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

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

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

Why Should You Exfoliate?

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

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

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

What Are The Different Types Of Exfoliation?

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

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

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

3 Ways To Exfoliate Like A Pro

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

1. Be Savvy About Your Skincare

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

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

2. Go Gently – The Only Way To Go

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

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

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

3. Always Follow With Moisturizer & Sunscreen

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Important Fact: Your Skin Needs Oil

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

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

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

Why Is Some Skin Oiler Than Others?

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

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

The Downsides Of Oily Skin

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

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

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

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

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

1. DO Resist The Urge To Over-Cleanse

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

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

2. DO Perfect Your Moisturizing Game

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

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

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

3. DON’T Touch Your Face

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

4. DO Apply A Retinol Treatment

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

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

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

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

6. DO Get Some Salicylic Acid In Your Skincare Routine

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

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

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

Morning skin can often look kind of ‘meh’ – especially if you’ve over-indulged the night before, of course. But with these easy beauty hacks, glowing skin is just around the corner. 

As you all know, lack of sleep, stress, late-night pizza and a few too many pinots are a recipe for disastrous skin. But here’s the thing: life’s not been easy this past year and stuff gets in the way. Yes, in an ideal world you’d get great sleep every night, your emotional wellbeing would be top of the world, a healthy diet would be taken for granted and your all-round perfect lifestyle, would be, well, just perfect.

But you don’t live in a permanent state of perfection. In fact, nobody does. So, all you can ask is to try your best and give yourself a break – for the sake of your skin and your entire well-being. And great news, people: even though looking after yourself is the single most important way to maintain a radiant, youthful complexion, there are many other easy tricks you can employ to help get your skin’s glow on.

Here are eight of the most tried and tested hacks that are simple, but super effective for maintaining wide-awake skin. Even when inside you might be anything but. 

1. Say Hello To Regular Exfoliation

Whether you’re a fan of physical exfoliators like scrubs and cleansing brushes, or prefer a chemical exfoliator like our Daily Facial Toner, one thing’s for sure, exfoliating your skin is one of the best ways to get the blood flowing to your skin.

Exfoliating helps remove dulling dead skin cells from the surface of your skin to reveal a smoother, clearer complexion. It’s as simple as that. Just remember, if your skin is sensitive, don’t go too mad with AHAs or exfoliate too often with a facial scrub as you could cause irritation and dryness.

Literally the opposite of what you were intending.

2. Don’t Even Dream Of Going To Bed In Your Makeup

It’s late, you’re tired/tipsy and you can’t be bothered to properly cleanse your face before bed. We’ve all been there. But think about this for a second: your skin has been sitting behind that makeup for anywhere from 12 to maybe 16 hours. And that’s a helluva long time for it to collect grime, bacteria, chemicals and environmental pollution that could potentially clog your pores and stop your skin from renewing itself as you sleep. Your skin needs to naturally slough off dead skin cells overnight, but makeup will stop it from doing so, making it look increasingly duller the more you skip your overnight cleansing sesh. And if your makeup contains oils? Well, you might as well invite breakouts onto your skin for a permanent pimple party.

Make sure you fully cleanse every night before bed, using a gentle but effective cleanser like our Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser which contains the added brightening benefits of vitamin C. More on the mighty vitamin C in a sec...

3. Boost Your Skin With Facial Massage

Make facial massage a part of your morning cleansing routine and your skin will instantly look healthier and more radiant. As with exfoliation, massage increases blood flow to your skin which boosts collagen production and helps remove toxins. It also helps work the muscles for firmer, more youthful looking skin. And that’s always a bonus.

For a fabulous morning radiance boost, use your hands and pads of your fingers to really work your skin in upwards motions as you cleanse. Finish with a quick rinse of cool water to further boost circulation.

4. Hang Your Head Upside Down

If you’re a yoga bunny, doing a headstand every day is an amazing way to increase the flow of blood, oxygen and nutrients to your face to really get your glow on. But not everyone has the ability to safely stand on their heads, so if this doesn’t sound like your jam, simply tip your head upside down for a couple of minutes every day and you’ll get the exact some results – minus the core strength, of course. Skincare expert and celebrity aesthetician, Renée Rouleau recommends lying on your tummy and hanging your head forward over the edge of your bed for three minutes per day to help boost your inner glow.

