No matter what season you are in physically or metaphorically, it is your time to shine! If, however, you are having issues like dry skin or oily pores, getting beautiful and glowing skin can feel impossible. However, we can heal and look younger with a holistic, natural approach that includes optimal diet, lifestyle, and product choices. To me, glowing skin is skin with small pores, even complexion, and clear skin without zits.

Historically, I didn’t have the privilege of clear and glowing skin. However, as I embarked on the wellness journey, at about post my 30th birthday, I am able to glow most of the days. But as soon as my sleep, diet, or stress level is off, glowing skin waives good-night. So, getting a complexion that looks as though you’re fresh off vacation, healthy, radiant, and clear is a combination of lifestyle, product choices, practice, and patience. The good news is that glowing skin is quite possible.

So, let’s delve into simple and easy seven steps towards glowing skin.

12 Genius Tips for How to Get Glowing Skin

 

 

1) Get Your Beauty Sleep

I used to be a night owl. Some blame genetics on your preferred dozing hours. I, however, believe that if you are excited to wake up, you will make an effort to live closer to the rhythms of nature. When I got into yoga, I wanted to make sure that I made it to the 6:00 am Ashtanga class traveling by train from Brooklyn to the NYC studio. So, it was a bit painful for a few days. But 20 years later, my sleep is fantastic, and I wake up to cease each day way before the sunrise. Well, excluding when I get to my cycle at about day #25 or so. For that, I take a small dosage of CBD to help me sleep. So, a lack of sleep will cause baggy eyes, wrinkles, stress, and unhealthy skin color.

If there is one point you can gain from this article, this should be it:

Get more sleep!

You can always cut a thing or two from your schedule: late-night dinners, T.V., Facebook, late-night phone calls to name a few.

2) Chill Out

Stress (or perception of it) increases skin problems and often results in wrinkles (next time you are feeling stressed, look at your forehead), zits, and blemishes. Besides the physiological effects of stress, we tend to neglect our skin. It could be due to a lack of energy or motivation to adhere to the daily skincare regimens. Simple things like washing your face can become a choir. There is no “one-fits-it-all” solution to find your “Zen” place. My daily yoga practice, hiking in nature, reading, and listening to music for me.

• Practice yoga.
• Take a dance class.
• Go for a hike.
• Read.
• Evaluate your environment. In addition to a toxic work or home environment, environmental pollutants and even food additives can make you anxious.
• Smile more often.

3) Use ice

I tried cryo facial but didn’t feel anything special afterward. So instead, after my morning bath, I apply an ice compress – my fancy cold therapy or cryotherapy. Use a few cubes of ice and preferably after your hot bath or constant shower, wrap it into the small facial towel and keep it on for a few minutes. You can even do it while in your bath. Also, use ice cubes to roll around your face for instant results and glowing skin.

4) Eat Well for Glowing Skin

Processed foods can cause inflammation and make your skin look puffy, adding years to your looks. To get your glowing skin, enrich your day with raw fruits and vegetables. Don’t eat anything you can’t pronounce. There are numerous studies on whole foods plant-based diet is optimal for our health and well-being. I eliminated foods by keeping a “zits” journal where I recorded triggers for my pimples. My biggest offenses for zits after alcohol and cigarettes were foods like packaged “cookies,” sweet and salty junk, fish, dairy (especially cheese), and animal products. So, I just gave it up. Of course, I say go for the plant-based diet.

• Get your glowing skin with Pomegranates. They are packed with polyphenol antioxidants. Polyphenols fight free radicals and regulate the skin’s blood flow, giving it rosiness. One pomegranate or a few glasses of juice daily should do the trick.
• Go Nuts! Seeds and nuts also contain vitamins and minerals for healthy skin. Sunflower seeds and almonds are chock full of vitamin E, which combats the damaging effects of free radicals on the skin. Zinc is a mineral that influences oil production in your skin and can help prevent breakouts. Pumpkin seeds, pecans, and Brazil nuts are rich in zinc. Flaxseeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, which contribute to skin health by adding moisture and elasticity to the skin.
  Load your plate with Grains and Legumes for glowing skin.
• Whole grains and legumes are rich in fiber, which helps flush toxins from your system and keep your skin healthy. Whole grains and legumes also offer zinc and other minerals which promote skin health.
• Berries are loaded with vitamin C. is a potent antioxidant that protects skin from free radicals. It hydrates the skin and increases collagen and elastin levels. Found in blackberries, blueberries, cranberries, elderberries, goji berries, raspberries, and strawberries.

5) Never Pick Your Face

Although it might feel good to pop a pimple, dermatologists advise against it. Popping a pimple can cause infection and scarring, and it may make the pimple more inflamed and noticeable. It also delays the natural healing process. Due to this, it is usually best to leave pimples alone. See your dermatologist and keep your hands away from your face!

