Posted on March 26, 2021 March 29, 2022

7 Ingredients That Will Give Your Skin an Instant Glow

Skincare enthusiasts focus on the same old steps when it comes to caring for their complexion. There’s hydration for that glass-like dewiness, exfoliation to brighten the look of the skin, and even clay masking to purify and detoxify the feel of your complexion.

But some people—younger ones especially—forget to look after proper blood circulation, which gives the skin a nice glow. It sounds a bit medical, like it’s not even a cosmetic concern. Many of us often take for granted the fact that good circulation makes our skin look incredible.

It’s the secret to a naturally radiant and rosy flush that makes you glow. It gives your skin a luminosity that not even your favorite moisturizers and exfoliating toners can do!

Here’s the lowdown on good blood circulation and what it actually does for the skin, plus seven powerhouse ingredients that can help you achieve that healthy-looking glow!

Why is Good Blood Circulation Important for Our Skin’s Appearance?

Let’s have a quick refresher on a simple high school lesson, shall we? Red blood cells travel all over the body, delivering much-needed oxygen to all the organs to get them to function correctly.

Good blood flow means that your entire body is oxygenated and is working properly. It also means it can eliminate all the waste that can clog up your veins and arteries as it flows.

The Problem with Poor Circulation

Now, in the case of bad blood circulation, your organs aren’t getting all the nutrients they need to function properly. This can cause serious issues, especially if your blood vessels get clogged up with fats and plaque, constricting your blood’s passageway.

An inadequate blood flow can also affect how your skin looks, making it look dull and lifeless since your body doesn’t have enough vitamins and nutrients going around to keep you looking radiant and luminous.

Bad circulation can also cause pigmentation issues leading to an uneven tone. This is because your cells aren’t oxygenated enough to look uniform and color and radiance.

Other issues bad blood circulation can cause on the skin are slow inflammation and wound healing, the appearance of dark and baggy under-eyes, and even premature aging. We don’t want visible fine lines and wrinkles early on in life, now do we?

7 Ingredients to Look Out For to Give You Glowy Skin

Keep your eyes peeled for these seven ingredients. They have excellent properties to aid in giving the skin a radiant finish.

Retinoids

This derivative of vitamin A is a magic word for anyone looking into new skincare products. It has quite a reputation for reversing the appearance of skin aging by tightening the look of the skin.

But another reason retinoids are a fan-favorite is that they give the skin a naturally radiant glow, making your skin look super healthy.

Give vitamin A a try in the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Serum.

Green Tea

Green tea has properties that brighten the appearance of the skin and reduce fine lines and aging.

Green tea is excellent at boosting the look of your overall complexion.

Here at Vine Vera, we love all that green tea does for the skin. You’ll find the ingredient in several of our products, such as the Resveratrol Age Defying Eye Serum.

Red Algae

You might be thinking, “Gross! How could anyone put algae on their skin?” Well, the answer is: anyone serious about enriching the look of their skin will love this ingredient.

Not only does it moisturize, but it gives the skin a glow. It also makes the skin feel so much more resilient.

Vitamin B3

Also known as niacin, this type of vitamin B is super impactful in leaving the skin looking healthily flushed.

It’s very impressive at taming the feel of inflammation in your skin, which should come as no surprise because niacinamide is a fan-favorite skincare vitamin for soothing the look of the skin and clearing up the appearance of redness due to acne.

Ginseng

This spice is known to be a vasodilator, similar to peppermint and other spices and oils.

This ingredient is loved for how it minimizes the look of skin aging, including fine lines, wrinkles, and dark spots. It also brightens the look of the skin, giving it a gorgeous glow.

Avocado

This fruit isn’t just perfect over toast for breakfast—it’s also a secret weapon to glowing skin.

It keeps the complexion looking plump and the skin feeling strong and fortified.

Resveratrol

We’ve saved the best for last on this list. Resveratrol is an ingredient usually found in berries, grapes, and wine.

In recent years, it has become quite a trendy skincare product for those with sensitive skin. Many people see it as an ingredient that soothes the feel of the skin, but in reality, it offers so much more than that.

