If you have acne, you’re probably already pretty aware of it. Maybe you weren’t aware, though, that acne is super common: up to 50 million Americans a year are affected by it, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association. This Acne Awareness month, COSMEDIX is encouraging you not to get too frazzled about your pimples. Follow some Instagram accounts that can help with self-love, like @its_just_acne, who challenges unrealistic standards by showing off textured, acne-prone skin with pride. We also hope you’ll relax and enjoy your skincare routine instead of feeling like you’re waging war on your acne, so here are a few luxe, gentle skincare products that can help you pamper your skin while helping reduce the look of redness and evening the look of texture.

• Clarify Salicylic Acid Foaming Cleanser AM/PM

A clean, gentle cleanser that doesn’t overdo it is the best place to start for acne relief. Clarify is alcohol and sulfate free, but still includes acne-fighting hero ingredient Salicylic Acid to help exfoliate skin for a smoother-looking complexion. This water-based cleanser is also formulated with Aloe Vera and D-Panthenol to help soothe skin and probiotic-inspired Lactococcus Ferment Lysate and Saccharide Isomerate to help encourage a healthier-looking complexion. Clarify can be incorporated into your morning or night skincare routine to help absorb excess oil without overly drying out the skin to help keep it looking refreshed, and more clarified looking.

• Shineless Oil-Free Moisturizer AM/PM

One myth about caring for acne-prone skin is that you should skip on moisturizer if you get breakouts. Moisturizing helps balance the skin’s oil production—if you strip your skin of oil completely, it might generate even more oil and, unfortunately, maybe even more acne. Formulated with Lilac Stem Cells to help control and balance excess oil, Shineless Oil-Free Moisturizer helps firm, smooth and brighten the appearance of skin without the added shine. This green tea mint-scented moisturizer helps you achieve lasting hydration without greasiness. In our clinical study, 48% of users saw a reduction in the appearance of blemishes and 70% reported having less shiny skin.

• Clarity Skin-Clarifying Serum AM/PM

Skinimalism is all about finding serum products that help address your specific skin care concerns, and Clarity is a great go-to product if that concern is acne. This skin-clarifying serum helps improve the appearance of acne without overly harsh ingredients that cause skin to flake or dry out. The secret is a formula that combines powerhouse exfoliator Retinol with Salicylic Acid to help reduce the appearance of oil so that skin appears firmer, clarified and healthier-looking. Willow Herb, Tea Tree Oil, and Aloe Vera help soothe the skin and help reduce the appearance of redness. Clarity is perfect for your day or night routine—make sure to layer a broad spectrum SPF like ultra-lightweight Peptide Rich Defense on top if you’re getting ready to head out in the morning.

• Clear Deep Cleansing Mask PM

Making time for self-care and helping unclog pores go hand-in-hand with this Kaolin Clay-infused cleansing mask. Clear won’t leave your skin feeling dry or tight, but it will help to soothe, hydrate, and purify the look of skin as it helps to draw out and absorb any excess oil. This top-rated skin care mask is also formulated with Tea Tree Oil to help reduce the appearance of redness and Niacinamide to help improve the look of skin texture. Simply apply to damp, clean skin two or three times in the evening for a brighter, more vibrant-looking complexion that lasts.

• Correct Rapid Relief Acne Treatment

Finally, don’t let a surprise pimple disrupt your confidence! This targeted rapid spot treatment is formulated with 2% Salicylic Acid to help to deep clean pores. The gentle exfoliating ingredients won’t cause excessive dryness to the skin, and skin-loving Aloe Vera helps to soothe the look of skin for a clearer-looking complexion.

The art of the summer skincare routine is all about light hydration—keeping your skin moisturized is a must, but the creams we used in winter can be a little heavy for the hotter months to come. Enter COSMEDIX hydrating treatments! These light, refreshing face mists and sprays deliver a burst of hydration that helps to keep skin glowing and healthy-looking on days when intense heat and environmental stressors might threaten to dull your sparkle.

