True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Summer picnics, fancy cocktails and new swimwear are three things we love about summer. Three things we hate? Sticky skin, breakouts and sun-scorched noses. Time to fight back...

The sun is shining, but seriously, do you want your t-zone to be doing the same thing? Thought not. Sadly, warm weather brings a whole bunch of skincare challenges to even the most flawless of complexions. So, here’s 10 ways to make sure your skin is glowing and gorgeous this summer, NOT annoying the hell out of you.

1. Spot Treat Breakouts With Tea Tree Oil

Every one of you knows the perils of sun, sweat, sunscreen and oily skin. One word: zits. Summer breakouts are common because heat and humidity = more sweating and an accumulation of oil, dirt and bacteria on the surface of your skin. Everything in life that zits just love.

If this sounds familiar, make sure you steer clear of oil-based sunscreens which can block your pores, and cleanse your skin thoroughly, but gently, twice daily. You could also spot-treat problem areas with Tea Tree Super Serum+ which contains two of the best ingredients for keeping your pores clean and clear: salicylic acid and, of course, tea tree oil. Dab it on cleansed, problem areas before bed for a dramatic improvement in just a few days.

2. Freshen Up With Face Spritz

When the mercury rises, nothing beats a cool-down like a spritz of refreshing facial toner. And yes, water spray will do the job temporarily, but it‘ll also evaporate from the surface of your skin immediately, causing unnecessary dryness in the long term. Not cool (pun totally intended!).

Try keeping Ocean Minerals Super Toner in your purse or beach bag, instead. Of course, this is a great step in your regular morning and evening routine, but it’s also awesome for cooling down your skin on-the-go, smothering it with aloe, antioxidants, ocean minerals and skin-loving botanicals.

3. Make Vitamin C Your New BFF

If you don’t already have a vitamin C product in your regime, summer is THE best time to rectify that. Not only does this free radical scavenging superhero help reduce fine lines and wrinkles caused by the sun, but it also works hard to fade existing dark spots AND prevent new ones from forming.

Studies show that vitamin C also helps strengthen the power of your sunscreen giving you extra protection from those damaging UV rays. So, there’s that. For the ultimate daily protection, apply Vitamin C Facial Serum to cleansed skin in the morning before moisturizer and sunscreen.

4. Embrace Hats, Sunglasses & Of Course, Shade!

Even the most potent sunscreen can’t protect your skin 100 percent of the time, so other precautions are always gratefully received. Embrace large sun hats (they’re very on trend right now); wear sunglasses to protect the delicate skin around your eyes and when in doubt, seek that all-important shade.

5. Avoid Facial Blotting Papers

Don’t get us wrong, some beauty tools are fabulous, but we have to admit, we hate facial blotting papers – those tiny little pieces of what is essentially just  parchment paper. Yes, they’re handy for your purse and yes, they temporarily mop up excess oil but that’s all they are –  temporary. Not only that, but by blotting away oils, they can actually prompt your skin to produce even more of the stuff.

Instead of this silly ‘fix,’ keep your skin balanced with a gentle cleansing routine (Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is awesome for oily skin) and switch out rich, oil-laden moisturizers for light, gel-based formulas. And if you're still a little oily? Try a mattifying primer underneath your makeup.

6. Don’t Shower More Than Once A Day

As tempting as it is to jump in the shower whenever you feel hot, too many showers will compromise your skin’s protective barrier, stripping it of essential oils and drying it out, big time.

Stick to one lukewarm shower a day and keep it to four or five minutes max.

7. Increase Your Exfoliation Game

Over-exfoliating your skin is a terrible idea, but in the summer you can definitely afford to up the ante just a tad – especially if you have oily skin. Instead of once or twice a week, try exfoliating with a gentle scrub or treatment serum like Vitamin C Super Serum+ three times a week. This will ensure your pores remain clear of oil, dirt, makeup and sunscreen.

8. Never Scrimp On Facial Sunscreen

Hopefully by now you know the importance of wearing sunscreen every day of the year – not just in summer. But are you down with exactly how much you should apply?

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) you should use a full shot glass for your entire body and around half a teaspoon for your face.  

