True Radical Honesty From Our Community

Just when you thought you’d nailed everything from AHAs to GAGs, another skincare acronym joins the beautysphere. Say hello to TEWL, people. And listen carefully, because it’s an important one that's all about the ultimate essence of life: water…

Water is a vital component of your skin. Healthy skin contains around 64 percent water and is the building block of new skin cells and the key nutrient for their survival. In order to maintain truly hydrated skin, your skin needs to be drenched with plenty of water. Not oil (that’s what determines the dryness of your skin), but pure, simple water.

You know the deal when it comes to hydrating your skin. Yes, drinking plenty of water and eating a water-rich diet is vital for your overall health, but very little of this water actually reaches your skin. How so? Because other vital organs need it much, much more. In fact, your skin is way down on the pecking order which is why you need to include humectants in your skincare routine. More on those later…

So, what’s this all got to do with the elusive TEWL? Let’s see, shall we?

What Is TEWL?

TEWL stands for transepidermal water loss which is all about the amount of water that evaporates from your skin’s surface into the air. Research shows the average amount of water lost by the skin every day is around 300-400 ml although this depends on many factors. Your genetic makeup obviously predetermines how well your skin naturally regulates your level of moisture retention, but many other internal and external factors come into play, including things like humidity, skin damage, poor skincare and your hormones.

There’s also one very important factor you have the ability to look after – and equally to destroy. And that’s your skin’s barrier function.

Your skin is made up of three main layers: the deep hypodermis, the dermis which sits in the middle and the top layer which is called the epidermis. Your skin’s barrier function is the uppermost layer of the epidermis and is your skin’s ultimate layer of protection, working like a brick wall to protect you from environmental damage, block out irritants and help retain moisture in your skin, therefore reducing transepidermal water loss. A poor barrier function means moisture is easily lost from your skin’s surface, causing a spike in TEWL and all manner of problems including dehydration, dryness, lines, wrinkles, itchiness and irritation. Skin disorders like psoriasis, rosacea and eczema can also be exacerbated by too much TEWL.

Bad. News.

How To Minimize TEWL

It figures that if you look after your skin’s barrier, your TEWL will look after itself. But is that easier said than done? Actually no. Sure, your barrier function naturally weakens with age (no surprises, there), but there are many ways to care for it which will simultaneously reduce TEWL, balance your moisture levels and keep your skin softer, stronger and healthier.

Here, three important tips for top-of-the-class TEWL…

1. Avoid A Harsh Cleansing Routine

Too much face washing and exfoliating with hot water and harsh products is the ultimate devil for your skin’s barrier function. For starters, it strips your skin of any moisture it naturally has... plus it gives nothing back.

Cleansers containing nasty chemicals like sulfates, for example, can be extremely detrimental to your barrier function. Yes, they work like dogs to lather up and remove oil, dirt and bacteria from the surface of your skin, but they also strip away protective cholesterol, fatty acids, ceramides and other nutrients, allowing moisture to escape way too easily for our liking.

Avoid ingredients like sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) which are the worst offenders and instead, choose cleansers that contain gentle, non-drying alternatives like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate or disodium 2-sulfolaurate. Good news: we use these in our Vitamin C and Charcoal cleansers.

2. Keep Your Skin Hydrated AND Moisturized

Applying water to your face is all well and good, but if you don’t seal it in quickly with a hydrating moisturizer, it’ll evaporate from the surface of your skin in no time.

The most well-rounded moisturizers contain ingredients that offer both hydration and moisturization. What’s the difference? Well, hydration adds water to the skin while moisturization helps your skin keep it there. Yes, it’s that simple. To achieve all of this, look for formulations containing a combination of humectants, emollients and/or occlusives.

Humectants draw water to the skin’s surface either from the air, or from deeper within your skin’s dermis. They work like a sponge and are an essential way to hydrate your skin and maintain a soft, supple surface. Hyaluronic acid is a super effective humectant, but we also love ingredients like glycerin and aloe vera.