Our two go-to hydrators for a quick skin reset? Meet Crystal Clear AM/PM Liquid Crystal Hydrating Mist and Mystic AM/PM Hydrating Treatment! Read on for a breakdown of these luxe, lightweight treatments and when to reach for each one, plus a few other summer skin care upgrades!

When Hydrating Treatments Shine

Think of Crystal Clear and Mystic as hydration pick-me-ups! Both are infused with skin-soothing, botanical ingredients like Witch Hazel and Kakadu Plum Extract, and both can be applied on the go whenever your skin is beginning to lose its glow. Mystic and Crystal Clear are both gentle and light: they tend not to clog pores in the summer heat or irritate skin that’s recently had peels or treatments.

Benefit Breakdown

Crystal Clear and Mystic are sisters, not twins. Here are a few key differences between these hydrating skin care superstars and their skin-quenching benefits.

When it comes to application, both these treatments are pretty travel friendly. Mystic applies directly to your face as a spray, so it’s the more “on-the-go” of these two hydration boosters. To use Crystal Clear, you’ll also need to stash some cotton balls or pads for application. Spritz Crystal Clear onto the cotton or directly onto your hands and then apply to the face for a soothing burst of hydration any time you’re feeling dry.

Both these summer superstars are lightweight, but Mystic is a tad lighter than Crystal Clear. This oil-free moisturizer is powered by ingredients like Lactococcus Ferment Lysate, a conditioning probiotic that helps support the skin’s microbiome and helps improve barrier function and strengthen skin’s natural defense.

Crystal Clear indulges the complexion with the same Liquid Crystal Technology used in bestselling Opti Crystal Eye Serum, and it’s powerful enough to use as your morning moisturizer or a daytime refresher. Crystal Clear is infused with Kakadu Plum Extract, also known as Australian Superfruit, so it helps improve the appearance of skin’s texture and tone by brightening the look of dry skin and diminishing the look of fine lines and wrinkles.

More Lightweight Upgrades for Your Summer Skincare Routine

Summer skin care calls for hydrators that help defend the skin’s barrier while keeping things light and healthy-looking. Here are some of our favorite COSMEDIX skin care products to use with Crystal Clear or Mystic Hydrating Treatment this summer!

Peptide Rich Defense Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 50

This lightweight moisturizer blends seamlessly with makeup to help protect your face from UV rays. Peptide Rich Defense shines in the summer months because of the high SPF, which increases the time you can spend enjoying the sunshine if applied correctly (read: evenly and generously). It’s also enriched with an age-defying peptide that deeply hydrates, soothes and conditions the complexion as it helps smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles. A favorite of one Victoria Beckham, this bestselling moisturizer is a perfect fit when the summer heat hits!

Protect UV AM/PM Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Moisturizing Spray

Some of the benefits of Mystic and Peptide Rich Defense combine in Protect UV, a gentle, multipurpose SPF 30 that applies as a spray. Perfect for on the go sun protection, this oil-free formula also boosts hydration to help improve skin barrier function and helps to sooth the skin as well. Infused with Niacinamide to help improve skin texture and tone, Protect UV has a natural finish that makes it quintessential choice for everyday use.  

Hydrate + Broad Spectrum SPF 17 Moisturizing Sunscreen

Help your skin stay dewy looking this summer with Hydrate +! Layering on this moisturizing sunscreen can help prep your skin for makeup and preserve a radiant-looking glow. Formulated with a broad spectrum SPF to help prevent sun damage, Hydrate + is non-greasy. This everyday skin care essential also promotes a healthier-looking complexion!

Supercharge your COSMEDIX skincare routine with Revert Boosting Brightening Serum. This Vitamin C-infused serum helps to reduce the appearance of age spots induced by environmental stressors. With a botanical-infused formula that’s gentle for all skin types, Revert helps to awaken the look of dull, tired skin by improving the appearance of an uneven skin tone for a more radiant-looking complexion. This brightening serum can be used to boost your day or nighttime skincare routine and applied to cleansed and toned skin in combination with your preferred daily moisturizer and sunscreen.

