True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Word is, when it comes to the varying forms of topical vitamin C, cloudiness is a sign of brighter days ahead. Bear with us while we explain…

Vitamin C is one of the most effective ingredients in skincare. That’s a bold statement, we know, but ask any dermatologist to list their favorite topical antioxidant and we’d bet our lives that vitamin C would be the words on everyone’s lips.

Along with hyaluronic acid and retinol, vitamin C is part of a veritable 'Justice League' of skincare ingredients, offering undeniable benefits for a whole host of skincare concerns. From adding radiance and reducing fine lines, through to improving acne and poor texture, vitamin C works. It just does.

This may sound simple enough, but the thing is, you’ll rarely see the words ‘vitamin C’ on a product’s ingredients list. And you might think this is because skincare manufacturers are out to get you with complicated names, but it’s really not that personal. It’s simply because vitamin C comes in many forms – each with different levels of efficacy, stability, look and even smell. We use a form of vitamin C called sodium ascorbyl phosphate (SAP) across all of our serums and vitamin C products because it works for most skin types and we truly believe in its ability to get the job done without causing irritation. There’s so much more to it than that, but first, let’s have a quick look at vitamin C shall we?

The Facts About Vitamin C In Skincare

Normal skin contains its own relatively high levels of vitamin C whose role is to support, strengthen and protect your skin. A natural and potent antioxidant, vitamin C helps neutralize damage caused by environmental pollutants. It also promotes collagen production and aids healing. However, aging and exposure to UV and pollution causes your levels of vitamin C to dramatically decrease, taking with it the soft, plump, strong and youthful-looking skin you used to know and love.

All this is why vitamin C has made such a name for itself in topical skincare – because a) your skin needs it and b) you naturally lose it through both intrinsic and extrinsic aging.

Simple, right? Ha, not so fast, because this is where things get a little complicated. There's not just one form of vitamin C used in skincare, you see. There are many – some great, some not so much. And the key is to know which ones to look out for.

Many brands use l-ascorbic acid which is the purest and probably the most widely studied form of vitamin C. But l-ascorbic acid comes with its problems. It’s notoriously volatile which means it degrades lightning quick when exposed to light and air. It’s also super potent – sometimes too potent for the skin to handle. Because of these issues, many derivatives of pure vitamin C have been formulated for use in skincare. And this is where the mighty sodium ascorbyl phosphate comes into play.

What Is Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate?

Along with a lengthy list that includes magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, ascorbyl-6-palmitate and sodium ascorbate, sodium ascorbyl phosphate (we’ll call it SAP from now on) is a derivative of l-ascorbic acid. This means that yes, SAP is slightly less effective than its purer sister but – and this is a major but – it has way more of an edge.

SAP is basically a salt form of vitamin C and one of the most stable versions of the pure stuff. Its sodium molecule is the key as it acts like a natural preservative which stops it from degrading on contact with light, air and water, therefore offering more benefits to your skin. In fact, SAP has been clinically proven to improve the tone and texture of your skin. It also works hard to boost radiance, fight photoaging, fade dark spots and reduce acne. Can’t say fairer than that, right?

But that’s not all. In order for your skin to experience the full benefits vitamin C has to offer, SAP has to be converted back to ascorbic acid once applied to your skin. This may sound like a bad thing, but ascorbic acid is a very active, powerful ingredient, which, when applied directly can cause negative side-effects such as dryness, stinging and redness. Having your skin convert SAP back into ascorbic acid after application, however, reduces these chances of irritation and makes the active ingredient much more tolerant by most skin types – even sensitive.

In our opinion, SAP beats l-ascorbic acid hands down, which is we harness its powers in all of our vitamin C products as well as in C-Plus Super Serum, Hyaluronic Acid Serum and Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum.

Why Do TruSkin Vitamin C Serums Look So Cloudy?

This is a question we get asked a lot – especially when it comes to our best-selling Vitamin C Serum. And the answer is simple: the cloudiness (or milkiness if you prefer to think of it that way) is all down to that sodium molecule.

