
The Truth About Collagen
Collagen is one of, if not the most important building blocks of your skin. But what’s the deal with collagen loss and can skincare really help put back what’s gone? Here’s everything we know…
If you’re here, you’re probably semi-interested in your skin and how it works. And if that’s the case you’ll know a little bit about collagen and the role it plays in the overall health of your skin. Hint: it’s a LOT.
But how much do you really know about collagen? Like, what happens as you age? And what collagen in skincare truthfully means?
Interested to up your collagen knowledge (ooh, try saying that three times in a row after a few pinots!)? Then read on for the full intel…
What Is Collagen?
Collagen is the most abundant protein in the whole of your body and it’s made up of a combination of amino acids. While there are many different types of collagen, there are only four main variants, and of these, just one (type I) accounts for a whopping 90 percent of your body’s collagen levels.
Collagen is found in the body’s connective tissues and it has a kind of dense, fiber-like structure which acts like ‘glue’ to make these tissues strong, supple and resilient. You’ll find collagen in your bones, muscles, teeth and blood, but it’s most prevalent in your skin where it’s produced just beneath the surface in the dermis.
How Does Aging Affect Collagen?
When you’re young, your skin is awash with lots of delicious collagen which keeps it soft, strong, plump and wrinkle-free. However, once you hit your 20s, you start to produce around 1-1.5 percent less collagen every year. This is what’s known as intrinsic aging and it’s what causes the inevitable thinning and weakening of your skin you literally have no control over.
Of course, there are plenty of other factors at play here, too. Your lifestyle, your diet, how much sleep you get and your levels of stress all work to deplete collagen in your skin. Then, there’s the environmental stuff like pollution and UV damage that cause collagen-damaging free radicals. All this you can control and it’s what’s known in the biz as extrinsic aging.
So, Can You Slow Down The Rate At Which Your Skin Loses Collagen?
Yes and no. Intrinsic aging is a done deal and unless you’ve invented some kind of Back To The Future style DeLorean, you can’t alter time. But you can control all the other factors. The sun is the biggest player and responsible for around 80 percent of extrinsic aging, so you must protect your skin from UV damage every day by applying an antioxidant like Vitamin C Facial Serum followed by sunscreen with broad-spectrum coverage.
Getting a great night’s sleep, not smoking and reducing emotional stress are also super important. And so is your diet. Sugar and refined carbs can really screw up collagen synthesis so try to avoid these. Instead, up your intake of antioxidant-rich fruit and veggies and ensure you get plenty of protein as this helps your body produce more quality collagen in order to maintain firmer, younger-looking skin.
Meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, beans and tofu are real BFFs for quality collagen production.
What’s The Deal With Collagen In Skincare?
Experts are divided as to whether applying skincare containing collagen really works. The issue is that collagen is a large, very complex molecule making it pretty hard to penetrate the skin when applied topically. Hydrolyzed collagen (which is collagen that’s been broken down into peptides) may absorb more easily, but the jury’s still out.
If you're not convinced, stick with skincare ingredients that work to increase your own rate of collagen production, rather than to apply topical, synthetic collagen. Ingredients like retinol, MSM and vitamin C have all been studied and proven to stimulate your skin’s natural collagen production and inhibit its breakdown. Retinol, in particular, has been used for decades and has an awesome track record when it comes to upping your collagen levels.
Try Retinol Facial Serum or Vitamin C Super Serum +. And of course, don’t forget that super important sun protection to reduce the formation of free radicals in your skin and consequently decrease your risk of collagen damage.
Finally, What About Collagen Drinks & Supplements?
There's not a huge amount of evidence to support whether collagen shots or supplements can realistically make your lines and wrinkles disappear. Some research papers point to them having definite potential, but other experts believe that by the time the collagen has been ingested, digested and made its way into your bloodstream its potency and quantity could be somewhat lacking.
Again, hydrolyzed collagen supplements seem to have potential as studies show these to be more easily absorbed by your body.
Our advice for maintaining quality collagen for as long as you possibly can? Go for a healthy diet, use daily sun protection and apply antioxidants and retinol on the reg.
More About This Article

Georgia Gould
Georgia is an award-winning beauty writer who has been in the business for over 20 years. British-born, she began her career as a magazine beauty editor in London before moving to San Francisco, CA in 2012 where she now continues her love as a freelance writer and editor. As well as her editorial work, Georgia has created content for many high-profile beauty brands, including Clarins, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Simple and TRESemmé. Her passions include retinol (obviously), golfing, skiing and walking her beloved Schnauzer, Dave.
