Enough with the zoology lesson; on to the food. The most famous dish of the llanos, and perhaps the most spectacular of Colombia’s immensely varied regional cuisines, is their barbecue. Large cuts of meat are skewered on six foot long metal poles that are leaned vertically toward pits smoldering with hardwood fires. Six to eight hours of slow cooking later, the fat has rendered into a crisp shell and the meat is tender enough to shred with the fingers while still retaining plenty of moisture. Just like the brisket of Texas, seasoning is very sparse seasoning—most often just a heavy sprinkle of salt and perhaps a douse of beer—it’s the flavor of the hardwood that dominates.

Head, Shoulder, Knees, and Toes
Ternera a la Llanera (known locally as mamona), the barbecued quarter of a veal calf, is the most famous incarnation, though my personal favorite is chiguiro, the large aquatic rodent more commonly known in the U.S. by it’s Brazilian Portuguese name capybara. With succulent white meat and a healthy amount of fat, it’s closest comparison is pork shoulder, though chiguiro is far more flavorful, with a slight gamey undertone.

Our trip took five hours, as one of the major bridges was under construction, allowing only one lane of traffic to pass through at time; we had to wait while the cars heading back to Bogotá streamed past us. Not a fun situation when your stomach is still reeling from a 30-fruit tropical fruit tasting the day before.

But the cows are spectacular. The breed of cattle they raise—the cebú (zebu in English)—is originally from South Asia and have large, pretty eyes (like my wife, who I suspect has a cebú somewhere in her ancestry), floppy pointed ears, a distinct hump on their back, abnormally large dewlaps,* and spectacularly flavorful (if lean) meat.

As if we all know what “normal” is when it comes to dewlaps. For a giant rat, it’s shockingly good, though unfortunately, according to at least one local source, the species has recently been deemed threatened, and is no longer available for legal sale.

Even more troubling is talk of the government banning the use of open fires altogether, wood or otherwise. It’d be a tremendous blow to the culinary world. Imagine every barbecue joint in Texas suddenly switching from wood and coal to gas pits. There’d be an understandable uproar. My recommendation: Get down there and try it before it’s too late.

Of all the meats on offer, pork is oddly enough the only one I’ve eaten with consistently mediocre results. Perhaps the Colombian pork is drier, or perhaps it’s that the Colombians are wise enough to use the fatty cuts like the butt, belly, and ham in their wonderful, lightly fermented and semi-dried chorizo and longaniza, leaving the drier loin cuts for the pits. They do develop crisp skin and a great smoke ring, and forget about making pulled pork out of it, but doused with enough aji—the Colombian version of Mexican salsa that ranges from mild boiled egg-based versions to fiery chili sauces—almost any meat is edible.

Eat sausages at every opportunity you get, whether in the Llanos or not. Different from dry-cured Spanish chorizo or crumbly Mexican chorizo, Colombian chorizo is mildly seasoned by comparions. Their flavor comes mostly from the tang of partial fermentation, which lands them somewhere between a fresh Bratwurst and a dried Italian salami or a saucisson sec in flavor.

Rivers and Rice
Though they don’t quite share the same deserved fame and spotlight as the barbecue, fried fish and rice and corn-based breads are ubiquitous foodstuffs in the Llanos. Fresh river fish like the large amarillo or the piraña-shaped cachama are caught and cooked up coastal-style, served with fried plantains of two types: the smashed green plantains known as patacones (tostones is the more familiar term to us), and sweet, ripe black plantains called maduros. I prefer the sweet. Deeper in the llanos, heading towards the more dangerous Guerilla territory, I’m told that giant armadillo is not an uncommon item for barbecue, though according to an 1880 article from the New York Times, the meat is greasy. I hope to judge for myself these days. I’ve yet to meet a quadruped I didn’t like.

Before frying, the fish is scored at microscopic intervals all along both sides in order to break up some of the many bones, tenderize the flesh, and help it cook faster. After a quick dusting in highly seasoned corn meal, it goes into the fryer where it crisps up within minutes. Served with the highly acidic orange-fleshed limes of the region, it’s moist, juicy, well-balanced, and perfectly satisfying, with none of the muddy flavors that farm-raised freshwater fish can carry.

Even more impressive is the hospitality shown to us. We were there mid-week during the off-season, when most restaurants and hotels are closed. The small, family-owned fried fish shop we stopped at was opened by the father-and-two-kids team just for our benefit. We ate fried fish while they sat next to us eating their own tasty looking lunch of stewed beef rib soup. The simplest aji I know is as easy and delicious as it gets: chop up an onion, some hot peppers, and cilantro, top up with water, and season with salt aggressively. Try it. Seriously.