Think about when you add salt to water: it immediately becomes cloudy, right? Well, same principal. The cloudiness is not because your serum has oxidized or become ineffective, it’s simply the salt. And it’s the salt molecule that makes this particular vitamin C derivative more effective and better tolerated by your skin.

One of our mottos here at TruSkin HQ is that cloudiness is a sign of brighter days, or more specifically brighter skin, ahead! Get it now?

How To Include SAP In Your Daily Skincare Routine

Whether you’re an avid C fan or just starting out, SAP can offer your skin outstanding results – as long as you use it correctly. 

The most important rule is to start slowly and do a patch test first. Even though SAP is suitable for most skin types, it’s still an active, potent ingredient so you should always perform a patch test on a discreet area of skin before starting a full facial routine. Not sure how to do that? We can help, right here.

Once you’re sure your skin isn’t going to react, gradually introduce your chosen product into your routine two or three times a week as your skin gets used to the active ingredients. Then you can work up to daily use.

Finally, remember, active ingredients like sodium ascorbyl phosphate work on a cellular level, deep within the skin. This means that yes, it might offer you instantly softer, more radiant skin, but its true benefits will need time to fully take effect. We recommend continually using our C products for at least 28 days for those brighter days to really set in.

Retinol often gets a bad rap for drying out your skin and making it super sensitive to the sun. But not everything you hear about retinol is gospel. Here, we sort out the facts from the fiction… 

Retinol is almost unbeatable for reducing the appearance of lines, wrinkles and dark spots. It’s also super effective for clearing up your zits. Even so, retinol sure does get it in the neck. And we think that’s kind of unfair for a skincare ingredient that’s been clinically researched for decades and proven to be one of the best, most effective ingredients you could (and should) be using on your skin.

Sure, haters gonna hate (hate, hate, hate, hate) and yes, like all active skincare ingredients, retinol is not for everyone. But we think it at least deserves a fair deal. So, here, we get to the bottom of the untruths.

Because there's no room in this blog for fake news.

Myth #1: Retinol Is Not As Good As Tretinoin

The Truth: Depending on your skin type, both can be very effective.

The Details: Retinol and tretinoin both belong to the same family: retinoids. Retinoids are active, topical forms of vitamin A that activate certain genes within your skin to stimulate it to turn over more efficiently. Tretinoin (or retinoic acid) is the purest, fastest-working form and therefore the most potent which is why it’s only available on prescription. Retinol, on the other hand, is a gentler version that does the same thing but must be converted into retinoic acid by your skin before it takes effect. Research shows that, because of this conversion, retinol is 20 times less potent than tretinoin, but while it’s less powerful and takes longer to work, this makes it way less irritating and better tolerated by different skin types.

Tomayto, tomahto.

Myth #2: Retinol Is A Terrible Idea For Sensitive Skin

The Truth: Retinol can be an effective treatment for most skin types ­– as long as you use it wisely.

The Details: When it comes to nailing the use of retinol, it’s all about understanding your skin and building up a tolerance. It may be tempting to dive head first into a super strong retinol formulation, but this can have dire effects in the form of redness, irritation, dryness and peeling. And this is where retinol’s bad rap comes from – people using one that’s way too potent for their skin, and applying it too often from day one.

The best way to incorporate retinol into your daily routine is to start with a low concentration and apply it just two or three times a week until your skin adapts. Then you can up your frequency and/or potency accordingly.

Skin still not happy no matter how much you’ve tried? Then retinol might not be for you, so think about alternative active ingredients such as niacinamide, lactic acid or vitamin E.

Myth #3: You Shouldn't Use Retinol Until You're At Least 30 Years Old

The Truth: It’s never too late to start applying retinol, but during your 20s is the sweet spot.

The Details: Most experts agree that retinol is perfectly safe to start using in your 20s when the first signs of aging begin to appear. As the old saying goes, prevention is better than cure, right?