Why Revert Works

Revert Boosting Brightening Serum is powered by a form of Vitamin C called Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate that helps brighten the skin’s appearance and visibly improve skin tone. Natural botanicals like Apple and Pineapple Extracts help to brighten the look of skin while the Kakadu Fruit Extract and L-Arbutin-rich Daisy Flower Extract help to improve the look of uneven skin. This blend of natural, food-based extracts helps protect skin from environmental stressors that can cause signs of aging, while Lemon and Cucumber Extracts help balance excess oil to reduce the look of shine.

Where Revert Fits into Your Routine

For skin concerns related to sun and age spots, Revert Boosting Brightening Serum can work as part of a skincare routine that focuses on evening and rejuvenating the look of skin. Let COSMEDIX give your routine a boost with skin-loving products from conditioning cleansers to intensely-hydrating, botanical-infused skin care face masks!

            Purity Clean Exfoliating Cleanser

Formulated with Tea Tree and Peppermint Oils, Purity Clean Exfoliating Cleanser gently lifts away dirt and oil as it helps balance and clarify the look of skin for a softer complexion. This refreshing cleanser is perfect for early mornings or late nights as it uses Chirally Correct L-Lactic Acid to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and other impurities to minimize excess shine and improve the look of uneven texture and discoloration.

            Peptide Rich Defense Moisturizer with Broad Spectrum SPF 50

This lightweight, uber-hydrating broad spectrum SPF 50 Moisturizer recently received praise in W Magazine from none other than Victoria Beckham, who said that she uses Peptide-Rich Defense as a daily SPF because it blends well with her makeup. Formulated with powerhouse Peptides, Trehalose, Amino acids, Natural Botanical Extracts and Vitamin E, this bestselling moisturizer helps smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles and helps protect skin from environmental stressors.

            Resync PM Revitalizing Night Cream

A radiance-restoring night cream packed with antioxidant-rich extracts, Resync is the first overnight hydrator to join the COSMEDIX line. This nighttime pick-me-up is formulated with Snow Mushroom Extract to help improve skin softness and reduce the look of fine lines by delivering unprecedented moisture to dry skin and Australian Kakadu Plum to help decrease the appearance of redness and promote a brighter-looking complexion.

            Pure Enzymes Cranberry Exfoliating Mask

Powered with refreshing Cranberry Enzymes and moisture-boosting ingredients, this hydrating, exfoliating mask fits into your skincare routine as a once-a-week skin reset. The mask uses L-Lactic Acid and Cranberry Enzymes to polish away dull, dead skin to help skin appear smoother and plumper-looking as it locks in long-lasting hydration.

At COSMEDIX, we don’t think there’s any gift better than hydrated, healthier-looking skin for Mom this Mother’s Day! Whether you treat her to a day at a local spa (use our Spa Finder to learn which locations carry COSMEDIX Elite products) or surprise her with everything she needs for an at-home facial, the most important woman in your life will love being pampered with clean, clinical, luxurious COSMEDIX skincare. We know you won’t be able to choose just one COSMEDIX product for that elegant mom of yours, so here are our best bundles to jump-start her skincare routine.

• Brightening Bundle: BrillianCy and Affirm

Want to brighten your mom’s day? The skin care products in our Brightening Bundle are infused with Vitamin C, a highly acidic, natural antioxidant that will help give her the gift of brighter-looking skin with a more even-looking tone.

Deeply moisturizing BrillianCy Vitamin C Brightening Face Oil AM/PM is formulated with the powerful Vitamin C derivative Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate as well as Humulus Lupulus Extract to help improve the appearance of an uneven complexion and Sclareolide to help brighten the look of skin.  

Bestselling Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum AM/PM, a “multivitamin in a bottle” according to our Global Education Director, also helps protect against environmental stressors as it brightens and firms the look of skin. This hydrating, antioxidant-rich serum is powered with Age-Defying Biopeptides to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for softer, smoother-looking skin.

• Deep Clean Bundle: Purity Balance and Clear Mask

Gift your mom a cleaning product she’ll love using this Mother’s Day. Filled with skin care products formulated with Salicylic and Lactic Acids, this deep clean bundle will help your mama promote a clearer complexion and restore balance to the skin.