My mum and i have been making this for years and we’re still completely obsessed. massaging the kale may sound strange, but it works brilliantly to soften it, while the tahini, cider vinegar and lime dressing makes it so creamy. we’ve kept it simple here and just added avocado, pumpkin seeds and pomegranates, but it’s delicious with just about anything – i add roasted chili chickpeas, baked sweet potatoes, sauteed veggies, roast potatoes, rye croutons and anything else i’ve got in my kitchen!

ingredients
four big handfuls of kale
125g pomegranate seeds
1 ripe avocado, peeled and roughly chopped
handful of pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
pinch of sea salt
method
start by washing the kale.
next, tear small pieces off the stems, discarding the stems and placing the leaves into a bowl.
drizzle all the dressing ingredients onto the kale and use your hands to firmly start massaging it all into the leaves, as you do this you’ll feel the leaves soften and wilt. keep massaging them for a few minutes to make sure they are really soft.
stir through the pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds and avocado cubes before enjoying.

Avocado and sun-dried tomato is such a classic combination, and works so well using pasta as a base. we love to stir through some rocket at the end, to add in some extra greens.

ingredients
For the sauce
2 avocados (peeled and stone removed)
130g roasted almonds
2 roasted garlic cloves
a large handful of fresh spinach
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 tablespoons of olive oil
a dash of water
pinch of sea salt
For the pasta
4 portions of pasta
150g sun-dried tomatoes (plus oil from the jar)
a large handful of rocket
pinch of sea salt
method
cook the pasta according to the instructions on pack.
place all of the sauce ingredients (reserving half an avocado) into the food processor and pulse until smooth, adding a dash of water until you reach the consistency you like best.
place a pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of the sun-dried tomato oil.
once warm, add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes to soften.
add in the pasta and sauce and cook until everything is heated through, around 5-10 minutes.
chop the remaining avocado and mix through along with the rocket, before serving.

This avocado pesto toast recipe is fantastic for breakfast, brunch or any time of day, really! Serve it as-is or add eggs and tomatoes for a complete meal. Recipe yields enough for 4 toasts, or 2 to 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
Toasts

¼ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
2 large ripe avocados
2 medium cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
⅔ cup (1 ounces) packed fresh basil leaves
Cooked eggs (fried, poached or scrambled, your preference)
Halved cherry tomatoes (1 small handful per serving)
Freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and/or flaky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
To toast the pepitas, pour them into a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are making little popping noises and starting to make little popping noises. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
To make the pesto, pit and halve the avocados and scoop the insides into the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
Add the toasted pepitas and basil leaves and pulse until the pepitas and basil are broken down into very small pieces and the mixture is well-blended. Taste, mix in more salt if the mixture doesn’t taste totally awesome yet.

This avocado pesto toast recipe is fantastic for breakfast, brunch or any time of day, really! Serve it as-is or add eggs and tomatoes for a complete meal. Recipe yields enough for 4 toasts, or 2 to 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
Toasts

¼ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
2 large ripe avocados
2 medium cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
⅔ cup (1 ounces) packed fresh basil leaves
Cooked eggs (fried, poached or scrambled, your preference)
Halved cherry tomatoes (1 small handful per serving)
Freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and/or flaky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
To toast the pepitas, pour them into a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are making little popping noises and starting to make little popping noises. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
To make the pesto, pit and halve the avocados and scoop the insides into the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt. Blend until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides as necessary.
Add the toasted pepitas and basil leaves and pulse until the pepitas and basil are broken down into very small pieces and the mixture is well-blended. Taste, mix in more salt if the mixture doesn’t taste totally awesome yet.

ingredients
For the avocado base:
the flesh of 1 large or 2 small avocados
basil
1 garlic clove, peeled
pine nuts
1 tablespoon tahini
juice of half lemon
1 tablespoon of olive oil
2 tablespoons of water
pinch of salt
For the mushrooms & toast:
250g mushrooms
3 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons of pine nuts
Drizzle of olive oil
Pinch of salt
Juice of 1 lemon
2-4 slices of bread
method
Place all of the avocado base ingredients into a blender or food processor and pulse until broken down but still a little chunky.
Place a large pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Once warm, add the mushrooms, pine nuts, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Toast the bread before spooning some of the avocado mixture on top of each slice, you can use a spoon to spread it out evenly.
Top with the mushrooms from the pan, a sprinkle of fresh basil, a pinch of black pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.
this is a great, simple breakfast to make on mornings where you want something a little more special. the avocado base is deliciously creamy and tastes amazing topped with the garlicky mushrooms and crunchy pine nuts.

