How To: Reboot Dull Skin

If you are confronted with dull skin, what’s really going on?
Well-maintained skin shines and gleams when light hits off its smooth surface – that’s where radiance comes from. What prevents this from happening is when dead skin cells pile up, blunting light diffusion and making the complexion appear dull and lifeless.

What can you do?

Keep skin exfoliated.
Get plenty of sleep – this is when skin detoxifies, repairs and renews.
Use an exfoliating cleanser in the evening to get the process started.
Eat or drink your greens! All those antioxidants will motor cellular regeneration.
Embrace vitamin C – in skincare products, it delivers radiance to skin.
Use a glycolic peel once a week to remove dead, stubborn cells.

The Products to use

1. Kiehl’s Iris Extract Activating Treatment Essence, €40 A great all-rounder to improve efficacy of all your other products by improving skin’s barrier function.

2. Trilogy Rosehip Oil Antioxidant +, €34.95 Apply to clean skin morning and night for an antioxidant feast.

3. Shu Uemura Tsuya Skin Youthful Radiance Generator, €44 An illuminating under-base for make-up.

The Treatment that helps
The Illuminating Facial

Working on any skin type, the illuminating facial, using the new Iluma range from Image Skincare, immediately improves skin tone, adding instant glow to the complexion. The treatment starts with an exfoliating mask, mixed with Iluma Intense Lightening Cleanser. The skin is then prepped for peeling with a degreasing solution, followed by a gentle resurfacing glycolic mask. Once completed, the skin is massaged with a Vital C Repair Cre’me mixed with a kojic enhancer to help with skin lightening. More antioxidants are infused
as the Vital C Enzyme Masque is then applied for ten minutes. Then it’s time for the Iluma Intense Lightening Serum, followed by SPF. The facial was designed to accompany the Image home care range to maximise results; €100 for 55 minutes at Akina Beauty and Laser Clinic, 50 Leeson Street Lower, Dublin 2, 01 676 6411; akina.ie.

For your make-up bag?

MAC Strobe Cream, €33.50, Blend into foundation, or tap on skin for instant gleam.

This article was originally published in the October issue of IMAGE Magazine.