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Sensitive skin can appear anywhere on your body, at any point in your life (dang). Which is why knowing what causes it and how to avoid your triggers are key.
According to research, 60-70 percent of women and 50-60 percent of men claim to have sensitive skin. Now, we don’t know about you, but that sounds like a helluva lot of people. Right?
Sensitive skin comes in many guises and can mean anything from a persistent reaction to a certain skincare ingredient or environmental trigger, to full-blown rosacea, eczema or in worse cases, a severe allergic reaction.
Think you might have sensitive skin, but aren’t sure why or what’s causing it? Here's what we know…
What Is Sensitive Skin?
According to the International Forum for the Study of Itch (IFSI), sensitive skin is defined as ‘a syndrome defined by the occurrence of unpleasant sensations – stinging, burning, pain, pruritus (itchiness) and tingling sensations – in response to stimuli that normally should not provoke such sensations.’
When your skin is exposed to something it doesn’t like nerve endings in the top layer become irritated, which is what causes your skin to burn, flush, feel itchy or become flaky.
These stimuli are usually things like chemicals, fragrance or active ingredients in your skincare products, as well as extremes in temperature or even certain types of metal in your jewelry. And watch out for your hormones, diet, stress levels and sleep patterns as these can also have a major effect on inflammation and dry skin.
But why do some people have sensitive skin and others don’t? Well, it’s mainly down to genetics which is a shame because there’s not a lot you can do about that. However, a weakened or compromised barrier function is another major factor in your level of sensitivities, so make sure you skin’s natural protective layer is strong, protected and cared for and this will go a long way into reducing irritation. More on that later...
What Are The Most Common Causes Of Sensitive Skin?
There are many different levels of skin sensitivities and some can be a sign of more serious, underlying conditions such as psoriasis, eczema and rosacea. That being said, most sensitivities are caused by a reaction to something topical that your skin’s not a fan of. This is known as contact dermatitis and comes in varying degrees of severity, from slight redness and itching through to burning and blistering of the skin.
Environmentally sensitive skin is also fairly common and is caused by environmental factors (the clue's in the name!) such as pollution and sun exposure.
Lastly, your skin becomes more sensitive as it ages because it naturally becomes thinner, weaker and therefore more easily irritated. There's a surprise. Sigh.
How Can You Tell If You Have Sensitive Skin?
Self-diagnosing skin sensitivities is all well and good if your reactions aren’t too severe and you have plenty of time and patience to eliminate certain products, then wait and repeat until you find the culprit. But we think life’s too short for that, so your best bet is to have a dermatologist check your skin. They’ll ask you questions about your family history to rule out or diagnose underlying conditions or they may carry out a number of skin or patch tests to determine if a certain ingredient or food is the root of your problem. Either way, allow the professionals to deal with this one. It’s way easier and quicker than taking it on yourself.
Which Ingredients Should Sensitive Skin Avoid?
Learning about your triggers from your doctor is the most important factor in avoiding skin irritation and inflammation but there are many common allergens in skincare (and laundry detergents, don’t forget those) that you should give a miss.
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) natural rubber, fragrances, dyes, preservatives and metals are the most common allergens in cosmetics. Things like parabens, which you won’t find in any TruSkin product btw, are preservatives that prevent harmful stuff growing in products such as cleansers, shampoo and moisturizers. However, they’re super irritating to the skin so should really be avoided if you have any kind of skin sensitivities. Formaldehyde is another nasty preservative that sensitive skin hates. Leave. Well. Alone.
This may sound a tad confusing but just try to avoid unnecessary fragrances, preservatives and dyes in your products and that'll help no end. And if you still find your skin is causing you grief? Then get thee to the derm’s office.
How Else Can You Manage Sensitive Skin?
Another simple way to reduce your chances of developing or aggravating sensitive skin is to strengthen and care for its natural barrier which is the uppermost layer of your skin, AKA the stratum corneum.