In desperation, I turned to the avocado. I don’t have a cool story for why I decided on avocados, aside from the fact that I thought it would be hilarious to have avocado toast made with avocado bread (the yeasted kind). From there I started thinking about quick breads and why bananas, zucchinis, and carrots got all the love.
It was gone. We spent a good half a day searching. Its usual spot was stuck to the side of the microwave with a Care Bear magnet. The candy colored, Care Bear stare magnet was still there, its innocent smile belying its poor job performance. The magnet had one job – keep the recipe safe – and it failed.

Sadly, at this point my mom changed offices and the banana bread creator wasn’t available for consultation. We tried again and again to re-create the loaf from memory, but it was futile: some loaves came pretty close, but to be honest, they were never quite right.
To this day, I’m still searching for that elusive bread. In some ways whenever I have banana bread I feel betrayed. I’m always hoping for a taste of the past, only to be disappointed by overly sweet, dry loaves.

Avocado Bread: like banana bread, but with avocados
Oh so long ago, back when I was still in high school, my mom came home from work one day clutching a photocopied hand-written banana bread recipe. I wasn’t impressed, but she claimed it was the recipe for the best banana bread she had ever tasted in her life. It was a pretty bold statement, especially for my mom, who isn’t really prone to superlatives – she’s more the stoic type. Still, she stood by it. She even had a bunch of bananas, purchased with the sole purpose of ripening for the bread.
I had my doubts. I was wary of the illegible hand writing, the oil content, and, well, everything. But, I stand corrected: it really was the best banana bread ever. It was the banana bread dreams are made of. Moist, not too sweet, not overly oily, and loaded with banana flavor. The crowning glory was its crunchy, crisp, domed top. We must’ve made that banana bread hundreds of times after the first. The recipe got wrinkly, banana-stained, and well loved, until one day, it decided enough.

AVOCADO BREAD RECIPE
1 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 cup butter at room temp
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup mashed avocado*
1 teaspoon lime juice
Notes: The lime juice keeps the loaf a green color, you can skip out on it if you don’t have any on hand, just know that your loaf won’t be as verdant.

If you have a food processor or blender, blend your avocado – it needs to be completely smooth for this.

Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a small loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla throughly and then the mashed avocado and lime juice. Gently fold in the flour mix, being careful not to over mix.

Spoon the batter (it is very thick) into the prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until an inserted wooden skewer is clean with a few crumbs clinging. Cool completely, slice and enjoy.
Essentially, I substituted avocado in a slightly adapted version of my second favorite banana bread recipe. I ended up with a pleasantly green, slightly sweet, tender loaf. I topped a still warm slice with a scoop of ice cream and even Mike, who was a skeptic at first, thought it was a winner.

Can I freeze this dough? Yes, but it’s best when it’s used right away (see above). Wrap the dough balls in lightly oiled plastic wrap and placed them in freezer bags. Defrost the dough in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

Can I grill this dough? Yes! See recipe notes.

Can I use this dough to make a calzone or stuffed bread (like garbage bread)? Yes, I’ve successfully made a calzone. Before baking brush the top lightly with olive oil and cut a couple of small slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake for about 10 minutes at 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

What if I don’t have a food processor? No problem! Check the recipe notes for instructions on how to make this dough by hand. I imagine you could use a KitchenAid stand mixer as an alternative to the food processor.

How much does this dough weigh? This dough weighs a bit over 1 pound and yields two 11-inch pizzas. I’ve used this recipe successfully in recipes that calls for 1 pound of pizza dough—just remember that you’ll be making two smaller pizzas instead of one large.

Ratatouille Ingredients
This recipe features traditional ratatouille ingredients, which are:

Fresh Tomatoes
Fresh tomatoes are key for making ratatouille that tastes fresh and lively, not dull and heavy. We’ll grate the tomatoes (or blitz the in the food processor) and cook them with onion and garlic to make an irresistible tomato sauce.

I tried this recipe with canned tomatoes and it didn’t taste nearly as nice. You can do it if you have to (use one large 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes), but fresh tomatoes really are best.

