Radiant skin

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TO HIS BFF’S PARTY

Glowing skin exudes health and youthfulness. Get luminosity and a flawless finish without appearing too made up, like this. Step 1 Exfoliate in the morning and massage in a few drops of face oil. Wait a few minutes, then add primer. Step 2 Grab a liquid foundation and a damp sponge, and apply a light layer of foundation over your face. Remember that foundation is meant to even out your complexion, not conceal anything. Step 3 Conceal. “If you apply concealer first, you see so many flaws and think you have to put it everywhere,” said makeup artist Hung Vanngo. “That’s when it becomes thick.” Instead, conceal after and dab powder on the T-zone.

The experts say This is a real phenomenon. “If you have adult acne or the bumpy kind of rosacea, sugar is one of the first things I’d suggest you cut out,” says dermatologist Dr Elizabeth Tanzi. But it’s not actually the sugar that’s triggering inflammation; all carbohydrates, from a biscuit to a grape, do this. After a few weeks of a low-carb, low-sugar diet, your skin should be significantly clearer, adds Dr Tanzi.

Sugar may have some specific effects: high quantities enact a grim process called glycation, in which sugar molecules attach to collagen, leading to stiffening, cracks and wrinkles over time, says dermo Dr Joshua Zeichner. Keep your sweet intake to a minimum and use skin products that repair collagen. TRY L’occitane Immortelle Precious Serum (R1 025).

How soon until you see a change A few weeks if you’re sugar sensitive and rosacea-prone; longer if it’s the general glycation you’re trying to target. You say “I know I’m truly stressed when this recurring cystic pimple appears on the right side of my chin – always after an extremely anxiety-filled couple of days. I’ve tried spot treatments, but it’s there until things calm down.” – Brooke, 26

The experts say The stress-skin connection is real. “When you’re stressed, your body goes into fightor-flight mode and starts pumping steroid-based stress hormones like cortisol,” says dermatologist Dr Ranella Hirsch. Over time, that process lowers the body’s ability to keep skin issues, like Brooke’s recurring breakouts, at bay. “The stress isn’t the underlying cause of her breakouts,” Dr Hirsch explains, “but it is the little thing pushing her skin over the edge.”

Stress can also trigger eczema, psoriasis or rosacea flares, adds Dr Zeichner. Small anxiety-erasing tactics are helpful, but “I try hard not to do that party line of ‘Oh, yes, just do yoga,’” Dr Hirsch says. “For some women, [reducing stress means] getting a pedicure, going hiking or having a date night.”

How soon until you see a change Weeks to months, says Dr Zeichner. “Stress can be a tricky one to bring down, but the efforts are worth it.”