Also, when it comes to SPF for your face, 30 is the sweet spot.

9. Remember, Sun Protection Doesn’t Begin & End With Your Face

For the rest of the year, facial sunscreen is often enough, but now the sun’s out and your body’s getting an airing, don’t forget other exposed areas when slapping on your sun protection.

Research shows that skin cancers are extremely common on the shoulders, chest, arms, legs and backs of the hands, so always protect these areas and indeed any body part that’s not covered by clothing when you’re out in the sun.

10. Use Humidity To Your Advantage

Humectants are hydrating skincare ingredients that work by drawing water into your skin and holding it there like a sponge. In drier climates, humectants have to resort to drawing water up to the surface from deeper levels of your skin, but when it’s humid they’re able to suck it out of the air. Hells yeah!

To keep your skin super hydrated this summer, make sure you include plenty of water-loving humectants in your skincare routine. Our fave is Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum which combines three hard-working humectants: hyaluronic acid, aloe and glycerin.

We don’t expect you to know every skincare term under the sun, but it’s important to know the basics when reading your product labels. So, for the love of your skin, let’s do this…

Tricky skincare lingo is never more apparent than when you get a brand new product and look at all the information on the packaging. From unpronounceable ingredients to logos you’ve never even seen before, it’s no wonder most of you glance at the label… then swiftly give zero damns about attempting to decode the directions, ingredients and whatever else is on there.

But the thing is, all this information is there for a reason: because it’s important. The directions, for example are there to help you make the most out of your new product. And what would you do if you knew your sensitive skin had an aversion to a certain ingredient, yet you couldn’t check the ingredients list because, well, we decided not to bother with it?

This is why we’ve put together a basic, four-step guide to knowing your way around your skincare label. Don’t worry, we’re not going to blind you with science, just the essential stuff you need to know…

Read ALL Directions Carefully

You might think a product's directions are surplus to requirements when, c’mon, you’ve been cleansing, toning and moisturizing your skin for decades. However, skincare products are unique and they often work quite differently. The correct amount needed might be poles apart from what you’ve been used to, for example, or a new treatment serum might be best applied just two or three times a week rather than every day.

Always read these instructions – the fate of your skin relies on them.

On that note, you’ll be pleased to hear we make our directions extremely simple to follow, meaning there’s no excuse not to read them and follow them to the letter. This includes how much product you should need, when to include it in your regime, how to apply it and of course, how often. We also remind you how to patch test your new product before slathering it all over your face for the first time. Again, important stuff.

Learn How To Decipher The Ingredients List

An important thing to remember is that skincare ingredients are always listed in descending order of concentration. This means any ingredient near the top of the list is going to be a major player in that product – and don’t worry that water is often the first, this is standard across most skincare formulations.

According to the FDA, however, once an ingredient is at a concentration of 1 percent or less, it may be listed in any order at the bottom of the list. Things can get a little more complicated when color additives are included, but this is the basic info you should really be aware of.

Oh, and if you see something like vitamin C hovering in the middle of an ingredients list of a product that claims to be a ‘highly concentrated vitamin C serum,’ don’t be alarmed. Many active ingredients like vitamin C, retinol, peptides and exfoliating acids are extremely potent, so even a small amount can deliver a powerful dose.

OK, so what about all those scary-sounding ingredient names you’ve never heard of? Yeah, they can be confusing. This is why we use simple terms as often as possible and list an ingredient’s household name (eg. vitamin E) as well as its more scientific term (tocopherol). We’re kind like that and know how much of a ball-ache it is decoding ingredients by having to Google them. You’re welcome.

Of course, some ingredients such as pheoxyethanol and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) don’t have household names, but hey, we try our best as much as we can.

Look Out For The Bad Guys

While scouring your ingredients list for things you know your skin loves, make sure you stay on the lookout for the stuff skin hates. Here are three of our least favorite nasties you can be sure you’ll never find in a TruSkin product…

1. Parabens

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG) parabens simply don’t belong in any beauty product. And we tend to agree. Parabens have been used in cosmetics since the 1920s to help prevent harmful things like bacteria, mold and fungi from having a field day in your products. However, their downfalls totally outweigh their preservative powers.

