True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Useful or useless? We weigh in whether the products in your skincare routine can benefit from chilling out in a fridge… or not.

When it comes to making the most of our skincare routines there are many tricks and beauty habits we like to abide by. Using the right amount of product, rather than slathering handfuls on at a time, for example. We’re all over that. Keeping our towels, bed linen and makeup brushes clean. For sure. Not using face wipes every night to cleanse our skin. Never.

However, there’s one ‘trend’ that continues to do the rounds on Instagram and TikTok that we’re just not that into. Skincare fridges. Call us old-fashioned, but we just don’t see the need for buying an extra contraption for keeping our moisturizers cold. We’ve coped pretty well without one up until now, so is it really necessary? We figured, not.

But we’re nothing if not open-minded, so we decided to research this mini phenomenon a little deeper to find out if we’re missing something. Here’s what we found out…

What Is A Skincare Fridge?

Like tiny, shrunken versions of real fridges, skincare fridges are made specifically for storing your beauty swag, and they’re designed to allegedly help preserve the integrity of your products.

Usually around 12-15 inches tall, they come in all colors and prices (some will set you back a good few hundred bucks!), and many of them even have mirrors attached and LED lights inside.

Temperature-wise they usually sit around the 40-50 degrees Fahrenheit mark. And yes, that’s not quite as cold as regular refrigerators that are used for chilling and preserving your food. These run around the mid-30s.

Hands Up, Do They Work?

You’ve all read skincare labels that advise you to keep your products away from heat, humidity and direct sunlight, right? Well, there’s a good reason for this piece of important advice. These elements can cause certain ingredients in your products to separate or melt, ruining your products and giving them the shelf-life of an already-ripe peach.

To help preserve the longevity and efficacy of your skincare products, however, the general advice, is not to keep them in a fridge, but to store them at room temperature, away from windows where sunlight has the potential to screw them up. And if your bathroom or bedroom gets pretty steamy in the summer? Not a biggie. Most skincare brands put their formulations through endless numbers of shelf-life tests to ensure they remain at their very best, even with a few fluctuations in temperature and humidity.

OK, so does that mean skincare fridges are completely pointless if all of your products are perfectly fine stored at room temperature?

Yes… and no.

There are definitely a few benefits of keeping ‘some’ of your skincare products and tools in the fridge. How nice is it to apply a cool helping of after sun on your skin after a day at the beach, for example? And what about a soothing face mask that’s been kept in the fridge? Heaven.

Keeping gel-based products chilled offers a deliciously cooling effect on the skin which can help to soothe redness, calm inflammation and even revitalize tired eyes if you don't do on a daily basis. Now that, we can get on board with, for sure.

So, Which Products Are OK To Be Kept In A Skincare Fridge?

1. Skincare Tools

Things like gua sha stones, ice globes (for obvious reasons!) or jade rollers can feel incredible on the skin when they’ve been stored in a fridge.

2. Eye Gel

Try keeping your Peptide Eye Gel in the fridge to help reduce puffy eyes and calm irritation. Cold temps help reduce blood flow which reduces inflammation and swelling.

3. Facial Toner

Another good one to keep chilled, a cooling mist of toner is great if you live in a hot climate.

4. Vitamin C Serum (well, maybe!)

Some experts believe that because vitamin C is so unstable, it can be very beneficial to keep your vitamin C serum refrigerated – extending its shelf-life and helping it to remain effective for longer. Our Vitamin C Facial Serum, however, uses Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate which is a vitamin C derivative that’s way more stable than the pure stuff. This means that, sorry skincare fridge manufacturers, but we don't need you. 

And Those That Should Never Go Anywhere Near A Fridge?

More importantly than those that can be refrigerated are those that must never be stored at anything colder than room temperature. Warning: it can do more harm than good…

1. Moisturizer

Just like Goldilocks, moisturizer hates being too hot or too cold. It needs to be just right so that any oils or butters don’t separate from the other ingredients.

2. Face & Body Oils

Cold temperatures can cause oils to separate and/or harden which is bad news either way. They’re way better off stored at room temperature and usually come in dark or opaque bottles to protect them from sunlight, anyway.

3. Clay-Based Products

Any cleansers or face masks containing clay will harden and solidify if chilled which makes them an absolute nightmare to apply. Don’t go there. Our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser loves room temperature. Room temperature all the way, baby!