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One wish: to enjoy the tight, gravity-defying skin of 20 years ago. Sadly, it’s not going to happen, so the next best thing? Skincare ingredients that boost collagen and help your skin appear subtly firmer and just a tad more lifted.
Let’s get one thing straight: skincare cannot perform miracles. We’d love to be able to tell you that our new Caffeine Facial Serum can give you the skin of someone 30 years your junior or that our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub will eradicate every single one of your much-loathed dark spots after just one use. But we’d be lying. Skincare is awesome, absolutely. And yes, it can 100 percent help to subtly improve the appearance of acne breakouts, wrinkles and aging skin. But it has its limits. And knowing that your favorite moisturizer or prized facial serum can only do so much is crucial. Otherwise, you will always be disappointed. And that’s not what we want for you.
OK, so now this bombshell is out of the way and you understand that skincare ingredients aren’t going to give you an instant facelift or smooth out your laughter lines like fillers or Botox, here’s what they can do.
Choose the right formulation, crafted with thoughtful, clinically-proven ingredients, and skincare can very much improve the look, feel and health of your skin. And if you’ve ever woken up after trying a new serum for the first time, only to be greeted in the mirror by visibly brighter skin, you’ll know exactly what we’re talking about.
So, which ingredients should you pin your hopes on if you’re specifically looking to lift and firm sagging skin? Well, skin starts to go south because of dwindling collagen supplies so boosting collagen production is your first and best bet. Bearing in mind everything we’ve just said about managing expectations, therefore, here are five topical favorites we believe are the most effective for encouraging healthy collagen and helping you on the road to firmer, more toned skin.
1. Peptides
Without blinding you with science, peptides are chemical compounds made from amino acids. They’re very similar to proteins, but where proteins are large molecules made up of long chains of amino acids, peptides are their baby cousins, containing much shorter chains. Why is this of interest? Because due to their similarity, peptides have the smart ability of being able to penetrate the skin where they work like little messengers, signaling for your cells to produce more proteins. And which protein is most abundant in your skin? Yes, you got it, collagen.
In simple terms, applying topical peptides encourages your cells to keep on producing collagen (and elastin, for that matter), thus helping to counteract the skin’s inevitable loss of this vital protein and staving off all that comes with it – namely wrinkles, lines and sagging skin.
Try: Firming Collagen Day Lotion which contains vegan collagen peptides, amongst other skincare powerhouses like ceramides, green algae, vitamin E and aloe.
2. Retinol
When it comes to boosting your skin’s supply of healthy collagen very few topical ingredients trump retinol. Ask your derm or any skincare expert and we bet 1,000 bucks they will agree. So, what makes it so darn good? Well, it’s been studied for decades and it never fails to deliver the same skin-regenerating results. You see, retinol has an innate ability to communicate with your skin at a deep cellular level to encourage a speedier production of collagen and elastin in a bid to heal and strengthen your skin. Simple as. Well, it’s not that simple, but that’s all you really need to know.
Of course, retinol isn’t for everyone – it’s so good, it can be a tad irritating for some skin types – but if you used it slowly and carefully, always patch testing it first, you’ll find it can be a fantastic way to help keep your skin firm and youthful-looking for years to come.
Try: Retinol Facial Serum which has been formulated with hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, helping it to be as gentle on your skin as possible.
3. Bakuchiol
If retinol isn’t for you but you’re looking for something that does almost the exact same thing and offers very similar results, allow us to introduce you to bakuchiol.
One of the newest ingredients to the skincare world (but an absolute keeper unlike other ridiculous ingredients that are all fluff and no function), bakuchiol is nature’s best alternative to retinol. How so? Because it works just like its long-running counterpart, stimulating collagen synthesis and accelerating cellular turnover at a deep, below-the-surface level.
Bakuchiol is extracted from the seeds and leaves of the babchi plant and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine. The reason it’s gained such momentum in Western skincare recently is that, granted, it's very similar to retinol, but more importantly it comes with way fewer unwanted side effects. Of course, its gentle nature means it works more slowly but if you sensitive skin and have patience, bakuchiol is a great choice for fighting the visible signs of aging –including sagging skin but certainly not stopping there!
