[By Sonia Coulis]

Summer is here, and it’s time to shine. We’re talking about nice, glowing skin, not just a sweaty sheen. Characterized by the trio of small pores, even skin tone and blemish-free complexion, glowing skin looks moist and soft, not dull, dry or flaky. Although not all skins are made equal and there are no beauty products that suit everyone, there are however rules that apply no matter what your skin type. Here are 5 insider’s secrets to help realize your skin’s innate potential whatever your skin type may be, keeping your complexion radiant to look your absolute best and #glowfacefrom 16 to 60.

Sweets are not your skin’s best friend

You’re what you eat and the state of your complexion is reflective on how ‘clean’ your diet is. Refined sugars are the worst culprits standing in your way to healthy, glowing skin this summer. Aim to replace sugary sweets and snacks with nutrient-dense foods like fruit, vegetables and healthy sources of Omega-3. According to Dr. Toby Hui, senior medical consultant with the SW1 Clinic (formerly from The Sloane Clinic), unbeknown to even health fanatics, protein bars are one of the biggest beauty offenders.

“Protein bars are essentially candy bars dressed and marketed as a healthy option.” Warns Dr. Toby. “The sugar rush will lead to an insulin spike, aggravating acne, wrinkles and even skin allergies. A much healthier option will be a handful of almonds or a piece of whole fruit such as a banana or medium sized apple. You’ll be eating a whole lot better for your skin, and you’ll feel more satisfied and charged with energy.”

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Make exfoliation your BFF

If you aren’t already a devotee to this beauty mantra, it’s about time to make it so!Exfoliation, which is really just a fancy word for a good, thorough scrub, is one of the surest and easiest ways to make your face glow and fair right in the comfort of your home, laying the ground works for summer skin perfection. Exfoliating your skin regularly helps remove dry skin cells that may be clogging up your pores and help make their openings appear a little more shallow compared to those coated with a layer of girt, allowing makeup to glide on better, stay longer and presented to their best effects for the much desired summer glow. From the premium line of doctor-inspired, medical grade CHAI skincare products available online from the SW1 Shop, the CHAI GOLD FLAKES Illuminating Facial Scrub is a unique exfoliator bursting with powerful antioxidants from champagne and pearl extracts, working in overdrive against free radicals and air pollutants ravaging your skin. This vitaminized facial scrub gently exfoliates to buff away dry skin flakes while infusing vitamins A, C and E to condition the skin and keep it well nourished. Regular use helps to minimize pore size, reduce the appearance of fine lines, refine texture and reduce oil control all at one go, helping to keep your complexion positively radiant with an unbeatable glow!

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Enhance your natural glow with makeup 

One of the quickest ways to make your skin glow is by finishing your look with a luminescent highlighter or a hydrating setting spray. Swipe on a powder, cream or liquid highlighter to give your skin an instant glow. Set your makeup with a hydrating setting spray to keep your makeup from melting off, while increasing your skin’s glow. Look for product descriptors like cooling, dewy or luminous. While makeup won’t necessarily improve the health of your skin, these products can give your complexion an extra boost to present it at its very best.

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Go beyond the basic

Basic, for lack of a better word, is just basic.If you’re a cleanse, tone and moisturise kind of girl, perhaps it’s time to spruce up your basic beauty regime this summer if you’re looking for results that are anything but mediocre. A great way to start is to look into the different types of chemical face peel out there, picking one that caters to your beauty needs . By removing the damaged outer layers of your skin with the application of fruit acids, chemical peeling allows the healthier skin cells beneath to come through, improving its texture and allowing your skin to glow with absolute radiance.

A gentle albeit effective way to impart upon lackluster skins the desirable glow of a summer beach babe, the Glamour Peel specially concocted and available exclusively at the SW1 Spa is an understated treatment that lives up to its namesake. Using not one, but a combination of three different types of pharmaceutical grade fruit acids that have been carefully selected to deliver a quick all-round complexion improvement, it effectively rid the skin of dead skin cells while replenishing essential antioxidants for a thorough perk-me-up. Addressing six key skin concerns with skin brightening, spot fading, line smoothening, pore reduction, sebum balance and hydration boost under its belt, the Glamour Peel serves as an excellent primer for a fresh face of makeup, be it day-time bare minimum or night-time full on glam , you’ll definitely make heads turn for all the right reasons.

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Brighten with photo-facial

An IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatment or photo-facial is the no-fail go-to aesthetic treatment for glow and radiance, as light of varying wavelengths penetrate deep into the skin to stimulate cellular activity while reducing hyper-pigmentation on the skin’s surface. SW1’s Full Bloom Program incorporates a patented IPL technology that is not only zero-pain, but is also ultra effective. The IPL treatment boasts multiple benefits with some improvement seen instantly after the first session, culminating over consecutive sessions done at regular interval to boost cellular metabolism, increase collagen production and promote skin regeneration for unparallel luminosity.Paired with Aqua.dermabrasion, an improved and highly efficacious exfoliating experience to gently remove the epidermal layer and promote a thicker healthier dermis while smoothing and refreshing the skin, it is rounded up with Oxy Shot Intensive whereby highly concentrated oxygen molecules are delivered directly to the epidermis to complete the whole skin detox and glow revival experience.

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