Aside from reducing the appearance of redness from inflammation, it also gives the skin a glow.

Resveratrol is a hot new skincare ingredient for sophisticated women in need of an extra glow (and also wine lovers looking for yet another reason to love and rave about their favorite drink!). If you want to try it out for yourself, look no further than Vine Vera.

A terrific moisturizer to incorporate into your skincare routine is Vine Vera’s Resveratrol Cabernet High Potency Moisture Day Cream. This product is rich in resveratrol and vitamin E, both of which are holy grails for bright-looking skin.

It takes time to see a difference in your skin when incorporating these into your routine. Consistency is key if you want to see results, so stick with it, and you’ll be as radiant as the sun in no time.

Lifestyle Changes That Can Promote Healthy-Looking Skin

While it’s easier and more convenient to rely on skincare products to give your skin a radiant finish, there are a couple of healthy lifestyle changes that could make an even more significant impact when adopted in conjunction with the right products.

Exercise

Exercising is one of the best things you can do to promote better blood circulation all over your body. Pumping up your heart rate by jogging, doing jumping jacks, or even just pacing around the house can improve your blood flow and give your skin that glow you’re yearning for.

You can elevate your fitness regimen by getting into yoga and meditation. Reducing your stress levels through these is also a surefire way to improve your blood circulation significantly.

Getting massages regularly is another thing that can help increase blood flow in the face and body. Because you’re stimulating the skin, it allows for speedier blood circulation, giving you a rosy flush and natural radiance almost instantly.

Diet

Being more conscious of what you eat is also crucial when trying to improve your circulation. Eating too many salty foods can raise your blood pressure, which keeps your blood flow from being efficient. Cut down on processed foods and too-hearty meals and balance it out with lighter, healthier snacks.

Turn instead to foods that are high in vitamins E and A, like almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, avocados, and more. These help prevent blood clotting in your veins, promoting healthier circulation with no blockage.

Load up on garlic, onions, and spices like cayenne pepper when cooking your fave meals as well. They can also reduce inflammation in your blood vessels, therefore stimulating your circulation.

Hydration

Lastly, always remember to hydrate. Drinking a lot of water is healthy for many reasons, but it plays a huge role in blood circulation.

Staying hydrated maintains the volume of blood your body has. Without hydrating regularly, there won’t be enough blood cells to flush out toxins or keep your skin looking radiant.

Conclusion

How your skin looks is always going to be a reflection of what’s going on inside your body.

Trying out products with any of the seven ingredients listed above may just surprise you, and the prize is none other than smooth, radiant, and clear skin.

Treat yourself to more exquisite skincare from Vine Vera here.

Posted on February 1, 2021 March 29, 2022

How to Maintain Your Summer Glow Throughout the Winter Months

Have you been missing that gorgeous golden glow that seemed to effortlessly radiate from your skin all summer?

Winter may try to take that from you, but you don’t need to let this happen. Instead, read on to learn what you need to do to keep your summer glow consistent throughout the year.

Develop a Hydrating Daily Skin Care Routine

One of the main reasons behind dull skin is a lack of moisture.

Moisture keeps your skin cells looking plump, soft, smooth, and radiant. However, with the air being so much drier in the winter, moisture evaporates out of the skin at a much faster rate, leaving skin cells looking dull and dry.

One of the best ways to counter this is to develop a hydrating skin care routine that you can follow each day. Ideally, you’ll create two – one for the morning, and one for at night.

A good winter skin care routine goes as follows:

A mild cleanser, such as the Vine Vera Resveratrol Vitamin C Cleanser
A gentle, hydrating toner
Hydrating serums, such as the Resveratrol Chianti Revival Serum from Vine Vera
A rich moisturizer
A hydrating facial oil

However, the secret lies in making sure that each of the products you use really is hydrating.

