Want clear and glowing skin? Here's how you can get it

Ask any beauty expert and they’ll tell you the secret to glowing skin doesn’t lie within your makeup bag. It starts within.

You may be able to fake a dewy complexion with makeup, but that true lit-from-within glow comes from a thoughtful combination of lifestyle choices, a targeted ingestible routine and a little patience. Ahead, we explain the causes of dull skin and how to get glowing skin with a few simple steps.

What is glowing skin?

Glowing skin means something different to everyone. And, thanks to the beautiful individuality of our skin, it looks a little different on everyone too.

Generally, glowing skin is considered to have a naturally radiant glow that comes from being adequately hydrated, not too oily, a smooth texture, even in colour and free from acne or inflammation. What glowing skin isn’t, is perfect skin. You can still achieve radiant skin that has a healthy glow while also showing perfectly normal characteristics such as visible pores, fine lines and wrinkles and occasional blemishes.

Causes of dull skin

Skin is a living organ. In fact, it’s the largest organ in the body and is often a window into our overall health. Genetics will play a role in how dull your skin may look, as do hormonal fluctuations that are often out of our control. However, the most common cause is poor lifestyle choices that show up as dull skin when we don’t take care of our bodies.

Dehydration is one of the main causes of dull skin as is a lack of sleep, stress and a poor diet that’s lacking the essential nutrients healthy skin needs. These factors often lead to premature signs of ageing such as fine lines, wrinkles and discolouration and can cause breakouts or inflammation that contribute to how dull the skin looks.

Alongside these internal factors, you should also be aware of how the environment impacts the appearance of your skin. Exposure to sunlight and UV damage, extreme temperatures, dry air and pollution can all cause damage to healthy skin cells and lead to dry, stressed and dull skin.

How to get glowing skin

There’s no quick trick when it comes to achieving a glowing skin but you will see visible results with a thoughtful daily regime that takes a 360 approach. From skincare to collagen supplements and everything in between, consider this your expert guide to skin health inside and out.

Collagen supplements for glowing skin 

Glowing skin is a sign of healthy skin and that starts from within. A targeted ingestible beauty routine will support skin on a cellular level delivering resilient and clear skin that has a natural glow.

Natural Marine Collagen is the gold-standard when it comes to glowing skin. It’s proven to increase skin hydration, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increase skin firmness and elasticity with daily supplementation (5). Addressing pigmentation, dark spots and skin discolouration will also help you achieve an even skin tone and clear skin. After 12 weeks of consistent supplementation with one daily marine collagen sachet, an independent clinical trial found 70% of participants saw a significant improvement to crow’s feet wrinkles and 60% saw a significant improvement to wrinkles around the mouth (7). So in just one daily sachet, you can expect firm, glowing skin – and stronger hair and nails – within weeks of your new skin care routine.

Supplements for acne

If you’re managing acne or occasional breakouts, it pays to be thoughtful about the products you’re choosing to treat it. Some clear skin products work by preventing sebum production and drying out the skin which is a quick way to take away your glow. Vida Glow’s Clear capsules target acne symptoms such as blackheads, pimples, excess oil and inflammation by delivering nutrients that help to regulate sebum production and neutralise acne causing bacteria in the gut and on the skin.

Antioxidant supplements

You can also take a protective approach with an antioxidant rich ingestible like Anti-G-Ox. The potent blend of actives works to protect collagen by defending the skin against inflammation, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and oxidative stress (8).

Whether you’re taking an inner, outer or 360 approach to unlocking glowing skin, the most important step in your routine will always be consistency. Daily consumption of targeted, active and science-backed supplements in combination with lifestyle habits that promote skin health will prevent dull skin and give you radiant skin to be proud of.

Skincare for glowing skin

If it’s glowing skin you’re seeking, your skincare routine doesn’t have to be complicated. Getting the basics right is the best place to start.

Cleanser 

Look for a gentle cleanser that will thoroughly dissolve makeup, excess sebum and pollution – without stripping your skin. If your skin is dry, dehydrated or you experience redness, opt for a cream cleanser. A foaming cleanser will give oily skin a deeper clean. And for skin that falls somewhere in between, try a gel or gel-cream cleanser.