The stratum corneum is kind of like a brick wall that works like a defense shield to retain moisture and protect your skin from the environment and anything else you subject it to. Everyone’s is different and it will naturally weaken as you age, but care for your stratum corneum with savvy skincare and it will repay you by maintaining strong, healthy skin that is free from irritation.
To best improve your skin’s barrier function, avoid harsh chemicals in your skincare, go gently as you exfoliate, and moisturize every morning and night. Great ingredients to look out for in your moisturizers are hyaluronic acid, glycerin, colloidal oatmeal, ceramides and shea butter as these are well tolerated and work hard to maintain and nourish your natural moisturizing factor (NMF).
You'd also be wise to protect your skin daily with an antioxidant serum such as our potent but gentle Niacinamide Facial Serum, and don’t forget that all-important daily sunscreen.
Those age-old skincare tricks of eating well, sleeping well and keeping stress to a minimum are also super important ways of keeping skin irritations to a minimum.
Oh, and take a look at all of your beauty products (makeup included) and trash anything that’s either out of date or looks or smells funky. Products that have been hanging around forever are likely to have become spoiled or contaminated by bacteria and other nasties. Your skin does not want to come into contact with those. Gross.
Everything You Need To Know About Sensitive Skin
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Excellent news: these genius skincare tricks will literally cost you nothing.
A consistent skincare routine is the first step to awesome skin, but did you know there are further ways to help make the most of what nature gave you? What’s more, some of the most effective skincare hacks are totally free.
So, without further ado, let’s check them out, shall we?
1. Wash Your Hands Before Cleansing
Cleansing is one of the most important steps in your skincare routine, but are you guilty of washing your face without washing your hands first? Yeah, you’re not the only ones. But do you really want to be transferring all that grime from your hands to your face? Thought not. Even if your hands don’t look dirty, chances are they’ll have recently touched any number of surfaces since you last washed them, so just give them a quick clean before cleansing or touching your face to reduce your chances of transferring bacteria, oils, dirt and other chemicals from one place to another. Fail to do this and you could increase your risk of sensitivities, irritation and acne flare-ups.
Similarly, if you like to use a face cloth, make sure you wash it every day. Without fail.
2. Brave A Cool Rinse
Speaking of cleansing, a final rinse with cool water is an old but great Hollywood trick that helps soothe, tighten and depuff your skin. Charlize Theron is apparently a big fan of this hack (erm, we’d all love skin like hers, right?) and the legendary Joan Crawford swore by running an ice cube all over her face.
Cold water not only improves circulation to the skin to give you a fabulous, instant glow, but it acts like an astringent to help keep your pores in great shape. But remember, using cold water for your whole cleansing routine might not offer the level of cleanliness you’re after. We recommend (as does the American Academy of Dermatology) using lukewarm water along with an effective but gentle cleanser like our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash to cut through oils and remove makeup and pollutants that may have built up on your skin throughout the day. Rinse thoroughly and then turn on the cold faucet for a quick final rinse with cool water.
3. Sleep On Your Back
When it comes to bedtime, one thing is almost as important as getting your eight hours of zzzs. And that’s the position in which you sleep. Lying on your front is the biggest no-no since smushing your face into your pillow is asking for wrinkles (aka sleep lines) to become permanently etched into your skin. This friction between your pillow and your skin can also trigger acne mechanica which is when skin flares up due to continued rubbing and pressure.
Your best bet is to sleep on your back as this keeps your face, and in fact your neck, well away from constant friction from your pillow. It also allows your night creams and serums free to do all their good work without fear of being absorbed right into your pillowcase – which is so not cool. Lastly, sleeping on your back helps minimize puffiness around the eyes as it reduces excess fluid from pooling. You know, gravity and all that.
4. Apply Skincare To Damp Skin
Applying serums and moisturizers to dry skin is fine and you’ll reap their benefits, for sure, but if you want to really get the most from your treatments, apply them when your skin is still slightly damp after cleansing. By applying serum or moisturizer to damp skin you help lock in extra moisture. Damp skin is also more receptive to skincare ingredients, allowing them to penetrate quicker and more effectively. It figures, therefore, that by improving absorption you get way more bang for your beauty buck.
