Proper Skin Care: Are You Confused Yet?

When do I apply my Retinol creme and Vitamin C serum? Which antioxidants should I use, and when? Has my skin become topically addicted?

Are you confused yet?

With the plethora of products and active ingredients on the market these days, these are all very valid questions. How do we utilize today's anti-aging, rejuvenating breakthroughs to their fullest advantage--without causing major breakouts...or even damaging our skin? Here are six basic guidelines to help you get the best results from your skin-care products:

Always use your most active products at night, when you are resting in a stable environment (bed, that is). Your skin is in repairing and rejuvenating mode at night, so it can make better use of active ingredients. By the way--for every night you go to bed without cleaning your skin, you age yourself three days: dirty skin prevents the rejuvenation and repair processes from happening. That should scare you into the bathroom no matter how tired you are! Many actives also react unfavorably with the sun; using them before going into daylight can result in pigmentation issues, and can even cause the very problems they are supposed to be solving. This is especially true of Vitamin A.Use the day to keep the skin hydrated with a light botanical creme or serum, protected with plenty of sunscreen on top. Don't rely on makeup to give you full protection--you'd have to apply it very heavily for that. Instead, use a sunscreen first and look at any protection your makeup might offer as a bonus.Most active ingredients have a reservoir effect: they continue working on and in the skin for 48 to 72 hours, sometimes longer. It is vitally important, therefore, not to use the same high-performance product on consecutive days, and to never use more than one active product daily. Overuse can fatigue or irritate the skin, and also wastes product; considering how much some of them cost, why waste them?Change out your routine on a regular basis. For example, use a retinoid (Vitamin A-based product) with a collagen and elastin booster for four weeks, then switch to a Vitamin C product coupled with ATP and oxygen the next month. It is rather like a comprehensive long-term exercise routine. These days, taking good care of the skin means using a little of everything occasionally, not continually.Consider the acid-free approach with your at-home regime. Non-acid products do not break down the skin, but strengthen and rebuild tissue. Keep all the acidic and more chemically oriented protocols for your spa visits, and let your facialist take care of you.Finally, NEVER use a sunscreen with a retinoid. This can cause cancer! And remember, overuse of Vitamin A can ALSO cause liver toxicity, lung cancer and advanced signs of aging.

Before applying any skin-care product, always thoroughly cleanse and tone the skin. Toning as a necessary step is often overlooked, but it becomes essential as we age since it helps prevent enlargement of the pores.

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