4. And Your Makeup…

…especially liquid foundations and concealers which often contain oils to give them a smooth texture and feel. You’ll ruin all of that if you keep them in a fridge. End of discussion.

Our Final Takeaway

So, should you invest in a skincare fridge or not? Honestly, we’re not going to rush out to waste our money (we’d rather spend it on SPF and new summer sandals, tbh!). However, if you like to use beauty tools to reduce puffiness and redness, or love to keep your eye gel cool to calm down under eye bags, go nuts.

Want to ensure your skin is doubly protected from the slings and arrows of the sun? Then the winning combination of sunscreen and antioxidants is everything.

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: sunlight is the number one cause of skin aging. OK, in truth, your genetics are the actual number one, but you can’t change your genes, so go figure.

So, why is the sun so damaging? After all, it's deliciously lovely, warm and instantly makes us feel and look ten times better. So why, oh why do we have to be careful in its presence?

How The Sun Affects Your Skin

Sunlight is split into various forms of energy called the electromagnetic spectrum. This intricate spectrum includes visible light (the stuff you can see), infrared radiation (heat) and ultraviolet radiation among others. And it’s the UV radiation that’s to blame for over 80 percent of your fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and sagging skin. UV is extremely powerful and not only accelerates premature aging, but is also believed to be one of the biggest causes of skin cancer.

But UV isn’t simply a one-and-done type of radiation. Ha, if only it were that easy. In fact, UV is split into three different wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC. UVC rays are the shortest and, thanks to the ozone, don’t reach the Earth’s surface or, consequently your skin, so you can forget about the Cs. But the Bs and As? They’re a big deal.

UVA rays have the longest wavelength and make up about 95 percent of the UV radiation that hits your skin. UVA rays are able to penetrate through clouds and even glass, which means that they’re present all year round – summer, spring, fall and yes, even winter – AND they can get to your skin even if you’re inside, near a window. UVA radiation penetrates deep into your skin, screwing up your collagen, depleting elastin, ruining your barrier function and basically aging you up like it was its one true mission in life.

UVB rays, meanwhile, have a slightly shorter wavelength and aren’t so prevalent in the winter months. Nor do they penetrate your skin on such a deep level. However, don’t underestimate the Bs because they’re just as bad for your skin and they’re the ones most responsible for sunburn.

Sunscreen: Your Best Defense Against UV

Everyone knows that sunscreen should be a crucial part of your daily skincare regime. But while you might know it, do you actually put it into practice? The big picture is that if you don’t apply sunscreen to safeguard your skin from damaging UV radiation you’re putting your skin at risk. And not only of premature aging, but also of skin cancer. In fact, according to the Skin Cancer Foundation regular use of daily sunscreen can reduce your risk of developing skin cancers by between 40 and 50 percent. That’s major, if you ask us.

The uptake is that you should apply sunscreen every morning without fail, even if you’re going to be sat at your desk all day – windows, remember? Not sure what to look out for in your sunscreen? We can help with that here but, in short, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends the following.

1. Always choose broad-spectrum protection to ensure your skin is shielded from both UVA and UVB radiation.

2. Never go below SPF 30 to truly safeguard your skin.

3. Choose water-resistant formulations.

Our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C is an incredible choice for daily use because it blocks around 90 percent of UVB radiation (that’s the SPF30 working hard, right there), plus it keeps you equally safe from UVA radiation (thanks to its broad-spectrum formulation).

Not only that, but our sunscreen contains vitamin C – one of the most effective antioxidants available in skincare.

The Wonder Of Antioxidants

Without doubt, sunscreen is our number one recommendation for sun protection. That, and staying away from direct sun as much as possible. Living your life, of course, just doing it safely.

But there’s another skincare essential for helping to prevent photoaging from hitting you in the face too soon: topical antioxidants. Why are they so crucial? Because they fight tooth and nail to neutralize free radicals. And if you don’t know what free radicals are, allow us to explain.

Free radicals are compounds that form in your skin when it’s been subjected to things like smoking, pollution and the biggest offender of them all, the sun. Free radicals are no good for your skin, destroying important proteins and causing what’s known as oxidative stress which leads to the breakdown of collagen and elastin, and results in lines, wrinkles and premature sagging.