If you have sensitive skin, however, you should tread carefully with this one. Active ingredients like vitamin C and retinol are pretty powerful, so if your skin is reactive you might not want to up their potency. Instead, stick to applying them to dry skin – always performing a patch test first, of course.
5. Try A Facial Steam
If you’re prone to acne, redness and flushing, you can skip this one as steaming will make your conditions worse. But for the rest of you, if you’re looking for a super cheap (read: free) radiance boost, you can’t go wrong with a facial steaming sesh.
Steaming increases perspiration to help remove toxins while simultaneously enhancing circulation to boost the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your skin. Win-win. It also helps hydrate your skin as long as you immediately (within a minute) apply serum and/or moisturizer to seal all that water in.
Don’t bother spending your hard-earned dollars on a high-tech facial steaming machine, however, simply place your face over a bowl of recently boiled water for 5-10 minutes, placing a towel over your head to trap in the steam. Just remember not to get too close to the surface of the water (ouch) and give it a minute or so to slightly cool down after boiling.
If this doesn’t sound like your jam, another option is to submerge a clean towel in hot water, then wring it out slightly, lie on your back and drape it over your face.
Limit steaming to once or twice a week as any more than this could make your skin dry and dehydrated which is literally the opposite of your goal.
6. Keep Your Eye Gel In The Fridge
We don't subscribe to the ‘keep all your skincare products in the refrigerator’ idea, and would never recommend you waste your money on those cute, Insta-worthy beauty fridges that can set you back a couple of hundred dollars. Yes, they’re adorable, but quite honestly, they’re kinda pointless. After all, skincare products have to go through vigorous shelf-life testing before they’re released to market, so why should they need refrigerating? Answer: they usually don't.
There are two exceptions to this rule, however. After-sun, for obvious reasons, and eye gel.
Keeping your eye gel in the fridge will offer a delicious cooling sensation to the skin around your eyes, giving a doubly soothing effect. As an added bonus, the coolness will also constrict the blood vessels to reduce puffiness or swelling and help revitalize tired eyes.
If you suffer with morning puffy eyes, you should 100 percent try this trick. You won’t regret it.
Skincare Hacks That Work… But Don’t Cost A Dime
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Looking to ward off lines and wrinkles for as long as possible? Unfortunately, you can’t turn back time or stop the natural aging process, but a few lifestyle changes can make a whole world of difference.
Skin aging is a fact of life – and in all honestly, you should feel privileged to have all those years of wisdom under your belt. But natural aging (known in the biz as intrinsic aging) is OK, right? Because, unless you’re some kind of Hermione Granger, this is inevitable and all down to your genes and your body’s natural ability to heal and repair itself as you get older. Extrinsic aging, on the other hand, now that’s a whole different story…
Extrinsic aging is the term for anything that affects how your skin ages, other than your genetic clock. Smoking, sun worshipping, boozing, you know the drill. And it’s all this perfectly preventable stuff you need to work on if you want to maintain youthful-looking skin for as long as possible.
Here are ten easy lifestyle changes you can make to help prevent your skin aging up way before it should.
1. Don’t Over-Cleanse
Cleansing your skin is super-important, for sure, but if you scrub your face morning and night with products that contain harsh ingredients like sulfates, you’ll strip away all those good oils. You could also compromise your skin’s natural barrier function, causing dryness, irritation and all manner of other complaints that will accelerate skin aging. Instead, be kind as you cleanse, choosing products that balance and hydrate your skin, rather than leaving it high and dry.
If you’re in the market for a gentle, yet effective cleanser, our Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser is perfect for the job. It also contains 15 percent vitamin C for added age-busting, antioxidant powers.
