How to beat winter skin
Any season is better than summer. But the fact remains, wintertime can exceptionally harsh on the skin. How should you treat winter skin? What are some of the common mistakes we make, and how to fix them? Skincare routine Cold air, wind, central heating that dries the beje..
Read moreHow to use retinol in the summer?
The skincare community will hotly debate any number of topics. Do you need a moisturiser? Are eye creams effective? How many times per week should you exfoliate? But one ingredient we can all agree on is retinol. It is a powerful ingredient with numerous studies that prove i..
Read moreHow to know if you are overwashing your face
Cleansers give us joy! Simple as. Oils, balms, gels, the difference in textures, the scent, the ritual of washing off daily dirt and grime - cleansing your face can be awesome. Cleansing is the first and crucial step in keeping our skin healthy, bouncy, and plump. But someti..
Read moreHow to prevent skincare pilling
For many of us, doing our skincare routine is a happy place. A Zen moment to ourselves. A chance to take a breath and pamper our skin. Or it should be until you experience something called skincare pilling. Plenty of us have experienced it at least once. We do our skincare r..
Read moreHow to Treat Post-Holiday Skin
Holidays can be a mixed bag. For some people, it can be a stressful period with the travel and fraught family reunions that would test the patience of a saint. For others, it is a magical time of the year what with Christmas decorations everywhere, parties, and never-ending ..
Read moreHow to Treat Your Skin in Menopause
Hormonal changes affect our skin. It is blatantly apparent when we are teenagers. But menopause is no picnic either. It can bring about increased dryness, sensitivity, and, in some cases, even acne. Give your skin some comfort and tackle the changes head-on with some simple ..
Read moreHow to switch your skincare routine for autumn
The days are getting shorter and colder (thank heavens!), it is time to get cosy. It is also time to switch up your skincare routine to adjust to the change of season. What are some of the most common skin concerns during this transitional period? The change in temperature a..
Read moreIngredient Highlight - Emollients
Come wintertime, one category of ingredients that gets talked about a lot in the skincare community is emollients. It is easy to understand why. Due to cold weather and change in temperature, the majority of us deal with dry or dehydrated skin. It is not a life-threatening c..
Read moreIngredient Highligh - Humectants
Healthy skin needs to be hydrated properly. Yes, regardless of the skin type. Humectants are ingredients that work well for all skin types. Oily skin gets the hydration it needs, without any of the oiliness. Dry and dehydrated benefits too, for obvious reasons. What are hume..
Read moreIngredient Highlight - Bisabolol
Bisabolol is an ingredient you might have heard of, or even come across on the inci list, but never really paid much attention to. The fact of the matter is, we might not talk about it to the same extent as we do about retinol or Alpha-Hydroxy acids. But it does have plenty ..
Read moreCosmetic Ingredients A-Z and Their Properties
We're passionate about the ingredients that make up your favorite skincare products. From A-Z, each ingredient has been carefully chosen for its unique benefits to the skin, ranging from hydrating and soothing properties to anti-aging and brightening effects. Whether it?s th..
Read moreC60 Fullerene - The new super star ingredient for your skincare routine
The beauty industry is constantly evolving, and new skincare products are hitting the market every day. One of the latest buzzwords in the world of skincare is C60 fullerene. This molecule has been dubbed as the "superstar of your skincare routine," with many people swearing..
Read moreIngredient Highlight - Azelaic Acid
Ask any skincare nerd about their favourite ingredient and be prepared to listen about the virtues of retinol/vitamin C/AHAs and what a difference it made to their skin (we are guilty of that, too). But if you have blemish-prone sensitive skin or suffer from rosacea, it can ..
Read moreIngredient Highlight - Lipo-hydroxy acid
What is Lipo-hydroxy acid? Lipo-hydroxy acid is an ester of Salicylic acid. Where it differentiates from Salicylic acid is it has a higher molecular weight. Because of this, it slower to penetrate the skin and better tolerated. It is a lipophilic acid meaning it dissolves i..
Read moreIngredient highlight - amino acids
Amino acids might not be on your skincare radar. However, due to their nature, they are critical for our skin health. What are amino acids, and how do they benefit the skin? Should you include them in your routine? What are amino acids? Considered the building blocks in ou..
Read moreIngredient Highlight - Squalane
Want smooth, soft, well-hydrated skin? Give Squalane a try! Chances are a few of the products in your skincare stash contain Squalane. It is a popular ingredient, and for a good reason. It is super hydrating, but what is even more important, it is well tolerated by ALL skin ..
