A Guide to Veracity Skincare: The Right Products for Your Skin
Skincare can often feel like a very expensive game of darts — you buy a product, try it out, realize it’s not right for you, buy something else, and repeat. It’s a huge relief when you finally land on the perfect skincare regimen…and then a year later you find yourself planning a wedding, buying a new house, and going after a big job promotion all at the same time and suddenly your tried-and-true regime isn’t quite so true for you anymore.
Just as your life never stays exactly the same, neither does your skin. What the beauty industry largely overlooks in its effort to put all women in a skin-type box — sticking an oily or dry label on you for life — is that your body and your hormones change, and those changes often show up in your skin. If you are going through a stressful period, high cortisol and inflammation can cause breakouts. If you’ve just had a baby, your body’s low estrogen and progesterone may result in skin dullness and dryness.
It’s always best to check the actual status of your hormones as each woman can have a different hormone profile during a similar stage of life — Veracity's Hormone Wellness Test is an easy way to get a real-time snapshot of what your particular hormones are up to — but we understand it’s not always a convenient time to test. So, we’ve put together this guide to help you figure out which Veracity products to use in your skincare routine during some of your life’s most common and significant stages.
Life Stage: Taking Hormonal Birth Control / Low Progesterone
As the pill rose in popularity, a welcome side effect was discovered: it reduced acne. Many women are first prescribed hormonal birth control as teenagers for this reason alone. The pill works by reducing the hormonal spikes that naturally occur throughout a monthly menstrual cycle, which results in suppressing your levels of estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. While this can help decrease oil production and acne, it also means you might see an increase in dryness and irritation, as progesterone is a natural anti-inflammatory.
Your Veracity Solution: Your skincare regimen should focus on two areas: support your skin’s ability to heal and rejuvenate and reduce inflammation.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: This formula is all about revitalizing dry and dull skin to give you a more youthful glow. Among its other ingredients, the 8% glycolic acid serves as a gentle exfoliator, encouraging cell regeneration and stimulating collagen production to neutralize the effects of inflammation. Benthi plant peptides act like retinol, promoting lipid production and counteracting the effects of aging (think wrinkle prevention). Meanwhile, niacinamide, a form of the vitamin B-3, is all about skin restoration, brightening and evening skin tone and reducing fine lines and pores.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: The pill reduces your skin’s oil production, which can lead to dryness and lackluster appearance. The plant-derived squalane in Veracity’s Inflammation Response mimics your body’s natural oil production to help provide much-needed moisture without any greasy residue. Date palm seed extract helps to even out your skin tone, reducing inflammation and hyperpigmentation, while pomegranate extract aids your skin’s cellular regeneration, which gives a much-needed boost to your skin’s ability to heal, a function that decreases with inflammation.
Life Stage: Going Off Birth Control / Hormonal Overdrive
Hormonal birth control artificially masks the natural ebbs and flows of your hormones throughout the month. When you stop taking birth control, your hormones revert back to their normal, more dramatic patterns, which can result in an increase in acne as your estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone rise and plummet with your cycle. It can be disheartening to face teenage-level cystic acne when you're well into your adult years, but there are skincare ingredients that can help counteract these effects.
Your Veracity Solution: To help mitigate the effects of hormonal acne, focus on targeting inflammation and keeping your skin hydrated and balanced.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: Hormonal acne is partly attributed to your skin’s production of sebum, or oil. This formula contains poria mushroom + tall reed extract, as well as willow bark extract, a great natural (and pregnancy safe) source of salicylic acid, both of which help to regulate your skin’s oil production. Additionally, pomegranate extract helps promote healing in your skin and cell turnover, while date palm seed extract reduces redness and inflammation.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Hydration Balance: This concentrate provides deep and long-lasting moisture to your skin without the greasiness. Snow mushroom extract binds moisture to the skin and provides 500x the hydrating power of hyaluronic acid. Grape seed extract is a powerful source of antioxidants that help moisturize while regulating natural oil production, while turmeric extract is a potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial that helps to heal breakouts.
Life Stage: Trying to Conceive / High Cortisol & High Estrogen
No matter what shape your fertility journey takes, trying to conceive can be incredibly stressful. This often results in high cortisol and hormone changes including high estrogen. This hormonal imbalance can manifest in skin issues ranging from acne to redness and uneven skin tone.
Your Veracity Solution: Help soothe your skin during this time with a skincare regimen that focuses on reducing inflammation and revitalizing stressed-out skin.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: The plant-derived squalane in this formula will help calm your skin, smoothing and softening its appearance. Similarly, date palm seed extract reduces any redness and hyperpigmentation, while also improving its tone and elasticity. Rosehip oil will help reduce the effects of any acne that may pop up during this time, as this good source of fatty acids stimulates collagen production and reduces scarring.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Brightening Support: Veracity’s Brightening Support is all about the antioxidant power. Vitamin C is well-known for its skin benefits, but this formula harnesses a more powerful form: 10% ascorbyl glucoside is a more active, stable, and effective form of vitamin C. This ingredient will help brighten and protect your skin, while garland lily extract will give you a radiant glow while also providing protection from environmental factors that can speed up skin aging, like pollution and UV exposure.
