How To Get Skin So Good It Looks Like It’s Filtered

Forget shimmery highlights and social-media filters – great-looking skin is achievable with the right skincare routine alone. “The four key rules here are to fight pigmentation, supercharge hydration, exfoliate for a smooth finish, and focus on skin stimulation to keep skin firm and pores tight,” says aesthetic practitioner Dr. Sophie Shotter. Your approach matters, too. “Make sure your products are well-formulated and use them consistently and for long enough to achieve a truly healthy-looking glow,” says leading dermatologist Dr. Rosemarie Ingleton. So, if you feel like it might be time to update your skincare regime, these are the essentials for your morning and evening routines…

Our experts agree that we should all be using a vitamin-C serum after cleansing – it’s a powerful addition to any skincare routine, as it tackles myriad concerns, from reducing pigmentation to repairing the effects of environmental damage and boosting collagen levels. Plus, it gives skin an almost-instant brightening effect.

Exfoliation is the crux of achieving an ethereal skin finish – “AHAs help exfoliate and clear dead skin cells so that your skin is naturally fresher and more radiant,” says Dr. Shotter. Whether you choose to exfoliate in the morning or evening is up to you but, either way, make sure you do it after cleansing. New-generation skin peels are low on irritation but still deliver, as they constantly keep skin refreshed. La Prairie’s Cellular 3-Minute Peel is ideal for a once-weekly refresh, La Mer’s The Micro Peel can be used two to three times a week, while Dr. Barbara Sturm’s powder-to-foam Enzyme Cleanser is even more gentle but still offers a good refresh. If you have sensitive or rosacea-prone skin, Dr. Shotter says you may struggle with strong AHAs, so substitute those with PHAs instead, which are more gentle but still effective.

Use a serum or moisturizer during colder months, ideally with hyaluronic acid and lipids, to hydrate and lock as much moisture into the skin as possible. This is what will give skin that bouncy, youthful look. Dr. Barbara Sturm’s Glow Drops are great for adding plumpness to skin while refining pores and adding a hit of luminosity while her Glow Cream is a face cream and highlighter hybrid. Just tap it into the skin around and under the eyes, at the tops of cheeks, on the cupid’s bow and on the bridge of the nose to really enhance where light hits the skin. Always finish with a broad-spectrum SPF to prevent further pigmentation or dullness from cropping up.