Emollients, meanwhile, include things like coconut oil, shea butter, jojoba oil and squalane which work to smooth and repair cracks in your skin to help prevent TEWL. Occlusives like cocoa butter and beeswax are similar, but they’re often richer, heavier and create a physical barrier on the surface of your skin. Occlusives aren’t great for oily or acne-prone skin types, however, as they can clog your pores. Just a little side-note to bear in mind.

Depending on your skin type, choose a moisturizer that contains a blend of humectants and emollients or occlusives. Our Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer contains aloe, kosher vegetable glycerin, jojoba oil and shea butter which checks those boxes nicely. Always apply it immediately after cleansing or applying serum to further reduce TEWL.

3. Invest In A Humidifier

A humidifier is a great way to force moisture into the air, especially in the winter or if you live in areas of low humidity. But why is this important for your skin? Simple. Dry air automatically compromises your skin’s barrier function by stripping your skin of its natural oils. Without this protection, TEWL increases and skin becomes dry, flaky, cracked and may even start to peel.

Invest in a humidifier for your bedroom (this is where you spend the most of your time, after all) and if it allows you to control the humidity, set it to between 40 and 60 percent. This is the sweet spot for skin hydration.

Ready to get your glow on, peeps – without having to reach for your shimmering bronzer, of course? Excellent timing, we’re on it…

There’s a fine line between glowing skin and shiny skin. The former’s something we all strive for, but the latter’s not so appealing. The difference is that glowing skin is radiant and healthy, whereas shiny skin is often due to an excess of oils (or sweat… or both!). Of course, you can’t change your genetic makeup and suddenly transform your oily skin into a perfectly balanced, flawless complexion. And similarly those of you with dry skin know you can’t magically force your skin to start naturally producing more oil. But what you can do is help what Mother Nature gave you to boost your glow and up your skin's radiance game.

Here’s how…

Glowy Skin Rule #1: You Gotta Exfoliate, End Of

Clean skin is obviously super important here, so make sure you cleanse gently twice a day. Use upwards strokes as you cleanse your face to ensure you get right into the pores and always rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water. You could even try a final splash with cool water to really boost your circulation… if you can bear it.

But clean skin doesn’t stop there. Gentle exfoliation is also vital. For your face, we advise using a chemical exfoliator that contains AHAs or BHAs such as glycolic, lactic or salicylic acid. Unlike scrubs which can sometimes be a little abrasive on your face, chemical exfoliators break down the bonds that hold dead skin cells in place. This helps them gently slough away without you forcing them off. Try Vitamin C Super Serum+ which contains salicylic acid to exfoliate and balance sebum at the same time.

When it comes to your body, a salt scrub is a fabulous way to buff away rough skin and boost your glow. Or try using a loofah or body mitt with your favorite cleanser.

Glowy Skin Rule #2: Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Toner

Never sure whether you really need a toner in your life? Well, if you’re looking to get your glow on, the answer is simple: you do. Today’s new generation of toners aren’t just there to make up the skincare numbers, in fact they’re quite the opposite, working hard to hydrate, feed and balance your skin. And healthy skin is the absolute foundation of radiant skin. 

Looking for the perfect toner for the job? Then try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which contains glycolic acid to accelerate cellular turnover, vitamin C to protect and brighten, plus MSM, a sulfur compound that boosts collagen production and significantly helps improve the tone and texture of your skin. This awesome toner also comes in a handy spray bottle meaning you can spritz it on thirsty skin any time you please.

Glowy Skin Rule #3: Go To The Upside Down

It might be a while since you did a headstand, but if you’re a yoga pro, you’re in luck here. Being upside down for two or three minutes a day is a great way to boost blood flow and oxygen to your face for an instantly more glowing complexion.

Not a headstand kinda girl? Then lay on your back and tip your head back over the side of your bed. Same result, less falling over.

Glowy Skin Rule #4: Concentrate On Dry Skin

Dry skin is a fact of life, but this doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to it, or worse, leave it untreated, to become even drier and potentially irritated. Dry, flaky patches are often due to an impaired skin barrier, so make sure you look after it by soothing and replenishing your skin from head-to-toe with gentle skincare products (no synthetic fragrance or unnecessary chemical, thanks) and an impeccable moisturizing routine.