Purity Balance Exfoliating Prep Toner AM/PM helps your mom set the tone for a radiant, clearer-looking complexion by gently exfoliating the skin and helping to absorb excess oil. Purity Balance is formulated with Salicylic Acid to help draw out pore-clogging impurities and Tea Tree Oil to help balance and clarify the appearance of skin for a clearer-looking complexion. Your mama can use this toner morning or night for a shine-free finish that doesn’t feel dry or tight.

For an extra boost of clarifying power, mom can use Clear Deep Cleansing Mask PM two to three times a week in the evening. This top-rated Kaolin Clay mask helps draw out impurities and absorb excess oil while Sulfur and Tea Tree Oil help to purify and hydrate skin for a smoother-looking complexion.

• Hydrating Bundle: Crystal Cleanse, Skin Thirst, and Mystic

Help mom say “Hi!” to hydration this Mother’s Day with the Hydrating Bundle! These ultra-hydrating products work together as a must-have skincare routine, cleansing, toning, and moisturizing with Liquid Crystal Technology and Hyaluronic Acid to for softer-looking skin. 

With its creamy, gentle formula, Crystal Cleanse AM/PM Hydrating Liquid Crystal Cleansing Cream is a skin-pampering cleanser that delivers unprecedented hydration using the same Liquid Crystal Technology found in bestselling Opti Crystal and Lumi Crystal. Crystal Cleanse cleanser is formulated with Prickly Pear Extract to help hydrate skin and Coconut Oil to help soothe dry skin.

Lightweight Mystic AM/PM Hydrating Treatment not only boosts hydration for a shine-free dewy looking complexion, this bestselling face mist also helps protect the skin from environmental stressors. Mystic brings your on-the-go mom soothing hydration anytime with Witch Hazel and Aloe Vera to help condition the skin by preventing moisture loss—it’s so refreshing, especially on sensitive skin.

Complete this ultra-hydrating routine with Skin Thirst Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Cream moisturizer. With a lush, gel-to-velvet formula that quickly absorbs into skin, Skin Thirst moisturizer quickly absorbs into skin and sooths on contact for a truly dreamy feel. Our moisturizing hero ingredient Sodium Hyaluronate Acid helps hydrate and plump the look of skin while Lecithin deeply conditions and helps restore hydration.

• Defense Bundle: Harmonize and Cell ID

The defense bundle helps mom focus on her skin’s microbiome, the layer of tiny organisms that help protect skin from the outside world. With powerful, Age-Defying Peptides and Bisabolol, these skin care products help hydrate the skin and strengthen its natural defense for a softer, more supple-looking complexion.

Designed to help restore a healthy microbiome, Harmonize Microbiome Boosting Moisturizer AM/PM is formulated with transformative ingredients like Vitis Vinifera, Zingiber Officinale & Boswellia Serrata. This age-defying blend of fruit and plant extracts helps protect the skin from environmental stressors while helping to soothe acne-prone complexions. Cell ID Nutritive Defense Serum AM/PM helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles using Age-Defying Peptides (read our feature on peptides to learn more) and Japanese Orchid Stem Cell Extract. This fan-favorite also helps improve the look of deep wrinkles and an uneven skin tone to encourage a healthier-looking complexion for mom.

At COSMEDIX, we know that clean ingredients can make a big difference in skincare formulas. Buzz words and end-all-be-all ingredients rise and fall, but evidence is mounting about benefits that peptides may have for skin’s tone and firmness. Over at Vogue UK, consultant dermatologist Dr. Mary Sommerlad says that “There is good evidence that signal and carrier peptides can make skin look firmer and plumper, with a smoother texture… ”

What Are Peptides?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that can help build proteins and help skin produce more collagen. Skincare professionals and dermatologists divide peptides into a few categories, but carrier and signal peptides are most commonly used in non-injectable skincare treatments. Not just any product with a peptide ingredient is going to be your best skin solution, though. Read on for tips on best peptide practices, and for some of our favorite peptide-infused COSMEDIX skincare products.