According to Scientific American, your skin produces 1 percent less collagen every year from the age of 20. Collagen is what gives your skin structure and strength, so promoting the quantity and quality of your collagen levels is super important if you want to maintain youthful skin. And what’s the best way to do this? With a topical retinol that's been proven to increase the production of collagen and boost your skin's elasticity.

Myth #4: If Retinol Makes Your Skin Breakout, Stop Using It Immediately

The Truth: Redness, dryness, and breakouts can be part of the skin purging process.

The Details: Unlike allergies or acne, skin purging is when your skin temporarily reacts to a new product or ingredient in your routine, causing it to exfoliate and bring congestion to the surface. Skin purging often creates annoying flare-ups, but this means that whatever you’ve applied to your skin is actually working, so bear with it. More good news: pimples caused by skin purging don’t last as long as regular acne and they’ll heal much quicker, so a little patience will go a long way.

Reckon your breakouts are something more than a temporary reaction to your retinol treatment? Then it's best to seek advice from your dermatologist.

Myth #5: Never Apply Retinol In The Morning

The Truth: Retinol does not cause sun damage, so it's fine to use in the morning and/or night as long as you apply SPF daily.

The Details: Yes, it’s usually advised to apply retinol at night, but this is not because retinol makes your skin more sun-sensitive, but because most retinol formulations are deactivated and made less effective by sunlight. Oh. 

That being said, retinol will thin the top layers of your skin and decrease its ability to protect itself, so you should always apply a daily sunscreen with a broad-spectrum of SPF 30+. But that’s a given anyway.

Myth #6: You Should Never Use Retinol Around Your Eyes

The Truth: Retinol is a totally safe skin treatment for your entire face and neck.

The Details: The skin around your eyes is thinner and more fragile than the rest of your face, for sure, but this doesn’t mean it can’t tolerate retinol. In fact, your eyes are more prone to the visible signs of aging, so a gentle retinol treatment to help boost collagen in this area can work wonders on those fine lines and wrinkles. The potential for irritation is definitely greater than elsewhere on your face, however, so remember not to apply it too close to your eyes and start with just a once or twice weekly application when using it for the first time. You could also apply a moisturizing eye cream afterwards – as long as it doesn’t also contain active ingredients, of course.

Say goodbye to overly complicated skincare and makeup that takes hours to apply, because this year is all about embracing your natural glow. Unrealistic beauty standards? So last year. And we are 100 percent down with that.

According to the Pinterest Predicts 2021 report, this year is all about a newly coined beauty trend called skinimalism – see what they did there? Skinimalism is not only a clever little word blend (or portmanteau, if you will), but it’s a movement we believe everyone can get on board with: natural, fresh-faced beauty and a clean, simple skincare routine that allows your ‘real’ skin to do all the talking.

Skinimalism is the kind of trend that some beauty brands who want you to ‘buy big or go home’ shudder at. But as a company with a conscience; one that truly believes in enhancing your skin with effective yet affordable products, we’re all over it. We never test on animals, source many of our ingredients from nature and formulate all of our products right here in the US, so while we cut down on our carbon footprint, you get to feel better about the products you put on your face.

But while cleaning up your beauty routine is an important first step, how else can you make sure your skin screams "I'm a natural beauty," rather than "it took me three hours to look like this, but I’m finally Insta ready"?

Here’s how to crush skinimalism and enhance your fresh-faced glow. Because beauty trends may come and go, but gorgeous, natural skin will always be in.

Know Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin is super important when you’re trying to nail the ‘less is more’ approach to beauty. After all, if your products are in constant battle with your skin type, you’re never going to be able to maximize your skin’s potential.

Next time you cleanse your skin, leave it completely free of makeup or skincare for a few hours, then study it in the mirror. Look for redness, dry patches or shininess and touch it – with clean hands of course – to test for further rough patches, bumps or oiliness. By doing this every few months (and especially as the weather changes) you’ll understand your skin so much better and be able to hone your skincare routine accordingly. 