Eggplant
Eggplant is known for being difficult to prepare, but it’s easy to roast! No salting necessary. The oven takes care of everything.

Zucchini & Yellow Squash
I love the visual combination of green zucchini and yellow squash. If you want to use two of one type instead of both, no problem.

Bell Pepper
Take your pick from red, orange or yellow bell pepper.
Olive Oil
Extra-virgin olive oil deserves a shout-out. We’re only using as much as necessary, so this ratatouille is not greasy like some can be.

Tossing the vegetables lightly in oil raises their surface temperature, which helps us achieve those delicious caramelized edges. Finally, stirring a teaspoon of olive oil into the pot offers some extra richness and herbal flavor. Don’t skip it!

Have you met my favorite veggie burgers? If not, it’s about time! I have high standards for veggie burgers, and these put all the rest to shame. I have a feeling they’ll become your favorite veggie burgers, too.

These veggie burgers are hearty and satisfying, and feature an irresistible combination of flavors. They start with a base of quinoa, black beans and oats. Then we amp up the volume with sweet potatoes, fresh herbs, and some carefully chosen seasonings. They’re a little sweet and a little spicy, in the best of ways.
You may recognize this recipe as the “Sweet Potato and Black Bean Veggie Burgers” that have been hidden in the archives for quite some time. There’s a chance you’ve enjoyed these burgers in my cookbook, Love Real Food, sandwiched between buns with a crisp lime-cilantro cabbage slaw and guacamole (page 177).

Or maybe you’re seeing these burgers for the first time right now! If so, I’ll share why this veggie burger recipe is my favorite:

These burgers are absolutely delicious. In fact, these are the best veggie burgers I’ve ever had. They’re better than any restaurant’s, and far better than store-bought frozen veggie burgers.
These burgers retain their shape before, during and after cooking. Many veggie burgers are a chore to make or to eat, but these are totally fuss-free.
You can cook these burgers in the oven, on the stove, or yes, even on the grill. They also freeze well, so you can make a full batch and enjoy them over time.
These veggie burgers are perfect for serving to friends who follow special diets. These burgers are vegetarian, of course. They’re also conveniently vegan, gluten free, nut free, egg free and soy free.

My mum and i have been making this for years and we’re still completely obsessed. massaging the kale may sound strange, but it works brilliantly to soften it, while the tahini, cider vinegar and lime dressing makes it so creamy. we’ve kept it simple here and just added avocado, pumpkin seeds and pomegranates, but it’s delicious with just about anything – i add roasted chili chickpeas, baked sweet potatoes, sauteed veggies, roast potatoes, rye croutons and anything else i’ve got in my kitchen!

ingredients
four big handfuls of kale
125g pomegranate seeds
1 ripe avocado, peeled and roughly chopped
handful of pumpkin seeds
For the dressing
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon tahini
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
juice of 1 lime
pinch of sea salt
method
start by washing the kale.
next, tear small pieces off the stems, discarding the stems and placing the leaves into a bowl.
drizzle all the dressing ingredients onto the kale and use your hands to firmly start massaging it all into the leaves, as you do this you’ll feel the leaves soften and wilt. keep massaging them for a few minutes to make sure they are really soft.
stir through the pomegranate seeds, pumpkin seeds and avocado cubes before enjoying.

Avocado and sun-dried tomato is such a classic combination, and works so well using pasta as a base. we love to stir through some rocket at the end, to add in some extra greens.

ingredients
For the sauce
2 avocados (peeled and stone removed)
130g roasted almonds
2 roasted garlic cloves
a large handful of fresh spinach
juice of 1/2 a lemon
4 tablespoons of olive oil
a dash of water
pinch of sea salt
For the pasta
4 portions of pasta
150g sun-dried tomatoes (plus oil from the jar)
a large handful of rocket
pinch of sea salt
method
cook the pasta according to the instructions on pack.
place all of the sauce ingredients (reserving half an avocado) into the food processor and pulse until smooth, adding a dash of water until you reach the consistency you like best.
place a pan over a medium heat and add a drizzle of the sun-dried tomato oil.
once warm, add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes to soften.
add in the pasta and sauce and cook until everything is heated through, around 5-10 minutes.
chop the remaining avocado and mix through along with the rocket, before serving.

