How to get rid of a dull, sallow complexion
Many of my clients complain that their skin looks greyish, dull, lifeless or sallow. How can this be, you say? Why do others have bright luminous skin naturally? Well, you can have that radiant fresh look. Here are five ways to get it.
1. Exfoliant
Exfoliating gets rid of dead skin cells. There’s nothing worse than dead skin cells for making you look dull and grey. They prevent the light from reflecting on your skin because the surface is not smooth. To find out more about the benefits of exfoliation, consult my article on the subject. You should exfoliate once or twice a week.
2. Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion can be performed by a dermatologist but you can also get kits to do it at home yourself and the results are pretty good. They are more gradual of course but the products are less aggressive for the skin.
Microdermabrasion removes a layer of skin gradually and stimulates cell regeneration as well as the production of new cells. It consists of micro crystals, finer than an exfoliator, which « sand » the skin.
At the beauty salon, the microdermabrasion process consists of spraying the same micro crystals on the skin in a jet with the help of a special apparatus. The same apparatus then vacuums the particles and skin residue which has been removed by the abrasive action of the microdermabrasion process. So it’s an ultra-intensive cleaning process, like sandblasting.
At home, the action is manual. The same abrasion process takes place but you have to remove the crystals with a lotion or with water.
Microdermabrasion reveals a new layer of skin. It looks brighter, smoother, re uniform. It can even help to diminish the appearance of scars and wrinkles.
3. Peeling
A chemical peel is another way to remove a layer of skin by a sort of controlled burn process. It’s an intensive treatment and the skin needs healing and recuperation time. A new layer of skin is revealed and the results are pretty good.
When performed by a dermatologist, you can have a light or an in-depth peel. Obviously, you get fewer side-effects with a light peel.
But this method is not for everyone: it can be fairly expensive and also the side-effects can be unpleasant.
But you can get home peeling kits which are less aggressive than professional ones. You can even get combination microdermabrasion/peeling kits. These give less obvious results than professional ones but they are less aggressive. You still get good results as far as luminosity and skin brightness are concerned so it’s worth being patient and trying out a home kit.
Home treatments should be done a few times a week, over a period of several months. But those who try them see a big difference in the look of their skin.
4. Vitamin C skin care
There are lots of Vitamin c based products on the market. Among other properties, this vitamin lightens the complexion.
You can get serums, day or night moisturizers but also intensive pure Vitamin C treatments.
Vitamin C is excellent for skin radiance and it’s also a good antioxidant. It wakes up and stimulates the epidermis too!
Vitamin C crams and serums, along with intensive treatments, give great results in terms of skin brightness. A great ally in the war on dull skin!
5. Glycolic acid
Some chemical peels are made from glycolic acid. That’s why you’ll also find it in many skin-care products. Glycolic acid is a derivative of sugar cane and it’s a chemical exfoliant. It gets rid of dead skin cells and reveals a new layer of skin.
From the first treatment, you’ll see a big difference in skin brightness and luminosity, and this will increase as time goes on. You can say good bye to a dull, tired-looking complexion.
Now you have acquired some weapons in the war on dull skin. Choose just one of these options however, and don’t combine them as you could irritate you skin. Just one is enough to get great results. You should of course take the necessary precautions: avoid sun–exposure for example. Make sure you find out about these precautions before using the product.
And how about you? Do you have any useful tips on brightening up your complexion?