You Can Brighten Your Skin By Ditching These 10 Habits

Dull skin doesn’t necessarily mean you look like a black and white photograph of your ancestors. Sometimes, your skin can be clear, well-hydrated, and evenly-toned, and all the other good things we want our skin to be. But not ‘glowing.’

This platonic ideal of skin—that elusive ‘lit from within’ radiance—is hard to describe and even harder to achieve. In part because your glow, or lack thereof, can come from all sorts of sources. Not to mention you may unknowingly keep some habits that can be standing in its way. Is it your diet? Your skincare regime? Your lifestyle habits? An unholy combination of all? The questions go on.

If you want them answered on your journey to brighten your skin, you’re in the right place. We spoke to experts from three different fields to find out the most common habits that get in the way of good skin.

1. You’re not drinking enough water

The one tip all three of our experts converged on was the essence of life: water.

“When you are dehydrated, your body has to prioritize where the water goes—and your skin is not the first priority,” says aesthetic doctor Christine Hall. “As a result, it will lose its plumpness and look flat, lines and wrinkles will be more apparent, cell turnover will slow down and skin will generally look unhealthy.”

Nutritionist Sophie Trotman agrees. “Hydration is key! Make sure you’re drinking plenty of water. Non-caffeinated herbal teas count towards your water intake goals.”

And yes, facialists co-sign hydration, too. “Glowing skin is well-hydrated skin,” says Milena Naydenov, senior aesthetician at London-based cosmetic clinic 111 Harley St.

2. You’re eating too much processed sugar

Excess sugar is bad for your skin. “Consuming ultra-processed foods too often can leave skin looking tired and dull,” says nutritionist Trotman. “These foods also tend to be high in sugar, salt and trans fats, which can contribute to skin dullness.”

According to Trotman, a sugar overload can cause a process called ‘glycation,’ which has negative knock-on effects for your collagen and elastin (the things that keep your skin firm, smooth and clear). “Having added sugar every now and then is fine, but many of us eat too much sugar too regularly and this will take its toll on our skin over time.”

A note: this doesn’t necessarily include natural sugars that are found within fruits, vegetables, milks and honeys, which are always good in moderation.

3. You’re skipping one of the big three in skincare

Avoid Hall’s ‘big three’ at your peril: cleansing, exfoliating, and SPF.

Cleansing “sounds obvious,” says Hall. “But we cleanse for a reason, not only to remove dirt, dead skin pollution and debris from the day but also to ensure that the products we are applying onto our skin are actually in contact with our skin barrier and able to work to its full potential.”

Meanwhile, skipping exfoliation is another no-no. “Dead skin cells often remain on the skin’s surface, as they are held together by proteins called desmosomes which acts like a glue clustering them together. When done properly, chemical exfoliation dissolves this glue and removes dead skin cells, allowing fresh new glowing skin to come through.”

Lastly, your SPF. By now, you know you should be wearing it everyday (even when it’s cloudy! Even when it’s raining! Even when you don’t leave the house!). If you needed reminding though, Hall is happy to oblige. “We know that the sun’s rays are responsible for at least 80% of the visible signs of aging—that is pigmentation, dullness, lines and wrinkles and loss of elasticity. It is one of the cheapest and easiest things that you can do that will make the biggest difference over the years.”