Peptides in skincare are cell-signaling molecules that influence the behaviour of our skin cells. Depending on the molecular weight of the peptide, some influence our skin cells by a series of cascade responses, while other peptides can penetrate the skin and get right to the source of where we want that cellular influence to happen.

Cleansing balms, or oleo gels, are products where the oil has been mixed with a gentle surfactant, usually sucrose laurate (this is what we use in our Omega Cleansing Balm). Sucrose laurate also happens to gel oils, making a beautiful gelled texture that glides gently and easily onto the skin. When the product comes in contact with water, it turns into a milk, which is why these oleo gels are also called “oil to milk cleansers”. The bonus with a cleansing balm is that it hybridizes the best of both oil cleansing method and surfactant cleansers - you’re able to use oils to remove all the lipid-soluble debris from the skin, restore and protect the lipid matrix, and also effectively remove the oil from the skin, without stripping the skin.

Skin barrier repair is of critical importance if you struggle with dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, acne-prone skin and aging skin. The best skin barrier repair products will be those that mind the cellular components of the skin barrier and help support biochemical process that happen right within the cell. And the best skin barrier repair products don’t just come in a cream or serum - your cleanser, toner and/or essence ingredients matter too. Read on to learn what the best skin barrier repair products are and why you need them in your skincare regimen.

Collagen has become a trendy supplement in the anti-aging industry - and for a good reason. There are a number of studies, as well as consumer reports touting the benefits of a daily dose of collagen in the diet. Let’s dive into the different sources of collagen and all the benefits of supplementing with a collagen powder.

If our skin microbiome is out of balance (something we call “dysbiotic” or having “dysbiosis”), it can set the stage for increased skin cell sloughing, a compromised skin barrier, a less ideal skin pH and virulent bacterial overgrowth. All of this leads to inflammation in the skin, papules, pustules…acne. So how can we repair and protect our skin microbiome?

With the K-beauty phenomenon a couple years ago, oil cleansing became a thing again. Of course, there are many cultures around the world and throughout history who have used oil as a cleansing method. And for good reason - there are a list of benefit to your skin with oil cleansing! But that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone.

Ah oils…for many years we’ve been led to believe that especially if we have acne-prone skin, we should be avoiding oils on our skin at all cost. It’s now 2021 and this is so not the case anymore.

Not gonna lie, when I first heard about oil cleansing I was super skeptical about it. For someone with acne-prone sensitive skin, I was skeptical. Fast forward to today, I’m a complete convert. Oil cleansing is one of the greatest skincare decisions I’ve made.

Light therapy has been gaining in popularity over recent years, as a tool for healing acne as well as touting other skin benefits like anti-aging. Here’s my honest, research-based opinion.

Oil cleansing is not a new concept - it comes from the idea that like dissolves like.

Part 2 of the series discusses another 4 toxic ingredients to watch for + avoid in your skincare products.

Here are the first four ingredients to avoid in your skincare products (and why).

Using direct acids in your skincare regimen doesn’t need to be scary.