Skincare

As someone who has loved makeup for nearly 20 years, the most important part of how my makeup looks is a direct result of how I take care of my skin. There is only so much that makeup can do in terms of helping achieve radiant or glowing skin – most of that has to come from your lifestyle and the products you use to maintain your skin. Everyone’s skin is different and so much can affect the skin but if you are wanting to achieve a natural glow to your face, there are some simple steps that you can take in order to help achieve this.

ICYMI, here are some recent popular blog posts to catch up on:

Comfy Airport Outfits

Dr. Whitney Bowe Skincare Reviews

Tips to Get Through (and Enjoy) Winter

How To Get a Natural Glow On Your Face

Achieving a natural glow to your face without makeup is not a one step process but there some easy tips and tricks that I have found which can work for anyone.

How To Achieve Glowing Skin Naturally

Drink Enough Water

I know this is going to be common sense for many, but drinking enough water daily is one of the keys to glowing skin. On the days that I do not drink enough water, I can immediately see it in my skin.

Understand Your Skin Type

Understanding your skin type is imperative to treating it accordingly. Once you understand your skin type (dry, oily, combination, acne prone, etc), you can choose products that will work with your skin instead of against it. In my 30’s, I had very oily skin but often used harsh products that would dry my skin out thus leading to my skin overproducing oil in order to help rebalance my skin. Our skin needs oil in order to function properly so it’s important to maintain a balance with the products we choose.

Presently I have dry skin because I’m in perimenopause so I’ve had to completely overhaul my skincare routine to address my current needs. A balanced skin barrier is naturally glowy and radiant so try to find products that make your skin feel hydrated and balanced. This can take a lot of trial and error with products so I recommend starting slow with the bare minimum of products (cleanser, moisturizer, SPF) to find textures and/or formulas that work for you skin type.

Get Enough Sleep

I’m sorry to report that what we’ve been hearing for years is in fact true when it comes to achieving glowing healthy skin. Getting enough sleep every night is very key to our entire well being but that does translate directly into how our skin looks and feels each day. My biggest struggle is getting to sleep each night so these are my current sleep essentials that have helped me improve my sleep hygiene over the past few years.

Add Healthy Fats To Your Diet

As a child of the 80’s and 90’s, my entire relationship with food is steeped in diet culture AKA “fat is bad”. It’s taken me a long time to rewire my brain and see healthy fats as a necessity for my body to look and feel it’s best. Once I began making a conscious effort to add healthy fats into my daily lifestyle, I really saw a different in my skin especially. I get these healthy fats through certain foods but also through supplements that I take daily.

A Skincare Regimen For Glowing Skin

Double Cleansing

Double cleansing is one of the most important steps of any skincare routine. Once I began double cleansing every night, my skin drastically began to change. For my first cleanse, I recommend using an oil based cleanser such as a cleansing oil or cleansing balm. All skin types can definitely benefit from using an oil cleanser as your first step because it will help to effectively remove all makeup, dirt, sunscreen, etc without stripping your skin. Once you have removed all your makeup, sunscreen, daily grime off the face with your first cleanse, it’s important to cleanse a second time with a cream, milk or gel cleanser which is entirely up to your preference and skin type. This is where you can really get that cleanser onto clean skin in order to help prep it for the rest of your skincare routine.

Here are my favorite cleansers that I like to use as my first cleanse: Elemis Cleansing Balm, TirTir Enzyme Cleansing Balm and Then I Met You Cleansing Balm

Here are my favorite cleansers that I like to use as my second cleanse: OneSkin Prep Cleanser (code: MAREE15), Dieux Baptism Gel Cleanser, Experiment Beauty Plasma Wash (code: MAREE15)

Regular Exfoliation

To really get that “glow” on your skin, it’s important to regularly exfoliate in order to remove all the dead skin cells that can cause the skin to look dull and lackluster. I prefer to use chemical exfoliants to achieve this rather than physical exfoliants because they tend to be more effective yet gentler. Many physical scrubs can be too harsh for the skin barrier so if you do choose to go with one, be sure you use it delicately. If you choose chemical exfoliants, there are so many great exfoliating toners or toning pads to use after cleansing that you will give a gentle exfoliation while still maintaining the skin barrier.