Read moreHow to Use Mandelic Acid and Other Product Tips
Every order at the Ishtar shop includes a free 10 page guide to using Mandelic Acid products, helping you get the most out of your purchase. Each mandelic acid product is explained in detail to ensure your satisfaction. We also touch on other compatible products in our rang..
Read moreCommon Winter Skin Problems and How to Fix Them
Cozy sweaters, hot chocolate, long walks in the crisp air - you gotta love winter! Plus we welcome any season that gives us an excuse to bust out our scarves collection and binge watch Netflix. Any season change can be harsh on the skin and none more so than winter. Dry/d..
Read moreHow to Know if You Overexfoliated Your Skin
Sometimes enthusiasm gets the better of us. It is easy (so easy!) to get carried away when it comes to skincare. You find the right cleanser and moisturizer. A million YouTube videos and blog posts later and you realize your routine is missing a whole bunch of things. Yo..
Read moreWhy our skincare routines matter
In case anyone hasn't asked you in a while - how are you? We are over a year into the pandemic. 2020 was a lot (A LOT) in every imaginable way. Last year what we were experiencing was grief. Over the last few months, some of us experienced something called languishing (yes, ..
Read moreIshtar EFA Oils are Here!
After the cold snap we've been having, a facial oil can be a great boost to your skincare routine. Yes, even if you have oily and combination skin! Learn more about the two newest products in our line-up - EFA ProRepair and EFA AntiStress facial oils. Best of all - both fac..
Read moreHow Long It Takes for Skincare to Work?
Patience is a virtue, but can we be frank with you? We at Ishtar HQ aren't the most patient sort. And while we (endlessly) preach that skincare is a long game and not many products produce immediate results, sometimes we need to remind ourselves of that. Our skin sheds dail..
Read moreIshtar's Exfoliants
For many people, chemical exfoliation is a game-changer in their skincare routines. That said, not all skins require the same level of exfoliation to reap the benefits. Ishtar offers several chemical exfoliants suitable for different skin types in various types of products. ..
Read moreWhat are skin-replenishing ingredients?
For healthy, bouncy, plump skin, your skincare routine needs skin-replenishing ingredients. The good news is chances are you probably already have a few products in your lineup that fit the bill. What are skin-replenishing ingredients? How do they benefit the skin? What do ..
Read moreHow to Pick A Cleanser for Your Skin Type
Healthy skin starts with the right cleanser. A good cleanser keeps your skin clean, comfortable, and balanced and preps it for all the other steps in your skincare routine. The uppermost part of the epidermis is called Stratum Corneum. The top part of Stratum Corneum is cal..
Read morePrebiotics and Probiotics in Skincare
Have you ever suffered from a dodgy tummy? Or with that dreaded bloat? Who hasn't, right? Chances are if you ever had any type of stomach and/or gut problem, you have heard of probiotics. They keep everything balanced and running smoothly *cough* But probiotics aren't great ..
Read moreDo Men and Women Need Different Skin Care Products?
It is not unusual to find brands marketing separate male and female skin care. But is there really any reason why men should use different skincare products to women? The short answer is that it does not matter what skincare is used - men can use women's skincare products a..
Read moreThe Truth About Collagen And Your Skin
Stories about collagen usage in cosmetic products and cosmetic procedures are all over the news today. Whether you hear about someone getting collagen injections, or you read a list of product ingredients in a skin cream that includes it, collagen is pretty much everywhere. ..
Read moreHow to Adapt Your Skincare Routine in Your 30s
Can we agree our 20s are a messy time? It is easy to get away with a lot. Like being out all night clubbing and drinking, then going for a lecture first thing in the morning. A hangover isn't even a blip on the radar. Our 30s, however, are much better. We care less what any..
Read moreHow to Nourish Your Skin When the Weather Changes
Autumn is in full swing. And you know what that means - it's time to switch up your skincare routine. Think - nourish, protect and soothe. With just a few simple tweaks your skin will be ready for the colder months ahead. Switch from foaming cleanser to gel/balm/oil/cr..
Read more5 Acne Fighting Ingredients to Include in Your Routine
Acne vulgaris is a common condition that affects millions of people. In the past it was associated with teenage skin, however recent research shows that adult acne is on the rise. Acne doesn't discriminate, and it can happen to anyone regardless of their age and gender. The..
Read moreSkincare Heroes
C60 Booster
Introducing our advanced treatment serum containing two powerful ingredients - C60 Fullerene and E..
Cleansing Mousse With Organic White Tea
Start each day on a cloud with our soft and velvety cleansing mousse. Formulated with 100% Ecocert i..
Azeloyl 10 Moisturiser
With 10% Azeloyl GlycinePromotes dermal equilibrium Azeloyl 10 is a moisturising cream formul..