A good shave has five steps: cleaning your face, applying a pre-shave, applying a shave cream, shaving, and applying an after-shave. I add 3 more steps and get a Perfect Shave. Here’s what I do, step-by-step:
Bam, you’re done, you’re groomed and your face feels great! You look as fabulous as you can, and your skin has had breakfast and is hydrated—the Perfect JustUs Shave! By the way, as an extra bonus, if you do miss a day to shave, when you’ve done the Perfect JustUs Shave, you will barely have a stubble on day two…
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Retinol is a synthetic derivative of vitamin A that is commonly used in skincare products for its anti-aging benefits. It is one of the most studied and proven ingredients for improving skin texture, reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and increasing collagen production.
Retinol works by stimulating cell turnover, which helps to shed old, dull skin cells and promote the growth of new, healthy cells. This helps to improve skin texture and tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and even out skin discoloration.
Retinol is also a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental pollutants. It also helps to promote the production of collagen, a protein that gives skin its firmness and elasticity, which can decrease with age.
While retinol can be highly effective in improving skin texture and reducing the signs of aging, it can also be irritating to the skin, especially for those with sensitive skin. It's important to start with a low concentration of retinol and gradually increase it over time to avoid skin irritation.
Overall, retinol is a highly beneficial ingredient for skincare, especially for those looking to improve skin texture and reduce the signs of aging.
Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that is commonly used in skincare products for its various benefits for the skin. It is a versatile ingredient that works well for a wide range of skin types and concerns and is especially good for niacinamide is a highly beneficial ingredient for skincare, especially for those with oily, acne-prone, or sensitive skin. It has been shown to be:
Moisturizing: Niacinamide is a humectant, which means it helps to attract and retain moisture in the skin. It helps to improve skin hydration and prevent moisture loss.
Brightening: Niacinamide helps to brighten the skin and improve skin tone. It inhibits the production of melanin, which is responsible for dark spots and hyperpigmentation.
Anti-Aging: Niacinamide helps to stimulate collagen production and improve skin elasticity. It also helps to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Anti-Inflammatory: Niacinamide has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe and calm irritated skin. It is especially effective for those with acne-prone or sensitive skin.
Oil-Regulating: Niacinamide helps to regulate sebum production, which can help to reduce the appearance of pores and prevent breakouts.
Barrier-Strengthening: Niacinamide helps to strengthen the skin's barrier function, which helps to prevent moisture loss and protect the skin from environmental stressors.
Teprenone, also known as Geranylgeranylacetone, is a synthetic molecule that has been studied for its potential benefits in skincare. Teprenone is believed to work by increasing the production of heat shock proteins (HSPs) in the skin, which are responsible for protecting skin cells from stressors like UV radiation, pollution, and heat. It is especially for those looking to improve skin aging, hydration, and barrier function and has been shown to be:
Anti-Aging: Teprenone helps to protect skin cells from stressors and improve cell longevity, which can help to reduce the signs of aging, including fine lines and wrinkles.
Moisturizing: Teprenone helps to improve skin hydration and prevent moisture loss, which can help to improve skin texture and softness.
Anti-Inflammatory: Teprenone has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe and calm irritated skin. It is especially effective for those with sensitive skin or skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis.
Antioxidant: Teprenone is a potent antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental pollutants.
Barrier-Strengthening: Teprenone helps to strengthen the skin's barrier function, which helps to prevent moisture loss and protect the skin from environmental stressors.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, is a synthetic peptide that has gained popularity in recent years as an ingredient in skincare products for its potential anti-aging benefits.
Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 works by temporarily relaxing the facial muscles, which can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It is often referred to as a "Botox alternative" because it has a similar mechanism of action to Botox injections, but is less invasive and less expensive.
Some of the benefits of Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 for the skin include:
Reduction of fine lines and wrinkles: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 helps to temporarily relax the facial muscles, which can help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Safe and non-invasive: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 is a safe and non-invasive alternative to Botox injections. It does not require injections or anesthesia, and there is no downtime or recovery period.
Moisturizing: Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 can also help to moisturize the skin and improve skin texture and softness.
Some of our other favorites include:
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): AHAs are a group of acids, including glycolic acid and lactic acid, that help to exfoliate the skin and improve skin texture. They also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and improve skin radiance.
Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHAs): BHAs are a group of acids, including salicylic acid, that help to exfoliate the skin and unclog pores. They are especially effective for those with oily and acne-prone skin.
Vitamin C: Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps to protect the skin from free radical damage caused by environmental pollutants. It also helps to brighten the skin and improve skin texture.
