Let’s face it, ladies and gentlemen, beautiful skin requires commitment. Which means that before you hear the ‘wedding dhols’ playing, you need to give your skin a little extra love and attention. However, no matter how hard you try, sometimes it’s very difficult to escape pesky dark spots and uneven skin tone. Oh, and don’t even get us started on the day-to-day dull skin. 

For a bride, skin with transcendent glow is hard to describe. It illuminates every occasion and makes it easier for her to grace an event with either minimum or no makeup at all. However, such skin seems to come from eight hours of beauty sleep, a well-balanced chi and inner beauty.

Now, the good news is that there are filters and photo editing apps available in today's age. But the better news is that even though filters on your photographs are great, dedicated skincare treatments to achieve flawless skin is way cooler. 

Causes And Solutions Of Dull Skin And Dark Spots

Dermatologists today have identified every criminal that’s standing between your skin and that puzzling ‘lit-from-within-ness’. Plus, they’ve come up with concrete solutions to tackle such problems and help you get rid of dull skin and dark spots before your big day. 

What Causes Dull Skin and Dark Spots?

1. Stress Equals Bad Skin Which Equals Stress

You still haven’t decided on the decor for your wedding. And the caterer isn’t finalised. And your cousin’s best friend’s sister might not make it to the wedding! Your lifestyle before the wedding becomes so chaotic that it takes a toll on your skin. You need to calm down. The shooting cortisol levels cause the blood flow to divert from your skin to your vital organs, leading to your skin looking pallid. The only solution to this is the take a breather. Take a step back, manage your stress and take assistance from your friends and family for planning the wedding. 

2. You’re Dehydrated, Always

We cannot emphasise enough on how important it is to keep your skin hydrated. This means that you don’t just need drink more water, but also use hydrating skincare. Brides getting married in winter must heed this advice as winter winds render your skin drier and duller than usual. The problem is that loss of hydration from the dermis and epidermis make the skin lose its thickness. Think of it this way, your skin becomes a deflated balloon- it doesn’t shine as well as an inflated one. So, make sure you get enough water in your system to clear away the dullness.

3. The Degrading Environment 

Let’s just say that our environment is swimming with fossil fuel remnants and what not. The polluted air contains tiny particles like dirt and sulfur dioxide, which can settle on your skin and damage the collagen present in it. Which means hello dark spots, dullness and wrinkles and goodbye clean skin. The only way to deal with such is daily cleansing, which will help your skin’s texture become smoother and cleaner. Choose a gentle creamy cleanser because pollution can cause inflammation which may disrupt the skin barrier. And always wear sunblock before heading out, even if it’s a cloudy day!

4. Dead Skin Cells Are Everywhere!

You see that ashy tint on your skin and the dry patches that suddenly show up, uninvited? That’s your skin’s dead cells. We shed millions of skin cells daily. If not removed regularly from the surface, they make your skin feel pasty and heavy. To get rid of dead skin, it’s best to gently exfoliate your skin at least once a week. While physical exfoliators like scrubs and face polishes are very popular, those with sensitive or acne-prone skin should go in for chemical exfoliators like peels containing beta hydroxy acids. With the dead layer gone, your skin will look smoother and reflect light, giving it a glow. 

5. Lack Of Beauty Sleep

Binge-watching Netflix all night sounds like fun, and so does catching up with your cousins and missing out on sleep. However, when you forego even a few hours of sleep, your skin pays a price for it. During your regular 6-8 hour sleep, your skin repairs and renews itself, fixing all the damage caused during the day. When you miss on your snoozing hours, your skin automatically looks dull, patchy and irritated. Plus, it also retains fluid in certain areas, causing puffiness. So, the best way to avoid this is to drift off to dreamland for at least 6 to 8 hours every day, especially the day before your wedding. 

6. Your Hormones Are Out Of Whack

Humans are hormonal beings. No seriously, our hormones rule our moods, bodily functions and overall health. And every time there is a dip in our hormones, our skin is the first one to bear witness of its consequences. Hormonal imbalance can cause acne, which in turn leave behind dark spots. Skin gets oiler which accentuates the pores, and hormonal hyperpigmentation (also known as Melasma), begins to show on the surface of your skin. The best way to deal with this is to visit a dermatologist for proper treatment. The symptoms, on the other hand, can be treated with a regular skincare product like clay masks, brightening creams and spot treatments. 

7. Your Lifestyle Choices Are Lousy

Are you grabbing a burger at 3 AM? Or maybe binging on ramen before going to bed? Well, then your skin is going to answer for it! A diet that includes excessively oily and fattening food, while lacking in basic minerals and vitamins is going to give you dull skin and acne. Ensure you have a healthy diet. This doesn’t mean you live on a juice cleanse for a week. Your body needs a balanced diet that involves your daily dose of carbs, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals. If you want good skin, you need to get all the bad habits out of the way and give yourself a lifestyle revamp.

Skincare Ingredients For Getting Rid Of Dull Skin & Dark Spots

1. Azelaic Acid

An unsung hero, rarely heard of, Azelaic Acid is an ingredient that helps brighten your skin tone while evening out the texture. It is an exfoliating acid that can aid in fading away dark spots and blemishes left behind by irritating acne. We recommend:

 Kaya Pigmentation Reducing Complex Face Creme

MRP: INR 1160| BUY HERE

2. Kojic Acid

Another ingredient used to scale down blemishes and dark spots, Kojic acid blocks the production of melanin in your skin. Therefore, it's best used as a spot treatment to lighten darker areas. We recommend:

 Glutalight Glutathione- Vitamin C- Kojic Acid Skin Whitening Cream

MRP: INR 750 | BUY HERE

3. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential antioxidant which your body requires for various functions. From brightening your skin and clearing dark spots, to speeding up collagen production and fighting fine lines and wrinkles, Vitamin C does wonders for your skin. We recommend:

The Body Shop Vitamin C Glow-Revealing Liquid Peel

MRP: INR 1995 | BUY HERE

4. Liquorice

One of the best ways of treating hyperpigmentation, this natural skin brightener restricts Tyrosinase which causes dark patches on your skin. And while it restores your skin to its natural complexion, it is fantastic for calming redness and inflammation, making it a fool-proof option for sensitive skin. We recommend:

 SYNAA Premium Rose & Licorice Face Serum

MRP: INR 699 | BUY HERE

5. Arbutin

Arbutin works on reducing dark spots, acne scars and patchy skin, similar to Kojic acid. Plus, the mild nature of this ingredient allows it to work on various skin types, in combination with other products like Vitamin C and AHAs. We recommend: 

Kozicare Skin Whitening Serum Enriched With Kojic Acid- Arbutin- Glutathione

MRP: INR 650 | BUY HERE

6. Hyaluronic Acid

This is possibly the most popular skincare ingredient, ruling the game for a while now. Loved by every generation, gender, and income group across the planet, Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant used in various skin care products which helps hydrate the skin, reduce acne, boost collagen production and brighten the complexion. We recommend:

The Face Shop Calendula Essential Moisture Serum

MRP: INR 1320 | BUY HERE

7. Niacinamide

If you’re a bride to be struggling with dull skin and uneven complexion, then including this in your skincare regime is a must. This skin brightening agent will keep melasma at bay and regulate pigment production, allowing your skin to look brighter and younger. We recommend: 

Makeup Revolution Skincare Blemish and Pore Refining Serum - 10% Niacinamide + 1% Zinc

MRP: INR 1500 | BUY HERE

Did you find this information useful for your skin woes? Let us know in the comments below!

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