Sometimes find yourself looking in the mirror and feeling that your skin is lacking *something* but not totally sure what? Your skin may be looking dull and tired. Skin dullness is a common skin concern that shows itself in a lacklustre complexion. It can be tricker to spot than breakouts and dryness but can still become an issue when it stops us from feeling and looking our brightest, most radiant best. Pollution, dehydration and general daily life can show their results on our skin health. So, let’s discover 11 ways to brighten and rejuvenate tired skin fast.
What is dull skin?
So, what is dull skin and where does it come from? Dull skin can appear flat, grey and lacking in vitality. Often you’ll experience skin that’s rough or bumpy to touch and usually occurs when dry, patchy skin is unable to reflect light, this leaves skin looking more gloomy than normal with a grey-ish tinge, which no one wants!
5 reasons your skin looks dull
There are a number of common culprits when it comes to dull, lacking skin and we’ve focused on the five most common dry skin stressors. See which is sounding like your skin!
1. Dehydration
You may be dehydrated if your skin is looking particularly dull. So, a good amount of H2O is essential for our core bodily functions and when you consider that human beings are around 60% water you can see why.
2. Dead skin cells
If your daily cleansing routine has been lacking in the exfoliation department, then it’s possible that you have a build-up of dead skin cells that are causing your skin to lose its healthy, uniform complexion. Don’t forget our skin changes throughout our lives so tweak your skincare routine to suit!
3. Lack of sleep
If you’re struggling to sleep, then we don’t need to remind you anymore of the benefits of sleeping! But, if you’ve been going to bed later and getting up earlier than usual, this sleep deficit can lead to a tired-looking complexion quite quickly.
4. Stress
When you’re feeling particularly stressed, your fight or flight response kicks in and diverts blood to your muscles to where it thinks you need it most. Excellent when you’re running from a bear, less useful when you’re attempting to respond to a vaguely irritating email.
5. Free radicals
Ah, modern life! Not only is pollution bad for the planet and for our local environment, it’s bad for our skin too. Free radicals are caused by pollution, cigarette smoke and industrial chemicals and can negatively affect your complexion and deplete collagen levels that help our skin to look healthy and vibrant!
11 easy-to-achieve ways to brighten your dull skin
Thankfully, it’s not all dull doom and gloom and there are a few simple ways to combat dull skin, keep an eye on how your changes can help improve your skin. Here, we’ve selected our 11 most effective and easy-to-achieve dull skin solutions, follow along and see which you love.
1. Increase your water intake
It’s been widely reported that the suggested 6-8 glasses of water per day that we drink is optimum for hydration. But, if you’ve been drinking the same amount of water as usual and your skin is still looking dull, consider whether you’re losing more water than usual (for instance in hot weather, when exercising more than usual or if you’re unwell). Aim to up your water intake if so.
TEMPLESPA skin support: LET’S CONCENTRATE Skin Glowing Serum which features our powerfully potent complex of deeply hydrating, skin-loving ingredients including lemon fruit water to brighten skin, sodium hyaluronate to attract moisture and Zinc, Magnesium, Manganese and Sodium PCA to replenish.
2. Freshen up your diet
Fatty acids (such as nuts and oily fish), antioxidants (seeds, fresh fruit, dark chocolate) and probiotics aren’t just good for you and your gut, they’re great for your skin too. Consider revamping your diet to include more of what’s good for you and see what you can add or swap in.
TEMPLESPA skin support: IT’S ALL GOOD Nutritious Facial Oil you’ll find ingredients of vitamin E, peach kernel, sunflower and olive oil to replenish skin with essential moisture for a vibrant, healthy complexion. Glowing skin here we come!
3. Cleanse, cleanse and cleanse (again!)
If you’re sometimes in the camp of going to bed with your makeup on, then you’re not alone! But your skin accumulates dirt and grime throughout the day which, if not cleansed away, can clog pores and lead to dull, breakout prone skin.
TEMPLESPA skin support: Our award-winning IN THE BEGINNING Deep Cleansing Melt is a beautiful buttery cleanser that gives you that ‘spa-cleansed’ feeling every time. With olive oil, basil, clary sage and lavender, this balm cleanser is a great double cleanse to restore that glow in your skin. With 178 5-star reviews on our site and a host of industry awards, this “desert island” cleanser could make all the difference.
