Beach days, Christmas, summer barbies, and test match after test match; summer in Australia sure is debatably one of the best times of the year. However, while the hot weather makes for endless days of fun in the sun, the summer climate and festivities can be harsh on our skin. Airconditioning, excess sun exposure, chlorinated pools and salt water are very dehydrating to the skin, which results in dryness, redness, irritation and overall skin damage. Lollies, sweets, changes in our diet, an increase in alcohol consumption, as well as, the increased stress over the Christmas period, can also wreak havoc on our skin, causing breakouts, redness and inflammation. But before you hop on the next boat to Antarctica, don’t despair, there are plenty of simple tips and tricks that can help keep us flawless all summer long.      

Ah, the good old aircon. Its hard to imagine a summer in Australia without one. I honestly don’t know how my family survived for over 14 years with only a portable fan. They’re a luxurious necessity for most households and for many businesses and offices. However, while working in an artic paradise is no comparison to a 40+ degree day, aircons are more like a double-edged sword when it comes to skin health. While they do help to keep us cool which minimises flushing, redness and heat related irritations, unfortunately the cold air sucks humidity from the environment which causes dehydration, dryness and a whole array of other problems. The drying action of the epidermis disrupts the skins protective barrier layer, and without which, your skin becomes more sensitive, prone to irritation, dull, and itchy. Dehydrated skin also ages faster and more noticeably than hydrated healthy skin. Fine lines and wrinkles begin to form at a faster rate and skin begins to lose its elasticity and takes on a droopier appearance. Using and air humidifier at night or within an airconditioned room can help to combat the lack of moisture in the air and help keep skin hydrated.
 Similarly, chlorinated pools and salt water can also dry out our skin and create irritation. After going for a dip, don’t forget to rinse off with some fresh water and pop on a good moisturiser to combat dehydration.        
 

​While its unthinkable for many of us to even consider shunning the good old aircon during the summer months, or the cheeky trip to the beach/pool, we can combat epidermal moisture loss by ramping up the hydration in our skincare routines. Using a good barrier cream suited to your skin type will help to maintain hydration in the skin and decrease evaporation of moisture from the deeper layers of the skin. Using a refreshing sprits or hydrating mist throughout the day can also help to revitalise dry skin and maintain moisture levels. For an extra boost of hydration during the summer months, adding a hydrating serum such as Ultraeutical’s B2 into your routine will also provide your skin with what it needs. This serum contains masters of moisturisation and anti-inflammatory ingredients, vitamin B5 and B3 to give all-out hydration while soothing your skin. 

​Sun protection is also a must have for when the UV rating is as high as it is during the Australian summer. 90% of aging is a result of accumulated sun damage. UV rays not only burn and harm the DNA of skin cells which causes them to malfunction, mutate and lead to skin cancers, but it also breaks down and slows the production of collagen and elastin, which creates sagging, lines and wrinkles. Sun exposure as well creates pigmentation problems on the skin such as age spots and uneven skin tone, and creates inflammation, which if repeated can become chronic, and lead to cellular stress which again, increases signs of premature aging on the skin. For more info about how important sun protection is not only in summer but the whole year round, see the blog post below.      
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While Christmas is a great time for most people it can also be a very stressful time for many of us which unfortunately, also has an impact on our skin. An increase in stress within our body can increase androgen hormone levels, which intensifies the production of sebum. In turn, this can create oilier skin and breakouts, and that’s definitely not what any of us want for Christmas. Stress also impacts our sleep and as such, disrupts the skins natural regenerative process at night leading to a dull, lifeless complexion and dark circles. Being stressed can also cause us to change our diet and influence us to opt for some not so healthy choices, and thus again, can lead to breakouts and congestion. 

​Many of us also love to indulge with a couple of ‘cold ones’ arounds Christmas time too. While alcohol for the most part is fun, an increase in the substance can unfortunately also negatively impact the skin. Alcohol is a dehydrating substance and so, increases dehydration in the skin. It can also create inflammation and worsen some inflammatory conditions such as acne, dermatitis or psoriasis. Not to mention depending on what you drink, many spirits or cocktails contain quite a large percentage of sugar which can again increase inflammation and breakouts. Always remember to drink responsibly and rehydrate after a big night where possible to help reduce the impact on your skin. 