Learn The 3-Step Basics

It’s easy to get bogged down with new beauty products, tools, tricks and techniques and in doing so, forget about the basics. But the simple three-step cleanse, tone and moisturize routine has stood the test of time for a reason: it works. Obviously, you can (and ideally should) include a few other products to target specific concerns and protect your skin from environmental damage, but if you’ve not got your fundamentals sorted, you may as well not bother with the rest.

When it comes to cleansing your skin, do this gently, twice a day and always before bed to thoroughly remove makeup, oils, dirt and debris that can build up throughout the day. Choose your cleanser depending on your skin type and avoid anything that’s laden with unnecessary chemicals and preservatives to help maintain the integrity of your skin’s natural protective barrier. After cleansing, follow with a gentle toner like Daily Facial Rose Water Toner to hydrate, balance, soften or brighten your skin ­– again, depending on your needs. But remember, toners should prep and treat your skin, not strip away your natural oils.

After toning, for sure, add in your extra serums and treatments, but don't forget to finish with moisturizer to lock in hydration and create a protective seal on the surface of your skin. If you have oily skin, stick with light, gel-based formulations and if you’re dry or dehydrated, go for a rich balm or cream. Reckon you’re somewhere in the middle? Then lotions are right up your alley. Smooth moisturizer all over your face and neck while your skin is still damp, using light upwards motions for the best results.

Basic stuff? Yes. But important? Absolutely.

Strip Back Your Daily Routine

Next, it’s time to rethink everything else that goes into your routine such as treatment serums, eye cream and night cream. We know it’s tempting to try and target all your skincare concerns at once with a whole plethora of lotions and potions packed with varying degrees of AHAs, retinol, antioxidants and botanicals, but hold on there because this is against everything you’re working towards – and more importantly, you skin will hate you for it. Yes, you might be a dab hand at whisking up the perfect dirty martini, but skincare cocktailing with powerful, active ingredients is a much finer art. Many ingredients cancel each other out, while others work totally against each other and often cause irritation and redness. So, best leave it to the pros, yes?

Most experts agree that skincare routines containing countless steps and more products than you can count on two hands is completely unnecessary. So, think about your main skincare concern – be it lines, sagging, acne, dark spots, dryness, whatever – then invest in a single daily treatment serum that can tackle your needs in one. Check out our range of carefully curated serum blends if you’re looking to up your skincare game simply but effectively. That is what skinimalism’s all about, after all.

Use Makeup To Enhance Not Hide Your Skin

Paring down your beauty regimen does not stop at skincare: your makeup can always benefit from a little fine-tuning as well.

The main thing to remember is that skinimalism is all about revealing the real you, so while it's tempting to cover your flaws with concealer and foundation, there really is no need. Swap out your heavy base for tinted moisturizer and instead of spending hours perfecting overly contoured cheekbones and eyebrows, go for a touch of creamy blusher on the apples of your cheeks and leave your brows well alone.

Lastly, stop worrying about the odd blemish or fine line... and smile. Your perceived 'flaws' are totally normal and the world wants to see them.

Pack away your jackets and rethink your beauty routine because spring has officially sprung. 

Spring is here, people, and we don’t know about you, but we’re thrilled at the thought of longer, brighter days and placing our piles of thick sweaters firmly at the back of the closet. But saying farewell to winter is not just about switching up your fashion choices. Warmer temperatures and an increase in humidity mean it’s also a great time to rethink your beauty routine.   

Here’s how…

1. Swap To A Lighter Moisturizer

While layering thick, heavy moisturizers and facial oils is awesome when the air is dry and your skin is crying out for extra hydration, come spring, you can afford to go much lighter.

Unless your skin is super dry, avoid rich balms, butters and creams that contain occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter and mineral oils as these can weigh your skin down when the weather warms up. Instead, choose lotions and gel formulations and look for water-based moisturizers that contain lightweight, hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe and urea.

