21 Easy to Use Tips & Tricks: How to Get Glowing, Radiant Skin Naturally

With viral products, new fads and myriad tips on how to get glowing skin spreading like wildfire, the skincare industry is more popular and more crowded than ever.

How are you supposed to choose from thousands of different skincare products, all professing different benefits that sound too good to be true and different ingredients that sound more like something from nuclear research than a substance you'd willingly put on your face?

The answer is to go back to basics and let nature do the work, and if you think low price, natural ingredients will never be as effective as expensive designer serums, you couldn't be more wrong.

Getting perfect, glowing, radiant skin is not a matter of who spends the most on skincare products.

It's a matter of ingredients, routine and patience.

While it's true that money can allow somebody else to handle this for you, if you are using the right ingredients, have the discipline to stick to a routine that works, and the patience to allow this setup to work, you can't fail.

"Healthy skin is crucial for providing the right canvas for applying makeup, to enhance natural beauty and create natural healthy looking skin" - Caroline Frazer

Since the patience aspect is all on you, we are going to spend this article taking you through all of the best ingredients for a foolproof skincare routine that will leave you glowing all the time.

All you have to do is try each of these glowing skin tips, cut out the ones that don't work for you personally, and assemble the rest into a routine, sticking to it religiously.

Skincare Routine for Beautiful, Glowing Skin

Each of these skincare routine aspects will make a difference to your skin, and sticking to them all will provide incredible results that keep your skin glowing perpetually.

Thankfully, not all of these products need to be applied on a daily basis.

So let's take a look at our first tip:

Hyaluronic Acid is your friend

Hyaluronic acid is a powerful hydrating substance that boosts the amount of water held by your skin.

It works by literally being able to absorb 100x its own weight in water.

When you apply it to your skin, it gets absorbed into the layers, and then continues to draw water in with it, combating dry skin and forming a protective barrier.

This makes it one of the best ingredients for formulating moisturising lotions and creams.

Hyaluronic acid also naturally occurs in the body to a certain degree, making it one of the most natural, skin-friendly and non-irritating skincare ingredients.

We use it in our niacinamide B3 serum & premium anti-aging cream and our snail extract essence renewal cream to complement the active ingredients and provide an incredibly smooth, gentle and grease-free moisturising effect.

Any other cosmetics company that values natural, effective ingredients should offer it in some form of gentle face moisturiser, so you should be able to apply this daily without breaking the bank.

Apply Sun Protection Every Single Day

You've been told this a million times, but this is the first tip on our list, and if you just take one away with you, it better be this one.

According to Dr Doris Day, over 90% of wrinkles are caused by sun exposure.

This is perhaps not surprising, but what may surprise you is that UV rays can damage your skin even when it's winter or you're indoors (near a window or driving a car, for example).

We recommend using a cream or lotion with a high SPF factor which blocks both UVA and UVB rays, drastically reducing your risk of not only wrinkles but skin cancer too.

Another thing to remember is that it isn't all about your face - sun protection should be applied to your neck and shoulders too.

After all, everyone knows preventing wrinkles is easier than getting rid of them, and how many people have you heard say "I wish I took less care of my skin when I was younger"?

Use Serums

This is a pretty simple one but serums tend to be more concentrated than other creams in terms of ingredients, which can mean they both work better and you need to use less.

They also tend to be less greasy and absorb into the skin more easily than other creams or lotions.

Obviously, this isn't always the case, as unfortunately some companies do try and make serums as cheaply as possible, so you should put a little research into finding a serum that is all-natural and not full of synthetic chemicals.

Coconut Oil & Other Natural Ingredients

Coconut oil rejuvenates skin and can even heal damage caused by dryness or over-exfoliation. 

It also removes toxins and free radicals from your skin, protecting you in the long term, as well as evening out your skin tone and removing any blemishes.

Coconut oil also has the huge benefit of being cheap as chips, meaning it should be a part of everybody's skin routine, even if you can't afford anything else!

There are also other natural ingredients that can help you achieved the glowing, radiant skin you always dreamed of - including aloe, witch hazel and green tea.

Our guide to how to get rid of acne fast dips into some of these natural ingredients and how they make your skin clearer, so have a look at that if you want to learn more.

Exfoliate

This may sound like a no brainer to some but clogged pores are the most common cause of skincare complaints.

Using a natural and gentle exfoliator cream once per week will keep your skin looking young, fresh and glowing.

You want something natural and gentle, and you also want to avoid exfoliating too regularly as overdoing it can damage your skin leading to dryness and patchiness.

A great ingredient to look out for is Alpha-Hydroxy Acid or AHA, which is a naturally gentle exfoliant that is great for getting dry skin and other foreign bodies out of your pores without irritating your skin.

Keep Your Face Clean

It's absolutely crucial that you keep your face clean in order to avoid nasty pore blockages, but if you think it's as simple as washing your face every morning and night, you probably aren't going to get far.