​While Christmas and the Summer months can be some of the best, our skin unfortunately, may not be feeling as merry. But remembering some quick tips and tricks such as making sure to up the hydration in your skincare routine and minimise stress during this period can help significantly to keep you flawless all summer long.
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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone!
- Skin x       

The way our skin looks can be a major confidence killer. In our younger years we seem to take our skin for granted as premature aging creeps up on us. One day we’re feeling gorgeous and living life with hydrated, plump skin and that golden tanned glow, and before we know it, our face is starting to look more like the Grand Canyon, with more cracks and crevasses and strange brown patches then we ever thought possible. While it may be tempting to book in to peel your whole face off to start again, or to book for a one-off laser rejuvenation session, long-term results require more than just a one-off treatment. When thinking about skin treatments we have to remember the five keys to success otherwise known as the five P’s: Patience, Persistence, Products, Prevention and Professionals: 

Patience:
Skin, as an organ, takes time to physically change and improve the way we want it to. Especially if the damage we are trying to fix has accumulated over a course of many years. It’s not going to take 3 months to fix 15 years of damage. While marketing and various companies claim that you’ll see “visible results from the first use,” or even after a week, generally, depending on your age it will take at least 3 months for our skin to even begin to show results. While some products such as moisturisers and cleansers may do their job from the get-go, other products such as serums and any active ingredients who’s goal it is to effect changes to the skin at a cellular level, need longer to take effect and offer any noticeable differences. There’re also many factors that determine how quickly your skin will improve or start to change. These include genetics, alcohol consumption or smoking habits, occupation, other medical conditions, medications and general health just to name a few. These factors not only influence how fast your skin can improve but also the time it takes for your skin to heal, and how your skin heals from any treatments done in clinic such as; skin needling, peels or laser treatments. While it might seem like it’s taking months for your skin to start showing any progress, patience is truly a virtue with regards to anything involving your skin. ​

​If you take a look on the back of any of your Ultraceuticals products and you’re likely to see Panthenol or vitamin B5 sitting proudly in the ingredient list. With its hydrating properties, it’s no wonder this ingredient has become so well loved in the skincare industry. However, Panthenol is more than a one trick pony. Not only does it act as a moisturising humectant, but it also provides many other skin benefits, such as, helping to decrease inflammation, supporting wound healing, as well as providing benefits to the hair and nails just to name a few.    
 
Panthenol, like many ingredients can be a little tricky to find when looking for it on packaging, as it can also been known as dexpanthenol, D-pantothenyl alcohol, butanamide, alcohol analog of pantothenic acid or provitamin B-5 within an ingredients list.
Panthenol is the alcohol form of vitamin B5. Once applied topically, Panthenol is quickly absorbed by the skin and is then converted to vitamin B5, similar to the way retinol is converted to retinoic acid in the skin.
The most common use of panthenol within skincare is to act as a humectant and help increase skin moisturisation. Humectants attract water to themselves helping to increase the skins moisture content. They also help to strengthen the natural protective barrier of the skin which decreases dehydration caused by TEWL (Trans-epidermal water loss).

As a result of panthenol’s moisturising ability, it can also help decrease inflammation and stimulate the wound healing process. “There’s evidence that suggests panthenol can help decrease inflammation caused by UV exposure,” suggests Dr Suneel Chilukuri, MD, of Refresh Dermatology in Houston. This is why panthenol is a popular ingredient in many sunburn relief creams. It can also help to reduce itchiness and irritation caused by other skin conditions such as dermatitis. More scientific evidence to support this can be found in this article here:
Panthenol: 8 benefits of a multifunctional active ingredient (ulprospector.com)

​In regards to hair and nails, panthenol’s moisturising ability is a winner once again. It can form a protective, hydrating film on hair stands which helps them to retain moisture for longer, and appear smoother and silkier. This ingenious ingredient can also reduce frizz and increase hair shine. Panthenol has a similar effect on our nails since they’re also made of keratin, equally to our hair and skin. It’s able to penetrate into the layers of the nails to hydrate and moisturise which is perfect for brittle, dry nails prone to breakage. 
 
So, if you’re concerned with dry, dull or dehydrated skin, hair or nails, then panthenol may be your perfect match. This unsung, yet common ingredient really is one of the best when it comes to hydration and moisturisation. 
 
- Skin x  

Hype about free radicals and antioxidants has been at the forefront of the skincare industry for years, popping up everywhere from supermarket shelves, to skincare salons and everywhere in between.  They’re some of the most popular buzzwords to be thrown around in this rapidly evolving industry and understanding what they are and how to incorporate them into your skincare routine can be a game changer in the fight against premature aging.

So what exactly are free radicals?
Free radicals are types of unstable molecules or atoms that are missing electrons in their outer shell, which causes them to search for other atoms/molecules with electrons that they can steal away in order to become stable. This leaves the unfortunate molecule or atom that has had their electron stolen to become unstable themselves. What does this have to do with our skin you may ask? When free radicals come into contact with our skin, they steal electrons away from the molecules in our skin cells, causing them to become dysfunctional and damaging the DNA inside them, which in turn, disrupts cellular functions, creating inflammation, that if prolonged, increases premature aging.
Further to this, damaged and dysfunctional cells equates to unhealthy and weak skin. The structural and defensive layers of the skin are particularly vulnerable to free radicals, which attack certain proteins, such as lipids, as well as, collagen and elastin fibres, increasing the aging process.
Free radicals are all around us, everywhere, however, they are more concentrated in areas of high population and pollution, such as larger cities or industrial zones.

