The Ultimate Guide to Dull and Tired Skin

11th of July, 2024

Whilst ‘tired and dull skin’ might not be a recognised medical term or condition, it’s a problem we’re sure every single one of us can resonate with – on a far too frequent basis. Feeling pale, noticing dark circles, feeling like your skin is sagging or lacking it’s usual ‘sparkle’? It’s all too easy to give up on your skin and rely on expensive make-up, but there have never been more quick, easy and non-surgical ways to brighten the complexion, reduce visible signs of that sapped, worn out look and regain that youthful glow.

Whenever we see changes in our skin, it's crucial to pay attention. Just like spots and blemishes can indicate hormonal shifts or reveal nutritional deficiencies, dull and tired skin can also signal both external and internal issues.

Upon closer inspection, it's not surprising that our skin is under strain. Balancing long work hours, struggling to maintain a personal life, experiencing sleep deprivation, lacking time for exercise, all within a polluted and stressful environment, can drain energy from our bodies and impact our skin, resulting in a lacklustre appearance.

Causes of dull and tired skin:

Build-up of dead skin cells

Dryness and lack of proper exfoliation both contribute to skin cell debris. Many women will notice their make-up looks cakey and foundation begins to fade within a couple of

hours. This is because it’s being absorbed into the accumulated dead skin cells, which gives a very tired and unhealthy look to the skin.

Exhaustion

Zzzzz, trying to do too much in too little time is taxing both physically and emotionally, listen to your body – it’s important to be active, but there is also a huge need for proper rest and relaxation.

Lack of sleep

For most people, an average of at least eight hours sleep a night is what the body’s immune system needs to fortify itself. Anything less than that and we suffer, whether we’re aware of it or not.

Stress

Try as we may to JUST REMAIN CALM, stress affects us all, almost every day.

Poor nutrition

When our nutrition is good, it enhances body function and maintains steady blood sugar levels throughout the day. When it’s bad, it depletes the system and makes for destructive energy spikes and plunges (which in turn make for not-so-pretty mood swings.)

Glycation

This naturally occurring phenomenon increases as we age. Glycation is a process that occurs throughout our bodies, including in skin tissues, when a sugar molecule bonds with a protein molecule. When this happens, the protein becomes a ‘glycated protein’, and it becomes weak, brittle or even fractured, making it extremely vulnerable to a free-radical attack – constricting collagen.

Supplements for tired and dull skin

Every now and then your skin needs that extra boost of vital vitamins to remain in tip-top condition. The below won’t be an instant fix, but over time you’ll be topping up on the rich

goodness skin needs to function properly.

• B-complex Vitamins encourage tissue repair and to help fuel the body - increasing circulation when energy dips.

• Ginkgo biloba, L-Carnitine and Co-Q10 all aim for instant invigoration to boost overall energy.

• Curcumin is said to help improve mental clarity and alertness.

• Vitamin A is essential to minimise production of excess pore-clogging skin cells.

• Zinc aids cell repair and reduce inflammation.

• Yellow dock and burdock root both purify the blood, helping to keep skin clear and radiant.

• Antioxidants such as grape seed extract, Vitamins A, C and E to neutralise ageing free radical damage.

The best ways to tackle dull & tired looking skin

Exfoliate

Your complexion looks radiant when it's smooth enough to reflect light. When you're under 20, your skin cells turn over every 28 days. But by your mid 20s, turnover slows, and between 30 and 40, that rate slows to every 40 days. Dead skin cells pile up, diffusing the light and making skin dull. Try exfoliating at night as opposed to in the morning—you'll remove muck from the day. Exfoliating once to twice a week to eliminate dead skin cells and aids cellular renewal. Choose a fine scrub if you have oily skin, or a peel with AHA’s or BHA’s as these type of products work like enzymes, loosening the top layer without damage.

Don’t let the sunshine in

Daily use of full-spectrum UVA/UVB sunscreen protection helps prevent dull skin as a result of environmental damage. Good if it’s in your moisturiser, even better if you use sunscreen as a standalone product under moisturizer and make up.

Holy smokes

To avoid dull and tired skin, our advice is don’t smoke. Your skin is a large organ and it needs a lot of circulation. Smoking impairs that dramatically. That's why smokers' skin looks dull and grey. Instead of having oxy-generated blood delivered to the surface of the skin, they're getting poisons and oxidants.

Drink plenty of water

Eight glasses of water a day is optimum to flush toxins from the body, help renew tissue, and fight fatigue. Skin care can't be any simpler than this. Water helps in flushing out the toxins from the body, hence keeping it clean and making it less prone to disease. Get a glass now!

Get some shut-eye

Getting a full eight hours sleep may be an impossible demand on new parents and others. For your physical and emotional health though, do what you can to get on a regular sleeping schedule. If you’re able to take an afternoon nap every once in a while, by all means, do that too.

Work it out

Stress-relieving exercise keeps you looking good and feeling good in numerous ways. Happily, summoning the energy to exercise actually creates more energy rather than depleting it. Plus, it will enable you to sleep better.

Remove the daily dirt and grime

Cleanse your skin thoroughly both morning and night to remove makeup and daily pollution. This allows the skin to function and breathe, keeping pores clear and complexion fresh and bright.

Use those gym extras

Try a sauna or steam room. Heat treatments aid desquamation (the skins natural way of exfoliating). Saunas are also great for deep cleansing the pores and boosting the

circulation.

Turn to the professionals.

Your skin and face show the results of stress of all kinds much quicker than any other part of you so having a good facial with a gifted therapist can work wonders to improve the skin and done regularly can really make a difference.