Research conducted recently at The International Dermal Institute highlights that most women only spend about 20 seconds on washing their face. This means most are walking through the world with dirty skin.  Like, truly dirty skin! Consider how much time you spend on hair and make-up in the morning … and only 20 seconds to prepare your skin for the day, or to purify and refresh it at the end of a long day! We think that deserves an ‘ewwwww’.

Unfortunately with smog, grime and long lasting make-up a 20 second splash of water just won’t cut it. Our skin is actually now “dirtier” than it was in our mother’s and grandmother’s time, thanks to the presence of environmental pollutants and long-wearing, non-smudging make-up.

A splash of water and 20 seconds with your cleanser can’t penetrate the layer of oil-based debris that coats the skin’s surface. In fact, even a more thorough cleansing with a surfactant- based cleanser won’t fully melt down this barrier. What we really need to do is say hello to the double cleanse. The double cleanse has been part of the professional skin treatment for many years, it’s time we all shared its dramatic results! The first cleanse will remove impurities and surface dirt while the second cleanse will really clean and cleanse the skin.

So for a professional clean at home, to really have the healthiest glowing skin just try dedicating a little time to your skin every day. Unfortunately unlike the latest fashion we can’t just update our skin, it’s with us forever so definitely worth the investment. Just think… how clean is your skin really?

“I don’t need a moisturiser in the summer.”

While you may not need heavier salves and creams, skin is still feeling the ravages of dry winter and spring weather. Moisturise daily to keep skin hydrated, protected and smooth. Sheer Tint Moisture SPF15 delivers light hydration with a wash of color for a fresh, light summer look without heaviness.

“My skin gets so oily in summer – I’ll just dry it out with a tan.”

Tanning to clear oily skin or even breakouts may intensify your chances of long-term scarring and hyperpigmentation (dark spots). You could also trigger breakouts: there’s an increase in skin cells when skin is exposed to UV light, and this further clogs follicle openings and can lead to the development of breakout bacteria.

To control summer slick and shine, try changing your moisturizer: your Dermalogica professional skin therapist can prescribe Oil Control Lotion to hydrate and maintain an all-day matte finish.

I can’t wear SPF on my face – it (fill in the blanks).”

While some sunscreens sting and burn, feel greasy, or are comedogenic (clog pores), Dermalogica’s Daylight Defense system is a range of highly sophisticated formulas that feel more like moisturisers. These super-functional products are customised for oily skin, dry skin… there’s even a chemical-free sunscreen for sensitive skin!

“What can I do if the damage has been done?”

Treat exposed skin immediately with cooling gels and balms, but be sure to reach for one that also helps repair skin. After Sun Repair is infused with “super botanicals” Clove Oil, Szechwan Pepper, Licorice and Mugwort, all known to help repair DNA damage, reduce inflammation and take the sting off sunburned skin.

Zero humidity, recycled air, chemicals galore and fluctuating temperatures. You’re strapped to your seat with your knees somewhere near your ears.  Sound like in-flight fun to you?  Think about what it’s doing to skin: the unnatural pressurised environment of a plane sucks moisture out of skin, leaving you dehydrated with cracked lips and hands that are super dry.  The lack of moving space also means fluid retention in the ankles, stiff joints and puffy eyes and hands.

In-flight skin care can make your journey much more enjoyable.  What do Dermalogica jet-setters always have in their carry-ons?
Convenient travel-sizes of their skin care favorites!

UltraCalming Cleanser: tiny bathrooms and water need not apply: stay in your seat with this gel/cream cleanser that requires only a tissue for removal (and a little elbow room). 

Dermalogica Toner: Choose your favorite mini-size Dermalogica Toner and stuff it in your purse or briefcase.  Spritz over skin for a little in-flight oasis that hydrates, refreshes and revives.  (Careful not to mist your neighbor…)

Skin Hydrating Booster: This pint-sized product contains Hyaluronic Acid to help smooth fine lines and quench dry spots.  Use around the eyes to brighten up before landing.

Dermalogica Moisturiser: Your prescribed moisturizer will keep skin comfortable, but Barrier Repair will really help shield against the pangs of the plane’s environment. 

Climate Control Lip Treatment: The therapeutic balm practically created for temperature extremes experienced by travelers: swipe over the nostrils, lips, cheekbones, cuticles – any place where skin is thinner or more prone to dehydration.

MultiVitamin Hand and Nail Treatment: It’s gloves in a tube! Apply before, during and after your flight for smooth, hydrated hands, compliments of Pro-Vitamin B5 and antioxidant vitamins C and E.

Daylight Defense: Pack several SPF products, including a customised formula for the face, and WaterBlock SolarSpray SPF30 or convenient Solar Defense Wipes SPF15 for body coverage on the beach, hikes and beyond.