Try: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum which combines bakuchiol with antioxidant-rich lingonberry stem cells and snow algae.
4. Vitamin C
If you don’t know by now how awesome vitamin C is then we’ve been doing something wrong! In our minds, this antioxidant wonder kid can do no wrong.
Like retinol, vitamin C is one of the most trusted and clinically-proven ingredients in the entire world of skincare. It’s known mainly for providing brightening benefits but never forget what an excellent antioxidant it is, offering the absolute best in environmental protection by neutralizing free radicals before they get a chance to destroy collagen – and believe us, that is exactly what free radicals will do if you don’t get in there first.
But it's not just vitamin C's antioxidant prowess that’s crucial for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost your collagen and elastin levels. So there’s that.
Try: Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream which gives your skin a delicious overnight boost of protective vitamin C, along with skin-loving botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose.
5. MSM
Sure, we’re all about vitamin C for president here at TruSkin, but another of our skin-firming favorites comes in the form of methylsulfonylmethane, or MSM to friends like you.
Very well tolerated by even the most sensitive of skin types, MSM is a naturally-occurring form of sulfur. And if you didn’t know, sulfur is one of the most important elements in the human body, often touted as the ‘beauty’ or ‘healing’ mineral.
What does that mean for sagging skin? Yeah, we’re getting to that. And the answer is simple: MSM plays a key role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. Its anti-inflammatory qualities also help decrease damage to the skin caused by lifestyle aggressors like stress, lack of sleep and a sugar or carb-heavy diet. Oh, and as an extra sidenote, MSM also boosts the body’s production of glutathione which is one of your most important, naturally-occurring antioxidants. Take that free radicals!
Try: Vitamin C Super Serum+ which partners MSM with its bestie, vitamin C. Why do they love each other so? Because vitamin C helps the skin readily absorb MSM, thus doubling up their combined collagen-boosting effects.
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Heard about retinol sandwiching but clueless about what it is or whether you should be getting on that train immediately? Here’s what we know…
Retinol offers an incredible solution to many skin woes. Hate your monthly breakouts? Try retinol. Worried about wrinkles catching up on you way too quickly? Retinol’s your guy. It’s true, retinol is the gold standard in skincare ingredients – just ask your dermatologist; we’d put a lot of money on them being in complete agreement.
But retinol isn’t all moonlight and roses. In fact, many people find that it’s pretty devilish on their skin, causing all sorts of irritating side effects that, frankly, make it not worth the hassle. You know the score, think redness, itching, flaky skin and extreme dryness.
This is why you’ll see countless blog posts and viral videos about how best to make retinol work for your skin type without causing all the bad stuff. Spoiler alert: if you choose the right formulation and apply it slowly and carefully, most skin types can totally appreciate the benefits retinol has to offer.
Reckon you’ve tried all the tricks but still can’t get on with retinol on a regular basis? Then you have options. The first is to try bakuchiol which is a natural and far gentler alternative to retinol. We’re huge advocates of this just-as-awesome ingredient as it works in a similar way to retinol, encouraging cell turnover and accelerating collagen production. In fact, we love it so much that we based an entire collection of healthy aging formulations around it. Check out the range here.
The other options is to try retinol sandwiching, a ‘trend’ that #BeautyTok is all over, but one which, in fact, has been around for many years…
What Is Retinol Sandwiching?
Retinol usually comes in the form of a serum which is applied to cleansed skin before moisturizer. Retinol sandwiching, however, switches things up. Don’t worry though, it’s nothing too tricky but is a very easy technique. You simply apply moisturizer before your retinol serum, then another layer afterwards, creating the proverbial sandwich effect with the retinol being your filling and moisturizer the bread.
Why Is Retinol Sandwiching A Thing?
As skincare ingredients go, retinol is arguably the best but, as we previously mentioned, its benefits are often outnumbered by its downsides – especially if you have particularly sensitive skin. Of course, introducing it slowly into your skincare routine is a great way to reduce the risks of unwanted side effects because this allows your skin to acclimate to such a potent powerhouse.
And there are many other ways to help you reduce irritation. One of which is the retinol sandwich.
Not to be taken literally (please don’t smother retinol serum over your favorite sourdough – like, ever), retinol sandwiching is particularly good for dry skin but can be a useful tool for reducing all kinds of irritation and sensitivities.
