Why ‘Glass Skin’ Isn’t Always What You Think: Jordan Samuel Explains

Main image – Nabitang/Stocksy

Jordan Samuel Pacitti is an aesthetician, skincare founder and regular Live That Glow columnist. He is a go-to source of beauty advice for skincare fans across the world. Here, he advises a reader on whether ‘glass skin’ is actually universally achievable.

I feel like whatever I do with my skincare I can never get dewy or ‘glass’ skin like I see influencers with.  Are some people just not able to have glowing skin or am I doing something wrong?

Jordan says:

I want to start by saying that everyone can get a healthy, pretty and glowing skin. However, similar to hair styles, no two healthy skins will look exactly alike.

Also, it’s important to remember we are all going to climb to the top of that hill via different routes. For instance, you could have a dull skin from a compromised barrier. Maybe you have over-exfoliated, scrubbed too hard, gone too strong and/or too fast with retinoids, and instead of a glow, your skin is dull and dry.

When this is the case, your skin isn’t able to hold onto as much water and the compromised barrier doesn’t present a smooth base.

On the flip side, the reason you don’t have that desirable smooth base can also be due to the fact that you aren’t using the proper actives for your skin. Maybe you need to exfoliate with an acid a bit more regularly, or maybe you need to up your retinoid game—always starting low and slow while making sure you are consistent.

Since these two suggestions are on the opposite ends of the spectrum, I always recommend seeing an aesthetician, especially if you feel that you are in a bad cycle and keep trying everything under the sun to no avail. A professional can use their training and expertise to examine your skin and uncover the root causes contributing to your complexion concerns.

From there, they can stop the endless cycle of products that aren’t meant for your skin, and optimise your home regimen to help you get on a straight and narrow path.

And while all of this will help you get pretty, healthy and glowing skin, remember not to believe everything you see online. Between filters, lighting and no-makeup makeup everything is not what it seems.

Jordan Samuel Pacitti