The best way to do this is by checking out the ingredients list. These are some of the most hydrating skin care ingredients that you should hopefully be seeing listed on your hydrating skin care products:

Hyaluronic acid
Glycerin
Ceramides
Squalane
Fatty alcohols
Lactic acid
Plant oils

Stay Hydrated from Within

A hydrating skin care routine will seriously benefit the skin cells that live on the outer layers of your skin, but what about the ones that lie deeper down?

Unfortunately, the majority of topical skin care products simply aren’t able to penetrate all the way through to the deepest layer of your skin, leaving those skin cells lacking. What makes this worse is that many of those skin cells are vital for some of the most important functions your skin carries out, such as cell regeneration, collagen production, and more.

This is why internal hydration is so important too.

This tends to be easier in the summer than in the winter, since you naturally feel thirstier in hot weather.

If you’re someone who often forgets to drink enough water, here are a few tips to help you to remember:

Mark a water bottle with time-focused goals
Set reminders on your phone
Make water more exciting by infusing it with fruit
Try to drink a glass of water before each meal, as well as when you wake up and before you go to bed
Download a hydration app

Stay Active

Did you know that exercise gives your skin a near-instant glow?

It does this by increasing blood flow, and your blood is what carries oxygen and nutrients to your skin cells. Once it delivers this nourishment, your blood then carries away any toxins, which keeps your skin cells functioning well and looking good.

Increasing blood flow improves all of this even further, giving you a beautiful natural glow.

Do you struggle to stay active in the winter?

The temptation to forgo exercise in favor of snuggling on the sofa in front of the TV can be too strong for many to resist. The secret to getting around this is to find a winter exercise that you genuinely love – this will give you that motivation you need to get moving.

A few winter activities to try out include:

Teaching yourself a different indoor exercise, such as yoga or dance, making use of the many online resources available
Winter hikes through nearby national parks
Taking your dog for new and interesting walks. If you don’t have a dog, there are many people in need of help who do – volunteer to walk their dog instead
Winter sports, such as skiing, ice skating, and ice hockey

Eat a Healthy and Balanced Diet

Are you guilty of letting your diet slide during the winter months?

Comfort foods are a popular winter warmer, but it’s important to keep your diet balanced and healthy throughout the year.

You’ve probably heard of the phrase, “you are what you eat”. This not only applies to the health of your body, but that of your skin too.

A healthy diet will quickly be reflected through your skin, with problematic skin conditions clearing up.

Don’t worry, healthy doesn’t need to mean boring. Here are a few fun and healthy ways you can jazz up your favorite meals:

Choose whole grains over white and refined, whether it may be bread, rice, pasta, or anything else
Opt for healthier cooking techniques, such as baking and roasting instead of frying and grilling
Try recreating your favorite fast food meals
Challenge yourself to try one new healthy ingredient each week
Cook with unrefined, extra virgin oils

If you’re still struggling to pack all of the nutrients you need into your daily meals, it would be worth considering dietary supplements. In fact, there are a few supplements in particular that could really benefit your skin, such as:

Omega-3 fatty acids
Beta-carotene
Prebiotics and probiotics
Zinc
Magnesium
Biotin
Hyaluronic acid

Dress for the Weather

You may want to look your best, but it’s important that your outfit is designed to protect your skin and body from the winter elements.

Not only will wind and snow make you feel cold, which will instantly zap away that summer glow, but consistent exposure will dry your skin out, making it even harder to get your glow back.

Owning a good selection of winter accessories can help to make sure that you’re never caught out, even on the wildest of days:

Gloves and mittens
Hats
Scarfs
Socks
Umbrellas
Windbreakers

Keep spare items of each one in your car, at work, in your handbag, and anywhere else you can think of. This way, you will always be able to protect your skin.

Exfoliate…But Not Too Much

It’s easy for the skin to take on a rough and dull appearance over the winter. Exfoliation provides instant gratification, removing all of those dry skin cells to leave your skin looking fresh and radiant.

There’s no denying that exfoliation is extremely beneficial for your skin, but you need to be careful with this in the winter.

Why?

Because exfoliation leaves your skin without its protective outer layer, making it vulnerable to the elements. Wind, rain, snow, and cold temperatures will take their toll even more.

