When it comes to nourishing our bodies, ByRuby's approach to food health goes back to basics: consuming high quality, natural ingredients, and avoiding harsh chemicals. It's no secret that the health of our insides can play a big role in the health of our outsides, but we wanted to find out whether the same could also apply the other way round. We asked Tropic Skincare to tell us more about how the approach to looking after our skin is not so different, and just as important, to the approach we take to our eating habits.
The fresh, natural foods we cook with can work wonders for our skin’s health, but are you clued up on the tastiest topical ingredients from tropical climes?
You’ve likely heard the old adage that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’, but have you ever thought about how healthy (and unhealthy) ingredients affect the happiness of your skin? In the same way that snacking on apples in lieu of a large bowl of crisps might keep your body thriving to its core, so too do the products you nourish your outer layer with keep its health in check.
As your largest organ – and best protection – your skin requires care and attention relative to its bodily real estate. It’s the first indicator of a well-lived life, it basks with you in the sunshine and bruises to tell you it’s had rough moment, so while you’re meal planning and weekly shopping and ‘health kicking’ your body to feel its best, spare a thought for the skin that’s holding those healthy insides in.
Below are some of Tropic’s back-to-basics heroes, hopefully they enlighten the skincare novice and re-jig the memories of all exfoliation experts and double-cleanse crusaders among us!
SPF IS YOUR BFF
There is no one product more important for your skin than SPF, and you can quote us on that!
Gloriously broad spectrum – so your skin stays protected from both UVA and UVB rays – applying this water-resistant SPF50 should become as much of a habit as brushing your teeth in the morning.
Guarding from sun damage and free radicals that cause premature ageing, this little handbag hero also works hard for your skin with hyaluronic acid to hydrate, the tropical and unique banana flower extract to calm, and prebiotics to provide the right environment for your skin to flourish and stay healthy.
WIPE THE DAY AWAY
From soothing snoozy faces to letting them know it’s time to switch off, cleansing is a ritual that helps us put the world to rights, day and night. We can’t go 12 hours without double dropping a cleansing routine, and we’ll sneak our second cleanse friends in here too – Clear Skies and Clear Slate Cleansing Powders.
Double cleansing is skincare’s answer to the Alexa Chung-esque big Victorian shirt collar – it’s the latest must-have moment in everyone’s skincare regime. The golden rule? Always start with an oil-based cleanser and follow with one which is water-activated. Contrary to what some may think about an oil-based cleanser potentially clogging pores, it’s actually a great choice for all skin types, including oily and combination skins. This is because oil breaks down oil, resulting in sebum production becoming more controlled, dry skin being nourished and blemishes being soothed.
Once makeup and impurities have been removed, a water-activated cleansing powder like Clear Skies or Clear Slate can be applied to penetrate much deeper, treating the skin to a more efficient cleanse. Our powders are formulated without any water content, but add a few drops of H₂O and the enzymes that give them their purifying power will spring into complexion-clearing action!
JUST DEW IT!
Rainforest Dew was inspired by Korean Beauty's philosophy that hydration is the key to great skin. The idea that a complexion lacking water can deem your skincare treatments redundant sparked Susie Ma's idea for a silky, hydrating serum to boost overall skin vitality.
Tease your skin’s bounce back with multi-molecular weights of hyaluronic acid, to replenish skin hydration by absorbing environmental moisture throughout the day. The different molecule sizes mean that the moisture can penetrate deep into the skin for long-lasting hydration, and hyaluronic acid is also a humectant, meaning it literally draws in moisture to keep your skin hydrated.
The lightweight serum acts as a comforting veil thanks to evergreen fern and matcha tea extracts that soothe irritation or inflammation, while also reducing redness. Plus, advanced plant peptides mimic the skin’s epidermal growth factors to encourage cellular renewal and boost elasticity, helping to put the spring back into your skin!
BRING YOUR A-GAME
The vitamin A derivative, Retinol, is the worst-kept skincare secret of our time. Even the skincare label illiterate among us will probably recognise the name. But although it’s one of the most talked about age-defying ingredients, it can cause irritation and do more damage than good if you start using it too early, have sensitive skin or are pregnant.
Here, we’ve used a plant-based alternative, derived from the blackjack flower and bakuchiol, that still has the same beauty benefits. Tackling hyperpigmentation, uneven texture, wrinkles and even flare-ups, sensitive skin types won’t have to worry about side effects of this skin-firming fan favourite.
EXFOLIATION STATIONS
If you’re in the market for fresh, glowing skin, exfoliation is non-negotiable. Dry, rough, lacklustre skin has really met its match with our founding product, the best-selling Body Smooth Refreshing Polish.
This invigorating skin treat is packed with a blend of mineral-rich sea salts and soaked in conditioning oils, to gently buff away dead skin cells and leave you with irresistibly soft, supple skin after every application.
The mood-boosting scrub boasts a tried and tested recipe passed down through generations from Tropic’s Founder Susie Ma’s grandmother. Susie and her family originally whipped it up at home after sourcing ingredients from the local artisan markets in Tropical North Queensland, where they lived until Susie was a teenager. Then, Susie brought it to London’s Greenwich Market when she was just 15 in a bid to contribute towards the household bills, where it was a sell-out product from day one. Today, Tropic still uses the original recipe steeped in Susie’s grandmother’s wisdom!
By Florence Reeves-White
