Don’t we all just dream of achieving that radiant, baby soft, dewy skin? While our ultimate skincare fantasy might seem almost impossible to achieve without a sneaky filter or photoshop, the first step ahead is to target uneven skin texture. We may feel it is only natural to have textured skin, however there are several ways to achieve flawless looking skin.  

What is textured skin? How is it caused?

With all the buzz built around uneven skin tone, it's easy to forget about uneven skin texture. Even though it is just as common as uneven skin tone, not much is said about resolving this skin epiphany (though it has been here all along)!

It is quite easy to confuse congested skin with uneven skin texture! And while the two may show similar traits, congested skin can be identified by its rough and bumpy feel that can further develop into blackheads, whiteheads or even acne. To know more about congested skin, check out our article here. 

Now you must be wondering, if uneven skin texture is not the same as uneven skin tone, congested skin, or acne, what exactly is textured skin? Just as congested skin, textured skin has rough, and bumpy surfaces that make the skin look dull and lifeless,  mainly caused by an uneven buildup of dead skin cells, large, open pores and skin conditions such as eczema or excessive dryness and ageing. Read on to know more about the several other reasons that lead to uneven texture:

1. Acne and scars

Exposure to dirt and pollution paired with sebum accumulation in the skin can develop into bacteria causing acne that begin to develop into small raised bumps. Inflammation and other forms of congested skin. Popping pimples may leave behind scars that take weeks or months to disappear. As the scars heal, the collagen fibers begin to repair the damage and fill the gaps, sometimes leaving shallow depressions that make the skin look textured. 

Read about PIE and PIH scars here.

2. Stress

Cortisol is the primary stress hormone that can trigger excessive oil production, clog pores and cause inflammation. This increases the chance of breakouts, loss of radiance and ability to repair tissues from wear and tear. 

Learn all about how stress affects your skin by clicking on the link here. 

3. Sun Damage

Uneven texture contributes to one of the 100 reasons to protect our skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun. Sun damage can break down the skin’s barriers and disrupt collagen and elastin components that contribute to giving the skin structure. This makes the skin sag and expands the pores downwards making them appear bigger thus leading to uneven texture.  

4. Loss of collagen due to Ageing

Collagen is a protein found in your skin that gives it structure, elasticity and hydration. Loss of Collagen can make the skin more prone to damage and lose its ability to snap back. This leads to sagging and other signs such as wrinkles and fine lines and baggy under eyes that contributes to textured skin. 

5. Dryness

When our skin becomes dry, it  is unable to naturally balance out oils and lipids to lubricate, making the skin flaky and dull.. This roughness gives the appearance of textured skin. 

Understand the difference between dry and dehydrated skin by checking out our article here. 

6. Large pores

Pores are the opening through which hair follicles bring oil to the surface of our skin to act as a natural moisturiser. Each hair follicle contains an oil gland. Large pores are a common concern for those with oily skin as when the sebaceous glands become larger they can get extremely prominent leaving you with an extremely textures appearance. When dirt, dust and sebum begins to accumulate, the pores begin to swell making them more visible. Though you can not reduce the size of large pores, you can minimise their appearance. 

Find the 3 proven ways to reduce large pores by reading our article given here. 

7. Dead skin buildup

Shedding of dead cells is a continuous process to bring newer and fresher looking skin to the surface. When the skin’s turnover slows down dead cells begin to build on the surface giving the skin a rough texture. When we sleep our body enters into recovery mode, removing all toxins and sheading off dead cells.. Lack of sleep disrupts this process for newer cell regeneration and releases stress hormones that cause inflammation which further breaks down the protein that makes our skin smooth.

How to improve textured skin?

1. Double Cleanse

This method not only helps to address the dead skin cells sitting on the surface of your skin but also remove the toxins that have penetrated deep within the pores. 

Click on our article here to learn how to pair the right cleansers together and follow the right steps to ace this ancient cleansing method for flawless skin. 

2. Exfoliate

Using a gentle exfoliator is a great way to get rid of any dirt or excess oil clogging the pores. It helps to get rid of the layer of dead cells and leaves the skin feeling rejuvenated and new. There are two main type of exfoliators such as: 

A) Chemical Exfoliators

These are acids that gently slough away dead skin cells, impurities and reveal a fresher and healthy looking skin such as the Daughter Earth AHA BHA PHA Exfoliating Cleanser perfect to use in your daily routine.