2. Give Your Body A Whole Lotta Love

Admit it, your body doesn’t get much beauty attention in the winter months. Well, why should you spend hours buffing, preening and moisturizing your legs and arms when they’re covered up for the entire time, right? If we’re honest, great body care is important all year long to help reduce dryness and buildup on the surface of your skin, but we know that life gets in the way, so you’re excused. Just this once.

Now that spring is in the air, however, sleeves, skirts and pants are about to get shorter and skin that’s been in hibernation for the past six months is about to be revealed. So, you’ve got to up your head-to-toe skincare game. Like now.

First up, buff off those dead, winter skin cells and give yourself an all-over glow by using an exfoliating mitt twice a week in the shower. You could even use it with our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash to help unblock clogged pores on the tops of your arms, or to treat and prevent ingrown hairs on your legs or bikini line. Just remember to go gently, working in light circular motions as you exfoliate.

Oh, and don’t forget to moisturize all over with a light cream or lotion. Do this every day while your skin is still damp to lock in extra hydration.

3. Ditch Out-Of-Date Products

Hands up if you’re guilty of holding on to skincare products even when you don’t use them any more. You’re not alone – beauty hoarding is real.

Products that are past their best, however, not only lose their potency, but also harbor bacteria which may cause irritation to your skin.

All of our TruSkin products have a ‘best used by’ date on their packaging which makes it a breeze for you to know when to toss them. Because we’re good like that. You could also look for the PAO (period after opening) symbol on your product labels. It looks like a little pot with an open lid that has a number followed by the letter ‘M’ inside. This number tells you how many months your product is good for after you’ve opened it which can be super helpful – as long as you remember when you started using it, of course.

When in doubt, anything that’s changed color, gone lumpy or runny, or developed an odd smell should not go anywhere near your skin. Off it goes to product heaven. Buh-bye.

4. Up Your Eyecare Game

Spring equals brighter sunshine (we hope), which means way more squinting and a higher risk of developing lines and wrinkles around your eyes.

Help keep those crow’s feet in check by applying a moisturizing eye cream twice daily. Apply just a tiny amount gently around the contours of your eyes, using your ring fingers to help keep pressure and skin dragging to a minimum. Antioxidants like green tea are great ingredients to keep an eye on (pun 100 percent intended), as are peptides and humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin.

Our Eye Gel contains all these and more, making it the perfect update to your spring regimen.

5. Spring Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Grubby makeup brushes that haven’t seen water, let alone cleanser for the past year are asking for trouble – especially if you have sensitive or acne-prone skin.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends cleaning your brushes and sponges every seven to 10 days to get rid of harmful bacteria that can breed due to a buildup of residue, dirt and oil. So, if you’ve not done yours for months, now’s the time to do so.

Simply run the tips of your brushes under lukewarm, running water for a few minutes, then massage a gentle shampoo or cleanser into them for a minute or two. Rinse with clean water and repeat until the water runs clear, then squeeze out excess moisture before laying them flat on a towel to dry.

Finally, it goes without saying that you should apply an antioxidant serum and broad-spectrum sunscreen every morning – without fail. To be honest, this is vital every day of the year, but even more so as the sun gets more intense and you start spending more time outdoors.

Bring it on.

Exfoliating your skin is an important part of your beauty routine. But is your exfoliation game doing more harm than good?

Skin exfoliation is a constant hot topic in the beauty world. Should you or shouldn’t you? How much is too much? And are scrubs better than acids? Well, these are all good questions, but the thing is, exfoliating your skin is not quite that black and white. Especially when it comes to the delicate skin on your face which is completely different from one person to the next.

Here’s everything you need to know to make an educated decision on how and when to exfoliate your skin. Because in all honesty, when you get it right, the benefits of exfoliation far outweigh the downsides…

Why Should You Exfoliate?

