YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Skinstitut products are available in medical and professional skin clinics within Australia, New Zealand, UK and now Canada (excluding Quebec). You’ll also find us online through our specialist, Skinstitut-trained online retail partners.

To find your closest skin clinic within Canada please visit our clinic locator.

We’re very proud to have been a cruelty-free skincare brand from day one, back in 2008. We don’t use any animal-derived ingredients in our products, we test every single product on willing (and discerning) human volunteers and never ever on animals.

SKINSTITUT VEGAN STATEMENT 

In our mission to create high-performing, results-based skincare that meets the varied needs of skin at all stages of life, our focus is always on the best quality, cruelty-free ingredients.  

Of Skinstitut’s full Canadian range, currently two products are not vegan. These are: 

Quick-Fix Calming Sheet Mask – contains Honey Extract 

Quick-Fix Anti-Ageing Sheet Mask – contains Fish Collagen 

Skinstitut’s Marine Collagen is a sustainably sourced by-product of the food industry, extracted from the otherwise discarded skin of wild-caught, deep-sea Atlantic cod. While both marine- and bovine-derived Collagen deliver similar benefits for the skin, Marine Collagen’s quality and bioavailability are superior, and its environmental impact smaller.  

Our rigorously researched and formulated products value quality, safety and efficacy above all else. Animal-derived ingredients are chosen when research demonstrates they outperform alternatives in pursuit of the best possible results for skin.  

The short answer: keep going. The longer answer: Skinstitut products are designed to correct a range of specific concerns and to return your skin to its best self and keep it that way. We use cosmeceutical ingredients in our formulations which correct those concerns and help to maintain skin health and prevent premature ageing and sun damage. So yes, ongoing use is strongly recommended, as is a seasonal skin consultation to monitor your skin and ensure you’re using the right products to weather all conditions and lifestyle challenges.

We know. A thorough, professional skin analysis by a qualified Skinstitut practitioner is absolutely essential to ensure you’re investing in the right products for your skin type and concerns — and that you know exactly how and when to use them. 

Our advanced skin analysis investigates the cause of any skin concerns; we find that diet, lifestyle, and hormones often have a role to play which is why we take a holistic approach. If you’re unable to visit a Skinstitut clinic location, we invite you to have an online consultation here. 

Skinstitut is a corrective, cosmeceutical range created to inspire change in the skin. Our products hero active ingredients in potent concentrations so you should expect visible changes in the first two weeks of starting your new Skinstitut regime. 

In some cases as the skin renews itself, dehydration, flakiness or breakouts can be a common side effect as congestion and expired skin cells are encouraged up through the surface layers of the skin. Before you worry that you’re having an allergic response to your new products, know that these types of changes are often experienced when you begin to use new and especially active formulations; it’s a sign that the ingredients are working and creating that change you want to see. 

We’ve found that any skin response will settle down within a few weeks, making way for better, brighter, healthier skin. However, if you’re still concerned with the way your skin is responding we recommend you consult your Skinstitut dermal clinician.

A cosmeceutical is a product that has a cosmetic and therapeutic  effect on both the health and appearance of the skin. They contain active ingredients that have a positive impact on cellular function and, as part of a committed skincare regime, they can visibly improve skin tone and texture, fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage, and help to restore the skin’s natural radiance.

Skinstitut cosmeceutical products are typically prescribed by a skin professional in a medispa, skin clinic, or medical practice to suit your skin type and condition. As our cosmeceuticals contain active ingredients in the concentrations needed to effect change, it’s extremely important that you follow the specific usage amounts and product instructions and that you don’t just apply them liberally to the skin like traditional cosmetics.

Skinstitut is a highly active, cosmeceutical range that should be slowly introduced into your skincare regime. It’s extremely important to follow the usage instructions as being heavy handed with a cosmeceutical product may result in redness and inflammation as the skin is overwhelmed with too many active ingredients. A basic rule to follow: if you’re using more than a pea-sized amount of product you’re using too much.

Skinstitut is a highly active, cosmeceutical range that should be slowly introduced into your skincare regime. It’s extremely important to follow the usage instructions as being heavy handed with a cosmeceutical product may result in redness and inflammation as the skin is overwhelmed with too many active ingredients. A basic rule to follow: if you’re using more than a pea-sized amount of product you’re using too much.

You’re probably being a bit heavy handed and using too much. Retinol is a form of Vitamin A that promotes cellular renewal by increasing collagen and elastin production—and it’s very active. 

Please apply just one pea-sized amount of Retinol Serum every other evening, eventually building up to every evening on clean dry skin. Gently stroke outwards in a circular motion, gradually spreading onto the entire face, throat and chest while being careful to avoid the eye area. And make sure your skin is protected with Age Defence SPF50+ every time you’re outside, no matter what the weather.

If you have sensitive skin try our Rejuvenate 15 serum as it contains Lanablue which is a botanical Vitamin A and is less reactive on the skin.

Lactic Acid is traditionally derived from milk but at Skinstitut we create it synthetically in a laboratory for hygienic reasons. It’s perfect for more sensitive skins as it doesn’t penetrate as deeply or quickly as Glycolic Acid. Lactic also has additional benefits including effective hydration and the ability to increase natural ceramides (which improve the skin’s barrier function) and reduced irritation.

