can be better to use it in the morning.

During the night, your skin repairs and renews itself from the daily grind, leaving you with more dead skin cells to slough away come the morning. Also, most people apply their retinol treatment at night so over-stimulating your skin before using such a powerful product can increase the potential for irritation.

All this combines to, in our opinion, give morning exfoliation the win. And when you add in the fact that our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant contains skin brightening, free radical-fighting vitamin C to shield your skin from daily damage, it really is a no brainer.

5. Treat Your Exfoliant Like A Retinol Treatment

As previously mentioned, exfoliation isn't like cleansing, moisturizing and applying sunscreen, which should all be carried out on a strict, daily basis. In fact, one of the worst things you can do is to dive in head first, going from no exfoliation at all, to a vigorous scrub every morning.

As with retinol, proceed your exfoliation routine with caution. Start with a gentle product just once or twice a week (having patch tested any new product first, of course), then slowly build up to more frequent use as your skin acclimates. Depending on your skin type, you may be able to work up to daily exfoliation, alternating between scrubs and acids, or you may find your skin prefers a less frequent approach. Everyone’s skin is different so you’ll need to be the judge of that. Just remember, exfoliating shouldn’t sting, cause peeling, or make your skin look red.

And this applies to your body, just as much as your face and neck.

Realistic skincare goals are the bomb. Because there’s always room for improvement when it comes to the look and feel of your skin.

Let’s get one thing clear. Striving for skin perfection is not something we subscribe to here at TruSkin. Better skin? Sure. But perfect skin? Hell no. In fact, does that even exist outside Hollywood movies and retouched glossy magazine covers? Probably not.

That being said, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to improve what you’ve been blessed with. That’s just human nature. Whether you’re done with your dull, lackluster skin or totally over your monthly breakouts, these are the kind of skin issues we can get on board with. Because wanting better things for your skin is realistic. It’s also attainable – especially when you’re armed with the right tools and a side of skincare knowhow.

On that note, read on for five of the most common skin goals – plus how to flip them into reality…

Skincare Goal #1: Glowing Skin

Dull skin that lacks radiance hits us all at some point. And whether it’s a temporary, day-after-the-night-before blip or a more long-term grievance, dull skin is usually related to one big issue: dehydration.

Dehydration can be a problem for any skin type – dry or oily – and it happens when your skin isn’t retaining enough moisture. Not to be confused with dry skin, which lacks sebum, dehydration occurs thanks to things like cold weather, stress, a lack of sleep, poor skincare choices and surprise, surprise, sun damage. Basically anything that screws up your barrier function and compromises your skin's ability to hold onto water.

But dehydration isn’t the only reason your skin might look kind of sad. Poor cellular turnover can also be an issue. Healthy, adult skin has a turnover rate of around 28 days (give or take) but as you age, this gets longer as your skin cells become sluggish and dead ones hang around longer than necessary.

To help get your glow back, we recommend two important things. First, increase your skin’s moisture levels by applying a hydrating serum twice daily. Try one that contains ingredients like hyaluronic acid or aloe vera. We love Hyaluronic Acid Serum when our skin is feeling thirsty.

Second up, add a little gentle exfoliation into your skincare routine. Our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is a great choice because it contains citric acid, a chemical exfoliator that helps dissolve the bonds that bind dead skin cells together.

Skincare Goal #2: Smaller-Looking Pores

Pores are kind of annoying, we agree. But they’re actually super important for your skin to function so don’t give them too much of a hard time, OK?

Your body has two types of pores: those that produce sebum (oil) and others than produce sweat. Oil-producing pores are tiny little openings found at the top of your hair follicles where they release sebum to moisturize and soften the skin. 

This may sound innocent, but the problem starts when your sebaceous glands produce too much sebum than your skin really needs, causing your pores to stretch and become blocked. This is very common for oily and combination skin types, but here’s the thing – your pore size is determined by genetics which means that, no matter what you do, you can’t physically shrink them. However, there are many things you CAN do to help strengthen and firm your skin, and simultaneously help keep your pores in decent shape.

