Is there anything more beautiful than healthy, glowing skin? You’ve probably looked in the mirror, maybe after splurging on a facial or taking a restorative yoga class, and noticed an inexplicable radiance. Your skin looked perfectly sun-kissed, with a bright complexion and dewy shine. Why can’t your skin look like this all the time? Here’s a skincare secret: You can get that glowing skin every day, with a diligent skincare regimen and the right arsenal of products and cosmetics. Here are the ones that will help you get your glow on.
MMXV Infinitude Universal Facial Treatment
A single product that claims to do seven different things (act as a serum, eye cream, anti-aging cream, moisturizer, brightener, and more) immediately had me skeptical. But just one application of the MMXV Infinitude cream got me hooked. The gluey formula, infused with fermented white truffle, falernum grape extract, and olive extract, blended into the skin surprisingly nicely. While my skin absorbed it in just a few minutes, the cream gave my complexion an elegant luminescence that lasted longer than the effects of most facials.
Georgette Klinger Bamboo Exfoliating Scrub
After trying this scrub a few times, I’m still not sure whether I prefer putting it on or taking it off. The snow-white paste blankets my face in the most beautiful botanical scent, while the exfoliants are so fine, they practically tickle away dead skin and build-up in pores. But what’s revealed when you wash it away is a smooth, shining complexion that feels hydrated and fresh. I could use this stuff every day.
ASARAI’s Response Theory Daily Serum
It’s tough for the natural glow of your skin to shine through layers of pollution that build up over time. Enter this serum from ASARAI. It uses natural antioxidants (like bisabolol extract from chamomile and seaweed) and vitamins to destroy free radicals on the skin. A few drops of this serum, which had a lotion-like consistency, gave me a velvet glow akin to the best Instagram filters. You know how it can take a couple of tries before you decide whether you like a skincare product? With this serum, it was love at first pump.
Blue Lagoon Iceland Lava Scrub Mask
The famous, spa-like Blue Lagoon outside of Reykjavík, Iceland, has built a reputation as the go-to place to reap the healthy properties of mineral rich water and soil. Fortunately, you don’t have to hop on a plane to experience the skin-enhancing benefits of volcanic earth. This lava scrub mask, straight from the natural attraction itself, features geothermal seawater, silica, and granular lava that help remove dead skin. After wearing the coarse black mask for 15 minutes, my skin felt smooth and even, and my natural radiance peeked through. It still doesn’t beat a trip to Iceland—but it’s a pretty good way to look like you were there.
Katess Skincare Collection
While I’m normally a mix-and-match kinda girl when it comes to skincare products, the entire Katess collection won me over for its simple assortment of products that play really well together. (Not to mention the packaging that looks straight out of a Wes Anderson film.) The Japanese brand takes a four-step approach to skincare. It starts with a cleansing foam that bursts with a citrus scent, and leaves the skin feeling equal parts clean and hydrated. Then, you apply a “treatment essence” (basically a toner made with sake) that seemed to suck up all the oil. The day serum completely rehydrated the skin and even plumped it up a little bit, using wasabi extract to even out the tone. Already, my skin was beaming. But there was still one more step to go: Applying the non-oily sunscreen—because there’s no such thing as glowing skin when you’ve got a sunburn.
No B.S. Vitamin C+E Serum
They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, so why not feed your skin something amazing in the morning? Meet the No B.S. Vitamin C+E Serum—It’s like a healthy, organic meal packed with vitamins for your skin. Vitamin C helps brighten your complexion, while vitamin E aims to protect skin from aging agents, like pollution. What I love about this serum, though, is that the golden goo blended in smoothly and left a subtle shimmer on my skin. This glow-inducing product gets bonus points for having a chemical-free formula and ingredients I could actually recognize (well, most of ‘em).
INIKA Organic Cream Illuminisor
Dream of a dewy complexion that looks like you’ve been sleeping in a field of posies all day? I’m not saying INIKA’s new Cream Illuminisor will give you exactly that, but it’ll come pretty close. It has a different feel than other highlighters—more of a chapstick-like texture than a pressed powder—so you have to spend a little extra time blending it properly. But once you’ve applied it evenly, you’ll get an ethereal glow that’s tough to mimic with other products. Choose from rose, gold, or spice, depending on the tone of your skin and your desired look.
Charlotte Tilbury Bar of Gold
A healthy glow starts with cleansers, serums, and moisturizers that keep the skin clean and healthy. But a cosmetic highlighter, like Bar of Gold from celebrity makeup artist Charlotte Tilbury, gives your overall look some oomph. A couple swipes of this delicate gold dust on my cheekbones, nose, cupid’s bow, and wherever else is looking a little dull has become a part of my morning routine—and just pulling out the glamorous flip case makes me feel like a diva. This product frequently sells out, so consider splurging on the new Bar of Gold Palette if you can’t wait for a restock of the original, and get ready to shine. We’re not saying you need products to look your best—but when you’ve got #glowingskin goals, there’s nothing wrong with a couple potions to give you an extra boost. Here’s to a healthy radiance, however you get there.
