How to build a skin brightening routine
for radiant and
glowing skin

To remove dullness and brighten dark spots on your skin, you’ll first need to know how to protect your skin. Then, adopt a skin brightening regime and you’ll regain beautiful and radiant skin, naturally.

Yumi Narasaki

Renowned Beauty Writer

The desire for unblemished and glowing skin is common among many of us. And the reality is that you can have lustrous, blemish-free skin that is radiant and supple without any special intensive care. What we are going to share is a holistic approach to skin brightening that can be easily incorporated into your daily skincare regime.

Remember this cardinal skincare rule: ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the worst enemy of well-moisturised skin!

Here are some insights to the skin problems you might encounter after extensive exposure to UV radiation.

Skin texture becomes rough

Skin becomes dry and will lead to, or worsen, conditions such as dull skin and uneven skin tone

Reduced skin barrier function

Increase in skin pigmentation which causes dark spots and freckles

UV rays are not only known to cause skin problems such as dark spots, wrinkles and saggy skin, but they are also responsible for skin dullness, rough skin texture, reduced barrier function, thus impeding the process of achieving dewy and supple skin! Only skin that is smooth and well-moisturised can reflect light – the effects from UV exposure prevent exactly this! —the UV care you need!

① Brownish cloudy skin

Melanin accumulation creates a blotchy skin effect that looks like a brownish shadow on the skin. It does not surface as dark spots and that’s why it is sometimes referred to as hidden or invisible dark spots.

② Grayish cloudy skin

When melanin is scattered throughout the skin, it creates ‘melanin dust’, or grayish spots which account for the skin’s grayish dullness.

③ Reddish cloudy skin

Skin inflammation and damage caused by UV exposure create redness on the skin. This scattered redness appears like sediments and causes the skin to look cloudy and dull.

The lack of skin moisture can be attributed to various factors, including dryness as a result of reduced barrier function, poor blood circulation, hyperpigmentation caused by skin rubbing and frictional damage, among others. Adopt a holistic approach to skincare so as to achieve glowing and flawless-looking skin.

Since the skin is the body’s largest organ, you should extend the same tender-loving care to it as you do for your face. Here are some practical ways to take care of your body:

Instead of just a quick shower, enjoy a soak in a warm bath to promote relaxation and improve blood circulation. If a bathtub soak is not possible, or inconvenient, a warm foot bath is just as effective.
Keep yourself warm in an air-conditioned environment by using a shawl or sweater, and wearing socks.
Avoid iced or cold drinks whenever possible; opt for drinks that are warm or at room temperature.

Keeping your body as close as possible to its natural body temperature is an effective way to maintain moisture-balanced and healthy skin. Do this on top of a regular review and adherence to your daily skin care routine.

1. Apply milky lotion properly for effective moisturisation

Skin needs to be well-moisturised in order to appear dewy. When your skin is sufficiently hydrated, the protective function of the skin barrier will help to restrict the damages UV rays can cause. Use cleansing foam developed just for face washing. Be gentle and avoid rubbing during cleansing. After washing, apply milky lotion with a gentle hand press and patting motion to effectively seal in moisture or even a Vitamin A serum. With this simple step you can achieve glowing, flawless-looking skin!

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2. Protect your skin – reduce exposure to UV rays

Protection against harmful UV rays is essential to the care of your skin. Prolonged exposure to UV rays not only tans the skin or causes sunburn, it can also cause inflammation, hot flashes, and other skin irritations. Over time, the visible effects include dark spots, skin dullness, dryness and skin that lacks elasticity and firmness. The underlying issue of cloudy skin in the deeper skin layers as a result of UV radiation damage will also be a cause for concern. Always use UV care like sunblock and be generous with it! Check in the mirror that you are applying it evenly, and around often neglected areas like your temples, ears and lower neck. Repeat this every two hours to protect yourself from UV rays if you are exercising or perspiring more than usual.

3. Consider keratin care

Skin regeneration is disrupted by the process of aging and damages caused by UV radiation. This causes old keratin to accumulate and form thickened layers of skin. At this point, moisturisation will not be effective since it is unable to penetrate the calloused skin. The solution would be to use cleansing lotion to remove the old keratin which contains melanin. After this, you can moisturise generously to regain your skin’s smooth texture and tighten your skin. The results of this keratin care will surely motivate you to continue caring for your skin.

4. Use a brightening serum to enhance brightening care

We all know that a brightening serum is highly effective in preventing dark spots and freckles caused by sun exposure. It is also an ideal option to counter the effects of excessive melanin production. At the same time, it is a potent brightening care product. Use the serum on areas that are more prone to becoming cloudy (more sun exposure), such as the cheekbones, then spread it across the entire face. You can apply an additional layer of serum to areas that you are particularly concerned about.

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Haruka Ayase

“My skin is prone to dryness so I address this by using generous amounts of skin lotion during my daily skincare routine. After applying skin lotion, my skin feels fresher and more comfortable. I’ve kept to this routine as it’s visible that my skin is more stable now, and it is clearer than before. I take special uv care by applying UV protection so that my skin does not get tanned, and I also make the effort to stay away from the sun and protect myself against damages from UV rays. If I happen to be in the sun, I will not only apply my moisturiser, but also my brightening care product immediately! I’m an advocate of brightening products – I use my brightening serum frequently and brightening face mask regularly – as I can see how including it in my skincare regime has helped to rejuvenate my skin and give it a glow.”
At night, I enjoy a hot soak in the bathtub to warm my body. It not only relieves me of the stresses of the day, but also refreshes my mind. It is like a relaxing form of therapy and one that I would recommend to everyone.

We know many of you wish for dewy and clear-looking skin but don’t know where to start, or what is the best skincare method to use to achieve it. The answer is surprisingly simple. Just use the right skincare products and follow the steps on how to apply it. You can get that radiant and glowing skin like Ayase too!

How to build a skin brightening routine
for radiant and
glowing skin

Remember this cardinal skincare rule: ultraviolet (UV) radiation is the worst enemy of well-moisturised skin!