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5 Secrets To Bright, Beautiful Skin

5 Secrets To Bright, Beautiful Skin
Attractive mixed race young adult woman with a beautiful face and dark brown curly hair in front of a white background smiling.
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Attractive mixed race young adult woman with a beautiful face and dark brown curly hair in front of a white background smiling.

We all want a clear, glowing complexion. While a lucky few of us are blessed with it naturally thanks to great genes, others have to work a bit harder at it. Keep in mind, too, that we are all constantly contending with issues -- from aging to environmental factors -- that contribute to dull, tired-looking skin. To get on the right track, check out these tried-and-tested beauty secrets.

Enlist the help of regular facial treatments

5 Secrets To Bright, Beautiful Skin

1. Enlist the help of regular facial treatments. While your at-home regimen is vital for daily maintenance of your skin's brightness, you can get a really big boost from chemical peels and microdermabrasion, says Dr. Carroll. "A series of microdermabrasion does wonders for scars and dull-looking skin," she says, adding that if it's fine lines and wrinkles you want to improve, for a more aggressive approach a profractional laser treatment can be very effective. An at-home alternative to a clinical facial is a facial mask, like the Garnier Facial Tissue Mask.

2. Use a vitamin C-infused serum. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen (leading to fine lines and wrinkles). Boost your glow with the use of a vitamin C-rich product, and let this antioxidant help stimulate collagen production. Increasing the levels of this protein in the skin will help make your skin appear more supple and youthful.

3. Exfoliate regularly. Reveal new, fresh skin cells for a more luminescent complexion by scrubbing regularly. The surface layer of dead skin cells won’t have a chance to build up and create that dull look. No matter what your skin type, you can benefit from exfoliating, says Dr. Julia Carroll, a Toronto-based dermatologist, but you must be sure to use the right kind. "If you have sebaceous skin, you are much more tolerant of exfoliation than someone with rosacea-prone skin," she says. Acne-prone? You, in particular, can benefit from regular exfoliating as it will open up pores as well as help to get rid of old acne marks, she says.

4. Brush your skin bright. Over time, some of your vices such as a poor diet, drinking, and smoking can deplete your glow factor. While working towards improving your lifestyle habits is always recommended, when it comes to your skin, you can improve the look of your skin with tools such as cleansing brushes. Dr. Carroll, who is also the medical director of Compass Dermatology in Toronto, is a fan of cleansing brushes such as the Clarisonic Pro.

5. Wear sunscreen daily. The sun's UV rays are a major cause of pigmentation. And once pigment sets in, you no longer look bright and glowing. While you can get laser treatments to help deal with pigmentation, be proactive with your skin care and wear an SPF of at least 30 daily to protect your skin.

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