From highlighters to glow drops, many of us use glow-enhancing makeup products in order to give us that gorgeous ‘lit from within’ look, but what happens when that makeup comes off? The secret to a flawless makeup application is healthy, glowing skin. Starting out with the perfect canvas will ensure your makeup always looks fresh and flawless, so we’re here to give you tips on how to achieve a luminous glow without any makeup at all.
How to Get Glowing Skin
From staying hydrated to maintaining a glow-enhancing skincare regime, there are a number of ways to achieve a gorgeous, healthy complexion.
Stay Hydrated
If you’re looking to give your skin that glow-factor, then water should be your new best friend. Skin is made up of 64% water, but water is distributed to all of the other organs before the skin, so if you’re dehydrated, your skin will suffer. You should aim to drink at least eight glasses of water per day to prevent dry, tight and flaky skin.
But that’s not all. Dry skin can lead to the overproduction of sebum which clogs the pores and results in spots and blemishes. By drinking enough water each day, you can keep your skin balanced and enhance its glow.
Suss Out Your Skincare
If you’ve not got a consistent skincare regime then your skin is going to suffer. Nobody gets fit without doing exercise, and nobody can get gorgeous, glowing skin if they don’t look after it.
Invest in a cleanser, moisturiser and serum that’s most suited to your skin type. For those with dry skin, you should look for products with hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides to keep your skin hydrated, plump and healthy. You should avoid any products containing AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids), alcohol and BHAs.
If you’ve got oily skin, you want to look for products with ingredients such as glycolic acid, hyaluronic acid, retinol and salicylic acids. However, you want to avoid any skincare products containing alcohol, sodium lauryl and oleic acids.
However, a once-weekly acid peel can truly transform your complexion. Acid peels contain specific levels of AHAs and BHAs which help to exfoliate the skin and leave a brighter, more radiant complexion. Additionally, at-home acid peels can help to minimise the appearance of fine lines and blemishes. The Ordinary’s Peeling Solution is one of our favourite skincare products. In just 10 minutes, this product exfoliates the skin and leaves a glowing, healthy-looking complexion. However, if you’ve got sensitive skin, it’s probably best to avoid acid peels all together.
Evaluate Your Diet
Another way to amp-up your glow is to take a look at your diet. What you put into your body has a huge impact on the way it looks on the outside. Diets high in artificial sugar, trans fats and caffeine can make your skin look dull and blemish-prone. However, there are a 
number of foods which can have the opposite effect on the skin, leaving it looking radiant and healthy, including:
- Foods rich in Omega-3, such as fish, nuts and seeds.
- Antioxidant-rich foods, such as berries, fruits, vegetables and cacao (finally, an excuse to eat chocolate!)
- Foods rich in vitamin C, such as oranges, broccoli, strawberries and tomatoes.
- Vitamin E rich foods, such as almonds, spinach, avocado and sweet potato.
- Foods rich in vitamin A, including sweet potato, tomatoes, carrot and dark leafy greens.
- Silica, found in bananas, oats, wheat and brown rice.
A diet rich in fruit and vegetables will have you well on your way to achieving gorgeous, glowing skin. But in addition to this, fruits and vegetables have a high water content, so not only do they contain all of the vitamins and minerals you need to stay healthy, but they’ll also keep your skin hydrated, healthy and glowing.
Clean Your Makeup Brushes
No matter how good your diet or skincare regime is, you’ll never achieve glowing skin if you don’t clean your makeup brushes. Dirty makeup brushes are your skin’s worst enemy, harbouring bacteria, old makeup and oil. We recommend giving your brushes a deep clean with cleanser and water at least once a week, as well as a quick clean with a quick-drying alcohol spray at least twice per week.
Not only will this have you well on your way to achieving gorgeous, glowing skin, but it will also make your brushes last much, much longer – it’s a win-win situation.
Disinfect Your Phone
The average person touches their phone over three thousand times per day, so you can only imagine how much bacteria is hiding onyour phone screen. For that reason, it’s important to make sure you’re keeping it clean to prevent that bacteria from being transferred onto your face when you use your phone.
Whether you use antibacterial wipes or an alcohol gel, we’d advise wiping your phone screen down at least once per day to kill any spot-causing bacteria.
By following all of the steps above, you’ll certainly see a difference in your skin in a matter of weeks.
