Best Products for Glowing Skin — No Highlighter Required

Gorgeous, glowing skin is synonymous with summer — and we’re talking about the au naturel kind. It’s time to put down your makeup and step up your skin care routine to allow your best skin to shine through and luckily, there is a bevy of brightening products to help you achieve this. The key to a radiant complexion starts by keeping dead skin cells at bay via an exfoliation method of your choice. Once you’ve set in place a diligent exfoliation routine, it’s time to hydrate, brighten and plump skin with powerful ingredients like AHAs, retinoids and, our favorite, vitamin C. Lit-from-within, glowing skin right this way — no highlighter necessary.

[ Next: 10 Ways to Revamp Your Skin Care Routine for Summer ]

TK Game-Changing Solutions for Achieving Your Glowiest Skin

TK Game-Changing Solutions for Achieving Your Glowiest Skin #1

Lit-from-within, glowing skin right this way — no highlighter necessary.

Image: Imaxtree
Dermalogica

If you're starting with the basics, look no further than this editor-favorite exfoliator. The rice-based formula polishes skin gently to remove impurities from clogged pores and dead skin cells without irritation and once it activates with water, ingredients like salicylic acid and papain are released to maximize exfoliation.

Daily Microfoliant, $55 at Ulta
Drunk Elephant

For a heavy-duty exfoliation, a weekly chemical treatment is the way to go. With a powerful blend of 25 percent AHA and 2 percent BHA, consider this a facial in a bottle. After 20 minutes, skin's texture and tone are dramatically enhanced — we're talking refined pores, minimized wrinkles and yes, baby-soft skin.

T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial, $80 at Sephora
Dr. Dennis Gross

When it comes to daily chemical exfoliation, we swear by Dr. Dennis Gross' famed two-step pads. The first pre-soaked pad is packed with five exfoliation acids that are safe for everyday use and the second pad balances the AHAs, nourishes and delivers anti-aging benefits.

Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel, $16 for a pack of 5 at Sephora
Kate Somerville

If you're not in the market for a prescription retinoid — a holy grail skin care product in our book — a potent retinol can do the trick. This formula is made with retinol and natural bio-retinols to assist with skin turnover, which leads to refined texture and minimized signs of aging. It's also made with a blend of hyaluronic acids and botanical extracts to smooth, hydrate and plump skin, too.

DermalQuench Liquid Lift + Retinol Advanced Resurfacing Treatment, $98 at Sephora
SkinCeuticals

Known for halting pigment production and fighting free radicals, vitamin C is a rock star in the world of brightening products. Our top pick boasts 15 percent L-ascorbic acid, 1 percent vitamin E and 0.5 percent ferulic acid. Together, they have antioxidant benefits, improve signs of aging and fine lines and address the loss of firmness, all while brightening your complexion. Now that's a winning trifecta.

C E Ferulic, $165 at SkinCeuticals
Glossier

For a skin-refreshing booster you can use twice a day and pair with just about anything else in your skin care regimen, Glossier's Super Glow serum is a must. The lightweight formula is blended with magnesium PCA to stimulate the metabolism of tired cells (read: tired skin) and can be layered with your favorite moisturizer to provide those gorgeous, brightening benefits.

Super Glow, $28 at Glossier
Sunday Riley

Lock in your skin care routine with a rich, hydrating moisturizer like this one. This cream is made with lime pearl extract, a natural source of exfoliating AHA and 5 percent of the oxygen-stable vitamin C ingredient, tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate (THD ascorbate). This type of vitamin C is ideal for those with sensitive skin as THD ascorbate is less irritating than other forms of vitamin C.

C.E.O. C + E antiOXIDANT Protect + Repair Moisturizer, $65 at Sephora