Peptides: Peptides are amino acids that help to stimulate collagen production and improve skin elasticity. They also help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Hyaluronic Acid: Hyaluronic acid is a humectant that helps to attract and retain moisture in the skin. It can hold up to 1,000 times its weight in water, making it an excellent ingredient for hydration.
]]>These concerns were on my radar way before JustUs was born, but no worries. Back then, I had an esthetician who always told me what to do, and she carried her own product line. She bought it every year in Paris.
Eventually, she retired, and I ran out of products, so I took myself to Saks Fifth in Beverly Hills for some special me time. A salesperson was on me like white on rice, and I had the best time ohhing and ahhing and sniffing.
Finally, I handed her my credit card, and she handed me a teeny, tiny bag with my three new products. I was in a delirium about the teeny, tiny bag (because it’s all about the bag) that I didn’t actually look at the receipt until I was outside.
$425 for three products. Really? Hell no. I’ll make my own damn products. And…
Cut to: Ten Years Later— I become a formulator. Product one had to be a hyaluronic acid serum loaded with vitamin C and peptides—hence Transform Serum.
And there had to be a day/night cream that was as profound as the stuff from Paris. Et voila! Meta Tx Skin Cream with murumuru butter and acai oil.
Then I became obsessed with this botox-like peptide that worked as a mist and put it in a neroli bath with all sorts of skin softeners… and… brighteners… for the dark spots. Evelyn named it Tighten+Glow.
Those three products were a perfect routine for me in L.A. and Evelyn in NYC. And then I moved to the desert. Holy Mother of God— it was hot. I needed a balm.
It took two years and a deep dive into failure after failure with combinations of global lipids to perfect Condition Rainforest Repair Balm. But it was Covid so I had all the time in the world.
Trust me when I tell you that Condition, (aka the green stuff) is the best oils and butters from the Amazon and Madagascar and Africa. These ingredients have been curing stuff way worse than WADS forever.
These products I call my fab four. Day. Night. Always. Under my eyes. On my cheeks. In my hair. On my neck.
If you decide you want an uncomplicated routine that works like a Clydesdale, this is it. Yes, you can add more products to your tool kit to drill down on specific concerns, but if you don’t have the basics, well—you don’t have the basics.
About the Routine
We believe that the best time to begin taking care of your skin is now -- no matter your age. This routine (also known as Brook's fab four) is curated to help address key issues associated with experienced skin, including discoloration, wrinkles, loss of elasticity and texture.
A.M./P.M.
Supreme Clean (or cleanser of your choice)
Tighten+Glow. Refining Mist. Mist a couple of sprays and pat in.
Transform. Active Nourishment Gel. A few pumps to nourish.
Meta. Ultimate Tx Cream. Apply on face, neck, chest.
Condition. Rainforest Repair Balm. Apply a very small amount to cheeks, neck, under eyes and massage into skin.
In a Hurry? Transform+Meta
You might also like:
Brilliance. Vitamin C Oil Serum.
Deep Refining Cream
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I raced out to my garage workshop in my bra and Spanx to figure out what I could put together to convince my skin to calm the F down.
I found the mason jar of a tonic I made for my hair stylist who has the worst eczema ever. It had every calming botanical known to me and a label on it that said, “Bob’s Itch Spray.” Today, it’s called Deep Hydration Softening Mist. Then I considered various gels but decided on our old faithful, Transform Serum, because the bartender at my clubhouse had just told me it took the redness out of her skin in a second. Of course it helped her redness, it’s loaded with tara, a botanical hyaluronic acid. Duh.
Next, I looked at my ingredient chart to see what was antifungal, antibacterial, anti-itch, anti-everything that could possibly cause the hideousness that was going on and mixed up a blend of the oils I’ve come to worship. Here’s what I realized.
There are two places you want to be if you’re going to sprout a weird rash. Madagascar because you will fall in love with tamanu oil and its healing genius or the Rain Forest because you might discover virgin, unrefined andiroba oil and copaiba balsam oil.
These treasures became part of the mixture now known as Restore+Repair Oil Serum, or as we call it around the workshop, teeny, tiny shaman in a bottle.
Last, I wanted to make sure my foundation had a nice, glidey surface to adhere to so I took the mango cream I made for my friend’s daughter who was dealing with blemishes, and added a tad of oatmeal, green tea, a poquito of zinc and some acetyl
Tetrapeptide-40, which I happened to have on hand to use for another friend who has rosacea. That combo morphed into Calm Redness Relief Cream.
I raced back to my mirror remembering the old saying, “I’d rather arrive late and beautiful then early and ugly,” and went through the steps. Mist. Serum. Oil. Cream. My skin was pretty yippy skippy. The foundation didn’t have much to conceal, and my necklaces rested where they were supposed to without annoying my neck skin. Boom.