5. Make Friends With Vitamin C

When it comes to radiance-boosting skincare ingredients, vitamin C is the nuts. A mild exfoliant and potent antioxidant, vitamin C helps soften the look of hyperpigmention while protecting the skin from the sun and other environmental aggressors to help prevent new dark spots from developing. It also works hard to brighten and wake-up up your skin as a side-note – kind of like a morning shot of double espresso for your skin... but way better for you;)

Try introducing a vitamin C serum like our C-Plus Super Serum into your daily routine, applying just a small amount to clean skin after toning and before moisturizing. Vitamin C packs a punch, however, so always perform a patch test first to check for sensitivities.

6. Quench Your Thirst… And Your Skin

A thirsty body is a thirsty complexion and dry, dehydrated skin is so not the way to go if you’re in the market for a radiant glow. Therefore, make sure you drink plenty of fluids – especially if you suffer with puffy skin and bags under your eyes due to water retention. Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning and keep a bottle on your desk to sup throughout the day.

When we say drink lots, however, this doesn't necessarily mean you have to stick with water. Herbal teas and fresh juices are also great ways to hydrate. Fruit and veggies contain fibre, nutrients and antioxidants that help flush out toxins and fight skin-damaging free radicals, so up your juicing game with superfoods like carrots, beetroot, tomatoes, cucumber, pomegranate and papaya – all of which are awesome for glowing skin.

7. Lay Off The Heavy Makeup

When your skin is looking particularly sad, it’s tempting to pile on the foundation and concealer. But masking your skin with heavy makeup can sit in your fine lines and pores where it won’t fool anyone. Instead, apply makeup only where you need it. For your foundation, stick with light, mineral-based formulations and apply it on blemishes or uneven areas of your skin. Blend it well over these specific areas only and it’ll look way more natural than an all-over mask of foundation.

For dark, under eye circles, a great trick is to apply a light-reflecting concealer to the inner corners of your eyes only. This is often where dark circles are most obvious so if you lighten up this area it’ll instantly open up your eyes. Finish with a touch of color over the apples of your cheeks, a little gloss or balm on your lips and you’ll be amazed by how such a little amount of makeup can transform a tired face.

8. Curl Your Eyelashes

OK, so this one has nothing to do with your skin, but trust us, curling your eyelashes will instantly make your eyes and consequently your whole face look younger and more wide-awake. Honestly, try it on mornings when you feel like an extra from The Walking Dead and you’ll never look back.  

And now, you are officially ready to take on the world. Eight hours of sleep or not...

Dreaming of the skin you had when you were age 12? Hard truth: it’s never going to return. And that’s OK because lines and wrinkles are a fact of life. But why? Read on for the science behind why your skin ages…

Growing old is all part and parcel of, well, growing old. But this doesn’t mean you’re not allowed to get annoyed by every new wrinkle, dark spot, saggy body part and gray hair. Knowing how they got there, however, is all part of accepting your body and working with what mother nature gave you.

So, let’s get all sciencey for a minute, shall we? Don’t fret, we’re not talking Sheldon Cooper levels of science, but a bit of knowledge about why your skin ages won’t go amiss now, will it? (And remember, if there's ever anything else you want to know about your skin and/or our products, please shout!)

The first thing you need to know about skin aging is that there are two different types that work together to determine how quickly and the extent to which your skin shows signs of visible aging, namely intrinsic and extrinsic aging.

What Is Intrinsic Aging?

Determined by genetics, intrinsic aging (aka chronological or natural aging) happens over time and is totally out of your control. This means that whatever you do and however much you care for your skin, this type of aging will happen. It's called nature.

