How to Get Glowing Skin: Ingenious Tricks

Any beauty expert will tell you that you won't find the secrets to glowing skin in the pan of a highlighter palette. That isn't to say that there aren't products that melt into your skin to give you that dewy, lit-from-within glow. (If you've tried Pat McGrath's Skin Fetish line, you'll know that her highlighter duo is the next best thing to being born a Hadid.) Rather, achieving a complexion that looks like you've just returned from a vacation—that is, healthy, radiant, and clear—requires a combination of product, practise, and patience. The good news is that if you're lacking in the latter, there are still plenty of quick-fix solutions available. Ahead, we asked makeup artists, aestheticians, dermatologists, and our beauty editors for their all-time best tips for glowing skin that actually work—both long-term and short-term, for your face and your body—regardless of your level of dedication or skill. Continue reading for their tried-and-true tips on how to get glowing skin.

1. A quick face massage goes a long way.

If you're feeling blah, a two-minute face massage can help you look alive in the short term, as well as firm and contour over time. “Using your fingertips, massage a serum or oil into your face before applying makeup,” suggests Molly R. Stern, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Cara Delevingne. “The stimulation can help get the blood moving to wake up your whole complexion.”
2. Consider a microcurrent treatment.
If your hands aren't up to the task, consider using a microcurrent device. "When my complexion looks dull after a long flight or late night," says April Long, a beauty editor and contributor, "I use the ZIIP ­device, which delivers electric currents into your skin." "Twelve minutes makes my skin luminous and firmer." For comparable results, other Glamour editors swear by the NuFace and Foreo Bear.

3. Lie down.
A glowing complexion doesn't have to be expensive, and celebrity aesthetician Renee Rouleau's favourite trick is completely free. "My long-term strategy for getting that lit-from-within glow is to hang my head upside down for three minutes every day," she says. Doesn't that sound strange? It actually helps with circulation because it increases blood flow and oxygen to your face, believe it or not. Just don't go any longer than her suggested three minutes.

4. Create your own hydrating mask.
When it comes to exfoliation and blemish removal, skip the do-it-yourself approach and instead use professional-grade products. If you're looking for hydration, you can make a moisturising mask in your own kitchen. "I have a fantastic DIY at-home mask recipe for dry winter skin," celebrity aesthetician Joanna Vargas says. "It contains yoghurt, which is an anti-inflammatory with lactic acid, and avocado, which I recommend for all skin types because it is high in B vitamins and fatty acids." I also use honey to keep myself hydrated." Mix together a half cup of plain yoghurt, half an avocado, and a quarter cup of honey, then apply to your face for 20 minutes. “It’ll really change your skin” she says.

5. Strengthen your foundation.
If your skin care isn't doing the trick, you can easily fake a glow by layering on more foundation. Gita Bass, Elizabeth Olsen's makeup artist, suggests incorporating a few drops of luminizer, such as L'Oréal Paris Lumi Glow Boosting Drops, into your moisturiser or foundation. "It will create an even, sheer layer of sheen that will look more natural than a highlighter," she explains.

6. Apply face shimmer to the collarbones.
Glowing skin does not stop with your face, which is why legendary makeup artist Pat McGrath recommends using highlighter on your décolletage at all times. "My Skin Fetish highlighter stick works incredibly well as a body shimmer," she says.Her best tip for putting it on so that it looks natural rather than contrived? "The trick is to hunch your shoulders forward so your collarbones show; that's where you want it," she explains. McGrath then suggests applying a powder on top for an extra glow: "It photographs very well."

7. Apply toner prior to serum or moisturiser.
Using a great moisturiser is a no-brainer for glowing, healthy skin, but what comes before it is equally important: toner. Toners have a bad reputation for doing nothing or completely stripping your skin, but the new generation is crucial for hydrating and prepping your skin. "Think of it as a glass of water for your skin," says Mist Beauty owner Nachi Click. "If your skin is hydrated, serums and creams can penetrate deeper."

