True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Good news: there are tons of ways to make your skin feel smoother and healthier.

Thankfully, you don’t remember the skin you were born with. If you did, you would seriously long for its plump, bouncy, softer-than-clouds feel. Because that’s how skin generally is at birth, before it’s touched by pollution, battered by the sun and generally subjected to the slings and arrows of modern life. Everyday wear and tear, however, is inevitable so it’s no use trying to resurrect your 6-month old skin. It’s simply never going to happen.

All is not lost, however, because what you can do is make the most of the skin you’re in right now by looking after it to the best of your abilities. The motto is, treat it right and it will repay you in kind. Granted, it will never feel as soft and smooth as it did way back when, but give yourself a break, EVERYONE has textured skin to some degree and, heck, you can only do so much, right?

On that note, here are some of the most effective ways to get your smoothest skin ever. And more good news: they’re easier than you might think.

Pay Attention To Your Pores

More often than not, rough texture is down to blocked pores. Oil-producing pores are tiny openings found at the top of your hair follicles and sebaceous glands where they release sebum to help moisturize and soften the skin at a surface level. They’re extremely important for keeping your skin healthy but, like all things are life, they’re not perfect. Some people have sebaceous glands that produce too much sebum, others have those that don’t produce anywhere near enough, causing everything from extreme dryness to super-oily skin that’s prone to acne breakouts.

Whatever your pore persuasion, it’s crucial to keep them cleansed, and clear of debris like makeup, dirt and skincare products. This reduces their likelihood of becoming clogged, thus expanding and creating tiny bumps at the surface of your skin. Common sense, right? Instead of stripping your skin with chemical-rich, harsh products, however, it’s important to cleanse right with gentle formulations and warm, never hot water. Our Soothing Cleansing Milk is fantastic for the job - especially if you have dry or sensitive skin – or you could also try Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which is fantastic for detoxifying your pores and balancing oilier skin types. Cleanse twice daily, no arguments, and again after working out.

It’s Great To Exfoliate

As skin ages, cell turnover slows down and dead skin cells have a tendency to outstay their welcome. It’s kind of inevitable, so to help keep this process from causing rough texture at the surface (and the dullness that inevitably comes as part of the deal!), it’s wise to exfoliate regularly.

Exfoliation encourages dead cells to slough away quicker, so that all the fresh, younger ones have a chance to reveal themselves to the world. And you can do it in a number of ways. Scrubs are the obvious choice, but be wary of harsh formulations that use over-sized particles that feel too sharp on your skin. Chances are, if they feel scratchy, that’s exactly what they’re doing, creating micro-tears on your skin which can cause irritation and long-term sensitivities. Instead, choose a kind-to-skin scrub like our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub which uses ultra-fine Bora Bora white sand to leave you with super soft skin, every time.

Not a scrub fan? Then try a leave-on solution that harnesses exfoliating acids like salicylic or glycolic to break down the glue between dead skin cells, giving them a firm nudge to leave town. Try our awesome 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant after cleansing and before applying serum and moisturizer. It’s the simplest way to even out your skin and smooth up its texture, plus it’s gentle enough for almost all skin types.

Layer With Moisture

Whatever your skin type, moisturizer is essential after every cleanse to support and fortify your skin’s barrier function and allow it to do its job properly – which is to keep good things like moisture in and bad things like irritants out. But, we get it, for some of you moisturizer might not be enough. Dehydration, for example, is a killer on the texture of your skin and that requires more attention than some moisturizers are able to offer.

To really get your smoothness going, we recommend doubling down with a hydrating serum as well as a kick-ass moisturizer like Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream. Serums that contain hyaluronic acid in particular, are incredible for helping to keep your skin plump, smooth and dewy because they draw moisture to the surface of your skin. Apply a couple of drops of Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum after cleansing and before moisturizing every day for a deeper moisturization and, over time, your skin will soon feel way more hydrated and much smoother as a result.

Give Irritants The Cold Shoulder

Word is, something in your skincare routine might actually be the cause of textural changes in your skin like dryness and roughness. Synthetic fragrance, for example, is one of the biggest offenders, and denatured alcohol as well as harsh sulfates like SLS and SLES can all be extremely irritating for certain skin types.

