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Her best advice for putting it on so it looks natural and not contrived? “The trick is to hunch your shoulders forward so your collarbones pop out; that’s where you want it,” she says. After that, McGrath recommends adding a powder on top for even more glow: “It photographs beautifully.”
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Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish Highlighter & Balm Duo
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Guerlain Terracotta Highlighter Stick
7. Use toner before serum or moisturizer.
Using a great moisturizer is a no-brainer for getting glowing, healthy skin, but what you use before it is just as important: toner. Toners get a bad rep for either doing nothing or totally stripping your skin, but the new generation is essential for hydrating and prepping your skin. “Think of it as a glass of water for your skin,” says Nachi Click, owner of Mist Beauty. “Serums and creams can penetrate deeper if your skin is hydrated.” Shop some of our favorites below, and see here for some of the best toners we can't live without.
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Good (Skin) Days Prime Time Cleansing Toner
Fresh Rose Deep Hydration Toner
Laneige Cream Skin Toner & Moisturizer
This isn't just any toner. This K-beauty staple kicked off the #CreamSkin trend on Instagram. “It applies on like liquid, but settles in like a nice, protective moisturizer,” says Alicia Yoon, a licensed esthetician and the founder of Peach & Lily. “The great thing about cream-skin products is they’re at once deeply hydrating and lightweight.” That makes it ideal for everyone, but those with dry or sensitive skin in particular.
PCA Skin Hydrating Toner
“Hydrating toner” is something of an oxymoron, but it's legit. “This has glycerin, panthenol, and soothing botanicals to remove debris from the skin while offering hydrating benefits," says Zeichner. The influence of essence, a K-beauty import that led to a whole new category stateside, is unmistakable here.
8. Strengthen your skin barrier.
Exfoliating two to three times a week is great for your skin, but any more and you can risk compromising your skin's barrier function (i.e., its ability to keep moisture in and damaging elements like free radicals out). A weak barrier can lead to flakes, dryness, and irritation. The good news is that there are now treatments formulated specifically to strengthen and repair your skin barrier (look for keywords like soothing, replenishing, and barrier repair on the label). Charlotte Cho, cofounder of Soko Glam, swears by the Thank You Farmer Back to Relax Soothing Gel Mask, while we love Dr. Loretta's Intense Replenishing Serum.
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Thank You Farmer Back to Relax Soothing Gel Mask
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Dr. Loretta Replenishing Serum
9. Add vitamin C to your routine.
Ask any skin expert, and they'll recommend a vitamin C serum for radiant skin. “Apply five drops of vitamin C serum underneath SPF each morning to target free radical damage, help lighten dark spots, and even out your skin tone,” says Natalie Smyth, an influencer and skin-care expert. See some of our favorites below, or click here for more of the best vitamin C serums.
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Buttah Vitamin C Serum
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TruSkin Vitamin C Serum
Lost for ideas? Take one from the more than 8,000 reviewers that swear by TruSkin’s Vitamin C Serum. It’ll be the gift that keeps on giving for the beauty buff on your list.
SkinCeuticals C E Ferulic Serum
Summer Fridays CC Me Vitamin C Serum
10. Switch to a chemical exfoliator.
Swap your classic face scrub for a chemical exfoliator—i.e., a peel or serum that uses AHAs, BHAs, or PHAs—which tend to be less abrasive on your skin. “Physical exfoliants sand your skin’s surface,” says New York dermatologist Dennis Gross, M.D., whereas acids break apart the bonds that hold dead skin in place to gently clear it away. Chemical exfoliators also have a bonus when used regularly: “By increasing cell turnover, you’re going to encourage the creation of new collagen,” says Gross. “So you’ll see a firming effect over time.”
Start by using a gentle acid a few times a week, or a stronger one once a week to knock out dullness, clear away dead skin cells, and unclog pores.
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Cane + Austin Miracle Pad
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Renée Rouleau Rapid Peel Mask Duo
Pixi Glow Peel Pads
Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel
This two-step peel actually contains bothalphaandbetahydroxy acids—salicylicacid, glycolicacid, and malicacid—which is a great combination of acids to tackle a few problems, including hyperpigmentation. —D.E.
11. Binge-mask.
While most of us might save a sheet mask for a special occasion or spa night, when your skin is acting particularly finicky, consider making it a daily thing. “When my face looks blah, I’ll do sheet masks like St. Ives Glowing Apricot Sheet Mask for seven days straight,” says Violet Grey beauty director Maureen Choi. “It has a compounding effect of hydrating and smoothing that delivers a crazy glow by week’s end.”
St. Ives Glowing Apricot Face Mask Sheet
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Garnier Skin Active Moisture Bomb Anti-Fatigue Sheet Mask
12. Pay pores extra attention.
For a special event or occasion where you want to be extra-radiant, Miami dermatologist Heather Woolery-Lloyd, M.D., recommends removing anything she calls “background noise," or “little things that aren’t too noticeable but when removed make skin look flawless.” For example, she likes to use Bioré Pore Strips to quickly clear away blackheads on her nose and chin.
Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips
13. Invest in a laser treatment.
If it's in your budget, consider factoring a yearly laser treatment into your skin-care routine to refresh, brighten, and renew your skin in a way topical products just can't. “I like quarterly resurfacing with the [$300 to $1,000 per session],” says Robert Anolik, M.D., a dermatologist in NYC. “If you’re over 30, try a yearly Fraxel Dual [$600 to $1,800], which is more powerful. Both fade sun-induced spots that make skin look dull.”
14. Swap out your old loofah.
Again, radiant skin goes beyond your face. In the shower, try massaging a salt scrub over your body, then rinsing it off with extra exfoliation from a Korean washcloth, which is much coarser than a regular one. “The combo sloughs off dead cells for the smoothest skin ever,” says celebrity makeup artist Mylah Morales.
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Asian Exfoliating Bath Washcloth
15. Chill out.
Literally. Using cold water or freeze tool, or products is a quick and easy way to instantly de-puff your face, as well as increase blood flow. While you can spring for expensive rollers or a dedicated skin-care fridge, Cindy Crawford's facialist Thuyen Nguyen swears by something a little thriftier: ice cubes. “Before and after a flight, I run ice cubes over my face until they melt,” she says. “My pores love this skin shocker.”
16. Layer textures.
To take your glow from Glossier to YouTuber, double up on highlighters. “Add an extra layer of glow by using a powder highlighter on top of a cream,” says makeup artist Erin Parsons, who often works with Gigi Hadid. Just look at how she makes highlighter catch the light, below.