Why is the retinol sandwich so good for the skin? Well, it creates a kind of buffering effect, adding a layer of product between your skin and the retinol which helps to slow down its absorption and reduce its potency. Not to mention the added moisturization as an extra bonus. All this means that you’ll likely be able to use your retinol serum more frequently.
Does Sandwiching Make Retinol Less Effective?
Yes. Most moisturizers contain oils and water which kind of ‘dilute’ the retinol, making it weaker and less effective. But if you’re choosing to make yourself a retinol sandwich, you’re probably doing so because you have sensitive skin and want to reduce the irritation it may potentially cause. So making it weaker is kind of the point, right?
Is Retinol Sandwiching Right For Your Skin Type?
Honestly? That’s a question only you can answer. The truth is, if you use it wisely, most retinol formulas can be successfully built into your skincare routine without the sandwich method. That being said, nobody knows your skin better than you, so if you feel it may help you to enjoy the benefits of retinol, there’s no harm in trying.
All we can say is that if you want to give it a go, make sure to choose the right moisturizer for the job. Here’s a quick checklist for you.
✅ Go for a lightweight lotion. This will be better than a rich, heavy cream because it will at least allow a little of the retinol to get through to the surface of your skin.
❎ Avoid moisturizer that contains potent, active ingredients. Certain ingredients may react with the retinol and actually increase your chances of redness and irritation.
✅ Look out for gentle hydrating ingredients. Things like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and aloe vera are your friends here.
Other Tips For Making Retinol Work For You
1. Always Patch Test Retinol First
Yes, patch testing is boring and certainly not for the impatient, but it’s important and a great way to know whether a certain ingredient is going to be the right match for your skin. Patch test any new retinol product on a discreet area of your skin first. Then leave it for 48 hours to check for adverse reactions before using it as recommended.
2. Use It On Dry Skin
Many ingredients play well on damp skin but moisture can increase the absorption of retinol, simultaneously increasing the chances of irritation. Better to be safe by applying it to skin that's dry.
3. Go Slow And Go Steady
We’re all about the 1-2-3 retinol rule. When starting out, apply your product once a week only, for one week. Then apply it twice a week for two weeks and finally, go for three times a week for three weeks. This helps your skin build tolerance and allows you to eventually be able to apply it every night.
4. Apply Sunscreen Every Morning
Don’t let damaging UV radiation screw up all that fresh new skin retinol is helping to bring to the surface. Generously apply SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen every morning as the final step in your routine.
But you knew that. Didn't you? DIDN'T YOU?
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Witch hazel has been a skincare staple for centuries, but have you ever wondered why it crops up in so many products? Here’s what we know about this natural beauty.
We love a good botanical extract here at TruSkin. Combined with expert knowhow, awesome technology and other tried and tested ingredients (natural AND synthetic) botanicals truly furnish the skin with the best nature has to offer.
And witch hazel is no different. Found in all kinds of different skincare formulations, from cleansers and toners through to serums and moisturizers, unless you’re allergic (which is rare) it can be an extremely effective addition to any skincare routine.
Here’s why witch hazel deserves pride of place in your skincare routine.
What Is Witch Hazel?
A flowering shrub native to parts of Asia and the Atlantic coast of North America, witch hazel (whose scientific name is hamamelis virginiana) has been used for medicinal purposes for, like, ever. And the twigs, bark and leaves are where the magic happens. You see, when these are extracted and distilled from the plant, they become a natural astringent with tons of anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant qualities.
How Exactly Witch Hazel Benefits The Skin
Have an annoying zit to deal with? Witch hazel’s got your back. Want to minimize the appearance of pores? Witch hazel is here for you. In fact, when it comes to relieving irritation, inflammation and tightening the skin, witch hazel is hard to beat. Read on for five of our favorite witch hazel benefits...
* It Keeps Enlarged Pores In Check
Witch hazel has a high tannin content which gives it natural astringent properties. What does that mean? Well, an astringent is a substance that draws out water, causing a restricting and tightening effect on the skin. This, in turn, helps to temporarily minimize the appearance of enlarged pores. You must tread carefully, however, because astringents also have a drying effect which can stimulate oil production and make your skin feel greasy. The solution? Make sure you stick with a balanced formulation like 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, which won’t dry out your skin entirely. And always follow with moisturizer.