Learn more about exfoliating acids by clicking on the link here. 

B) Physical Exfoliators

On the other hand physical exfoliators rely on manual removal with natural fruit extracts or synthetic beads. It is important to use them appropriately without damaging the top most layer of skin. FOY Naturals Coffee & Spice Mix Face Scrub is ideal for those with acne prone skin containing Coffee, Cinnamon Bark and other antioxidant spices to pull out impurities.

Choose the right exfoliator for your skin type by reading our article given here. 

3. Toner

This light weight, water-based liquid is used to remove the residual makeup stuck in the pores, balance the pH and tighten pores. It also helps to prevent the formation of ingrown hair and other bumpy surfaces that form on the skin. The Conscious Chemist Porology Toner gently exfoliates and preps for an improved skin texture and prevents breakouts.

Check out our article here to learn all about the importance of a toner. 

4. Use Ingredients Such as:

A) Retinol

A form of Vitamin A, known for its collagen boosting properties that helps in regeneration of cells. It assists in unclogging pores and reducing acne scars for uninterrupted smoothness. Try the Over Dermis Skin Alphabet Vitamin A Serum that has the ability to penetrate deep into the skin to deliver protective and repairing molecules.

 

Here is everything you need to know about Retinol and why you should be using it. 

B) Vitamin C

Is an all in one antioxidant that works towards smoothing textured skin. Not only does it brighten dull skin and treat skin tone but also perfect for those struggling with large pores. It neutralises the effect of Reactive Oxygen Species from the sun that have the potential to damage cellular components that could accelerate ageing, alter DNA and collagen fibers and lead to uneven skin textures. Pulp Day After Binge Serum is a power packed formulation with 20% Vitamin C to reveal brighter, younger and more even looking skin.

Vitamin C sure does sound like a superhero from a Marvel movie but don’t take our word for it, check out this test for proof that it actually works! 

C) Hyaluronic Acid

This Acid is a naturally occurring sugar molecule that binds water to collagen. It traps moisture in the skin and prevents it from escaping. It helps to add a nice plumpness as it replenishes cells with water. This plumpness also adds a subtle dewy glow to the skin. We recommend the Deconstruct Hydrating Serum-2% Hyaluronic Acid + 1% Niacinamide to deeply hydrate without causing oiliness.

Learn all about Hyaluronic Acid through its Ingredient Deep Dive given here. 

5. Derma Rolling

Micro needling is a technique that uses a tiny roller with microscopic needles at its head on the surface of the skin to stimulate collagen production. It will help reduce acne scars by removing the top layer of skin as well as reduce the appearance of large pores. Simply rolling the House of Beauty Derma Roller 0.25mm can trigger new collagen synthesis in the skin.

Read more on the benefits of microneedling and how to use it safely by clicking on the link given here. 

6. Ice Treatment

Applying ice can help to increase collagen production and improve the overall texture of your skin. The cold can cause your blood vessels to contract and pores to tighten in turn. We recommend using the House of Beauty ICE Roller- Pink filled with water and Aloe Vera Gel to tighten pores especially before applying makeup.

7. Sleep

When we sleep our body switches to repair mode. It begins the process of cell renewal, boosts collagen and reduces stress that may lead to breakouts. This helps in achieving soft and textureless skin. 

To learn more on how getting our beauty sleep is essential for good skin, click here. 

8. Use a Primer

Primers are makeup products and a temporary fix textured. It provides the perfect base for makeup application and makes the skin look clear and more luminous. Apply the Coccoon InstaLift Wrinkle Filler with Vitamin A to achieve a smooth finish for 4 to 6 hours.

9. Protect from sun damage

The harmful UV rays of the sun break down the skin’s barrier, collagen and elastin that contributes to skin texture. Use the Dr Sheth's Oat and Zinc Mineral Sunscreen with Oat Lipids that helps bolster the skin barrier and calm inflammation.

10. Adjust your diet

Foods like Alcohol, Sugar, excess amounts of Salt and Dairy can worsen skin texture by speeding up ageing, increasing risk of acne and  trigger inflammatory response.  

Read more about how food affects our skin by checking out our article here. 

Conclusion

Improving the texture of our skin is no longer a far fetched story. Simply taking a few preventive measures and making small changes in our lifestyle can help us achieve flawless, smooth skin. 

- Howrah Lookmanji