Keeping your skin clean and your pores clear of excess oils, makeup, sunscreen and the like is your most important play, but don't go too nuts. Gentle is the key. Try our new Tea Tree Super Cleanser+, followed by Ocean Minerals Super Toner for a pore-kicking cleansing routine that won’t strip your skin completely dry.  

Skincare Goal #3: Less Visible Wrinkles

As the most common signs of aging, fine lines and wrinkles are a bugbear we all have to face at some point. And while it’s easy to say, ‘don’t worry about them,’ it’s much harder to actually put that into practice.

Lines and wrinkles usually appear on and around areas of the face that experience repeated muscle movement. This is because repetitive motions like laughing, frowning and smiling cause weaknesses and dips in the skin which, as your skin matures and it loses valuable proteins, don’t bounce back like they used to.

Once wrinkles start to set-in, they’re pretty tricky to eradicate with skincare products alone, but the best way to keep them at a minimum is to look after your collagen levels. And this is where the mighty retinol steps in.

Retinol is the gold-standard of skincare because it actually ‘communicates’ with your skin at a cellular level, encouraging it to rev up collagen and elastin production, accelerate cell turnover and neutralize skin-damaging free radicals. Pretty good stuff.

Try applying our awesome Retinol Facial Serum nightly (after patch testing, of course) to improve the appearance of your fine lines and wrinkles – and to help stop new ones from forming!

Skincare Goal #4: Fewer Breakouts

Pimples, spots, zits, breakouts, whatever you call them, welcome they are not. So annoying, then, that acne is the most common skin condition in the US and affects around 50 million of us every darn year!

Acne rears its ugly head (pun absolutely intended) when your pores get blocked up with an excess of sebum that mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria. Thanks to genetics, you’re either susceptible to acne, or you’re not. But plenty of other triggers can contribute to the frequency and severity of your breakouts. Hormones – yeah those again – are a major trigger, as is stress.

Obviously you can’t miraculously change your genetic makeup but there are plenty of skincare ingredients and helpful tricks for treating and controlling your breakouts. Our absolute go-to is Tea Tree Super Serum+ which combines tea tree oil with salicylic acid and niacinamide to create a powerful, yet gentle way to balance your skin and deal with unwanted pimples. Tea tree is one of the best ingredients for acne as its anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial AND way less irritating than things like benzoyl peroxide. What’s more you only need to apply it two or three times a week to see experience visible results.

Skincare Goal #5: A More Even Skin Tone

Fed up with dark spots that are totally killing your skin’s mojo? Dark spots, aka hyperpigmentation, appear when your skin produces too much melanin which is the pigment that gives it its color. The three main triggers are your hormones; skin trauma like a bite, burn or pimple; or the sun.

We like to blame the sun for all manner of things where the skin is concerned. But this is totally legit for it really does have a lot to answer for. Dark spots included. Even if the sun wasn’t the original trigger, the sun makes any dark spot so much worse in the long run.

This is why protecting your skin from the sun’s evil rays is the single most important thing you can do for dark spots and patchy skin. Broad-spectrum sunscreen is a must (hi there SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C) but don’t dismiss antioxidants, either, which have a very clever way of neutralizing free radical damage and shielding your skin from cumulative photodamage. Our go-to is always vitamin C which not only protects your skin from damage but also helps to fade the appearance of uneven skin that’s already come and bitten you on the butt! Try our classic Vitamin C Facial Serum twice daily, swapping it out for Vitamin C Super Serum+ two or three times a week, to really hit dark spots where it hurts.

From brightening serums and powerful moisturizers to the obligatory sunscreen, here’s everything your skincare routine needs to deal with hyperpigmentation, aka pesky dark spots.

