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How to brighten your complexion
What is a bright complexion?
A bright complexion can’t be defined by one characteristic. It’s usually down to an even skin tone, texture, adequate hydration and all round glowiness. Anyone can brighten their complexion however, how you get there may be a totally different journey to your next door neighbour, colleague, or even family member. Bright complexions are the result of overall optimal skin health. The healthier your skin, the more it will glow!
How can I tell if I need brightening?
One of the most common skin goals we hear at the clinic is beautiful glowing skin. A quick skin analysis will help you discover if your skin is in need of some extra brightening.
In natural sunlight, look at your skin. Does it reflect light evenly? Does your skin look radiant and smooth? Can you see fine dehydration lines and inflammation? Do you have areas of pigmentation? Skin that’s in need of brightening is often parched and in need of some extra exfoliation and nourishment.
Now, feel your skin. Is there a build up of dead skin cells or roughness? Does skin feel tight and rough? Are there areas of scarring and uneven texture? The texture of your skin greatly influences how well it reflects light - the smoother the skin, the more light it can reflect.
What can I do to improve it?
For a brighter complexion, the work starts from within. Diversity in your diet and drinking plenty of water is the first step to boosting your skin’s health and giving it what it needs to shine. Avoid drinking alcohol and sugar consumption as much as you can as both lead to inflammation, breakouts and dehydration. Smoking is also a big factor in dull skin as it restricts circulation, limiting the nutrients your skin can gain from ample circulation.
Get moving! Regular exercise boosts circulation, encouraging nutrient delivery and toxin removal. It’s also a fantastic stress reliever, can improve sleep, and even boost collagen and elastin production. Find an exercise that you love, and incorporate it into your routine as much as you can.
And finally, facial massage is a must do. Facial massage is one of the most beneficial things you can do for your skin. It helps to tone the facial muscles for a lifted appearance, encourages lymph drainage and blood flow, and stimulates collagen and elastin production.
How can treatments help?
Our skin sheds naturally all day, every day and if left alone, dead skin can just sit on top of the skin contributing to dullness. Regular facials are fantastic way to brighten as we can aid the natural exfoliation of the skin, revealing smoother skin underneath. As our skin goes through a cycle monthly, it’s best to incorporate your treatments to match this cycle and come in every 4-6 weeks to really reap the rewards and achieve that glow. Nearly all of our treatments involve exfoliation; The Essential Facial is the ideal all rounder, or for a more intense exfoliation, look to Glow and Go for a bespoke professional resurfacing.
Our treatments are focused on feeding the skin, not freezing it. We advance custom blended serums into the skin using the latest and greatest technologies such as sonopheresis meaning that those precious vitamins and actives can reach where they need to be. This means that your skin has all the tools it needs to thrive, which results in better performance and appearance.
On top of this, your therapist is there to provide you with the knowledge and advice so you can continue treating and brightening your skin at home.
What products support improvement?
To maintain or achieve a bright complexion, you need to think about exfoliation and nourishment.
Exfoliating your skin will remove all those dead skin cells, helping to improve skin texture and radiance. Look for AHA based exfoliators as they work by melting the intercellular glue, allowing dead skin cells to shed easily. The Elequra Intense Restore Mask contains lactic acid alongside fruit enzymes and is fantastic at brightening the skin without irritating or drying the skin out. Microderm Exfoliator by Esse Skincare is an exfoliating treatment with natural, micro-particles that dissolve as you massage into the skin. Marula and jojoba oils keep the skin hydrated and nourished.
Once you’ve found your exfoliator, it’s time to feed your skin. Vitamin C is one of the best and most nutritious serums one can apply which not only brightens the complexion, but also supports collagen production. Essence 27 is great for sensitive skins; Effica C will give you a hit of vitamin C for a megawatt glow.