Unfortunately, there’s no escaping free radicals – that’s the joy of modern living – however, antioxidants are their absolute nemesis, limiting their negative effects by neutralizing them before they get a chance to cause too much damage. Your body has its very own natural antioxidant system but the onslaughts of everyday life are often too much for it to keep up with. So you have to give it a helping hand with an antioxidant-rich diet (here’s looking at you fresh fruit and veggies) and by applying topical antioxidants.

Studies have shown that two of the best topical antioxidants for protecting your skin from the sun and all the free radicals that come with it are vitamins C and E. Of course, it’s worth remembering that antioxidants won’t shield your skin from sunburn (that’s what your SPF is for) but they’re a great addition to the party and, when combined with SPF are the real deal.

Our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen contains a hefty sum of vitamin C but to really hit those free radicals hard, we like to apply an antioxidant serum underneath. We have plenty of awesome formulations to choose from but here are our summertime favorites.

1. Vitamin C Facial Serum

Our very own TruSkin OG and still the best-seller on Amazon, Vitamin C Facial Serum combines gentle vitamin C (sodium ascorbyl phosphate) along with vitamin E, hydrating hyaluronic acid, aloe vera and jojoba oil.

2. Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum

If you never know which vitamin to choose from in your skincare routine (they all sound SO good), we say, don’t. Instead, go for our Multi-Vitamin Facial Serum which fuses a holistic blend of antioxidant-rich vits with skin-hydrating minerals.

3. Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum

One of our gentlest serums, Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum is an everyday essential that harnesses the antioxidant powers of niacinamide to strengthen, soothe and illuminate your skin tone. Light and silky, it’s a shoo-in for those hot, summer months. And, in fact, for all the months!

Adult acne might feel and look the same as teenage acne but when it comes to nailing an effective, breakout-busting skincare routine, it’s a whole different beast.

As if fine lines, wrinkles and all the other signs of skin aging weren’t enough to contend with, there’s also that crazy little thing called adult acne. Acne ‘should’ be something that you say farewell to as you come to the end of your adolescent years and your hormones settle into adulthood. But that’s not always the case. In fact, adult acne is on the increase and it’s estimated to affect more and more adults as they hit their 50s and older.

What Is Adult Acne?

Acne vlugaris, the proper name for the type of acne we’re dealing with here, is exactly the same at any age. It rears its head when your hair follicles and pores become blocked with excess oil and dead skin cells. Unlike regular teenage acne, however, the adult kind can be split into two different types: persistent acne and late- or adult-onset acne. Persistent acne continues from adolescence, never really giving you a break, whereas late-onset acne is the stuff that appears for the first time later on in life. Just when you thought you’d gotten away with it. Dang!

This all sounds pretty simple, but things get a little more complicated from here on in. How so? Because acne can take on many forms. If the plug bulges out above the surface of your skin it creates a whitehead, for example. If the plug opens up, it oxidizes with the air, turns dark and creates a blackhead. And if bacteria gets involved and infects the blockage? Then it becomes a full blown zit – a papule, pustule, nodule or cyst, if you will.

So, Why Do Some People Get Adult Acne While Others Don’t?

As a rule, acne is genetic, so if you’re predisposed, thanks to your parents, there’s not much you can do about that. What you can do, however, is to understand what’s triggering these breakouts later in life – hint: more often than not, it’s your hormones. During menopause, for example, your hormones are all over the place and if you’re sensitive to these triggers, this creates an imbalance that causes sebum production to go wild and your your skin to completely freak out.

Emotional stress and certain medications can also overstimulate your sebaceous glands, as can pore-blocking or harsh ingredients in your skincare regime.

On that note, here’s how to create a kick-ass skincare routine that cares for your adult skin (aka doesn’t dry it out!) and helps to balance oil production to keep breakouts to a minimum.

The Best Morning Skincare Routine For Adult Acne

1. Gently Cleanse Your Face

For some, a morning cleanse can seem a little OTT when all you’ve done is sleep since your last cleanse. Not so for you. Because your skin is oilier than most you’re going to want to gently remove any sebum that may have built up overnight. Also, your night cream might feel kind of heavy for daywear, so it’s good to start with a clean slate in the AM.

One word of warning: don’t fall into the trap of grabbing the most skin-stripping cleanser you can find. You can just about get away with that when you’re 13 – although it’s never ideal – but when your skin is more mature it’s going to need way more care. Choose something that will help replenish your barrier function, soothe and calm inflammation and cut out any risk of over-cleansing your skin. A product like our Soothing Cleansing Milk is great for morning use.