Exfoliation is the process of removing dead, hardened cells from the skin’s surface using some kind of physical or chemical stimulant. Your skin has its own pre-programmed way of shedding millions of dead skin cells every day – a process called desquamation – but aging and/or environmental damage slows this down. Sometimes from an average of 28 days up to 80 days. Eesh. When this happens all those dry, old cells get left behind for longer which causes your skin to becoms sluggish, dull, patchy, congested, dry and/or dehydrated. Exfoliation helps counteract this natural slowing down of desquamation by reducing the build-up of dead cells on the surface of your skin while promoting new cells to generate more efficiently.

So, what are the benefits of exfoliating your skin? Well, by removing dead skin cells and helping your skin turn over better, you simultaneously deep cleanse your skin to remove toxins, unclog pores, control breakouts, fade surface level dark spots, help smooth lines, balance oil production and so on and so forth. Basically, regular exfoliation gives your skin its best chance to look awesome.

Furthermore, dead skin cells act like a blockade to stop your skincare from working to the best of its ability. So, by removing the dead stuff for all that happy, healthy skin, you allow the active ingredients in your products to penetrate better and absorb into your skin way faster. Win-win.

What Are The Different Types Of Exfoliation?

Exfoliation is split into two different camps: physical and chemical.

Physical exfoliation is the classic method that commonly springs to mind when you think of exfoliating your skin – think scrubs, loofahs, face cloths, cleansing brushes and anything else that uses a certain amount of physical force to remove dead cells from the skin's surface. Physical exfoliation also includes professional treatments like microdermabrasion and dermaplaning.

Chemical exfoliation, on the other hand, is a process in which chemicals are used to break down dead skin cells, instead of a physical stimulus. The most common exfoliating chemicals used in skincare formulations are alpha and beta hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAS) such as glycolic, lactic and salicylic acids. These work by dissolving the bonds that bind dead cells together, allowing them to naturally shed. At the doctor’s office, chemical peels also come into this category.

3 Ways To Exfoliate Like A Pro

Exfoliation is awesome, but the problems come when you don’t do it properly. Here are our top three tips for ensuring your exfoliation game is totally on point.

1. Be Savvy About Your Skincare

Do you really know what you’re putting on your skin? No? Then it’s time to check out your skincare products and learn exactly what's inside them. It may be that, unbeknownst to you, your toner or serum contains an AHA or BHA, in which case you might not need to physically exfoliate your skin quite as regularly as you might think. Similarly, if you have a facial scrub that feels kind of abrasive, put a little on the back of your hand and examine its texture. Chances are if you think it’s too harsh for your skin, it probably contains sharp nutshells or ground fruit pits that are extremely damaging and can cause micro-tears on the surface of your skin. There's no place for that kind of exfoliator in anybody's skincare routine – we're looking for radiant skin, thank you, not red raw skin.

If you use a nightly retinol, this also needs to be taken into consideration as retinol can cause your skin to be more sensitive to regular exfoliation. The trick is, to know your products, know your skin and hone your routine accordingly.

2. Go Gently – The Only Way To Go

As with most things in skincare, exfoliation isn’t a one-size-fits-all. However, exfoliating too much and too often is a classic mistake that can cause redness, irritation, dryness, breakouts and plenty more where that came from. Most experts agree that two or three times a week is the sweet spot, but some of you may find you get better results when you exfoliate more often, while others might breakout if you apply anything more than a gentle lactic acid serum once a week. Our advice? Always err on the side of caution. If you’re only now introducing exfoliation into your routine, start once a week (especially if your skin is prone to dryness, redness and irritation), then you can build up to two or three times a week as your skin adapts. It may take time and a little trial and error but your skin will thank you for your prudence in the long run.

Now you've nailed how often you exfoliate, it's time to tone down your technique. When it comes to physical scrubs, the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends applying yours in gentle, circular motions to damp skin for 30 seconds, then rinsing with lukewarm – never hot – water. The most important thing to remember is never to scrub away at your skin: light strokes with the pads of your fingers should be more than enough to allow your product to get the job done without overstimulating or damaging your skin.

