27 tricks for naturally glowing skin (no makeup or expensive products required!)

Switch moisturisers every time the seasons change. Your skin needs more moisture in the winter than in the summer. So the same day you bring those jumpers out of storage for the winter, buy a heavier moisturiser. When you trade in the jumpers for shorts, switch to a lighter one.

Is that a new word for you? Humectants attract water when applied to your skin and improve its hydration. Good ones include glycerin, propylene glycol and urea. Also look for skin products that contain alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), compounds that help reduce wrinkles and improve dry skin, acne and age spots. AHAs, which naturally occur in grapes, apples, citrus and sour milk (think buttermilk or yoghurt), work by speeding up the turnover of old skin cells, making skin look younger.

Men need skin care just as much as their wives and sisters, so they should be using cleansers and moisturisers too. To prevent wrinkles and skin cancer, use a moisturiser containing a sunscreen with an SPF 50 that protects against UVA and UVB rays daily. Also, use a gentle exfoliant weekly and a night-time moisturiser that contains alpha-hydroxy acids to encourage skin regeneration.

Use a single family of skin-care products. If you buy and use lots of different skin-care products, there’s a good chance some contain the same ingredients, thus making them redundant, says beauty therapists Cara DeCenso. And some brands just aren’t very compatible with others, though you’d have no way of knowing that until you already paid for and opened them. You’re more likely to achieve glowing skin if you use products that are designed and formulated to work together. You may have to shell out a little more cash, but experts agree you’ll get better results.

…particularly if you have sensitive skin. Stay away from products with colour, fragrance, or those that produce bubbles or have ‘antibacterial’ on the label, says dermatologist, Dr Andrea Lynn Cambio. These can all irritate your skin.

Read on for ways to prevent make-up allergies.

Add a teaspoon of grape seed oil to your toner. The oil is a source of antioxidants (vitamin C, E) and omega-3 fatty acids, explains Dr Brauer. “While there is not much research or data on the benefits of grapeseed oil itself, we know the benefits of these vitamins and fatty acids in maintaining skin health.”

Sage helps to control oil, peppermint creates a cool tingle and witch hazel helps restore the skin’s protective layer. Combine 120ml of witch hazel with 1 teaspoon each of sage and peppermint leaves and steep for one to three days before applying to your skin.

Skip the long, steamy showers and opt for shorter, cooler sprays. Long, hot showers strip skin of its moisture and wash away protective oils, says Dr Cambio. So limit the length of your showers and keep the water cool.

Deodorant soaps can be drying, whereas added-fat soaps leave an oily, yet beneficial, film on your skin.

While in the shower, gently scrub bumpy or scaly skin with a circular motion to remove dead cells. For extra-smooth skin, sprinkle a few drops of an alpha-hydroxy product on the loofah before scrubbing.