I hope if you have something funky going on with your epidermis, you’ll think of me in my underwear mixing up a bunch of ingredients I desperately hoped would help my skin chill and try this Protect+Repair routine for yourself.
About the Routine: For skin that seems eternally challenged, whether that is due to blemishes, post-radiation, redness, itching or peeling. This routine has been designed to offer relief.
A.M./P.M.
Supreme Clean. Cleansing Balm (or gentle cleanser of your choice)
Deep Hydration Softening Mist. Spray two-three spritzes and gently pat in.
Transform. Active Nourishment Serum. Apply two pumps and let soak in.
Restore+Repair. Rainforest Oil Serum. Warm 2-3 drops in your palms and gently press on to face.
Calm. Redness Relief Cream. Apply gently and massage into face.
In a Hurry? Restore+Repair + Mist
You may also find Condition. Rainforest Repair Balm. to be helpful at night to add an extra moisture-retention seal.
Three months before Rosemary had to slither into her grandmother’s wedding dress, she started the blemish routine.
Why? Because the blemish devil is a total bastard who doesn’t care if you’re getting married and will drop a zit on your face whenever.
Breakouts had been a part of Rosemary’s life since she was a teenager, but she’d gotten them under control. By thirty, they only bugged her occasionally.
She was getting married in Ireland and worried that her skin might not like it there and her skin would go crazy.
This is the routine we put together.
She started with Control, our super gentle glycolic cleanser.
Next, a few sprays of Tighten+Glow Refining Mist for mild exfoliation/glow— thanks to the bacillus ferment. The niacinamide would work to blur any imperfections.
Then, a few drops of the quiet but powerful Restore+Repair oil serum, because oil is not the enemy. . . the right oils can help blemishes.
For blemishes, the right oil is tamanu, aka “green gold.” It’s like the sniper of oils and has never met a fungus or bacteria it didn’t want to destroy.
For a moisturizer, Clam Redness Relief Cream lives to destress irritated skin with its colloidal oatmeal and zinc and babassu oil, which has anti-microbial properties and smells yum.
But what should she do if a pimple started to surface? Enter our Max Active Blemish Roller. It’s like a tank—something you get into only if necessary. This highly concentrated bath of salicylic acid is pressed onto any blemish that is attempting to rise to the surface.
Even if you never need it, this roller is like money in the bank. Good to know it’s there.
If you’re a person who lives with blemishes daily, this routine is a long-term keeper. If you only break out occasionally, at the very least you need Rainforest Restore+Repair Oil and the Max Active Blemish Roller.
The good news is that Rosemary didn’t break out beyond a few worrisome days when she arrived at Ballybeg House in County Wicklow. Her mother, however, felt a fearsome zit coming to the surface the night after she arrived.
Rosemary shared her kit and a generous pour of Tullamore Dew. The zit retreated.
We can’t sell you whiskey, but we’re the place to go for a routine that will help keep blemishes at bay.
About the Routine:
Focus on prevention of blemishes, healing of blemishes, proper hydration and protection and balancing the skin’s microbiome.
A.M. (bundle here)
P.M.
In a rush?
Just make sure you keep your face clean and massage a bit of the Restore+Repair Oil in before you go dashing out.
The ingredients in this routine that are so effective are Bacillus Ferment, which is the perfect enzyme to help with blemish control. It provides a gentle exfoliation without harsh scrubs or alpha hydroxy acids, and it also keeps your microbiome happy by taking a swing at bacteria that may be lurking. It is in our Tighten+Glow Refining Mist. The other ingredient that is new and wonderful in both the blemish world is Bakuchiol. It is a botanical compound that helps regulate sebum production, and it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activity. It is said to be just as effective as retinol and can be found in our Calm Cream and and also our Deep Refining Cream where it plays even more actively with Retinol.
]]>First of all, it’s easier to prevent spots than to get rid of them. So always use Tighten+Glow as part of your ongoing prevention routine, day and night. The bacillus ferment will gently exfoliate old cells, and that’s key.
Max Active Dark Spot Roller is the weapon of choice created to lift spots that are already entrenched. It contains a high percentage of glycolic acid and is meant to be dabbed only on the spots and only at night. Since the first two months I used this as part of the workshop, it hasn’t left my arsenal and gets pulled out the second I see even the shadow of a spot trying to surface.
The next key in a prevention strategy is to always use our Transform Serum. The blend of botanical lactic acid, Vitamin C and peptides does a great job every day to guard against discoloration.
