There are definitely more than five causes of dull skin, however we wanted to sum up some of the most important ones to give you a quick overview of what you could be doing that’s giving you dull skin. But don’t worry; we also included some tips on what you can do today to fight these issues.
1. Not Enough Exfoliating
Most dermatologists agree that dull skin is often caused by dryness and one of the most popular reasons for dry skin, is not exfoliating enough or not exfoliating properly. Dry skin left on your face after it breaks down, needs to be removed in order to allow new, glowing cells to come forward.
Exfoliating also allows your skin to absorb any moisturising skincare you put on top of it much better than when there is dry skin in the way, stopping you from receiving all the benefits. There are many different kinds of exfoliates, including physical and chemical ones. They all perform and respond differently on different skin types, which is why we would recommend having a consultation about your skin before doing anything rough to it yourself.
2. The Environment Around You
The air and atmosphere that you are in everyday not only has an effect on your lungs as you breathe it in, but it also attaches itself to your skin. Polluted air contains thousands of small particles such as dirt, which contribute to your skin having a dull and an uneven texture. These particles also diffuse light, making your skin appear more dismal and cause you to have more wrinkles!
So make sure you wash your skin every single night. The dirt your skin collects throughout the day will damage your skin at night if it’s not removed. And if you’re really tired, at least use a facial cleansing wipe as although it doesn’t get rid of everything as thoroughly as a facial cleanser would, it is still better than nothing.
3. Stress
Having your skin looking dull can give you stress, which will only lead to you getting more skin issues. An important presentation, your kids birthday party or even simply not getting enough sleep all have a direct effect on your stress levels, which tends to have a direct effect on your skin.
Stress gets expressed in many forms in our body and getting problem skin is one of them. This is due to the fact that when you’re stressed, your fight-or-flight response kicks in and blood flows to your vital organs, where the skin isn’t one of them. This leads to the appearance of a more dull and tired complexion.
Of course you should try to reduce your stress levels and get more sleep but for the instances when you just want to make your skin seem a little more awake, try giving yourself a quick facial massage. It will stimulate blood flow, giving you a more glowing, plump and awake complexion.
4. Your Diet
Similar to stress, not drinking enough water decreases your blood flow to the face, making you look more tired and worn-out. In some cases, dehydration shouldn’t be viewed as a short-term problem that one glass of water can solve. Having dehydrated skin leads to long-term effects such as fine lines and wrinkles. The wrinkles usually appear a lot deeper in skin that is constantly dehydrated which is why drinking your dedicated amount of water each day, every day, is crucial.
Maintaining a healthy, balanced diet is no news to anyone as well, however it would be a lie to say it doesn’t have an effect on your skin. Diets high in sugars and fat are some of the main causes of dull skin. Processed and salty food also lead to a loss of radiance in the skin as they retain fluids extremely well, not allowing them to transfer to other cells.
5. Using The Wrong Products
As mentioned above with the exfoliator, it’s important to ensure that the kind of products you use in your daily skincare routine, align with the kind of skin you have. For example if you’re after bright, glowing skin but have a dry skin type, you might want to stay away from oil-absorbing or mattifying formulas when getting your skincare. If you’re unsure about your skin type or the best kind of products to use on your skin, don’t hesitate to chat to us today.
Having glowing, bright and awake skin is an aim we all have but it does require a little work. However, once you know your skin well and what works for it, you will have a solid path to getting the kind skin you want.