Throughout our discussions with dermatologists we have come across a few simple tips for healthy skin that aren't commonly known, so bear with us and you might just discover something that changes your skincare routine for good:

Clean Your Smartphone

Our smartphones get carried with us all day and regularly spends time attached to the side of our face, but how much time have you spent making sure your smartphone isn't harboring nasty bacteria?

"Our smartphones are a really big source of skin contamination," says dermatologist Dr Gilbert.

With most people carrying their smartphones around day in, day out and very few people taking the time to clean them, it's no surprise that using your phone can add extra harmful bacteria to your face and even lead to clogged pores.

Make sure to regularly run an antibacterial wipe over your phone, making sure it's not an alcohol wipe as these can damage your phone.

It's an easy and simple task that takes seconds but can have long-lasting implications for your skincare.

Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Another simple one that can make a huge difference that many people don't necessarily think of, is making sure your makeup brushes are clean.

Makeup brushes collect dirt, bacteria and dust regularly, and you don't want to be applying this to your face alongside your makeup - they can literally be stuck into your pores by foundation and grow into spots, even if you are washing your face well at the end of the day.

You can probably get away with washing brushes you use for dry powders once a month or so, but foundation brushes should be cleaned every week.

We have recently posted a full guide on how to clean your makeup brushes and it doesn't need to be difficult - some warm water and a gentle shampoo, handwash or face cleanser will do the trick.

Cleanse & Second Cleanse

Removing your makeup and gentle cleaning your face at the end of the day is hopefully common sense by now, and if you wear minimal makeup, this may be enough.

But if you wear a lot, or simply want to be safe, a second cleanse is a good move and can work to finally unplug those sneaky pore blockages that survived the first cleanse.

Not Too Hot!

Our last face washing tip is a simple one, but if you enjoy hot showers as much as us it'll be the most difficult!

Hot showers can dry out the skin on your face or even cause mild burns that are difficult to notice but affect the overall health and hydration of your skin.

We recommend doing your nighttime cleanse with lukewarm tap water, and ideally, do the same with your showers - but if you love your showers hot too much for this, at least try to keep the water off your face for most of the time.

Diet Tips for Radiant Skin

Ok, so we've covered some of the best natural products to put on your face to give your skin a radiant glow, and we've covered how best to keep it clean to encourage beautiful skin.

But how should you be treating your skin from the inside?

Here are some great dieting and nutrition tips that will take your skin from average to outstanding:

Coconut Water

It's important to be aware of the difference between coconut water and coconut milk, as coconut water comes from green, unripened coconuts.

Drinking coconut water is an excellent way to keep your skin hydrated and is filled to the brim with nutrients that encourage good skin health, including potassium, calcium and magnesium. 

It's also very low in calories to the point of being healthier than fruit juice, meaning there is no excuse not to make it a regular part of your diet!

Take Your Vitamins!

Vitamins are also crucial for healthy skin protection and management and should be taken regularly as part of a healthy skin care regime.

All of the following vitamins, minerals and nutrients serve vital purposes when it comes to keeping your skin healthy and radiant:

• Zinc
• Vitamin C
• Riboflavin
• Vitamin A
• Biotin
• Iodine
• Vitamin E
• Niacin/ Niacinamide

A good quality multivitamin may well contain all of these and is a good way to go, but a varied and healthy diet that naturally gives you all of these vitamins is even better.

Vitamins can also work wonders when applied topically, although this is a completely separate function and is not a substitute for a healthy diet.

We have formulated an all-natural, gentle niacinamide cream for this reason, which when combined with a varied, complete diet and the other tips for a glowing face listed here, will nourish and enrich your skin from both the inside and outside.

This, along with proper hydration, is guaranteed to absolutely transform your skin.

Detox Foods

Foods that are alkali and rich in antioxidants such as broccoli, kale, bananas, and more help your skin to rid itself of nasty toxins and bacteria.

They can even help in combating acne, eczema and other skin conditions.

If you wish to detox your skin it is best you do more research on the topic so that you can do it properly, but we will bring an in-depth guide on the topic soon to make sure you have all the information you need.

For now though, here are the best, most detoxing foods:

• Green, leafy vegetables like kale, spinach, cabbage, sprouts, broccoli, asparagus etc.
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Lemon
• Parsley
• Fennel
• Apples & pears
• Artichokes

Increasing these in your diet will give you rapid, noticeable results.

Cut Down on Dairy

As we covered in our guide to getting rid of acne fast, dairy has a pretty negative effect on our skin.

Studies have shown that consuming dairy increases the chance of blocked pores and acne. 

If you really can't live without dairy, cutting it down as much as possible can still make a big difference, and a little bit shouldn't cause many problems.

The fact remains though that dairy does have a negative effect on our skin, and cutting it out entirely is the best way forward if at all possible.