Dark spots get all of us eventually. And whether yours are thanks to teenage acne, more recent hormonal changes, years of sun damage or even skin trauma, one thing’s for sure, dark spots get right under your skin.

While they’re rarely harmful to your health, dark spots, aka hyperpigmentation, appear when your skin produces too much melanin – the pigment that gives your skin, hair and eyes their color. Many factors can trigger an erratic overproduction of melanin but the three main causes are: hormonal changes such as those during pregnancy or the menopause; some kind of skin trauma (bites, burns, acne spots etc.) that didn't heal properly, or the thing we like to quite rightly blame for almost everything, the sun. Certain medications can also create dark, patchy areas on your skin, as can existing conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

So, what can you do to, first off, prevent dark spots for forming in the first place, and secondly help fade the ones you’ve already been lumbered with?

Keep scrolling for the most important products to have up your skincare sleeve.

The Absolute Must: Sunscreen

Of course, like most things in life, prevention is better (read: easier!) than cure. Granted, not all dark spots are caused by the sun, but here’s the thing. Whatever the cause of your dark spots, the sun will make them ten times worse because your skin can’t help but naturally produce melanin when it’s exposed to UV rays. Sometimes, melanin production is smooth and even and you tan, but other times it becomes erratic, uneven and melanin clumps together forming dark, patchy areas on your skin.

It makes sense, therefore, that all skincare experts, including the American Academy of Dermatology agree that your first line of defense against dark spots should be to protect your skin from the sun’s damaging rays in the first place. Stay out of the midday sun, and wear wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses and protective, long-sleeved clothing. And, of course, wear sunscreen. Every day. Not only is a broad-spectrum sunscreen the number one way to prevent dark spots, but it can also help to clear or minimize existing ones as an added bonus.

Try: SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C

The Skin Reviver: Exfoliator

Products that exfoliate your skin are the cat’s whiskers for helping to treat dark spots as they help remove dead skin cells from the surface of your skin while improving cellular turnover. But exfoliation isn’t a one-fits-all. In fact, there are two very different ways to exfoliate your skin: chemical and physical exfoliation.

Physical exfoliation is the obvious type that requires a little bit of physical force to work. Think scrubs, loofahs, facial mitts and cleansing brushes. Chemical exfoliation, on the other hand, requires no physical action but instead uses certain ingredients like glycolic, lactic and salicylic acid to dissolve the bonds between the dead skin cells so they shed quicker and more efficiently.

Both types of exfoliation work pretty darn well, so it's really a matter of personal choice. Just remember, go gently and stick to maybe two or three times a week depending on your skin type.

Try: Ocean Minerals Super Toner

The Brightening Superhero: Vitamin C

Antioxidants are an awesome way to ward off the damaging effects of the sun (dark spots, wrinkles, the whole shebang!) because they help neutralize free radicals which form in your skin when it’s exposed to UV radiation.

One of the best and most clinically-proven of the antioxidant powerhouses is vitamin C – specifically when it comes to preventing and fading dark spots. Vitamin C not only gets to work on those aforementioned free radical villains to help reduce oxidative stress and keep your skin healthy, but it’s also been shown to inhibit the production of melanin by decreasing an enzyme in your skin called tyrosinase. And as an extra side? Vitamin C also has impressive anti-inflammatory properties which is key in the fight against dark spots. How so? Because dark spots are often the result of… yes, you guessed it… inflammation.

Triple-action brightening effects right there? You’d better believe it.

If you’re not sure how to include vitamin C in your skincare routine, we believe the best type is sodium ascorbyl phosphate, or SAP to its buddies. SAP is the less potent, but more stable version of pure l-ascorbic acid. This makes it a) way more tolerable for all skin types and b) more longer-lasting since it doesn’t break down and lose efficacy when exposed to light and air. Winner!

