Skincare Rules To Live By This Summer

Let’s stop your skin from going into cold weather meltdown before it’s too late, shall we?

While winter might be fun for the kids and your wardrobe, when it comes to the state of your skin, it’s no walk in the park. Colder temperatures, biting winds, snow and a serious lack of humidity all combine to throw your skin completely off-kilter, making it tight, red and anything from a tad dry to seriously flaky and dehydrated.

And we’re not just talking about the skin on your face, either. Because, while facial skincare understandably takes precedence over the rest of your body (it is the part you look at the most), skin covers every part of your body – from head-to-toe. And during the wintertime, your body, just like your face, will suffer if it gets neglected.

The answer, of course, is never to leave your skin to its own devices. Because skincare doesn’t work like that. Ever. But especially during winter when it has a tendency to freak out thanks to harsh conditions and extreme temperature changes.

Want to keep breakouts, dryness, flaky skin and unnecessary redness at bay this winter? Then here are eight of the best ways to winter-proof your skin…

1. First Things First: Don’t Overhaul Your Entire Skincare Routine

Healthy skin likes consistency, so while it might be tempting to switch up your whole routine when the seasons change, a few minor tweaks are going to be way more beneficial than a complete overhaul.

Listen to your skin as winter sets in and make changes accordingly. Yes, the weather has turned chilly and sure, your skin may start to feel drier and more dehydrated than normal, but don’t change your entire cleansing, toning, treating and moisturizing routine. This is so not what your skin needs. Small tweaks? Good. Complete overhaul? Not so much.

2. Treat Your Barrier Function Like Royalty

Winter can play hell with your skin’s barrier function so if there’s one thing to be aware of as the weather turns, it’s treating this uppermost layer of your skin with love and respect.

If your skin starts showing signs of sensitivities, this is an indication your barrier function has become compromised thanks to a dastardly combination of a cold, dry outdoors and hot, dry indoors which literally sucks all the moisture out of your skin.

Be kind to your skin by cutting back on exfoliation and choosing super gentle cleansers that are free of skin-drying sulfates which strip your barrier of essential oils and hydration. Try Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser morning and night.

You could also cut back on your treatment serums if you think they might be over-stimulating your barrier function. There’s no shame in using something like our Vitamin C Super Serum + just two or three times a week rather than every day. In fact, we highly recommend it!

3. Buy A Humidifier

Cranking up your indoor heating makes the air inside extremely dry so, while they might not be the most attractive things in the world, a bedroom humidifier is an awesome idea for replenishing dry skin during wintertime.

Humidifiers work by replacing lost moisture in the air. This not only clears your sinuses and helps you breathe better, but extra hydration in the air means extra hydration for your skin. This is super important overnight when your skin goes into regeneration mode and needs all the help it can get. In fact, humidifiers are so great for replenishing your skin’s moisture levels, many skin specialists recommend them for people suffering with chronic dry skin or conditions like psoriasis and eczema.

Just remember to apply night cream before bed to help seal all that moisture into your skin. And specifically look out for those containing high levels of humectants like glycerin or hyaluronic acid. Why? Because humectants work hard to draw all that extra water from the air into your skin. Bonus! Try Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream which is a big winner for winter skin.

4. Moisturize, Moisturize & Moisturize Some More

Speaking of moisture, one product that might be worth levelling up in winter is your moisturizer. It’s no secret that cold, dry weather and artificially heated homes make your skin more dehydrated than normal so most skin types will benefit from some extra help as fall slips away and winter sets in.

If you love your moisturizer and don’t want to try something richer or heavier just because the weather has turned, we totally respect that. In fact, we celebrate it because there’s an ideal alternative – simply add a hydrating treatment serum into the mix. Our Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum is an incredible way to boost the moisture levels in your skin. Apply it to damp skin after cleansing, then apply moisturizer over the top.

5. Try An Oatmeal Bath

Itchy skin on your body is a total bummer, but very common in winter when it’s cold outside, warm inside and your skin is often wrapped in layers of clothing.

A great way to soothe dry, itchy skin is to have a warm, oatmeal bath. Oatmeal helps reduce inflammation while protecting, calming, moisturizing and soothing dry, flaky skin. Simply grind a cup of plain oats into a fine powder, add it to your bath and relax. Just don't stay in there for too long...

6. Resist Hot, Hour-Long Soaks

Bathing your skin in hot water is tempting when it’s freezing outside, but it can be pretty detrimental to your skin. You know how your fingers and toes sometimes look all crinkly after too long in a hot bath or shower? This is all thanks to dehydration. Hot water basically strips away the protective lipid layer from your skin’s barrier which means all those lovely fats, proteins and moisture are able to readily escape.

Bathing and showering is great, for sure, but only if you use lukewarm, rather than scorching hot water (with some added oatmeal for extra moisturizing effects!) and limit your time to 10-15 minutes. Also, make sure you apply plenty of moisturizer afterwards, from head-to-toe, to seal water into your skin and help strengthen your barrier function.

7. Stick With The Sunscreen

Sunscreen often gets packed away as soon as temperatures drop below 70. But this is a silly mistake you do not want to make. Of course, you won’t need full body SPF every day when most of your skin is concealed by clothing, but any areas not covered up are going to be exposed to UVA radiation – come rain, shine, snow, whatever.

Apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen to your face and neck as the last step in your morning skincare routine to ensure your delicate skin stays shielded from UV damage every day of the year.

8. Finally, Pay Extra Attention To Your Hands

One of the areas to suffer the most during winter? Your hands. Again, this is all thanks to the cold, dry air – combined with constant hand washing, of course.

Our advice? Don’t stop washing your hands for starters! Instead, use gentle cleansing, sulfate-free products and always apply hand cream afterwards. Wear gloves when you’re doing the dishes, and apply a rich cream to clean hands every night before bed. You could even pop a pair of cotton gloves over the top to really amp up your overnight moisturizing game while helping to heal and calm dry, itchy skin.
 

Say hello to the latest powerhouses for hydrated, healthy skin. And yes, as their name suggests, they’re just like Gatorade for your skin. Well, kinda…

Some skincare ingredients come and go lightning fast. Especially when they’re all talk, no action! Some, however, are built to totally stand the test of time. Think retinol, vitamin C, vitamin E and exfoliating acids like glycolic and salicylic which are all awesome examples of tried and tested ingredients that are loved the world over. Because, of course, they work.

When it comes to hydration we’re sure you’re well aware of some of the most successful and commonly used moisture-magnets used in skincare formulations. Yes, here’s looking at you hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera. But, while incredibly effective at getting the job done, these are not, contrary to popular opinion, the be-all and end-all.

Enter electrolytes which are pipped to be the new, long-lasting darlings of skincare ingredients.

But first, let’s revisit skin hydration for a hot minute – because we know it can all get a little confusing…

What Is Skin Hydration?

Hydration is simply about the levels of water in your skin. But here’s the thing; hydration has nothing to do with dryness.

Allow us to elaborate. As you may know, there are four true skin types which are categorized not by their levels of water, but by the activity of your skin’s sebaceous glands and their ability to successfully (or not) moisturize your skin with sebum (oil). These skin types are normal, dry, oily and combination. While your skin can certainly change over the years, your skin type is the one you were born with and it’s predetermined by your genes. In this sense, skin types are very different to skin conditions which are usually the result of lifestyle or environmental factors like your age, hormones, stress levels or the products you put on your skin.

OK, so how is this all linked to hydration? Well, dehydrated skin is skin that’s lacking in water (NOT oil) and is a condition rather than a skin type. Dehydration can be due to any number of reasons like cold weather, stress, lack of sleep and sun damage, but it's rarely a genetic disposition which means you can have dry skin that’s dehydrated, oily skin that’s dehydrated or, well, you see where we’re going here.

How Does Skin Naturally Stay Hydrated?

A healthy barrier function is the key to hydrated skin. This important protective layer not only pulls in water from the air, but also works hard to keep it there, creating a barrier to stop moisture from escaping from the surface of your skin. It does this thanks to its natural moisturizing factor (NMF) which is a combination of amino acids and humectants.

Pretty smart stuff, right? Indeed it is... Until it isn’t. You see the problems start as skin ages and is subject to years of UV radiation, harsh ingredients in skincare and personal care products, prolonged exposure to water, pollution and so on and so forth. All this works hard to compromise your barrier function and break down your NMF, resulting in all manner of unwanted issues – dehydration included. 

And this is where help from quenching skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and, the newest kids on the block, electrolytes come to the rescue.

So, What Are Electrolytes?

Ok, here’s the science bit. Electrolytes are essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium which, when dissolved in water, conduct electricity – hence the name. In terms of your overall health electrolytes are vital for keeping you hydrated, balancing your body’s pH levels, rebuilding damaged tissue and regulating nerve and muscle function. They’re obtained mostly through a balanced, healthy diet and are abundant in things like fresh fruit and veggies.

You lose electrolytes through sweat (as well as urine, diarrhea and vomiting) which is why many athletes or people who exercise intensely replace them with sports drinks.

And What’s The Deal With Electrolytes In Skincare?

When it comes to skincare, applying electrolytes topically has the same moisture-quenching benefits. Their electoral charge helps drive water into the skin and retain essential moisture, while simultaneously giving energy to other hydrators and active ingredients, delivering them to exactly where they’re needed most. The result? Hydrated, plump, soft and most importantly, healthier skin.

Of course, electrolytes need water in order to work, so it’s important to choose the right water-based formulas for effective results.

And have we got just the thing in the form of our brand new Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum. Containing a special electrolyte blend of magnesium, potassium and calcium to hydrate your skin with a capital ‘h’, this all-in-one serum is also chock-full of water-binding hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe. But it doesn’t stop there. It’s also brimming with a mighty seven skin-loving vitamins to protect, strengthen, brighten, soothe, restore and replenish your skin so it continues to look its absolute best.

Already becoming a big hit with TruSkin fans, this lightweight serum is ideal for all skin types but we're finding it to be particularly effective for dull, dry, sensitive or dehydrated skin.

Are electrolytes the future for skincare? Who knows? But what we do know is they’re pretty dreamy for hydrating the skin and helping the rest of your routine perform better.

And, we don’t know about you, but we’re All. Over. That.

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.
 

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.