In terms of chemical exfoliation, different acids work for different skin types but again, go gently and always perform a patch test first. Lactic acid is a great place to start if you have dry or sensitive skin whereas salicylic acid is awesome for oily or acne-prone skin.

3. Always Follow With Moisturizer & Sunscreen

As well as helping to eliminate dead surface cells, exfoliation also removes essential oils and ceramides that work to moisturize and protect your skin. Therefore, it’s vital to replace lost moisture immediately after using any kind of exfoliant.

Humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are fabulous for drawing water back to the skin’s surface, so look for skin serums containing one of these ingredients. Even better, try our Hyaluronic Acid Serum which contains both.

Next, apply an emollient moisturizer on top of your serum to help seal in hydration, then finish with a broad-spectrum sunscreen to protect your skin.

Exfoliation will increase your skin’s sensitivity to the sun so, as always, sun protection is super, we repeat super important.

Just like dry skin, oily skin comes with its problems. So, if a shiny t-zone, clogged pores and monthly breakouts are all too familiar bugbears, it’s time to take control.

If you’ve had oily skin for as long as you can remember you’ll understand the grievances of a greasy forehead, equally as slick bangs and makeup that just won’t stay put. And while having thicker, more resilient skin and fewer wrinkles (two of the plus sides of an oily complexion) might make you feel better for all of ten seconds, oily skin can seem like more of a curse than a blessing.

So, what causes oily skin and why might your skin be way slicker than your BFFs? Let’s investigate.

Important Fact: Your Skin Needs Oil

Your skin is your body’s largest organ and plays a very important role in regulating body temperature and protecting you from heat, light, injuries and infection. There are many factors that must come together for your skin to function properly, not least of which is its ability to produce a certain oil called sebum.

Sebum is a slightly sticky, oily substance that’s produced by sebaceous glands which are found in varying numbers all over your body – except on the palms of your hands and tops and soles of your feet. You know that infamous t-zone? Well, your forehead, nose, cheeks and chin have way more sebaceous glands than the rest of your face which is why it's notoriously shiny.

Sebum contains several types of complex oils and lipids such as triglycerides, fatty acids, wax ester, cholesterol and squalene which work together to lubricate and support the health of your skin. In fact, sebum is vital for sealing in moisture, creating a barrier from environmental stressors, helping your skin heal and transporting antioxidants to the skin’s surface. It also plays an important role in helping your skin maintain a slightly acidic pH level to prevent bacteria and viruses from penetrating the top layers.

Why Is Some Skin Oiler Than Others?

How much sebum your skin produces depends on many factors but it’s largely genetic. Does one or both of your parents have oily skin? Then chances are this is why your sebaceous glands are also larger and more active than you might like.

As you age, hormonal changes, medication and lifestyle factors such as stress, your diet and your skincare choices can also play a major role in your rate of sebum production (as does hot or humid weather), but for the most part you can definitely blame your parents if that makes you feel better.

The Downsides Of Oily Skin

As if the immediate annoyance of slick skin that requires a packet of daily blotting papers to control shine wasn’t enough to contend with, excess sebum can also create longer-term concerns. Namely, acne vulgaris – the medical term for common acne.

Oily skin and acne often go hand in hand because excess sebum prevents your dead skin cells from shedding from the surface of the skin, trapping bacteria and irritants with them. Your hair follicles then become blocked with this cocktail of sebum, dead skin cells and other nasties, which is when problems start to rear their ugly heads. If this plugged follicle remains closed, it will create a whitehead, whereas if it opens up at the surface of your skin it will become oxygenated, darken and turn into the dreaded blackhead. And if inflammation follows? Then we’re talking papules, pustules, nodules or cysts – known to most of you as zits.

How To Control Oily Skin – The Do’s & Don’ts

When it comes to sebum, the key is balance. This means that over-stimulating your skin with insane amounts of chemicals in your skincare or being a little too enthusiastic with your exfoliation routine is totally off the menu. Gentle skincare is the future.

