Table of Contents
- Introduction
- What makes skin look glowing?
- Your daily skincare routine for a glow up
- Choose targeted care for your main concern
- Add immediate radiance when you want it
- Personalise the routine without losing its structure
- How to assess your progress realistically
- Conclusion
- FAQ
Introduction
An effective skincare routine for a glow up starts with gentle cleansing, hydration, moisturiser and daily sun protection. Together, these steps help skin look smoother, plumper and more radiant. Targeted care can then address the concern behind lingering dullness, whether that is dehydration, dark spots or uneven texture.
The key is to distinguish an immediate luminous finish from changes that develop with consistent use. A hydrating serum or radiance booster can refresh your appearance quickly; improving uneven tone takes longer.
Founded by plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Yannis Alexandrides and Eva Alexandridis, 111SKIN draws on Dr Yannis' practice at 111 Harley St. in London. Its approach brings clinical inspiration into practical at-home care, with formulas and textures selected for what your skin needs.
What makes skin look glowing?
Glowing skin is not necessarily shiny skin, and it does not have to be free from every pore or line. A radiant complexion usually combines a hydrated, supple surface with relatively even-looking tone. Understanding which of these qualities is missing makes your routine more precise.
Hydration and a smooth-looking surface
When skin is dehydrated, fine surface lines can become more noticeable and the complexion can look flat. Make-up may catch on dry patches, while skin feels tight even when there is some oiliness across the forehead or nose.
Hydration and moisturisation work together. Humectants, such as Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid, attract water; emollients soften the skin; moisture-loss-limiting ingredients help retain that water. These complementary roles explain why a hydrating serum and a moisturiser can both earn a place in a glow-focused routine.
A comfortable, hydrated surface looks plumper and reflects light more evenly. That is a useful starting point before deciding whether your skin needs a stronger treatment.
Even-looking tone and refined texture
Dark spots can make the complexion look uneven even when skin is well moisturised. In that case, adding more hydrating layers may improve suppleness without addressing the colour differences that concern you.
Texture is another consideration. A rough-feeling surface and visible lines call for a different approach from general dryness, although the concerns can overlap. Targeted treatments should answer that specific need while your daily routine continues to support hydration.
Use these observations to set your priority:
- Tightness, dry patches or make-up catching: focus first on hydration and moisturising care.
- Persistent dark spots: introduce a treatment designed for uneven tone alongside daytime SPF.
- Visible lines and uneven texture: consider a gradually introduced evening retinoid.
- Comfortable skin that needs more luminosity: use a radiance-enhancing finishing product.
You may recognise more than one concern. Begin with the one that bothers you most, rather than introducing several treatments together.
Build your glow around comfortable skin first. A supple, hydrated surface gives targeted treatments and make-up a better starting point.
Your daily skincare routine for a glow up
A dependable routine has a clear job in the morning and evening. Morning care hydrates and prepares skin for the day, with sunscreen providing essential protection. Evening care removes make-up and daily impurities, then replenishes moisture.
The routine below is a complete hydration-focused starting point. Once it feels comfortable and manageable, use the later sections to select a targeted treatment or luminous finishing step.
Morning: hydrate, moisturise and protect
- Cleanse gently. Use a cleanser that leaves skin comfortable. For 111SKIN Cleansing Oil, apply 2 to 3 pumps with dry hands to dry skin, massage for 30 seconds, rinse with warm water and pat dry. The oil emulsifies to remove make-up and impurities while leaving skin softer.
- Apply a hydrating serum. Smooth 1 to 2 pumps of Repair Serum NAC Y²™ over the face and neck. Its cooling, velvety texture delivers hydration and helps skin look smoother and plumper, while addressing visible redness and early signs of ageing.
- Follow with moisturiser. Apply a pea-sized amount of Repair Day Cream NAC Y²™ to the face, neck and décolletage after serum. Its nourishing hydration and skin-barrier support make it a useful foundation for a supple-looking complexion.