2. Balance Your Skin With Tea Tree Oil

As you know, we’re massive fans of face serums for targeting skin issues exactly where they’re needed, and when it comes to adult acne, our favorite topical ingredient is tea tree oil.

Unlike other acne-busting favorites like benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil is less drying and irritating on the skin which makes it a great choice for mature skin. But don’t think that means it’s any less effective because its antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties combine to give it true superpowers in the fight against bacteria and acne breakouts.

Try applying our Tea Tree Super Serum+  two or three times a week after cleansing and before moisturizing to help balance and calm your skin. We like to alternate it with Niacinamide (B3) Facial Serum which is another winner for regulating oil and reducing inflammation.

3. Lightly Moisturize

Moisturizing oily, acne-prone skin might seem counterintuitive but it’s actually crucial for keeping your barrier function healthy and keeping sebum under control. If you miss this step, your sebaceous glands will think your skin is dry and thus overcompensate with more oil.

Avoid thick creams that are jam-packed with heavy occlusives like cocoa butter, however – these will block your pores and cause no end of problems. Instead, stick with light gel or lotion formulas that incorporate hydrating ingredients like glycerin, aloe and hyaluronic acid. Our Firming Collagen Day Lotion is great for oily skin, plus it helps tackle the visible signs of aging at the same time. Result.

4. Apply Sunscreen

UV radiation will make acne (and any potential scarring) worse. Not to mention all the other dastardly deeds it gets up to as the sun beats down on your skin on a daily basis.

Wear sunscreen every day, without fail, and always choose a broad-spectrum formula with SPF 30 or above. And if you really can’t bear the thought of applying moisturizer AND sunscreen? Try our SPF 20 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C. It’s packed with hydrating and moisturizing ingredients which are probably just right for your oily skin.

The Best Nighttime Skincare Routine For Adult Acne

1. Remove Makeup & Cleanse Your Face

Before bed is when a more thorough (but still not too full-on) cleanse comes into play. Your evening cleanse is way more important than the morning one because this is when your skin has been subjected to at least 15 hours worth of makeup, sunscreen, dirt, oil and pollution. And if you don’t whisk that away it can, and will, build up on your skin where it will combine with dead skin cells and sit in your pores waiting for the worst to happen.

We recommend our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser or Tea Tree Super Cleanser+ which both work hard to whisk away debris from the surface of your skin while balancing, detoxifying and refreshing your complexion.

You should also exfoliate once or twice a week to gently boost cellular turnover and minimize any risk of dead skin cells hanging around for too long. Try our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub after cleansing.

2. Treat Your Skin With Retinol

Retinol might be the gold standard of aging treatments, but it’s also right up there in the fight against adult acne. A derivative of vitamin A, retinol helps to increase cell turnover. It’s a little bit like exfoliation, although it works in a very different way. Instead of removing dead skin cells at a surface level, retinol goes deeper into the skin and activates certain genes to accelerate cell turnover down below. It’s very clever and a great way to keep dead skin cells moving along so they don’t clog up your pores. This is music to the ears of mature, acne-prone skin – especially when you add in all the other age-defying benefits retinol brings to the table.

Just remember, retinol is very powerful, so start slowly by applying Retinol Facial Serum just once or twice a week to clean, dry skin. Then, as you build tolerance, you can build up to every night.

3. Hydrate & Moisturize

Allow your serum to sink in for a minute or two, then finish with moisturizer. Of course, you can double up with the same product you used in the morning, but you might find your skin needs a little more moisturization at night.

Our fabulous Retinol Moisturizer is a great product to apply before bed as it combines retinol with hydrating hyaluronic acid, soothing vitamin E and plumping panthenol. If the combination of this and the retinol serum is too much for your skin, however, try our Longevity duo: Rejuvenating Longevity Serum followed by Renewing Longevity Moisturizing Cream. Both of these formulations are incredible for aging skin that gets a little, shall we say, problematic. They harness the powers of bakuchiol, which is nature’s kinder alternative to retinol.