Don’t forget a little water goes along way.  Save the alcohol for your vacation destination, and opt instead for water in-flight.

to see who's been talking up Overnight Repair Serum in the press click here!

What do we all have in common in the summer? Yes it's the return of the thirsty, moisture-starved skin, compliments of crash diets, air conditioning, travel and too many mojitos!  If you’ve always heard summer skin isn’t as dry as it is in the winter, you’re correct.  So why does skin feel so tight? The answer: your skin may actually be dehydrated. 

First things first: dry skin, or allipoid skin, generally refers to skin that is lacking in oil.

Dehydrated skin is characterized by lack of moisture (water).

Even oily skin can experience dehydration, as dehydration is a lack of water in skin – not oil.  This means sebaceous activity can still be normal or even overactive in dehydrated skin. Now you know the difference – so it’s time to cure thirsty skin:

While your first instinct screams for the heavier cream, you could be left with breakouts during warmer months when perspiration levels are higher.  Instead, layer a feather-light, fast-absorbing hydrating fluid beneath your current moisturizer or sunscreen – Skin Hydrating Booster is our top pick.

Spritz all day, every day with Multi-Active Toner –in the morning before moisturizing, as an afternoon refresher at your desk, in the car on your way to the gym… it’s hydrating, absorbs quickly, and won’t leave behind a greasy residue.

Three times a week, calm, soothe and help reduce dehydration with Skin Hydrating Masque.  On hot days, intensify cooling benefits by chilling in the fridge for 5 minutes before you apply. 

While you always wear your sunscreen, it is possible to get caught by the day’s rays.  The damage is done, but the recovery can be quickened.  Trust After Sun Repair to take down redness and inflammation while cooling skin.  After Sun Repair is also a summer must-have for post-waxing sessions!

Give skin a boost by treating it right from the inside out.  Drink at least eight 8-ounces of plain, filtered water every day. 

If you’re a fan of coffee, tea or sodas, balance out the consumption with 3 extra glasses of water. 

Don’t forget about wonderful, water-rich fruits and vegetables including watermelon, apples, grapes, broccoli and blueberries to boost hydration.

We all know that the skin is the body’s largest organ, and I think it’s also the most dazzling performer. It is our first line of defense against the toxins and traumas of the world, protecting our innermost workings from damage. And, it tirelessly refreshes and renews itself.

Honoring this renewal is what inspired me to develop Daily Microfoliant^® ten years ago in October, 2001. A decade later, this product is one of our brand’s absolute top best-sellers. It’s still one of my favorites as well. One of the reasons is that it’s a great “first product” for people who’ve never used anything but soap and water. Feeling and seeing the difference, and experiencing the benefits of safely exfoliated skin every day, changes how people approach and appreciate their hard-working epidermis.

Ten years ago in the USA, it was almost as if women had declared war on their skin. Overexfoliation, in the form of multiple medi-spa procedures and the compounded effects of aggressive products, was rampant. Hopefully, Daily Microfoliant^® has helped to offset this overzealousness.

Daily Microfoliant^® is more relevant than ever, because many women still seek out exfoliation regimens which are simply too aggressive, especially as our population ages. They do this because they have half of the message right: that exfoliation is key to healthier, more supple, “younger”-looking skin.

It is. But like all good things, it is possible to overdo it. Overexfoliation actually worsens the conditions that over-exfoliators set out to scrub and dissolve away — specifically by thinning out the lipid barrier of the skin. Without this resilient natural barrier, skin becomes papery, fragile, and unable to recover from trauma. More fine lines and other common complaints increase. Prudent exfoliation doesn’t strip away this necessary protective barrier layer, but simply lifts the top micro-layer of dead cell-debris which accumulates on the skin surface, dulling the radiance of the skin and preventing treatment products from working at their most effective levels.

Something else also led to the creative process, which ultimately resulted in the formulation of Daily Microfoliant – a phenomenon from long ago and far away. I learned of a tradition in Japan called “Rice Water Beauties.” This tradition arose out of the experiences of generations of Japanese women as they rinsed and handled their dietary staple, rice. These women discovered that, as the result of coming into daily contact with the rinse-water from rice, the skin on their hands grew progressively more supple, smooth and resilient.

Their discovery was significant because, as we all know, the skin on the backs of the hands is the thinnest and most vulnerable on the body. It is even more delicate than the eye area, since the hands contain zero oil glands, and thus do not have any innate protection against dehydration, UV damage and other forms of trauma. As a result, our hands may look more weathered than any other area of our skin. After observing the effects of rice-water on their hands, the tradition expanded: the women began using the rinse-water on their faces, for its refreshing and restorative effects.

After some fascinating investigation, we made rice, in two forms, a key ingredient as we developed our formula. Why and how does it work? Rice Extract contains Phytic Acid, which, among other things, gently brightens areas of hyperpigmentation, to which hands are prone. Rice Bran is a mild physical exfoliant that helps loosen and lift cell debris from the surface of the skin, leaving the texture more refined to the touch, and more polished-looking.

