A major component— and signal— of healthy skin is a natural glow. But causes like lack of sleep, stress, age, and even what you eat can rob your complexion of its radiance. Transform skin that looks dull and tired to luminous and glowing with expert tips and skincare product picks from Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab scientists and dermatologist experts on how to make your skin glow naturally, no matter how much time you have: months, one or two weeks, overnight, or even minutes!
1. Cleanse regularly
Key to luminous skin: clearing your “canvas” by thoroughly removing debris like dirt, oil and pollution particles that can clog pores and cause dullness.Wash your face morning and night by massaging in a small dollop of face cleanser lightly with fingers in circular motions, working from the inside of the face out for full coverage,says GH Beauty Lab Senior Chemist Sabina Wizemann.
Try our best-tested face wash for boosting radiance, Fresh Soy Face Cleanser, for daily use, and do a deeper cleanse weekly by applying your face wash with a facial cleansing brush,
like Beauty Lab test winner and Good Housekeeping Seal star ProX by Olay Advanced Facial Cleansing Brush System.
2. Exfoliate your skin
“One of the best ways to brighten skin and boost its glow both immediately and long term is by exfoliating,” Wizemann says, yet nearly half of GH readers skip it, our survey found. “The process removes skin’s outer layer of dead cells so its surface is smoother and clearer and reflects light.”
Apply either a physical exfoliant, like a face scrub, two to three times per week or a chemical exfoliation, such as a face peel once per week for sensitive or dry skin and three times maximum for other skin types,
she suggests. Try the Beauty Lab’s top-tested skin-brightening face scrub, Acure Brightening Facial Scrub, or peel, Philosophy The Microdelivery Triple-Acid Brightening Peel, which also evens skin tone, 71% of testers reported.