We love to blame the sun for most of our skin woes, but is it entirely at fault when it comes to pesky dark spots? Actually, no. The sun is a major factor, for sure, but there are many other reasons your skin becomes patchy or discolored…

No matter how hard you try to keep the tone of your skin free of patchy dark spots as you get older, this seems to be one skincare battle you just can’t seem to win. But what are dark spots and why, oh why, do they creep up on the skin when we have enough skin issues to contend with (yes, we’re talking to you fine lines and wrinkles)?

What Causes Dark Spots?

Dark spots, aka hyperpigmentation, is extremely common and occurs when your skin overproduces melanin, the pigment the gives your skin its natural color. This makes certain areas of your skin appear darker and patchy, while others remain as they were. And it really is as simple as that.

The tricky part, however, comes when you try to pinpoint exactly why melanin has gotten out of control in the first place. And there are three main causes of hyperpigmentation to know about.

The Sun

According to countless studies, exposure to the sun is the most common cause of hyperpigmentation. No surprises there, right? This is because melanin acts like a kind of natural sunscreen to help protect your skin from damaging UV radiation. The more you subject your skin to sunlight, therefore, the more melanin your melanocytes will produce as they work super hard to keep your skin safe.

Tan skin is basically the result of melanin going into overdrive. And when you continue to subject your skin to excessive sun exposure, this whole process can (and often will!) go completely wayward. This leads to an uneven production of melanin which gets clumpy and, of course, leads to the inevitable patchy, sun-damaged skin.

These types of dark spots are called solar lentigines and they usually appear on areas that are most frequently exposed to the sun. Your face, hands, arms and shoulders are those most affected, so keep an eye on these areas for small, flat spots that are either brown, black or a kind of grayish color.

Your Hormones

Dark spots that are the result of unbalanced hormones are called melasma and they’re way more common in women than men thanks to the many hormonal changes women go through during their lives. Menstruation, pregnancy, birth control, hormone replacement therapy and the menopause all cause extreme changes in the female sex hormones and, just like exposure to the sun, this stimulates melanin production which, unfortunately gets a little out of control.

Melasma is usually lighter in color than sun spots and it looks more patchy. It’s also commonly seen on the forehead, over the cheeks or around the lips – but almost always on the face, for sure. The good news is that, more often than not, melasma goes away after you pass through this stage in your life and come out the other end, or if you stop taking the medication that’s the primary cause.

Skin Trauma

Last, but certainly not least comes post-inflammatory hyperpigmention (PIH) which looks most severe in dark skin types but is pretty common in all genders and can happen at any time in your life.

PIH happens when your skin becomes inflamed after its been subjected to some kind of injury or trauma. It’s most commonly caused by acne and in fact one out of every two acne sufferers will experience some form of PIH – or post-acne marks as they’re also called.

But it’s not just acne that can trigger this type of hyperpigmentation: anything that causes inflammation has the ability to leave you with red, pink, brown or black PIH spots. A mild cut, bug bite or burn, for example, can go down that road, as can bouts of psoriasis, eczema or even surgery. As your skin regenerates and heals itself, excess melanin is produced which can leaves the area darkened and discolored long after the wound has gone.

What Can You Do About Your Dark Spots?

While not all dark spots are caused by the sun, UV radiation will make every single one of them worse. So, you gotta protect your skin every day to a) help prevent sun spots and b) lessen your chances of any type of dark spot becoming bigger and/or darker.

Sun avoidance is, of course, the most effective way to keep your skin safe from the sun’s wicked ways, but, well, you have to live, so instead of being quite so drastic, simply up your skin protection game with these two simple must-dos.

1. Apply Topical Antioxidants

Apply an antioxidant serum every morning after cleansing and before moisturizing to kick things off. Antioxidants are the bomb for adding that little extra je ne sais quoi to your regime. How so? Well, they’re almost unbeatable at fighting off free radicals that, if left alone, will have a party when you expose your skin to the elements, damaging collagen, screwing up elastin and doing a number on your DNA. This is not only bad news for dark spots but it’s also asking for wrinkles to come and join in on the (not so) fun.

There are plenty of awesome antioxidants out there but our favorite for sun protection is vitamin C because it also helps to keep dark spots to a minimum by keeping melanin under control. Win. And win. Try our classic Vitamin C Facial Serum daily. No arguments.

2. Wear Sunscreen ALL YEAR LONG

It goes without saying that sunscreen is essential for preventing dark spots AND for helping to minimize existing ones. Not to mention all the other anti-aging benefits a sunscreen like our fabulous SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen with Vitamin C brings to the table.