Try: Super C Duo with Vitamin C Super Serum+ and Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer

The Gold-Star Of Skin Renewal: Retinol

Short of doing the washing up and taking the kids to school, there’s very little retinol can’t do. OK, so we exaggerate, but you get the idea of just what an awesome skincare ingredient retinol is, right?

A type of vitamin A, retinol is well-known for its anti-aging and acne-fighting skills, but it’s also a strong contender in the battle against unwanted dark spots. For one thing, retinol stimulates the production of collagen and elastin which improves everything from elasticity and strength to tone, texture and radiance. It also has similar effects to exfoliation in that it accelerates cell renewal, forcing all those dead surface skin cells to beat it.

Retinol is a powerful beast, however, so there are a few important things to remember when introducing it into your regime for the first time.

1. Always do a patch test. No arguments.

2. Introduce retinol slowly, starting with two or three times a week max.

3. Give it a few weeks, then if your skin is behaving OK, up your frequency to four or five times a week.

4. Repeat until you’re applying it nightly.

5. Skin feeling unnecessarily dry, red, itchy or irritated? Then reduce your usage again until your skin acclimates.

6. Be patient. The effects of retinol take time, so don’t expect miracles overnight. You’ll likely need to wait a few months for the best results. But it'll be worth it, promise.

 Try: Retinol Facial Serum

It’s time to take the guesswork out of protecting your skin from the sun.

Admit it, you love the sun, right? Well, you and us both. But as much as we adore scorching beach days, backyard barbecues and picnics in the park, the sun is a damaging beast. And your skin is not a fan.

In fact, other than time itself, sunshine is your skin’s biggest enemy, accounting for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of external aging and causing so many beauty bugbears it’s hard to keep count. Those extra freckles on your forearms? All thanks to the sun. Dark spots on your cheekbones? Probably the sun. Crinkles on your décolletage? Premature lines? Issues with cruddy skin texture? Again, you wouldn’t be wrong to point the finger at the sun.

Thankfully, there’s a lot you can do to protect your skin from damaging UV radiation. Sure, sun protection can be mind-blowingly tricky, but it’s super important to know your way around a bottle of sunscreen.

This is why, today, we’re here to help you wise up to the sun and its mischievous ways with 10 important dos and don’ts of sun protection. Come on people, the look, feel and health of your skin are relying on you.

DO Apply Sunscreen To Exposed Skin Every Day

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation – and, in fact, anyone who knows anything about how the sun affects your skin! – everyone over the age of six months should use sunscreen on a daily basis. This means that no matter your skin type, color, age, location, or time of the year, it’s super important to protect any skin that’s not covered up by clothing.

The thing is, UV radiation is present all year long – whether it’s warm, cold, cloudy or raining. That might not immediately make sense but when you realize that UV rays are about light not heat, the penny will hopefully drop. When it’s gray and super cloudy outside, for example, around 80 percent of the sun’s damaging UV rays are still able to penetrate through those clouds to reach your skin. Seriously bad news if you’re not protecting yourself.

Of course, in winter, you don’t need to slap sunscreen over your entire body, but always, we repeat always apply SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen With Vitamin C to your face, neck and hands at the very least.

DON’T Ever Scrimp On Sunscreen

Unlike most other skincare products that sit in the ‘less is more’ camp, you can never apply too much sunscreen. In fact, most of us do the exact opposite and rarely use enough.

The general rule of thumb is that for sunscreen to give you the correct amount of protection it claims, you must use at least two tablespoons (one shot glass) for your entire face and body. From this, around a nickel-sized dollop should be applied liberally to your face and neck alone.

DO Reapply More Often Than You Think

Experts at the American Academy of Dermatology explain that the sun breaks down sunscreen, making it less and less effective as time goes by. This is why all dermatologists recommend reapplying sunscreen every two hours if you’re going to be outside for a prolonged period of time. That’s pretty often, so bear that in mind if you’re planning on a long hike or day at the beach.