Moisturize after every time you cleanse and make sure your chosen formulation includes a combination of humectants, emollients and/or occlusives. Humectants draw water into your skin, emollients smooth cracks and occlusives lock all that moisture in. Our Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream combines glycerin, aloe, botanical oils and cocoa butter which checks all those boxes nicely. It also contains the mighty vitamin C. Speaking of which…

Glowy Skin Rule #5: Embrace Brightening Skincare Ingredients (cough, vitamin C)

When it comes to brightening your complexion, certain skincare ingredients punch way above their weight. Retinol, niacinamide and kojic acid, for example are all fabulous for helping to brighten uneven or dull skin. But the absolute queen of brightening? Vitamin C. It’s everything.

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent antioxidant and works hard to protect your skin from the damaging onslaught of free radicals caused by environmental aggressors like that pesky, but beautiful sun. It also reverses existing damage and inhibits tyrosinase, the enzyme that fuels melanin production. All this combines to help reduce dark spots and mottled skin while amping up your skin’s radiance like nothing else.

Pure vitamin C can be volatile, however, and too potent for sensitive skin types, so we use a gentle, but super effective derivate called Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate (SAP to its friends). You’ll find it in all of our vitamin C products and is the reason some of them have a cloudy look to them – it's the sodium component of our awesome vitamin C doing its finest work, right there.

Glowy Skin Rule #6: Try A Little Dry Body Brushing

If you’ve never tried dry body brushing, the time is now. A fabulous way to encourage cell turnover, dry body brushing stimulates your circulatory and lymphatic systems to effectively remove dead cells, metabolic waste and toxins. After a few weeks, guaranteed you’ll notice your skin is softer and much more radiant. It also prepares your skin for your moisturizer, allowing it to be more readily absorbed and therefore way more effective.

The best time to dry body brush is in the morning, before showering. Work from your ankles, upwards using long strokes or circular motions and be gentle, especially over delicate areas like your tummy and chest. You should also avoid open wounds, rashes, varicose veins, freshly shaven legs and sunburn.

The benefits of applying vitamin C to your skin go on and on. So, if you’re looking for a tried, tested and very much trusted ingredient to amp up your skincare regime, the search is over.

We don’t like to show favoritism, but vitamin C is a real golden child here at TruSkin. Packed into a ton of our awesome skincare products, it's an absolute powerhouse for protecting, brightening and strengthening your skin. But don’t take our word for it – herein, the facts…

1. Topical vitamin C is a fully signed up member of a family of ingredients called antioxidants. Antioxidants are vital for the look, feel and health of your skin because they work hard to fight free radical damage caused by environmental aggressors such as air pollution, smoking and that biggest offender of all, the sun.

Your body has its own natural antioxidant defense system, but as you get older, this becomes weaker, allowing those highly reactive free radicals to do a real number on the good stuff in your skin – namely collagen and elastin. This is why, if you want to keep your skin looking fabulous for as long as possible, you need to boost your levels of antioxidants, through awesome skincare ingredients like vitamin C.

2. It's not just vitamin C's antioxidant properties that are essential for preventing collagen and elastin breakdown, however. Its highly acidic nature also works hard to boost collagen and elastin production to help keep your skin plump, firm and supple. Take that, premature aging.

3. So, exactly how does this visibly benefit your skin? Gosh, where to start...

As you know, collagen and elastin are vital components of your skin, providing structure, strength and suppleness. When these proteins become compromised, your skin pays the price in many ways. Lines and wrinkles start to form and you may begin to notice areas of sagging, especially in the lower parts of your face where gravity is not your friend. Of course, your natural levels of collagen and elastin start to degrade as you hit your mid-twenties anyway and there’s nothing you can do about this natural aging process, but what you can do is fight against all the other damage at work.

