Back to Basics

When it comes to anti-aging products that promise to diminish wrinkles and fine lines, the Academy recommends purchasing products with ingredients that have proven, over time, to be most effective at reversing the aging process. No surprise, the number one product that prevents wrinkles and sun damage is sunscreen. A broad-spectrum sunscreen that protects the skin from both UVA and UVB rays, with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 or higher, can prevent skin from looking older than it is.

Many of today's best moisturizers include sunscreens, so that one product can fulfill both these steps; again, these come in all price ranges, and for all skin types. If your moisturizer doesn't include a sunscreen, then be sure to get a sunscreen formulated for your face.  Do not use the same one you use on your body because your face is much more sensitive and thin-skinned than the rest of you! Whether it is in your moisturizer or a separate product, make sure your sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB rays; not all do, and you need protection from both.

 Use your facial moisturizer and sunscreen on the skin of your chin, neck, décolletage, and upper back, too. A sunscreen for your body should cover any other skin that will be exposed. If you will primarily be inside, a sunscreen with an SPF of 15 is probably enough; if you plan to be outside, use one with an SPF of 35 and reapply it frequently, and after exposure to water. There are sunscreens with higher SPF factors, but research has shown that they don't truly protect any better than SPF 35, so you do not need to pay more for a product offering an SPF 50 protection, when SPF 35 will perform just as well and generally cost less. Just remember: reapply often!

One more step should be added to your skin care regimen, either once or twice a week, or if your skin is extremely oily, even daily. That step is exfoliation. Exfoliating your skin once a week will remove the upper layer of dead skin cells, so that the new young cells underneath are exposed; it will actually reduce fine lines and wrinkles, not just their appearance; and can improve the overall texture of your skin. It also makes your skin more absorbent; the best time to apply moisturizer is right after exfoliating. If you want to use an exfoliant more than once a week, make sure that the product states that it is gentle enough for the use you want. If it causes dryness or irritation, use less often, and find a gentler exfoliant.

There is another addition that every woman and man should consider adding to their regimen, although it doesn't directly involve the skin. That is taking care of your entire body through balanced nutrition, drinking at least eight 6 oz. glasses of water per day (WATER, not iced tea, diet soda, or any other beverage!), not smoking, and keeping alcohol consumption to one drink per day or less. Eliminate or control the amount of stress in your life.  Exercise regularly, and get seven to eight hours of refreshing sleep each night. Watch the foods that you consume, have a balanced diet.  Doing all of these things will show on your skin; so will not doing them.

Back to skin care. The first step is cleansing. Do I need to say that before you begin either cleansing your skin or applying make-up, you should thoroughly wash your hands? At night, use a make-up remover. Many cleansers don't remove all the make-up from your skin, so this really is an important step. Here, I like to use the Jane Iredale Magic Make-up mitt. No matter how late it is you can quickly wipe your face clean with the mitt and water it takes less than 30 seconds.   So, there is no excuse!  Or, you can use one of the many make-up removers.  They come in every price range, and since you will be using only a little bit on a cotton ball, it will last a long time. For the actual cleansing, remember that hot water is great for washing your hands, but skin does better with luke warm water and a cool rinse. If you have oily skin, you need to use an oil-free cleanser. If you have normal skin, you want to avoid both oil, which can make your skin greasier, and alcohol, which can make it dry. All good skin care lines carry cleansers, toners and moisturizers for dry, oily and normal skin.