Who doesn’t want 24/7 radiant skin? While maintaining a glowing complexion isn’t always easy (especially when battling the harsh winter weather), there are a few tricks and tips you can implement into your routine to ensure your skin continues to look its best from January through December. If you want to achieve gorgeous, glowy skin, we’re breaking down our top 10 tips for maintaining a luminous complexion all year round.
1. Cleanse Regularly
Let’s start with the basics. Washing your face on a daily basis is absolutely essential for maintaining skin health. It will clear away debris that can clog the pores and cause dullness, and will also ensure there isn’t any residue that will block other skincare products (like serums) from absorbing into the skin and doing their best work.
Regardless of skin type, everyone should cleanse their skin daily in the evening. Doing so will wash away all the dirt, bacteria, excess oil, pollutants, and other debris that has collected on your skin throughout the day.
2. Exfoliate Your Skin
A cleanser will clear away surface-level debris, but to get rid of dead skin cells and impurities stuck on the skin and in the pores, you’ll want to use an exfoliant. Whether you use a chemical or physical exfoliant, exfoliating will brighten the complexion by promoting a more even skin tone. The process also stimulates blood circulation for an instant boost of glowiness. Beyond that, it unclogs pores and improves texture for smoother, clearer skin that looks as good as it feels.
3. Hydrate & Protect
There are two holy grails that are crucial for achieving and maintaining glowy skin: sun protection and hydrating skincare products.
To really amp up the hydration benefits of your routine, we recommend using a hydrating serum, like the Hyaluronic Pure Boost Serum. Powered by hyaluronic acid (a highly effective humectant), this gentle and lightweight serum draws moisture into the skin and locks it in. By helping the skin retain moisture, it leaves the complexion looking and feeling supple, soft, and radiant all day long.
While it can be tempting to skip the sunscreen (especially if you’re going after a sun kissed look), sun damage is ultimately the enemy for anyone looking to get a year-round glow. Chronic sun exposure can lead to premature signs of aging and discoloration, making the skin look duller. Wear sunscreen on a daily basis (and reapply every two hours), and be sure to try to avoid direct sunlight between the hours of 10:00am and 4:00pm, as this is when the rays are at their strongest.
4. Use Serums with Brightening Ingredients
Serums are made with potent concentrations of active ingredients that target specific skin concerns. For the skincare enthusiast looking to maintain their glow, we highly recommend serums made with brightening ingredients. Our Vitamin C Boost Serum is made with – you guessed it – vitamin C, which is one of the most effective brightening ingredients in the skincare world. It fades dark spots for a more even skin tone, and boosts overall radiance while fighting signs of aging. The serum is also infused with additional ingredients that further brighten, soothe, and hydrate the skin, including licorice root extract, bisabolol, vitamin E, and sodium hyaluronate.
5. Moisturize Skin
Another foundational skincare product that you absolutely can’t skip is a moisturizer. Moisturizing twice a day is key for ensuring your skin stays supple, smooth and luminous 24/7. A good moisturizer will also seal serums into the skin so that the active ingredients can get to work. We recommend looking for moisturizers with proven ingredients that effectively lock in moisture and support barrier health, such as squalane, hyaluronic acid, sodium hyaluronate, shea butter, ceramides, and glycerin.
6. Use a Face Mask
To keep your skin looking fresh, work a hydrating and/or brightening mask into your weekly skincare routine. A good mask will give your skin an extra dose of active ingredients to help it look its absolute best. Some of our favorite glow-boosting face mask ingredients include exfoliants (physical or chemical), vitamin C, antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, licorice root extract, and azelaic acid.
7. Give Yourself a Face Massage
Face massages aren’t just a great way to relax – they can also do wonders for your skin. The process encourages blood circulation to the face, which instantly revives and energizes the complexion. All you need is your go-to facial oil to reduce friction and pulling, and you’re ready to get started!
8. Use a Shimmery Face Lotion
If you really want to amp up the glow factor, add a bit of shimmer to your routine. A shimmery face lotion will give your skin that energized, lit-from-within look. It’s the perfect solution when you need to instantly boost your radiance.
Want to look like you just got back from a tropical vacation? Try a lotion with a tinted bronze shimmer for a subtle sun kissed appearance. For a more subdued look, you can alternatively apply a glow-enhancing highlighter on your cheekbones, under the brows, in the inner corners of your eyes, and down the bridge of your nose.
9. Eat Antioxidant Rich Foods
Antioxidants aren’t only useful as ingredients in your skincare products – they can also support your skin from the inside-out. They work to protect the skin against harmful free radicals, which can harm the skin and lead to fine lines, wrinkles, discoloration, a loss in firmness and elasticity, and other signs of aging. By giving your body a dose of antioxidants through your diet, you’re creating an extra barrier of defense against these aggressors.
There are tons of different options out there, but some of our favorite antioxidant-packed foods and drinks include berries, green tea, spinach, broccoli, avocado, and guava.
10. Drink Your Water
Drinking plenty of water on a daily basis is just as important as using hydrating skincare products, especially if you’re after supple, radiant skin. Plus, water is key not only for your skin health, but for your overall wellness. Mayo Clinic currently recommends a daily intake of 15.5 cups of water for men and 11.5 cups for women.