So, why is this the case? Well, many factors come into play, but it’s mainly because production of all that good stuff beneath the surface of your skin starts to slow down and degrade as you age. This includes: collagen which strengthens and plumps your skin; elastin which makes it springy and pliable; natural oils which keep it soft and supple; glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and hyaluronic acid for hydration, and ceramides which protect your skin and help retain moisture. Studies show that after the age of 20, for example, your skin starts to produce 1 percent less collagen every year. All this ‘slowing down’ works to make your skin thinner, drier, more delicate, more prone to damage and less likely to heal so quickly.

But that’s not all. You naturally lose fat below the skin’s surface as you get older and this often manifests itself in loose skin around your jawline, sunken eyes and/or less plump cheeks. Bone loss – which starts to slowly happen at age 40 – also plays its part, causing the skin around your mouth and chin to become puckered and wrinkled.

The good news is that despite intrinsic aging being completely out of your control, it only plays a small part in what you see in the mirror. That's where extrinsic aging comes into play – the true bad cop in this story…

What Is Extrinsic Aging?

On top of the whole Mother Nature, Father Time thing comes extrinsic aging – a far more controllable, but way more powerful beast.

Extrinsic aging is the process that takes place as a result of environmental and lifestyle stressors. The main culprit here is the sun (no surprise there) which is why extrinsic aging is often known as photoaging. However, there are plenty of other offenders that play their part. Pollution, emotional stress, alcohol, smoking, a poor diet, lack of sleep, you know the drill…

Every factor involved in extrinsic aging causes what’s known as oxidative stress on the skin – a process in which the balance of antioxidants (your skin’s natural defense mechanism) vs free radicals (damage-inducing molecules) gets thrown way off. This onslaught of free radicals then attack and break down important proteins in the skin’s dermis including collagen and elastin, which is a one-way ticket to premature skin aging such as fine lines, wrinkles, thin skin, lack of radiance, sun spots and sagging.

On top of all that, lack of sleep and emotional stress also increase the levels of cortisol in your body which encourages inflammation in your skin, further depletes collagen and elastin, and plays havoc with your barrier function – the top protective layer of your skin that keeps essential moisture in and damaging toxins out. Compromise this important protective barrier and you’re asking for trouble in the form of dryness, dehydration, inflammation and itchy skin.

All this spells disaster for the youthfulness of your skin. 

So, Can You Protect Your Skin Against Intrinsic and Extrinsic Aging?

When it comes to intrinsic aging, no. But extrinsic aging? Absolutely. Lifestyle-wise try to sleep more, booze less, don’t smoke, eat better, stay out of the sun and be less stressed. And yes, we know these are easier said than done, but trust us, they’ll go a long way to enjoying a more youthful-complexion – especially if you simultaneously kick-start an effective, anti-aging skincare routine.

To do so, treat your skin with care (no zealous scrubbing on a daily basis, capeesh?) and introduce an antioxidant serum into your regimen to help protect your skin from environmental damage. Anything containing vitamin C is going to be super effective at neutralizing free radicals, specifically those bad boys produced from the sun and the harmful effects of the ozone. Apply yours every morning to clean skin before moisturizing for the best results.

Sunscreen with a broad-spectrum protection of SPF 30 or more is also an important step in your routine. And yes, you do need to apply it all year round. No discussion.

Finally, never forget to moisturize – no matter how oily you think your complexion is. Moisturizing helps strengthen and maintain that protective barrier we talked about earlier making it vital for the health and look of your skin.

At any age.

Effective skincare is fundamentally the same, whichever gender you identify with. But when facial hair is thrown into the mix, there are added concerns to contend with.

Whether you like to sport a full beard, are never without a goatee or prefer being completely clean shaven, the ability to grow facial hair can cause all manner of nasties for your skin. We’re talking anything from gnarly pimples to a dry, itchy chin rash. And we’d bet neither of these are ever going to score high on your skincare wishes.
 
But all is not lost, because most shave-related skincare concerns are easily resolved with a few smart skincare choices. So, if your beard is causing you to breakout or your ‘stache is giving you the itch, it’s time to hone your grooming skills.

Here's how...

