Get Gorgeous Skin Without Makeup

How to get gorgeous skin that doesn't need makeup

Nothing triggers a bout of jealousy like a woman who doesn't need makeup and has naturally gorgeous skin. Fame? Fortune? Phooey. It's flawless, foundation-free skin we all secretly covet. And it's the woman who has it we secretly despise. You too can minimize your dependency on makeup with these six simple tricks (assuming you already know to drink more water and moisturize like it's going out of style). Try on makeup in our virtual makeup studio.

Sex and the City fans may remember the concept of Secret Single Behavior—the embarrassing habits women refrain from in the presence of a boyfriend or husband. For Charlotte, it was looking at her face in the magnifying mirror for hours at a time. Sometimes these mirrors become an addiction for perfectionists who are unforgiving of blackheads. It starts out innocent enough: You spot a tiny dot (one that was not visible to the naked eye, but has become magnified times 30) and proceed to extract it yourself. You move onto the next blackhead, and the next—and the next thing you know, you're red all over and those blackheads have turned into full-blown blemishes. A word to the wise: Retire your magnifying mirror to keep you from doing serious damage in solitude.

Oil production gives skin its dewy glow (and makes makeup-free beauties look absolutely radiant), but it can also cause pimples, compelling you to buy—and apply—concealer in massive amounts. What's a girl to do? Purify with a gentle facial cleanser and avoid potentially drying soaps or astringents (dehydration breeds fine lines and can make pimples peel). You can also spot treat pimples with acne-zapping products containing salicylic acid. The best way to prevent blemishes from cropping up in the first place is to catch up on winks (never sleep in makeup), take Vitamin C, and exercise regularly. If you get the chance, sit in a steam room post-workout to draw out toxins, rev up microcirculation and put a rosy glow in your cheeks (it's better than blush).

What separates lovely skin from lackluster skin? Regular exfoliation. Speed up cell renewal—and reveal radiant new skin—by sloughing off the dead outermost layer with gentle exfoliating beads two to three times a week. Starting in your thirties, use products with retinol two to three times a week since they're proven to stimulate and boost collagen growth.

A truly gorgeous glow comes from within. Eat lots of leafy greens, supplemented with a daily multi-vitamin, to boost skin's functions, and fight the forces of time internally with supplements like omega fatty acids, probiotics, and super greens (such as wheat grass and spirulina). MSM, an organic dietary sulfur, promotes tissue and cell function. It will give you energy while flushing out toxins and boosting collagen production. Preserve your collagen reserves for as long as possible by avoiding smoking, sun tanning, and yo-yo dieting. The cumulative effects inevitably show up in the form of dark circles and a lackluster complexion.

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