Then, since I’d just heard that retinol works even harder with its new plant friend, bakuchiol, I decided to go balls to the walls and create a super-intense night treatment cream that was stuffed with the classic melasma-fighting A-team of niacinamide, resveratrol and alpha arbutin, and I don’t mean just a little. Deep Refining Cream (or The Skin Sheriff) is meant to be used for a solid two months, nighttime only, and then called out about once a week just to keep your skin bright and happy.
And where would a hyperpigmentation routine be without Vitamin C? Our Brilliance Vitamin C formula slipped out of my brain as easily as a goose egg. It was like God threw me a bone. The Vitamin C percentage is huge, but it also contains a very cool lightening agent made of natural amino acids that inhibit the production of melanin pigments. The oils were chosen for their lifting prowess, and to me the whole thing smells divine. This also now lives in my arsenal, and I use it at least a couple of times a week. At least.
Last, and part of your always routine is Condition Rainforest Repair Balm. This final call to action makes sure that your skin is deeply moisturized and ready to work on your pigment project.
Keep in mind that the above is a nighttime routine designed for a two-month immersion and then as needed. The daytime routine is whatever you usually use in the A.M. Brilliance Vitamin C Serum can swing day or night and is happy anywhere, any time.
If have a dark spot situation and can commit to drill down for a couple of months, this routine can get you where you want to go. Shout out to the guinea pigs who helped perfect this from the great states of Oklahoma, New York, California, Indiana, Connecticut and Texas.
About the Routine: While the best way to deal with hyperpigmentation is to prevent it, life happens. Whether you want to guard against discoloration and dark spots or lighten the ones you have, this special routine may be used twice daily for a two-month intense treatment or kept in your arsenal when you see discoloration starting to appear.
A.M. (bundle here)
P.M.
You may also find that Meta is a good addition to your morning routine and that Transform at night will give you an extra boost of hydration.
Bacillus Ferment is a perfect ingredient to help with cell turnover especially when working on uneven skin tone. It is an enzyme used to exfoliate the skin and is a mild but effective alternative to alpha hydroxy fruit acids. In addition to the Retinol in the Deep Refining Cream, another ingredient that is also in the deep refining cream that makes this routine so effective is Alpha-arbutin which is derived from bearberry. It promotes skin lightening and helps even skin tone on all skin types.
]]>She took home a sample of Supreme Clean, our super gentle cleanser, and our Transform Serum because its formula could calm a frantic terrier at 100 yards. Then I invited her to stop by the workshop. It wasn’t my job to give her medical treatment, but I could do my best to help her skin feel better. Her dermatologist was on board with that, and so we began our experiments.
I drove poor Robert (the Chemist) mad with questions about bacteria and the epidermis. Lori took pots and bottles of experimental mixtures home to play with. Her skin decided that it was in love with mango and oatmeal and babassu oil. It also was keen on zinc and marshmallow. And Calendula water.
The ingredient I was in love with was acetyl tetrapeptide 40. Its sole purpose is to reduce redness—whether it comes from eczema or rosacea or fear of public speaking or over-flirting or whatever.
The mist we made with with a bouquet of softeners and bacteria fighters like bakuchiol extract and golden seal. I labelled the bottle with a strip of kraft paper and called it Lori’s Mist. Evelyn named it Deep Hydration Moisture Mist.
Also, thanks to Lori and her skin, we now have Restore+Repair Rainforest Serum aka Lori/Lipids. It’s a combo of oils that have been known to help all sorts of Amazon ailments. It also contains Tamanu Oil from Madagascar, which has its own history of beauty and curative botanicals.
The Calm Redness Relief Cream spent a lot of time in the workshop finding itself. Today, its formula reads more like a vegan dinner recipe than a skincare cream. Oats, carrots, green tea, mango, pretty much everything red and irritated skin enjoys. The acetyl tetrapeptide-40 is the hero, but teamwork makes the dream work in this jar.
The Lori routine is cleanse, mist and mist and mist some more. Transform Serum. Rainforest Oil Serum and the Redness Relief Cream.
If you have a redness situation once in a while, you could keep this set on hand to use the way your skin likes it best. If redness and irritation is your life, this routine could be your life saver.
About the Routine:
Focus on redness, sensitivity, moisture retention, irritation, smoothness
A.M./P.M. (bundle here)
In a big hurry? Calm Mist + Restore+Repair
You may also find Condition to be helpful at night to add an extra moisture-retention seal.
