How to achieve that luminous skin all year around

Is your skin looking lackluster? Does it have that crepey look? Well, you are at the right place to find out how to achieve that luminous skin all year round. As you age, your skin cell turnover slows down. This is a big factor in aging and changes that you see in your skin. I researched this issue in How to reveal your brightest, healthiest skin. This lack of cell turnover is responsible for some hyperpigmentation, crepey, or that slightly silvery film on your skin. Darker skin types may call it ashiness.

1st picture – This is crepey skin with mild hyperpigmentation and the 2nd picture – is dry, dehydrated skin with dead skin cells that haven’t sluffed off.

3rd picture is sun damage (almost extreme sun damage). The 4th picture shows where there is a slight silvery overlay on the skin. All could be examples of what is called crepey skin.

Hydration for healthy skin

First, you need hydration in your skin. I have a hard time drinking 6 to 8 cups of water a day. If you can do this, it is better for your organs (skin is an organ). Now, to be honest, water will probably do little for your overall skin look. Water will hydrate your organs so that they can filter, process, and eliminate everything in your body. Making them work more efficiently.

You can drink gallons of water, and more than likely your skin will look about the same to the naked eye. However, the underlayers of your skin will have to do less work to help the other organs in their job. And the other organs will take priority over the water. Which makes drinking your water the long game for the overall health of your skin. But it is still a necessity in keeping crepey skin at bay.

Showers or Baths

I am not going to tell you to turn down the heat. Turning the heat down does leave more moisture in your skin. I am not sure it outweighs the benefits of relaxation and happiness. We can’t sacrifice all of our happiness to benefit from a small amount of moisture loss.

You can, however, use an in the shower moisturizer right after you turn the water off. This has helped me tremendously through the long, dry winter months. I use Cruel but you can use anything you would like, even a lotion would work fine.

I would show you the one from my shower but being as it has been in my shower for so long it is not pretty anymore. Using a lotion right after a bath or a shower keeps more of the moisture on your skin. This means less you have to do later with your other products.

Moisture loss

Moisture loss is another key factor in not achieving luminous skin. Humidity does help with the overall plumpness of the skin. There are many ways to eliminate this moisture loss, but first, you need to remove those dead skin cells (lack of cell turnover). Removing those cells helps moisturizing products penetrate farther into the skin. Lack of cell turnover is also one of the top reasons for premature aging.

Increasing cell turnover

You may have heard of the golden standard ingredient in skin care, Tretinoin. Tretinoin does increase cell turnover along with other benefits to the skin. Tretinoin is a member of the Retinoid Family. This family can affect the skin in beneficial ways.

Summary on Retinoids (brief)

If you haven’t heard about Tretinoin or the retinoid family, they are derivatives of Vitamin A. Vitamin A strengthens the skin and also increases cell turnover. Retinoids are vitamin A in varying strengths. Tretinoin is the highest strength. It is available by prescription only in the US and it also comes in various strengths or percentages.

4 other members of the family are available OTC. Retinyl esters, retinol, retinaldehyde, and adapalene. I would say that Adapalene is more regulated as to the strength that can be used in OTC products and that amount is up to 1%.

Lotions and potions with a form of vitamin A (retinoids)

Lotions, creams, or serums that contain retinol, and retinaldehyde can work on the cell turnover rate in theory. I haven’t seen any independent studies on any body creams that contain a member of the retinoid family that have shown outstanding results. Although it makes sense that it would be difficult to formulate a body lotion that would be cost-effective and contain a significant amount of a retinol-type ingredient to make a change in your body’s skin.

For one, people don’t usually spend the amount of money on their body skin as they would on their face. So, it would have to be cost-effective.

For another, we want results quickly. We don’t want to put in the effort over a long period of time. If you think about tretinoin (Retin-A, in prescription strength) on the face can take at the very least 6 months to see a noticeable difference (unless used for acne), so again it is the long game.

That is where I think AHA/BHA comes in for luminous skin.

AHA acids

AHA/BHA are different, they are the short game for achieving luminous skin. Glycolic acid is the smallest of the AHA acids which means it will penetrate deeper into the layers of the skin. Body skin isn’t usually as sensitive as other skin and it can handle the Glycolic acid. Not to mention that AHA(s) are cost-effective and will increase cell turnover.

This is the line that I use and have used for years. Now, I have to get mine from Amazon, as Ulta doesn’t carry it anymore. It is under $20.00 (approximately $1.58 per oz). There are others out there and I have tried a few. Some with more glycolic and some with less. This is the one I keep coming back to as it is also moisturizing for my skin. There is petroleum and glycerin in this product which offers more skin barrier protection. It also has a simple ingredients list. Fewer ingredients mean fewer ingredients for me to become sensitive to.

Why I like AHA for luminous skin

AHA lotions will make your skin, soft and rejuvenated almost immediately. Removing those dead skin cells is amazing for transforming your skin into healthy-looking skin.

It is not like a high percentage skin peel, you will not be able to see skin peeling or sluffing off. You will just have increasingly more luminous skin.

Unfortunately, if you are over the age of 27, you may need more hydration than just an AHA Lotion. Not to say that you will require AHA/BHA treatments but those treatments could help.

