Do you want glowing skin? Don’t we all! The good news is that you can achieve gorgeously bright, dewy, radiant skin without the help of an Insta-filter. Follow these radiance-boosting tricks and habits that help achieve natural, long-lasting results. Go on, be “that girl”!
1. Never, ever sleep with makeup on
Say it with us besties: Take. It. Off. No matter how tired you are and now matter how late it is, removing your makeup before you go to sleep can be the difference between beautiful clear, glowing skin, and a dull complexion with clogged pores. Plus, having makeup on 24/7 prevents dead skin cells from shedding and causes them to stick to the skin’s surface, the results of which are not pretty. Use a gentle, hydrating cleanser like grape seed oil to remove makeup without stripping your skin, leaving it feeling soft, fresh and clean.
2. Exfoliate once a week
One of the best ways to boost your glow instantly is by exfoliating. By getting rid of the outer layers of the stratum corneum (just a fancy word for the outermost layer of the skin), it reveals fresher, smoother skin that reflects light. But before we continue any further on this topic, put the walnut scrub down! Physical / mechanical particles in scrubs can damage skin by caused by irregular exfoliation (not evenly exfoliating the face and over exfoliating one area of the skin without knowing) and micro-tears in its surface, making it more prone to dry, flaky patches, redness, impaired barrier and signs of sensitivity. Ugh! A much better option is to use a chemical exfoliant, which allows for a controlled penetration of active ingredients and even application which removes dead skin cells by dissolving the bonds between cells, rather than friction to physically scrape them off (*side eye walnut scrub*).
Lactic acid, an Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) exfoliator, helps to manage rough skin and uneven skin tone, and is also a worthy contender for hyperpigmentation and smoothing fine lines. Derived from milk, it’s considered a gentle acid, so it’s great for sensitive skin types as well.
3. Incorporate brightening skincare ingredients (or two, or three)
Use a hydrating serum to lock in moisture and a star brightening serums to illuminate your complexion over time. Call us biased, but we love serums for their ability to provide an extra boost of nutrients to the skin without feeling heavy, sticky or oily. They contain a high dosage of vitamins and active ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin at a cellular level. Here are a few of our faves to look out for:
- Vitamin C L-Ascorbic Acid – Probably the most well-known skincare ingredient for luminosity. Packed with antioxidants, this serum improves dull skin texture and tone to reveal a visibly radiant and clarified complexion in just a few weeks. (Trust us, the wait is worth it.)
- Niacinamide (vitamin B3) – A hydrating serum that works to brighten skin, control redness, refine skin’s appearance and boost barrier function.
- Hyaluronic Acid (HA) – Yep, you can’t read any skincare article without coming across this multipurpose, all-time favourite skincare ingredient. Hyaluronic acid works to replenish lost moisture in your skin and plump up your complexion for a glowing finish. Best of all, you can see visible results almost immediately.
4. Use a toner
Toners get a bad rap for stripping the skin, but remember: not all toners are the same. Look for a gentle product that hydrates your skin, like our 5% Baobab Milk Toner. After all, serums and creams can penetrate deeper if your skin is hydrated.
5. Get enough sleep
It’s not called ‘beauty sleep’ for nothing. This age-old secret may be the closest thing there is to a fountain of youth. The key here is to get enough Zzzs – 7 to 9 quality hours each night. One of the countless benefits that sleep offers is waking up to a healthy glow. This is because when you snooze, your body boosts blood flow to the skin. It also replenishes its organs and tissues by delivering essential nutrients and removes excess fluid and toxins. Don’t believe us? The next time you get less than 6 hours, look in the mirror and you’ll likely see a complexion that is pretty dull and ashen.