2. Buy A Humidifier
Living in a home that’s void of moisture is a terrible idea for your skin. How so? Because science. More to the point, dry air (particularly in winter) will suck every last drop of moisture from your skin. To counteract the effects of cranking up the heating or air conditioning, invest in a humidifier for your bedroom and/or home office – these are the rooms you spend most of your time in, after all.
Can’t afford a humidifier right now? Just place a bowl of water in your room to help add moisture back into the air.
3. Practice A Little Facial Yoga
Working out your face is a great way to improve circulation, build tone and help reduce sagging skin or unwanted expression lines. It’s also free and can be easily done while you’re at your desk, making dinner or watching TV.
Some of our favorite exercises include: puffing out your cheeks repeatedly; looking towards the ceiling and pouting for a few seconds; or opening your mouth super-wide, sticking your tongue out and roaring like a lion. Repeat each of these, five times a day and you’ll start to notice a real difference in the clarity and firmness of your skin.
4. Wear SPF Every Day
According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), the sun plays a major role in the way and speed in which your skin prematurely ages. And we have to agree, the sun is a complete disaster area. The problem is UV radiation – specifically UVA and UVB radiation. UVA rays penetrate deep into the skin where they cause free radical damage and break down collagen and elastin. Meanwhile, UVB rays are responsible for tanning and burning which is just as bad for both your skin and your overall health – two words: skin cancer.
Stay out of the midday sun, for sure, and protect your skin whenever you spend time outdoors. We always recommend applying a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ to exposed areas, including your hands.
5. Eat A Healthy Diet
While anything in moderation is OK, a diet that’s super high in the likes of sugar, salt, processed meats, bad fats and refined carbs will be pretty rough on your complexion. Sugar and refined carbs, for example, attach themselves to proteins in your skin in a process called glycation which damages valuable collagen and can result in any number of aging concerns like wrinkles, dark circles, enlarged pores, the works. Meanwhile, an overload of salt draws water from your skin, making it more prone to dryness, dehydration and everything that goes with it.
Make sure you don’t overdo the bad stuff, while upping your intake of antioxidant-rich, collagen-preserving fruit and veggies. Avocados, broccoli, red bell peppers, watercress, blueberries and pomegranates all have powerful anti-aging properties. Also, don’t forget your omega 3 fatty acids – found in nuts and oily fish – to help keep your skin soft, supple and plump.
6. Never Forget To Moisturize
Just like gentle cleansing and sun protection, moisturizing your skin is one step in your routine that should never be dismissed. Yes, even if you have oily skin. Water (especially hot water) strips your skin of its natural oils, so always apply a lotion or cream after washing to reduce dryness.
Look for moisturizers that contain a clever combination of humectants (these draw water to the skin) and emollients (which lock it in) for the best results. We love our Vitamin C Daily Facial Moisturizer which contains jojoba oil, glycerin, shea butter and vitamin E, so it literally checks all those boxes. And more.
7. Quit Smoking
Do we seriously need to go here? OK, well if you are a smoker and the damage it can cause to your health isn't enough to make you stop, hopefully this will.
“The more cigarettes you smoke and the longer you smoke, the more likely you are to develop wrinkles and other age-associated changes to your face,” explain experts at the Mayo Clinic.
Tobacco affects the elasticity, texture, tone and even the color of your skin. It also impairs healing and may worsen conditions like eczema and psoriasis.
Not. Good.
8. Turn Your Frown Upside Down
Frowning contracts the underlying muscles on your forehead, so if you frown repeatedly it’ll cause annoying lines beneath your brows (AKA ‘elevens’) to become prematurely etched in.
To reduce your chances of getting frown lines early in life, wear sunglasses whenever you’re outside to stop you from squinting. And if you find yourself frowning or squinting when you read, type or watch TV, it could be time for an eye test. Just saying.
9. Sleep. Lots.
Insufficient or poor sleep is one of the biggest beauty no-nos because overnight is when collagen production peaks to help heal, restore and repair your skin. The National Sleep Foundation recommends between seven and nine hours of sleep every night. So, come on y’all, Netflix will still be there tomorrow.