Reapplying is also more important than ever if you’re swimming or sweating because no sunscreen (whatever it may claim) can ever be fully waterproof. Water-resistant? Sure, but only for 40-80 minutes which it must state clearly on the label. Waterproof, however? Physically impossible.

DON’T Use Out-Of-Date Sunscreen

Like all skincare formulations, sunscreens expire – especially if you keep them in an overly warm room. That being said, they have a pretty long shelf-life and, according to the FDA’s guidelines, must remain stable for at least three years so don’t worry about finishing up a bottle that’s been hanging around for a few summers.

Any product you’ve had for longer than three years, however, should be thrown in the trash as the active ingredients will be rendered much less effective and could put your skin and health at risk. A good trick is to write the month and year on the bottle when you buy it. That way you’ll know when it’s had its day.

DO Choose Broad-Spectrum Formulations

Remember, sunscreen isn’t just about SPF. Sun protection factors are important for protecting your skin from UVB rays which are the ones that cause redness, sunburn, DNA damage and many skin cancers. 

However, SPF has nothing to do with UVA rays which are the ones present all year long and those most responsible for photoaging. The only way of knowing whether a product protects your skin from UVA radiation is to use ‘broad-spectrum’ formulations like our SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen With Vitamin C. This ensures you have sufficient protection from both UVA and UVB rays.

PS: While SPF 15 blocks around 93 percent of UVB radiation, it’s generally agreed that SPF 30 is your best bet.

DON’T Rely On Makeup

Don't get us wrong, mineral makeup and tinted moisturizers that have an SPF are great. But they’re rarely water resistant or offer broad-spectrum protection and, because you don’t apply them in a thick enough layer, they might not offer the level of coverage your skin really needs. Always apply sunscreen first.

DO Choose Mineral Sunscreens

Sunscreens fall into two camps: chemical and mineral (or physical).

Chemical sunscreens use chemical ingredients like oxybenzone, octisalate, avobenzone and octinoxate which absorb UV radiation, break it down and release it through your skin. Mineral sunscreens, on the other hand, sit on the surface of your skin, forming a reflective barrier against the sun. The most common mineral sunscreens are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.

We strongly believe  that mineral sunscreens trump chemicals every time. And here’s why:

1. Mineral sunscreens are natural and offer both UVA and UVB protection. Chemicals don’t always do that.

2. Minerals are way kinder to the skin. Chemicals can be pretty irritating, especially if you have sensitive skin.

3. Mineral sunscreens offer immediate protection whereas chemical ones need to be applied at least 20 minutes before sun exposure.

4. Minerals are safe for your health and the environment. Chemicals are potentially harmful – especially to marine life.

Our SPF30 Mineral Sunscreen With Vitamin C utilizes the fabulous powers of zinc oxide and is completely reef-friendly. Just saying!

DON’T Forget Hidden Areas Of Your Skin

Behind your ears is a very high-risk area for skin cancer so if you have short or tied-back hair, ensure you apply sunscreen to this super delicate area. Also, if you’re on the beach and lounging in the sun, certain areas like your eyelids and soles of your feet can easily be forgotten. Don’t do that.

DO Wear Sunscreen Inside As Well As Out

It’s easy to think that if you’re tucked away inside you’re safe from the sun’s evil ways. However, studies show than 50 percent of UVA radiation is able to penetrate right through glass. This means that if you’re sitting at your desk next to a window, it’s getting you. When you’re driving, it’s also getting you. Even sat at a window seat when flying, it’s getting you. 

DON’T Dismiss The Importance Of Vitamin C

Other than holing up in a darkened room for your entire life, sunscreen is the most effective way to protect your skin from the sun. However, it’s not the ONLY way. Wide-brimmed hats, sunglasses, protective clothing and staying in the shade are also powerful moves for anyone who cares about their skin.

