Yes, You CAN Cleanse, Tone & Exfoliate Without Drying Out Your Skin
PSA: an effective (but gentle!) cleansing, toning and exfoliating routine can work wonders – no matter how dry your skin.
Dry skin can be a delicate little beast, often cringing at even the thought of a regular cleansing, toning and exfoliating routine. But skincare has come a long way since the harsh products of yesteryear that were formulated to do their job… but often to the detriment of your skin’s actual health.
Hark back to those astringent cleansing and toning products from your youth. Full of bad alcohols, synthetic fragrances, colors and additives, they might have left your skin feeling squeaky clean, but that level of skin-stripping prowess was never really necessary. Not then. And certainly not now. And what about those deliciously scented face scrubs that were chock full of ‘natural’ abrasive particles like nut shells. Yeah, they may have sounded like they were doing real good – after all, they were natural, right? – but in actual fact, those sharp particles were probably over-stimulating your skin and leaving tiny micro tears in the skin’s surface. So not cool.
Thankfully, you no longer need to resort to such measures in the quest for beautifully cleansed, toned and exfoliated skin. Because those unnecessarily potent products still exist, for sure, but they now take a back seat to much gentler formulations and skin-loving ingredients.
Phew!
If you have dry skin, chances are you have your moisturizing routine totally down. But if you’re yet to find a cleansing, toning and exfoliating routine that works for your complexion and leaves your skin bright, clean and fresh without making it feel tight and uncomfortable, read on for a few pearls of wisdom…
Your Cleansing 101
The number one rule for ALL skin types is to choose the kindest cleanser possible. And this is never more important than if you have dry skin.
Unlike dehydrated skin which is deficient in water, dry skin contains fewer sebaceous glands and often has a slightly compromised barrier function that lacks the oils and lipids required to lock in moisture and keep your skin soft and supple. This is why cleansing can swiftly cause further dryness and even mild irritation if you don’t take extra care.
The first golden rule for cleansing dry skin is to know which ingredients to avoid. And the biggest no-nos, in our opinion, are sulfates like sodium laureth sulfae (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES). These bad boys are very good at cleansing the skin, lathering up like nobody’s business to strip away every last drop of oil, dirt, makeup and residue. But that’s the thing, you don’t want your skincare to suck all the life from your skin – and the same goes for every skin type, tbh. Instead, you want your cleanser to gently remove surface debris without upsetting the balance of your skin. You also want it to nourish your skin and, if at all possible, even put back a little moisture.
The good news? All this is totally doable. Simply search out soothing cleansers that contain humectants like aloe vera, glycerin, hyaluronic acid, plus fatty acid-rich oils to help reduce dryness, dehydration and irritation. Oat and rice milk are equally awesome for dry skin because they contain tons of natural nourishing, calming and exfoliating compounds like lactic acid. They’re also anti-inflammatory which make them a fabulous choice if you have conditions like eczema or rosacea.
Our Must-Try: Soothing Cleansing Milk
Your Exfoliating 101
Some folks believe exfoliation is dry skin’s arch enemy, causing even more dryness, itching and redness. Not so. Granted, some exfoliating products and treatments can be sensitizing for dry skin but choose wisely and exfoliation can be a very beneficial step. You see, dead skin cells can build up on the surface of your skin – whatever your skin type – and if you already have dryness, this can make flaking and dullness so much worse. And we imagine that’s probably not what you’re looking for in life.
So what’s the answer? Well, daily exfoliation is rarely the way to go for you as this can over-stimulate your skin and leave it vulnerable to irritation. Physical exfoliants (those that require movement or pressure like scrubs, brushes and mitts) can also be too invigorating for dry skin, so our advice is to stick with chemical treatments that use kind-to-skin exfoliating acids to encourage cell turnover.
