What do you really need to do each morning and evening for beautiful skin? Your routine shouldn’t require a master’s degree in chemistry. Leave that to us and keep in mind these simple steps.
CLEANSER
Start with clean hands—you don’t want to rub dirt, pore-clogging lotion, food or caustic cleaning products onto your face. Wet your skin with lukewarm water (not too hot, or you’ll break capillaries) and gently apply your cleanser in upward strokes, which helps work it into your pores. Don’t scrub too hard, either. The skin on your face is delicate, and you can easily cause redness or micro-injuries and inflame acne. Rinse cleanser thoroughly with lukewarm water—any residue can irritate skin—and pat dry with a clean towel.
Suggestions:
- SkinMedica® Facial Cleanser
- SkinMedica® Purifying Foaming Wash
- SkinMedica® Sensitive Skin Cleanser
TONER
Toner isn’t just for teens with oily skin. It also serves to close pores, remove the last bits of oil and dirt, help skin shed dead cells and rebalance skin’s pH after cleansing. Apply toner with a clean cotton puff or pad using the same gentle upward strokes.
Suggestions:
- SkinMedica® Purifying Toner
- SkinMedica® Rejuvenative Toner
SERUM
A serum is a specialist, designed to prevent or treat a specific problem. Some serums deliver antioxidants to slow aging; some provide hyaluronic acid to retain and attract moisture; some fade dark spots; some plump wrinkles. The thing that all serums have in common is that they are concentrated and designed to penetrate deeply. They do not take the place of moisturizer, however. Its thicker formula plays a specific role, too. When applying a serum, continue the light upward strokes you used to cleanse and tone so that the serum is deposited into your pores.
Suggestions:
- SkinMedica® TNS Essential Serum®
- SkinMedica® Vitamin C+E Complex
- SkinMedica® Tri-Retinol Complex ES™
- SkinMedica® TNS Line Refine®
- SkinMedica® TNS Recovery Complex
- SkinMedica® Redness Relief CalmPlex™
MOISTURIZER
Moisturizing your skin is one of the fastest ways to look younger. It can plump creases and give your face a youthful glow. A good moisture barrier also protects your skin from oxidants in your environment and prevents moisture from escaping. Even acne-prone and oily skin requires a light moisturizer to stay in balance. After you’ve allowed your serum to penetrate for a few minutes, gently massage a moisturizer into your skin, working from the top of your face down to close pores and smooth tiny facial hairs. Choose a moisturizer with sunscreen for daytime use; at night, you can use a heavier cream to restore skin while you sleep.
Suggestions:
- SkinMedica® AHA/BHA Face Cream
- SkinMedica® TNS Ceramide Treatment Cream™
- SkinMedica® Rejuvenative Moisturizer
- SkinMedica® Ceratopic® Replenishing Cream
- SkinMedica® Dermal Repair Cream
- SkinMedica® Hydrating Complex
- SkinMedica® TNS Ultimate Daily Moisturizer™ SPF 20 Sunscreen
- SkinMedica® Ultra Sheer Moisturizer
EYE CREAM
The skin around your eyes is some of the most fragile and delicate on your body and requires extra TLC. Eye creams can give that skin the extra dose of moisture and nutrients it needs without irritating your eyes. Eye creams can also address skin issues specific to that area, such as dark circles or puffiness. Tap on eye cream with your ring finger, which is much less powerful than your pointer finger and won’t tug at your skin, then carefully smooth it even.
Suggestions:
- SkinMedica® TNS Eye Repair™
- SkinMedica® TNS Illuminating Eye Cream®
- SkinMedica® Uplifting Eye Serum
MASK
Once a week, add a mask to the front end of your routine. Apply it during your shower just after you’ve rinsed your face if you’re pinched for time. (Bonus: The steam will help the mask work better.) Some masks are designed to cleanse and tighten pores. Others are made to soften and brighten skin. A mask can give your skin an instant at-home boost!