And then there’s the mighty vitamin C. Topical vitamin C is one of the most proven antioxidants in skincare and works like a dog to fight against photoaging. How so? Well, exposure to the sun is one of the biggest causes of free radicals – nasty guys that love to do a number on your skin, destroying collagen and other important components like elastin and DNA. Antioxidants like vitamin C help nix free radicals to limit their damage and help prevent things like fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin.

We’re huge – like massive – fans of vitamin C and use it across a whole bunch of TruSkin favorites. Keep your skin looking awesome for as long as possible by cleansing with Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser and applying Vitamin C Facial Serum underneath your moisturizer and sunscreen. This will noticeably amp up your protection game. But remember, antioxidants do NOT protect your skin from sunburn so don’t think applying a vitamin C serum makes you invincible.

Sunscreen remains number one.

Sweatier skin and oilier pores are inevitable as climbing temperatures and higher humidity hits. So get ahead of the game with our tips for preparing your skin for summer…

Summer officially started on June 21. So it’s time to take a close look at your skin to ensure it’s ready for everything that gets thrown at it when warm, sunny weather arrives.

Hotter temperatures and higher levels of humidity have various effects on your skin – some good, some not so good. And when you couple new weather conditions and more time in the great outdoors with the realization that more of your body is about to be on show, it’s easy to let summer skin issues come up and bite you on the butt.

Let’s not that happen, shall we? Here’s what to do over the next few weeks to get your skin summer-ready.  

Invest In Some Chemical Exfoliation

Exfoliation is a tricky game. Do it too much and you chance irritation, redness and sensitivities taking over your skin. But avoid it altogether and you can end up with dull skin, clogged pores and worse yet, pesky breakouts. During the winter months it’s prudent to tone down how often you exfoliate your skin to avoid dryness and dehydration adding to your winter woes. However, as summer approaches, you can definitely up the ante – especially if you have normal, oily or combination skin.

We’re big believers in chemical, rather than physical exfoliation as a much more gentle approach to accelerating cell turnover and encouraging dead skin cells to hop it. Try our awesome Ocean Mineral Super Toner every day before moisturizing which contains glycolic acid to exfoliate as well as minerals and vitamins to nourish and protect your skin.

Go For Light, Hydrating Layers

Rich creams and heavy moisturizer might be your go-tos when it’s cold outside, but come summer you’d be wise to lighten up your moisturizing load. Now, this does NOT mean avoiding moisturizer altogether – that’s crazy talk – but you can definitely trade in the big guns for lighter textures that concentrate on drawing all that extra moisture from the air into your skin.

Great ingredients for hydrating your skin are hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera so try the powerhouse combo of Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum followed by Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer which is loaded with aloe and glycerin.

Shorten Your Shower Time

Long, hot showers may feel incredible when it’s freezing outside, but they’re terrible for your skin, sucking out all the moisture and compromising your super important barrier function. Also, it should be much warmer outside now, so… really?

Turn the temperature of your water down to lukewarm to limit your skin’s chances of becoming inflamed or irritated, and give yourself five minutes max to shower. Studies show the average shower takes around eight minutes so by reducing this by three minutes will also save more than six gallons of water. Per day. Added bonus for our precious planet right there.

Up Your Cleansing Regimen

We always err towards the gentle side of cleansing, but scorching temps make your skin sweat more and this, coupled with sunscreen and what can often seem like a never ending supply of excess oils, needs to be dealt with – especially before bed.

Invest in a cleanser that means business, but don’t be fooled by oil-stripping formulations that are packed with drying alcohols, synthetic fragrance and harsh sulfates. They’re seriously bad news and will just make your skin even more oily in the long-term. Instead, try our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which is the cat’s whiskers at gently mopping away sebum to balance and detoxify your skin. We call it the perfect summer skin prep in one handy little tube.

Give Your Body Some TLC

For most of us, our legs, tums, arms and chests have been hidden away for the past nine months or so. But there’s a chance at least one of these body parts is about to see the warm light of day. So it’s probably time to up your bodycare routine, pronto.