- Apply sunscreen. Apply Repair Sunscreen SPF50+ generously and evenly after moisturiser, 15 to 20 minutes before sun exposure. Follow its exposure and reapplication instructions.
Repair Serum NAC Y²™ features NAC Y²™, Pink Rock Rose Extract and Centella Asiatica. It is a particularly relevant choice when your idea of a glow up includes less visible redness and a smoother, more rested-looking complexion, rather than shimmer alone. It received Tatler's Best Serum for Repair at the Beauty Awards 2025.
Sunscreen matters just as much as the more immediately noticeable hydration steps. UV exposure contributes to uneven pigmentation and visible ageing, so daily protection helps support your longer-term goals. Include shade and protective clothing when spending time outdoors.
Evening: cleanse and replenish
- Remove make-up and impurities. Use Cleansing Oil with the same dry-hands, dry-skin method above. It can be used alone or as the first step in a double cleanse.
- Apply your serum. Use 1 to 2 pumps of Repair Serum NAC Y²™ over the face and neck after cleansing.
- Finish with evening moisturiser. Apply a pea-sized amount of Repair Night Cream NAC Y²™ to the face, neck and décolletage after serum. This replenishing evening moisturiser completes the routine.
Double cleansing is useful when your make-up or sunscreen needs more thorough removal, but the aim is clean, comfortable skin. Repeated washing and hot water can leave skin feeling tight, which works against a supple finish. Use warm water and gentle movements instead of trying to achieve a squeaky-clean sensation.
The distinction between day and night care is practical: morning skincare needs to sit comfortably beneath sunscreen and make-up, while evening care can centre on replenishment. Neither routine needs a long series of layers to be effective.
Make the routine easy to repeat
Keep your daily products together and follow the same sequence. This makes it easier to notice whether a new addition improves your skin or simply makes the routine more complicated.
Use the directed amounts before deciding that you need another layer. More serum or cream does not automatically create more radiance, and an excessive amount can make products harder to spread or sit less comfortably under make-up.
Your completion cue is skin that feels comfortable and evenly cared for, without vigorous rubbing. If your routine repeatedly leaves skin stinging or tight, review the products and frequency instead of adding another treatment to compensate.
Choose targeted care for your main concern
Once hydration and sun protection are established, a targeted treatment can address the reason your complexion still looks dull. Dark spots and uneven texture are different concerns, so the most useful addition depends on what you can actually see and feel.
Introduce one new treatment at a time. This gives you a clearer understanding of its effect and how your skin responds.
For dark spots and uneven tone
Dark Spot Correcting Serum targets visible dark spots and uneven tone. Its formula includes 2% Tranexamic Acid, 5% seven Swiss Alpine plant extracts and 1% Gluconolactone.
This is a relevant choice when skin already feels reasonably hydrated but areas of pigmentation interrupt an even-looking complexion. It gives the serum step a specific tone-focused purpose, instead of relying on hydration alone to improve every aspect of radiance.
111SKIN reports a 36% reduction in hyperpigmentation after 56 days in a clinical trial of 32 participants.
Apply 1 to 2 pumps evenly to the face and neck after cleansing, morning or evening, then follow with moisturising care. You can select it as your serum step when pigmentation is your main priority. Keep daytime SPF consistent, including when you use the serum only in the evening.
Judge progress by the appearance of the areas you want to address, not by whether your skin looks especially glossy immediately after application. A dewy finish and a more even-looking tone are different results.
For visible lines and uneven texture
Black Diamond Retinol Oil is an evening facial treatment for visible lines, uneven tone and texture. It contains a combined 2.5% blend of Retinol and Granactive Retinoid in an oil base.
Its role in a glow-up routine is to address these longer-term surface concerns. It is not an instant highlighter, and increasing the frequency too quickly is not a shortcut to smoother-looking skin.
Apply 2 to 3 drops in the evening, avoiding the eyes and lips. Start with 1 to 2 evenings weekly for the first 2 to 3 weeks, then increase gradually as tolerated. Follow with serum and moisturiser, including during this introductory period, and use SPF the next morning.