Certain studies suggest that parabens are not only irritants, but can upset your hormones, damage your reproductive organs and increase your risk of developing cancer. The FDA continues to review these claims but in our opinion, any ‘risk,’ no matter how small, is so not worth it.

2. Sulfates

Sulfates like sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate and ammonium lauryl sulfate are foaming detergents used in products like facial wash, soap, shower gel and shampoo to cleanse your skin or hair. And give them their dues, they work really well, creating a lovely, foamy lather that cleans super efficiently. The problem is, they can be too efficient, making them extremely irritating, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Don’t worry, you won’t find nasty sulfates in our Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser – instead we use a much gentler surfactant called disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate that's way kinder to your skin.

3. Phthalates

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics lists phthalates (pronounded thal-ates) such as DEP, DBP and DEHP as big no-nos. Same here. With links to endocrine disruption, reproductive problems, fertility and other health issues they make us nervous. Very nervous indeed. They’re particularly bad news for pregnant women and breast-feeding mothers which is why we say a big ‘no’ to phthalates in all of our products.

Finally, Know Some Important Symbols

Ever wondered what all those little symbols were at the bottom of your product’s label? Wonder no more, herein two important ones you need to be aware of…

This little triangle of three arrows is known as the Mobius Loop and shows that something is capable of being recycled. You’ll find this on all of our facial serums, moisturizers and eye products. High-fives.

If your product displays the Leaping Bunny logo as seen here, this is your guarantee that no new animal tests were performed in its development. We’re thrilled to let you know ALL of our products are Leaping Bunny approved. More high-fives!

Now, run along and be a skin product know-it-all. With all that knowledge under your belt, it would be rude not to.

Dark, under-eye circles getting your goat? Facial redness seriously starting to cheese you off? Then it’s time to take action against these common skin concerns. And thankfully, we know how… 

What’s your skin hangup, because we know you have one? Maybe even more than one. Come on, even the most perfectly porcelained among you will have something you hate about your skin. And yes, even if it is the tiniest of lines between your brows that nobody else notices, but you see EVERY TIME you look in the mirror.

When it comes to taking care of annoying skin issues like lines, wrinkles, acne and dark spots, a regular skincare routine doesn’t usually cut the mustard. But all it takes is that one awesome product to take your regime to a whole other level.

Here, we take a look at eight of the most common skin concerns you might face… plus what to do to minimize their effects on your skin – and your mental wellbeing.

1. Redness

Severe facial flushing can be caused by anything from rosacea and psoriasis through to eczema and seasonal allergies. And the most important thing here is not to even try to self-diagnose. Rosacea, for example, is often mistaken for acne which can lead to nothing short of disastrous results for your skin. So, first up, visit a skin specialist straight away to talk through your symptoms and treatment options.

If you think your skin is red due to harsh cleansing or irritation from potent actives in your skincare, you should also pare back your routine. Remove a facial serum from your regime for a few weeks and see if this helps. Or switch up your cleanser to a gentler formulation that avoids parabens, sulfates or harsh fragrances. This will help you understand if there’s a certain ingredient your skin has taken offense to. Rose Water Refreshing Toner is also a great shout for calming and soothing irritation.

2. A Shiny T-Zone

Excess shine around your nose, chin and forehead is due to too many overactive sebaceous glands in your skin which produce an excess of oil. And while shiny hair and shiny lips are all well and good, a slick face? Not so much.

The best ways to control excess shine are to avoid oil-heavy moisturizers, invest in some salicylic acid which cuts through oil like no other ingredient, and cleanse regularly, but gently, using a detoxifying ingredient like charcoal.

Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is just the guy for the job here. Containing activated coconut charcoal, it not only draws out toxins from your skin but also mops up excess sebum while it’s at it. Thankfully, it also contains aloe, glycerin and non pore-clogging lavender oil to keep your skin hydrated and balanced while it works it’s wonders. Because we're smart like that.