Treat yourself to a body loofah, mitt or scrub and gently buff your skin while in your (five minute!) shower. Concentrate on your arms, elbows, legs and butt but go carefully over your chest area as the skin here is thin and very fragile.

Also, don’t forget to moisturize with a light lotion after showering – preferably while your skin is still damp. Unless you have super dry skin, we recommend avoiding rich butters or heavy oils as these can block your pores and cause breakouts.

Don’t Forget Your C-Vitamins

Pre-summer is literally the best time to introduce our good pal vitamin C into your skincare routine. Packed with antioxidant properties to nip those nasty free radicals in the bud, it’s one of our favorite ways to counteract the damaging effects of the sun. It also helps inhibit melanin production to reduce your risk of annoying summertime dark spots. Finally, research shows it can also help strengthen the power of your sunscreen, giving you a double dose of UV protection.

Try our G.O.A.T. Vitamin C Facial Serum which is a kind of must all year long. But especially now and through the summer months.

Keep Some Tea Tree Oil Up Your Sleeve

Summer pimples and blackheads are downright annoying, but for anyone with oily or hormonal skin, they’re also a given because sweat and oil just can’t help but build-up on the surface of your skin. Regular cleansing is a must, of course, but to really get ahead of face and body breakouts, arm yourself with some tea tree oil.

Our Tea Tree Super Serum+ is ideal to keep in your vanity as it contains not one zit-fighting ingredient, but two: tea tree oil AND salicylic acid. Dab it on cleansed, problem areas before bed or apply it all over two or three times a week after cleansing with Tea Tree Super Cleanser+.

Ensure SPF Is Second Nature

We know you apply facial sunscreen all year round – you do, DON’T YOU? – but if there’s ever a time to ensure you’re doing it, it’s now. UVA rays are present all year long, even on cloudy days, but UVB is much more prevalent in the summertime so this is non-negotiable for the next few months. Then it’ll be part of your routine anyway so you can continue forever more. See what we did there?

Apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C every morning without fail to your face, neck and chest, and invest in a broad-spectrum body sunscreen for any other exposed areas of your skin. Reapply regularly if you’re in the sun all day and try to stay in the shade as much as possible to reduce your risks of short- and long-term sun damage. Neither of those are good. 

Stress = irritation, which is one of the worst things for your skin. Let’s see what we can do to help turn stressed skin into your best skin ever.

Your skin is the largest organ in your body, so it’s no wonder what you see on the outside reflects exactly what’s going on inside. When you’re rested and bursting with energy, for example, your skin often reflects that. And, ps, can we have a group hug for those rare but joyous days, please?!

Similarly, when you’re super tired, anxious and emotionally drained, your skin is likely to react in the same way, looking dull, feeling rough and, frankly, being a bit of a stressed mess.

But why does stress and emotional anxiety affect the skin in such a major way? Well, when you feel stressed about something, your brain prepares your body to go into fight or flight mode. In doing so, your nervous system releases hormones like cortisol and adrenaline into the bloodstream which nudges your heart to beat faster, your breath to speed up and your muscles to tense up. All this is great in short-lived stressful situations like job interviews or when dealing with a threat or emergency. But when stress becomes more the norm than a rarity, these hormones go into constant overdrive and things start to go awry. Headaches and nausea can kick in, your digestive system becomes compromised and, in extremely chronic cases, you may even increase your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

And then there’s your skin.

Various studies show that both acute (temporary) and chronic (consistent) stress create negative effects on the health of your skin. For starters, spikes in cortisol increase inflammation and cause your sebaceous glands to go wild, encouraging them to produce way too much oil than your skin really needs (cue breakouts!). An overload of cortisol also breaks down vital collagen supplies, decreases hydrating hyaluronic acid, upsets the balance of your skin’s barrier function and messes up its pH levels. All of these things equal bad news for the health of your skin, resulting in any number of skin annoyances such as blocked pores, acne, dehydration, irritation and flare-ups in existing conditions like rosacea, psoriasis or eczema.