For the hydration routine above, that means applying the oil after cleansing, followed by Repair Serum NAC Y²™ and Repair Night Cream NAC Y²™. Its treatment directions take precedence over the familiar idea that every facial oil goes last.
Do not use retinoid-containing products during pregnancy. If breastfeeding, ask your doctor before use. Stop using the product if irritation occurs; persistent irritation warrants professional advice.
Does every glow-up routine need exfoliation?
No. Skin that is dull because it lacks moisture may benefit more from consistent hydration than from another exfoliating step. Scrubbing dry patches or repeatedly using strong treatments can leave skin uncomfortable and make its surface look less even.
Exfoliation and retinoids also have product-specific directions, so a generic weekly calendar is not the right starting point for every formula. If you introduce an exfoliant, follow its own application, frequency and combination guidance.
You do not need to pursue every route to radiance simultaneously. Choose a treatment that answers a clear concern, then allow your routine to remain stable enough to assess it.
Add immediate radiance when you want it
Longer-term care and an immediate glow can complement one another. A finishing product is useful when your skin feels comfortable but you would like more luminosity before work, an event or make-up application.
These additions serve different moments. A booster adjusts your morning finish, a mist refreshes completed skincare, and a removable mask provides a dedicated treatment before leave-on products.
A luminous morning finish
Rose Gold Radiance Booster delivers immediate luminosity with a subtle shimmer, alongside hydration. It features Aloe-Moss Extract, Damascus Rose and Hyaluronic Acid.
In the morning, shake the bottle and mix 1 to 2 drops with your moisturiser for all-over radiance. In the principal routine, this means mixing it with Repair Day Cream NAC Y²™ at the moisturising step, then applying sunscreen separately afterwards.
This is a good choice when you want visible light reflection as well as skincare hydration. The shimmer creates a different finish from a product whose benefit is simply a plumper, smoother-looking surface. Do not mix the booster into sunscreen.
Hydration and glow throughout the day
All Day Radiance Face Mist adds hydration and radiance with a refreshed, glowing finish. Rose water, humectants including Glycerin and Hyaluronic Acid, and a multi-peptide blend make it relevant when skin feels dry or your complexion needs refreshing.
Use it after your completed routine, over make-up or for a daytime refresh. Hold it 8 to 10 inches from your face, close your eyes and spray 2 to 3 times, avoiding direct eye contact.
Its convenience is the advantage: you can refresh your finish without cleansing again or rebuilding your skincare layers. Keep it at the finishing stage, rather than inserting it between serum and moisturiser, and continue sunscreen reapplication as directed.
A mask before an occasion
Rose Gold Brightening Facial Treatment Mask is a hydrogel mask for a hydrated, plumper and radiant finish. Featuring Damask Rose and Gold, it is a useful pre-event choice when your main goal is luminosity and a supple-looking surface. It was included in WWD Beauty Inc's 100 Greatest Skin Care Products of All Time in 2024.
Apply it to clean, dry skin after cleansing, morning or evening. Wear it for 20 minutes, remove it, then continue with your leave-on skincare. In a morning routine, complete your moisturising and sun-protection steps afterwards.
Reserve enough time for the full application instead of leaving the mask on overnight. A removable facial mask has a different method from an overnight treatment, even when both are used to enhance the appearance of skin.
Personalise the routine without losing its structure
The same basic order can work across different skin needs, but the emphasis should change. How your skin feels after cleansing and later in the day is more useful than choosing products solely because a routine is labelled "glowy".
Explore the 111SKIN skincare quiz for a personalised routine.
If skin is dry or dehydrated
Dry-feeling skin benefits from a routine that combines water-binding hydration with nourishing moisturising care. Keep the serum and cream steps consistent, and pay attention to areas where make-up catches or skin feels tight.
Avoid treating every dry patch as a signal to exfoliate. If your skin feels uncomfortable after washing, begin by reviewing water temperature and cleansing habits. A gentler approach may be more useful than a stronger treatment.