3. Dark Circles & Bags Around Your Eyes

Puffiness and dark, under-eye circles generally form as you age, when your skin loses collagen and therefore weakens and sags. Why is the area under your eyes so susceptible to aging? Because the skin here is thin, fragile and lacks fat and muscle to support it.

Dark circles are usually hereditary, but both conditions can be exacerbated by sun damage, cruddy sleep, stress, dehydration and irritation, so your first step to clearer, smoother eyes is to make better lifestyle choices. Our top three pieces of advice? Wear sunglasses outside, sleep with your head elevated and add a topical eye treatment to your daily routine. Peptide Eye Gel is the nuts for tackling dark circles, puffiness and wrinkles around your eyes.

4. Visible Pores

Your pore size is another skin grievance that’s determined by genetics and newsflash: it’s physically impossible to shrink them – even though many skincare manufacturers would like you to believe otherwise.

However, by keeping your skin healthy, strong and supple, you can definitely improve the look of enlarged pores. Of course, protecting your skin from the sun is super important as UV rays break down collagen and compromise the structure of your skin. Therefore always wear a lightweight sunscreen and introduce antioxidants into your regime to further boost your protection.

You should also look out for gentle cleansers and toners containing salicylic or glycolic acid as these boost cellular turnover and help remove dead skin cells which can hang around on the surface of your skin and block your pores. Try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains glycolic acid along with MSM and our favorite antioxidant, vitamin C.

5. Cracked, Flaky Skin

Cracked, flaky skin is usually a result of dryness (or eczema, of course). Dry skin is hereditary, caused by a lack of natural sebum and is not to be confused with dehydration which is due to a lack of water in the skin and can affect any skin type – dry, normal, oily, you name it.

The best way to look after dryness and cracked skin is to treat it super carefully. Avoid harsh chemicals in your skincare and never wash your face in hot water which compromises your barrier function and depletes essential fatty acids and lipids from the surface of your skin. 

It’s also a great idea to include occlusive or emollient ingredients in your skincare to help repair and smooth over cracks and reduce moisture loss. Our Vitamin C Night Cream contains some of the best emollients including cocoa butter, beeswax and botanical oils like jojoba, rosehip and evening primrose oil.

6. Frown Lines

You might be applying the best eye treatment to the lines around your eyes, but what about those pesky 11 lines that lurk right between your eyebrows? What can you do about those – without having to resort to a syringe full of Botox, of course?

Frown lines are caused by the natural loss of collagen and elastin as you age, coupled with repeated facial expressions like raising your eyebrows, squinting and frowning.

Facial yoga can be an effective way to combat a crinkly forehead. A great one is to open your eyes as wide as possible – without wrinkling your forehead – then stare at the horizon for 10 seconds, relax and repeat five times.

Of course, the usual suspects of stress, excessive sun exposure and pollution also play their part, so protect your skin with SPF and antioxidant serums. We recommend our super-powered Vitamin C Super Serum+ which is packed to the brim with antioxidant favorites like vitamin C, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and retinol.

7. Hormonal Acne

Acne is the most common skin condition in the US and can affect any one of us, at any time in our lives. Research shows that hormonal acne, which makes you break out while dealing with hormonal fluctuations during your periods or the menopause, affects 25 percent of women in their forties and a massive 50 percent of women in their twenties.

Retinol is an awesome ingredient for treating and controlling mild hormonal acne because it boosts cell turnover which helps slough off dead skin cells and prevents your pores from becoming blocked. Retinol can be pretty potent, remember, so introduce Retinol Facial Serum slowly into your routine and always perform a patch test first.

If your hormonal acne is severe and manifests itself through deep, cystic bumps, oral medications might prove more effective.

8. Dark Spots

According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, sun damage is the most common cause of dark spots which usually appear on your face, hands, shoulders and/or arms – yes, the areas that are most often exposed to sunlight. It goes without saying, therefore, that if you limit your time in the sun, and protect your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen every time you step outside, you’ll dramatically reduce your chances of developing sun-related dark spots. But you knew that.