Try to avoid the most common irritants and, while you’re at it, look at your skincare routine as a whole and tame things down if it’s too heavy on active ingredients. Active ingredients like retinol, AHAs, BHAs and vitamin C are fantastic, don’t get us wrong, but too much of a good thing can have disastrous results. Rough, dry, flaky skin being just one of them.

Remember: Sunscreen Is King

UV radiation (which is present all year long) produces skin-damaging free radicals which work hard to break down your collagen and elastin and ruin your skin’s soft, smooth bouncebackability. Not only that, but it’s a killer on your skin’s natural levels of hyaluronic acid, leading to dehydration and, well, you know where we’re going here…

It comes as no surprise, therefore, that daily SPF is non-negotiable. Most experts – us included – recommend a broad-spectrum formulation that contains mineral sunscreens like zinc oxide and offers protection of at least SPF 30. Try our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C which is like the lovechild of your favorite moisturizer and sunscreen, with the added benefits of glow-getting vitamin C and age-defying vegan marine collagen.

The skin around your eyes is prone to dryness and dehydration. It’s thin and fragile; it can’t help it.

Dry, dehydrated skin is no joke. And dry skin around your eyes? Seriously, no joke at all.

Much more prevalent in the winter when the air becomes dry, cold and has a tendency to suck all the moisture from your skin (something to look forward to there, then!), dryness around your eyes is a real pain in the butt. And it can swiftly lead to itching, flaky skin, irritation and soreness, especially if you leave it untreated.

Of course, dry skin (which is a lack of sebum/oil in your skin) is something you’re often born with and, annoyingly, you can’t change your genes. However, there are many ways to improve and take care of dryness around the eyes, especially when it’s coupled with a lack of moisture, aka dehydration.

Read on for five of the best ways to deal with dry, dehydrated skin around your eyes.

1. Avoid The Big Three Dehydrators

There are no prizes for guessing the three biggest offenders when it comes to what you put into your body on a regular basis and how they affect the skin around your eyes. Yes, they’re alcohol, caffeine and tobacco.

Thankfully, the number of adults in the US who smoke cigarettes continues to fall but even so, in 2021 an estimated 28.3 million adults were still at it. And it’s terrible for your skin. Not only does smoking cause unnecessary squinting as you inhale, accelerating the formation of dynamic wrinkles, but cigs are packed with thousands of chemicals which enhance dark bags around your eyes and exacerbate dryness and dehydration.

Caffeine and alcohol also have dehydrating effects, screwing up sebum production, messing with your barrier function and making your skin prone to moisture loss and irritation.

Of course, we all have our vices, but if the skin around your eyes is really suffering because of them, you might be wise to slow down with at least one.

2. Use A Hydrating Eye Cream

Eye creams come in many shapes and sizes and, while many people are sceptical about their worth, eye creams are actually important business. Sure, you can apply regular moisturizer to the skin around your eyes if it works for your needs, but if you want to target specific eye-related concerns like puffiness or dark circles, then your daily moisturizer is not going to cut the mustard.

The skin around your eyes is slightly different to the rest of your face. It’s way thinner for starters which makes it more fragile and prone to irritation and premature aging. It also contains fewer sebaceous glands (they’re the ones that produce sebum, aka oil) so it’s not able to keep itself as moisturized as other areas of your face.

Eye creams focus on this exact type of skin, using soothing ingredients to limit irritation while concentrating on gentle actives to reduce fine lines, eye bags, dryness and dehydration. We have many formulations that treat different eye needs but if it’s the two ds (dryness and dehydration, in case you didn’t get that!) you’re into, or not as the case may be, you have to try our Hyaluronic Eye Cream which uses HA and panthenol to draw in moisture and target tired, dehydrated skin.

3. Wear Sunglasses

We don’t need to tell you for the hundredth time how important SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is for protecting your skin from the damaging effects of UV radiation. Or maybe we do? Because, while you may be vigilant with your daily facial protection, what about the skin around your eyes?

Some sunscreens might not be suitable for the sensitive skin around your eyes but if you go carefully and avoid harsh, chemical formulations in favor of mineral sunscreens that use zinc oxide or titanium dioxide to shield your skin you should be OK. Still wary of getting sunscreen in your eyes (which let’s face it, is no fun)? Then, the very least you can do is to wear some oversized sunglasses whenever you go outside or are in the car – even in winter.

Any excuse to treat yourself to a new pair of shades, right?