Enter topical vitamin C. By fighting free radical damage it reduces the breakdown of collagen and elastin, making it one of the best anti-aging ingredients out there for helping you keep your youthful good looks for as long as possible.

4. Lines, wrinkles and saggy skin aren't the only things to be scared because vitamin C also helps improve dark spots and discoloration.

Vitamin C contains properties that help inhibit tyrosinase, an enzyme that generates melanin synthesis. Melanin is a complex polymer that’s produced by special cells called melanocytes and it's responsible for the color of your skin, hair and eyes. Everybody has the same number of melanocytes, but depending on your genes, yours will work at a different rate to the next person. If they produce a ton of melanin your hair, skin and eyes will be darker, whereas if they produce very little, they’ll be much lighter.

When you expose your skin to sunlight, melanin production goes into overdrive, making your skin tan. It can also become erratic, resulting in patches of dark skin, otherwise known as sun spots. And this is where topical C comes to the rescue. By regulating melanin production, vitamin C has the ability to gradually fade patchy, dark areas and even out your skin tone. Say hello to brighter, glowy skin. Yes!

5. Experts agree that vitamin C and sunscreen are a veritable power couple. Not only does vitamin C boost the efficacy of your sunscreen by offering your skin further protection from UV damage, but sunscreen helps prevent your vitamin C from oxidizing on your skin. Apply a vitamin C without sunscreen and it will just burn away, rendering it, well, pretty useless.

This is why sunscreen is vital. And sunscreen plus vitamin C? Even better.

6. Vitamin C comes in many guises on your skincare labels. Ascorbic acid is the purest form of vitamin C – but this can be pretty potent, especially if you have sensitive skin. Other forms to look out for include sodium ascorbate, ascorbyl palmitate, calcium ascorbate, magnesium ascorbyl phosphate and the mighty sodium ascorbyl phosphate. 

7. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is our vitamin C of choice. So, why do we believe in this form in particular?

Much gentler than its big, bad ascorbic acid cousin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate is a salt derivative of pure vitamin C and converts into ascorbic acid once it’s been applied to your skin. This process makes it much more tolerable and way less irritating for most skin types. But it still does a great job, of course. The saltiness is also why many of our vitamin C-enriched serums have a slightly cloudy look to them. Think about how water looks when you dissolve salt in it. It's cloudy, right? 

8. Sodium ascorbyl phosphate is also much more stable when it comes into contact with light, air and water than pure vitamin C. It should always be packaged in an opaque or dark colored bottle, but still, this is great news because it means it doesn’t lose its potency after you’ve had it open for a few weeks.

9. So, what’s the best way to incorporate vitamin C into your routine? Well, you’ll find it in many of our skincare formulations including Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser, Moisturizer and Night Cream, but if you’re looking to pack the most powerful C-punch, serums are the way to go.

Serums like our awesome Vitamin C Super Serum+ are extremely effective at delivering active ingredients into the skin because they have a small molecular size (much smaller than moisturizers). This means they’re able to penetrate the skin deeper and quicker.

Just remember, always do a patch test to check for sensitivities before using any new product for the first time.

10. If you want to majorly up the antioxidant ante, look for serums that contain both vitamin C and vitamin E. Why? Because, like gin and tonic, these ingredients work perfectly well on their own, but they’re even better together. In fact, studies show the effectiveness of these antioxidants is almost doubled when they’re applied as a team. Furthermore, vitamin E helps stabilize vitamin C, ensuring you get the most bang for your buck.

Try our customer-favorite Vitamin C Facial Serum which is formulated with sodium ascorbyl phosphate (the cloudy C star), vitamin E and hyaluronic acid to help hydrate and protect your skin all-in-one bottle.

Cleaning up your beauty act requires very little time and effort. All it takes are a few tweaks to the ingredients you use in your daily routine. Simple.

According to studies carried out by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), the average woman uses around 12 cosmetic products a day. Sounds about right, doesn’t it? But the problem is, these products equate to a staggering 168 chemicals and contaminants that could be potentially harming your skin, your health and even the planet.