The Problem: Beard Acne

What Causes It: Breakouts around beard hair is a very common problem and comes mostly down to hygiene. How so? Because, even if you’re fairly vigilant about cleansing the skin on your face, grooming your beard often gets forgotten about. Massive mistake. Beard hair collects dirt, dust, grime and all sorts throughout the day, which, if left to their own devices breed bad bacteria and aggravate your skin, causing blocked pores and unwanted acne flare-ups.

The Solution: Make sure you cleanse your face, chin and neck thoroughly, morning and night. But don’t be fooled into buying oil-stripping cleansers that suck all the life out of your skin as these will make it way oilier which could lead to further breakouts. Instead, choose a mild, but effective face wash like our Skin Clearing Charcoal Face Wash. This combines activated coconut charcoal which draws out bacteria and toxins from the skin, while aloe vera and lavender help soothe and heal.

The Problem: Razor Rash

What Causes It: Anyone with slightly sensitive skin knows that feeling of burning, red raw skin you get after shaving. Things like shaving your skin while it’s dry is terrible for aggravating your skin and causing razor rash (aka razor burn), because it strips away the top layer of your skin. Using a crappy blade that’s been around longer than your toothbrush is also asking for trouble.

The Solution: Soak your skin with warm water for a good couple of minutes before shaving to soften both your skin and hair, and swap out your razor blade often to make sure you only ever shave with a sharp blade. Exactly how often will depend entirely on how frequently you shave, but if your razor starts to pull at your skin or feels rough or snaggy when you use it, that’s a sign right there.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) also recommends downsizing your tool to just a single- or double-blade razor as multi-blades can sometimes be a tad too efficient, especially if you have sensitive or dry skin.

After shaving, always finish with a gentle moisturizing serum or lotion to preserve moisture and protect your natural barrier function. Our awesome Hyaluronic Acid Serum will take care of business nicely.

The Problem: Crazy Dry Skin

What Causes It: Shaving inevitably exfoliates your skin by removing the top layers as you glide your razor across your face and neck. And while gentle exfoliation is generally a good thing, shaving every day can be too much and may end up compromising your skin’s natural barrier which is important for keeping toxins and irritants out, while sealing moisture in.

The Solution: Dry, sensitive skin is mostly genetic, but if you employ a few simple shaving solutions you'll easily avoid exacerbating the situation. Your best bets are to keep well away from shaving foams, creams or gels that contain known skin irritants such as fragrance, alcohol and dyes; don’t be heavy-handed with your razor and try a single- or double-blade for a kinder shave.

Of course you must also moisturize, moisturize and maybe moisturize a wee bit more. Even better, moisturize when your skin is still slightly damp after shaving to help seal in water and keep your skin soft and supple for longer. Try our Vitamin C Daily Facial Moisturizer which contains jojoba oil and shea butter for next-level moisturization, minus any of that sticky residue many moisturizers often leave behind. Just remember, as with all new skincare products, perform a patch test first – especially if you have super sensitive skin.

The Problem: Ingrown Hairs

What Causes It: If you’re often plagued with painful, red bumps on your neck or jawline, you’ll hear us when we say how annoying ingrown hairs are. Well, if it’s any consolation (probably not), they happen to almost everyone. However, they’re especially common for those with wavy or curly hair. They occur when a hair that’s been shaven, plucked or even waxed does not leave the follicle, but grows back into the skin and under the surface. This often causes inflammation in the follicle which results in red, skin-colored or dark (depending on your hair color) bumps that are often mistaken for pimples. Ingrown hairs can also become itchy, but scratching and picking at them will just cause further infection and hyperpigmentation. So, don’t do that.

The Solution: Practising smart shaving is paramount so, as with razor rash, always shave after soaking your skin in warm water for a few minutes and never use anything less than a sharp blade. The Mayo Clinic also advises you avoid pulling your skin taut while you shave because this encourages hairs to grow inwards rather than out.

Keeping your skin soft, exfoliated and well moisturized is super important with this one because dry, dead skin cells block your pores, causing further issues with ingrown hairs. Try applying our Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum regularly which contains salicylic acid and retinol to encourage cell turnover, as well as anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory tea tree oil.