4. Make Quality Sleep A Priority

Show of hands if you’ve ever woken up after a cruddy night’s sleep and the skin around your eyes has punished you, big time. Dark circles and puffiness in the eye area are dead giveaways that you’ve missed out on some valuable zzzs, but continue to burn the candle at both ends and your skin will also suffer with long-term dryness and dehydration.

When you don’t get sufficient sleep your barrier function misses out on its valuable regeneration time which makes it perform poorly, allowing moisture to readily escape and irritants to literally get under your skin. Couple this with the stress a lack of sleep puts on your body and the skin, and you really are asking for trouble. Warning: the skin around your eyes, in particular, will suffer more than the rest of your face due to its thinness and vulnerability.

According to The Sleep Foundation, the average adult needs at least seven hours of sleep per night. We know this isn’t always possible – because life – but try to go to bed and get up at the same time each day to get yourself into a rhythm. This is super important for achieving a quality night’s rest. Also, if you live in a dry climate, pop a humidifier in your bedroom to combat low levels of water in the air. This will reduce moisture loss as you sleep. It’s called science.

5. Reassess Your Entire Beauty Routine

Last, but certainly not least, look at your beauty routine to check for anything that could be causing dryness and dehydration around your eyes. Harsh soaps and strong makeup remover that contains bad alcohols are both major culprits, but even things like dirty makeup brushes, out-of-date mascara or cleansing with too-hot water can cause the skin around your eyes to feel dry and itchy.

Don’t forget your shampoo and conditioner, either. These may contain strong cleansing ingredients like sulfates that are getting in your eyes and irritating the skin when you wash your hair in the shower.

Basically, leave no table unturned!

Good news: the most effective things you can do for your skin are also the simplest.

We know we don’t need to reiterate the importance of cleansing and moisturizing your skin every morning and night. Those kind of skincare practices are a given. However, there are plenty of other basic habits you should get into if you want to maintain the best skin of your life. Because taking care of your skin is way easier than you think – but there are still rules.

Read on for ten of our favorites.

1. Use Toner

Toner is often overlooked in the quest for fabulous skin. But here’s the thing. It might not be an absolute ‘essential’ like cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen, but similar to other skincare greats like serums, a good toner can provide a whole lot of love to your skin.

Typically water-based, think of your toner as like a primer for your skin, gently removing any last traces of grime from your pores, while balancing your pH and providing much-needed hydration. Depending on the ingredients used, certain toners may even help brighten, firm or clarify your skin.

Take Action: Introduce a toner to your morning and evening routine and you’ll notice the benefits almost straight away. Just make sure you choose well, steering clear of harsh alcohols and synthetic fragrances in favor of calming, soothing and balancing botanicals like rose water and aloe vera. Try Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner.

2. Prioritize Sleep

Great skin isn’t just about great skincare. Your lifestyle is even more important than the products you put on your skin. Sleep, for example, is crucial. Deprive yourself of a good night’s sleep and your skin misses out on valuable regeneration time in which collagen production amps up, cell regeneration accelerates, blood flow increases and antioxidants kick in to neutralize environmental damage.

Take Action: You must have noticed how much better you look after a quality eight hours of sleep time, right? Then do your damnedest to make that a regular occurrence. Your skin will look and feel ten times better. Stat.

3. Avoid Harsh Skincare

If you have sensitive skin, you'll already err on the side of gentle when choosing your skincare products. But, in all honesty, the same rule should apply regardless of your skin type. We know it’s tempting to choose oil-stripping products if you have greasy or acne-prone skin, for example, but honestly, they won’t help. In fact, they’ll probably make matters worse, causing dehydration and irritation in both the short- and long-term.

Take Action: Don’t be too harsh on your skin. Sure, choose products that are tailored to help your individual skin type (dry, oily, normal or combination) but avoid anything that’s packed with strong alcohols and/or unnecessary chemicals. Kindness is next to godliness. Or something like that!

4. Embrace Eye Cream

For some people, eye cream falls into the same ‘do I really need it?’ category as toner. And sure, if you’re young enough to yet be dealing with dark circles, puffiness, dryness and wrinkling around your eyes then fair enough, eye cream won’t be your highest priority. For the rest of us, however, eye cream is vital.