To get the best protection from both UVA and UVB radiation, make sure you always choose a broad-spectrum formulation and never go below SPF 30 which blocks around 97 percent of UVB. Choose a mineral sunscreen that contains zinc oxide, titanium dioxide or both (we believe these are the best!) and apply it generously to all areas of exposed skin every morning. Reckon you can get away without it on cold, gray days? Think again. Sun damage is caused by UV radiation, not heat, which means that chilly, overcast days still have plenty of UV ready and willing to screw up your skin if you let it. The truth is, around 80 percent of UV radiation penetrates right through those clouds. Remember that.

Should You Be Worried About Dark Spots & Skin Cancer?

Hyperpigmentation is not related to skin cancer, but if you notice any kind of new dark spot developing or changing in size or color you should always consult a board-certified dermatologist to get it checked out.

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the US and around one in five of us will develop it by the time we’re 70. Don’t like those stats? Good, you shouldn’t, so make sure you get any mole, freckle or unusually dark patch of skin looked at by a professional.

Excellent news, people of the oily skin persuasion: you might not be able to change the structure of your skin but you can definitely help balance oil production with smart skincare choices. Step this way…

If slick skin and sweaty bangs are the story of your life you’ve probably asked yourself time and again, when are the benefits of an oily complexion going to come to light? Hark back to your teenage years when puberty, and all the things that came with it, seemed like a never ending battle. Difficult times. Now you’re well into adulthood, and your skin is still as oily as ever. Granted, the wrinkles aren’t too bad, but your makeup rarely stays put and, tbh, monthly breakouts are still a struggle.

Not. Fair.

Oily skin can be tricky, we get that. But it’s who you are and, when you think about it, sebum – the oil of which we speak of – is absolutely crucial for the health of your skin. All manner of components like triglycerides, fatty acids, wax ester, cholesterol and squalene come together in sebum to seal moisture into your skin, repel environmental stressors and help transport antioxidants to the surface so your skin can heal and regenerate efficiently.

Sebum also plays an important role in helping your skin maintain its slightly acidic pH level which prevents bacteria and viruses from penetrating the top layers. Without sebum, therefore, your skin would be a shadow of its former self. Try not to forget that the next time you look in the mirror and will it to go away.

The amount of sebum your skin produces can’t be drastically altered – because, genetics – but there are many tweaks you can make to your skincare routine that can improve the balance and therefore the shininess of your complexion. Keep scrolling for seven of our favorites…

1. Never Go To Bed Without Cleansing

Taking your makeup off before turning in for the night is important whatever your skin type, but if you have oily skin, it’s absolutely non-negotiable. The reason for this? For one thing, oily skin attracts dirt and bacteria more than dry skin. And for another, when oil and bacteria combine with dead skin cells at the surface of your skin, you’re basically inviting acne breakouts to come and do a number on your complexion.

Lesson learnt: don’t go to bed without cleansing your face. Like, ever. It’s just not worth it. And, heck, cleansing takes, what, three minutes of your time so it’s not like it’s a real chore.

One of our favorite cleansers for oily skin is our Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which contains activated coconut charcoal to mop up unwanted debris and detoxify the skin without complete drying it out.

2. But, Don’t Be Tempted To Over-Cleanse

While we’re on the subject of cleansing, it’s easy to overdo it as you try to rid your skin of every last drop of pesky sebum. But that’s a very bad idea. Over-stimulating your skin fools your sebaceous glands into thinking they’re not doing their job properly. So then they ramp it up big time, producing more and more sebum to compensate for all the stuff you’ve stripped away.

Keep your cleansing routine gentle, but effective, and regular but not too often. Twice daily and always after exercising is the rule of thumb here.

3. Remember That All Skin Needs Moisturization

Oily skin has its own built-in and very hard-working moisturizing system, so it has no need for more, right? Wrong. So. Very. Wrong.

Just like every other skin type, oily skin needs to be moisturized after cleansing. Contrary to popular belief, the right moisturizer won’t block up your pores or make your skin even more oily and pimply. Instead it will help to balance sebum, keeping your skin hydrated, healthy and less open to irritation and redness.