There are also great exfoliating serums to add into your routine a few times a week as another option. When adding a new exfoliant into your routine, introduce it slowly in order to see how your skin will react. You can increase use based on how your skin is tolerating the formula.

Here are a few of my most used chemical exfoliants: YSE Beauty Exfoliating Pads (discount code: MAREE15), Pixi Glow Tonic

LED Masks

While I have always taken good care of my skin, adding an LED mask into my routine has made the biggest difference in how my skin looks today. It’s a slow and steady process but I have been using my Currentbody LED mask (discount code: ALITTLEBITCB) for nearly two years and the results are truly amazing. The mask helps to boost collagen production, reduce fine lines, lessen redness, tighten the skin and help to fade dark spots/hyperpigmentation. I use my mask for 10 minutes a night, 6 nights a week.

Daily Sunscreen Use

Wearing sunscreen every single day regardless of how sunny it is or how long you will be outside is a must if you are looking to achieve glowing skin. Many people think we need sunscreen just for prevention against things like skin cancer and premature aging, but it’s so much more than that. Even if your makeup has an SPF in it, I would still recommend layering a proper sunscreen underneath to ensure you adequately protected. Sunscreen formulas are not what they were even 5 years ago, they have advanced so much that they no longer even feel like a traditional sunscreen.

Here are my favorite sunscreens to wear daily: Versed Good Defense SPF, Bloomeffects Tulip Dew Sunscreen (discount code: Maree), Credo Beauty Solar Limits SPF (discount code: 10MAREE)

Skin Flooding

This is a relatively newer skincare technique but one that I have personally seen great results from. Skin flooding originally came from Korean skincare methods of layering multiple hydrating and soothing toners one after the other to flood the skin with moisture and hydration. I have been doing this technique myself over the past year because my skin was so dehydrated and dull as I began to enter perimenopause. Skin flooding has really helped balance my skin again and it does give the skin a gorgeous glow because hydrated skin will always look more radiant. I wrote an entire blog post on skin flooding if you want more information on the process.

Here are a few of my favorite toners and essences that I like to use for skin flooding: TirTir Milk Skin Toner, Sarah Creal Moisture Source

What Are the Best Tips For Glowing Skin?

There isn’t a hard and fast rule to get glowing skin that will work for every single person but there are core principles and techniques that can be beneficial for most people. From a health standpoint, ensuring you are getting enough rest and drinking water everyday will help to contribute to healthy skin. Diet also plays a large part in our skin’s health so it’s best to work towards a balanced diet though this is easier said than done. So many outside forces can affect our lifestyle which is why I’m grateful for the extensive skincare products available these days.

Using the right skincare products can help offset some of the external factors that may be affecting our skin in a negative way. If you need some suggestions on products that I personally use and recommend, here are some blog posts to get you started: Best of Beauty 2025 Skincare, Best Facial Cleansers for Mature Skin and Skincare That Works.

It’s officially winter and everything on my body feels dry. My skin, my hair and especially my lips. I have products that help my lips stay hydrated all year long but I need to amplify the routine in the winter to avoid dry, cracked lips. You may have a line-up of dry skin products to help your face and body stay moisturized throughout the winter, but using products specifically for the lips is key. This blog post will be a guide on how to keep your lips hydrated effectively and the products I like to use to help with this.

How to Keep Your Lips Hydrated

There are a ton of reasons why lips can become dry. I’m going to share some of the common causes of dry lips, how you can avoid this and products/solutions that can help keep your lips hydrated all year long.

What Happens When Your Lips Are Dry?

If your lips become too dry or are consistently dry, the skin on them will become tight, cracked or flaky. Even the skin around your lips can become red and irritated if your lips are too dry. Often dry chapped lips can bleed, become painful and are vulnerable to such things as cold sores or mild infections. Obviously these are extreme cases but it’s important to try and treat dry lips before these issues can occur.

What Causes Dry Lips?

Weather

Since it’s winter, it’s common for the cold temperatures to dry out your skin and lips. But this can also occur in the warmer months especially if you are out in the sun frequently.

Dehydration

As I’m typing this, I am chugging my bottle of water beside me because my lips are actually feeling dry. LOL Often when I’m dehydrated or have not had enough water during the day, one of the first places I begin to feel it is on my lips.