Retinol, vitamin C and AHAs such as glycolic acid are also fabulous for dealing with minor, surface-level discolorations. Vitamin C has even been proven to prevent future dark spots from developing, so you’ve simply got to add Vitamin C Facial Serum to your daily routine if dark spots are your thing. And you really don’t want them to be…

Does drinking gallons of water really hydrate your skin? And can your skin be oily and dehydrated at the same time? Here, we sort through the facts from the fiction about skin hydration.

You’d think keeping your skin perfectly hydrated and moisturized would be simple business, right? But wait, aren’t hydration and moisturization the same thing? Actually, no. And that’s just the start of the whole confusing business.

Thankfully, you have us to help you get to grips with the correct – and best – ways to keep your skin truly hydrated and to understand, once and for all, what’s true and what’s total bull.

So, let us begin…

FACT #1: Dry Skin & Dehydrated Skin Are NOT The Same Thing

Like fine lines and wrinkles, you’ll often read about dry skin and dehydrated skin in the same sentence, as if they’re one and the same. Or are some kind of ultimate power couple that can never be separated. However, dry skin and dehydrated skin are very, very different things.

The most important thing to remember is that dry skin is due to a lack of natural oils (sebum) and is a skin TYPE that’s predetermined by your genes. Dehydrated skin, however, is due to a lack of water and is more of a skin CONDITION. Of course, dry skin can also be dehydrated but in truth, dehydration can affect any skin type at any time.

Things like cold weather, stress, lack of sleep and sun damage all contribute to dehydrated skin because these upset your skin's protective barrier function, allowing water to more freely evaporate from your skin's surface.

FACT #2: Drinking Water Is NOT The Best Way To Keep Skin Hydrated

The fact that your body is made up of around 80 percent water means you can’t argue that keeping yourself hydrated is beneficial to your overall health. Drinking plenty of water and eating water-rich foods like fruit and veggies is vital for maintaining the correct balance of your body’s essential fluids. It also ensures everyday functions like digestion, circulation, the elimination of toxins and your internal temperature balance all work properly. So yes, water is life.

But, and it’s a big but, does drinking water really keep your skin hydrated? Truthfully? Not as much as you might think. In fact, there’s no real evidence that water consumption plays any part in the hydration of your skin. The fact is, any water you drink goes straight to other essential organs first – sadly, your skin is way down on the list of your body’s priorities.

So, instead of expecting your water intake to miraculously give you soft, hydrated skin, look after its hydration levels through other means. This includes avoiding harsh soaps and cleansers, investing in a humidifier for your home and thinking carefully about the ingredients you put on your skin.

One word: humectants.

Experts agree that topical humectants are essential when it comes to skin hydration. Humectants are substances that grab water from the air or deep within your skin and pull it to the outermost layers to help repair and strengthen your skin’s moisture barrier and keep it soft, strong and hydrated at a surface level.

Some of the best humectants in skincare include hyaluronic acid, glycerin, aloe vera, lactic acid, urea and honey. Retinol Moisturizer contains aloe, glycerin and hyaluronic acid for super powered skin hydration. Plus jojoba oil and shea butter help to stop all that water from evaporating from your skin. No need for thanks: that’s what we’re here for.

FACT #3: Facial Serums Are Ideal For Hydrating Your Skin

Of course, moisturizer is key for locking in hydration, but if you want to really up your moisture game, you’ve got to think beyond moisturizer. And this is where facial serums come into play.

Serums are quite different to moisturizers because they have a much smaller molecular make up. This means they’re way lighter and are able to absorb into your skin quicker and deeper. Unlike moisturizers, which contain either occlusive or emollient ingredients like cocoa butter, coconut oil and squalane to seal moisture into your skin, serums are usually liquid or gel-based meaning they don't seal in moisture. Instead, they contain active ingredients like vitamin C, retinol, hydroxy acids and peptides to offer benefits on a much deeper level.

If you're looking to turn up the hydration levels in your skin, a humectant-based serum will fill your skin with moisture, making it a must for rehydrating thirsty skin. Apply our fan-favorite Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum to clean skin, then finish with moisturizer to lock it in and help reduce TEWL (transepidermal water loss). Perfection.

