It’s officially fall, and we don’t know about you, but our
complexions are experiencing some serious aftershocks
post-summer and not in a bronzed, glowing, and hydrated kind of
way—more in a half-poached, dull, and clogged kind of way.
Welp. 

We’re currently in the process of curating our fall and winter
wardrobes to perfection (give us all the boots,

sweaters, and denim,
please), and we’re equally keen on whipping our downtrodden
complexions into tip-top shape. Stubborn and radiance-hampering
dullness is currently Undesirable No.1 as far as our skin issues go
(come fall, Harry Potter references are quite necessary), so we
reached out to esthetician and founder of
StackedSkincare Kerry
Benjamin to lend a helping hand. Below, she’s answering all of
our burning dull-skin questions in addition to prescribing the
ultimate daily skincare regimen to kick skin drabness to the curb
in favor of a clear and
radiant result. Keep scrolling! Clogged
pores everywhere need this content. 

According to Benjamin, lack of exfoliation is the number one
cause of dullness thanks to the buildup of dead skin, which also
makes it harder for our products to absorb and penetrate
effectively. And, you guessed it, that just makes dullness woes
that much worse. 

“My favorite ways to exfoliate are by
dermaplaning, using regular
at-home peels, and I also love using Versed Photos,
Please Brightening Tightening Mask ($10) a few times a week. On
Sundays, I like to power-exfoliate my skin! I dermaplane, apply the
Versed mask, and then leave it on for about 15
minutes.”

To finish, Benjamin rinses the mask off thoroughly
before applying a layer of the StackedSkincare TCA
Multi-Acid Face Peel ($150). By using a few different
exfoliation methods that are still super gentle, the skin is left
brighter and far more glowing.

Sorry, but yes. As Benjamin explains, as we get older, the speed
and efficiency of our cell renewal process decrease significantly,
so the need for more regular exfoliation (plus hydration!) is
paramount to beat and prevent a dull complexion. 

“Since we are producing less oil and our collagen
production is decreasing, more exfoliation and hydration is super
important,” Benjamin tells us.  “Maintaining plump, radiant skin
requires a good hyaluronic acid serum and a great moisturizer with
an occlusive to seal in hydration. Versed has a really nice
Hyaluronic Serum, called Hydration
Station ($20), which I use under the brand’s Skin
Soak Rich Moisture Cream ($18), cocktailed with their Found
the Light Powder With Vitamin C ($20).”

“It’s important to include products with ingredients
that will speed up your cell turnover including acids, vitamin A,
and growth factors, which will all help with dullness,” confirms
Benjamin.

She recommends vitamin C as your best bet for easy
brightening. She loves combining Versed Found
the Light Powder With Vitamin C ($20) with a daily
moisturizer, as noted above, and will also sleep with the
brand’s Look
Alive Hydrating Plumping Mask ($10) one to two nights per week
to attain maximum glow. 

So what can you skip? According to Benjamin, toners are
less important where dullness is concerned—as long as you’re
choosing a high-quality cleanser that keeps your complexion’s pH
balanced, a toner is just an extra step that’s only draining your
wallet. 

Keep scrolling for the exact morning and evening skincare
regimens Benjamin prescribes to treat dull skin.

“For
me, the perfect morning routine is keeping it simple and
including products that will protect my skin and leave me with a
natural glow,” says Benjamin.  A thorough cleanse is the first
important step, and we love this formula from IS Clinical, as it’s
powerful yet effective thanks to a host of bio-nutrients,
antioxidants, and mild resurfacing ingredients that slough away
everything your skin turned over during the night. 

“Hyaluronic
acid is always a great daily serum to use for all skin types since
it’s lightweight and can be used from oily to super-dry skin,” says
Benjamin. “In fact, if you are oily, this is a really great choice
to use daily to help control your oil production and reduce and
prevent breakouts.”

“I
like to cocktail the vitamin C for added protection against UV, as
vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant,” shares Benjamin. If you’re
super dry, she recommends adding it to Versed’s richer moisturizer,
Skin Soak, but if you’re part of the oily skin camp, try the
brand’s Dew Point Moisturizing Gel. It’s super lightweight and
feels cool and refreshing on the complexion while keeping oil at
bay. 

Last
but not least, and you know this, but SPF. Never leave the house
without it, folks! We’re obsessed with this formula from
Supergoop!. It works as a primer pre-makeup and also gives your
skin a glowy hit of radiance that will only heighten your
brightening efforts. 

You
can buy all means use the same cleanser at night as you do in the
morning, but we’re highly addicted to using this warming honey
formula night purely due to how much of a sensorial ritual it
creates at the end of the long day. It’s loaded with raw honey,
royal jelly, propolis green tea extract, and papaya enzymes for
extra glow and exfoliating perks. 

Benjamin
recommends doing the following exfoliation routine: Two times a
week (like Tuesday and Thursday), use the Versed Photos, Please
Brightening Tightening Mask ($10) and/or the StackedSkincare TCA
Multi-Acid Face Peel ($150). Then, once a week (say, Sunday night),
do an at-home dermaplaning treatment followed by the Versed Photos,
Please Brightening Tightening Mask ($10) and the TCA Multi-Acid
Face Peel ($150). According to Benjamin, dermaplaning weekly is
crucial to help slough off the dead skin to give you that glow and
have your products work better. Essentially, Sunday will be your
power-glow session.

“After
you exfoliate, you always want to apply your serums. Since they are
thinner and have a smaller molecule size, they will penetrate best
after exfoliation and before creams,” directs Benjamin. If you are
not exfoliating that evening, then you’ll apply your serums after
cleansing. Choose your serums depending on your biggest skin
concerns, but for dullness, Benjamin recommends combining a
hyaluronic acid serum and a peptide serum. 

This
high-quality peptide serum targets collagen production while also
firming and addressing issues with dullness and uneven skin tone.
It’s a must for radiant and plump skin.

Next
up, micro-needling and another layer of the peptide serum shown
above. “I recommend micro-needling daily, as it will make your
serums work better and it’s an amazing anti-aging tool that
stimulates collagen production,” Benjamin shares. “Just be sure to
swap out your roller head monthly, since the needles dull and need
to be replaced for safety and hygiene.”

Benjamin says
to complete your evening skincare regimen with a luxe cream. She
prefers this one from Versed.  Up next: My Mom Is 45 Years Older
Than Me, and We Both Love This Affordable Skincare Line

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