My Skin Looks So Dull: Why?

by: Linda Robison

Q: My complexion looks dull even though I exfoliate and moisturizer regularly. How can I get my glow back?

A: You've tried everything from exfoliation to chemical peels, and even laser treatments, but your face still looks dull. Here is a solution that can help.

In this article, we'll cover:

  • Why your complexion still looks dull
  • What you can do to improve it
  • Two at-home fixes you can try right now
why is my skin so dull

For years, I used a variety of dull skin remedies and was happy with my results. But as I got older, those remedies and fixes didn't work as well.

Something didn't look right. No matter what I tried, my face lacked that youthful shine, it had no “gleam”.

Definition of Gleam: shine brightly, especially with reflected light.

So what was missing? Facial Muscle Tone.

In the before picture below, my complexion looked gray and dull, even though I moisturized and exfoliated regularly. I used all the popular remedies, like homemade scrubs, microdermabrasion, and lactic acid peels.

Dull skin: Before and After

me-fuller-cheeks-comparison2012-2021-3.jpgDull Skin: Before and After Facial Exercises.

But a few months of doing facial exercises, the underlying muscles firmed up, allowing the skin to reflect light more evenly, giving my face a smooth shine. Now my dull skin remedies give the results I'm looking for.

Note: Even though I'm about 10 years older in the after picture, my complexion looks better and has improved tone and texture.

My skin looks so dull: Could it be a lack of muscle tone?

Why does my complexion still look dull, flat or lacks shine? 

While regular exfoliation, deep hydration, and general good care is important in keeping the complexion looking fresh and rejuvenated, after a certain age, it may not enough.

There are all plenty of remedies and procedures to expose fresh smooth skin, but the results can have that “waxy, too smooth finish”, especially if your skin is slightly sagging.

After a certain age, the underlying muscle tone also plays an essential part in giving your skin a smoother look.

In other words: You can see the sagging facial structure behind good-looking skin. 

However, adding a simple facial exercise program to your beauty routine can enhance your complexion and firm and lift your face (especially the mid-face area) that imparts a more youthful look.

How exercises can rejuvenate dull skin naturally

facial-anatomy

The majority of our facial muscles are connected to the skin, which is what allows us to make facial expressions. 

So when you smile or frown, for example, your facial skin goes along with the muscle.

With age, our face muscles atrophy or shrink in size. When this happens, the skin (has less volume to hold on to) starts to sag and takes on a dull/flat appearance.

Build-Up Facial Muscles for Better Looking Complexion

Build-up underlying muscle fibers, making them larger and firmer, and the overlying skin will go along with it looking fuller, lifted, and plumper.

This also allows more light to reflect off the face, which is what gives your complexion a radiant gleam.

A good analogy, is to compare this concept with a properly inflated balloon. When a balloon is fully inflated, it looks plump, bright, and shiny.

Dull skin vs bright skin is compared to an inflated balloon.

But, when a balloon it's even slightly deflated, it looks crepey, saggy, wrinkly and dull. 

But, that's not all. Facial exercises can help rejuvenate dull skin in several ways, including:

Enlarged Muscle Fibers for Better Light Reflection:

With regular facial exercises, you build and enlarge muscle fibers, which lifts facial contours, taking the skin with it. Over the course of a few months, you'll notice firmer, smoother skin.

This allows for better light reflection across the skin, which gives your complexion a healthy shine. 

Restore Natural Moisture and Hydration:

Face exercising and massaging helps balance and redistribute sebum, a waxy, oily substance produced in your pores.

Sebum is mother nature's natural moisturizer. It is essential to keep your complexion moist and hydrated. 

Healthier Complexion and Color:

People often ask: Why is my face color so dull? Poor circulation is a common issue for a dull colored complexion.

Increased blood flow from facial exercises and massage helps bring a beautiful glow and color to your cheeks. The increased blood flow also brings nutrient rich oxygen for healthier skin.

Naturally Improve texture:

Exercises help pump fluid into the subcutaneous layer of the skin, firming up the area around the contracted muscles. This helps improve the look of crepey, papery thin skin.

Long Term Benefits:

Exercise also helps rejuvenate connective tissue so that collagen and elastin are continuously produced, even as we age. This helps your complexion age slower and look better as we get older.

Which exercise for glowing skin?

face exercise to help with dull skin

Almost any facial exercise can help improve your complexion, just as long as they incorporate two things:

1. Massage: Massaging the face gets blood and oxygen flowing and helps redistribute your natural facial oils.

2. Build Muscle: Any face exercise program that causes you to contract your facial muscles and apply pressure, helps grow muscle fibers, which gives your face and overall complexion a nice firming lift. 

The sample workout in the video below is a perfect example of a program that massages your complexion while building up muscle fibers in the cheeks and sides of the face.

Interested in trying more FREE samples? Visit CFF by clicking here…

Does face massage make skin glow?

Yes, a face massage can help improve a dull complexion too. Try this quick morning massage after you wash your face or when applying a moisturizer. 

Video courtesy of Carolyn's Facial Fitness.

Finally ...

If the most common fixes for dull skin like (exfoliation, peels, or laser treatments) are not providing the results you'd like to see, consider adding facial exercises to help improve muscle tone to your beauty routine. 

Give it a few months and see if you don't notice an improved glow and plumpness in your face, especially around the mid-face/cheek area.

 FAQ's: My Skin Looks So Dull

If you have any questions, please free to ask here. Or review the Q&A section below:

Q: Can face yoga really work?

A: Any face exercise that helps strengthen weak face muscles and increase blood flow to the face can result in smoother, brighter skin. Personally, the face yoga workouts I tried didn't offer enough muscle resistance to strengthen or muscle fibers. I would search for a program that helps increase size of muscle fibers and massage the skin too. I use the CFF program. You can read more about it here and see my progress over the years ...

Q: What exercises make your face look younger?

A: While you'll see benefits from most face exercises, for a balanced, elegant look, you should follow a program that works all 57 muscles of the face and neck. Overtraining, or spot training, can result in an unbalanced or strange look. Check out the sample exercises steps here at this page...



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