* It’s A Trusted Ally For Oily Skin
Witch hazel can be an effective way to keep sebum production under control. By compressing proteins in the skin, the tannins create a kind of invisible shield on the skin’s surface which makes the skin look and feel less oily. Of course, this makes it tempting to douse your oily skin with witch hazel on the reg, but do this and you could cause all sorts of irritating skin issues. Dryness and actual irritation being odds-on favorites.
Our advice is to use carefully crafted skincare formulations that use just the right amount of witch hazel to help keep oil under control without stripping your skin completely dry. Our Ocean Minerals Super Toner is a great choice post-cleanse as it’s blended with powerful peptides and MSM to boost your bid for healthy, balanced skin. It also contains double-distilled witch hazel which produces a richer witch hazel that contains less alcohol.
* It’s A Big Deal In the Acne-Fighting World
Acne occurs when excess sebum hooks up with dead skin cells and bacteria, then gets stuck at the surface of your skin where it sits in your pores and clogs them up. It makes sense, there, that if you apply a product containing witch hazel (which works to keep sebum under control), you’ll simultaneously help minimize breakouts.
But that's not even the half of it because another good thing about witch hazel is that it has antibacterial properties which which work hard to eliminate acne-causing bacteria. And then there are its anti-inflammatory qualities which help to reduce the angry redness that often comes hand-in-hand with breakouts.
Be afraid, pimples and blackheads, be very afraid.
* It Helps Minimize Facial Redness
Speaking of inflammation, if you suffer with facial redness, the soothing and anti-inflammatory properties of witch hazel can be a real life saver. Just know that it’s best used in conjunction with soothing and/or moisture-boosting ingredients.
(As a sidenote, some people swear by witch hazel for sunburn relief. But we know you never get sunburn so we figure that's a moot point.)
* It's Great For Reducing Puffy Eyes
Great news if you suffer with under eye bags: witch hazel’s astringent and soothing properties can work wonders on this often frustrating area, reducing fluid retention under the eyes and also minimizing redness. The skin around your eyes is extremely sensitive, however, so make sure you go slow and low with a gentle formula like Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.
Puffiness often doesn’t stop around the eyes, so if you also suffer elsewhere on your face thanks to a build-up of excess fluids below the surface of your skin, look out for witch hazel in your daily facial serum. Our Caffeine Facial Serum, for example, contains a smidge of witch hazel, combined with caffeine, EGCG, ginseng, matcha tea and niacinamide to strengthen, energize, tighten and brighten tired, puffy skin. It’s a new fan favorite and a must-try if you’re yet to feel the love.
Before You Leave, Here's 5 Witch Hazel Facts To Remember
1. Pure witch hazel is mega potent. Sure, it can be applied direct to the skin in its pure, undiluted form to spot-treat pimples, but it’s often better to use formulations that blend witch hazel with other ingredients for a more all-round approach to skincare.
2. If you have sensitive skin, opt for products that blend witch hazel with calming, soothing and hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and vitamin E. Try Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum.
3. While generally safe for everyday use, witch hazel has the potential to dry out or irritate the skin if used too often. Listen to your skin when introducing it to your routine and if it feels drier or more sensitive than normal, apply it less frequently.
4. Look for alcohol-free, or at the very least low-alcohol, formulations to minimize dryness.
5. Always patch test before using products containing witch hazel. Apply a small amount to a discreet area of your skin and allow it to sit for 24-48 hours. If you don’t have a reaction in that time, you’re good to go.
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Serums can truly supercharge your skincare routine – especially if you know how to maximize their effectiveness. Here’s how…
We believe your face serum should be one of your most prized skincare possessions. Of course, daily sunscreen is crucial, and yes, your cleanser provides the foundation to everything that follows. But a face serum is the key to targeting everything you love (and maybe don’t love so much) about your skin. Whether you want to improve hydration, deal with breakouts, soften fine lines or brighten tired skin, the right face serum can help fix the lot.
Speaking of the ‘right’ face serum, finding your perfect fit is vital, but let us ask you this: do you feel like you’ve found the one... yet it’s kind of underperforming? Then it’s probably not the serum that’s the issue. Instead, it’s likely the way you’re using it.
So let’s fix that, shall we?
Your Serum Strategy 101
Think of your face serum as the VIP in your skincare routine. Because yes, it's that special. Plus, it’s likely to have cost more than most of your other products, so it’d be foolish not to fuel yourself with the knowledge of how to use it effectively.