Gentler than regular moisturizer, eye creams are specifically formulated to deal with the thinner, more delicate skin around your eyes. Unlike the rest of your face, this area contains fewer sebaceous glands to keep it moisturized as well as less muscle and fatty tissue for strength and volume. So it really does need looking after.

Take Action: We have three fantastic eye creams to choose from depending on your skin concerns. Depuffing Longevity Eye Cream is incredible for improving eye bags, while Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream is a must for hydrating and firming the skin around your eyes. But don’t forget Peptide Eye Gel, our fabulously lightweight, cooling gel that works on all the visible signs of aging. Use just a tiny amount of your chosen formulation morning and night.

5. Find A Simple, Consistent Routine

Consistency is everything. It’s as simple as that. However, what might work for your BFF might not work for you, so find your own way in your skincare life. Then stand firm.

Take Action: Sticking to a daily routine that’s simple and effective will go a long way to helping you reach your skincare goals. This may be applying Retinol Facial Serum every night and exfoliating twice a week; or it could be alternating between Vitamin C Facial Serum and Niacinamide Facial Serum. If it works for you, roll with it.

Of course, you can switch the odd product up every now and again to work with the seasons and help target certain changes that may occur in your skin. But don’t mess around too much, and definitely don’t switch out your products every month. This won’t give them time to do what they set out to.

6. Quit Smoking

Cigarettes are packed with thousands of chemicals which are terrible for the skin. According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the long-term effects of smoking include dryness, patchy skin, bags around the eyes, sagging and deeper-then-normal wrinkles.

“It is common for the skin of a 40-year old heavy smoker to resemble that of a 70-year-old non-smoker,”  experts claim. We’ll just leave you with that for a hot minute.

Take Action: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. And if you do, there are many ways to quit. It might not be easy, and it’ll take time, patience and a lot of willpower. But we believe in you. Head here for help.

7. Wear Sunscreen

We may have said this before (ha, like only a thousand times!) but sunscreen is the most important product you can have in your anti-aging skincare arsenal. In fact, UV radiation is responsible for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of all visible skin aging, helping to ward off premature lines, discolorations and sagging.

And yes, you do need to protect your skin from UV radiation every day of the year. Because, not only does UVA penetrate right through clouds but it also goes through windows to hit your skin when you least expect it.

Take Action: Go for a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has an SPF of at least 30. This will ensure you’re giving your skin sufficient protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. Apply it generously to any exposed skin (your face, neck and back of the hands as an absolute minimum), and choose a formulation you actually enjoy applying to ensure it seamlessly becomes part of your routine, like cleaning your teeth and brushing your hair. Good news: SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is so lightweight and easy to apply, you'll actually WANT to wear it.

8. Stop Touching Your Face

No matter how often your wash or sanitize your hands, they will always carry germs, allergens and bacteria that can transfer straight to the skin on your face. This can upset your skin’s delicate microbiome, potentially triggering breakouts or worsening existing conditions like eczema and psoriasis.

Take Action: We get it, touching your face is something you rarely realize you’re doing. But whenever you clock it, call yourself out. Hopefully over time you can stop, or at least reduce the amount of face touching you do on a daily basis.

9. Clean Up Your Diet

Whether it be chocolate, ice cream, Fritos or hot dogs, we all have our vices. And treats are fine in moderation, but too many can cause harmful compounds that attack your skin cells and really mess with the tone and texture of your poor complexion.

Take Action: The best diet for your skin is one that’s packed with antioxidant-rich fresh fruit and veggies, plus oily fish, seeds and nuts, all of which are high in omega-3 fatty acids. Don't starve yourself of the good stuff (that rarely works), but don't go overboard and make sure the healthy stuff always outweighs the unhealthy.

10. Exfoliate

As you get older, exfoliation becomes ever more important as your skin’s rate of turnover becomes sluggish and dead skin cells start to outstay their welcome. This can leave your skin looking drab, dreary and extremely dull. Worse yet, it can block up your pores and invite acne breakouts to the party. Prefer brighter, smoother, more wide-awake skin than any of the above? Then you gotta exfoliate.

Take Action: Give your face a gentle exfoliation as often as you think your skin needs it. This could be as frequent as every day, or as little as once a week. It may also take a few weeks to figure out your skin’s sweet spot, but when you get there, trust us, it’ll be worth it.

Also, think about whether you prefer the physical action of a scrub or the simplicity of a leave-on lotion. The good news is we cater for both with our awesome Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub and 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant.