For some quality zzzs, make sure your bedroom isn’t too hot or cold, never eat a big meal before bed and… Put. Your. Smartphone. Down. The National Sleep Foundation also recommends using essential oils like lavender to help calm your mind and ease you into a good night’s sleep. Oh, and try not to sleep with your face smushed into the pillow night after night as this can exacerbate crease lines. And they might not spring back like they used to ten years ago.
10. Apply A Nightly Retinol
Last but not least, if you haven’t already done so, it’s time to embrace the mightiest of anti-aging skincare ingredients, retinol.
Retinol has an almost magical way of ‘communicating’ with your skin cells to make them produce more collagen and turn over more efficiently. This is excellent news for your skin because more collagen equals younger, firmer, plumper skin, while efficient cell turnover results in more radiance, healthier pores and fewer issues with pigmentation. This might sound too good to be true, but derms, beauty editors and every other skin expert you can think of swear by the powers of retinol (and its prescription-only cousin, tretinoin).
Retinol is a potent ingredient however, so you should always perform a patch test first, before slowly introducing it into your routine.
Just one last thing before we go. Remember, we don’t expect you to make every single one of these changes immediately (we’re not complete savages). But a little tweak here and there will make a whole world of difference. That is all.
10 Ways To Keep Your Skin Looking Younger For Longer
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Valentine’s Day was fast approaching. People around the world were making plans to impress their would-be sweethearts and surprise their significant others with something lovely.
But the one soul who was supposed to be the busiest of all leaned back in a recliner and stared at the clouds above. Cupid was hopelessly out of ideas.
Simply put, the God of Desire had grown bored of his job. He felt like he had tried every trick in the books to make people fall in love. What fun was there in repeating the same old routine over and over again?
None at all, Cupid thought with a heavy sigh. He let his head flop to the side and found himself staring into a gold-rimmed mirror that floated around in his abode.
He ran his eyes over his golden locks, before stopping to examine his own, divinely sculpted face. The youthful, flawless skin that mortals couldn’t help but love…
Achieving A Divinely Smooth Skin
Suddenly, Cupid leapt up. How could he have been so blind to the obvious? If he were to give people a skin as perfect as his own, they couldn’t help but fall head over heels for each other!
But how could he do such a thing?
Cupid rushed to his work desk and started making plans. Naturally, he would have to infuse his famous arrows with something that would make their target’s skin immaculately desirable.
But no ordinary love potion would do. Cupid deduced that only the most powerful concoction could work. Something that was prepared from the very core elements of Valentine’s Day — flowers, chocolate, and opposites.
Flowers for Valentine’s Day
The harbinger of love started with the easiest element: flowers. To begin with, there was no more classic a flower for Valentine’s Day than roses. And so, he
produced from his inventory of incredible ingredients a bottle of TruSkin Rose Water Toner.
With more than a dozen roses in a single bottle, it was the perfect starting point for gently hydrating and refreshing anyone’s skin. “And the key word here is ‘anyone,’” thought Cupid, as he knew the Rose Water was perfect for any skin type.
He added a few drops of the Rose Water into a small golden mixing pot before moving onto his next ingredient. It had to be something that would fight signs of aging around the eyes and was packed with floral extracts, including sunflower, evening primrose, rosehip, geranium, and honeysuckle. Something like TruSkin Anti-Aging Eye Cream.
With the eye area taken care of, Cupid then required something to defy aging on the entire face, and to unclog pores and soothe irritated skin. He knew just what to use — TruSkin Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum contained just the right mix of tea tree, rosehip, lavender, geranium, and ylang ylang extracts for his purposes.
The floral bouquet in his mixing pot was almost complete, but Cupid felt it still needed something more. That’s when it hit him — he could add just a bit of TruSkin Vitamin C Facial Cleanser. It’s floral ingredients, like rosehip oil, would clear anybody’s skin and make it look irresistibly healthy.