FACT #4: All Skin Types Need Hydration (Yes, Even Oily Skin)

It’s a common misconception that oily skin doesn’t need to be hydrated. But the thing is, while oily skin has more oil-producing glands, this has nothing to do with its levels of water. In fact, oily skin is often dehydrated due to over-cleansing or using harsh skincare products, so hydration is possibly even more important for oily skin types than anyone else.

While we’re on the subject, moisturizing oily skin is just as important as hydrating it. If you fail to keep your skin balanced with the perfect combination of water and light moisturization, your skin will not only become dehydrated, but it will produce even more oils to compensate for dryness on the surface.

To help stabilize excessively oily skin, apply a hydrating serum after cleansing – again Hyaluronic Acid Facial Serum is perfect – followed by a light moisturizer that avoids pore-clogging occlusives ingredients like waxes, silicones and butters. We're obsessed with Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer.

FACT #5: Long, Hot Baths Dehydrate Your Skin

The simple fact is hot baths (and showers) draw moisture from your skin AND strip all the healthy fats and oils away. So, not only are they killers for your skin’s hydration levels, but they also cause dryness and may exacerbate conditions like rosacea, eczema, acne and psoriasis. You know how your fingers and toes often become wrinkly after a long, hot soak? Well, that’s a sure sign of moisture having been literally sucked out of your poor skin.

The answer? Shower in lukewarm water for five minutes max. And if you also love a weekly soak in the bath, limit your time to 20 minutes and, again, turn the water temperature down to lukewarm. Remember, if your mirror gets totally steamed up while bathing or showering, your water is way too hot.

When it comes to nailing selfie-ready skin it’s all about enhancing your skin to make it look and feel its absolute best. Who needs filters, anyway, right?

Whether you’re battling with redness or fed up with eye bags the size of a small country, here are five ways to make sure your skin is selfie-ready at all times.

1. Combat Redness

Red, blotchy skin can totally kill your otherwise Insta-ready complexion. And while we understand it’s hard to control certain flare-ups like alcohol-induced rosacea or hot, flushed skin, one of the most important pieces of advice for keeping redness under control is to cut back on your skincare regime. Yeah, we know that sounds like crazy talk from a company whose entire existence is based on selling skincare. But we care about your skin and don’t want you to suffer the consequences of a 17-step K-Beauty-style routine, when you could get the same (in fact, better) results from just three or four carefully chosen products.

If you think your redness is a sign of irritation from potent, active ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid or vitamin C, go back to basics with a gentle cleansing, toning and moisturizing routine. Our Rose Water Refreshing Facial Toner, for example, is ideal for calming and soothing sensitive skin – what’s more it’s great for carrying in your purse for a cooling, refreshing spritz of hydration whenever you’re on-the-go.

2. Reduce Shine

Facial blotting papers are genius for instant oil mop-ups, but for a more permanent way to keep excess sebum under control, you’re going to need to get some balance in your skincare regime.

Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser is a total score for mopping up oil without stripping your skin of essential hydration, so this is a good place to start. Then, after cleansing, you’re going to love Ocean Minerals Super Toner. Packed with mattifying witch hazel, exfoliating glycolic acid, strengthening peptides and hydrating aloe it’s the perfect all-rounder for oily skin types. After spritzing this all over your clean face, apply Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer while your skin is still slightly damp. This'll help lock in water without leaving your skin feeling heavy or greasy.

3. Get Glowing

Are you always the one with tired, gray-looking skin? And, double blow, you continually find yourself photographed next to ‘that’ friend whose glowing complexion is literally lit from within? Group selfie: officially blown.

Dull skin is often a sign of poor turnover which is the natural lifecycle of your skin cells. Your skin has its own pre-programmed way of shedding millions of dead skin cells every day, but as you get older and life gets in the way, this system slows down and your skin can become sluggish, dull and dehydrated. Cue gray, sad skin. To boost cell turnover, try exfoliating your skin two or three times a week with either a gentle scrub or a chemical exfoliating treatment that contains a hydroxy acid like glycolic, lactic or salicylic. These types of acid help break down the ‘glue’ between dead skin cells so they shed more easily and pave the way for all that gorgeous fresh stuff underneath. Try a daily dose of Vitamin C Super Serum+ which not only contains salicylic acid, but vitamin C to further brighten a dull complexion.

