The Ultimate Guide to Glowing Skin

They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step. Fortunately, with Sculpted, your skincare routine doesn’t need to be that strenuous. In fact, we’ve made it pretty simple to get a beautiful glow without overthinking it.

And, to share the love, we thought we’d put together our ultimate guide to glowing skin – packed full to bursting with science-backed tips and advice to help you get real results.

Not sure what we mean? Keep reading to find out how to get glowing skin…

The science behind glowing skin: ingredients to look out for

There are a lot of voices in the skincare world telling you what you should and shouldn’t do, and sometimes it’s pretty hard to know what to listen to. That’s why we’re here to break through the noise and give you back control with some facts.

Skincare doesn’t need to be complicated. All you need to know is what ingredients do, which work best for your skincare goals, and how to make the most of them. Here, we’ll break down some of the ingredient categories you should look out for, why they’re important, and just how the science behind skincare works…

Antioxidants

Antioxidants are all the rage nowadays, and everyone is talking about them. But, what do they mean exactly for skincare – and most importantly, boosting your natural glow?

Think of antioxidants as your skin’s personal clean-up crew. Every day, your skin faces stress from things like pollution, UV rays, and even lack of sleep – all of which can create unstable molecules called free radicals. Left unchecked, these can dull your glow and mess with your skin's natural bounce.

That’s where antioxidants come in. They help:

• Prevent free radicals from forming in the first place.

• Sweep away any that do appear, before they cause trouble.

• Tidy up signs of damage and help your skin bounce back.

One of the best-known glow-boosting antioxidants? Vitamin C. It acts like a magnet for free radicals – finding them, calming them down, and leaving your skin looking brighter, clearer, and more even-toned.

Other ingredients to look out for: Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Resveratrol, Niacinamide, and Green Tea Extracts.

Humectants

We’ve mentioned them before, but here’s a quick refresher. Humectants are the sponges of your skincare routine – ingredients that draw water into the skin and help keep it there.

They’re essential for:

• Boosting hydration by attracting moisture from the air or deeper layers of skin.

• Locking it in to help prevent dryness and dehydration.

• Leaving skin feeling soft, supple, and glowing.

Put simply, if you want dewy, bouncy skin, humectants are your best friend.

Ingredients to look out for: Glycerin, Hyaluronic Acid, Pantenol, Urea.

Exfoliants

Thanks to the name, this one is pretty obvious – exfoliants in skincare help to exfoliate (i.e. remove/scrub away) dirt, dead skin cells, and other substances that could clog your pores or leave your skin feeling dry and flaky. Removing these from the surface of your skin reduces dullness for a brighter, more radiant complexion. 

Ingredients to look out for: Salicylic Acid, AHAs, BHAs.

Emollients

Let’s talk emollients – the comfort blankets of the skincare world. These ingredients work by filling in the tiny gaps between skin cells, helping to smooth, soften and seal in moisture. They’re a key part of most moisturisers because they create a protective layer that locks in hydration and helps prevent water loss. If your skin’s ever felt tight or rough, emollients are what help bring back that soft, supple, comforted feel.

Ingredients to look out for: Shea Butter, Ceramides.

Occlusives

Lastly, look out for occlusives when you’re aiming for glowing skin. They form a protective seal over the surface to help stop moisture from escaping, which is key for long-term hydration. Think of them as your final step, locking in all the goodness from your skincare routine, so your glow lasts longer.

Ingredients to look out for: Petroleum, Lanolin, Mineral Oil. 

Back to basics: the best skincare routine for glowing skin

If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed with all this new information, don’t panic. 

To make things easy for you, we’ve got a basic skincare routine using only five simple, science-backed steps that you can easily adapt to your needs to help you maximise your glow…

1. Cleanse

The number one step in any skincare routine is to cleanse. 

Your face goes through a lot every day: wearing makeup and/or SPF, sweating in hot weather, exposure to irritants, and being subject to environmental conditions like wind or cold to name a few. Each of these factors can affect your skin, so it’s important to start fresh whenever you begin using skincare – which is where cleansers come in. 

Cleansers do exactly what they say – they lift away dirt, oil, makeup, and daily grime to refresh your skin and prep it for the rest of your routine. For best results, we recommend double cleansing: start with a basic cleanser to remove surface build-up, then follow with one that suits your skin’s specific needs.

