Ask any beauty pro and they’ll tell you: You won’t find the secrets of how to get glowing skin in the pan of a highlighter palette. That’s not to say there aren’t products that melt into your skin to fake that dewy, lit-from-withinlook. (If you’ve ever tried Pat McGrath’s Skin Fetish line, you know her highlighter duo is the next best thing to being born a Hadid.) Rather, getting a complexion that permanently looks as though you’re fresh off vacation—which is to say, healthy, radiant, and clear—is a combination of product, practice, and patience. The good news is that if you’re short on the latter, there are still plenty of quick-fix solutions.
Ahead, we asked a mix of makeup artists, aestheticians, dermatologists, and our team of beauty editors for their all-time best tips for glowing skin that actually give results—both long-term and short, for your face and your body—no matter your level of dedication or skill. Read on for their tried-and-true suggestions for how to get glowing skin.
A quick face massage goes a long way.
If you’re feeling blah, a two-minute face massage can help you look alive in the short term, as well as firm and contour over time. “Using your fingertips, massage a serum or oil into your face before applying makeup,” suggests Molly R. Stern, a celebrity makeup artist who works with Cara Delevingne. “The stimulation can help get the blood moving to wake up your whole complexion.” If you’ve got a little extra time to spare, we’re also big fans of this face “workout” to help strengthen your facial muscles and boost circulation.
Try a microcurrent treatment.
If your hands aren’t cutting it, try a microcurrent device. “When my complexion looks dull after a long flight or late night, I use the ZIIP device, which delivers electric currents into your skin,” says April Long, a beauty editor and contributor. “Twelve minutes leaves my face luminous and much firmer.” Other Glamour editors swear by the NuFace and Foreo Bear for similar results.
Bend over.
A glowing complexion doesn’t have to come with a steep price tag, and celebrity aesthetician Renee Rouleau’s favorite tip is free. “Hanging my head upside down for three minutes a day is my long-term strategy for getting that lit-from-within glow,” she says. Sound weird? Believe it or not, it actually does help with circulation, since it increases blood flow and oxygen to your face. Just don’t go longer than her recommended three minutes.
DIY a hydrating mask.
When it comes to exfoliation and blemish fighting, skip the DIY route and go with products made by pros. But if it’s hydration you’re after, you can whip up a moisturizing mask in your own kitchen. “I have a great DIY at-home mask recipe for dry winter skin,” says celebrity aesthetician “It contains yogurt, which is an anti-inflammatory with a lactic acid component, and avocado, which I recommend for any skin type because it has lots of B vitamins and fatty acids. I also add a little honey for hydration.”
Mix a half cup of plain yogurt, half of an avocado, and a quarter cup of honey together, then leave it on your face for 20 minutes. “It’ll really transform your skin,” she says.
Give your foundation a boost.
If your skin care isn’t cutting it, you can easily fake a glow by amping up your foundation. Elizabeth Olsen’s makeup artist recommends mixing a few drops of luminizer like into your moisturizer or foundation. “It will create an even, sheer layer of sheen that looks more natural than a highlighter,”