Then, there’s the delight-factor. I wanted a product which would, by its literal, physical feel, convey the idea of transformation: transforming the skin. My concept was a silky, microfine dry powder that would morph into a fluffy polishing paste upon contact with water.

This product development process was an example of how being an entrepreneur often means overcoming obstacles, even when you are (ahem…) The Boss. Yes, my creative team at the time opposed this transformational, powder-to-paste idea. But ten years later, shoppers and skin care professionals around the world confirm the effectiveness, and the joy-factor, every day as they uncover their skin at its freshest and healthiest.

Happy 10th Birthday, Daily Microfoliant^®. Here’s to many more decades to come!

NO NEED TO SING “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” – JUST TWEET your birthday wishes to @dermalogica for #microfoliant10.

Want to learn more on the power of exfoliation? Click here to download consumer friendly tips and best practices to get your skin glowing.

Click here to buy Daily Microfoliant!

Turns out what’s good for your inside is good for your outside! Revitalize your body inside and out with our spring cleaning tips.

Forgo that cup of joe and switch to antioxidant herbal teas like Rooibos, a red tea from South Africa that is packed with antioxidants. You’ll also find vitamin-packed Rooibos in Daily Resurfacer, the brightening, hydrating exfoliant for shedding dull winter skin.

Stress can greatly impact sleep patterns. Massage a calming aromatherapy blend into the lower spine, across the shoulders and into the scalp as part of your nighttime habit to de-stress. Stress Relief Treatment Oil is great an amazing massage medium that also conditions skin dry winter skin – especially when blended with Body Hydrating Cream.

Olive Oil can help flush out toxins and cleanse your internal system. You can also turn to Olive Oil for the ultimate in skin cleansing! Oil-based cleansers efficiently dissolve long-wear make-up, sunscreens and pollution from skin, allowing your regular cleanser to clean deep into skin. PreCleanse lifts oil-based debris and delivers a smoother, nourished surface.

Parsley is way more than a garnish. High in Vitamin C, it is known to help detoxify the body on a cellular level while cleansing the immune system. Natural deodorants also contain Parsley, which helps neutralize strong odors! For an aluminum-free, safe alternative to potentially-irritating anti-perspirants, reach for Environmental Control Deodorant. (Another bonus: it won’t leave behind a white residue!)

Mix It Up, New Zeland's new and improved blog website chooses Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30, Skin Hydrating Booster and Climate Control as their winter must have's this season. Read the entire article here.

Pinch me, I may be dreaming. I have always felt and known that kinship is “skinship” – skin-contact defines us and our relationships. And, as I have just learned, in indigenous Australia, traditional Aboriginal society is organized and structured by an array of systems which give each person their sense of place in society, and in their country. One of these systems in central Australia is a “skin system,” where a person is given a “skin name.”

The skin system is complex – check out these charts I found online, which illustrate some aspects of the lines and boundaries. Among other things, a person’s skin name identifies how you will properly address other people, who you may marry and what kind of art you may make.

Here’s a snippet that will take you further:
http://www.aboriginalartonline.com/art/society.php

I’ve just learned that traditionally, initiated Aboriginal men in the western desert region become custodians of a particular ancestral “Dreaming” (known through art, song and storytelling), which is linked to the landscape, as well as with animals associated with the land.

Different skin names connect to different Dreamings. For instance, someone with the skin-name Jungurrayi might be associated with the landscape site called Patilirri, and with the Patilirrikirli Dreaming (we know this creature as the budgerigar, budgie, or parakeet!). The people linked specifically to this location and animal, and their stories, are permitted by traditional law to create art expressing this Dreaming.

The ownership of these stories is strictly demarcated by tribal skin groups. And, according to Geoffrey Bardon’s study, “Papunya Tula,” these stories or Dreamings overlap, skin to skin, forming a much larger story-fusion, as vast and layered as the Australian continent itself. Forming, in a sense, the skin of the land.

From the beginning of our company, 25 years ago, I instinctively referred to our skin therapists and their clients as our “tribe.” On a really deep level, it makes perfect sense that people of native Australia, representing the oldest continuous civilization on earth, also use “skin” and “skin names” as a metaphor to identify their most essential selves.

Angela Bloomfield, from New Zealand's much loved Shortland Street tells New Idea what Dermalogica product she loves!                                               

When Celebrity Make-Up Artist and Dermalogica enthusiast Tina Turnbow interviewed Liv Tyler for The New York Times Style Magazine, Liv declared her love for Dermalogica. “I always exfoliate with Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant^®. It’s a fine powder you mix in your hands with water, and polish away – it’s wonderful.”

Click here to read the glowing article!