The Sweetest Chocolate
With all the flower-based ingredients in place, Cupid turned his attention to chocolate. He pondered for a moment about what to do, before adding a bit more TruSkin Eye Cream into the mix.
After all, it did contain organic cocoa butter. Cupid had no doubt that it would help moisturize the fragile skin around the eye area, giving whomever his arrows hit the perfect lids to bat their eyelashes with.
But to truly get the power of cocoa butter into his creation, Cupid needed something else. His mixture required a secret ingredient no one had ever seen before.
He quickly checked around to make sure no cherubs or any other curious beings were in sight. Then, from a hidden stash he pulled out a container of TruSkin Vitamin C Night Cream.
No mortal soul had ever seen such a cream before — they weren’t quite ready for it yet. But it contained the organic cocoa butter Cupid needed. Combined with Vitamin C, rosehip oil, and organic aloe leaf juice, it was just the thing to moisturize and nourish the skin overnight so that those stung by Cupid’s arrows would look just as radiant the next morning as they had on Valentine’s Day.
Attractive Opposites
With the Night Cream added to the mixture it was time for Cupid to include the final element – opposites. Everyone knows that opposites attract, so it was only
natural for Cupid to incorporate such a thing into his concoction.
He began by dividing his mixture into two different containers. He then grabbed the two bottles of TruSkin Day/Night Duo Serums.
Into the first container he added the Vitamin C Day Serum. Its Vitamins C and E, together with Hyaluronic Acid, would protect people’s skin and prevent it from being damaged by environmental factors and UV light.To the second container went the Retinol Night Serum. Cupid knew that its Green Tea extracts and Retinol would soothe the skin and support collagen production. After all, who could resist a soft, youthful skin?
Off to Spread the Love
Finally, Cupid’s work was done. He reveled in the moment, admiring his skin-reinforcing love potions. Creating them had been such an obvious idea that he couldn’t believe he’d never thought of it.
There was only one more thing left for Cupid to do. He fetched his quiver and divided his arrows into two bundles – one he dipped into the first mixture, and the other into the second.
The skin-reviving potions were so powerful that even the magical wood of Cupid’s arrow shafts smoothed out perfectly. The God of Desire smiled to himself, imagining just how amazingly it would work on lovebirds all around the world.
Cupid hung his quiver next to his famed bow and returned to his recliner. He sat back down, but not to mope around. This time, he was all giddy and couldn’t wait for Valentine’s Day to come.
DISCLAIMER: TruSkin recommends always using our products according to label instructions. Cupid might have the divine powers to mix them into one magical lotion, but we mortals should use skincare products one at a time.
Cupid’s Secret Recipe to Perfect Valentine’s Day Skin
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No matter who your Valentine is this year, awesome skincare is officially the best gift you could give them.
Without doubt, it’s been a tough year for everybody, so what better time to put a smile on someone’s face than with a fabulous gift for Valentine’s Day? And while roses and chocolates are all well and good, effective skincare offers way more bang for your buck.
So, whether you want to share the love with your mum, sibling, partner or BFF these super popular TruSkin treats promise to brighten up anyone’s day. And far be it from us to dissuade you from employing the ‘one for them, one for me’ rule while you’re shopping. It'd be rude not to, right?
1. Niacinamide Serum
Ideal For: Your Favorite Gal
The newest member of our TruSkin line-up and fast becoming a fan favorite, Niacinamide Serum is a real boost for the skin. Otherwise known as vitamin B3, niacinamide is an effective antioxidant that works hard to fight free radical damage caused by environmental and lifestyle stress. And we all know how stressful life is right now.
Niacinamide also helps strengthen the skin’s natural barrier function and regulates oil production to improve the overall health and resiliency of your skin. Our Niacinamide Serum combines all this with the nourishing powers of vitamin E and hyaluronic acid for the perfect day and night treatment that’s ideal for all skin types. A real winner, your BFF will love.
