Everyone dreams of beautifully plump, smooth and dewy skin that only seems to appear on those insta-famous folk who can afford a weekly facial and a personal chef at their beckon call concocting all kinds of smoothies. However, you too can achieve glowing skin with these simple tips and routine shake ups:
Exfoliate, gently
Remove those dead skin cells that are giving you that dull hue and buff out the oil that’s enlarging those pores to reveal smoother, more glowing skin. Use the gentlest of exfoliants to achieve this as you don’t want to aggravate sensitive skin or breakouts. Try the gentle Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains for Face, £30, from John Lewis or a liquid exfoliater such as Clinique’s Clarifying Lotions, from £16.50.
Use a Toner
After you cleanse your skin, making use of a toner is a must. If you apply moisturizer and other products to dewy skin, they are more likely to latch on and act faster. Not only does toner bond products to your skin, but it evens the skins tone. Elemis have a fantastic range of plant based toners for various skin types from £22.50, if you’re on a budget check out Boots Essentials Cucumber Facial Toner at the bargain price of £1.50!
Invest in a Serum
Look for one with antioxidants, the skin’s major defense against free radicals and stress, and pentapeptides, which are a must-have when it comes to boosting collagen, the support structure that gives skin a firm, youthful appearance. For best results, apply to freshly washed skin; follow with sunscreen or moisturiser to lock in hydration. Clarins’ Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate at £42 is great for sensitive skin or if you’re looking to spend a little less give The Body Shop’s Vitamin E Moisture Serum a try at £13.
Apply Sunscreen Everyday, Year Round
You’ve heard it a million times, I know, but wearing sunscreen is the single easiest way to look younger for life and it’s so much easier to prevent the damage than it is to fix it afterwards. That means no slacking during winter months either, when rays are just as strong. Look for a formula that offers broad-spectrum protection to guard against UVA rays (the ones that cause premature aging) and UVB rays (one of the main causes of skin cancer). Try this great oil free face cream from Clinique at £18, which comes in SPF30, 40 and 50.
Apply a highlighter
For that constant sheen across those cheekbones, never leave the house without applying a highlighter. A light sweep across them and on the cupids bow, where the sun might naturally hit, will have you looking naturally great without glowing like a disco ball. The Multiple by Nars, £29 from Space NK, or Benefit’s High Beam Highlighter, £19.50 from Boots, are favourites among beauty buffs and will last and last.
Clean Those Makeup Brushes
The dirt and bacteria in our makeup brushes collect can cause breakouts. We should ideally be washing our foundation brushes once a week and loose powder brushes every 2-3 weeks. Washing them is simple by mixing a couple of drops of gentle facial cleanser or shampoo and water in a cup, swish your brushes around, rinse with water, pat dry, and lay flat to air dry. Alternatively try MAC’s Brush Cleaner at £12 for a really thorough clean.
Don’t Touch Your Face Throughout the Day
We all know you get bored, tired or just simply annoyed. Most of the time, any of those emotions causes you to put your hands on your face in disbelief or anguish, but resist! Who know’s what you have been touching all day and with the circulation of germs, you’re more than likely to transfer them to your face leaving excess dirt for no reason.
Drink Water and Eat Clean
The more water you drink, the more regular the toxins will flow out of your body. The cleaner your eat, the less toxins will enter your body. The easiest way to clear your skin and brighten your complexion is to feed it from the inside out. Check out the benefits of lemon water here.
Sanitise Your Mobile
Apparently, that iPhone you can’t keep your hands off of can get more germ-infested than a toilet in a public toilet. Just think, all those germs land right on your cheek and jawline every time you chat away, causing spots and irritation. So keep your phone (and face) bacteria-free, by wiping it down with an antibacterial wipe a few times a day, pop some in your basket next time you’re grocery shopping.
Always Take Off Makeup Before Bed
Leaving makeup and dirt on skin doesn’t just clog pores; it can cause excessive dryness and even skin dandruff. Don’t forget to thoroughly remove eye makeup too as no one likes dry itchy eyes in the morning. Try Rinse-Off Eye Makeup Solvent, £18 from Clinique a gentle, oil-free cleanser that quickly melts away everything from waterproof liner to mascara. If you’re on a budget try a new micellar water such as Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water, £3.29 from Superdrug.
Get to Bed Earlier
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason and sleep deprivation lowers circulation, which is why you look pale and washed out if you only get a few hours. It’s also the best time to rejuvenate your skin. Your body’s cellular renewal team has the night shift, so this is when you want to equip your skin with as many nutrients and hydrating ingredients it needs to do a fine job. Use Origins High Potency Night-a-mins Mineral-enriched Renewal Cream, £35 from Look Fantastic, for beautifully revitalised skin in the morning.
Roll Away Puffy Eyes
In the morning, massage away excess fluid that forms under the eyes whilst we sleep with the Simple Kind To Eyes Revitalising Eye Roll-On, £5.19 at Boots, which manually pushes out fluid. To reduce dark shadows, use your ring finger to lightly tap GinZing Eye Cream, £20 from Origins at Boots, which contains caffeine, onto the delicate area.
Get Some Zinc In You
If your skin is going through a dull patch, a lack of zinc may be to blame. People who are trying to lose weight or eating a lot of processed foods might not be getting enough zinc to keep their skin glowing. And since zinc helps repair damaged tissues and heal wounds, it also helps clear acne and other irritating skin conditions. Get your zinc from foods such as seafood, pumpkin seeds, spinich and cashew nuts or take a daily zinc supplement.
And Finally, Be Patient
We’re all in a hurry to see results, but putting on the brakes can ensure that the results you get are positive. When you’re starting a new product, use it every other day, and never try a few new buys at once. If you have any reaction from a new product you won’t know which one has caused the irritation if they’re all used at once. Give any new potion at least 12 weeks (even up to 6 months) to see if it’s really improving your skin before calling it quits.
