How to Get the Perfect Summer Glow
in Three Easy Steps

One of the questions I get asked all the time is what I do to get glowing skin. At 50, chalk most of it up to good genes – my mother has great skin – and the fact that I have always religiously taken off my makeup and cleansed my face before bed every night. I have always been interested in beauty products – particularly natural ones – and how they benefit your skin.

Through years of trial and error and testing a lot of products, I found there are three specific steps I take every day to ensure a radiant, glowing complexion. Using three different types of products together – a face oil, illuminator and a hydrating facial mist – give me the results I want.

So after lots of trial and error, and many, many requests, I’m sharing some of my all-time favorites here. The magic trick is to select a product from each of the three categories and use them daily for the perfect amount of dewy glow.

 
STEP ONE: FACE OIL

The first product I felt made the biggest difference in the quality of my skin was a good face oil – usually something all-natural and a blend of essential oils that hydrates, minimizes fine lines and plumps the surface of the skin. I have used all of the oils below at different points in time and like to rotate them – switching about every year or so – to keep my skin in peak condition. Just as you switch up your shampoo to get the best response from your hair, I find the same is true with skincare products.

After removing my makeup in the evening and cleansing with something gentle and all-natural, the facial oil is the first product I apply. I’ve been using the Uma Anti-Aging Oil for the past six months since my friend Jennifer Alfano of The Flair Index introduced me to the Uma Oils line and founder, Shrankhla Holecek. In the morning, I either use the Uma Brightening Face Oil or this cream, before I apply this sunscreen.

Uma Ultimate Brightening Face Oil $150

This triple-action blend of sandalwood, rose, orange, neroli and other essential oils evens out skin tone, hydrates and instantly brightens the skin. It minimizes the appearance of hyper-pigmentation and damage from free radicals and environmental factors. This blend is formulated in a pomegranate oil base to speed up absorption and ensure active ingredients rapidly penetrate the skin.

Uma Absolute Anti-Aging Face Oil $175

This luxurious blend of frankincense, juniper berry, orange and sandalwood reduce visible signs of aging and improve the appearance of fine lines and age spots. It enhances elasticity and balances and softens skin texture for a more visible glow. Formulated with nutrient-rich pomegranate oil for fast-acting results. I am also obsessed with the smell of these Uma oils.

 

Rodin Olio Lusso Face Oil $89

A powerful elixir of essential oils derived from flowers and botanicals. Neroli oil combats signs of aging; sunflower oil keep skin soft and smooth; calendula protects skin from aging free radicals; Arnica Montana flower extract reduces puffiness; rosehip oil provides powerful antioxidant properties; and sweet almond oil contains beneficial vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and protein. Argan oil guards skin against harsh conditions; evening primrose oil leaves skin looking younger and healthier; jojoba oil nourishes and prevents dryness; apricot oil helps skin retain elasticity, clarity and suppleness; and jasmine oil provides calming effects.

 

Tata Harper Beautifying Face Oil $78

A lightweight, fast-absorbing face oil containing jojoba, argan, camelia and calendula, among others, helps to instantly hydrate and brighten the skin. It provides long-lasting moisture and gives the skin a firmer and more lifted look when used regularly. Made in Vermont with only green, all-natural ingredients.

 

Kora Organics Noni Glow Face Oil $68

Created by model and green activist, Miranda Kerr, this moisturizing oil is made with certified organic noni extract, rosehip oil, pomegranate oil and sea buckthorn oil, which combine to create a rich source of antioxidants and essential fatty acids. The formula is designed to absorb quickly into dehydrated skin to smooth, nourish, and brighten while providing a natural glow. Skin feels softer, smoother, well-hydrated, and plumper, and the visible effects of sun damage and scarring appear diminished. Miranda swears this is her favorite product in the entire line and I can see why.

 

Herbivore Orchid Youth Preserving Facial Oil $64

A lush, exotic blend of orchid extract, precious jasmine sambac and Japanese camellia flower oil combine to defend against free radicals, increase elasticity and feed the skin with beneficial vitamins and fatty acids such as omega-3 and 6 to protect against premature aging. Orchid extract is a natural humectant that draws moisture to the skin, working to smooth and condition while fighting against the oxidant effects of free radicals and premature aging. Camellia flower oil, known in Japan as Tsubaki oil, is a lightweight oil that easily absorbs into the skin and is rich in cell-renewing fatty acids, naturally increasing skin’s elasticity and giving it a luminous glow.

