How to Make Your Skin Smooth: 8 Easy Tips

Feeling good in your own skin can boost your confidence from the inside out. Aside from banishing pimples and staving off sun damage, many of us seek solutions for issues related to skin texture. If this is true for you, you might find yourself searching the web for an answer to how to make your skin smooth. 

A myriad of different skin conditions can result in rough or bumpy skin—but luckily, there are steps and changes you can take at home and in your lifestyle to clear the way for smoother skin. Whether it’s exfoliating away dead skin cells, hydrating from within, or sealing moisture in your pores, you’re opening the door to softer skin that radiates. 

Follow these tips to care for your skin’s surface and bid farewell to bumpy, rough skin for good.

#1 Craft a Cleansing Routine

No smooth-skin routine is complete without cleansing. Before taking any other steps, start with a clean slate by ridding your skin of any buildup of dirt, grime, and makeup. Keeping your pores clear and giving your skin room to breathe can help keep your complexion feeling smooth and beautiful

That said, since we’re aiming for smooth skin, it’s also important to cleanse with care [1]:

• Be sure not to scrub your face too harshly when cleansing, as this can lead to irritation.
• Make sure your cleanser is gentle and suitable for your skin type.
• Avoid cleansing too often to stave off dryness. Aim for twice a day (plus an additional wash if you become sweaty or dirty, such as after a workout or gardening).

Use a facial cleanser suited to your skin type and concerns to maximize skin health and achieve the best, clearest clean. Follow your cleanser with a toner that tightens pores and smooths and brightens skin before moving on to moisturizer. Better yet, skip a step and use a personalized facial cleanser formulated by PROVEN’s advanced technology that infuses ingredients to be a cleanser, toner, and exfoliant all in one. 

#2 Befriend Exfoliation

If you’re wondering how to make your skin smooth, put exfoliation at the top of your to-do list. While your skin does a daily decent job of renewing itself, it can sometimes need assistance with removing the old, dead skin cells left on the surface—and exfoliants are designed just for that purpose [2].

Whether you prefer a physical exfoliant to scrub dead skin cells away or a more gentle chemical exfoliant that dissolves dead skin, exfoliation makes room for the creation of new skin cells for a rejuvenated complexion. 

Here, too, it’s important to avoid irritation. Mild chemical exfoliation is often best for sensitive skin, allowing you to wipe away dead cells without physically scraping your skin [3]. Frequently used chemical exfoliants include [4]: 

• Lactic acid
• Beta-Hydroxy Acid (BHA)
• Alpha-Hydroxy Acid (AHA)
• Retinoids

Pair an exfoliating routine with a moisturizing step like hyaluronic acid to replenish the skin surface and seal in hydration. For a deeper exfoliative treatment, aestheticians and dermatologists offer deep chemical peels, laser resurfacing, and microdermabrasion for reinvigorating skin smoothing sessions. 

#3 Embrace Sun Protection

Warm, inviting rays of sunshine might feel fantastic, but sun damage and smooth skin can’t coexist. Always add a protective layer between your skin and the sun. UV rays can cause skin damage on a cellular level, leading to a whole host of issues from premature aging to skin cancer [5]. Limiting sun exposure to 10-30 minutes daily is one of the most important things you can do to protect your skin and minimize the risk of damage and health concerns. 

Now, we’re not saying you can never sit in the sun and have smooth skin at the same time. But you’ll want to give yourself a protective shield before you bask in those glorious sunbeams. You can guard your vulnerable dermal layer with [6]:

• UV-protective clothing
• Hats
• Sunglasses
• A daily moisturizer with SPF 

That last point is perhaps the most important. A good SPF sunscreen can help to minimize the effects of photoaging—which could otherwise result in premature wrinkles, a rough and uneven skin texture, as well as skin pigmentation changes [7]. Sunscreen is an essential skincare product with many benefits. Make sure you’re using sunscreen on all your exposed skin areas, with stronger SPF for the more delicate skin on your face and neck. 

#4 Get Your Beauty Rest

Topical products aren't the only way to get smooth and glowing skin. Part of skin care is giving your body and skin the rest it needs. Grab your velvet sleep mask and activate the soothing sound machine, because getting a restful night’s sleep could help keep your skin looking smooth and healthy. Our bodies use sleep as the time to heal and regenerate, so a full night’s slumber gives your dermal layer a boost when it comes to rejuvenating skin cells [8].

