5 hacks guaranteed to brighten dull skin.

Are you tired of dull, grey looking, and plain skin?

Well, who wouldn’t be?

“You look so pale , are you eating enough”?

This is the first question my mom used to ask me when going back to Italy for a visit.

Not anymore 🙂

Do you want to know how was I able to make the switch from a terrible dull skin to a glowing and radiant one?

Let’s start with the basics.

How does dull skin look like?

We all know how healthy skin looks like. 

So if you suffer from dull skin you probably know how it looks like.

But if you don’t, here you go.

You can easily recognize dull skin because of its greyish tone, lack of radiance, and brightness.

The picture above is a great example of how dull skin looks like.

What causes dull skin?

Dull skin is caused by one or more of these lifestyle & environmental factors: pollution, some medications and drugs (in particular, meth), cigarettes smoking, lack of sleep and exercise, malnutrition, and poor circulation.

In particular, constantly having dull skin is due to a lack of oxygen and nutrients (poor circulation, smoking, malnutrition, and abuse substances). 

Conversely, if you happen to experience dull skin seldom , it ‘s probably because you’re not exfoliating (dead cells are piling up), you skin is a bit dehydrated, or you didn’t get enough sleep.

How can I get rid of dull skin and brighten my face?

Before I share with you what I believe are the most effective remedies, I want to point out that there’s a huge difference if your skin looks constantly dull or if it happens from time to time.

Truth is our skin is never and will never be perfect.

See this picture?

It’s clearly something nobody will ever achieve because it simply doesn’t exist. 

Our skin may look dull sometimes and that’s normal. ​

Among the hacks shared below some are long term meaning you’ll see results only if you apply them on a regular basis (or at least 80% of the times). Others are what I call a “quick fix” that will help you short term, i.e immediately.

Let’s get into it!

Hack #1 “skincare basics”. 

These “basics” should be the common ground of ALL skincare remedies, no matter what you’re dealing with.

Proper diet, sleep, water, and sunscreen.

​Family members and friends call me “food police” because I am very strict.  

The reason is not that I enjoy being unpleasant… I’ve noticed huge improvements for my skin drastically reducing refined carbs and sugar and replacing them with vegetables. I also take some collagen proteins.

You skin can look dull also because of malnutrition. Malnutrition does not necessarily means scarcity of food.

When you only eat foods with 0 nutritional value, your body lacks powerful antioxidants and nutrients. Malnutrition  can also occur along with drugs or alcohol abuse and will make your skin dull.

To summarize: eat tons of veggies , a moderate amount of fruit (especially avocados and berries), and lean proteins. Avoid bad habits such as alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes.

Hack #2: exercise

​After you have checked all the boxes above, high intensity workouts are a quick way to give radiance and new life to you skin.

This is mainly due to the fact that the effort and heat generated increases blood circulation and oxygen supply to the skin, which is clearly visible in reddening during exercise. More oxygen and nutrients in the skin also mean improved cell growth, which is reflected in an increased renewal rate of the cells.

The definition of high intensity is subjective. Just do something that makes you hot and sweaty.

I use an app called Freeletics or the Nike app. Both have free workouts. If you’re not in the condition to work out, you can simply go for a walk.

This is a snap of me after my workout. I know, my hair look horrible but at least…you can see my skin looks everything but dull!

Exercise improves dull skin

Hack #3: use a hyaluronic acid serum

Hyaluronic acid has the power of drawing water into the skin giving it perfect hydration (assuming you’re doing everything listed in section hack #1).

Immediate means you notice the difference right away.

When the skin is properly hydrated it looks healthier, plump, and radiant.

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HACK #4: Exfoliate

In the last few weeks, I’ve been testing a 2% salicylic acid product that I want to start selling in the near future. The formula is extremely simple, 3 ingredients – propanediol, salicylic acid, and sodium hydroxide.

This simple formula has done wonders erasing small imperfections and lightening my skin.

This is because salicylic acid is what in skincare is called a “chemical exfoliant” meaning it removes the superficial layer of dead cells. When this dull layer is gone, skin looks naturally radiant and bright.

Other products that work well are glycolic and lactic acid. 

If you have read my post on the best skincare products, you should know I value products with a short list of ingredients. This is why among all exfoliants, I really like this one by Paula’s Choice.

Alternatively, you could use what is called a “physical exfoliant” meaning particles that eliminate superficial dead cells through a mechanic action. In this category, I love the NeedCrystals one.

I don’t recommend you use any sugar or salt exfoliants as they make more damage than good due to the irregular shape of particles.

HACK #5: STEP UP YOUR MAKEUP GAME

I don’t wear makeup daily, but I’m aware it makes a huge difference in how we look and present ourselves.

Diet and exercise will get rid of your dull skin, but it’s a long term plan.

When the skin appears dull, and you need to give it a glowing appearance RIGHT AWAY, your best friend is makeup.

No doubts.

Even  a primer and  foundation only makes a huge difference.

They’re both easy to apply.

I’ve written a lot on how expensive skincare products are not worth their price. Well, when it comes to makeup, it’s quite the opposite. Usually expensive makeup is much better than cheap one especially in terms of lasting power. Therefore, be willing to pay a little bit more to buy a high quality product.

Remember that luxury makeup that is sold on Amazon or Ebay at a fraction of the cost is counterfeit (this topic has been extensively discussed in the Netflix Documentary Broken).

If you need even more information to Start Your Own Cosmetic line, read my eBook!

Hope this post gave you interesting insights to test. If you have other ways of fighting dull skin, let me know in the comments!