Skincare and makeup for dull skin

In this article

Skincare for dull skin
The best cleanser for dull skin
The best toner for dull skin
The best moisturiser for dull skin
Face masks for dull skin
Makeup for dull skin
Brightening dull skin

Having dull skin that’s more tired and lacklustre than vibrant and dewy is a real pain. But there are many reasons why you may have dull skin, ranging from being dehydrated and stressed to not exfoliating often enough and exposing your face to the sun too often.

In our article, The Top 10 Reasons Your Skin is Dull and What to do About it, we go into great detail about the causes of dull skin, and the many ways you can avoid having tired skin and replacing it with the glowing skin you dream of.

But aside from drinking water and avoiding too much sun (or at least wearing sun block) there are skincare products and ingredients that can help.

Here at Sönd, we’ve put a great deal of care and attention into our creamy cleansers and day and night moisturisers. We designed our skincare for all skin types and to help nourish and support all problem skins from eczema and acne prone skins to skin types that need extra attention such as oily or dry skin.

All Sönd products are also ideal for hydrating and nourishing dull skin. They help to improve the blood flow to the skin, helping it to glow, and increase skin cell regeneration for fresher looking, healthier skin.

But how do we do it?

Skincare for dull skin

The secret to our skincare for dull skin is in our unique alkalising Silica Salt Complex. This exciting ingredient helps the skin cells deep with your skins lower layers stay within their alkaline pH range, optimising their growth and repair, making the skin more radiant.

Our alkalising cleansers and moisturisers rebalance the skin, leaving behind radiance and certainly no dullness. They also soothe sensitive skin, so if your skin reacts badly to certain ingredients or new products, you won’t experience that with Sönd.

We’ve used a whole host of natural ingredients including shea and cocoa butters and extracts of chamomile, pomegranate and marigold flowers to lift dirt, hydrate and defend against pollution - another factor that can cause a dulling of the skin.

And we believe this sets us apart from the rest!

The best cleanser for dull skin

We know that the basics of skincare lays in the best cleanser and moisturiser. If you use nothing else on your skin, make sure you’re using products to cleanse and moisturise that suit your skin the best.

The best cleansers for dull skin gently remove makeup, dirt, pollution, excess sebum and dead skin cells without upsetting the natural pH balance of the skin. Look for products that contain natural cleansing butters to lift away dirt and debris and natural plant botanicals that have an illuminating, antioxidant effect on the skin.

The best toner for dull skin

After cleansing, the best toner for dull skin is one that can remove any dirt or makeup left over from cleansing whilst adding radiance. So make sure, if you’re using a toner, you opt for one that isn’t harsh and astringent, and is instead alcohol free and gentle.

Look for brightening toners that contain ingredients such as hibiscus, rose and other floral ingredients that are gentle on the skin.

The best moisturiser for dull skin

Cleansing and toning are important steps for dealing with dull skin, but just as important is using a serum and a moisturiser designed to support healthy skin and remove dullness.

Ideally your serum or moisturiser (or both) should contain hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is naturally present in the skin. It helps the skin to retain moisture and keeps it plump and healthy looking by binding to water molecules to stop them from escaping from the skin.

As we age, we lose hyaluronic acid, so it helps to replenish the skin by using products that contain this miracle, natural substance. Doing so ensures long lasting, deeply penetrating moisture for your skin.

As with all problem skin types, the best moisturisers (and all other products) for dull skin contain as many natural, gentle products as possible. Vitamin infused serums and moisturisers will also help to nourish the skin from the outside.

Face masks for dull skin

Environmental pollutants, a poor diet and not drinking enough water will all wreak havoc on your skin, causing it to look dull and tired. Whilst using a face mask won’t counteract the full effects of all these things, it will certainly help.

Use a face mask at least once a week to help clear the skin of dulling build up and to help mop up the free radicals that somewhat unhealthy living can cause a build-up of. Free radicals can damage the skin cells, leading to premature ageing and skin dullness.

Look for face masks that contain the antioxidant vitamin, vitamin C, which will help to neutralise free radicals and brighten the skin.

Exfoliate, exfoliate exfoliate

Ok, maybe just exfoliate or exfoliate, exfoliate. Three times a week is probably too much and could lead to irritated, stressed out skin.

But the important thing is, to never underestimate the power of a good exfoliant. Whether you use a mechanical exfoliant (such as a brush or exfoliating sponge) or a chemical exfoliant (not as harsh as it sounds, salicylic acid is an example of a chemical exfoliant and can be very gentle), make sure you use it once or twice a week.

Exfoliating helps to rid the skin of dulling dead skin cells as well as a build up of dirt, grime, excess oil, cellular debris, old makeup and pollution. And whilst we don’t believe in quick fixes for the skin, exfoliating is perhaps the one exception to the rule and can make the skin instantly appear glowier and more radiant.

Makeup for dull skin

Makeup is just as important as what you use in your skincare routine to combat dull skin. There’s little point going to all that trouble to maximise your skin health and rid yourself of dullness, if you wear the wrong foundation over the top.

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut with makeup. Sometimes, we can stick with the same brand for years, because it worked for us when we were younger (or we get bamboozled by all the different makeup brands available now, that we just go straight for our usual go to makeup brand).

But makeup really can make all the difference to our skin’s appearance, if we take the time to get it right.

Like with skincare, it might be a case of trial and error before you find the right makeup, foundation in particular. The best foundation for dull skin is one that promises to illuminate the skin rather than mattify it.

Mattifying foundations are one of the best makeup types for oily skin, who need a little extra help keeping oil and shine at bay. But if you have dull skin, mattifying it will cause it to look dry and even more dull.

Look for words on foundation packaging such as illuminating or radiance boosting or for foundations that give a dewy finish. They tend to contain ingredients that allow light to bounce off the skin (rather than absorbing it) making it glow and appear toned and even.

Cream highlighters can also help to luminate the skin if applied sparingly to the cheekbones. Use gold, shimmery tones if you have dark skin or lighter, more pastel tones if you have fairer skin. Avoid using too much highlighter, as it could tip your skin the other way and make you look too shiny or oily.

Avoid using heavy, mattifying pressed powders to set your makeup too. Instead try loose powders with added luminating ingredients, or a setting spray that contains hyaluronic acid which will add hydration and moisture and boost the plumpness of the skin.

Brightening dull skin

Having dull skin is a challenge, especially if you seem to be experiencing it all the time. But it doesn’t have to mean putting up with lacklustre skin and feeling envious of those who have the glow all day, every day.

We’d love you to try our alkalising skincare range. If you’re unsure, then have a read through our Sönd #SkinStories. We have so many customers, who just like you, didn’t think they could find a skincare solution that would support their skin and achieve the results they simply didn’t think possible.

We hope they inspire you, and we hope that when you discover Sönd, you wonder where we’ve been all your life!