Kia ora! I’m Annie, the founder of Kia tau, and this is the first edition of the Kia tau blog. If there are any topics you would like me to write about, flick me a message.
Long before I started creating my own skincare products, I entered the skincare market as a consumer, struggling with issues like dehydration and acne. I wanted to develop an effective and enjoyable skincare routine, but I found the whole world a bit intimidating.
I would wander the aisles of pharmacies and Sephoras with a mix of hope and uncertainty, faced with countless products on the shelves. Each one promised miracles, often with hefty price tags to match. It was incredibly challenging to discern which products would actually work and which were just glorified, expensive water.
Over time as I’ve learnt more about skincare, I developed a simple skincare routine that works for me. If I have a specific concern that crops up I can solve for it, knowing that I’m starting with a solid foundation.
My core routine looks like this:
Morning
1. A hydrating face cream
For many years, I didn't use moisturizer. I believed my skin should produce its own protective oils, and I thought that regularly using face cream would simply take over the job my skin should be doing on its own.
I believed this until I went to a dermatologist for issues with acne and was told that my skin was dehydrated. While it is true that our skin can produce its own oils, the skin barrier can easily get compromised from things like hot showers, cleansing and sun exposure.
Our skin barrier is the outermost layer of our epidermis, technically referred to as the "stratum corneum." It keeps irritants and allergens out of our body and locks in moisture.
An easy way to imagine the structure is like a brick-and-mortar system. The individual bricks within the wall are the skin cells, and the extracellular lipids surrounding these cells are the "mortar." It's this "mortar" that we can lose due to environmental factors.
High-quality moisturizers replenish this ‘motar’ so that our skin can remain healthy and continue to protect us.
2. Sunscreen, reapplying on sunny days
I started wearing sunscreen everyday when I was 25. While I had grown up knowing that the New Zealand sun can be harsh and would always wear sunscreen at the beach, it wasn’t something I incorporated into my daily routine until I started seeing signs of aging.
According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, sun exposure is responsible for about 90% of visible changes to the skin as we age - that includes wrinkles, fine lines and pigmentation changes.
This is referred to as ‘photoaging’. UV light primarily damages our dermis, or middle layer of the skin. This is the layer that contains collagen, elastin and other fibres that support the skin’s structure.
I’ve found that the best sunscreens are the ones that I am excited about and will use consistently (although the SPF should be at least 30). In recent years I’ve opted for tinted sunscreens, because they can often be used instead of foundation, and they give me a superficial reason to apply (they even out my skin tone) which helps me remember to wear them everyday. I also own a UV mirror, which I’ve found helpful in Summer to know when I need to reapply.
Recently I’ve been really enjoying this one from WotNot.
Night
1. A gentle cleanser
As I use sunscreen and sometimes makeup, I need to remove it at the end of the day with a cleanser. It's important not to over-cleanse, as this can strip the skin of its natural oils.
I cleanse my skin once a day, at night, using a gentle cleanser specifically formulated to keep the moisture barrier intact. I look for one that has glycerin as the second or third ingredient and doesn't include harsh surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate. I'm currently using CeraVe's Hydrating Facial Cleanser.
2. A night cream that includes skin actives
Many people who have simple skincare routines opt for retinol as their go-to active for repairing skin damage. There is significant data that retinoids can help reduce pigment, uneven skin tone, reduce acne and minimize wrinkles. However, retinoids can be harsh on the skin and increase sensitivity, and some studies suggest that the skin will return to a baseline if treatment is paused.
I moved away from retinoids when my partner and I started trying for a baby, and with my Kia tau formulas, I’ve opted to use natural actives exclusively. These tend to have fewer drawbacks, and be more pleasant to use. These include topical vitamins and antioxidants.
Rosehip oil contains beta-carotene, a provitamin A compound that the body can convert to vitamin A, producing effects similar to retinol. It also contains vitamins C and E, which help protect the skin from environmental stressors.
CoQ10 is an antioxidant that I've been using more often. It effectively penetrates the epidermis, helping protect against free radicals. These unstable molecules have an odd number of electrons and can damage nearby cells by stealing electrons from them. Antioxidants like CoQ10 neutralize free radicals by donating their own electrons, preventing cellular damage.
There are a number of native actives which have been used by Māori in traditional herbal medicine (or Rongoa) that have some skin-rejuvenating properties. I've recently been experimenting with horopito, which has been shown to help stimulate circulation in the skin. If you would like to try it out, I've used horopito extract in my Pomegranate + CoQ10 Facial Cream.
- Annie