Chemical exfoliators use chemicals (no surprises there!) to break down the bonds between your skin cells. This allows them to naturally shed without you having to rub or scrub the skin. They’re generally split into three types: AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) and the lesser common PHAs (poly hydroxy acids). AHAs like glycolic and lactic acids are water soluble and commonly used for all skin types; BHAs like salicylic acid are oil-soluble which makes them incredible for oily skin types; and finally, PHAs are gentler versions of AHAs so ideal for dry or sensitive skin. Phew. Science lesson over.
Just remember, even the most forgiving of chemical exfoliants can irritate super-sensitive or dry skin so choose your formula wisely, always patch test first and start slowly by applying it just a few times each week.
Our Must-Try: AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant
Your Toning 101
Toner is a funny guy. Nowhere near as important as cleanser or moisturizer (or sunscreen for that matter – although that’s another lesson for another day), it often slips through the net. In fact, we could go so far as to say that it’s generally a little unloved.
But it’s the quiet ones that often hold the most useful super powers, and toner can actually be darn useful in the quest for fabulous skin. If you choose well, there are plenty of toning treatments available that offer all manner of post-cleansing, pre-moisturizing benefits. Think brightening, age-defying, firming, clarifying, the works.
For dry skin, toners can be just the ticket for boosting your skin with extra hydration and moisturization – especially if they contain those infamous humectants which draw in water like magnets. However, stay well clear of any formula that contains even a hint of those devils of the alcohol world – alcohol denat, methanol, propanol and isopropyl. These can just about be tolerated by stronger skin types but will frequently cause irritation and inflammation if used on dry skin.
Your motto should be to keep it simple with fewer ingredients. Also, look for calming, soothing and balancing botanicals like rose water and aloe vera. These will always be your best friends and will never let you down.
Our Must-Try: Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner
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![The Products We Swear By For Bright, Dewy Skin]()
The truth is, glowing skin will always be in.
Oh, the heady heights of glowing, healthy skin. Whether you prefer to use the term ‘bright,’ ‘glowy,’ ‘dewy’ or ‘radiant’: we can’t think of a single person who wouldn’t want their skin to be described by one (or all!) of these words. Why is it such an elusive and lusted-after skin condition? Because no matter your skin type or how many wrinkles you do or don’t have, nail that radiant glow and everything else pales into insignificance.
But, how to get glowing skin? Now there’s a question that has as many answers as we’ve had hot dinners.
You can start with what goes in your body, of course, taking a look at your diet and ensuring you chow down on plenty of antioxidant-rich fruit and veggies and cut back on things like booze, sugar, salt and processed carbs. This helps nix skin-damaging free radicals to ensure your skin turns over efficiently and remains healthy from the inside out, making it a great place to start.
There are also things like exercising outdoors to get your blood flowing, massaging your skin as you cleanse, getting plenty of shut-eye and faking it with highlighting makeup and shimmering face powders.
But skincare is our thing, so today we’re going to focus on that.
There are many awesome ingredients and products out there that claim to rejuvenate your skin and freshen up your complexion, but what are the true tried and tested contenders? Keep scrolling for, what we believe, are five of the best products for glowing skin.
1. The Definitive Glow-Giving Facial Serum
Let’s get one thing straight, there’s no better skincare ingredient for boosting a radiant glow than vitamin C. Vitamin C (otherwise known as l-ascorbic acid) has been researched to death over the years and it’s been proven to offer all manner of skin-boosting benefits – glowier skin being just one of them.
So how does this powerhouse work? Well, further to its antioxidant powers, which in themselves are great for strengthening your collagen supplies and improving cell turnover, it also helps slow down melanin production. Melanin, as you know, is what gives your skin its individual color and, when you expose your skin to UV radiation, it’s also what makes you tan. However, melanin production isn’t always smooth sailing. In fact, many triggers such as unbalanced hormones and too much sun can make your melanin go all over the place, resulting in patchy skin, dark spots and hyperpigmentation. No fun. No fun at all.
We believe vitamin C should be a staple in anyone’s skincare regime, but we also understand that it’s a potent ingredient that can cause sensitivities in certain skin types. This is why we infuse all of our vitamin C products with a milder version called sodium ascorbyl phosphate.