This is the last of our September Spotlight series and we’re marking the occasion with the newest member of our TruSkin family: Caffeine Facial Serum.

Caffeine might be one of your biggest vices due to the number of cappuccinos you consume in one day. But as skincare goes, it’s nothing to be ashamed of. On the contrary, caffeine is a fantastic ingredient for energizing your skin and amping up its level of (or more to the point, it’s lack of!) radiance.

You see, while drinking too much caffeine (more than around four cups is considered excessive) can dehydrate your skin, screw up your sleep and trigger stress-induced acne breakouts, applying it to your skin improves blood flow, helps reduce inflammation and works hard to combat the effects of environmental pollution. Nothing but good stuff, we think you’ll agree.

We’ve long since known about the extraordinary benefits of caffeine, as well other powerful antioxidants and nutrients found in abundance in matcha and regular green teas. We just weren’t sure what to do with all that knowledge… nor how to successfully create an effective skincare treatment that put it all into practice.

But that all changed earlier this year when we launched our incredible Caffeine Facial Serum. With ten facial serums in our line-up you’d think we already had it all. And yes, we’re incredibly proud of being able to cater for all skin types, tones, colors and concerns with serums packed with skincare greats like vitamin C, retinol, hyaluronic acid and peptides.

However, who are we to believe we had no room for something new? And what kind of skincare company would we be if we didn’t continue to innovate and create? A pretty lazy one, tbh.

So, today, we introduce you to serum #11, Caffeine Facial Serum.

What Caffeine Facial Serum Is All About

Simply put, Caffeine Facial Serum delivers the boost of energy your skin has been longing for. It’s like the skincare equivalent of a shot of double espresso in the morning – minus the lows, of course.

How does it work? Well, research shows that caffeine has a very small molecular structure which means it’s able to penetrate the top layers of the skin to absorb deeper and get to work quickly, effectively and exactly where it’s needed most. Its benefits are pretty impressive and include boosting collagen, improving blood flow, reducing inflammation and even slowing down the visible signs of skin aging thanks to a whole bunch of hard-working antioxidants that help neutralize collagen-damaging free radicals.

Don’t get us wrong, we’re not the first to harness the powers of caffeine in a facial serum. We know that. However, our Caffeine Facial Serum offers so much more than the competition and has quickly become a fan favorite for tired skin that needs a reboot. And that’s because caffeine is not the only revitalizing ingredient it has to brag about…

What Makes Caffeine Facial Serum Different From The Rest?

1. 5% caffeine combines with EGCG for the ultimate energizing results

Many over-the-counter caffeine serums contain around 3 percent caffeine, which we don’t think is anywhere near enough to truly hit the spot. This is why we added a much more effective concentration of 5 percent, giving your skin more antioxidant protection and a way bigger boost of energy. Any more than 5 percent has the potential to irritate the skin but, don’t worry, five’s just right to make your skin come alive. It’s not like drinking a triple espresso on an empty stomach or anything like that!

Instead of risking sensitivities by going even higher with the caffeine, we figured it was much safer to add another revitalizing ingredient to boost the buzz and help improve hydration at the same time. And we landed on EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate), another fantastic antioxidant that’s extracted from green tea and plays super well with caffeine.

2. Caffeine Facial Serum also contains niacinamide to strengthen the skin

Niacinamide is a water-soluble form of vitamin B3 that works on the skin in many awesome ways. For one thing, it helps increase the production of ceramides in the uppermost layers which is crucial for maintaining a strong, protective barrier function and improving the overall resiliency of your skin. By strengthening your skin and reducing moisture loss from the surface, it also works hard to reduce the drying effects of active ingredients like caffeine. 

Oh, and it has a whole bunch of antioxidant qualities of its own to further protect your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals.

3. Matcha tea offers an extra boost of nutrients and antioxidants

As if caffeine and EGCG weren’t enough to lift flagging skin, Caffeine Facial Serum also delivers a punchy hit of matcha green tea leaf extract. Unlike regular green tea whose leaves are steeped and then thrown away, we use the entire matcha leaf to ensure your skin gets as much of its goodness as it possibly can. And, full disclosure, it has a lot to give.