Who knew your smartphone was yet another thing to be concerned about in the war against aging skin?

There are many arguments against allowing your smartphone to rule your life 24/7. Stopping you from living in the moment, making you have a crappy night’s sleep, the lack of real-life social interaction (although that’s not happening much right now) and so on.

Well, here’s another one to add to the list: wrinkles.

If you can remember life before cell phones, chances are you’re currently in the throngs of middle age when fine lines and wrinkles are already a given. And even if you were born in the ‘90s and don’t legitimately recall a time in adult life when you didn’t own some kind of mobile device, you may still be concerned about the visible signs of skin aging. And good on you – prevention is better than cure, after all.

So, just how is your phone adding to your aging woes? Well, firstly, it’s all about the way in which you look at your phone while texting, browsing social media or playing Words With Friends etc. Constantly looking down is a repetitive movement and you all know what repetitive movements mean? Yes, fine lines and wrinkles. In this case, we're talking about those annoying creases or bands around the circumference of your neck, aka ‘tech neck.’ Similarly, squinting and frowning at your phone will do nothing for the lines on your forehead and around your eyes. Sigh.

But your actions aren’t the only thing to blame for this premature aging battle with technology. Your smartphone also has a lot to answer for: namely high-energy visible (HEV) light.

HEV light is a high-frequency, high-energy light that sits in the violet-blue part of the visible spectrum and is basically what gives off that blue glare from your phone (as well as your computer, tablet and laptop). Studies have suggested that HEV may have similar, perhaps even more damaging effects on your skin as UV radiation, having the potential to disrupt your skin’s natural barrier function and causing inflammation, pigmentation, collagen damage, premature wrinkles and more. *Swiftly puts phone down.

It’s not all bad news though, people. You just need to think more about how you can protect your skin from your smartphone habits. And here are three simple ways to do just that...

1. Assess How & When You Use Your Phone

It's an obvious one, but take a little digital detox to limit the number of hours you spend on your phone. Put it down after 8 pm, for example, or give yourself one morning off every week. Time out will give your skin the breathing space it needs to regenerate and heal itself.

You could also invest in an earpiece and turn on your Bluetooth setting to minimize the amount of HEV light that hits your skin.

Oh, and make sure you look up (or at least straight ahead), rather than down at your phone all the time. By holding your phone at eye-level, you’ll stop your neck from becoming scrunched up and prematurely wrinkled.

2. Always Protect Your Skin

Great skincare is the foundation to awesome skin, so invest in an effective antioxidant serum that’ll help protect and heal your skin. Vitamins A and E are great options, as is niacinamide which is a winner for more sensitive skin types. Our antioxidants usually contain a combination of at least two antioxidants making them 100 percent up for the challenge of anything you throw at your skin – HEV light included. Try our best-selling Vitamin C Serum for added brightening benefits.

Next, never forget to apply sun protection. There are many sun protective products out there that shout about protecting your skin from HEV light, but in all honesty, any mineral-based broad-spectrum sunscreen (they're the ones containing ingredients like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide) will do the job nicely. Apply it liberally every morning to your face and neck.

Last but not least, turn on the night or dark mode on your phone. This reduces the amount of blue light your device emits in favor of yellow light which is way less damaging.

3. Up Your Overnight Skincare Game

It's literally impossible to have your head in your phone while you’re sleeping, so this is a great time to apply hard-working skincare products to help heal any damage your phone may have caused your complexion throughout the day.

Retinol is a great shout for promoting cell renewal, as are hydroxy acids such as lactic, glycolic and salicylic. And don’t forget to moisturize both your face and neck before bed, using a combination of emollients and humectants such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, shea butter and jojoba oil.

Before we go, one final word on acne.

Cell phones are a total grime magnet, so if you’re a traditionalist and like to use your phone for actually speaking to people (shock, horror!), all that bacteria, oil and dirt will be transmitted straight to your skin where it'll clog pores and possibly lead to irritation and acne flare-ups.

If you suffer with super oily skin that has a tendency to break out, ensure you keep your phone clean. Easy.