2. Skin Clearing Charcoal Wash
Ideal For: A Special Guy
Stuck for Valentine ideas for the man in your life? Then look no further than Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash which comes packed with activated coconut charcoal. What the heck is activated coconut charcoal? Good question. It’s a super absorbent black powder that’s produced from burning coconut shells and binds itself to toxins, oil and bacteria, then whisks them clean away. This makes it an ideal ingredient for treating oily, combination or acne-prone skin. We've gone one step further, however, and formulated it with soothing aloe, hydrating glycerin and calming lavender essential oil for a cleansing treat that benefits ALL skin types.
Fun fact: one teaspoon of activated charcoal has more surface area than a football field which is why it’s also used in emergency rooms as a quick and effective way to remove ingested poison. Interesting, huh?
3. Daily Facial Rose Water Toner
Ideal For: Treating Yourself
Nothing screams Valentine’s Day more than roses and don’t get us wrong, we’d never turn away a dozen of those red blooms – at any time of the year. But Daily Facial Rose Water Toner offers so much more. As a powerful, yet gentle skincare ingredient, rose water dates back to ancient Egyptian times when it was applied to the skin to help cleanse, heal, hydrate and reduce redness. Rose water also has powerful antibacterial and antioxidant properties and is tolerated by most skin types, often being used to help relieve the symptoms of acne, eczema and dermatitis.
More good news: you won’t find any added nasties in our Daily Facial Rose Water Toner, just pure unadulterated rose petal concentrate. Apply it to damp skin after cleansing to hydrate, heal and lift your skin – as well as your spirits.
4. Retinol Moisturizer
Ideal For: The Skincare Obsessive
Anyone who knows anything about beauty and grooming will be fully aware that retinol is the absolute gold-standard of skincare ingredients. Proven to help improve everything from fine lines and wrinkles, through to skin tone, texture, pigmentation and even acne, retinol is a true icon in the skincare world.
The down side is that retinol can sometimes be a tad drying and irritating for sensitive skin types. And this is where Retinol Moisturizer comes to the rescue. Brimming with vitamins E and B5, plus green tea and hyaluronic acid, it harnesses all the powers of a regular retinol serum, with the added benefits of complete moisturization for all skin types. *Adds five to cart.
5. C-Plus Super Serum
Ideal For: Spoiling Friends And Family
Looking to treat a loved one to a super-charged serum that combines a whole host of cleverly curated skin-loving ingredients? Then C-Plus Super Serum has totally got your back. We’re talking vitamin C, niacinamide, retinol, hyaluronic acid, glycerin, salicylic acid, aloe vera, MSM, the works. And if all those active ingredients make you wonder if this serum will make their (or your!) skin totally freak out, don’t panic because it’s surprisingly gentle. We just recommend applying it two or three times a week to begin with, before upping to every day as the skin acclimates.
C-Plus Super Serum is a real winner for brightening and rejuvenating most skin types while fighting the signs of aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, sagging and hyperpigmentation. And we truly believe that.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Valentine’s Gifts Everybody (Including You!) Will Love
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Your skin would be nothing without collagen and elastin. So, you should probably know a little bit more about what they are and what they do, right?
Collagen and elastin are constantly written about in the beauty world. In fact, we challenge you to find one, just one skincare article that doesn’t mention them at least once. Bet you can’t. And the reason is simple: collagen and elastin are two of the most important proteins in your skin. In fact, they’re present in all your tissues and organs... but we’ll stick with skin for now. Because that’s what we’re good at, after all;)
What Exactly Is Collagen?
As previously mentioned, collagen is a protein. But it’s not just any old protein. It’s actually the most abundant one in the whole of your body and accounts for between 70 and 80 percent of all proteins within the skin. You’ll find it just underneath the surface of your skin, in the dermis, where it’s produced by a network of cells called fibroblasts.
What's The Function Of Collagen In The Skin?
Collagen provides structure and strength to your skin by acting like scaffolding to hold it all together. Remember how firm and plump your skin was in your teens and early 20s? Yeah, that was all thanks to an abundance of collagen. It's also a major player in maintaining healthy cell turnover which rids your complexion of dulling dead skin cells so new, fresh ones can replace them.
