When it comes to the various skin care concerns out there, dull skin is one of the most common, lacking the healthy radiance that is usually associated with youthful skin. While there are a number of ways to tackle dull skin, you will only be able to choose the most effective method once you have actually identified the exact cause of your specific issue.
Lack of Exfoliation
Exfoliation is absolutely key when it comes to healthy skin, and one of the most common causes of a dull complexion are the dried dead skin cells that settle on the surface of the skin. Exfoliating will slough all of this away, leaving you with a clean and fresh canvas onto which other products will be able to work much more effectively. It is recommended that an individual should exfoliate twice a week to begin with, gradually building this up if your skin is tolerating it well.
Lack of Sleep
The time when your body is asleep is when your skin cells repair and regenerate themselves, and, if you are not getting enough sleep each night, this means that you are not giving your skin cells the chance to function in the way that they are meant to. A lack of sleep interferes with your body’s ability to restore itself, and, when it comes to your skin, this means a dry and flaky complexion, as the oil production will also be affected, as well as dark eye circles and a dull appearance.
Stress
Stress plays a huge role in skin health, as it causes your body to produce increased amounts of cortisol. This cortisol affects the way in which skin is able to heal itself, while also interfering with blood flow to the skin, thereby resulting in a lackluster and dull complexion.
Sun Exposure
Sun exposure is another common cause of dull skin, and this is mostly down to the way in which the sun sucks all of the moisture from skin, making it look dull, rough and wrinkled. While a strong SPF lotion will help to combat this, you should also be making an effort to protect your skin from the sun in other ways, be it with protective clothing, sunglasses or a sun hat.
Pollution/ Environment
It is common knowledge that sun exposure is the most damaging factor to affect your skin, but number two on this list is pollution, which is extremely harmful and aging. The reason for this is due to the free radicals in polluted air, which attack and damage healthy skin cells, while also depleting oxygen and drastically reducing the amount of collagen that is produced. All of this will soon contribute to a rough and dull complexion, as well as fine lines and increased wrinkles.
Once you have identified the reasons behind your dull skin, you can then work on eradicating those factors from your life. The hardest one to counter is pollution, but, as long as you are cleansing your skin twice a day, this will not end up having too much of an impact, especially if you are regularly exfoliating, managing your stress levels, and getting enough sleep at the same time.
