If there’s one thing we’re all after when it comes to our skin, it’s radiance. Glowing, healthy skin is the ultimate goal. “Radiance starts from within, and being confident in your own skin is the ultimate ‘confidence game.’ When you feel good, you look good, and that authentic self-assurance becomes magnetic. It’s not just about skincare for me; it’s about embracing your unique beauty and shining in every moment. Glow is a sign of youth, right? When you think of babies, they’ve got that beautiful dewy skin glow. And as we get older, it often does turn into being a lot duller, “says Sunday Riley, CEO, founder and product formulator. Achieving said complexion isn’t always easy, especially when you’re battling with external factors like pollution, UV rays and stress. However, armed with the right hardworking products and knowing how much skincare product to use, radiance can be within your reach.
Here’s how to do it.
Meet the Experts
Sunday Riley , CEO, founder and product formulator
Jennifer Rock , dermal facialist
Dr. Pamela Benito , aesthetic doctor
Double cleanse
Cleansing is the cornerstone of creating a glowing complexion. Cleansing morning and night is crucial for maintaining healthy and radiant skin. “It removes the grime that’s accumulated on the surface of the skin and preps a blank canvas for the glow-boosting skincare that follows,” dermal facialist Jennifer Rock explained. When your skin is properly cleansed, the active ingredients in your serums can work their magic without contending with a barrier of dead skin cells and sebum (aka oil).
“We have two cleansers. One is a sugar-based cleansing balm called Blue Moon. It’s thick and creamy, with a rich texture that changes from balm to oil. When it does that, it melts away all that makeup, that stubborn eyeliner you might have on, or eyelash glue. You can also use Blue Moon as a hydrating mask. The cleanser that I typically reach for, though I have chronically dry skin, is Ceramic Slip. It’s a clay-based cleanser. I use it daily, and I’ve got dry skin. It’s also what I would have my daughter using, and she has oily acne-prone skin. Whenever you wash your face, you don’t want to remove all good lipids; you want to take the excess off, but you don’t want to strip your skin and then create massive problems. You can leave Ceramic Slip on for 2 to 10 minutes because it has all that great clay in there; it’ll help pull everything out of your skin. I’m obsessed with double cleansing, and it is phenomenal. Use Blue Moon first, and then wash your face with Ceramic Slip. Your skin will thank you later,” says Sunday.
Include exfoliation in your routine
Regular exfoliation helps to prevent bacteria and clogged pores and also increases blood circulation. Aesthetic doctor Dr. Pamela Benito recommends a chemical exfoliant: “These work by dissolving the ‘glue’ that attaches dead skin cells to the surface of the skin to reveal a brighter, clearer complexion underneath.” An alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) like glycolic acid is the classic choice here, but there are others too. Lactic acid, for instance, is great for those with sensitive skin. “It’s got a larger molecular size than glycolic acid, which means it’s more skin respectful and gentler on the skin,” Sunday clarified. “I use Good Genes daily. In results obtained via profilometry analysis, 100% of women said their skin looked and felt significantly smoother and more radiant, with visibly reduced lines and wrinkles. You get that instant radiance that maybe we’ve lost in the winter, with time, or because of stress. You know, as we get older, we typically tend to lose that healthy, radiant glow, that beauty that we had before in the skin. Good Genes infuses it right back into it,” explains Sunday. Good Genes is formulated to optimize the skin’s pH balance, creating an environment where P. acnes bacteria — the primary bacteria responsible for acne — cannot thrive. By gently exfoliating the skin and removing excess sebum, it prevents the conditions that favor the growth of acne-causing bacteria, promoting clearer, healthier-looking skin.
Use active ingredients
The powerful combination of retinol, alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), and tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate) provides a comprehensive approach to skin rejuvenation. Retinol, a vitamin A derivative, speeds up cell turnover to reveal fresh, new skin cells. AHAs work alongside retinol, acting like gentle scrubbing bubbles to exfoliate dead cells and impurities from the skin’s surface. This exfoliation primes the skin for THD ascorbate, a high-quality form of vitamin C. With potent antioxidant properties and low irritation potential, THD ascorbate deeply penetrates the skin to shield it from environmental damage while enhancing brightness and collagen production. Together, these ingredients improve skin texture and tone, leaving it clearer and more radiant.
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Including an active ingredient in your routine morning and night will supercharge your routine. When it comes to creating radiant skin, the morning routine demands an antioxidant ingredient like vitamin C. This is particularly important if you live in a city and are exposed to high levels of pollution. “Pollutants can trigger the skin to enter a state of oxidative stress, which results in free radicals (read: unpaired electrons) attacking healthy skin cells. Antioxidants neutralize free radical activity by giving the unstable molecules a spare electron, thereby reducing the damage to the skin,” Rock explained.
Not all vitamin C products are created equal. “C.E.O. 15% Vitamin C Brightening Serum is the product I go through the most. It has this ultra-powerful, ultra-stable form of vitamin C that is specifically made for sensitive skin. It is all about brightening and tightening the appearance of the skin. This serum is #1 Brightening Specialist in US. It’s great for all skin types and all ages. While L-ascorbic Acid is known for its potency, it is also notoriously unstable. THD Ascorbate, on the other hand, offers a more stable alternative, ensuring that vitamin C retains its efficacy for longer periods — up to a year, in fact. It’s something that I actually use in my morning and in my evening routine. I want to make sure I’ve got that wonderful antioxidant protection in the morning. I’m happy to make my skin look brighter and plumper in the evenings.”