A daytime mist can refresh dry-feeling skin, while your morning and evening moisturisers remain the foundation of the routine. This separates convenient top-ups from the care that anchors your day.
If skin is oily or combination
Oiliness does not rule out dehydration. Skin can look shiny across the centre of the face while feeling tight or showing dry patches elsewhere.
Look for comfortable hydration and an even finish rather than trying to remove every trace of oil. Use measured amounts and avoid compensating for shine with repeated cleansing. If you prefer less all-over luminosity, you can leave the shimmer booster out while maintaining the same hydrating routine.
Persistent breakouts need their own considered approach. If acne is your principal concern, seek tailored advice instead of continually adding glow-focused products.
If skin is sensitive or easily unsettled
Keep changes gradual and observe how your skin feels as well as how it looks. A new serum, mask and treatment introduced on the same day make it difficult to identify the cause of any reaction.
Prioritise a comfortable baseline before experimenting with active treatments. Persistent burning, peeling or redness is a reason to stop the product causing irritation and seek professional advice if it does not settle.
A successful routine leaves skin comfortable between applications. Persistent tightness or stinging is a reason to reassess, not a sign that your glow is developing faster.
How to assess your progress realistically
Some changes are visible sooner than others. A radiance booster gives an immediate luminous finish, while hydrating care can make skin look fresher and more supple. Visible dark spots, lines and texture require a longer view.
Check progress in similar lighting, ideally without make-up. Dramatically different photographs can make ordinary changes in light reflection look like changes in pigmentation or texture. An occasional comparison is more informative than examining your face repeatedly throughout the day.
Look for practical improvements:
- Skin feels comfortable after cleansing and between applications.
- Make-up sits more evenly over previously dry areas.
- The surface looks smoother and more supple.
- Your chosen concern gradually becomes less noticeable.
Avoid changing the entire routine after a single dull-looking morning. Weather, indoor heating and everyday fluctuations can affect how skin looks and feels. Consistency gives you a better basis for deciding what genuinely needs adjusting.
Adequate sleep, a varied diet and normal hydration support general wellbeing, but they do not replace topical moisturising care or sunscreen. There is no need for a restrictive "glow" diet or excessive water intake to make a sensible skincare routine worthwhile.
Conclusion
The most useful skincare routine for a glow up combines daily hydration, moisturising care and sun protection with a treatment chosen for your main concern. Start with comfortable cleansing, Repair Serum NAC Y²™, the appropriate day or night cream, and morning SPF.
Then refine with purpose: Dark Spot Correcting Serum for uneven tone, gradually introduced Black Diamond Retinol Oil for visible lines and texture, or a radiance booster, mist or mask for a more immediate luminous finish. The goal is skin that looks smoother, more supple and radiant while continuing to feel comfortable.
As with any skincare product, patch test before first use. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before using any skincare products.
FAQ
How long does a skincare glow up take?
Immediate radiance and longer-term improvements follow different timelines. Hydrating products and luminous finishing formulas can refresh your appearance quickly, while dark spots and uneven texture require consistent care over time. Avoid setting one deadline for every concern.
What are the essential products in a beginner glow-up routine?
Start with a gentle cleanser, moisturiser and daytime sunscreen. A hydrating serum is a useful next step when your skin feels tight or looks dehydrated. Add targeted treatment once the basic routine feels comfortable and easy to maintain.
Can I make my skin glow overnight?
Evening cleansing and moisturising care can leave skin looking fresher and more supple by morning, but they will not erase dark spots or established lines overnight. For an occasion, a hydrating mask or morning radiance booster can enhance your finish. Avoid trying several unfamiliar treatments the night before.
Do I need retinol to achieve glowing skin?
No, hydration, moisturising care and sun protection can create a more radiant-looking complexion without retinol. A retinoid becomes relevant when visible lines, uneven tone or texture are priorities. Introduce it gradually according to its directions, and do not use retinoid-containing products during pregnancy.