 
STEP TWO: LUMINOSITY BOOSTER

The second product you need in your tool chest for a radiance boost is something formulated with skin-brightening ingredients and/or light-enhancing pigments. Often referred to as “highlighters” or “illuminators,” these products allow you to add shimmer and incandescence wherever you want. Some of them – like Charlotte Tilbury’s Brightening Youth Glow – have more of the skin brightening ingredients and less shimmer and can be used all over the face. Others, like Rodin’s Olio Lusso Mermaid Collection Illuminating Powder and Benefit’s Girl Meets Pearl should be used more sparingly to simply highlight certain areas like the cheekbones and browbones.

There are many great options out there, but these are the ones I use and love.

Charlotte Tilbury Brightening Youth Glow $55

A skin-brightening primer formulated with Chlorella, Watercress extracts and Vitamin B3 to color-correct, improve redness, reduce pigmentation, erase dark shadows and instantly blur, brighten and smooth skin. Its powerful ingredients improve redness and skin discoloration by controlling skin’s production of melanin, and instantly blur away blemishes, cancel shadows and even out the skin’s complexion. It also softens lines and dark undereye circles.

 

Charlotte Tilbury Hollywood Flawless Filter $44

A customizable, multipurpose complexion booster that can be used as a primer, foundation, enhancer or as a highlighter for a radiant, dewy glow. Charlotte was inspired by the perfecting lens of social media filters and behind-the-scenes and backstage blurring and soft-focus makeup tricks when she created this product. I use it every single day either over my tinted moisturizer or on its own when I just want a subtle bronze glow.

 

Rodin Olio Lusso Limited Edition Mermaid Collection Illuminating Powder $50

A limited-edition gel-powder illuminator that gives every effect from low-glow to full-on luster, for every skin tone. Paraben and talc-free, it feels silky and ultra-light and blends to near invisibility. Micro-pearl pigments capture and diffuse light, creating a highlighted effect in both sunshine and moonlight.

 

Benefit Girl Meets Pearl Liquid Highlighter $30

A liquid pearl, golden-pink highlighter with light-reflecting pigments to give skin a radiant, dewy glow. Formulated with raspberry and chamomile, which are known for their soothing properties, and sweet almond seed extract, which is known to help improve skin firmness and smoothness.

 

Nars Illuminator in Orgasm $30

A light-reflecting liquid that refreshes the skin and creates a shimmering incandescence. Can be worn alone for a fresh-faced glow or paired with makeup for a more dramatic effect.

 
STEP THREE: HYDRATING FACIAL MIST

Last but not least, I’m a sucker for a hydrating facial mist. These products enhance your other moisturizers and serums and provide an extra layer of hydration to the skin. The mist can be used two ways: many people like to use it as a toner right after cleansing and to add an extra layer of hydration before you apply a moisturizer. But my favorite way to use it is as a “setting” spray after applying my makeup and as a final spritz to fully hydrate my skin before I walk out the door. Either way, you’ll be adding more hydration to your skin, which is one of the secrets to maintaining a radiant glow.

Tata Harper Hydrating Floral Essence $68

This toner contains 21 high-performance ingredients to deliver moisture and create a plumper-looking appearance. It also helps enhance the performance of moisturizers and serums that follow, while natural humectants help draw moisture from the environment for extra hydration. It is 95 percent organic and is free from toxins, fillers, artificial colors, artificial fragrances, synthetic chemicals, and GMOs.

 

Glossier Soothing Face Mist $15

This hydrating mist soothes stressed skin with rosewater and aloe to hydrate and leave you feeling fresh and awake. Excellent in the morning, after makeup, after exercising, while stuck in traffic, or as a whenever-you-need-it pick-me-up. The formula is hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, appropriate for all skin types, non-irritating, paraben-free, alcohol-free, cruelty-free and vegan.

 

Caudalie Beauty Elixir $18

A natural toning mist that tightens pores, sets makeup, and provides an instant shot of radiance to the skin. It also reduces dullness and is infused with toning rosemary, astringent mint, and soothing rose organic essential oil to prepare your skin for further treatments. This spray is also vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free, hypoallergenic, and free of all synthetic chemicals, artificial fragrances, fillers, gluten, and GMOs.

 

Herbivore Rose Hibiscus Hydrating Face Mist $16

This hydrating face mist is created with pure plant actives and features a base of coconut water which is infused with youth-boosting hibiscus flower petals and moisture-enhancing rose to tone, hydrate, and soften skin. Witch hazel tightens the skin and aloe vera heals and hydrates. It provides natural exfoliation, speeds up cell turnover and greatly reduces redness and inflammation for a dewy glow. Herbivore is never tested on animals and uses the high-quality natural ingredients—including food-grade, plant-based and toxin-free materials.

What are some of your favorite “glow-boosters?” I’d love to know. Please tell me about the products you love and link to your favorites in the comments below.