Just like regular green tea, matcha is super rich in antioxidants. It also helps regulate sebum production, remove impurities, enhance moisture retention and control inflammation which is great news for oily, sensitive or acne-prone skin.

You've gotta love this stuff.

4. Then there’s ginseng, a traditional medicine favorite for revitalizing the skin

Last but not least comes one of the most revered ingredients in Asian traditional medicine: ginseng. The OG of superfoods, ginseng is a root packed with skin reviving vitamins and minerals that help increase blood flow to really zing up your skin; strengthening at a surface level and ramping up collagen production. But energizing your skin isn’t its only MO. It’s also been shown to inhibit melanin synthesis to help control dark spots and a patchy, uneven skin tone. Love that.

More great news: ginseng contains natural anti-inflammatory properties which are essential if you suffer with facial redness or annoying breakouts.

How To Make Caffeine Facial Serum Work For You

Caffeine Facial Serum has been formulated for all skin types, but no matter how kind and gentle it is, it still contains active ingredients that have the potential to irk super sensitive skin. Patch test it first to check for irritations. That is all.

Once you’re good to go (which, we’re convinced, most of you will be), apply three to five drops to clean hands, then smooth or pat this over cleansed, toned skin. You can even use it under your eyes if this area needs a little extra pep in its step. Just avoid direct contact which your actual eyes, OK?

Caffeine Facial Serum can be used morning, night or both depending on the rest of your skincare routine but don’t mix and match it with other serums as this could overload your skin. Do you like to apply Retinol Facial Serum before bed? Then limit your Caffeine Facial Serum to the mornings only. You get the picture, right?

Finally, give your serum a minute or so to settle then apply moisturizer and sunscreen as normal.

Your skin should feel raring to go and ready take on the world in no time.

Face scrubs are awesome but they’re not the only option for exfoliating your skin. Our 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant does all that and more – and there’s not a grainy particle in sight! Here’s what you need to know about this fabulous leave-on exfoliating lotion.

Like cleansing, moisturizing, using treatment serums and applying daily sunscreen, exfoliating is an important part of a healthy skincare routine.

Your skin has its own system of turning over in order to rid the surface of dead skin cells and allow fresher, brighter cells to to reveal themselves. And it’s a pretty efficient system. Until it isn’t. Over time, as your body ages and you subject your skin to environmental and lifestyle stressors, this whole process become sluggish and this is when problems start to arise like blocked pores and dull, tired-looking skin.

Cue: exfoliation. Exfoliation is one of the most effective ways to help improve both the tone and the texture of your skin. However, it’s the one skincare habit that’s incredibly easy to get wrong. Use a harsh, grainy scrub that’s chock full of crushed nutshells and you risk causing micro tears in your skin. Exfoliate too often and you could end up with red, irritated skin that’s worse off than it was before.

Instead, one of the best ways to avoid exfoliation overkill is to use a leave-on, chemical treatment. Chemical exfoliants use topical ingredients (usually hydroxy acids) rather than physical movement to dissolve and break down the bonds between dead skin cells so they slough away more efficiently. Think glycolic, lactic, salicylic acids and friends. Of course, some of these acids can be extremely potent so you have to a) know what you’re doing and b) use smart, curated treatments that have been thoughtfully blended to deliver results, without the headaches of itchy, red raw skin.

And one such product is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant.

What Is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant?

Launched two years ago, 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant was our first dip into the exfoliation market (we’ve since launched Vitamin C Face Scrub for all your scrub fans!) and it became an instant hit. Having tried a bunch of exfoliating acids over the years – both hit AND misses – it took us a while to formulate this treatment because we knew that we needed to get it spot on right from the off. We felt strongly about harnessing the potency of glycolic acid. However, we didn’t want to put all our needles in one glycolic-shaped basket. Because glycolic acid is effective, for sure, but it can be pretty kiss-ass if it’s used in hefty quantities. And not in a good way!

After months of playing around with different concentrations and ingredient combinations we finally cracked it. And the result is 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, a blended exfoliating lotion that uses not one, not two, but three of the best ingredients for exfoliating your skin.

What Makes 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant Different From The Rest

1. It combines three exfoliants… because three’s a charm, right?

Many of our top competitors use just one type of chemical exfoliant: an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), beta hydroxy acid (BHA) or a poly hydroxy acid (PHA). But we believe they’re all equally as good as each other, so we figured why not formulate a treatment that includes all three?