Come evening, all skin can benefit from vitamin A, also known as retinol. “This rebuilds collagen and promotes cellular turnover, revealing brighter skin,” Dr. Benito noted.
“We all want the benefits of an active ingredient, right? But none of us want the drawbacks. We don’t want a recovery period. Our oils are not just oils. Our oils are basically your serum and your oil in one. I love that two-for-one. With Luna Sleeping Night Oil with trans-retinoic acid ester complex, you’ll get an improvement in the overall luminosity, the overall glow, and the overall evenness of tone with no downtime. Just a few drops. I use it all over my face, but I always make sure to continue to apply it down. I also want to apply it to the chest. After an independent consumer testing panel used Luna Sleeping Night Oil for four weeks, 96% of women felt their skin looked brighter and more radiant,” shares Sunday.
Keep your skin hydrated
Hydrated and healthy-looking skin naturally looks radiant. Subsequently, including some hydrating moisturizer or serum will ensure you get the glow we all crave. “There is a high value of trans-epidermal water loss so it is very important to replenish the skin using a moisturizer with ceramides like in ICE Ceramide Moisturizing Cream and with vitamin C. This deeply hydrates the skin, reducing the effects of water loss and brightening it instantly,” says Sunday. “I’m a big believer in not just moisturizing the skin with your moisturizer, but also having a treatment in your moisturizer. C.E.O. Vitamin C Rich Cream is your vitamin C treatment moisturizer in one. I’m obsessed with its kind of cocooning texture. C.E.O. Afterglow Vitamin C is a gel cream that visibly brightens the look of skin in 7 days and delivers 24 hours of hydration. In an independent study, 97% of people had significant improvement in skin brightness (according to clinical visual grading) and felt that their skin felt more moisturized after using the product,” adds Riley.
Always wear SPF
All skincare routines should include SPF. Protecting your skin from the sun is the best way to prevent skin aging and losing radiance over time. After all, 80% of skin aging is believed to be done by the sun. “In the morning, make sure you apply SPF30 or higher. Check it is broad-spectrum meaning the product protects against UVA and UVB rays,” Dr. Benito advises.
Do a weekly facial
Beyond your daily skincare routine, a weekly facial can ensure your radiance levels are topped up. “Mix equal parts Ceramic Slip Cleanser with Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. Blend together and apply to clean skin as a mask. Rinse with water after 10 minutes. You’ll get the instant radiance right away,” shares Riley.
Massaging your skin promotes increased blood circulation, which encourages healthy, plump and radiant skin. “With proper technique, a facial massage can also help to drain lymphatic fluid that’s built up, causing the skin to appear puffy and swollen. I apply all my products with massaging movements, and for the puffiness in the eye zone, I love cryo globes that I keep in my fridge,” Riley described. Apply a moisturizer or facial oil to the skin and always work upwards and outwards of the face.
Invest in at-home gadgets
Thanks to the increasingly innovative selection of at-home gadgets, you can get impressive results at home. Dr. Benito recommends both a microneedling facial tool or a LED mask. “Microneedling stimulates cellular turnover, improves skin texture and reduces facial wrinkles while LED light can promote wound healing and tissue regeneration, help stimulate collagen production and improve your skin complexion.” B3Nice serum is an excellent choice for post-microneedling care due to its soothing properties. Infused with Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide), this serum helps to reduce inflammation and redness, promoting faster healing of the skin. Niacinamide is known for its ability to strengthen the skin’s barrier, which is crucial after microneedling when the skin is more vulnerable. Additionally, B3Nice serum hydrates deeply, ensuring the skin remains moisturized and plump, which aids in the repair process. Its lightweight, non-irritating formula is perfect for sensitive skin, providing a calming effect while enhancing the overall results of microneedling by promoting an even skin tone and improved texture.
Look at your lifestyle
Taking a 360 approach is important, too. “I don’t have a coach per se, but I meditate every day, I’m a student at MindValley (I think I’ve signed up for almost every class), and I listen to Joe Dispenza as much as I can. I also take time to prioritize my own needs instead of only taking care of other people. When I started this practice, it felt selfish; I almost felt guilty about it. I grew up in an environment where sacrifice was glorified. And while I do think that it’s noble to sacrifice your time for others, I fully believe that part of your attention and time needs to be directed toward your own needs and interests. It’s not selfish,” says Sunday.
Ensuring you follow a healthy diet can help your skin look radiant from within. “I would encourage you to be mindful of what you’re feeding your body, which means eating a rainbow of fruit and vegetables, drinking plenty of water, and consuming fatty acids galore from nuts and seeds,” Rock suggests. To enhance your skin further, you could consider adding supplements to your routine. “I would look out for supplements that contain omegas, which are like your skin’s internal moisturizers, Vitamin A, which helps to re-educate the skin, and hyaluronic acid, to replenish your skin’s stores of moisture for plump, hydrated skin,” she recommends.
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