When it comes to cleansers, there are two types to choose from:

• Water-based: these cleansers are useful for removing dirt, sweat, and surface residue.

• Oil-based: these cleansers work a little harder to help remove oil-based products like makeup and sunscreen.

Your second cleanse is where you can get a little more targeted. Look for ingredients that support your skin goals, which include (but are definitely not limited to):

• Vitamin C: well-known for brightening your complexion, Vitamin C can help you get a gorgeous glowing complexion while reducing hyperpigmentation. 

• Glycerin: Glycerin is a humectant, which means that it helps to attract water and hydrate your skin and protect against dryness.

• Niacinamide: loved for calming skin redness and oiliness, Niacinamide also helps to increase hydration and support the skin’s natural barrier. 

• Salicylic Acid: ideal for spot or acne-prone skin, Salicylic Acid helps to control oil production, keep your pores clear, and gently exfoliate your skin surface.

Want to make the most of your double cleansing routine? We’ve got you. Our DuoCleanse takes all the guesswork out of choosing complementary cleansers. Using a two-step system, you can pick a side-by-side cleansing duo to brighten, exfoliate, or clarify your skin.

2. Prep

Once your skin is cleansed and feeling fresh, it’s time to set the stage for the rest of your routine – and it all starts with a great prep product.

Toners are a long-loved staple for sweeping away any lingering residue and balancing your skin’s pH. But if you’re looking to dial up your glow and get the most out of your skincare, an essence might just be your new best friend.

Rooted in K-beauty and fast becoming a global essential, lightweight essences are designed to deliver hydration deep into the skin while helping everything you layer on top work even harder. Packed with active ingredients, they can brighten, smooth, and hydrate in one go – all while setting your skin up beautifully for what’s next.

Want to learn more? Check out our guide to What is an Essence?

You’ll be pleased to know we’ve bottled the benefits of this glow-giving hero in our LiquidGlo Brightening Essence. Powered by skin-loving Niacinamide and our unique Fermented Ingredient Blend, it’s designed to hydrate, brighten, and boost your skin’s glow from the very first step. Think of it as your shortcut to radiant skin.

3. Target

Now that your skin’s prepped and ready, it’s time to dial in on your specific concerns – whether that’s dullness, dark circles, redness, hyperpigmentation, or dehydration. This is where a hardworking serum comes in.

Lightweight and easily absorbed, serums are packed with actives that help target what your skin needs most. Layer one in after your essence to get the most from every drop.

Look out for these glow-giving ingredients:

• Caffeine is vasoconstrictive, which is a fancy way of saying it helps calm redness and brighten tired skin.

• Ceramides cushion and protect, strengthening the skin barrier to help lock in hydration.

• Niacinamide soothes, smooths, and helps reduce oiliness. A mainstay in any glow-boosting serum.

• Retinol encourages cell turnover to help refine texture and soften the appearance of fine lines.

• Vitamin C helps to brighten and evens tone by reducing pigmentation.

One step, serious skin payoff. Explore our collection of serums and eye creams today to find the one that suits you.

4. Moisturise

Up until now, everything we’ve mentioned works at a deeper level, providing hydration and nourishment to the lower layers of the epidermis (aka skin). Once they’ve been fully absorbed, you’ll want a product that can lock in all that goodness – which is where moisturisers come in.

An interlude: hydrating vs moisturising

We’re taking a brief pause here, before we get into the importance of moisturising to get a fresh glow, to explain the difference between hydrating and moisturising your skin. 

We talk a lot about hydration (and for good reason), but it’s not quite the same as moisturising.

Hydrating ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid add water into the skin. Moisturisers, on the other hand, help lock that water in – keeping your skin soft, supple, and protected. You need both for that lit-from-within glow.

Moisturisers target the skin barrier, helping to nourish and strengthen it to lock in existing moisture and prevent water molecules from leaving your skin. Ever wondered why moisturisers are thick and creamy while serums are light and runny? This is why. Key ingredients to look out for in glow-boosting moisturisers include Ceramides, Hyaluronic Acid and Shea Butter. 

Pro tip: think of it like this; the first 3 steps of our basic skincare routine are hydrating, inviting as much water (and active ingredients) into your skin as possible. Your moisturiser is then the one that shuts the door, so to speak, to retain that moisture.