Quick refresher: AHAs are water-soluble exfoliants like glycolic acid while BHAs like salicylic acid are oil-soluble substances. PHAs, on the other hand, are much newer to the exfoliation scene and are a new generation of AHAs crafted to have a larger molecular size and thus be more gentle on your skin. They work exclusively at a surface level to boost radiance without irritating your complexion and include things like gluconolactone and lactobionic acid.

So why create a product that uses the whole kit and caboodle? Simple, with our harmonic combination of glycolic acid (the daddy of exfoliation), salicylic acid (the oil balancer) and gluconolactone (the gentle guy) this unique exfoliator is able to work incredibly hard to improve skin turnover while remaining kind enough for all skin types, even sensitive.

Now everybody can say hello to healthier, smoother, clearer skin. Because, fairness.

2. Then there’s the added benefit of vitamin C

Among other things, exfoliation is all about creating a brighter complexion. And what other ingredient literally has ‘brightness’ as its middle name? Vitamin C. So how could we resist adding just a smidge of our favorite type of topical vitamin C: sodium ascorbyl phosphate?

Of course, pure vitamin C (aka l-ascorbic acid) is great, but it’s super powerful (read, a tad irritating) and it breaks down when it’s exposed to light and air which forces its superpowers to dwindle lightning fast.

Sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP), however, is a salt form of the pure stuff which gives it the edge when it comes to resilience. It’s also way gentler on your skin. Some might call it the GOAT.

3. It’s so gentle, you can use it every day

Thanks to the inclusion of SAP, kind-to-skin gluconolactone (a PHA) and hydrating glycerin, 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant is absolutely fine to use every day. In fact, if your skin is up to it, we highly recommend it. And that’s not something every exfoliator gets to brag about.

4. Calming and soothing botanicals make it a shoo-in for all skin types

If you hate exfoliating your skin because you always end up with facial redness, itching, dryness or even flare-ups of existing skin conditions, we hear you. And we’ve also been there. 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant, however, was formulated to be extra sensitive to your skin’s quirks and foibles. In fact, it was created specifically with sensitive skin in mind. Organic reishi mushroom, for example was added to support hydration, strengthen the skin’s barrier function and help reduce inflammation. Then there are the added benefits of turmeric root extract, another anti-inflammatory which is known to accelerate the healing process.

How To Make 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant Work For You

While our leave-in exfoliator is gentle enough for daily use, your skin might not need or in fact like to be exfoliated every day. The key is to listen to your skin and work with its tolerance levels. Patch test your product first (here are some helpful tips for that) then start off using it just two or three times a week. You could also alternate it with your favorite facial serum or scrub, or try using it at night only. It’s all about a bit or trial error for the first few weeks until you know your sweet spot.

Apply a small amount onto freshly cleansed, dry skin using your fingers or a cotton pad (reusable, of course!), then leave it to dry for a few seconds before following with serum, moisturizer and sunscreen every morning.

Want in? Then what are you waiting for, add 6% AHA, BHA + PHA Liquid Exfoliant to cart this minute.

Love the idea of including retinol in your skincare routine but not sure where to begin? Then try our incredible Retinol Facial Serum, the focus of this week’s September Spotlight.

Retinol, as any beauty fan knows, is one of the absolute pinnacles of skincare ingredients. With an innate ability to ‘communicate’ with your skin at a cellular level to encourage skin turnover, boost collagen production and protect your skin from environmental damage, retinol is widely seen as the gold standard. And it truly deserves every inch of praise it receives. Use it consistently and your skin will be brighter, clearer, stronger and smoother. That's a strong statement, we know, but decades of research prove it.

So, what’s the catch? Because there's always at least one, right? Otherwise we’d all be dousing our skin with vats of retinol every minute of the day. Well, while retinol helps sweep away dead skin cells, clogged pores and dull, patchy skin, simultaneously softening fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots, it can be a pesky little ingredient to master, often causing unwanted side effects like redness, dryness and irritation. The problem is it’s just too good.

Thankfully, today’s retinol treatments have been carefully formulated to minimize unwanted repercussions. By combining this powerhouse with other skin-soothing and calming ingredients, it’s no longer impossible to work a retinol serum into your skincare routine – no matter your skin type.

Take our Retinol Facial Serum, for example which is one of our best-selling and most popular treatment serums here at TruSkin.