Best Practices for Peptides

The Right Routine… the one that’s right for you, of course

The placement of a peptide in your skincare routine is going to impact its effectiveness. A cleanser with peptides, which gets washed off after use, might not do as much for your skin as it could. Instead, choose a peptide-infused product that soaks into the skin over time. Opt. for an AM/PM serum that stays on your skin all day or all night—we’ll discuss several of our COSMEDIX favorites, like Peptide Rich Defense AM/PM and Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum, later on.

Peptide Ingredient Collabs

Peptides can work even more effectively to restore a plumper, firmer appearance to skin when they’re used in combination with other active ingredients. Vitamin C, Niacinamide, or Hyaluronic Acid can help peptides with less chance of irritating the skin. Carrier peptides are also quite effective when combined with a Copper Complex. Choose a serum that’s formulated with a combination of a peptide and another powerful ingredient that may address your particular skincare concerns.   

Peptide-Rich COSMEDIX Products

If you’re looking to help improve your skin’s firmness and elasticity, here are some of our favorite COSMEDIX serum and hydrator skincare products to add to your routine plus a rundown of their key ingredients.

Peptide Rich Defense AM/PM Moisturizer with Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen

Lightweight and protective of the skin, this hydrating SPF 50 moisturizer is enriched with an Age-Defying Peptide, Trehalose, amino acids, and natural botanical extracts that help smooth the look of fine lines and wrinkles. Squalane works to instantly hydrate and sooth the skin while Trehalose locks in moisture for lasting hydration. This AM/PM Moisturizer is also a Broad-Spectrum SPF 50 Sunscreen, so it helps to defend your skin from UV Rays as well.

Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum AM/PM

Peptides work well in combination with antioxidants, and our bestselling, supercharged Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum is packed with powerful actives like Spin Trap Resveratrol and Vitamin E. The age-defying peptides in Affirm help to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles for softer, smoother-looking skin.

Lumi Crystal Liquid Crystal Lip Hydrator AM/PM

Peptides don’t just work on facial skin—they also help improve the look of lips! This opalescent Lip Hydrator is infused with Portulaca Pilosa Extract & Palmitotyl Tripeptide-38 that helps soften, plump, and reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the lips. A blend of advanced technology and natural botanicals, this luxe, iridescent gloss delivers its unprecedented hydration with Liquid Crystal Technology and Brassica Alba Sprout Extract.

Cell ID Nutritive Defense Serum AM/PM

A powerful blend of peptides like Acetyl Tetrapeptide-22 and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 help rejuvenate, smooth, and firm the look of skin in this restorative Nutritive Defense System. Use Cell ID to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a more healthy-looking complexion.

Radiance Age Restorative Serum AM/PM

Another age-defying option for your morning or evening routine, Radiance is formulated with a blend of peptides as well as Spin Trap, which helps condition and protect skin from environmental stressors, and Alpha Lipoic Acid, which helps reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles. COSMEDIX customers love Radiance, and many say that this powerhouse serum has been part of their skincare routine for years!

Meshell W. says “Another FAVORITE that I’ve been using for several years. It makes my skin so soft and supple. Works great under make-up. I’ve received many compliments on my skin since I started using Radiance… It’s a must-have in my morning skin routine. I’m 61 years old.”

Reboot Overnight Hydration Complex PM

With Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5 to help reduce the appearance of fine lines and Aloe to help soothe sensitive skin, this luxurious, lightweight serum absorbs quickly into the skin as it assists in smoothing skin’s texture. Reboot blends power-packed probiotics with peptides to help restore a radiant, healthy-looking complexion.

Some of our favorite products and their botanical-based ingredients

Here at COSMEDIX, we know that nature is powerful. Plants can soothe redness and can deliver hydration, help brighten and even the look of skin tone, and encourage relaxation and stress relief. That’s why so many of our products are infused with active ingredients based on botanical heroes like Shea Butter, Turmeric, Citrus Fruits, and Aloe Vera. Even if you can’t start every day with a stroll through the botanical garden, COSMEDIX can help you introduce a little bit of nature into your skincare routine. In this post, we’re going to round up a few of our favorite natural botanical ingredients, tell you what they can do for your skin, and show you where to find them in our skin loving COSMEDIX products.

