Have you ever looked at someone and thought to yourself, how do they have that glow? They look like they are constantly wearing SPF, drink gallons of water a day, and either have Botox or have never frowned a day in their life. They somehow have no signs of aging on their face and their pores seem invisible. We are all trying to achieve this look no matter how young or old we are. We all want that GLOW!

 If you’re like me, I used to only be able to have that glow to my skin with a good highlighter and an oil-based foundation. What if I told you there is another way? What if all it took to have the face of an angel is to hydrate and heal your skin? YOU DON’T NEED MAKEUP FOR THIS!

 Where did this goal of glowing skin come from? Years ago, the “thing” was contour. Just like fashion changes, so do makeup trends. Right now, the trend is glowing skin. This seemingly pore-less and illuminated skin trend originates in Korea. Korean beauty has always emphasized baby-soft, pore-less skin, and airbrushed looking finishes in their skincare routines. This is where the name “glass skin” came from referring to dewy and pore-less skin.  When you think of glass skin you think of glossy, smooth, glowing, and hydrated skin. THIS IS WHAT WE WANT! When we use a highlighter, we do indeed glow but it isn’t in that glass skin way that we want.

 If you listen to your favorite beauty influencer or celebrity tell you about how their skin looks so seemingly perfect you will notice a pattern; exfoliate, hydrate, and moisturize. We stand behind this routine wholeheartedly but want to explain why each step is so important.

 Some ingredients behind the glow include:

 Hyaluronic Acid: This is a very popular ingredient in skincare products. It literally grabs ahold of moisture and pulls it into your pores. Hyaluronic acid greatly contributes to glowing skin by increasing the moisture in your skin with its unique ability to absorb into the deeper layers of your skin. It is commonly used to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. This is why we formulated our Ceramide and Hyaluronic Acid Serum. Our serum with Hyaluronic Acid is a drink of water for your skin. It reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by creating a plumping effect.

Retinol: If you have sensitive skin, this ingredient may not be the one for you. Although it is another “magic” ingredient for skin it can be quite harsh on certain skin types. In addition to not working with all skin types, it also tends to not play nice with other ingredients.  Retinol is known for its ability to resurface and renew skin as if it were buffing out all the imperfections on our face. If this is an ingredient you would like to use in your skincare routine make sure you research it and talk to your dermatologist about if it would be a good fit for your skin or not. 

 Peptides: Peptides are a form of Collagen that has been hydrolyzed and broken down into smaller chains that our skin can absorb. When skincare products contain peptides their function is to help boost collagen levels and keep the skin hydrated, tight, and healthy. This ingredient greatly contributes to a dewy appearance.  Peptides are so important to use in your skincare routine because they boost the one thing that needs a little push when we begin to see signs of aging or skin damage. Collagen is the protein responsible for keeping our skin smooth, tight, and youthful-looking. While our bodies do produce Collagen naturally when we hit 23 years of age the amount of Collagen our bodies produce slows dramatically and continue to slow as the years go by. When we use peptides on our skin, we are tricking it into producing more Collagen. How incredible is that? Collagen also can slow when we have skin damage from free radicals such as the sun. This is why you always hear your dermatologist telling you to minimize your skin's exposure to the sun and to always always ALWAYS apply SPF when leaving the house!

Now that we have explained our top three favorite dewy skin-producing ingredients, we want to get into your skincare routine. Your skin is not the same as mine or the person next to you, so it is important to understand the products that work for you. This is a very general skincare routine guide that anyone can use, but make sure you are using products for your specific skincare concerns.

1. Initial Cleanse: This is your first cleanse- yes you need to cleanse twice! We highly recommend our Sake Cleansing Balm to remove makeup, dirt, and debris from your skin. Our cleansing balm is natural and rather than stripping the natural oils from your skin, it adds to them! It is a cream-based cleanser which makes it very easy to use. Simply rub it all over your face for a minute, add some water and wipe it off.
2. Second Cleanse: This is the second cleanse that will get deep into your pores and clean them up. For this second cleanse we again recommend our Sake Cleansing Balm. If you prefer to use another cleanser we have three others we absolutely love and use ourselves. Our Pumpkin Facial Cleanser, Exfoliating Facial Cleanser, and Deep Refining Facial Cleanser. If you would like to ask one of our team members which cleanser would be perfect for your specific skin concerns please send us a message at bayharborbeautyhelp@gmail.com or you can always send us a message through the chat button on our website!
3. Exfoliate! After you have double-cleansed your face now you need to buff away the dull and dry skin. The great part about Bay Harbor Beauty cleansers is that they all exfoliate while they cleanse so you won’t necessarily have to add this step to your skincare routine. If you are using cleansers that don’t exfoliate as they cleanse make sure you are using a scrub for this step that contains good ingredients and is effective. You only need to exfoliate your skin two to three times a week. Once you have exfoliated or cleansed- pat your face dry and get ready to apply your next product!
4. Face Mask Time! Two to three times a week it is always a great idea to use a good face mask. A great rule of thumb is to never leave a freshly washed face without a hydrator on it for more than 60 seconds. Washing your face rids the skin of impurities and acne-causing oils, but it also leaves your skin open to any contaminants that come its way. When those bad oils are cleansed from our pores, our bodies sometimes go into overdrive trying to replenish them. This is when a face mask comes into play. Using a hydrating face mask full of skin-soothing ingredients and antioxidants will help reduce pores and restore your skin's natural and youthful glow. We highly recommend our Pumpkin Enzyme Face Mask! It is no different than another BHB product as it is full of amazing ingredients. This mask will brighten dull and tired skin to reveal a healthy glow. It is also perfect for acne-prone skin. It is packed full of exfoliating acids, antioxidants, and skin-soothing ingredients. If you are short on time you can skip this step until another day.
5. Apply a Toner. We always recommend finding a good hydrating toner as opposed to an astringent toner. We are trying to achieve a dewy look and astringent toners tend to dry out the skin and do the opposite.
6. Apply Serums. It is finally time to apply your serums. We love to think of serums as magic in a bottle. They are concentrated products full of amazing ingredients-if you use the right ones. We have a wide variety of serums to choose from and if you are unsure just read the reviews! We have serums for every skin type and use them ourselves. A great way to apply serums is to use a facial roller to apply as it will help you drain the lymph fluid from your skin. Face rollers are great for helping with acne, wrinkles, and under-eye circles. They assist in draining lymph fluid from the face and inviting oxygenated blood to the area.
7. Finally, Moisturize! Now that our skin is cleansed, exfoliated, and absorbing all those great ingredients in our serums it is time to hydrate. This is the last step to achieving that dewy and glowing look. It is so important to use a good clean moisturizer because if you use a product containing damaging ingredients, all the steps you took to clean your skin were for nothing.  Whichever moisturizer you use, please top it off with a good SPF as an extra layer of protection.

In addition to taking care of your skin, make sure you are drinking enough water to keep hydrated!