Lack of sleep can have a detrimental effect on your typically radiant complexion, as well, so extended all-nighters won’t do your skin any favors. A recent study found negative changes in skin texture after only four days of deprived sleep among the participants, as well as reduced skin hydration after just one sleepless night [9].

Another bedtime trick for smooth skin: purchase a silk pillowcase. The cool, satiny-smooth silk fabric surface helps keep your skin’s natural oils intact while you rest, so your skin stays smooth and hydrated through the night [10]. Top it all off with a hydrating night cream to keep your skin nourished throughout your rest.

#5 Master a Moisturizing Routine

A moisturizer is another essential skin care product for every skin type. But With so many products to choose from, it can be difficult to narrow down what combinations and ingredients actually work for your specific skin needs. An oil-based moisturizer might work wonders for someone with dry skin, but could clog pores and amplify skin concerns for someone with combination or oily skin–a skin type that benefits more from lighter, non-comedogenic creams. 

Moisturizers have a number of important benefits to aid with achieving smooth skin, from improving skin barrier repair and increasing the water content of its outer layer to reducing surface water loss and enhancing your skin’s integrity [11]. Aesthetically, moisturizers help to smooth the skin’s appearance by filling textured surfaces and providing a protective layer [12].

Here are some of the best ways to seal in moisture as part of your daily skincare routine:

• Use a facial cleanser that wipes away dirt and grime without stripping your face of its natural oils.
• A daily moisturizer with SPF can keep your face smooth and soft during the day while protecting you from harmful pollution and UV rays. 
• An eye cream that targets the delicate skin around your eye can help reduce dark circles, hydrate, tighten, and reduce the appearance of fine lines. 
• Use a moisturizer daily, and apply on just-washed, still-damp skin for best results. 

#6 Eat The Rainbow

Vitamins and minerals play an essential role in keeping our systems running smoothly [13]. In particular, nutrients rich in antioxidants are especially helpful when it comes to keeping your skin healthy (and therefore, smooth) by reducing inflammation, encouraging skin cell turnover, and preventing and counteracting oxidative stress. Whole grains, leafy greens, and good fats can all help to keep your body and skin in good working order. 

Whether you source them from a rainbow of fruits, vegetables, and grains or from over-the-counter supplements, try adding some of these essential nutrients to your daily intake to promote smooth, healthy-looking skin [14]:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Selenium
• Zinc
• Omega-3 acids
• Polyphenols

Eating well can not only help you look good on the outside–you may feel better on the inside, too. 

#7 Stay Hydrated

Phone, wallet, keys, purse… add a refillable water bottle to the checklist of things you don’t leave home without, too. Out of all the skin care tips, most will speak on the importance of hydration, and drinking enough water can also help with that. Remind yourself to keep drinking throughout the day to maintain ideal hydration levels. Find ways to add an extra glass throughout the day, like when you first wake up in the morning or as part of your bedtime routine. 

Water is kind of a big deal when it comes to optimal body function, and with 64% of our skin made up of water, it’s important to keep the water flowing freely [15]. 

In terms of healthy skin, increased water intake has been shown to reduce dry, rough skin, improve elasticity, and thicken the stratum corneum (or the outermost protective skin layer) [16]. The more hydrated our skin cells are, the smoother the skin—so bottoms up!

#8 Avoid Irritants

Depending on your level of skin sensitivity, you might experience physical reactions when exposed to irritants or triggers. Some research suggests that skin sensitivity correlates with decreased thickness and increased permeability of the outermost skin layer, opening the skin to external irritants and water loss [17].

Some of the big culprits for sensitive skin reactions include:

• Cosmetics
• Environmental factors
• Fragrances
• Chemicals
• Household cleaners

If you’re able to pinpoint what instigates your skin reactions, minimizing exposure can help to keep pesky skin conditions at bay. For more extreme reactions or conditions that don’t clear up on their own, consider consulting with a dermatologist or allergist to craft a plan and determine the best way to address your issues. 

Support Your Skin With Proven Skincare

Healthy skin starts with the right products to clean, moisturize, and protect. At Proven Skincare, we’ve taken the guesswork out of balancing your beauty regimen. Our custom 3-step skincare set gives you everything your skin needs for daily care, personalized to your individual skin type and concerns.

Whether you’re struggling with dryness and sensitivity or hyperpigmentation and aging skin, our proprietary A.I. database will match you with the right combination of ingredients to take you to healthier-looking, more radiant skin. Take our Skin Genome Quiz to find the formula that fits and say farewell to bumpy, uneven skin for good.