You really must choose the correct moisturizer, however. And that means avoiding anything that contains rich, occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter and heavy oils which form a layer over the top of your skin and clog your pores. Instead, look for lighter gels or lotions that contain humectants like hyaluronic acid. We love Retinol Moisturizer which has the added benefits of retinol to help boost regeneration for clearer, more balanced skin.

4. Underestimate Exfoliation At Your Risk

One of the best tools for oily skin? An awesome exfoliant that’s effective but super gentle on your skin. Whether you go for a chemical, leave-on formulation that contains things like glycolic acid or salicylic acid to break down dead skin cells, or prefer a face scrub that manually sloughs away those darn dead cells, exfoliating oily skin is imperative.

Excess sebum is like a magnet for bacteria, you see, and when this mixes with dead skin cells it can block your pores, resulting in blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and any other kind of acne spots you might think of.

The simple way to avoid all this? Keep your skin regularly exfoliated to accelerate cell turnover and make sure all that dead stuff doesn’t overstay its welcome. Try our Vitamin C Gentle Face Scrub two or three times a week after cleansing.

5. Make Tea Tree Oil Your Friend

Tea tree oil has been known and revered for centuries for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. And this makes it a shoo-in for balancing and soothing oily skin – specifically those that suffer problems with breakouts.

Not only does tea tree oil help kill acne-causing bacteria on the surface of the skin, but it also works hard to calm and reduce facial redness. Be afraid, inflammation, be very afraid.

The one thing to remember about tea tree oil, however, is that it’s potent – like, really potent – so, it’s much safer when thoughtfully blended with other skincare ingredients. Our Tea Tree Super Serum +, for example, contains a whole bunch of ingredients that work in harmony with tea tree oil to hydrate and balance the skin. It’s packed with aloe, hyaluronic acid and glycerin to draw in moisture, niacinamide to aid healing, plus two other awesome acne-fighters: salicylic acid and retinol. Try it a couple of times a week before bed for visible results within just a month or so.

6. Tone, But Do It Wisely

Toning your skin can be a fabulous way to balance excess oil – but don’t fall into the trap of choosing a super astringent formula that will soak up too much oil as this will cause your skin to produce even more sebum as it tries to overcompensate for all the stuff you’ve stripped away. Instead, tone, for sure, but choose a more balanced, refreshing product that helps finish off your cleanse while preparing the skin for the rest of your regime. We love Ocean Minerals Super Toner which also contains glycolic acid for a little extra boost of exfoliation.

7. Keep Your Hydration Topped Up

OK, here’s the thing about dehydrated skin: ANY skin type can be dehydrated. This is because unlike dry skin which is genetic and thanks to insufficient oil, dehydration is a skin condition that can occur at any time and is all thanks to a lack of moisture. Oily skin, in particular, can get dehydrated very easily because you’re more likely to use more powerful skincare products on the reg while applying less intense moisturization.

To avoid your skin becoming unnecessarily dehydrated, make sure your routine contains plenty of humectant ingredients which draw moisture to the surface of your skin. Good ones include aloe vera, glycerin and the most popular of all, hyaluronic acid which you’ll find aplenty in our Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum. We like to apply this daily, after cleansing and toning, but BEFORE moisturizing.

It’s vital to make sure your sunscreen is doing everything it can to protect you from the sun’s evil rays. Here’s how to get on that.

The sun is annoying. When it’s out everything seems better. Your mood elevates, your spirit lifts, your hair looks shiny, heck even your complexion looks great. But beneath all that fabulous stuff lies some serious business. Because as awesome as the sun is  – heck, we’d be non-existent without it – it’s just no good.

No good as far as your skin is concerned, anyway.

Ticking clocks aside, the sun is the number one cause of skin aging. In fact, it’s responsible for somewhere between 80 and 90 percent of all your aging skin concerns. Wrinkles? Sun. Loss of firmness? Sun. Dark spots? Sun. Almost always, you can point the finger at the sun. Also, did you know that over 80 percent of skin cancers are caused by overexposure to UV radiation?

As we said: the sun is no good.

Of course, we don’t recommend you close the blinds and never leave the house again. Drama, much? But being more sun savvy is something we can all accomplish. Staying out of the midday sun, wearing wide-brimmed hats and choosing protective clothing, for example – not too much to ask, right?

It's also wise to wear sunscreen whenever you expose your skin to the sun. It’s just common sense if you care about warding off premature skin aging for as long as possible. And it's an extremely important tool for preventing skin cancer which, according to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), around one in five Americans will develop at some point in their lives.

