Editor tip: The aforementioned message ritual goes like this: Use your fingers to swipe the cream onto a clean face, using swift strokes that move upwards and out (this should boost circulation—if you start to look pink, you’ll know it’s working.) To de-puff, tap your cheeks and your under-eye area, then massage the cream into your forehead using circular motions. Finally, use your fingers to sweep upwards under your cheekbones and jawline to add a touch of contouring.
Key ingredients: hyaluronic acid, peptides, vitamins C and E| Fragrance-free: no| Who it’s for: those with dull or dry skin
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make my face look glowy?
As with most sound topical regimes, the path to glowy skin starts with, well, clean skin. “Wash your face morning and night to remove all debris and old makeup,” says Morgan Rabach, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. (This is your cue to make sure you have the right cleanser for you.) Once the face is clean, using a toner can help mop up any of the last traces of dirt and debris, and help the ingredients from the next steps—serum and moisturizer—sink in. Dr. Rabach advises using creams with active ingredients, which can help the skin glow by decongesting pores, boosting collagen and elastin production, hydrating, exfoliating, and more (More on which specific ingredients to use, below.)
Dr. Lolis adds that “consistency is key,” as the first rule of any skincare regime. “Second, pairing the proper products together can enhance effects,” she says. “Moisturizers work best when paired with regular exfoliation and hydration serums, like hyaluronic acid, to lock in moisture and achieve that glowing, dewy look.”
Meanwhile, if you want to supplement your home care with an in-office procedure, Dr. Rabach says that treatments that resurface the skin, including micro-needling, IPL (intense pulsed light), and chemical peels, can all make the face look, in a word, glowy. And, lest you need one more reminder to apply SPF religiously, let this be it: In addition to helping prevent skin cancer, sunscreen can protect the skin from glow-dulling signs of photoaging, which include dark spots, dryness, and fine lines and wrinkles.
Ingredients to Consider
When selecting a cream to get you glowing, “Look for ingredients such as niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, squalene, and peptides,” says Dr. Lolis. “Vitamin C is a potent antioxidant that can brighten your skin and fight hyperpigmentation. However, it is unstable. It is crucial to look for stabilized forms such as ascorbic acid or magnesium ascorbyl phosphate. It also has an irritation potential so start slow with a lower concentration and work your way up.” For reference, Laneige’s Radian-C Cream contains 8.5 percent vitamin C, which is a comparatively low concentration—generally, dermatologists recommend starting with a concentration of about 5% if you have sensitive skin (10% is also an OK starter concentration, for those with less sensitive skin), and working your way up to 20%.