4. Exfoliate regularly
We’re about to let you in on a big secret: you can’t moisturize dead skin away, it’s a fact. So, if you’ve been moisturizing and toning with no discernible effect on your dull skin, you need to remove dead skin cells first to help these two do their work! Try adding a weekly exfoliator to your skincare routine for great results.
TEMPLESPA skin support: our BREAKFAST SMOOTHIE Gentle Exfoliator is just what you need to keep on top of dead skin and debris build up. Packed with brilliant Mediterranean botanicals such as honey, jojoba, apricot and strawberry, this creamy-textured formula sloughs away dead skin cells for a brighter complexion.
5. Try an exfoliating toner
Think of toners as your hidden hero, to cleanse away vestiges of dirt and debris missed by your cleanser and create the perfect canvas for serums and moisturizers. A gentle exfoliating toner will smooth skin for a more even complexion – and you’ll love the results!
TEMPLESPA skin support: GLOWCOLIC is a resurfacing toner that’s rich in skin-loving natural acids (or AHAs) including glycolic, mandelic and lactic acids to gently lift away dead skin cells and even out the skin’s surface for a brighter, dewier complexion.
6. Add vitamin C to your skincare
Vitamin C not only has a whole host of health benefits for you but this natural antioxidant can also fight the signs of ageing, help address the damaging effects of free radicals and brighten skin too.
TEMPLESPA skin support: LET’S CONCENTRATE Skin Glowing Serum is rich in Ascorbic Glucoside – a stable form of vitamin C that actively delivers brighter, healthier skin. 90% of triallist said their skin looked brighter and more radiant* after using!
*based on a panel of 105 independent testers
7. Add oxygen into your routine
Our skin is constantly exposed to pollution, UV rays and free radicals on a daily basis so it follows that a dose of oxygen, in the guise of a mask, for your skin cells can improve radiance and feelings of wellness.
TEMPLESPA skin support: our MOST REVEALING Glowing Skin Oxygen Peel is another multi-award winner from the TEMPLESPA collection. Fuelled by a powerful cocktail of vitamin C, glycolic, malic, lactic and hydroxy acids, this iconic formula fizzes and foams on the skin to lift away dead skin cells and promote a brighter and more radiant complexion. We call it an instant glowing facial in a bottle.
8. Try an environmental skin filter
The environment we live in has a direct impact on our skin. Free radicals, the sun’s rays and even blue light from screens can impact the vitality of our skin. There are skin filters out there that can help to protect your microbiome from the harmful effects of modern life. So don’t forget your daily SPF!
9. Get a more quality sleep
The impact poor sleep can have on just about every aspect of our lives is widely known and shared. 7-8 hours per night is recommended but not always achievable, sometimes a busy work schedule or overflowing social diary prevents that. Create an evening wind down routine in the hour or two before bed so that your body knows that sleep time is coming.
TEMPLESPA skin support: If sleep isn’t always your friend, then try a relaxing pillow mist like our favourite QUIETUDE Chill Out and Sleep Well Mist. With natural relaxants and soothing aromas, this could help you drift off more easily, and is a best-seller too!
10. Consider visiting a dermatologist
Dermatologists are trained to identify skin problems and recognise which procedures could help. If dull skin is affecting you, visit a professional and get their expert advice. Plus you can learn more about your skin and what habits are potentially affecting its glow!
11. Discover the power of crushed diamonds
You’ve tried just about everything to brighten and enliven your skin but have you tried crushed diamond powder? We thought not! But fear not, we have just the time for you.
TEMPLESPA skin support: Our ultra-luxe SKIN TRUFFLE Ultra Radiance Moisturizer has a host of luxurious ingredients to refresh and rejuvenate your complexion including crushed diamonds which work by converting UV light to blue light for a radiant, luminous complexion.
Top up your skincare fix with more glowing heroes for your skin with our blogs, start with The best serum for glowing skin, Best products for glowing skin and our best exfoliator for glowing skin.