Life Stage: Pregnant / High Estrogen
Pregnancy may give you that famous glow, but it also comes with sudden spikes in estrogen and progesterone that can lead to other less desired skin changes. Some pregnant women experience increased acne, while others face issues including melasma (or “mask of pregnancy”) and hyperpigmentation. Develop a regimen to support your skin through this time to help reduce some of pregnancy’s less joyful effects.
Your Veracity Solution: Focus on balancing and brightening your skin tone, while protecting your skin with plenty of antioxidant ingredients that will help fight inflammation.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Brightening Support: In this formula, gallic acid will help to counteract any pigmentation problems pregnancy may bring, balancing your skin tone and correcting melasma. A powerful dose of antioxidants are delivered through 10% ascorbyl glucoside, a more potent and stable form of vitamin C, which will help protect against cellular aging and brighten your skin (you can never have too much of that glow!). The combination of ferulic acid and vitamin E boosts the anti-aging powers of ascorbyl glucoside and protects your skin barrier.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: Retinol may not be safe for use during pregnancy, but the benthi plant peptides in this formula act like the well-known anti-aging ingredient, boosting collagen and lipid production to improve the appearance of skin, while being doctor-approved for use during pregnancy. The pumpkin and pomegranate enzyme complex and 8% glycolic acid are both gentle exfoliators that revitalize and brighten skin tone.
Life Stage: Breastfeeding & Postpartum / Low Estrogen & Progesterone
Being a new mom may be the best of times, but it can also be the most disruptive of times and not just because your adorable new infant has no concept of a good night’s sleep. The postpartum period is characterized by wild hormone swings. While oxytocin and prolactin surge to support breastfeeding and bonding, the heightened estrogen and progesterone levels that give you that beautiful pregnancy glow plunge after giving birth. This can lead to increased skin inflammation, decreased collagen production, and other skin woes including dryness.
Your Veracity Solution: Hydration is key during your postpartum and breastfeeding period, when your skincare regimen should focus on supporting your skin with moisturizing and rejuvenating ingredients.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Hydration Balance: This formula is packed with ingredients that provide a much-needed dose of long-lasting moisture to your skin. These benefits start with 5% 4D hyaluronic acid, which combines four different moisturizing molecules of different sizes to target each layer of your skin with hydration. Apple extract boosts these efforts, while also gently exfoliating and encouraging cell turnover (think anti-aging). Snow mushroom extract has 500x the hydrating power of hyaluronic acid, while birch tree water is a natural hydrator that helps to support your skin barrier.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: Aptly named, this concentrate is all about rejuvenating your skin through cellular turnover and anti-aging benefits to bring back some of that glow. Some of the ingredients that are particularly powerful in these efforts are benthi plant peptides, which have a retinol-like effect on this skin without its non-breastfeeding safe properties. Pumpkin and pomegranate enzyme complex gently exfoliates, while delivering generous doses of vitamins C and E, while Bis(Tripeptide-1) Copper Acetate repairs and rebuilds damaged skin cells.
Life Stage: Some Signs of Menopause / Low Estrogen
As estrogen levels begin to decrease starting in perimenopause, your skin also begins to slow its natural production of collagen. This causes the skin barrier to weaken, which can lead to less moisture retention, dryness, and other signs of aging. While getting older is inevitable, there are skincare steps you can take to pause time on your youthful, dewy glow.
Your Veracity Solution: Ingredients that support collagen production, hydration, and cell regeneration will help minimize the visible effects of your body’s low estrogen on your skin as you begin to experience signs of menopause.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: There are several ingredients in this formula that help to stimulate collagen production, including 8% glycolic acid, benthi plant peptides, and hydroxyproline. Arginine is a powerful moisturizing agent, which pulls water from the air and locks it into your skin, while niacinamide is all about skin restoration, working to minimize fine lines, uneven skin tone, and other effects of skin aging and damage.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Hydration Balance: Younger looking skin is all about that supple glow and that is one effect of this formula which packs a huge punch of moisture. Veracity’s Hydration Balance Vital Concentrate targets parched skin, harnessing the power of ingredients like 5% 4D hyaluronic acid, which uses molecules of different sizes to inject moisture into each layer of skin. Birch tree water boosts these efforts while also helping to support the skin barrier, while apple extract adds in a touch of exfoliation and cell regeneration.
Life Stage: Stress / High Cortisol / Low DHEA
It can sometimes feel like the modern world was designed solely to stress us out. Whether you’re experiencing a period of prolonged stress trying to balance work and family life or going through a particular life stage characterized by high-anxiety (we’re looking at you weddings and work promotions), stress can wreak havoc on your hormones. Chronic stress can lead to elevated levels of cortisol (aka the stress hormone) and low levels of DHEA and progesterone. The effects of these changes on your skin can be stress-inducing in and of themselves: acne, inflammation, and a weakened skin barrier.
