Rejuvenated: Achieve A Glow From The Inside Out This Winter

There’s nothing that looks healthier than radiant, glowing skin. And with plenty of illuminating products on the beauty market, getting a faux rejuvenated glow is easier than ever to achieve. But what about that that true lit-from-within radiance that starts from the inside?

If you're looking how to get glowing skin from within, today’s post is just for you. From lifestyle changes to radiance-boosting skincare, discover how to get a beautifully radiant complexion from the inside out this winter and beyond.

Get Your Daily Exercise  

Regular exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to your tissues and helps your cardiovascular system work more efficiently, it also releases those feel-good endorphins that are great for your mental health and give your mood a boost. (We know, it doesn’t always feel that way mid-squat!)

But amongst the other numerous health benefits, did you know that exercise is also really great for your skin? This is due to the increase in blood flow that we mentioned earlier, because as well as carrying those essential nutrients and oxygen to your skin, it also helps to carry away waste products, like free radicals, which contribute to premature ageing and skin damage.

So, try to implement a little exercise into your day – whether that’s taking the stairs instead of the lift, getting off the bus one stop early, or even going for a lunchtime stroll (why not grab your work besties and start a lunchtime walking club?), and you’ll reap the benefits for your skin.

And because we’re all a bunch of skincare addicts over here at FTF HQ, we couldn’t not recommend a post-workout skin (and muscle) treat to enjoy after your hard work! Soothe those aching muscles in a warm comforting bath with Weleda Arnica Muscle Soak. With arnica - an amazing herb that helps aching, bruising and strains, rosemary, lavender and birch leaf extract, your body and mind will feel relieved and calm.

Swap Alcohol For Water

Okay, so we know it’s party season and many of you will be looking forward to enjoying a festive tipple or two (we know we certainly are), but make sure you drink plenty of water, too, to help keep your skin looking bright and healthy. Skin dehydration comes as a result from full body dehydration, and your body needs water to function properly. So, although you might not want to totally cut out alcoholic beverages this Christmas, try to ensure that you’re drinking plenty of water to combat dehydration (plus it’ll help you fight off those post night out headaches, too!)

To help hydrate your skin from the surface, we recommend Avène’s Hydrance Rich Hydrating Cream Moisturiser for Dehydrated Skin. Formulated with Avene’s iconic Thermal Spring Water, this rich cream will leave your skin feeling comforted, hydrated, and supple for up to 24 hours. The cream is infused with Cohederm™, which is a patented hydrating complex that has micro-reservoirs of water which provide long-lasting hydration - the perfect moisturiser for skin prone to dryness.

Avoid Smoking

Nicotine causes your blood vessels to narrow, which means the blood flow carrying those essential nutrients and oxygen around your body that we mentioned earlier is reduced. In turn, this leads to visible signs of stress on your skin, such as fine lines - especially around your mouth from persistent pursing when smoking, dark spots - smoking increases melanin in the skin, and even inflammatory conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.

If you’ve recently stopped smoking and you’re looking for skincare to help alleviate fine lines around your mouth, we think you’ll love Fillerina 12 Densifying Filler for Lips and Mouth. Stimulating the collagen synthesis at skin level, the formula helps to plump and replenish your lips whilst reducing the marked wrinkles on your mouth contour.

Get Enough Beauty Sleep

When you sleep, your skin has chance to go through the essential rebuilding and repairing processes it needs to look and perform at its best. During sleep, your skin cells regenerate more quickly, and your skin begins to heal and protect itself after exposure to the UV light and external aggressors that it’s experienced during that day.

Your body also starts to produce growth hormones as you sleep – this stimulates collagen synthesis which is vital in ensuring that your skin remains elastic, plumped, and looks fresher, more youthful, and of course, glowing! 

If you struggle with a busy mind as soon as your head hits the pillow, help to gently lull yourself into a restful sleep with VOTARY’s Pillow Spray in Lavender and Chamomile. Helping you to unwind and relax after a busy day, the natural plant oil infusion helps to bring a sense of tranquillity to your space and works as a natural sleep aid.

Nighttime is also a great opportunity to apply your more potent skincare formulas, such as those that contain retinal. Particularly effective at night thanks to your skin being more receptive and naturally going through the reparative process (and the fact that your skin isn’t exposed to UV rays during the night), it’s a great time to boost your routine.