Thankfully though, there is an effective way to reduce the harmful effects of free radicals on our skin and keep us younger for longer; which is where antioxidants come in. “Antioxidants are compounds that can be found in food and in skin care that stop or delay damage to our cells,” Dr Noelani González, M.D., director of cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai West in New York City explains. “They work by binding to free radicals, which prevents them from binding to your healthy cells and damaging them”.
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A good way to get your head around antioxidants and how they work is to imagine what happens when you squeeze lemon juice on an apple to stop it from going brown. The lemon juice acts as an antioxidant and stops the oxidisation process from occurring, and as a result, the fruit stays fresh and doesn’t brown as quickly. We can reproduce this process on our skin by using the right skincare products with the right ingredients in order for us to stay fresh and youthful too.   

​So, what are the best ways to incorporate these amazing antioxidants into our skincare routines and when is the best time to use them? Well, for starters, antioxidant products are best applied in the morning, in order to protect your skin from environmental stressors throughout the day. Ingredients like vitamin C and resveratrol are fantastic at helping to counteract and protect from the harmful effects of free radicals. Vitamin C also is essential for the production of collagen and elastin within the dermis and can help to firm the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles and all sorts of sagginess. Niacinamide or vitamin B3 also has great antioxidant power. It acts to target inflammation, redness, and can even reduce hyperpigmentation. Other ingredients like vitamin E, turmeric, green tea extract, sea buckthorn and astaxanthin are also common antioxidant powerhouses. 
 
While it’s true that free radical damage is one of the contributing factors to skin aging, I think we can all agree that antioxidants are some pretty rad ingredients and some of the best things we can all add to our skincare routine. 

​- Skin x

While skincare products and topical treatments do wonders for the health and condition of our skin from the outside in, research suggests that in order to maximise our skin health, we should also be aware of what’s going on with our body on the inside. Collective evidence has shown that there is an intimate connection between the health of our gut and the health of our skin. Gastrointestinal disorders are often accompanied by skin conditions such as breakouts, dryness, redness, sensitivity and inflammation. In particular, studies have shown that the gastrointestinal system – specifically the gut microbiome, appears to contribute to the exacerbation of many inflammatory skin disorders such as acne, psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. 
 
While it may sound gross, our bodies share a special symbiotic relationship with trillions of bacteria and fungi. These microbes don’t cause damage under normal healthy circumstances but directly influence the body’s functions and immune responses.  Collectively, they make up what is call the microbiome which can be found in throughout the body, in areas such as the surface of our skin and within the digestive system. This microbiome helps us digest our food correctly, benefits our immune system and is also vital in the production of various nutritional components such as vitamin K. All in all, our gut flora is vital to our health and wellness and plays a key role in keeping our body in a state of homeostatic balance.

Further to this, factors such as stress, a poor diet, and antibiotic medications can all contribute to an imbalance within the microbiome of our gut that can lead to a range of health issues, including inflammation. This is where the gut-skin connection occurs. While gut health isn’t the only contributing factor to skin health, studies show that the inflammation that occurs as a result of gut microbiome imbalances may exemplify and aggravate many inflammatory skin conditions.
Certain bacteria in our gut such as Bacteroides fragilis, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and bacteria belonging to Clostridium cluster IV and XI help promote the production of T-cells and other immune cells, which enables the body to create an anti-inflammatory response. When the gut microbiome is out of balance, the body’s anti-inflammatory response can be disrupted, so inflammatory skin conditions can become more severe. Changes in the gut microbiome may also increase the penetrability of the intestinal tract which may lead to leaking of the gut microbiota into the bloodstream and skin resulting in systemic, cutaneous inflammation.
Research has been ongoing for over 70 years, with clear links shown between gut health and skin health. One study completed by Dr. Robert H. Siver found that 80 percent of subjects with acne had some degree of clinical improvement following the introduction of a commercially available probiotic, and that the intervention was most valuable in cases of inflammatory acne. Further to this, a study published in 2011 found that subjects with gastrointestinal issues such as constipation, halitosis, and gastric reflux, were more likely to suffer from acne. This article also described a recent report detailing small intestinal bacterial over-growth, (SBIO) is 10 times more prevalent in those with acne and rosacea vs. healthy control subjects, and that rebalancing of the gut microbiome leads to marked clinical improvement in patients with rosacea and acne.
For more information on this, see the link below to the aforementioned article:

• https://gutpathogens.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1757-4749-3-1

So, what can cause in imbalance within our gut and how do we fix it? Well, antibiotics for one can reach havoc on our inner microbiome. While antibiotics are crucial to fighting some infections, they kill both bad and good bacteria which can allow the bad bacteria to take over and create an imbalance. Eating fermented foods and using a probiotic and after a course of antibiotics can help to restore the balance of gut flora. Lack of sleep, stress and a poor diet deficient in vitamins, minerals and essential macronutrients can also create imbalance and impact overall health. ​