Feeling a little dull in your complexion? Apoterra is here to help with a natural skin brightening routine! Achieve radiant and glowing skin with our carefully curated 4-step skin natural brightening routine designed for all skin types. 

What you will find in this blog:

• What is Skin Brightening?
• Natural Brightening Ingredients
• 4 Step Natural Skin Brightening Routine
• Skin Safe Practices

But first…what exactly is skin brightening?

Skin brightening is a huge part of the beauty and skincare industry because it’s a phrase often used to describe healthy, glowing skin. What’s the opposite of bright? Dull—which is not the best term to describe healthy skin! What we aim to achieve with Apoterra’s natural skin brightening routine is a healthy skin state to reflect your natural glow! 

When sharing our natural skin brightening routine, we aim to support the skin’s natural functions of homeostasis. To us, skin brightening does not equal skin lightening (as in through skin lightening agents such as aggressive peels, lasers, and aggressive active ingredients). Apoterra does not have skin lightening solutions in any of our products—we want to support your natural beauty. Instead, Apoterra uses skin supportive ingredients that help aid your skin’s ability to glow.

Natural Brightening Ingredients

These skin supportive ingredients include:

• Hydrating ingredients to help plump the skin and support its functions
• Skin soothing ingredients to reduce signs of inflammation on the skin
• Regenerative ingredients to help support the skin during stressful periods
• Gentle exfoliating ingredients to polish away dull, dead skin cells
• Antioxidant-rich ingredients to support skin functions while combating oxidative stress

Expertly chosen to address a variety of skin concerns, the natural ingredients found in our skincare routine can help lessen the appearance of skin concerns like hyperpigmentation and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH) while brightening up dull skin states, such as dehydrated skin. 

Apoterra's natural skin brightening ingredients include:

• Antioxidant-rich ingredients such as Vitamin C (including Sodium Ascorbyl Palmitate/SAP and Ascorbyl Palmitate), CoQ10, and Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide)
• Natural sources of AHA’s and enzymes such as pumpkin, hibiscus, and sugar extract
• Skin soothing botanical and plant extracts such as immortelle, green tea, and black cumin seed oil
• Regenerative ingredients such as sea berry fruit extract, wild carrot seed oil, and pomegranate seed oil. 
• Hydrating ingredients such as hydrosols, cupuaçu butter, and meadowfoam seed oil. 
• And so many more natural skin brightening ingredients to help you achieve a healthy glow!

APOTERRA'S 4 STEP NATURAL SKIN BRIGHTENING ROUTINE

Get your glow on with this powerful and naturally derived brightening skincare routine! Discover the power of these four transformative steps that will leave your complexion looking luminous and revitalized.

Step 1: Double cleanse for soft, clear, and bright skin with this Double Cleanse Kit

Begin with our nutrient-rich Vetiver oil-to-milk cleanser to effortlessly remove makeup, SPF, and buildup. Massage onto dry skin, add water, and rinse clean with our hemp & organic cotton face cloth. This cleansing oil is a wonderful emollient, which helps improve skin hydration. Along with many skin supportive ingredients, the vetiver illuminating oil cleanser includes meadowfoam seed oil, which a 2018 study found to contain two compounds that help protect the skin from UVB, helping prevent sun damage and preventing collagen breakdown. This oil cleanser is also formulated with black cumin seed and tamanu oils for their antibacterial and brightening properties. A great start to your skin brightening routine! 

Then, experience our triple threat Pumpkin + Wild Carrot Complexion Soap that brightens, exfoliates, and protects with phytonutrients. Loaded with nourishing elements derived from organic whole pumpkin pulp, pumpkin seed oil, and wild carrot seed oil, this complexion soap stands out for its exceptional natural skin brightening properties. This remarkable triple-threat brightening formula not only gently exfoliates and promotes lymph flow for that unbeatable skin glow, but also safeguards against skin damage and uneven complexion with the help of potent phytonutrients. 

With its rich lather, this cleansing soap thoroughly purifies without causing excessive dryness. Begin your nourishing skincare routine with this ideal cleanser—specially designed for dull, aging, breakout-prone, and combination skin.