Need a new moisturiser? Our CloudCream™ is a top seller suitable for any skin type – just vary application times depending on your skin’s needs. Packed with nourishing Ceramides and soothing ingredients, our moisturiser is one of the final steps you need for soft, glowing skin.

5. Protect

Moisturiser locks in hydration, but to truly shield your skin, protect your glow, and keep your makeup looking its best, you need an SPF primer. It’s the perfect blend of skincare and makeup, smoothing your skin while guarding against UV damage.

Our Beauty Base Protect pairs SPF 50 with a hydrating formula for plump, protected, perfectly primed skin. 

Pro tip: No makeup? No problem. Use your primer solo for sun protection and a natural radiance boost.

Learn more about Everything the Experts Want You to Know About SPF on our blog...

Lifestyle tips for glowing skin

Knowing how to get glowing skin doesn’t stop at using the right products, or sticking to a basic skincare routine: it’s also about making sure your lifestyle works with you to achieve that sought-after radiance. 

In fact, there are several small changes you can make to your lifestyle to help maintain and boost your natural glow…

Hydration is key

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again (and again, and again…) – the key to glowing skin is proper hydration. 

So, along with making sure your basic skincare routine is jam-packed with hydrating products, you’ve got to drink plenty of water throughout the day. Current guidelines are to drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day; although this can increase in the summer months when the weather gets hotter, after you’ve been ill, or if you’re breastfeeding.

Pro tip: to become a glow pro, don’t forget to top up your bottle and sip frequently throughout the day.

Eat a varied diet

Everyone bangs on about eating a balanced diet – both for your physical and mental wellbeing. But, it’s also a great way to support your skin and get that all-natural gorgeous glow.

Eating a balanced diet is a great way to support glowing skin. Alongside your regular favourites, try to pick foods rich in antioxidants and omega-3s to give your skin everything it needs to stay healthy. Some of our top picks include:

• Salmon and mackerel: both packed with healthy fats and omega-3.

• Avocados, sweet potatoes, and bell peppers: for healthy fats and vitamins.

• Green tea: one of the best sources of antioxidants around. 

• Pro tip: avoid brewing with boiling water, as it can make green tea overly bitter. Instead, let the kettle sit a little before adding to your cup.

• Dark chocolate: deliciously rich in taste, dark chocolate is also full of antioxidants.

Don’t skip sleep

Had a few late nights in a row, and notice your skin feels duller or more irritated? That’s because proper sleep is an unsung hero in skincare. Research actually suggests that there is a correlation between sleep and skin – i.e. when one worsens, so does the other. Going without sufficient sleep can impact elasticity and hydration, which could ruin all the hard work your skincare routine may be doing.

Turns out getting those all-important 8-10 hours won’t just help you feel energised, but also look it too.

Get the glow without the guesswork at Sculpted by Aimee

We’ve hit you with a lot of information throughout this article, but we’ll leave you with this: getting your glow on is easier than you think. 

In fact, with Sculpted by Aimee, it’s fair to say we’ve done the hard work for you. Our Glow Collection is backed by scientific expertise to give you the best products to effortlessly brighten your skin for a radiant glow every day of the week – no faff, no fuss. Just good, high-quality ingredients used well.

Explore the collection today, or check out another article from The Sculpted Blog…

We think you’ll love… Serum vs Moisturiser: What’s The Difference? | The Ultimate Guide to Double Cleansing | Ingredient 101: Everything You Need to Know About Niacinamide

Resources

• Michalak, M., 2022, ‘Plant-Derived Antioxidants: Significance in Skin Health and the Ageing Process’, in Int J Mol Sci., 23(2):585.

• Hussen, N.H., et al., 2025, ‘Role of antioxidants in skin aging and the molecular mechanism of ROS: A comprehensive review’, in Aspects of Molecular Medicine, 5:100063. 

• Harwood, A., Nassereddin, A., & K. Krishnamurthy, 2024, ‘Moisturizers’, in StatPearls [Internet].

• BDA, The Association of UK Dieticians Online, 2023, ‘Skin Health’.

• Afzal, U.M., & F.R. Ali, 2023, ‘Sleep deprivation and the skin’, in Clinical and Experimental Dermatology, 48(10): 1113-1116.