Exfoliator 

The occasional use of an exfoliating product will help to encourage fresh skin cell production and gently buff away the layer of dead skin cells at the surface that could be creating a dull appearance. By dissolving the ‘glue’ that holds dull, dead skin cells together, a chemical exfoliator reveals bright, fresh skin and smooths uneven texture. Plus, supporting your skin cell turnover will help your skincare actives get deeper into your skin where they’re needed.

To match your exfoliating formula to your skin concerns, here’s a general guide. Sensitive and dehydrated skin can benefit from a gentle lactic acid to exfoliate and replenish hydration. If your skin care routine targets pigmentation and lacklustre skin, a glycolic acid will improve imperfections on the complexion’s surface, while BHAs like salicylic acid work deeper in the pore to address blackheads and blemishes.

Serums:

Hydrated skin equals healthy glowing skin which is where skincare ingredients like hyaluronic acid and niacinamide come in. Vitamin C serum should also be a part of a glowing skin routine for its ability to protect against oxidative damage and brighten the skin (3). 

Moisturiser: 

Using a comfortable yet nourishing moisturising cream will help to not only add moisture to the skin but also seal in hydration and create a protective barrier against water loss that leads to dullness (4).

Sun protection: 

Research shows that the leading cause of skin damage and advanced signs of ageing is UV damage. Wearing and regularly reapplying sun protection everyday, even in winter, is essential to protect your skin.

Lifestyle habits for glowing skin

One of the most effective ways to promote glowing skin is to implement good daily habits that protect against intrinsic and extrinsic factors that cause dullness or premature skin ageing.

The kitchen is a good place to start. There are plenty of dietitian-recommended pantry staples for healthy, radiant skin that are easy to incorporate into your lifestyle. With nutrition under control, you can focus on lifestyle changes that prevent skin damage and lead to dullness including:

• Drink plenty of water 
• Avoid sun exposure 
• Protect your skin against pollution 
• Exercise regularly 
• Avoid smoking  
• Reduce alcohol consumption  
• Get adequate sleep  

Ready to see marine collagen’s effect in achieving a glowing skin? Learn what is collagen and the best types of collagen to address your skin concerns. 

READ MORE COLLAGEN ARTICLES:

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Collagen Benefits for Skin

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Sources:

(1) Alruwaili, N.W., Alqahtani, N., Alanazi, M.H. et al. The effect of nutrition and physical activity on sleep quality among adults: a scoping review. Sleep Science Practice 7, 8 (2023).

(2) Bocheva G, Slominski RM, Slominski AT. Environmental Air Pollutants Affecting Skin Functions with Systemic Implications. Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 22;24(13):10502. doi: 10.3390/ijms241310502. PMID: 37445680; PMCID: PMC10341863.

(3) Al-Niaimi F, Chiang NYZ. Topical Vitamin C and the Skin: Mechanisms of Action and Clinical Applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017 Jul;10(7):14-17. Epub 2017 Jul 1. PMID: 29104718; PMCID: PMC5605218.

(4) Knaggs, H., & Lephart, E. D. (2023). Enhancing Skin Anti-Aging through Healthy Lifestyle Factors. Cosmetics, 10(5), 142. 

(5) Evans M, Lewis ED, Zakaria N, Pelipyagina T, Guthrie N. A randomized, triple-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study to evaluate the efficacy of a freshwater marine collagen on skin wrinkles and elasticity. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2020; 20: 825–834.

(7) Duteil, L., Roussel, C., Bruno-Bonnet, C., Lacour, J. Effect of Low Dose Type I Fish Collagen Peptides Combined or not with Silicon on Skin Aging Signs in Mature Women. JOJ Case Stud. 2018; 6(4): 555692. DOI: 10.19080/JOJCS.2018.06.555692

(8) Zheng W, Li H, Go Y, Chan XHF, Huang Q, Wu J. Research Advances on the Damage Mechanism of Skin Glycation and Related Inhibitors. Nutrients. 2022 Nov 1;14(21):4588. doi: 10.3390/nu14214588. PMID: 36364850; PMCID: PMC9655929.