6) Move

I had terrible skin decorated with pimples and dryness throughout my teens and twenties. Sleepless nights, drinking, eating crap, not moving, and stress. So, my life was on my face. A few decades ago, I embarked on a journey of self-discovery and healing. Yoga became a huge part of this process. While it ruined my social life, it improved my skin dramatically. I had to give up cigarettes, drink, and get up early to practice. My smoky, polluted lungs refused to support my vinyasa flow; my belly was too busy processing sugar and fat as I was trying to practice meditation.

7) Always Wash Your Face Before Bed

Instead of dozing out on Facebook or watching T.V., opt-out to give yourself 10-15 minutes of transitional time to prepare to go to bed. I always spend a few minutes at the end of my day, stretching, reflecting but only after I have washed my face.
Adopt a “no excuses” philosophy when it comes to taking off your makeup or sunblock at the end of the day. No matter how late it is and no matter how you are feeling! I don’t wear makeup, but I do wash my face daily. Choose a face cleanser that fits your skin type.

8) Wear Sunblock After 10:00 am

Use sunblock for glowing skin. No, sunscreen isn’t just for summertime. It’s incredibly sunny here in Colorado. Winter sun combined with snow glare can damage your skin. Not to mention blue light exposure from your devices. I use broad-spectrum sunscreen on my face and my hands for about 30 minutes before going outside. Speak with your dermatologist for recommendations.

9) Find Skincare for Your Glowing Skin

Daily

• Wash your face before going to bed
• Use Eye Cream
• Moisturize
• Vitamin C
• Neck Cream
• Use retinol cream for nighty time
• If your facial skin is uncomfortably dry, avoid using harsh peels, masks, and alcohol-based toners or astringents, all of which can strip vital oil from your skin. Instead, find a cleansing milk or mild foaming cleanser, a toner with no alcohol, and masks that are “deeply hydrating,” rather than clay-based, which tends to draw moisture out of the face. And use them a little less often. Again, there are some DIY options you can look into.

10) Get a Facial (once a month)

A facial is the second most popular spa treatment after a massage. It works best when it is part of an ongoing program of skincare. It is one of the best ways to care for your skin, especially when an experienced, knowledgeable esthetician gives it. A good facial exfoliates and nourishes the skin. Not to mention the fact that it is relaxing and can reduce stress. I usually ask for referrals from friends and check online for specific spa recommendations. The esthetician can also tell you how she thinks you can take better care of your skin and recommend products. You aren’t obligated to buy anything, but it’s usually worth trying if you like the line.
If you are in Boulder, my absolute #1 magician/dermatologist/beauty queen is dr. Stacey Pinkelton, and aesthetician – Mariah Haskins! Sometimes I venture out to St. Julian to see Sheia, and as a bonus, they also have a steam room, pool, and sauna.

11) Get HydraFacial (every other month or so)

HydraFacial is done every 15 seconds somewhere in the world, which is about 2 million treatments globally per year. And that’s more than the total number of Botox injections administered in the U.S. in 2021.
The HydraFacial treatments are offered at various medical and recreational spas—the service averages around $200.
A medical-grade device with a three-part regimen includes cleansing, exfoliating, and infusing skin with serums. Then, the specialist glides the device on your skin, extracting the gunk and leaving you with glowing skin. Unlike your regular facial, HydraFacial doesn’t leave any redness. Also a super relaxing, feel-good experience.

12) Get Microneedling (3 times a year)

Microneedling is a cosmetic procedure that is a bit more painful for some faces and defiantly wallets (about $500). It was a little bit more uncomfortable than the laser hair removal but so worth it!
Microneedling is pricking the skin with tiny sterilized needles. The small wounds cause your body to make more collagen and elastin, which heal your skin and help you look younger and have glowing skin. You might also hear it called collagen induction therapy.
Don’t be intimidating with needles. I have a very low tolerance for pain. I, however, can bravely tell you that the process isn’t painful.
Your dermatologist will use a topical anesthetic to reduce any pain or discomfort during your treatment. The actual procedure takes about 30 minutes, depending on the treated area.
Your skin may be irritated and red a few days after your treatment, but this is natural and will not last long. The results of this treatment might not be noticeable right away. Since the results involve the growth of new skin, it will take a few months to notice the full results of this treatment.
With increased collagen and elastin production, your skin will appear smooth, firm, and more youthful than before. Collagen is essential for keeping your skin looking young, so when this treatment stimulates the production of this protein, it will significantly improve your skin.

Bottom line: there is no magical solution. You can apply all kinds of fancy products and hope for results. However, we can all agree that some of the most effective long-term ways to improve your skin are to chill out, eat well and follow a good daily skincare regime.

Please consult your dermatologist before using any new products. Also, please note that this advice is all purely experimental, and my goal is to share my path to the glowing complexion in the genuine hope that it can help you too!