No. Even Blend Serum will help to even out your skin tone for a brighter complexion with more clarity. Even Blend Serum contains Wakamine: Japanese seaweed which is very high in Vitamin B3 and is extremely effective in inhibiting melanin transfer into the skin cells. This brightening serum takes both a reactive and proactive approach to pigmentation; it doesn’t just treat visible melanin it works below the surface to help prevent the formation of future melanin.

Absolutely you can. Laser Aid is a great multi-tasker to have on hand for a range of skin fixes. It has powerful properties to cool and soothe, serving as cooling mask for flushed or heat affected skin. We also recommend it for rosacea prone skin, where it can be used as a light-weight moisturiser. Laser Aid offers calming relief for skin post microdermabrasion, waxing, and shaving. It even makes a great mask for acneic skin types due to its anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties.

We have lots of happy customers who also use Laser Aid as a pre or post shave gel.

As our Skinstitut Vitamin C is extremely potent, it’s essential you follow our recommended usage exactly. Mix one tiny shake of powder (equivalent to a grain of rice) with one of the Vitamin C-compatible products we recommend below.

This is the recommended amount of our Vitamin C to be mixed with one pump of the compatible Skinstitut products of your choice into the palm of your hand and then directly applied to your skin.

Firstly, we don’t recommend you mix our Vitamin C with anything other than a Skinstitut product; our cosmeceutical products have been carefully formulated and tested to complement one another and to be safe to use. If you do want to add a little of our Vitamin C to one of your favourite Skinstitut products, it needs to be a formulation that is going to stay on the skin. 

Vitamin C plays well with the following: our Enzymatic Micro Peel, Even Blend Serum, Retinol, Hydrating Mask, Moisture Defence or Age Defence SPF 50+.

We don’t recommend combining our Vitamin C with the following: our Multi-Active Oil, Rejuvenate 15 Serum or Repair Balm.

At Skinstitut, we pride ourselves on being transparent about our products. Some brands may only promote the percentage of an ingredient as the whole Retinol complex (which can include derivatives of other ingredients) which can be misleading. Our Retinol Serum is a 1.25 % potent encapsulated Retinol which is the equivalent of 0.25% active Retinol.

We use one of the most potent, highest-quality Retinols available on the market. Our Retinol Serum is transported on dry ice to our lab to maintain maximum freshness and uses microscopic encapsulation technology for superior ingredient penetration and stabilisation.

Our latest addition to the Retinol family is Expert Reveal Retinol Face Oil. This is a carefully considered oil blend of Retinyl Palmitate and Retinol that’s a lightweight, nourishing, and hydrating night-time treatment which helps to nurture more mature, dry skins. This highly effective Retinol treatment oil is equivalent to 0.9% active Retinol. Best of all, you enjoy the retinol benefits without the irritation often associated with Vitamin A.

Yes but here are four important things to note before you do. 

1. If your skin has undergone significant changes since becoming pregnant, we strongly recommend you have a consultation with your skin therapist who will assess your skin and recommend a gentler but still effective regime to use during this time. 

2. Pregnancy is not the time to start an all-new, highly active regime as your skin will likely be more responsive than usual. Instead, make small and gradual changes, ideally in consultation with your therapist, and opt for nutrient-rich, calming and nourishing skincare products and ingredients. 

3. High-concentration Vitamin A should be avoided throughout both pregnancy and breastfeeding; this includes our Retinol Serum and Expert Reveal Retinol Face Oil or any other forms of Vitamin A such as Retinoic Acid. You are best to switch to a more gentle, low concentration of Vitamin A such as the botanically derived Vitamin A we use in our Rejuvenate 15. It contains a Blue Algae extract, rich in essential lipids, proteins, vitamins, and trace minerals that has Retinoic-like properties that help to rejuvenate and refine the signs of premature ageing with a more gentle approach.

4. AHAs are safe to use but be careful not to be excessive. When pregnant, your skin will be much more responsive with an increased tendency for sensitivity or dryness. If you’ve been using L-Lactic Cleanser, Glycolic Cleanser 12%, or Glycolic Scrub 14% prior to your pregnancy, then you should be safe to continue their use. However, if you’re noticing or feeling increased sensitivity then don’t use them as frequently as you had been and cleanse with our Gentle Cleanser as an alternative.

If you want to get great results, yes. While you don’t necessarily need to be doing all 5 steps morning and evening, incorporating cleansing, exfoliating, correcting, hydrating, and protecting within your overall regime is what creates change in the skin.

Absolutely. Many of our customers and staff enjoy using multiple products within a particular step. For example: you can start with Gentle Cleanser to remove makeup, followed by a second cleanse with Glycolic Cleanser 12% to decongest and clear breakout-prone skin. Furthermore, as your skin adapts to the intensity of your Skinstitut products you can move to using higher intensity products. For example: progressing from using Rejuvenate 15 to the higher-intensity form of Vitamin A in Retinol Serum.