Medication

This is a challenging one because certain medications are needed for health issues but a side effect can be dry lips. It’s important to be vigilant while on certain medications that you keep your lips as hydrated as possible.

Sun

Sun exposure can be especially drying to the lips whether you are at the beach or skiing down a mountain. Sunburn can occur very quickly and in addition to keeping your lips well hydrated, you need to make sure you protect your lips with lips balms or lip moisturizers that have sun protection.

Licking Your Lips

Ugh, I am so guilty of this. Licking your lips or biting your lips can actually cause them to dry out further. It can become a vicious cycle so try to avoid it when possible.

How to Keep Lips Hydrated

Drink Lots of Water

This is an obvious one but it’s always going to work. Making sure you are drinking plenty of water will help keep the skin on your lips (and everything else) well hydrated.

Use a Humidifier

I like to use a humidifier all year long but I keep it right next to me during the winter. As soon as the heat comes on in my house, I can already feel the dryness setting in. Adding moisture to the air with a humidifier makes a huge difference in helping your entire body stay adequately hydrated.

Exfoliate

Make sure you exfoliate your lips regularly. You can use a damp washcloth and slightly massage them for a gentle exfoliation. A soft bristle tooth brush also works really well. There are also a ton of lip scrubs on the market that you can use while doing your skincare routine that will help exfoliate off the dead skin cells and nourish your lips at the same time.

Apply a Lip Mask Nightly

You may apply lip balms during the day, but it’s important to use an extra thick or intensely nourishing lip mask before you go to sleep. Apply a thick layer and allow it to soak in throughout the night.

What To Use to Hydrate Lips

Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask

The Tatcha Kissu Lip Mask is a jelly lip mask that can be used during the day or at night. It is formulated to smooth, hydrate and restore fullness to the lips. It does come with a gold spatula so you don’t have to use your fingers to apply which already makes this better than so many other formulas I have. Ha! I hate having to put my fingers into a lip balm pot especially if I’m out and don’t have a tissue nearby to wipe off the excess. I love using this lip mask either at night or during the day.

YSE Beauty Like a Gloss Hydrating Lip Mask (discount code: MAREE15)

This is a newer discovery and I have immediately fallen in love with this formula. It’s incredibly thick and almost has a jelly-like feel to it that envelopes the lips instantly. It has a high shine so I can wear it during the day and it looks beautiful layered over any lip color. However, it is especially effective at night when I apply a thick layer before bed.

Ole Henriksen Pout Preserve Hydrating Lip Treatment

Even if you are using the best moisturizing lipsticks, you may still need a more targeted treatment. If you want to continue your lip treatment during the day, opt for a tinted lip balm. So many people have been telling me to try this lip balm formula and that once I did, I would immediately fall in love with it. I can confidently say that are 100% correct. It comes in a variety of colors but you can also choose the clear version. It is the most comfortable on the lips, creamy and smooth without being sticky. It feels nourishing and delivers just enough color and pigment.

Aquaphor

A tried and true staple that I’m sure almost everyone has in their home. Aquaphor can be used for so many different things but it’s especially effective as an overnight lip mask. Apply a thick layer and allow it to soak in while you sleep. It can help heal dry, cracked lips and nourish them while your body rests.

OneSkin OS-01 Lip Mask (discount code: MAREE15)

I must own a millions lip balms and lip masks currently but this newest one from OneSkin is the only formula that I’ve been wearing to bed each night. Formulated with their proprietary OS-01 peptide, this lip mask deeply hydrates all night long. I wake up in the morning and my lips still have some on from the night before! I shared about other peptide products from OneSkin here.

Dr. Whitney Bowe Tri-Liptide

There are TONS of lip balms on the market. But this one became an instant hit because of how much it helped my lips. It’s best used as a treatment rather than a makeup product so I apply it before bed each night. In addition to helping deeply nourish my lips, it targets 8 different signs of aging. Formulated with a biomimetic peptide and hyaluronic acid, the Tri-Liptide smooths texture, reduces fine lines, hydrates and helps the lips appear more full. It was initially designed to be used after in-office lip treatments to help expedite recovery which gives you an idea of how soothing it is! Truly a must try!