Here are the face serum rules we follow to the letter…
When To Use Your Face Serum
The correct order in which to apply ALL of your skincare products matters. A lot. And the general rule of thumb is that you should always work with your products from thin to thick; from water to oil.
This means that cleanser comes first (obvs!), then toner, serum, eye cream and finally moisturizer. If you apply serum after your moisturizer, on the other hand, the rich, slightly heavier nature of moisturizer will block the serum from the surface of your skin. And this will immediately make it less effective. That’s what we call money down the drain.
Serum BEFORE moisturizer, people. Always.
How Much Face Serum Should You Use?
Face serums are super lightweight due to their small molecular structure. This means they’re able to carry a high intensity of concentrated, active ingredients in a relatively thin, slippery formulation. This is crucial because it gives serum the ability to penetrate the skin more effectively than thicker, more viscous formulations like moisturizer and facial oil.
Thanks to their slippery nature, face serums smooth over your skin like a dream – well, a good one does, anyway;). Sure, it’s tempting to smother your face in it because you think your skin will end up reaping more benefits from all those awesome ingredients. But that’s a mistake because, the truth is, your skin can only soak up so much.
A reputable serum will always come with guidelines on how much to use, but a pea-sized amount, or roughly two to three drops, should generally be sufficient for your face and neck. Any more will simply be a waste.
5 Ways To Make Your Face Serum Work Harder
Because it's not just what you apply, but the way in which you apply it...
1. Exfoliate First
If the surface of your skin is clogged up with dead skin cells, your face serum stands no chance of penetrating at a deeper level. And this means it won’t work so well. So make sure you exfoliate regularly to create an easier pathway for your serum to go about its business.
A gentle scrub two or three times a week is a great shout, but if you’re not keen on face scrubs, try a leave-on chemical exfoliant that uses ingredients like glycolic acid and/or salicylic acid to dissolve the ‘glue’ that holds dead skin cells together.
Try: 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant
2. Nail The Damp Skin Technique
Serums are able to penetrate the skin better if your skin has a bit of moisture present at its surface. Why? Because damp skin is more permeable, easy as that.
The trick is to apply a couple of drops to your hand as quickly as you can after cleansing or toning your skin. Then apply serum all over your face and neck using clean hands and light pressing motions. Not only will your skin be more receptive to all those fabulous ingredients but you’ll also lock in a little extra moisture while you’re at it. Win win.
One word of warning, however. If you have sensitive skin, you might actually be better off applying your serum to dry skin to reduce irritation. But play around, see what works best for you.
3. Understand That Your Skin’s Needs Vary From Morning To Night
Just like your entire body, your skin’s needs are very much governed by time. Cell turnover, for example, is at its peak during the night, while you’re asleep. This means that instead of using a sun protective antioxidant serum before bed, it’s much better to encourage repair and regeneration with ingredients like retinol, peptides and growth factors. Sebum production also slows down at night so it's similarly wise to enlist in some help sealing in hydration.
Meanwhile, your levels of cortisol are at their highest when you wake up, so anti-inflammatory serums that contain ingredients like niacinamide and vitamin E are better as part of your morning routine. Skin brightening and awakening ingredients like caffeine and vitamin C are also more beneficial first thing when you’ll be able to maximize – and actually see! – their revitalizing effects. And obviously antioxidants that help to protect your skin from environmental harm are crucial every morning.
Try: Day Night Duo with Vitamin C and Retinol Facial Serums
4. Wait A Hot Minute Before Applying Moisturizer
While it’s great to apply face serum swiftly after cleansing and/or toning, it’s wise to wait 60 seconds or so between your serum and moisturizer. Most serum formulations will sink in super fast but still, giving the formulation a short while to fully absorb and dry helps it to really settle into your skin.
5. Give Your Face Serum Enough Time To Work
Serums aren’t miracle workers that instantly make wrinkles vanish overnight. On the contrary, for real results, you’ll need to consistently apply yours for at least six to eight weeks before you’ll even begin to see their true effects.
Saying that, don’t rush in without patch testing any new formulation first. Then, if you’re good to go, make sure to introduce it slowly into your routine. This will give your skin time to adjust, thereby reducing your chances of irritation. It’ll also stop you from giving up too soon!
Check out our line-up of awesome serums right here. And if you don’t know which one is right for you, here’s a helpful guide.
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