But what are the most important things a good sunscreen should offer or are they all decent enough? Well, in answer to the latter, no they’re not. And to answer the former, keep scrolling for the five most important things to look out for…

1. The Magic SPF Number

As we’re sure you know, a sunscreen’s SPF value is there to show you how well it’s going to protect you from burning. Low numbers offer you less protection whereas high numbers give you much greater protection. Simple enough, right? Ha, if only. Going by these rules makes it tempting to choose insanely high SPF ratings in a bid to protect your skin as best you can. However, the truth is that SPF 30 actually blocks a whopping 97 percent of UVB radiation, so anything higher than that is going to be very minimal. SPF 50, for example, only blocks an extra 1 percent, and studies show that anything above that provides almost no additional protection whatsoever.

That’s why we believe, along with most skin experts, that SPF 30 is the sweet spot.

Also, what about UVA radiation? Well, we’ll come to that in a minute because SPF doesn’t go there, it’s only an indication of UVB protection – the one that causes sunburn – not UVA which is present all year long and the biggest offender of skin aging. An easy way to remember which is which? Think UVA for aging and UVB for burning.

2. The Term ‘Broad Spectrum’

So you’ve got your UVB protection sorted thanks to SPF, but how do you know your product will also protect you from UVA radiation? After all, UVA rays are around every day, eating away at your collagen supplies and aging up your skin like nobody’s business – even on cloudy days. They’re arguably the worst of the lot.

Thankfully, there’s a simple way to ensure you’re getting the right level of UVA protection from your sunscreen: only ever buy broad spectrum. Any product that doesn’t mention this term? Not worth your dollars.

A broad-spectrum formulation that has SPF 30 is ideal for providing you with the optimum level of protection from both UVA and UVB radiation. It’s what we like to call the best of both worlds.

3. The Gold Standard Mineral Protection

There are two types of sun protection – mineral and chemical. Chemical sunscreens use ingredients like oxybenzone, octisalate, avobenzone, octocrylene and octinoxate to absorb and break down UV rays where they are then released back out through your skin. They’re pretty smart, but some experts believe they cause hormonal disruption as well as damage to the planet’s waterways and marine life. We’re not keen on any of that.

Mineral (or physical) sunscreens, on the other hand, contain active mineral ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. These sit on the surface of your skin, forming a physical, reflective barrier against UV radiation, and we believe they’re way more effective at stopping the sun’s rays from potentially damaging your skin.

Both zinc oxide and titanium dioxide naturally protect your skin from UVA and UVB radiation which is another plus point and why they’re the only two sunscreen ingredients currently proposed safe and effective by the FDA. They’re also environment friendly and provide instant protection for your skin. Chemical sunscreens have to be applied at least 20 minutes before exposure.

Mineral protection is the only way to go, IOHO.

4. The Antioxidant Extras

Products that go the extra mile for your skin are priceless. So, if you really want to maximize the effects of your sunscreen, look out for formulations that also contain antioxidants.

Antioxidants fight tooth and nail to shield your skin from the damaging effects of free radicals, and exposure to the sun is one of the biggest causes of free radicals. When you put two and two together, therefore, it makes perfect sense that antioxidants should be a non-negotiable part of your daily skincare routine.

Studies have shown that one of the best antioxidants for sun protection is vitamin C. It’s genius for neutralizing any free radicals that are trying to do a number on your collagen supplies, plus it makes your sunscreen work harder and better by improving the absorption of UV radiation.

If that’s not enough to convince you, vitamin C also helps reduce and fade dark spots by blocking melanin production. The good news is that our SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen contains a hefty amount of antioxidant-rich vitamin C so it does all the hard work for you. You're welcome!

5. The Best Possible Water Resistance

OK, so this one isn’t quite as important for your daily facial sunscreen – unless you spend all day, every day in a swimming pool or the ocean – but when on vacation, a water resistant formulation is vital.

In order to have the term ‘water resistant’ on its label, a product has to be tested to offer resistance from the clear stuff for at least 40 minutes. After that period of time, you MUST reapply.

However, let’s get one thing clear, sunscreens can never be entirely waterproof (it’s impossible), so if you see that written on a bottle that’s a red flag right there. It’s also disallowed by the FDA so... naughty.