Now, we don’t know about you, but we’re not down with exposing ourselves and our precious world to so many chemicals on the reg when, frankly, we don’t have to. So, here, we talk you through some of the nastiest ingredients you should put on your beauty blacklist.

Oh, and public service announcement: you won’t find any of these ingredients in your TruSkin products. Not one. So, if you’re looking for a very lazy but super effective way to get a cleaner skincare routine, we’ve got your back.

Now let's get to it. Beauty bad boys, it’s time to stand up and be accountable

1. Parabens

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 20 years, you’ll know that parabens are a major no-no on your ingredients label. In theory, they sound like a great idea because they act like preservatives to prevent gross stuff like bacteria, mold and fungi from growing in your beauty products. However, while considered safe by the FDA, research suggests that parabens such as butyl, methyl and propyl parabens can be linked to hormone disruption, fertility and reproduction problems, even cancer.

The good news is we use small concentrations of alternative preservatives like ethylhexylglycerin and phenoxyethanol which are safer and much kinder to your skin and health.

2. Sulfates

Just like parabens, sulfates will undoubtedly be familiar to you for their notorious bad press in recent years. And sorry, sulfates, but we agree with every word of it, you’re nasty and unnecessary.

The thing about sulfates such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) and sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES) is they’re known irritants. Yes, they work extremely hard to clean your skin and hair by lathering up and removing oil, dirt and product residue. But they can cause all manner of problems for your eyes and skin including dryness, itching, redness and breakouts. Claims from the early ‘90s that sulfates were carcinogenic have since been disproven, so that’s something. But still, we say a big fat ‘no’ across all of our products.

Instead, we use milder, non-drying surfactants like disodium lauryl sulfosuccinate and disodium 2-sulfolaurate in our Vitamin C and Charcoal cleansers. Because we care about your skin as much as we care about our own.

3. Phthalates

Be wary if you ever see DEP, DBP or DEHP on your ingredients list. While deemed safe by the FDA, these phthalates are not cool, according to the Campaign For Safe Cosmetics.

Often found in makeup, nail polish, cleansers and moisturizing lotions, phthalates are chemical compounds used as solvents, fixatives and fragrance stabilizers. Many experts believe phthalates cause reproductive and fertility problems and they’re actually banned from cosmetics in the EU which should be enough of a red flag, right there.

4. Hydroquinone

No harmful beauty ingredient list would be complete without the oh-so-controversial hydroquinone getting a brief mention. It’s completely banned in Europe, Australia and Japan and, as of September 2020, also became banned in over-the-counter products here in the US. Not only that, but all prescription hydroquinone products must now be approved by the FDA.

Hydroquinone is a skin bleaching chemical that inhibits melanin production to help fade dark spots and discolorations. It’s effective, boy is it effective. However, it can also be super irritating, thin your skin and may even make dark spots worse if it’s not used with the utmost of care. 

5. Silicones

There are hundreds of different silicones used in skincare and, while they might not be toxic, they have occlusive properties and therefore have the potential to build up on the surface of your skin. Not great for oily or acne-prone skin types for a start.

Silicones are also non-biodegradable which means there are gazillions of silicone microparticles being washed down the drain and into our oceans and wildlife on a daily basis.

It's still unclear exactly how detrimental silicones are to the environment, but we’re not willing to take the risk just to produce skincare that ‘feels good’ when you apply it. Plus, we think ours feel pretty darn amazing on your skin anyway, thanks, in part, to sustainable, natural oils like sweet almond and avocado oils. You'll find both of these in our Hyaluronic Acid Eye Cream.

6. PFAS

Otherwise known as polyfluoroalkyl (or perfluoroalkyl) substances, PFASs are synthetic chemicals used in cosmetics to condition, soften and smooth or add shine to your skin or hair. They’re also formulated in things like waterproof mascara, to help repel water. Teflon is a common PFAS. Yes, the stuff used to make nonstick pans. Eesh.

