How 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 ..

How 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..

How 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..

How 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 ..

How 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..

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..

How 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..

Ingredient 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..

Ingredient 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 ..

Ingredient 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 ..

Ingredient 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..

Cosmetic 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..

C60 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..

Ingredient 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..

Ingredient 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 ..

Ingredient 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..

Why you should consider Mandelic acid

If you are new to the skincare journey, by now, you have probably discovered the importance of chemical exfoliation. That said - it is easy to overdo it. One thing we preach is slow and steady, and it's a marathon rather than a sprint. Mandelic acid is one of those fly-under..

Ishtar 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..

How to Prepare for a Visit to a Dermatologist

A list of fun things to do varies for all of us. Not fun? A visit to the doctor. But one doctor most of us visit rarely, if ever? A dermatologist. When you should visit a dermatologist Problematic moles - fact of the matter is, we should all have our moles checked (cas..

Allergies To Cosmetic Ingredients

Every two years, the North American Contact Dermatitis Group collects and reports the data from patch testing among its members to a standardized series of allergens. Major Allergens There are 3 categories of cosmetic ingredients that induce allergies more often than other..

How 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..

7 Simple Ways to Reduce Acne

1) For bad acne marks, 10% mandelic acid serum can help to treat breakouts and eliminate the discoloration of skin. 2) If you suffer from monthly hormonal breakouts, reducing your alcohol and dairy intake may help. If this is not enough, try adding the nutritional supplem..

Alpha Hydroxy Acid and the Skin

Alpha Hydroxy Acids Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA's) are naturally occurring acids, derived from the sugars in particular plants. Glycolic acid is derived from sugar cane, Lactic acid from milk and Malic acid from apples. Mandelic acid, a relatively new innovation in skincare, ..

Ishtar Moisturisers at a Glance

Moisturisers aren't necessarily the most exciting part of any skincare stash. In fact, people with oily and congestion-prone skin may believe a moisturiser is the work of a devil when it causes congestion and breaks them out. A great moisturiser feels like you have nothing o..

Why you should consider a facial oil

Facial oils can be a polarizing topic in the skincare community. Many dermatologists will tell you to steer clear if you have oily skin or if you are breakout-prone. Others swear by them. Some love them, while others can't stand the feel of them on the skin. The thing is, t..

How to Patch Test?

Do you patch test new skincare products? Or do you just slap on your new toner/serum/moisturizer and hope for the best? The impulse to try out new products is strong. We get it, we do. If your skin is non-reactive and tolerates new products well, we are officially jealous. ..

How to Care for Combination Skin

Skincare should not be complicated. 10-step routine is lovely and indulgent. Is it necessary? No. Most of the time if you cleanse, treat and moisturise, that should be enough. However, for a majority of us, things tend to get complicated. Dry skin and hyperpigmentation, acne..

The Basics of Lip Care

If you are reading this blog, chances are you have a solid skincare routine. It likely includes retinol, an acid, a treatment serum, a decent cleanser, and a moisturiser. While eye creams are controversial (people are typically either firmly for or against eye creams), one a..

How Sugar Ages the Skin

We have all heard that sugar is bad for us, but did you know that a sweet tooth may lead to wrinkles? This surprising fact is down to what happens in your body when you eat sugar. To blame is a natural process known as glycation, in which the sugar in your bloodstream attach..

What is the difference between enzyme and acid exfoliation? Can I use both?

Q. I think that my skin needs exfoliation. It seems dull and dry, yet oily at the same time - with blocked pores and congestion being a real problem for me. I have looked at both enzyme and acid products and am really confused as to the difference. Is it an either or choice ..

Ishtar Skinlights Powerful Duos For Every Skin Concern

One of the more frequent questions we receive from our lovely customers, either via email or social media, is how to slot our products in their existing routines. We thought it would be helpful to put together a list of Ishtar products that target specific skin concerns. Yo..

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