The Nitty-Gritty on How to get that Glow!

What is it about a glowing skin that draws us in?

I think it is because glowing skin speaks of health and vitality. It also speaks of confidence, confidence in our skin and confidence of our skin.

The more important question is, how do we get glowing skin?

A good place to start is to understand what glowing skin is not. Glowing skin is not ageless skin and nor is it flawless skin. I have seen women in their 70s who have lined skin, and glowing skin. I take good care of my skin and, yet, I do not have a flawless skin. I have some pigmentation marks and freckles. Admittedly, I also have some signs of aging and yet I am often complimented on having a glowing skin.

So, what then is glowing skin?

As I gave the question consideration, I came down to five key elements that contribute to having glowing skin. The first four are central and the fifth is essential.

Here is my definition of glowing skin:

Glowing skin is clean, clear, hydrated, happy skin.

Let’s start with glowing skin as clean and clear skin. What is the difference, you may ask? Are they not the same thing?  

Clean skin is related to removing external impurities that settle on the surface of the skin. This could be from grime, perspiration, pollutants, and the build-up of dead skin cells blocking pores and creating a dull complexion.

Clear skin is related to the toxins that buildup inside our body and contribute to breakouts and a lacklustre complexion. For glowing skin, we need to tackle the build up of external impurities and internal toxins.

Next, hydrated and happy skin.

Hydrated skin is both external and internal. We hydrate externally with moisturizers, night creams and serums. Internally, we add moisture to our skin through the foods we eat and the liquids that we drink.

Happy skin is, of course, not inflamed skin or red skin. Happy skin is also about how we feel about ourselves and how we feel about our skin. When we are happy about how we look, and we can accept ourselves the way we are, then we have the core element to glowing skin. I would recommend that you also read my blog post What Makes a Woman Beautiful? as it does take the topic of coming to know and accept ourselves deeper.

Here are simple ways to kick-start the first four central elements of glowing skin.

You likely know all of them, but they are worth repeating, and this is why. What we know is not the same as what we do. The biggest gap between getting to where we want to be and doing what we want to do, or having what we want to have, is knowing what is required but not doing it.

Clean Skin

Go to bed with a clean face, no matter how late it is. Remove your makeup, and cleanse your face of the day’s grime, perspiration, and pollutants. Also exfoliate gently once a week to remove dead skin cells.

Clear Skin

Drink healthy liquids that will both hydrate and detox your skin from the inside. Drink water, drink Rooibos tea, and drink water with lemon. I drink water and Rooibos tea throughout the day. My favourite Rooibos teas are the Rooibos & Mountain Buchu tea (for balancing blood sugar levels) and the Rooibos & Fennel tea (for increased metabolism). I also include drinking a small glass of water as part of my skin care routine morning and evening.

My basic routine looks like this:

Cleanse with the Hydrafine Gentle Cleanser, apply my Forever Young Revitalising Cream, press on the Hydrafine Balancing Moisturiser or Forever Young Creme de Nuit, spritz with my Hydrafine Refining Freshener, and drink a glass of water.

Hydrated Skin

If you are drinking water, you're already winning the game with hydration from the inside. From the outside be sure to use your night cream. I often get asked if we need to use a night cream and if we can’t just use a moisturizer. Surely, they do the same thing? Here’s my advice, use a night cream for that extra hydration that your skin needs while you're sleeping. The opposite of hydrated skin is not dry skin, it is dehydrated skin. We can all experience dehydrated skin regardless of our skin type, including dry skin and oily skin. To avoid dehydration, consume water and apply extra hydration topically.

Happy Skin

Very simply, happy skin is thankful skin. Happy skin is grateful skin. It is so important to find reasons to be happy and grateful, including during our difficult times.

I'm not saying that when life is difficult, or when there's hardship, grief or sadness that we need to muster up artificial happiness and soldier on. That is not what I'm talking about. Difficult times in our lives need to be embraced and engaged. They certainly must not be ignored. What I am saying is to find something in that situation to give thanks for, whatever it may be.  

And when things are good, we sometimes forget that this isn't always the norm, and that to be in a really good place is a gift. Don't take it for granted, rather when you find that you are in a good place, express gratitude for it.

In whichever situation or circumstance, give thanks and express gratitude for something, every day and in every possible way. That is the essence of a happy skin.

The fifth element to this equation of glowing skin is consistency.

Whatever we do, we need to do it consistently, and that includes taking care of our skin. We are often consistent with the big things in life, those things we consider important. Yet, the little things matter too, and it is just as important that we do them consistently.

Where are you on this spectrum of having glowing skin? Is there an area that you need to focus on more? Or perhaps an area that you are neglecting? Where are you doing well? I'd love to hear about it, so feel free to leave a comment below on this blog post.

Remember, love being in your skin and take care of it.