8. Improve the integrity of your skin's barrier.
Exfoliating two to three times per week is beneficial to your skin, but doing so more frequently may jeopardise your skin's barrier function (i.e., its ability to keep moisture in and damaging elements like free radicals out). Flakes, dryness, and irritation can result from a weakened barrier. The good news is that there are now treatments specifically designed to strengthen and repair your skin's barrier (look for keywords like soothing, replenishing, and barrier repair on the label). Soko Glam cofounder Charlotte Cho swears by the Thank You Farmer Back to Relax Soothing Gel Mask, and we love Dr. Loretta's Intense Replenishing Serum.

9. Include vitamin C in your daily routine.
Any skin expert will recommend a vitamin C serum for glowing skin. "Each morning, apply five drops of vitamin C serum underneath SPF to target free radical damage, help lighten dark spots, and even out your skin tone," says Natalie Smyth, a skin-care influencer and expert.

10. Use a chemical exfoliator instead.
Replace your traditional face scrub with a chemical exfoliator, such as a peel or serum containing AHAs, BHAs, or PHAs, which are less abrasive on your skin. "Physical exfoliants sand the surface of your skin," says New York dermatologist Dennis Gross, M.D., whereas acids break apart the bonds that hold dead skin in place to gently remove it. When used on a regular basis, chemical exfoliators also have an added benefit: "By increasing cell turnover, you're going to encourage the creation of new collagen," says Gross. "As a result, you'll notice a firming effect over time."

Begin by using a gentle acid a few times per week, or a stronger one once per week, to remove dullness, dead skin cells, and unclog pores.

11. Binge-mask.
While most of us save sheet masks for special occasions or spa nights, if your skin is acting up, consider using it on a daily basis. "When my skin looks dull, I'll do sheet masks like St. Ives Glowing Apricot Sheet Mask for seven days straight," Violet Grey beauty director Maureen Choi says. "It has a hydrating and smoothing effect that results in a crazy glow by the end of the week."

12. Pay special attention to your pores.
For a special event or occasion where you want to look your best, Miami dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D., recommends removing anything she refers to as "background noise," or "little things that aren't too noticeable but when removed make skin look flawless." She, for example, prefers to use Bioré Pore Strips to quickly remove blackheads from her nose and chin.

13. Chill out a bit.
Literally. Using cold water, a freeze tool, or products to instantly de-puff your face and increase blood flow is a quick and easy way to de-puff your face and increase blood flow. While expensive rollers and a dedicated skin-care fridge are options, Cindy Crawford's facialist Thuyen Nguyen swears by something a little less expensive: ice cubes. "I run ice cubes over my face until they melt before and after a flight," she says. "This skin shocker is a favourite of my pores."

14.Textures should be layered.
Double up on highlighters to take your glow from Glossier to YouTuber. "Use a powder highlighter on top of a cream to add an extra layer of glow," says makeup artist Erin Parsons, who frequently works with Gigi Hadid.

The one she swears by at the moment? “I love the Maybelline FaceStudio Master Chrome Highlighter because it’s not glittery or chunky—it just gives the ultimate glimmer,” she says.

15. Try microneedling.
Although it may appear frightening, an in-office microneedling treatment can work wonders for acne and dullness. If you want super-glowy skin, dermatologist Annie Chiu, M.D., suggests the Aquagold Fine Touch procedure, which combines microneedling with a hyaluronic acid filler injection "to give you a dewy, hydrated appearance while stimulating new collagen production." If an in-office treatment is too expensive (sessions can cost between $300 and $600), you can try at-home microneedling.

16. Soak in a long bath.
Lindsay Schallon, senior beauty editor at Glamour, recommends a luxurious bath soak before exfoliating to get your body gleaming. "After just one soak with Herbivore Detox, my skin is softer, purer, and baby smooth," she says.

17. Apply foundation with a stippling motion rather than a swipe.
The way you apply your foundation is just as important as the foundation you use for a truly even glow. The key, according to celebrity makeup artist Daniel Martin, who did Meghan Markle's wedding makeup, is to buff rather than swipe. "Lightly buff and swirl your foundation-dipped makeup brush over your skin to create a flawless, diffused finish," he advises. "Think of it as waxing your car, but without the pressure." When you use light, short circular motions to apply makeup, it looks seamless and not streaky at all."