PRO TIP: You may not need to double cleanse everyday, but it is recommended to help remove makeup, SPF, or other heavy products from the day. When in doubt, double cleansing is best recommended for your evening routine. 

Step 2: Refresh and hydrate your skin with Biome Friendly Neroli Clarifying Complexion Mist

After your double cleanse, generously mist the skin with the Neroli Clarifying Complexion Mist.

Packed with the delicate scent of neroli, this invigorating mist helps to balance the pH levels in your skin while providing a burst of hydration. Its soothing properties calm and rejuvenate your complexion, promoting a brighter and more radiant appearance.

Loaded with a Vitamin C (SAP) and Niacinamide, this formula is an antioxidant powerhouse to help support your skin’s barrier, provide clarifying results, and give you a brighter complexion! Read more about the synergistic benefits of these actives here. 

In addition to being packed with antioxidants, its soothing green tea, aloe vera, and immortelle hydrosol work in tandem to help hydrate and soothe your skin. A perfect complement to antioxidants to help brighten your complexion, no matter what skin concerns you may have. Plus, did you know the Neroli Mist received an official certification (from Kind to Biome) as skin microbiome friendly? 

Generously mist the skin after your double cleanse (or use it for a quick skin cleansing refresh, as demonstrated here by one of our Apoterra Partners).

Step 3: Complete your brightening routine with our Vitamin C Regenerative Balm

Infused with potent antioxidants, this nourishing balm helps to even out skin tone, reduce the appearance of dark spots, and enhance the natural radiance of your skin. Its lightweight texture absorbs quickly, leaving your skin feeling supple and hydrated.

Apply immediately after misting your skin to help lock in all the hydrating and skin soothing benefits of the Neroli Mist. Its cupuaçu butter, sea buckthorn berry, and pomegranate oil can help support both the moisture and hydration levels in your skin. (Read more about why you need both hydration and moisture here!) 

This incredible balm also leverages CoQ10 and Vitamin C for skin regeneration, and for another boost of antioxidants that bring maximum glow! 

Psst! Check out our Apoterra Brightening Duo here to bundle & save!

Feel like a balm might be too heavy for your skin? Try our Sea Berry Balancing Facial Oil instead. 

STEP 4: WEEKLY Experience the purifying benefits of our Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud

When we think of brightening routine, we can’t forget about the importance of weekly exfoliating upkeep.

Luckily, this transformative 2-in-1 face scrub and exfoliating mask provides an effective way to exfoliate for a variety of skin types. Its synergistic blend of natural acids and enzymes—including honey, hibiscus, and sugar extract—gently renews dull skin, revealing a radiant complexion. This mask is also a perfect decongesting mask for clogged pores, as well as addressing signs of hyperpigmentation and loss of elasticity.

PRO TIP: Combine 1 Tablespoon of the Apoterra Hibiscus Exfoliating Mud with a teaspoon of the Vitamin C Regenerative Balm for a hydrating and brightening mask!  

Skin Safe Practices

SPF

While we don’t currently have an SPF in our Apoterra skincare line, it’s important to support the skin by protecting it from skin damaging UV rays. We suggest adding in a mineral based SPF after your final step to support and protect your skin. Read more about sun protection and sun care practices here!

When to See A Dermatologist

The conversation around skin brightening often includes hyperpigmentation. While natural skincare can help improve some types of hyperpigmentation, other pigment changes are not something that you want to ignore—so make sure to check in with a dermatologist if you are experiencing a dark spot that has changed in color, shape, size, and sensation. They will be able to help you navigate any potential abnormalities and keep you and your skin safe.

Final Thoughts

The Apoterra solution for brightening the skin means illuminating its natural glow. Natural brightening is part hydration, part nutrient delivery, and definitely a result of a healthy lifestyle and mindset. Confidence and self-acceptance can be just as crucial to the brightness of your complexion as having a whole plant-based skincare regimen!

Just remember that your skin is working really hard for you. The best thing you can do for it on your healing journey is to learn to treat your skin with kindness and love, regardless of the skin goals that you have.

Thank you for reading! We hope that you learned some new skin brightening practices to enhance the health of your skin, as well as your mindset towards a naturally glowing complexion.