As the skin ages, everything tends to slow down. This includes blood circulation, oil production and the natural exfoliating process of the skin. This is what is responsible for dull skin.  In addition, pigment cells rise to the surface with age, so the skin develops brown spots which cause the skin to not look even-toned.

No worries there’s a lot that can be done to counteract dull skin. In this post, I’ll share my favorite tips to get your skin looking fresh and glowing in no time.

• Only use low-foaming, sulfate-free cleansers to wash your face

Cleansing your skin in the morning and at night is essential for optimal skin health. However, you need to pay attention to the type of cleanser you use.

Many foaming and gel-based cleansers are formulated with ingredients like sodium lauryl sulfate,  or ammonium lauryl sulfate. These are cleansing agents that cut oil from the skin. While you do need to remove oil from the skin, these sulfate ingredients are simply too strong and will strip water from the skin after every washing. This leaves the skin feeling tight and creates irritation. This eventually leads to a damaged moisture barrier that contributes to your skin’s dull, dry appearance. When it comes to cleansing, the rule is more lather, more drying; less lather, less drying. Be sure to look for cleansers labeled as ‘sulfate-free’ and ones that don’t have a shampoo-like bubbly lather. Furthermore, bar soaps are an absolute no-no.

• Repair your moisture barrier so the skin will appear light reflective

When you want the skin to have the look of a radiant glow, you want to make light bounce off of the skin. If your skin is dry and flaky, it means you have a damaged moisture barrier. When this happens, your skin develops tiny, invisible cracks that allow not only moisture to escape but also allow light to penetrate. This prevents light from bouncing off the skin’s surface so the skin will not have that ‘lit from within’ look. Instead, you end up with that undesirable dullness we all dislike. Aside from using only gentle cleansers, you have to take steps to repair your skin’s dryness and close up these cracks. The best way to do this is by using the RIGHT type of moisturizer. Now most of you would think this is for people with dry skin but you can have oily skin that is dehydrated. It’s a fact that hydrated skin is healthy skin, so start looking at your ingredient labels to find the perfect moisturizer for your skin.

• Use a face oil but use it correctly

Especially during Harmattan when the air is dry, moisture is dramatically reduced from the skin. One of the very best ways to prevent moisture evaporation and keep your skin looking radiant is to apply a treatment oil over your night cream. The reason why you want to put it on as the last step in your night regimen is that oils have the largest molecule, more so than any other skin care product. Because of this, oil acts like a top coat or a sealant so that everything underneath (your toner, serum, and moisturizer) stays in the skin. .

• Be sure to use the right type of exfoliating products and use them regularly

The quickest, easiest way to instantly brighten the skin is to use an exfoliating product. By dissolving and removing dry surface cells, you instantly reveal fresher, brighter, plumper cells that reflect light and give the skin a smoother look. I personally prefer AHAs like glycolic acid and lactic acid.

• Use a skin brightener daily

Since pigment cells rise to the surface with age, brown spots and sun spots can make the skin look dull. One of the benefits of a natural skin brightener is its ability to sedate melanin activity to fade stubborn discolored marks. My favorite type is a vitamin C serum  like the YouSkin because it’s a proven brown spot lightener.

• Use an Illuminator

Never underestimate the power of makeup. if you love your make-up this is probably your favorite part. Take a good look at your face to really familiarize yourself with the bone structure. Once you have identified your cheekbones, brow bones, nose and chin dab an illuminator on those areas. It is all about looking natural, make sure you gently blend any excess product so it does not sit on the skin.

if you have other secrets please share with us!

xoxo

Nnenna