Updated 2/9/15. Is your skin looking dull and doesn’t have a vibrant glow like it used to? Has your skin lost its natural radiance? In this post I discuss the traits that glowing skin has along with tips for how to achieve it.
As an esthetician with 25+ years of hands-on experience , I believe glowing skin has two characteristics:
1. Proper blood circulation. As we age, blood flow slows down and less nutrients and oxygen are being brought to the skin cells. Combined with the fact that by the time you are 75 years old there are 50% less blood vessels in the face, the result can be tired, dull, sluggish-looking skin. This is why you’ll see elderly men and women having skin that is very washed out, grey and ashy-looking…
2. Light-reflective skin. When the skin is dull-looking, it can be a result of a damaged lipid barrier (tiny, invisible cracks in the skin) that no longer seals moisture between surface cells, resulting in an uneven dull surface. As a consequence, when light hits the skin, instead of reflecting it evenly, it is scattered and skin appears lackluster. This is why knowledgeable estheticians focus on treatments that repair the moisture barrier and makeup artists will use shimmery, light reflective makeup. The combination of these two can get light to bounce off the skin to make it look more glow-y.
How can you get your skin to look glowing and radiant?
Hang your head upside down for three minutes a day like I’m doing here. If your skin doesn’t show a pinkness or redness tone after exercise or a hot shower, this is a sign that your circulation may be impaired. A long-term strategy to improve this is to hang your head upside down for three minutes per day. You can do this with a headstand or during a Downward Dog in yoga, or simply hanging your head over the side of your bed. You should notice that after three minutes, a slight redness will appear on the skin from the blood flow underneath and in the long run it can make a big difference in improving circulation and getting and keeping an inner glow.
Give your skin a facial massage. Gently massage your skin with the pads of your fingertips using a skin oil or moisturizer for two minutes a day. This helps increase micro-circulation to bring new nutrients to the skin at the cellular level. This is also an important step in a professional facial.
Repair dryness to get light reflective skin. When you use a moisturizer with lipid-rich oils while you sleep, they work to strengthen the skins barrier by sealing invisible cracks in the skin allowing skin to reflect light and imparting glowing perfection. Not all moisturizers are equal so see this ingredient list to make sure your moisturizer or oil contains a combination of these. I recommend using Pro Remedy Oil and Glow Enhancing Cream.
Exfoliate to remove surface dryness. Dry, flaky skin will only make skin look dull so using an at-home skin peel with exfoliating acids like Triple Berry Smoothing Peel will give a newly refined radiance. As we age, the natural cell turnover process slows down so stimulating the renewal process is essential to make skin look its best. Read my exfoliation tips.
Wake up the skin with mint. One of my favorite ingredients for instantly refreshing tired skin to give a glow is mint. Peppermint and spearmint, along with Rosemary Leaf are all used in Luxe Mint Cleansing Gel (discontinued). Mint Buffing Beads is also great to use a few days a week to exfoliate while giving the skin a boost of circulation from within. You’ll love these!
Avoid wearing yellow-based colors for makeup and clothing. Colors like mustard, olive green, khaki, burnt orange can make the skin appear sallow. Read: Five Clothing Colors To Give Your Skin A Glow
Consult with a makeup professional. There are so many options for liquid and powder foundations but not all reflect light well so consult with a professional to experiment with what type of makeup works not only best for your type of skin but will also impart a beautiful glow.
Read: Is Wearing Makeup Foundation Daily Bad For Your Skin?
Read: How Celebrities Get Their Skin Red-Carpet Ready
Which skin care products are best for you? See our nine skin types or take the Skin Type Quiz and get products recommended.
Need expert advice from a licensed esthetician? Schedule a virtual consultation to get customized advice in person, over the phone or online via Skype or FaceTime.
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Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”