Watermelon

Watermelon is another recent skincare trend that has exploded out of Korea along the same lines as snail extract, although most of those uses have been topical.

When consumed, watermelon still works magic for your skin though!

Not only is it packed full of vitamins A, B6 and C, but watermelon also contains lycopene, amino acids and antioxidants, making it a one-two punch when it comes to your skin.

Berries

Berries such as blueberries, raspberries and strawberries can all be considered superfoods when it comes to skincare.

Not only are they full of antioxidants and vitamins, but they also have individual benefits that make each of them difficult to ignore.

• Raspberries help protect your skin from sun damage and even prevent skin cancer
• Strawberries boost collagen production which makes your skin more supple and smooth
• Blueberries decrease redness and are effective at reducing sensitive skin

Nuts & Seeds

In a similar manner, nuts and seeds are naturally good for your health and full of nutrients, but individually they have some further tricks up their sleeves when it comes to keeping your skin smooth and glowingly beautiful

Let's take a look:

• Sunflower seeds contain magnesium which increases blood flow to the skin, making it look plump and younger than ever
• Pecans are full of fibre and antioxidants which means they are great at removing toxins and other nasties
• Walnuts are full of vitamin B which is not only amazing for your skin, but boosts your mood and prevents skin disorders at the same time!
• Pumpkin seeds are the superfood of skincare, packed full of zinc, magnesium and vitamin E, they help your skin repair itself more quickly, remove toxins, help skin cells to regenerate and even fight bacteria.
• Almonds have natural anti-inflammatory effects and can help treat many inflammation-related skin disorders such as psoriasis or eczema.

Hydration

We're sure you've been told this one plenty of times already, but it really can't be overstated.

Drinking enough water consistently is the easiest way to get glowing and clear skin.

Healthy, smooth and young looking skin relies entirely on your skin being hydrated. Not even makeup can cover dry skin, and even following all of the other tips for soft and glowing skin on this page you will struggle to have young, healthy looking skin if you don't drink enough.

The recommended daily amounts are a great target, but realistically they are the minimum you should be drinking each day, and aiming higher can only help.

These days there are a bunch of tools you can use to help, including smart water bottles that remind you when to drink.

We don't care how you do it, but you need to do it.

DRINK.

MORE.

WATER.

Other Tricks

So now you know what to put on your skin to treat it from the outside, what to eat and drink to treat it from the inside, and how to ensure your pores and hair follicles stay clean.

If you follow this guide and make a routine of applying each of these tips for beautiful skin, then slowly discard any that don't work for you, you will arrive at your perfect skincare routine and look better than you ever imagined without a short amount of time.

We're going to leave you with a few more little tricks we've come across during our research - take note of these too, because combining them with the tools we've already given you is foolproof.

Get Your Beauty Sleep

It's called beauty sleep for a reason, after all, and this is when your skin repairs itself and the majority of skin cell regeneration happens.

You should aim for 8 hours a night, get more when possible, and don't be afraid to go to bed early. Your skin will thank you and so will you when you see the results.

Studies have suggested that people who have suffered a lack of sleep appear less healthy and less attractive, meaning beauty sleep is absolutely not just a myth or figure of speech - it works.

If you're wondering how to give your skin a natural glow with as little effort as possible, here is your answer - what could be easier than sleeping more?

Sucking Ice Cubes or Putting Ice on Your Skin

This one tends to catch people off guard and sound a little crazy, but if you have red, blotchy skin on your face it's likely to do with the blood vessels in your cheeks expanding. Sucking an ice cube helps to make these blood vessels contract and has a rapid effect on blotchy red spots.

You can also rub ice cubes on the outside of your skin, which has the same effect but also fights dry and oily skin, removes dark circles and dead skin, and even makes blackheads easier to remove.

In general, ice cubes help with a variety of skin complaints and will help close your pores and make you look more beautiful than ever. 

Face Massages

Facial massages reduce puffiness, increase circulation, and allow your skincare products to sink deeper into your skin.

If you can't afford a professional facial massage, you can do it yourself. There are plenty of guides on how to do this online and we will probably examine them in the near future in order to bring you a definitive one.

Of course, there are also products like jade rollers or face massagers that can make it even easier to practice at home.

Sunglasses

We've come full circle on this one, as wearing sunglasses helps protect your skin from sun damage, aging, wrinkles and dryness, just like the sun lotion way back in our first tip at the top of the page.

Sunglasses differ in one important way though, and you will want to pay attention to this.

So let us ask you a question:

Where do the signs of aging skin show themselves first?

Around your eyes, of course.

This alone makes it worth wearing sunglasses whenever possible, any time you're outside in any level of sunlight.

Make sure you choose shades with 100% UV protection, and your eyes will thank you for it!

So that's all for today's guide, stick to the pointers here and you will have gorgeous, glowing skin before you know it.

And don't forget to keep your eyes to the Luminositie blog for more regular looks into the science behind skincare!