These beauty hacks for bright skin are simple and can easily be done in the comfort of your own home. Our skin is the largest organ in our body, which I think people forget. As much as we try to take care of our other organs (liver, brain, lungs, kidneys, etc.) we need to be taking care of our skin.

& when we take care of our skin, it glows. 

Vitamin C

If you don’t know by now, vitamin C is the holy grail of skincare. Specifically vitamin C applied topically. It brightens, it protects, it evens skin tone. You can’t go wrong with it. 

Vitamin C brightens the skin because it prevents melanin synthesis by lowering the rate of tyrosinase, which are enzymes that help your skin’s pigmentation process. Melanin is responsible for the pigmentation of the skin, hair, and eyes. When melanin is excessively produced (from sun exposure, hormonal imbalances, age, inflammation, etc.), hyperpigmentation occurs. Hyperpigmentation includes age spots/sun spots, uneven skin tone, dull skin, freckles or moles. 

Adding vitamin C to your routine will give you the glowing skin you’ve always wanted. It will also protect your skin from fine lines and wrinkles because it is an antioxidant, which means that it will neutralize free radicals which break down the collagen/elasticity in your skin. 

Vitamin C recommendations:

• The Ordinary Ascorbyl Glucoside Solution 12%
• Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic 15% Vitamin C Firm & Bright Serum
• DRMTLGY Vitamin C E + F

Exfoliate

Exfoliating gets rid of the dead skin cells and allows our fresh new ones to shine through. It breaks up pigmented cells that we now know is that annoying hyperpigmentation. Exfoliating regularly removes the buildup of dry, dull skin. & then we have healthy, smooth, glowing skin. It also speeds up cell turnover, which makes the skin firmer and reduces fine lines and wrinkles. That’s a two for one situation. 

Chemical leave-on exfoliants are better than ones that you have to wash off. They tend to be better because they are milder and don’t physically take off the skin. It’s less likely to make your skin irritated, red and sensitive. 

Exfoliant recommendations:

• The Ordinary Glycolic Acid 
• The Ordinary AHA 30% + BHA 2% Peeling Solution

Eating the right foods

You can do all you want to your face, but it’s not gonna get any brighter if all your eating is processed and junk food. Of course you don’t have to eat perfectly but you should at least be eating healthy 80% of the time. 

Here are foods that will keep your skin glowing:

Protein

Specifically, lean meats, chicken, fish, eggs, etc. Protein gives the skin the amino acids it needs to make more collagen. More collagen will keep your skin strong, firm, and glowing. 

Healthy Fats

This could be oily fish, extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, avocados, etc. Healthy fats keep the skin hydrated, which will make the skin look and feel more plump. They actually keep cell walls flexible and are one of the best ways to keep your insides moisturized. 

Nuts (like walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts) and seeds (like chia seeds and flaxseeds) also fall under the healthy fats category. They are both a great source of vitamin E and help to keep our skin glowing because vitamin E is a natural sun blocker, protecting our skin cells. They also have zinc, which reduces inflammation, redness, and blemishes. 

Fruits & Veggies (obviously)

This one is a given, as everyone should be eating more fruits and vegetables. But how do they help our skin glow?

Well, the carotenoids in brightly colored fruit and vegetables have antioxidants that decrease our skin’s sensitivity to the sun and also neutralizes the free radicals that break down our collagen. 

Lycopene (a type of carotenoid) is found in red fruit and vegetables and acts as an internal SPF for your skin. Beta-carotene (another type of carotenoid) is found in orange fruit and vegetables and converts to vitamin A which is essential for our skin health. 

Bell peppers, kiwis, strawberries, tomatoes, and oranges are rich in vitamin C. & as we already know, vitamin C protects and builds collagen, evens skin tone, and reduces hyperpigmentation, giving us glowing skin. 

Dark green vegetables like spinach, kale, cabbage, and broccoli are high in antioxidants which, as we also know, neutralize free radicals that break down collagen. 

Moisturize

Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Just keep doing it. Moisturizing keeps your skin hydrated. Keeping your skin hydrated is important because it prevents dry, dull skin. It also slows signs of aging, helps fight acne, and soothes sensitive skin. 

To get the glowing skin that we want, moisturize in the morning after you wash your face and at night after you wash your face (yes, you have to wash your face in the morning AND at night). If your skin starts to feel dry during the day, moisturize. You usually can’t overdo it.  

Recommended face moisturizers:

• CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion
• The Ordinary Natural Moisturizing Factors + HA
• Dr. Dennis Gross Vitamin C Lactic Oil-Free Radiant Moisturizer

Face massage

This is an extra one that you can do to give your skin an extra glow. Facial massages improve circulation in the face by increasing blood flow. When you get the circulation moving in your face, it gives your skin a nice glow. 

There are many different facial massage techniques that you can do. You can follow a YouTube video that shows you how to give yourself a facial massage with your hands. There is also a popular face yoga app called, Luvly, that shows you how to give yourself a face massage according to your goals. You can also purchase a facial massager tool that you can use on your face. 

*Note: When massaging your face, you should always use a face oil so that you are not dragging on your skin. 

I have The Skinny Confidential Pink Balls Facial Massager and I absolutely love it. It makes face massaging so much easier. Here is my full review of it: The Skinny Confidential Pink Balls Facial Massager Review. 

Never pick at your face

This is a big one and doesn’t require you to do anything. Just avoid picking at your face. To make it easier, avoid touching your face in general. The only time you should be touching your face is when you are applying products to it.

If you are constantly picking at your face (at pimples, dry patches, etc.) you could change the pigmentation of it, meaning spots could get lighter or darker. That will not contribute to glowing skin. 

Plus, the amount of bacteria that are on your hands… ugh, you do not want that on your face. 

Limit sun exposure

The sun will not make your skin glow. Yeah it can give you a nice tan (which can seem like glowing skin), but down the road, you could end up with dry, leathery looking skin. As we know, the sun’s harmful UV rays break down collagen, leading to fine lines, wrinkles, and dull skin. They also lead to sun spots and uneven skin tone. That’s not the kind of glow I want. 

So, wear your SPF, get a cute sun hat and sunglasses, and limit your time in the sun. Gone are the days of baking in the sun because we are not cookies that need to be baked. 

Instead, get yourself a sunless self tanner that you can apply to your body in the spring and summer months. 

I have had good luck with Il Makiage 85/66 Sun Foam. It is buildable and doesn’t leave you looking like an oompa loompa (if you know what I mean). Instead you get a nice bronzy glow. This product is great for the body. For the face, depending on the sensitivity of the skin there, you might have to look elsewhere. Sometimes self tanners can irritate facial skin. If that is the case for you, you might want to look into tanning drops that come as a serum. I am going to be trying Isle of Paradise’s self tanning drops. If you would like me to tell you how they are, leave a comment on this post!

How can I look radiant without makeup?

Haven’t you heard? Skincare is the new makeup. We typically wear makeup to make our skin look even, cover those pesky pimples, or to make your face look radiant. However, when you take care of your skin, your skin glows. So you won’t even need to wear makeup!

I would recommend washing your face in the morning, putting a vitamin C serum on, and then finishing it off with a tinted moisturizer that has SPF in it. I recommend DRMTLGY’s Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46. You don’t have to pick a shade because it blends with all skin tones. It has a tint that will make your skin look radiant. & it has an SPF of 46, so it will protect your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays. 

Thank you for reading ♡