4. Control Breakouts

While the truth is, nobody else really notices that pimple on your chin, you know it’s there and it can completely derail your selfie game. And sure, makeup can work wonders for calming red, inflamed breakouts, but you’re way better off trying to keep them under control with some deft skincare knowhow.

Acne is caused by blocked pores so keeping your pores clean and healthy is the best thing you can do here. First up, avoid products that contain occlusive ingredients because these will block your pores and cause no end of problems for the acne-prone among you. Occlusive ingredients are those rich, heavy balms, oils and butters like petroleum jelly, cocoa butter and coconut oil. These are probably things you tend to naturally steer clear of anyway, but if not, now’s the time to start.

Instead, only ever use non-comedogenic products which are way less likely to cause your pores problems. Salicylic acid is one of the best ingredients for oily skin because it boosts cell turnover and targets oils blockages to allow sebum to flow more freely to the skin’s surface. Tea Tree Super Serum+ combines salicylic acid with tea tree oil to help keep your pores clean and clear. Use it two or three times a week under a light moisturizer to keep your skin balanced, or spot treat problem areas daily.

5. Wake Up Tired Eyes

Skin on point, but eyes telling a totally different story? Nothing kills a great selfie like puffy, tired eyes – no matter how many different angles you try or filters you apply.

The best remedy for wide-awake eyes is obviously a great night’s sleep, coupled with plenty of hydration (White Claws don’t count), but if it’s too late for that, grab a couple of cold teaspoons and place these over your eyes for 10 minutes after cleansing. The cooling effect will constrict your blood capillaries while the light pressure helps drain excess fluid.

Of course, an effective eye cream, applied twice daily to clean skin will also help keep the skin around your eyes looking refreshed and youthful. Searching for an awesome all-rounder? Then allow us to introduce you to Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream which is bursting with hydrating hyaluronic acid, plus vitamins B5, C and E to help treat, heal and strengthen the delicate skin around your eyes.

Would you coat your entire face with Vaseline before bed or use hot wax to get rid of your blackheads? We say a massive ‘nope’ to such insane beauty fads, but there are tons of them doing the rounds right now and we’d like them to disappear. Pronto.

Don’t get us wrong, we love a beauty trend here at TruSkin. Orange lipstick for summer? We’re in. Skinimalism? Hells yeah. But skincare trends that go viral on the likes of TikTok and Reddit which can do more harm than good? Count us out.

Here, we take a look at five of our least favorite skincare fads currently doing the online rounds…

1. Slugging

What It Is: This latest K-Beauty trend might sound like some weird facial involving slimy mollusks slithering over your face, but it's actually about smearing petroleum jelly on your skin before bed. Currently loved by the internet right now, word is that if you spread petroleum jelly all over your face as the last step in your nightly skincare routine you’ll wake up with the softest, most moisturized skin ever.

What We Think: Petroleum jelly is what’s known as an occlusive ingredient which means it creates a seal over your skin to help lock in moisture. So on the one hand, yes, it will stop water from evaporating from the surface of your skin, leaving you with a softer, more hydrated complexion come the morning. But on the other hand, it offers no moisturization of its own and will completely block your pores making it a terrible idea for anyone with oily, sensitive or acne-prone skin. What’s more, petroleum jelly (also known as petrolatum) is a by-product of crude oil waste, so while it’s been approved by the FDA, it’s neither sustainable nor eco-friendly.

What To Do Instead: Rather than dousing your skin with what is essentially grease before bed, choose a night cream that contains a blend of humectants – water-loving ingredients that draw moisture into your skin – and emollients or occlusives to lock all that moisture in. Our Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream is formulated with aloe vera, glycerin, cocoa butter and botanical oils – a far superior combination for hydrating and softening your skin as you sleep. Even if we do say so ourselves.