Your Veracity Solution: During hectic times, pay particular attention to an antioxidant-rich skincare regimen that targets inflammation and brightens your stressed out skin.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: This formula is designed to both calm your skin and support its healing. The plant-derived squalane smooths, softens, and moisturizes, while date palm seed extract specifically targets inflammation and redness. Pomegranate extract then steps in to help with cell renewal and healing.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Brightening Support: Once you’ve reduced your skin irritation and redness, it’s time to give it back its natural glow. Vitamin C is the famous queen of brightening ingredients, but its lesser known but more powerful relative is 10% ascorbyl glucoside, a more potent and stable form of the famed vitamin which will give you radiant skin while also protecting from signs of aging. This formula also contains gallic acid, which brightens and balances skin tone to fight both inflammation and hyperpigmentation.
Life Stage: Adrenal Fatigue / Low Cortisol + Other Hormones
Adrenal fatigue is thought to be a more severe form of long-term, chronic stress in which hormone production in the adrenal glands slows down, including the production of cortisol. Though there are still no standardized guidelines for doctors to make this diagnosis, chronic stress does lead to hormone imbalance, which can have real implications for your skin health.
Your Veracity Solution: Low cortisol can lead to patches of melasma and hyperpigmentation, while decreased levels of other hormones can cause dryness and inflammation.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: Start your regimen by focusing on inflammation, which will also help counter the other skin effects of adrenal fatigue. In addition to a variety of calming ingredients, Veracity Inflammation Response Vital Concentrate contains date palm seed extract, which specifically targets inflammation and hyperpigmentation. Rosehip oil and sea fern extract will also help reduce any dark spots induced by low cortisol by brightening skin and stimulating collagen production and melanin elimination.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: This formula contains a line-up of ingredients that stimulate cellular regeneration and reverse signs of aging, including 8% glycolic acid and benthi plant peptides. Niacinamide will help reverse the dullness that can come with dry and inflamed skin, while the pumpkin and pomegranate enzyme complex serves as a gentle exfoliator rich in antioxidants.
Life Stage: PCOS / High Testosterone + DHEA
It is believed that at least one in ten women suffers from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, or PCOS, a condition characterized by elevated levels of the androgen hormones testosterone and DHEA. Among its other symptoms, this hormonal imbalance can result in severe acne. But like PCOS, there is plenty of hope and skincare help when it comes to treating breakouts caused by high androgens.
Your Veracity Solution: If you struggle with PCOS or high levels of testosterone and DHEA, focus on a regimen that will calm inflammation, control oil production, and stimulate cell regeneration.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Inflammation Response: The date palm seed extract in this formula specifically targets inflammation, which also helps to reduce hyperpigmentation and redness, among its other benefits. Poria mushroom and tall reed extract supports a strong skin barrier and regulates oil production, as well as clarifies and detoxes your complexion, while pomegranate extract helps with cell turnover and healing.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Regenerating Infusion: Every ingredient in this formula is focused on repairing and regenerating your skin cells. Some like niacinamide and bis(tripeptide-1) copper acetate work to reverse and repair environmental and sun damage, while others like 8% glycolic acid and benthi plant peptides, which works like retinol, renew your skin surface and stimulate collagen production to give you a more healthy glow.
Life Stage: Low Vitamin D / Low Testosterone
The causes of low vitamin D and low testosterone in women may not always be related, but their effects on the skin are the same. When you have decreased levels of these two hormones, your skin has a tough time retaining adequate moisture and preventing signs of aging, leading to dullness, dryness, and other not so radiant effects.
Your Veracity Solution: The main focus of your skincare regimen for both low vitamin D and low testosterone should be hydration, hydration, hydration. By locking in much-needed moisture, you can return a glow to your skin and prevent signs of aging.
Primary Vital Concentrate: Hydration Balance: This formula is a secret weapon for those going through this life stage, as it was formulated to work for even the most stubborn dryness. A series of moisture-rich ingredients work together to provide long-lasting relief, including 5% 4D hyaluronic acid, which contains molecules that target each layer of the skin, and birch tree water which is a natural form of hydration. It may sound counterintuitive, but dry skin can sometimes lead to acne because the skin barrier has been compromised, and this vital concentrate contains turmeric extract, which is an anti-inflammatory that helps to heal dry and breakout-prone skin.
Secondary Vital Concentrate: Brightening Support: Once you’ve begun to pump moisture back into your skin, it’s time to get your glow back. The garland lily extract in Veracity’s Brightening Support Vital Concentrate works to this effect while also protecting your skin from environmental factors that cause aging. In addition, the 10% ascorbyl glucoside is an antioxidant powerhouse, delivering the most stable and powerful form of vitamin C for brightening and protection.