Here’s a checklist of the most important do’s and don’ts for you to remember…

1. DO Resist The Urge To Over-Cleanse

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again (sorry, not sorry), cleansing your skin like your life depended on it is seriously bad news. This is true whether your skin is dry, combination, normal or oily, but it’s especially important for oily skin types. How so? Because skin that’s ‘squeaky clean’ is skin that’s had all of its natural sebum stripped away. This may sound like the best news ever, but sebum is important for your skin’s health, so if you take it away with chemical-laced cleansers and/or harsh exfoliation your skin will produce even more sebum to compensate. The result? Skin that’s just as oily as it was before you cleansed. Maybe even more so.

By all means cleanse your skin morning, night and after exercising, but stick with gentle formulations like our Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser. You could also try Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash which contains activated charcoal to help draw out oils, dirt and bacteria – all without drying out your skin.

2. DO Perfect Your Moisturizing Game

First things first, don’t think you can get away with not moisturizing because the same rules apply here as they do with over-cleansing: no moisture = more sebum.

When it comes to choosing a great moisturizer for oily skin, stick with gels, serums and light lotions above balms, creams and ointments. Also, keep away from heavy, occlusive ingredients like cocoa butter, beeswax and petrolatum as these create a barrier on your skin which you, of all people, should avoid.

If you suffer with clogged pores and/or acne, look for the terms non-comedogenic or non-acnegenic on your skincare labels. These mean that a product has been specifically formulated not to clog pores or cause acne respectively. It doesn’t mean they absolutely, 100 percent won’t, but they’re much less likely to. And that’s good enough for us.

3. DON’T Touch Your Face

You might think your hands are as clean as they’ve ever been, but they’ll still harbor dirt, oil and bacteria, no matter how often you wash and sanitize them. It’s just life. So, although it’s tempting, stop touching your face throughout the day as this will transfer all that extra oil and debris straight from your hands to your face. And if you’re guilty of wiping excess sebum off your cheeks and forehead with your fingers? Don’t do that. Invest in some blotting papers instead.

4. DO Apply A Retinol Treatment

We’re big fans of retinol as an anti-aging ingredient, but did you know retinol is also the nuts for tightening pores and balancing sebum? Regular use of a retinol treatment stimulates cell turnover, shrinks sebaceous glands and draws dead skin cells out of your pores, making them appear visibly smaller. Just remember to introduce retinol into your routine slowly and carefully to enable your skin to adjust without freaking out.

5. DON’T Overload Your Skin With Pore-Clogging Makeup

Heavy makeup might be tempting if you have blemishes you want to hide, but caking your skin in heavy, oil-based foundation will further clog pores and exacerbate flare-ups. And that’s a big nope from us.

If you can, leave your skin clean, bare and moisturized (at least on those days when you’re not leaving the house) or wear an oil-free tinted moisturizer with broad-spectrum sunscreen as a lighter alternative to full-on foundation. Mineral powder foundations are also a great shout for oily skin as they’re non-comedogenic and help mattify your skin without looking like you’ve tipped a vat of oil-controlling powder all over your face.

6. DO Get Some Salicylic Acid In Your Skincare Routine

Salicylic acid is a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) and quite possibly one of the most effective ingredients for treating oily and acne-prone skin. Like glycolic and lactic acids, salicylic acid exfoliates the skin. But unlike the others it’s lipophilic which means it penetrates oil to target blockages and thin sebum, allowing sebum to flow more freely to the skin’s surface. This helps deeply cleanse, balance and reduce inflammation while minimizing enlarged pores as part of the bargain.

As with retinol, salicylic acid can pack a potent punch, so always perform a patch test first, then go slowly when using it for the first time. Start applying it just once or twice a week, then as you continue to use it you can up the ante as your skin acclimates.

One of our top picks for oily skin is our Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum which combines the powers of salicylic acid with tea tree oil and retinol. And if that sounds like skin irritation just waiting to happen, fear not. It also contains calming niacinamide and hydrating hyaluronic acid. So... winner.