Avacado Toast
This avocado pesto toast recipe is fantastic for breakfast, brunch or any time of day, really! Serve it as-is or add eggs and tomatoes for a complete meal. Recipe yields enough for 4 toasts, or 2 to 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
Toasts

¼ cup pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds)
2 large ripe avocados
2 medium cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
⅔ cup (1 ounces) packed fresh basil leaves
Cooked eggs (fried, poached or scrambled, your preference)
Halved cherry tomatoes (1 small handful per serving)
Freshly ground black pepper, red pepper flakes and/or flaky sea salt
INSTRUCTIONS
To toast the pepitas, pour them into a small skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are making little popping noises and starting to make little popping noises. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
To make the pesto, pit and halve the avocados and scoop the insides into the bowl of a food processor. Add the garlic, lemon juice, and salt.

Suggested Equipment
You probably have the proper equipment in your kitchen already. Here’s what you’ll need (these are affiliate links):

Two large, rimmed baking sheets for roasting your vegetables. These pans (called “half-sheet pans”) are the perfect size for roasting one pound of diced eggplant without overlap. They are what all professional recipe developers use, they’re inexpensive, and I swear by them.
Cheese grater or food processor for breaking down the fresh tomatoes.
Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot for the stovetop.

Here are a few ways to use it:

On toast. Sprinkle it over avocado toast, buttered toast, or cream cheese on toast. It’s surprisingly good on peanut butter toast, too.
On soup. I can vouch that this blend adds some fun flavor and crunch when sprinkled over creamy cauliflower soup. (I have a hunch it would be good on mashed potatoes, too.)
On vegetables. Liven up your roasted vegetables with a sprinkle of everything blend. I loved it on roasted Brussels sprouts with a swoosh of tahini sauce underneath. Both the spice blend and tahini contain sesame seeds, so they go great together.

Mousse

i know it sounds very strange to put avocado in something sweet, but we think it’s definitely worth trying as using this is very creamy and we don’t think you can taste the veg – instead you taste deliciously chocolaty tones with sweet hints of dates and a little banana, then you get the crunchy almonds and the yoghurt and chocolate sauce.

ingredients
1 ripe banana
the flesh of 1 large or 2 small avocados
5 tablespoons cacao powder
5-6 tablespoons almond milk, or coconut milk
6 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons date syrup
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons almond butter, optional
method
if the dates aren’t really soft, soak them in boiling water for 5-10 minutes.
place all of the mousse ingredients into a food processor and blend into a smooth delicious mixture.
keep chilled in the fridge until you’re ready to serve.
6 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons date syrup
pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons almond butter, optional

I have a couple of friends who don’t love brunch. Blasphemy, right? I love a late, long, lazy brunch, when time allows. Ninety-nine percent of the time, I’ll opt for a savory option.

There’s so much room for creativity when it comes to standard vegetarian breakfast/brunch ingredients: eggs, toast, veggies, tortillas, beans, etc. The possibilities are endless, and I have a few favorite local restaurants that offer creative veggie options.
I’ve been thinking about the standard egg and toast brunch option, and came up with my own version that is neither bland nor boring. I whipped up an avocado-based pesto spread in my food processor. It’s infinitely more exciting than a pat of butter (sorry, butter!).

Toast can only be as awesome as the bread used to make it, so I opted for my favorite store-bought organic whole grain sandwich bread, which is made by eureka! Organic Bread. I found it at the nearest grocery store to me. This simple avocado toast is delicious as-is, or you can top it with eggs and a handful of sliced cherry tomatoes. Either way, it’s a great snack, breakfast/brunch, lunch or dinner.

Grapefruit and avocado make the perfect pair in this cheerful, healthy salad! Dressed with a light citrus vinaigrette.

Two simple foods that pair perfectly together are grapefruit and avocado. Avocado loves the bright splash of acidic citrus, and grapefruit loves the warm richness of avocado.

Sprinkle everything with a citrusy vinaigrette and you have a salad that is delicious as it is pretty!

Grapefruit, like most citrus, is in high season during the gloomiest winter months, making this salad a welcome blast of color in the winter, as well as a refreshing salad in the summer.

Serve it alongside a little cracked crab meat or pink shrimp, or just on its own.

In a small bowl, mix the vinaigrette ingredients.

Prep the grapefruit segments: To supreme the grapefruit, first slice off a half-inch or more from the stem end and the blossom end of the fruit, enough to easily expose the fruit. Use a sharp knife. Then use the knife to cut away the peel from the grapefruit, following the contours of the fruit. Keep cutting away the peel until the grapefruit is completely peeled.

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,”