There've been very few studies on PFA substances as skincare ingredients meaning the jury’s still out on whether they’re harmful to your skin and your health. However, the EWG reckons PFASs are ‘among the most worrisome’ of chemicals in cosmetics and personal care products and have the potential to pollute ‘people, animals, drinking water and the environment.’

If that worries you – and we believe it should – be wary of any beauty ingredient that has the word ‘fluoro’ in it. These are all PFA substances.

7. Formaldehyde

Formaldehyde is banned in many countries and highly restricted in Europe and Canada due to its links with cancer and potential to harm your immune system. While historically used as a preservative, it’s pretty unlikely you’ll see formaldehyde in your skincare these days as it’s become a well-known toxic ingredient that manufacturers prefer to avoid. Phew.

However, there are many other preservatives still in use that slowly release formaldehyde when applied to your skin. Not cool. Look out for, and avoid, ingredients like quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, bromopol and glyoxal. 

Now, you can better understand what you put on your body. And reap the benefits of better skin and a cleaner conscience into the bargain. 

Because firming the skin on your face doesn’t have to mean a trip to the injector’s office…

We always advocate loving the skin you’re in, but there’s no harm in trying your best to minimize the stuff that annoys you the most, right?

Take loose skin, for example. Correct us if we’re wrong, but this has to be the sneakiest skin ager of the lot, creeping up on you until, wham, your jawline suddenly goes from firm and taut to, well, a little bit saggy.

So, why does your skin slacken as you age? Because collagen. As you know, collagen is one of the most important proteins in your skin, giving it structure and strength by acting like scaffolding to hold it all together. When you hit your mid-twenties, however, studies show your skin produces about 1 percent less collagen each year. Dang. This means your skin gradually becomes thinner, more delicate and more prone to the visible signs of aging such as lines, wrinkles, rough skin, uneven tone and the inevitable sagging.

Unfortunately you can’t press pause on the clock and stop your skin from maturing after the age of 25. But you can work to prevent all the other external stuff that accelerates the rate at which your skin ages. For starters you MUST protect your skin from the sun which is the number one cause of skin aging. Then, of course it’s sensible to get more sleep, reduce your stress levels, not smoke and drink less alcohol. You know the drill.

Once you’ve nailed some smart lifestyle choices, it’s time to think about your skincare routine and what it needs to help keep any tricky areas more firm and youthful-looking. Not sure where to start? Then here are our favorites...

Vitamin C

When it comes to firming your skin, vitamin C is a no brainer. How so? Because it fights hard to neutralize free radicals which, if left alone, accelerate collagen breakdown and cause no end of damage to your skin. Consistent use of a topical vitamin C treatment (oh hi there, Vitamin C Facial Serum) not only keeps free radicals and all their nasty side-effects at bay, but because it’s highly acidic it also triggers your skin to produce more collagen to help heal itself.

As we said, no brainer.

Facial Massage

Massaging your skin as you cleanse? Priceless. And if you’re worried about getting your technique absolutely perfect, don’t be. As long as you’re not too full-on, pulling and pushing your skin like your life depended on it, any kind of massage using your hands and the pads of your fingers will boost collagen production to help lift, tighten and firm your skin. As a sidenote, it will also improve blood circulation to flush out toxins and add that all-important glow.

If your loose areas are mainly around your chin and jawline (the dreaded jowls), concentrate on these areas specifically when you cleanse your skin, using Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser for an added antioxidant boost. Work it up and down your neck using the pads of your fingers, then place the palms of your hands on each side of your nose and smooth your hands up towards your hairline a few times to lift the cheeks. Next, pinch the bottom of your chin with your thumbs underneath and your knuckles on top, then repeat this action all the way up your jawline to your ears. Do this a few times every day.

Retinol

Retinol is a winner for battling against free radical damage and stimulating collagen synthesis. It works by altering the behavior of aging skin cells to enhance cell turnover and make your skin appear younger-looking. Like most derms and skin experts, we’re always blowing retinol’s trumpet. But it works, so go figure.