If you’re exfoliating once a week and taking care to nurture and protect your skin afterwards, then you won’t have any problems.

However, if you’re over-exfoliating, you’ll likely notice your skin soon start to feel raw, sensitive, and easily irritated. You could experience everything from excessive dryness to eruptive breakouts, all because you’ve severely disrupted your skin’s barrier at the worst possible time of year.

If you think that you may be over-exfoliating, stop exfoliating immediately. Give your skin some time to recover before re-introducing exfoliation into your skin care routine. Make sure that you take things slowly and gently this time around!

Learn How to De-Stress

Just about everyone could do with learning how to de-stress. Not only is stress a serious problem for your mental health, but it affects your physical health too, as well as your skin.

How?

In a few different ways:

It triggers your body to produce more cortisol, also known as the stress hormone. Cortisol increases sebum production in your skin. This makes your skin oilier, increasing acne breakouts
Stress commonly leads to sleep deprivation, which is the most common cause of puffiness and swelling underneath the eyes
Stress prevents the skin’s protective barrier from properly functioning, which means that more moisture starts to evaporate out of the skin. This leaves the skin looking dry and rough
Stress weakens the immune system, which causes rashes and redness to appear on the skin. This same immune interference also triggers flare-ups in other skin conditions, including eczema, psoriasis, and contact dermatitis
The cortisol produced by your body during times of stress damages the proteins that give your skin its smoothness, firmness and tightness. Prolonged periods of stress will quickly lead to fine lines and wrinkles

Surprised?

People usually are, not often realizing just how much of an impact stress has on the skin.

But how do you learn how to de-stress?

It’s definitely easier said than done, and takes some commitment. Everyone is different, meaning that the activities that de-stress your best friend may not work for you at all.

So, make a list, write down the following de-stressing methods, and try one at a time whenever you feel stressed. Decide which ones work best for you so that you can narrow down a shortlist of fail-safe de-stressing techniques.

Do some exercise
Talk to a friend or family member
Meditate
Do something relaxing, such as taking a shower or reading a book
Do something creative
Try some breathing exercises
Write down what you’re feeling
Take a short walk outdoors

Treat Your Skin to a DIY Facial Massage

Covid-19 has placed quite a few restrictions on people, meaning that your face has probably been missing those ultra-relaxing massages that accompanied your regular facials.

Of course, those massages weren’t simply for pleasure. A facial massage stimulates the lymphatic system, allowing your body to clear away toxins at a much faster rate. This then invigorates both your skin and your immune system, giving you that healthy and happy glow.

The way in which a facial massage increases circulation will also give you a brighter and more vibrant appearance, while smoothing away the visibility of fine lines.

Whether you want to keep things simple or go all out with a 20-step massage routine, a quick search online will reward you with a number of different facial massage videos that you can follow and learn from.

You’ll then be able to incorporate the techniques you learn into your daily skin care routine.

If you really start to get into the facial massage realm, you can take things a step further by investing in a facial massage device. There are numerous at-home skin care gadgets out there that are designed to massage the skin and boost lymphatic drainage, and they’ll give your fingers a break too!

Use Makeup for Some Extra Help

Sometimes, you need an instant fix. While improving your skin care routine and lifestyle is always the best way to achieve and maintain a consistent summery glow, you can always turn to makeup when you need immediate results.

This doesn’t need to be anything complicated…

Simply applying a tinted lotion can give your skin an illuminated appearance. Alternatively, add some illuminating makeup drops to your favorite moisturizer – go for a darker shade if you want to shimmer with a beachy bronzed look.

If you’re good at highlighting, then this is another way to get your glow on. However, don’t be afraid to experiment with multiple highlighters, either using different shades on different parts of your face, or blending a few different shades together. This will add even more depth to your winter glowy look, making it appear beautifully natural.

You may have said goodbye to summer, but that doesn’t mean that you need to say goodbye to your summertime glow. Instead, follow the tips above and you’ll soon be back to your glowing self, with this radiance being one that you’ll then be able to easily maintain throughout the years.