How to Achieve Glowing Skin (and Revive Dull Skin)

Have you recently looked in the mirror and asked, why does my skin look dull? If yes – you’re in good company. Even if your skincare routine remains consistent, all of us are susceptible to tired, lacklustre skin at times.

If you’re worried that the road to glowing skin is paved with a thousand tiny bottles, fear not. A radiant complexion can be achieved through combining a small number of simple, potent skincare products and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits.

To help you achieve that elusive, lit-from-within glow, we’re sharing our expert advice on how to get brighter skin below.

What is glowing skin?

Glowing skin tends to have a unified skin tone and a natural ability to reflect light. From a textural point of view, glowing skin feels plump, smooth, and dewy. Neither too oily nor too dry, glowing skin is balanced, radiant, and full of vitality – with fewer skin concerns overall.

Why does my skin look dull?

Depending on your skin type, dull skin can present itself in numerous ways. If your skin looks dull, it lacks radiance or the ability to reflect the surrounding light. Muted complexions can also appear dry, patchy or ashy. Dull skin often feels different, too – with a rougher and uneven texture. Below are some common causes of dull skin.

Dehydration

Dehydrated skin can appear thinner and less flexible, which affects its ability to reflect light and emphasises uneven texture.

Dead skin cell buildup

When your skin feels rough, it’s likely that your epidermis (the outer layer of skin) has a buildup of dead cells. We shed millions of skin cells each day, but cells that don’t fall away contribute to a muted appearance and rough texture.

Pollution and environmental stress

Polluted air, debris, and UV radiation can create free radicals on skin, which can impact collagen levels and contribute to dull, uneven skin tone.

Age-related sluggish skin cell turnover

As we get older, our production of collagen and elastin proteins slows. This shift, alongside other symptoms like fine lines and dehydration, can exacerbate the appearance of dull skin.

Continual stress and lack of sleep

Ongoing stress triggers a spike in cortisol, which can impede blood flow and cause skin to appear tired and lacklustre. Moreover, poor sleep habits impact your skin’s ability to renew itself – a process that largely happens overnight.

Seasonal changes

Cold, dry weather can deplete your skin’s moisture levels and cause a buildup of dead skin cells on the surface – contributing to dullness. Conversely, sunnier weather ushers in higher UV levels. More UV exposure can mean more oxidative stress – the perfect recipe for dull, uneven skin tone.

How to get glowing skin – and revive dull skin

Achieving and maintaining glowing skin requires a holistic approach, because it begins from the inside. By pairing effective skincare with healthy lifestyle habits, you’ll stay on top of that coveted glow.

Find out how to get brighter skin below.

Hydrate inside and out

The first step in how to make your skin glow is to keep your hydration levels in check. That means drinking at least two litres of water per day and nourishing your skin topically with hydrating serums.

We recommend the Génifique Ultimate Serum, which helps promote skin rejuvenation by delivering a powerful blend of hyaluronic acid, liquorice extract, and pre- and pro-biotic fractions.

Exfoliate regularly

One of the most effective skincare steps for how to get radiant skin is to gently exfoliate once or twice a week to shift dead skin cells and encourage smoother, brighter skin to the surface. Lancôme’s National Skincare Expert, Brittany Hanchard, suggests working chemical exfoliants – like salicylic acid – into your skincare routine.

“Salicylic acid works to gently loosen and remove dead skin cells, refreshing your skin and softening your texture. Using a salicylic-enriched product at the start of your routine will help your following products to penetrate the deeper layers of skin.”

We recommend a gentle cleanser like our Clarifique Pore Refining Cleansing Foam to buffer away impurities and renew skin.

Use brightening skincare

If you’re formulating a skincare routine for how to get glowing skin, vitamin C is going to boost radiance like no other ingredient. This hero ingredient not only combats visible signs of dull skin, but it also acts as a powerful anti-aging tool since it helps stimulate collagen synthesis and neutralise free radicals that contribute to hyperpigmentation.

You can also look to other brightening ingredients like niacinamide, which helps unify skin tone. To harness the joint benefits of niacinamide and vitamin C, you can apply the Rénergie H.C.F. Triple Serum after cleansing. Then, follow with a brightening moisturiser like the Rénergie Multi-Glow Cream.

Protect with SPF

Sometimes the best advice for how to get glowing skin is about prevention. UV damage is a major contributor to dull skin – along with other visible aging concerns – so it’s important to always protect your skin with sunscreen each day.

We recommend SPF50+ at the end of your morning skincare routine at least twenty minutes before sun exposure. For a touch of unifying coverage with your SPF, opt for the UV Expert BB Cream Complete SPF 50+.

Get quality sleep and manage stress

In terms of how to get a natural glow on your face without the help of skincare, it’s important to keep your stress levels down (to prevent cortisol spikes) and get enough sleep each night. This is going to allow your skin time to naturally renew itself while you sleep.

Boost circulation

Another method for how to revive dull skin is to boost circulation in the skin on your face. This can help redistribute the fluid that contributes to puffy, tired-looking skin. Consider a facial massage or glow-boosting tools like a face roller or gua sha. This helps stimulate blood flow and lymphatic drainage to give the skin a smoother, more vibrant appearance.

Now that you’ve learned how to make your face glow, discover our expert tips on how to brighten your under eyes for unparalleled radiance.