Our customers love Medik8 Crystal Retinal 3 – a great starting point if you’re new to retinal skincare. If you have sensitive skin, you should begin with Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1 instead before slowly working upwards as your skin gets used to the ingredients. The formula contains Retinaldehyde – a different vitamin A molecule to retinol but proven to be 11 times faster-acting than traditional retinol. The formula targets fine lines, wrinkles and uneven pigmentation whilst delivering deep hydration and working to quench the free radicals on your skin. With continued use, you'll be waking up to skin that looks more radiant, plumped, and well rested. 

Eat Foods High In Antioxidants

How your skin looks on the outside is also determined by what happens on the inside of your body, too. An unhealthy diet full of fatty, sugary and salty foods can lead to skin that looks puffy and lackluster - not to mention, you'll most likely be prone to breakouts, too.

To get beautiful skin from within, it's important to eat a healthy, varied diet that delivers the vitamins and minerals that your body needs. A great way to eat your way to better skin is by including antioxidant-rich foods into your diet such as broccoli, spinach, carrots, asparagus, kale, and collard greens. 

These vital antioxidants help your cells to fight free-radical damage.

To give your body an extra boost, you can support your diet with a supplement like Perricone MD’s Super Greens. The superfood supplement provides powerful antioxidant protection and helps to support your digestive and immune health. It also helps to promote healthy hair, skin, and nails.

Take Supplements

Supplements are also a great way to help you reach healthier skin. It's important to know that supplements should be taken alongside a healthy diet and lifestyle to support your goals, rather than as a replacement. 

Our customers absolutely love Advanced Nutrition Programme’s Happy Glowing Skin supplements and frequently give them glowing reviews for helping them to improve their skin health. The expertly developed formula in this Happy Glowing Skin set helps you to get more radiant, smoother skin by combining Skin Youth Biome™ and Skin Omegas+ that work together to support a happy gut and happy skin from the inside out. 

Exfoliate Weekly

A great way to slough away dead, dull skin cells to reveal brighter, healthier-looking skin is by gently exfoliating. For the more delicate skin on your face, our customers love BIOEFFECT’s Volcanic Exfoliator. Formulated with Icelandic micro-crystalline lava from the Icelandic volcano, Hekla, along with azelaic acid, and apricot seed, the gentle but effective exfoliator clarifies your skin and leaves it more able to absorb serums and moisturisers.

For silky-soft skin on your body, too, our customers love Ameliorate’s Smoothing Body Exfoliant. Especially great if you’re looking to smoothen skin affected by keratosis pilaris, this exfoliator is formulated with alpha hydroxy therapy and biodegradable bamboo granules to physically exfoliate above and below the surface of your skin. The formula also contains a unique LaH6 Skin Hydrating Complex to leave your skin feeling moisturised for up to eight hours.

Use Serums In Your Skincare Routine

When it comes to brightening your skin with skincare, a vitamin C serum makes a great addition to your evening routine. Pharmaceris N C-Capilix Vitamin C Serum helps to increase collagen production, and smoothen out lines and wrinkles. The active concentrated 1,2OOmg vitamin C enables the active ingredients in the formula to penetrate deeper into your skin, which helps its anti-oxidative potential to give daily protection against free radicals. 

The serum also helps to strengthen the capillaries, reducing redness and over-reactivity in your skin. It helps to regulate melanin production and prevents skin pigmentation.

For daytime, Decree’s Protect Elixir helps to tackle the signs of premature ageing and gives your skin a dose of vitamin C, vitamin B, and vitamin E, along with niacinamide, copper, zinc, magnesium, and coenzyme Q10.

Moisturise Your Skin Twice Daily

After using your serum, it’s important to follow up with a moisturiser to complete the next step in your skin hydration routine. The Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream helps to firm and smooth your skin whilst delivering deep hydration and promoting firmness, suppleness, and elasticity.

When it comes to moisturiser for your body, our customers love the iS Clinical Body Complex. The unique body moisturiser both hydrates and exfoliates your skin and is suitable for all skin types. The antioxidant-rich botanical formula gives an effective combination of natural acids, retinol, essential vitamins, and soothing antioxidants to offer relief and hydration to even the most compromised skin conditions.

Wear A Sunscreen Every Day

One of the best ways you can care for your skin and protect your glow is to use a sunscreen. Harmful UV rays from the sun are present all year around, even on those cloudy, rainy days, so it’s important to protect your skin daily. Using a product like Heliocare’s 360 Gel Oil-Free SPF50 will help to protect your skin from UV rays as well as provide nourishment throughout the day.

Still searching for the perfect winter sunscreens? Take a look at our blog post where we're sharing our Top 8 Sunscreens for the season.