Turmeric

Turmeric has been turning up in everything lately, from lattes and tea to your favorite skin care face mask. The turmeric plant looks a lot like a ginger root, and, like ginger, turmeric can be used as a flavorful spice. At COSMEDIX, we love turmeric because it’s a powerful antioxidant ingredient that can help even and brighten the appearance of skin. In other words, turmeric is a win-win for your skin. By the way, if you’re looking at labels, turmeric is often listed by its scientific name, Curcuma Longa.

Find Turmeric In:

Clear | Deep Cleansing Mask PM

Our Deep Cleansing Face Mask, which picked up a Dermascope Aesthetician’s Choice Award for 2022, gently exfoliates skin to draw out impurities. Turmeric, along with other natural botanicals like Eucalyptus, Aloe, Henna, and Passionflower, works to help soothe the skin and reduce the appearance of redness without leaving skin dry or tight-feeling. Want even more Turmeric? You can find it in our Pure Enzymes Cranberry Exfoliating Mask—a gentle exfoliant you can incorporate into your weekly skincare routine for long-lasting hydration and a more radiant-looking complexion!

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a soothing superstar ingredient that can likely be spotted just around the corner as a common household succulent. Anyone who’s used Aloe Vera gel on a sunburn knows how its gel form can cool that burning heat, but Aloe Vera’s benefits don’t stop there. Those succulent leaves are experts at retaining water, making Aloe Vera an A+ hydrator as well as a skin-soothing botanical ingredient.

Find Aloe Vera In:  

Opti Crystal Liquid Crystal Eye Serum AM/PM

This undereye serum isn’t just a bestseller and an Aesthetician’s Choice for 2021—it’s also infused with Aloe Vera! Opti Crystal is specially formulated with Aloe Vera and other powerhouse ingredients to radically help reduce the look of dark circles and improve the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and sagging around the eyes. With natural botanical ingredients like Eggplant, Henna, and Coconut, Opti Crystal is our most-loved undereye skin hydrator for a more rested appearance.

You don’t need to look high and low to find this skin care hero. Aloe Vera is also part of the formulas for other high-performing COSMEDIX products like our  Mystic AM/PM Hydrating Treatment, a hydrating, toning mist, and Illuminate & Lift Neck & Décolleté Treatment, a moisturizer that can make skin look firmer and smoother.

Shea Butter

Creamy, vitamin-rich Shea Butter is another powerful hydrator that helps seal in your skin’s moisture. Made from the West African Shea tree, Shea Butter is gentle and won’t make your skin oily because of its natural, balanced combination of fatty acids. Shea Butter may work to help soothe and moisturize skin so you can find in a wide array of COSMEDIX products.

Find Shea Butter In:

Emulsion | Intense Hydrator AM/PM

This smooth, luxurious face moisturizing cream uses Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil to replenish moisture and help restore balance to dry skin. Another member of the well-loved Liquid Crystal Technology collection, Emulsion is suitable for all skin types and can be used morning and night to deeply hydrate and nourish the skin. Shea Butter is also part of the plant power behind our COSMEDIX Bioshape Firming Face Mask, which helps improve hydration for smoother and plumper-looking skin and includes other natural botanicals like Oats, Honeysuckle, and Rosewood.

Citrus

Citrus fruits like Oranges, Lemons, Limes, and Grapefruits are found in so many COSMEDIX serums and cleansers because have a high concentration of Vitamin C, which can help brighten and even the appearance of skin. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that may help improve the appearance of skin tone. Citrus fruits are also a gentle, natural exfoliant that helps your skin absorb hydration.

COSMEDIX Favorites

Our COSMEDIX Global Education Director calls bestselling Affirm Antioxidant Firming Serum AM/PM “a multivitamin in a bottle,” and part of that multivitamin is Grapefruit peel oil! Citrus works in Affirm as part of a vitamin-rich blend of ingredients that help improve the look of an uneven skin tone and prevent signs of aging, often caused by environmental stressors. Witch Hazel and Sandalwood are also featured in the formula for this supercharged Antioxidant Firming Serum. You can also find citrus in products like C.P.R. Skin Recovery Serum AM/PM, along with other skin-loving botanical ingredients like Watermelon and Apples.