AHA/BHA treatments

By treatments, I mean serums or peels. There are several AHA/BHA serums or peels on the market. I think the most effective cost-wise is The Ordinary’s Lactic Acid or the famous blood peel as it is sometimes referred to which is named The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% peel. Still, some prefer to use a Glycolic toner.

I have heard of people applying the Ordinary’s BHA/AHA peel to their whole bodies and then in 20 minutes getting in the shower and rinsing it off. That could work.

I wonder about where you would sit or stand for up to 20 minutes so that it would not drip and you would have to wear gloves when applying to your whole body. You don’t want to have that on your hands while you apply that everywhere. However, I do see the advantages as that is a cost-effective and strong acid product.

Consistency is key in any skincare routine and I don’t think I could do the peel consistently. Could you? I have a hard time keeping up with a home facial every 6 weeks.

Body oils or lotions

As for more hydration, than you can get with the AHA lotion alone, I use a body oil or inclusive lotion.

Body oil

If I use a body oil, I prefer a dry body oil. Baby oil and most massage oils are just too oily for me. They don’t sink into my skin as fast as I would like. My favorites have been:

Oils hydrate effectively and there are oils in most body lotions. Nuxe has been a favorite because you can use it on your hair and face as well. It is a popular dry oil but it is expensive at $25.00. However, it is more luxurious than the other two in my opinion.

The 2nd picture is 10.0.6 Formula – Go for the Glow is cost effective at $10.00 for 3.7 ounces. I think it absorbs into the skin faster than the other two. It is light in the hydration level. If you only need a slight bit of hydration this is an excellent dry oil for you.

The 3rd picture is my current go-to dry oil. That is because it is the middle of these other two oily(s) for hydration and price point. The packaging is prettier than the other two and not cheap packaging either. I like how it absorbs into my skin. Cuccio Naturale Hydrating Dry Body Oil is $15.50 for 3.38 ounces.

Body lotions to achieve luminous skin

Gold Bond Age Renew Crepe Corrector Body Lotion

This lotion is a fan favorite for luminous skin. It is even mentioned on numerous Reddit and skincare Facebook chats and for good reason. It works. As Dr. Dray for Youtube puts it Gold Bond has picked up their game. They have some fabulous products. If you haven’t looked at them lately, you really should. Gold Bond Brand has affordable products in its line and many rave reviews. You can’t miss with this lotion. It is $16.00 to $18.00 for 14 ounces.

The first 8 ingredients in this product are water, hydroxyethyl urea, glycerin, dimethicone, jojoba esters, petrolatum, selaginella lepidophylla extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice.

Urea is a humectant and a sluffing agent (loosening dead skin cells). Glycerin is an excellent humectant and helps with retaining moisture in the skin. Dimethicone is silicone used in many cosmetic products. Jojoba is the closest oil to your own skin’s sebum. Petrolatum is like Vaseline. Selaginella lepidophylla extract is an ingredient that helps with cellular aging and is a humectant. This ingredient is found in many Gold Bond Products. It is also found in many of the Nu Skin and Dr. Jart+’s products. Aloe is used for many reasons in cosmetics products. Soothing, acne, antibacterial, inflammation, and many others.

Many people just use this lotion alone to keep crepey skin at bay. If that is all you feel you need I would use this lotion.

La Roche-Posay Triple Repair Moisturizing Cream

I use this lotion as well. Not at the same time. I trade off with the other lotion. The Gold Bond is fairly new to me within the last year. This one I have been using for years.

The first 8 ingredients in this lotion are AQUA / WATER/EAU • BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII BUTTER / SHEA BUTTER • GLYCERIN • DIMETHICONE • NIACINAMIDE • CETEARYL ALCOHOL • BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS SEED OIL/RAPESEED SEED OIL. Shea Butter is a very inclusive (thick) moisturizer. Glycerin and Dimethicone were mentioned above in the Gold Bond Product. Niacinamide is a workhorse vitamin. It is an antioxidant, that helps with increasing collagen in the skin. It also decreases yellowing in the skin, hyperpigmentation, fine lines, and redness (and can increase redness in the skin if used in higher concentrations (similar to Vitamin A). Helps with the thinning of the skin and regulating sebum. Cetearyl alcohol is used for formulation and it is non-drying. I am not familiar with the last ingredient as I don’t believe I use any other product that contains this oil. Although, it appears from my reading that it is rich in omega fatty acids which are great for moisturizing the skin.

Skin experiment

In writing this post, I decided to experiment with the skin on my legs. Full disclosure, I have eczema and sensitive skin. My skin can get very dry in the winter climate which is why I use the products in this post. As well, as keeping crepey, dry, or dehydrated skin away.

I decided to go 30 days with only using the Cruel lotion after the shower. It was difficult as my skin would get dry and itchy. But as you can see the skin still looks fairly moisturized and luminous. Until you get to the upper thigh. I know that I have itched more in the area from my eczema. Needless to say, I am excited to start back on my regimen of using the AHA Lotion, Dry Oil, and rich body lotion.

I will probably update this post at a later date to show the improvement of the skin after I get back on my regimen. I fully believe you can achieve that luminous body skin all year by following a regimen with some or all of these types of products.