2. Using Hemorrhoid Cream For Puffy Eyes

What It Is: First Kim Kardashian’s makeup artist recommended applying Preparation H under your eyes to help minimize bags, then the Reddit masses started getting involved and all hell broke loose. Anti-inflammatory hemorrhoid creams like Preparation H are steroid-based and work by restricting the blood vessels to help reduce swelling, redness and irritation caused by piles. A butt cream that effectively reduces puffiness and swelling? Of course, someone was bound to try it under their eyes…

What We Think: Theoretically, this works. But just because something has the potential to reduce your under-eye baggage, it doesn’t mean you should necessarily try it. The skin around your eyes is thin and extremely fragile, so harsh hemorrhoid creams – which often contain potential irritants – can be very damaging to this delicate area. Not to mention the harm you'll cause if you accidentally get it in your eyes. Most hemorrhoid creams also contain hydrocortisone which can cause a significant thinning of your skin in the long-term, accelerating aging around your eyes and giving you wrinkles way before your time. No. Thanks.

What To Do Instead: Why risk the damage to your eyes and the surrounding area, when there are plenty of effective eye treatments out there? Our Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream, for example, is pumped full of hard-working, and more importantly safe ingredients for your eyes, including cucumber, licorice and Eyebright. Apply a tiny amount, morning and night, for brighter, less puffy eyes.

3. Placing Your Serum Dropper Directly On Your Skin

What It Is: You can’t spend five minutes on social media these days without seeing dozens of photos and videos of influencers and makeup vloggers placing skincare droppers directly on their skin. Oh. Dear.

What We Think: Don’t get us wrong, droppers are great for helping you control the amount of product you apply to your skin and every single one of our facial serums is packaged in a glass dropper bottle. But you’re supposed to use the dropper to deposit a small amount of serum into clean fingers, NOT straight onto your skin. In fact, they should never come into contact with your skin. Why? Because skin contact transfers dirt, oil and bacteria from your face straight back into the bottle where it breeds. And that’s so not what you want. In fact, it’s the precise opposite of what you want and why most serums are packaged with glass droppers in the first place.

What To Do Instead: Dispense two or three drops of serum to clean hands, then apply it to your face and neck. Simple.

4. Waxing Your Blackheads

What It Is: Just thinking about applying hot wax over our noses to remove blackheads makes our eyes water, but this beauty hack is out there, people, and it seems pretty popular across Pinterest and TikTok. It basically involves applying hot wax (the same stuff used to remove unwanted hair) across your nose, then ripping it off, whisking away your blackheads at the same time. 

What We Think: This might be effective, but one word: ouch. Also, waxing the delicate skin on your face is asking for trouble if you’re not a professional because it can cause serious damage, pulling off the top layers of your skin and leaving you with red, sore, irritated skin. Soft wax (which requires a strip to rip it off your skin) is particularly damaging, but we say avoid this one completely.

What To Do Instead: The best way to deal with blackheads is to keep your skin clean and exfoliated. Gently cleanse with Charcoal Clarifying Cleanser which uses activated coconut charcoal to draw out toxins and cleanse your pores. You could also try spot treating stubborn blackheads two or three times a week with Tea Tree Super Serum+. This contains salicylic acid to boost cell turnover and help regulate oil production.

5. Iced Water Facials

What It Is: The concept of applying cold water or ice to brighten, tone and depuff your complexion is by no means a new one, but the iced water facial, as seen on TikTok, instantly had our teeth chattering. It involves dunking your face three times in a bowl of iced water for as long as you can bear it. Then repeating for 10 minutes or so.

What We Think: Cold temperatures constricts your capillaries which stimulates blood circulation to help reduce puffiness and inflammation while improving the tone and texture of your skin. But, while the odd splash of cool water after cleansing can, for sure, help boost radiance, submerging your face in iced water for too long can have the reverse effect, causing redness and  irritation. It’s especially bad news if you have rosacea. You have been warned.

What To Do Instead: A better way to get your glow on? Incorporate vitamin C into your skincare routine. Vitamin C is one of the most highly studied ingredients in skincare and has been proven to inhibit melanin production, therefore brightening your skin and fading hyperpigmentation. Not only that but vitamin C also helps fight free radicals, promotes healing and protects and treats your skin. Try our fan favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum. You won't regret it. And it's not going to freeze your brain, either.