And the worst thing of all? Cruddy, stress-induced skin is, well, stressful in itself. Which doesn’t help your emotional well-being one tiny bit. Sigh.

The good news is there are many ways to improve our skin when stress is hitting you hard. To follow, seven of our tried and tested favorites…

1. De-Stress With A Journal

Before you start working on your skin, you need to concentrate on your entire health and well-being. And the best way to do this? Make a note of any habits or experiences that make you stressed or uneasy. Write down how they made you feel, how you reacted to them and what, if anything, you did to make yourself feel better. This allows you to notice themes or patterns in your stress levels, as well as ways to improve your mood and help you relax. 

2. Sleep like A Queen

Like all skin experts, we’re big believers in the power of a great night’s sleep. In terms of stress, this is because cortisol levels dramatically drop when you’re asleep. So, if you deprive yourself of valuable zzzs your skin misses out on this important time of repair and rejuvenation during which collagen production accelerates, cell turnover speeds up, blood flow increases, muscles relax and antioxidants kick in to repair damage caused during the day.

The Mayo Clinic recommends at least seven hours of quality sleep every night but the most important thing is to go to bed and get up at roughly the same time to get into a good routine. Ensure your bedroom is dark, quiet, not too warm and limit caffeine, food and your smartphone for at least two hours before you hit the sack.

3. Dial Down Your Actives

Active ingredients like retinol, vitamin C and glycolic acid are all well and good when your skin’s barrier function is working like clockwork. But when stress upsets its delicate nature, your skin’s ability to heal and repair itself becomes compromised. This is when an overload of actives can be too much for your skin to deal with. Cut back for a while and allow your barrier function to rebuild itself. If you usually exfoliate every other day, for example, switch to once or twice a week. Love to apply your Retinol Facial Serum every night? Reduce this to every other night for a short period of time, or try alternating it with our soothing Niacinamide Facial Serum which is perfect for sensitized skin.

Trust us, giving your skin a break is super important during times of stress.

4. Avoid ‘Triggering’ Skincare Ingredients

We recommend avoiding the most common skincare nasties ALL of the time, but it’s even more important during times of emotional and mental stress when your barrier function might not be working to the best of its abilities.

Keep your routine straightforward, simple and steer clear of sulfates, in particular, which are excellent at cleansing, but can exacerbate dryness, itching, redness and breakouts – especially if your skin is feeling stressed out.  

Gentle cleansers that contain non-drying surfactants like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate are a far better choice and ideal for sensitized skin. Try our Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser which also contains nourishing rose hip oil to help reduce inflammation and redness.

5. Save New Skincare Products For Another Time

Sure, we all love to try out a brand new product every now and again but now’s not the time to introduce a newbie to your daily routine. Stressed skin is more reactive which means ingredients that usually feel great may bother you more than normal.

Stick to what you know for now and save the new stuff for later.

6. Enjoy A Cup Of Tea

Research shows that drinking black tea helps lower the levels of cortisol in your bloodstream, making you feel more relaxed and positive. It’s even been suggested that the simple act of making tea alone is enough to help soothe stress and anxiety. 

The reason black (as well as green) tea is thought to be such a mood booster is mainly down to l-theanine, an amino acid that helps promotes relaxation, counteracts anxiety, reduces fatigue and supports thinking.

7. Finally, Give Yourself A Break

Everyone goes through stressful periods in their lives and it’s perfectly normal for things to get on top of you every now and again. But try not to allow your stress to get the better of you as this will result in a vicious circle for both your health and your skin – and that can be hard to shake off. Practice deep breathing throughout the day to center yourself, go for a quick walk to clear your head, or read a book for ten minutes in the afternoon to take your mind off things.

These healthy habits are awesome for lifting your emotional health and maintaining stronger, radiant skin. Period.