Go For The Glow

An action plan that helps you accomplish your ultimate #SkinGoals trifecta of clarity, smoothness and all-round radiance

- Arissa Ha

When your Instagram feed is bombarded with posts of bare-faced, blemish-free beauty influencers with hashtags such as #IWokeUpLikeThis, #GlassSkin and #NoFilter, it’s all too easy to fall into the trap of believing that your less-than-glowy skin is in dire straits. The truth is that we all have good and bad skin days; if it’s not a pimple, it’s enlarged pores or blotchiness. Put down that high-powered magnifying mirror and stop scrutinising every inch of your face. We’re here to show you how you can achieve the best version of your skin.

GET EVEN

For a radiance boost, add a serum to your basic cleanse-tone-moisturise routine. Typicallyformulated with active ingredients in higher concentrations, a serum targets specific concerns such as dullness and pigmentation. A brightening serum, in particular, can do wonders if you’re gunning for the envy-inducing luminous complexion of Aussie beauty Cate Blanchett.

Brightening serums work by inhibiting the overproduction of melanin, which can lead to hyperpigmentation, and by breaking down existing pigmentation and gently exfoliating the top layer of skin to instantly reveal brighter, healthier-looking skin. Decorte’s Whitelogist Brightening Correcting Serum With Kojic Acid is a fine example of a two-pronged approach. Anchored by star ingredient, kojic acid, it inhibits the production of tyrosinase, an enzyme that stimulates the melanocytes or melanin-producing cells, while reinforcing the skin’s ability to break down and disperse melanin clusters.

SkinCeuticals’ Discoloration Defense Serum ups the ante by throwing tranexamic acid into the mix. This powerhouse ingredient counters inflammatory triggers such as sunlight and hormonal changes, and is especially effective on UV-induced spots and melasma—one of the more difficult forms of hyperpigmentation to treat.