One ingredient in this routine that is especially helpful in the fight to reduce redness is Acetyl Tetrapeptide-40. This peptide is designed to reduce the appearance of facial redness caused by inflammation and excessive inflammatory response in facial skin suffering from redness and dilated capillaries, like rosacea. This ingredient is found in both our Calm Mist and Calm Cream. Another ingredient that speaks loud and clear to sensitivities is Acai Oil. This Brazilian wonder is one of the heroes of both our Restore+Repair Oil Serum as well as our Condition Rainforest Repair Balm. Dense with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, it absorbs quickly and has been used for centuries to relieve eczema and psoriasis. ]]>But was it dry or dehydrated? (Quick refresher-- Dry skin is a condition—like oily skin. It needs lipids (oils, moisturizers). Dehydration is a situation—like how your face looks after getting off a plane. It needs water-based ingredients like hydrosols—coconut water—rose water.)
I needed both.
It was COVID lockdown and I had nothing but time to make our offerings as hydrating and moisturizing as possible.
Deep Hydration Softening Mist has everything in it I know to be hydrating and softening like calendula, chamomile, cucumber, and saccharide isomerate (sugar!), plus it has acetyl tetrapeptide 40 which is a huge help with redness. And redness can be a thing when your face is dehydrated.
That lives on my desk, and I use it constantly.
Then I wanted something to talk back to the environmental stressors my skin deals with every day. Hence Deep Hydration Gel Balm, aka “The Pink Stuff,” starring the very cool DAP Tripeptide 33. It is fierce. I think of it as the Bruce Springsteen of peptides.
Just to ratchet up the power of the pink I added mushrooms. Called Beta Glucan, this botanical specializes in protect and repair and is super moisturizing. Throw in some oat and plum oils and voila!
Then Meta Ultimate TX Cream, which in my humble everyone should use, morning and night, in every single routine ever. This cream has my favorite buriti oil, which guards against UV rays and gives a deep moisturizing treatment without being greasy.
Last, a new balm. Replenish started deep in my soul and nagged at me until I began fussing with it and failing and trying again. One day, it was perfect. Like a good poem, a good balm is the best oils and butters in best order.
Every oil in Replenish has a job to do, but the first is to be so sumptuous that your skin wants to eat it. Camelia oil and babassu and borage are just a few, and pracaxi oil, which you may never have heard of, is single-handedly responsible for many Brazilian beauties.
That last step seals everything in and fights against TEWL (trans epidural water loss). Take that, desert.
No matter where you live, if dehydration and/or dry skin is tripping you up, try this routine. I made it for me, but it will work on your skin no matter where your situation is happening.
I mix it up with the anti-aging routine, depending on what the weather is like, but it’s all good to have in your toolkit.
Routine: Focus on texture, smoothness, moisture retention, protection
A.M./P.M. (bundle here)
In a Hurry? Try Transform + Condition.
You might also like:
One of the ingredients that make this routine so good for making sure your skin is hydrated is Saccharide Isomerate. It is a deeply moisturizing, plant-derived ingredient based on its unique composition which is similar to that of the carbohydrate complex found in human skin and on its unique ability to bind to skin cells. It provides deep hydration and creates a moisture reservoir that lasts for 72 hours. Another ingredient that will help create a well-hydrated glow is the Acai oil found in our Meta Tx Cream and our Condition Balm. From the Rainforest, this oil is high in moisturizing properties and dense in amino acids. Acai oil quickly penetrates your skin and gives a smooth has silk feel.
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The environment we live in can have a significant impact on the health, quality and appearance of your skin. It affects how much moisture the skin retains, how much oil is produced and also how easily it becomes irritated or damaged. Humidity can lead to clogged pores, breakouts, overall greasiness and make you feel sticky and oily. Dry climates can lead to dehydrated skin, flakiness and itchiness. Exposure to sun, pollution and free radicals can lead to uneven tone, skin spots, and premature aging. And harsh temperatures can exacerbate issues, like enlarged pores, blemishes, or dry cracked skin.
But wherever life may take you -- whether you live in or travel to the heat, cold, wind or rain –JustUs has your skincare needs covered. Our powerhouse formulations harness ancient, resilient botanicals sourced from earth’s harshest climates, ready and willing to defend your skin.
Through avid experimentation, we combine ancient actives (secrets of plant oils and butters revered for centuries) and neobotanicals (leading-edge plant actives synthesized through frontline chemistry) to help your skin thrive in any setting. Sourced from the world’s most relentless climates, these components provide unwavering protection in any environment. Inspired by earth’s original anti-aging arsenal, our ingredients inherently defend against environmental damage. Packed into silky smooth and naturally aromatic products, out climate-wise alchemy creates a sensorial experience that will encourage you to put your best face forward and give you the knowledge and courage to take the right care of your skin.
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