How to get glowing skin – an expert guide
February 23, 2022
4 min read
What is the secret to glowing skin? It’s certainly not about make up, or even an elaborate multi-step routine. For an authentic, fresh-faced skin glow, you’ll need to look within. Yes, a consistent cleanse, tone, moisturise routine is absolutely essential to transform the look of dullness, but naturally glowing skin also relates to sleep, diet and stress levels. Unhappy skin is rarely healthy-looking skin. That’s not to say there aren’t ways to top your glow up a little – see facial massage and face masks, below. With that in mind, we quizzed our Liz Earle Beauty experts, including Lifestyle Ambassador Sarah Carr, for their top tips on how to get glowing skin. Read on for their tried and tested advice.
Cleanse like a pro
One thing glowing skin isn’t is grubby. Twice daily cleansing is vital to remove make up and impurities that can quickly dull your complexion or lead to breakouts. But avoid harsh formulas that can strip the skin of its natural oils – a fast route to dull and reactive skin. Instead, look for a cleanser that contains natural oils or butters to emulsify dirt and debris while keeping the skin’s natural moisture barrier happy. New Cleanse & Glow™ Transforming Gel Cleanser turns from a luxurious gel to a lightweight impurity-dissolving oil, before rinsing off as a skin-softening milk to leave skin feeling fresh and revitalised.
Try facial massage
Facial massage is a simple, yet reliable way to generate a healthy-looking glow, plus it’s free and accessible to all. It works by stimulating blood flow to the skin’s surface so it naturally appears more radiant and alive. For a quick facial massage masterclass using Cleanse & Glow™ watch Sarah Carr, our Lifestyle Ambassador, in action.
Exfoliate away dull skin
Exfoliation is essential to reveal your glow. Manual exfoliators, those with a grainy texture, help buff away dead skin cells and unclog pores but should only be used 2-3 times a week to avoid sensitivity. Our Gentle Face Exfoliator is made with fine jojoba oil beads for a satisfyingly smooth finish, with none of the harsh scratchiness you find with some other face scrubs. It’s also the ideal way to prep ahead of a face mask. For a further brightening boost, incorporate some gentle AHAs (alpha-hydroxy acids) into your routine. Our kind-to-the-skin Brightening Botanical Drops are enriched with a natural AHA derived from hibiscus flowers, which helps to even skin tone and reveal a naturally glowing complexion.
Optimise hydration
Keeping skin adequately hydrated is all-important for that illusive glow. Yes, that means choosing a beautifully nourishing moisturiser, but also how you prep skin beforehand. Toners are the unsung heroes of a glow-boosting skincare routine. Take our Instant Boost™ Skin Tonic which is rich in hydrating aloe vera and designed to replenish the skin’s surface layers before you smooth on your chosen moisturiser. Read more about what our toner does here.
Use glow-boosting masks
Luminous skin really can’t be cheated. But there are ways to induce a temporary glow in a hurry. Step forward face masks for glowing skin. Packed with fast-acting ingredients, our Brightening Clay Mask contains radiance-boosting botanicals including camphor and witch hazel – perfect for revitalising dull and tired-looking skin before a big night out.
Eat your way to glowing skin
Sugar. Caffeine. Processed foods. It’s no surprise that none of these will help you reach your glowing skin goals. Instead, look to maximise your water intake as well as nutrient-dense fresh fruit and veg, healthy whole grains and foods rich in skin-friendly essential fatty acids. In particular, vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant with glow-boosting properties often used in skincare, but you can top up your levels regularly (the body can’t store vitamin C) by eating foods that are rich natural sources like kiwis, strawberries, peppers and broccoli.
Get plenty of rest
Sleeping badly? Your skin is often the first place to suffer with the signs written, quite literally, all over your face. When we rest at night, skin switches to repair mode so when you’re sleep deprived, it can’t catch up. Stress, and the cortisol it produces, has similarly disastrous effects, triggering excess oil which can lead to breakouts. The bottom line is, for a well-rested skin glow, prioritise a routine for a good night’s sleep and make stress-reducing activities like meditation part of your wider skincare ritual.
Move your body
Exercise, of any variety, is only ever good news for skin. Ever wondered why your skin glows for hours after your morning run? It’s due to the increase in circulation which boosts blood flow to the tiniest vessels in the upper layers of the skin. Not forgetting that exercise benefits virtually every other system in the body – from digestion to immunity – which represents multiple benefits for skin health too. Unsure where to begin? Try Sarah’s simple yoga poses for better posture for starters.
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