Of course, you have to be patient and consistent with retinol because it takes a good three months for it to start offering visible results. It’s good, but it’s not a miracle-worker, OK? Try Retinol Facial Serum two or three times a week making sure to smooth it over your jawline and down your neck to help boost collagen and lift these troublesome areas.

Facial Exercises

Did you know your face contains around 50 muscles? Best start working them out then – especially since many of them rarely get used.

To help firm and tighten your skin, exercise your facial muscles three or four times a week for 10-15 minutes at a time. A great one for your neck and jowls is to tilt your head up to the sky, then pucker up your lips and push them forward as if you’re trying to kiss the sky. Hold this for 10 seconds, then relax and repeat five times.

Peptides

If retinol and vitamin C aren’t enough for you, boost your collagen even further by making sure your skincare routine contains peptides. Peptides are similar to proteins in that they’re chemical compounds made up of amino acids – the building blocks of pretty much everything in the human body. When it comes to your skin, peptides act like little messengers to encourage your cells to produce more collagen and elastin. And just to reiterate, if you’re hoping to maintain the firmness of your skin, collagen is everything.

To up your peptide game and help firm and tone sagging skin around your eyes, our Eye Gel has totally got your back. And for an all-over skin lift, try Ocean Minerals Super Toner which is awash with peptides and the perfect way to refine, refresh and improve laxity. In our humble opinion, anyway.

LED Light Therapy

LED (light-emitting deode) therapy works by discharging various frequencies or wavelengths of infrared light to trigger certain reactions deep within the skin. Depending on the type of light used, your skin will react in different ways. Blue light, for example kills bacteria to help clear acne, but if you’re looking to boost collagen and firm your skin, a combination of red, amber and/or white light is going to be more up your street.

Red and amber lights are the shortest and target the top layers of your skin to boost circulation and stimulate collagen production which, note to self, makes them the perfect combination for firming and lifting. Meanwhile, white light, which is usually administered during in-office treatments only, penetrates the deepest and is thought to help reduce inflammation and help tighten your skin.

Sounds too good to be true? Well, in-office treatments can be costly because you’ll need up to 10 sessions to get the best results, with each one costing anything from $25-$85. In other news, however, at-home LED kits are available which are a tad easier on your wallet.

MSM

Otherwise known as methylsulfonylmethane (trying saying that after a few White Claws), MSM is a naturally-occurring sulfur compound that promotes circulation, fights inflammation and plays a major role in the production and composition of collagen and keratin. It also boosts your body’s antioxidant defense system (bye bye free radicals) so is a total shoo-in for maintaining firm, youthful-looking skin.

We believe very strongly in MSM and incorporate it in many of our favorite skincare formulations including Vitamin C Serum, Vitamin C Super Serum+, Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser and both of our eye treatments.

Love to exfoliate but hate how irritated your sensitive skin gets? Chances are you’re doing it all wrong…

If you have sensitive skin you’ll know that daily scrubbing with a full-on exfoliating face wash is bad news. In all honesty, vigorous exfoliation is far from ideal for any skin type (yes, even oily skin), but still, sensitive souls are likely to feel the burn way more than most. And this is down to your all-important skin barrier function.

Everybody’s skin has a protective, fatty barrier that works to keep water in and irritants out. Sensitive skin usually has a weaker, thinner barrier than other skin types which makes it less able to retain moisture (hello dryness and dehydration) and easily irritated by external triggers. Things like extreme heat, wind, pollution and topical skincare can all cause discomfort to sensitive skin types, making it feel sore, itchy, extremely dry or inflamed.

In cases of severe sensitivities or ongoing, underlying conditions such as eczema, rosacea, psoriasis and contact dermatitis these symptoms are often ten times worse. This is because your immune system goes into overdrive to protect your body from any perceived threats (irritants) that have broken through your skin’s barrier. An inflammatory response then occurs and results in everything you know and hate about your eczema, psoriasis and the like.

If you do have a certain skin condition, you should always consult your dermatologist for advice on how best to exfoliate your skin – chances are you should cut it out of your routine entirely. But if your sensitivities are less ongoing and more controllable at home, you can still benefit from a little exfoliation in your life. You just need to know how to do it correctly.