When it comes to looking for your perfect match for brightening your skin, you could literally take your pick of our entire vitamin C range, but for a classic favorite, you can’t go wrong with Vitamin C Facial Serum. We believe it’s a winner. Over 140,000 people on Amazon agree with us. We rest our case.
2. The Moisturizer With The Most
If you’re yet to try our new Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream you are missing out. It doesn’t contain vitamin C – because choices – but it is powered up by another ingredient that’s already making headlines for all the right reasons: bakuchiol.
Bakuchiol is nature’s alternative to the mighty retinol. Extracted from the seeds and leaves of the babchi plant, it’s fast becoming hot property in the skincare world due to its extraordinary skin benefits (just like retinol) and lack of irritating side-effects (unlike retinol!). We mean no offense to retinol, of course, because it’s still one of, if not THE gold standard of skincare. However, it’s not for everyone and bakuchiol has undergone plenty of studies that show it’s right up there, stimulating collagen synthesis and accelerating cellular turnover in a very similar way to rid your skin of unwanted dead skin cells and help improve your radiance factor.
We have a whole collection of products that harness the powers of bakuchiol but for a great introduction to the range, try this deliciously smooth moisturizer that’s ideal for all skin persuasions, including sensitive skin.
3. The One That’s In It For The Long Game
Admittedly this one might not make your skin look immediately radiant but c’mon now, patience is everything. And in all honesty, this is unarguably the single most important product you could use for glowing skin, healthy skin, smooth skin, strong skin, the works.
So what is this too-good-to-be-true product we speak so highly off? Simple. Sunscreen. Now don’t roll your eyes at us in a ‘not that old chestnut’ fashion because we don’t bang on about sunscreen just to pee you off. We do it because we care about your skin.
The simple truth is that if you don’t protect your skin from the sun’s damaging UV rays, your collagen supplies will dwindle, elastin will get destroyed, dark spots will appear and cell turnover will decrease. This all leads to dull, lackluster, sad-looking skin. And that’s just touching the surface.
Ensure you apply a quality, broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning without fail to make sure your skin doesn’t get caught up in all that damaging nonsense.
Try our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen which also comes packed with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (that supercool vitamin C derivative we spoke of earlier) on top of hydrating ingredients like squalane and cucumber, plus vegan marine collagen to help target fine lines and sagging skin.
4. The All-Important Skin Exfoliator
If your pores are filled to the brim with sebum, sunscreen, makeup and dead skin cells, your skin stands no chance of being smooth and radiant. Dead skin cells, in particular, create the perfect storm for dull skin.
One of the simplest ways to keep your skin clear from complexion-killing pore plugs is to use a chemical exfoliator like 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant two or three times a week. Chemical exfoliation works by using certain ingredients –commonly fruit acids – to break down the glue that holds dead skin cells together. By doing so, they’re an incredible way of forcing these unwanted cells to sling their hook so that the fresher, brighter ones can make their way to the surface. And unlike physical exfoliation which uses pressure and movement (like scrubs and cleansing brushes), chemical exfoliation, when done correctly, is far less damaging and irritating.
Our fabulous 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant combines a carefully crafted blend of three exfoliating acids along with organic reishi mushroom and hyaluronic acid to combat dehydration and help soothe and nourish the skin. Because, btw, dehydration will also kill your glowy skin vibes.
5. The Dewy Skin Spritz
Convenient and effective, our Ocean Minerals Super Toner is often glossed over in our line-up of skincare greats, but it’s a real goodie in the quest for a revamped complexion. Not only is it formulated with two key skin-brightening players – vitamin C and glycolic acid – but it also contains power-packed peptides, collagen-boosting MSM and over 90 revitalizing marine minerals. All this adds up to some serious love which helps to remove dull, dead skin cells, detox your pores and smooth the surface for a more balanced, even skin tone.
It's an awesome addition to your skincare routine and takes just seconds of your time to apply. So, why not?
Why not indeed.
The Products We Swear By For Bright, Dewy Skin
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