The sad news is collagen production dramatically decreases with age and environmental damage. The sun, of course, is one of the worst offenders, but things like eating too much sugar, smoking and poor sleep all play havoc with your collagen. And these nasties not only affect how much collagen your skin churns out, but also the quality of what it does produce. Dang.
What About Elastin?
Like collagen, elastin is synthesized by fibroblasts in the dermis. It’s the second most abundant protein in your body, but it only makes up around 2 or 3 percent of all proteins found in the skin which is small fry compared to its collagen cousin. This doesn’t make elastin any less important, however. Together, they work like a fine-tuned machine to maintain healthy, youthful-looking skin.
What's The Function Of Elastin In The Skin?
Elastin is about 1000 times more flexible than collagen so, while collagen provides support and strength, elastin gives your skin flexibility and elasticity. It's what helps your skin bounce back into place after you pinch it, for example.
Skin loses elasticity as you get older thanks to a natural degradation of elastin, but those same environmental and lifestyle aggressors also play their part. This is why as you age and are more exposed to the elements, your skin can become thin, loose and saggy.
What Are The Best Ways To Boost Collagen & Elastin In Your Skin?
The good news is all is not lost for your collagen and elastin simply because you’ve hit the wrong side of age 30. In fact, there are plenty of ways to help maintain and even boost your levels.
1. Don’t Let The Sun Beat Down On You
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, the sun is bad news for your skin. Like, really bad. We understand there’s nothing better than the feeling of the sun beating down on your skin, but the damage it causes is just not worth it. UV radiation weakens collagen and elastin fibers, causing them to break down way quicker than normal. And trust us, age does a good enough job of that on its own, so don’t let the sun make things ten times worse. Instead, always protect your skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that contains at least SPF 30.
2. Get Plenty Of ZZZs
While your body and brain are asleep, your skin gets super busy repairing and recharging itself. Cells start to turn over quicker and collagen production amps up, big time. It figures, therefore, that if you skimp on your sleep, your levels of collagen and elastin will become seriously affected and your skin will never be able to live up to its full potential. Lack of sleep also produces higher levels of cortisol, the dreaded stress hormone, which breaks down collagen and elastin and welcomes premature aging with open arms.
The answer? Get your eight hours every single night and help your skin hydrate, restore and heal itself as you sleep with a super-charged treatment like our Retinol Moisturizer.
3. Cut Down On Sweet Treats
Simple carbs and refined white sugar? More stuff that might be temporarily good for the soul, but are in fact hell for collagen and elastin. And it’s all because of a process called glycation.
Glycation is when sugars in your bloodstream attach themselves to collagen and elastin and turn into ‘advanced glycation end’ products (AGEs). AGEs have no good qualities, but instead wreak havoc on all that lovely collagen and elastin, weakening them and making them become hard and inflexible. This makes your skin look dull and increases the visible signs of aging like sagging, fine lines and wrinkles.
Reduce your sugar intake by swapping out refined sugar, corn syrup, fruit juices and carbs for more protein-rich foods. Ha, easier said than done, right? OK, then at least try to cut down on the sweet stuff.
4. Protect Your Skin With Antioxidants
When it comes to what you put on your skin, some of the most effective ingredients for boosting collagen production and maintaining levels of elastin are antioxidants such as hyaluronic acid and vitamin C.
How so? Because antioxidants are essential for counteracting damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable atoms that are created by your skin after exposure to too much sun and pollution. In order to stabilize themselves, free radicals steal electrons from collagen and elastin which causes no end of damage. The good thing about antioxidants, however, is they have the power to donate electrons without losing their stability which allows collagen and elastin to go about their business without fear of being broken down and damaged.
Try our C-Plus Super Serum for a potent antioxidant hit of vitamin C, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide. Free radicals stand no chance...
The takeaway from all of this? Simple. Look after your collagen and elastin and they will do their best to look after you.
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