Below, our five golden rules for safe exfoliation for sensitive skin…

Rule #1. Chemical exfoliation is usually better than physical exfoliation

There are two main types of exfoliation: physical and chemical. Physical exfoliators include anything that requires you to exert some kind of physical movement or pressure to remove dead cells from the surface of your skin. Think face scrubs, loofahs and cleansing brushes.

Chemical exfoliators, on the other hand, use chemicals to break down the bonds between your skin cells so they can naturally shed without you putting too much effort in. Typical chemical exfoliators are AHAs like glycolic and lactic acid, as well as BHAs such as salicylic acid.

Both physical and chemical exfoliators have their place in the world, but if your skin errs on the side of sensitive, look out for a chemical treatment that gently exfoliates but also hydrates and soothes your skin at the same time.

Our Ocean Minerals Super Toner contains glycolic acid making it the ideal way to boost cell turnover without causing too much irritation. Apply it to clean skin two or three times a week. If your skin suffers with sensitivities AND breakouts, however, you might be better off with our Vitamin C Super Serum+ which contains salicylic acid to target excess oil production. Again, apply this to clean, dry skin two or three times a week, perhaps even less if you’re super sensitive.

Rule #2. Oftentimes, a clean washcloth is enough to do the trick

Even chemical exfoliation can cause irritation if you’re not careful, but a great way to avoid this is to do a patch test first, then you'll know if that particular product is going to work for you. And if not? Don’t sweat it too much as there are still plenty of ways to gently boost cell turnover and get your glow on.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the easiest way to gently exfoliate sensitive skin is to invest in a few washcloths. Cleanse your skin as normal by gently apply a mild cleanser like Vitamin C Brightening Cleanser to damp skin. Then moisten your cloth and work this over your skin for 30 seconds before rinsing thoroughly with lukewarm water and patting dry with a clean towel. The action of the cloth works like a very light physical exfoliator. Just remember to wash your cloths after every use to stop bacteria from breeding and causing further irritation to your skin.

Rule #3. Important: don’t exfoliate too often

Some people can get away with exfoliating their skin five times a week, maybe even daily. But sensitive skin types? Not so much. Of course, how often you exfoliate varies from person to person, but we recommend sticking to once or twice a week to begin with. You can always increase your frequency at a later stage if you think your skin will benefit from doing so.

Rule #4. Let retinol do its thing

This may sound like crazy talk, considering the potency of retinol, but a mild formulation can be a great tool for providing exfoliation AND anti-aging benefits to sensitive skin.

Retinol boosts collagen and elastin production to help reduce lines, dark spots and poor skin tone. But not only that, it also forces your cells to turn over more quickly which hey, is what exfoliation is all about, after all.

Instead of a full-on retinol serum, try adding Retinol Moisturizer into your skincare routine once or twice a week. Moisturizers don’t penetrate the skin quite as deeply as serums, which means you’ll still get the benefits of all those awesome active ingredients… but they’re less likely to irritate your skin. Retinol Moisturizer also contains aloe and hyaluronic acid to hydrate, vitamin E to heal, plus jojoba oil and shea butter to seal moisture into your skin. Patch test it first to check for sensitivities and always introduce it slowly into your routine. This is really important. Like, REALLY important – especially when it comes to sensitive skin. Got it? Good.

Rule #5. Always follow with moisturizer

Exfoliation not only deeply cleanses your skin and boosts cell turnover, but it can also remove a lot of good stuff from the surface of your skin, causing it to become dry and dehydrated in no time. But this is an easy fix, as long as you always apply moisturizer after exfoliating.

If you’re using our Retinol Moisturizer to gently exfoliate your skin, you’ve nailed this step already, but if you’re exfoliating with a washcloth or chemical serum, you must always follow with a separate moisturizer. Try Vitamin C Brightening Moisturizer each morning and Vitamin C Deep Hydration Night Cream before bed.