What Is Retinol Facial Serum?

A true gem for skin that needs a little assistance looking its best (and frankly, whose doesn’t?), our Retinol Facial Serum is a veritable go-to for enhancing your skin’s youthful appearance.

It gets to work on everything from fine lines and wrinkles through to dehydration, dullness, rough texture and uneven skin tone. And if you’re thinking all this comes at a price, you couldn’t be more wrong. Retinol Facial Serum is kind to both your skin and your wallet.

So, What Makes Retinol Facial Serum Different From The Rest

1. Our retinol is at just the right concentration for results, minus irritation

We truly wanted to create a retinol serum that offered the best of both worlds – great benefits, but minimal irritation. And while we could have gone down the easy route of using a retinol derivative like retinyl palmitate to make our serum extremely gentle on the skin we knew, deep down, that this wouldn’t have offered the same awesome results. And that’s just annoying all round. Therefore, we spent a long time (like, months!) formulating our serum to contain the ideal amount of retinol (yes, pure retinol) to deliver effective results, without making it impossible to use should you have anything less than super strong, will-take-anything skin. And the reviews speak for themselves…

“I love this product. I’ve been using it for years and at 73 have few wrinkles. I use the product daily and it does not irritate my skin,” explains Kathy from New Hampshire.

Big cheers all round.

2. Still worried about sensitivities? Vitamin E to the rescue!

Vitamin E is a great addition to any facial serum, but alongside retinol it’s crucial. How so? Well, as explained, retinol can be a tad drying so you have to make sure you're replacing all that lost moisture. And vitamin E is just what the skin doctor ordered.

Vitamin E has fabulous emollient properties, meaning that it helps fill in, repair and smooth the tiny cracks in your skin that appear when it’s dry and/or dehydrated. Sealing these cracks strengthens your skin’s barrier function, thus reducing transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and helping your skin to retain vital moisture. That’s extremely important if you want your skin to stay soft, hydrated and irritation-free.

3. Retinol Facial Serum offers a three-pronged approach to hydration

While vitamin E soothes, calms and strengthens your skin’s important barrier protection, hyaluronic acid (HA), glycerin and aloe have also been included for extra hydration.

Known as humectants in the business, these ingredients work like water magnets, maximizing moisture in the air and pulling it into the skin, or even drawing it up from deeper layers of your skin to hydrate at a more surface level. And when you’re applying retinol on a regular basis, your skin is going to want and need as much surface hydration as you can give it.

HA is seen as the king of hydration but glycerin is just as good (some say it’s even better but we don’t like to play favorites!). And aloe? Well that’s a given for soothing, calming and hydrating the skin.

4. Organic green tea helps reduce redness and inflammation

Besides being the brew of choice for a bold caffeine fix, green tea makes for a fabulous skincare ingredient.

Thanks to its abundance of EGCG, green tea is a super effective antioxidant (just like vitamin e, HA and retinol), working hard to combat environmental stress. Furthermore, it’s thought to help reduce sebum production, soothe the skin and reduce inflammation. So if you’re using Retinol Facial Serum to help minimize acne breakouts, this will be music to your ears.

How To Make Retinol Facial Serum Work For You

Retinol Facial Serum should be applied to cleansed skin before moisturizing. But, to be honest, that’s a given for all types of serum. If you err on the side of sensitive, however, don’t apply Retinol Facial Serum to damp skin – dry skin is generally better for reducing irritation. Start by using it two or three times a week to allow your skin to acclimate, then slowly build up to nightly use. Oh and don’t forget to apply sunscreen EVERY morning.

The most important thing to remember when trying any new retinol serum for the first time is to patch test it on a small area of your skin first. This gives you reassurance that your skin is not going to freak out from any of the ingredients in your formulation. Our Retinol Facial Serum has been carefully curated not to cause issues for most skin types, but there’s always a small chance, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

To patch test your serum, apply a small amount behind your ear or on the back of your wrist and leave it for 24-48 hours. Fingers crossed you won’t experience any unwanted side effects during this time, and if this is the case you’re good to apply it to your skin as directed. However, if you feel any burning, pain or discomfort then you’d be wise not to continue. Don’t worry, though, as we have just the serum for you: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum which contains nature’s kinder answer to retinol, the mighty bakuchiol. Read all about that here.